You're right that it won't hurt to wait, other then i'll propably lose this deal, and like i said SoCal doesn't seem to have that many people selling used bikes. As far as the roads go, i'm pretty sure 45-55 is the limit on most the roads, and from what i've gathered that's about the top speed of this one. I was originally thinking of buying a moped and staying on the bike paths. Basicly (if you know a bit about SoCal) i'm at UCI campus right now, and need to get to Mission Viejo every day to practice. I'm doing it by bus right now, but have to ride my bike home (since buses stop at 8 here). I've gotten some offers on carpools and have been taking people up on it, but i really hate being dependent on other people like that (although they seem very helpful and don't mind).

If you need to spend most of your time at 45 MPH, and everyone is passing you at 50, then you ought to reconsider a 50cc scooter. At 45, you have no passing power, and you are the upper limit of a stock scooters speed.

I have heard good things about Yamaha Zuma in the speed department though.

Anybody want to chime in?

If you guys have suggestions on other buys that would be better for similar money, that would be awesome, but i'm assuming a more powerful Honda would cost a good deal more then this one.

Atlantis for $1000 is a fine deal.

and Jesus Said..."What would John Elway do?"

You can register and insure the scooter without a class M endorsement. Frankly, neither the DMV nor the insurance companies care if you even have the permit for paperwork like that.

The Derbi is a great scooter, though they haven't been available in the U.S. for a while. I don't know if the '01 Atlantis uses the same motor that's in the Vespa ET2, but it might. That would be key if you ever need to get parts, because I've heard that Derbi is not supplying parts to the U.S. anymore.

I agree with the other posters that a 50cc machine in general will have trouble keeping up with California traffic. Sucks, doesn't it? In fact in my experience almost nothing short of a 150cc (sometimes 125) has enough pep to avoid getting run over on the major roads. If you're really pressed for cash and don't mind a manual transmission, you may want to look for a used 250cc motorcycle. I'm not saying you'll find something that runs well for a grand, but at least you don't have to pay the "scooter premium" in the price.

Bear in mind that you need to set aside money for any of the following that you don't already have:
$100 -- full-face helmet
$200 -- riding jacket
$30 -- protective gloves
$100/year on up -- insurance
8% sales tax on scooter (collected at DMV)
$50 -- good chain/cable lock
$200 -- MSF safety course (the best way to get a class M license)

It's easy to spend $800 without even buying the scooter yet.

It's mostly the fault of America's hectic and lethal road system. Every year traffic gets faster and faster and denser and denser and more and more deadly for riders of small vehicles. If we could get more places at 25 miles an hour, it would be a 50cc Scootopia. In that world the Derbi is one of the first scooters I'd consider buying.

I was thinking about the MSF course, but that was 250$ since i'm over 21, and they didn't have an opening until late december, so i figured i'd just learn on my own, cheaper and faster.

THE LOCK! I definately want a better lock, she threw some lock in there but it basicly looks like a cheap bike lock, i definately want a better one. The streets i'm riding on aren't too bad, it's basicly the same one every time (90% of the way on Alton), i ride there already on my bicycle at night, and it's not too bad with traffic, i think the speedlimit there is 45.

Right now i'm kinda set on buying this, unless i hear that it's a bad price for it (i'm not too hot on a real motorcycle). I realize that it's not the greatest thing and may not keep up with traffic 100%, but i desperately need a better transportation option then my bicycle, my training is really suffering from not having a good way to get there. And i'm honestly not seeing how i'll find a better vehicle for the same money

Al

Check with any Vespa dealer for the proper gearbox oil. I use a synthetic that they recommended, and it's just fine