Is it possible to keep my drowning business a float by choosing a moped to pump my business back up?
I was thinking about buying a moped/motorized bike and a bicycle enclosed trailer to convert my business to e scrap, aluminum waste, and HQ copper scrap hauling business.
Btw i don't do belts i do chain drive systems
You know, I had thought about that awhile back before I bought my truck. I have about 10 mopeds (actual mopeds, the ones that you can pedal). First problem, if you are talking about the real mopeds, is that they are not reliable, ever. Carbs get clogged, things rattle loose, belts wear quickly, etc etc. 5,000 miles on one of them is like 200,000 on an automobile. Second, depending on the model, they just don't have the power to pull anything. You can get lucky and get a three wheeled one with double engines (i've seen a few for sale over the years).
with fuel costs the way they are i think going over to escrap and higher grade metals is a good idea, the recent pullback in precious metals should help you out there also
what is you business plan if you dont mind me asking
i recall a newspaper route we lived on, these two guys came by every day on a moped throwing papers. One day one of them was pedaling and he looked like he was about as worn out as a guy could get, leading me to believe they were not easily pedaled
Haha, no they're not fun. I had a belt break a few miles from home once, and it was dark, so I left the engine running with the lights on and pedaled home. It was flat ground, so it was ok, but walking it probably would have been just as fast. Some people even forget to disengage the pedal system, so they're just turning the motor over the whole time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear
Motorized bike?
Moped. This one is an older motobecane.
http://team-spectacular.com/wp-conte.../02/Moped1.jpg
I use to specialize in commercial pickups and residential scrap runs.... but then the first truck sprung a hole in the radiator from old age.... 600 turned her out for 1500 on a blown headset ..... then i put 500 down on a 94ranger and that lemon dealing sob "Helens auto sales of pacific highway located in des Moines wa" sold me a truck with a gone cluth that was dope up on that lucus tranny stuff.
Now i am a sukka in hot water with the misses so now important spending money so we can chase her dream.
Dream building and dream smashing my friend...
Anyway the point of the matter is now it does not matter its just about being a man with tools now.
Independence and mancaving for fun. i just want to make money youknow.
I want something chain driven one
One just like that in mint condition would work.... put a fabricated mini trailer on the back and stick a small box on the bracket back there HahahahahaQuote:
Originally Posted by ryanw
i can see it now, that going up a hill pulling a little trailer, putting out a nice cloud of that 2 cycle smoke
Ive been using my small saturn car as my scrapper vehicle for a year now. Paid $900 for her and she probably has netted me near $4000 profit. I mainly deal with Ewaste but also use it for copper, aluminum, and also steel.
With the rear seats out, I have hauled 30+ full tower computers alongside a passenger 500 miles one way getting 30mpg the whole trip. I wish I had the SOHC engine in my car with a 5 speed as those have been known to get 45+mpg.
My next step is to purchase a hitch and trailer for the car. With gas spiking up near $5 a gallon and metal prices going down, I see myself having a clear advantage over the standard lone wolf with a 1/2 ton pickup truck.
I would imagine the moped would be too small to haul much and unless you lived in a city such as chicago, new york city, or similar you would have to travel farther and therefore use more of your time between stops.
I would take my 1/2 ton ford with gang box over the car anyday . You might find things you simply cannot fit in your car . I would buy a truck over the trailer and use your Saturn for ewaste pick ups . I think the reason I love my truck is that it was built for work and I don't have to bend over to load things .I cannot say the same for a commuter car .Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew1990
Mopeds are so yesterday. Go with one of the newer scooters. 50cc, 80cc, etc. No pedaling, can still do good speed pull your little tiny trailer, etc.
Electric start, an kick start. No pedals, so you if you run out of gas instead of doing the pedal of shame you'll be doing the walk of shame. Ha ha! I got me a nice little 50cc downstairs, I picked up for a song. A very cheap song. Buddy is fixing it up for me, an I'll be using that for my non-scrap related errands.
Lots of folks use them down here on the sandbar. For just fun, cause they lost their license, whatever..lots of them here.
Sirscrapalot - Scooting on by.
"I bought an electric scooter in sixth grade. Bankrupted me."
Zac Efron
Try going back in time hay is still pretty cheap, a nice work horse pulling a wagon imagine the free press you would get you could call it a *Man and a Horse Scrap Industries*
I second the horse and buggy. You could really push the "green" angle with one.
I bought a motorized bicycle engine kit off CL a couple years ago for $125. Put it on a fixie/single speed type Walmart special I got for free. Found out it needs a coil, haven't got around to ordering one, only $10. I like riding my bicycle(non motorized) up and down the alleys in my town looking for scrap. One time I found a drop ceiling type four tube 4' fluro fixture. Carried it in one hand and the other hand on my handlebars and got it home. If I find something bulky I'll run home and get one of my vehicles. I perfer not to do any scouting in my vehicles because I don't need to be wasting gas, plus the exersize is good for my knee.
I got a little garden trailer. Like what you use to put grass clippings in and tow behind the rideon lawnmower. At a auction.
Its got little inflatable tyres.
I made a towbar for my cycle from the front forks off a cycle and some welding and a ball bearing race .
That way I can turn corners as well as lean the bike over. I left the headstock on it so it can lean sideways.
So, I gave it a go.........
Ten city blocks on flat land with a load of a server and microwaves and I was knackered.
Completly. 100% no energy left at all.
Had to push it up the slightest rise and I still had to pedal downhill, though I could get some speed up then.
As well as that I got a following car go past several times, probably to get a photograph......yoofs these days...
Someone who has used a trailer made from bike wheels said a lot of the energy was wasted on rolling resistances.
So I'm converting it to be towed by a motorbike and may make another from a fridge carcus and ali scooter decks riveted to its sides to toughen it up a bit. Then make brackets on two bike forks to bolt them to the sides of the fridge.
Rolling resistance is a killer for sure.