Mutant Art Scooter Help Needed

[seanjohn]

I have a 1986 Honda Helix 250cc scooter ready to mutate. Thinking of a sidecar or trike that offers BRC Metro 'Yell for a Cab' taxi service. I have plenty of energy and modest budget. Anyone willing to help with design and engineering?

[LeChatNoir]

Throw it out and let us look at it. Post drawings and ideas. This place is loaded with gearheads and junk-junkies.

[Ugly Dougly]

... and weird-ass artists.

[capjbadger]

...and electro-nerds.

-Badger

[epic_elite]

and people who dont know nothin about anything but have a lot of opinions on stuff!

[Captain Goddammit]

Anyone willing to help with design and engineering?

In general I think you're headed the right direction making at least a three-wheeler out of it, it's impractical to operate a two-wheeler as a Burning Man mutant vehicle.
The 250 Helix is a good start, it's the biggest-engine Honda scooter. It's a nice unit, overbuilt for it's original application. It ought to have adequate power.
Try to make your cab big enough to carry at least two passengers. If you can, make some sort of luggage-carrying space for ice runs, etc.
Remember that over-the-top lighting effects are pretty much required nowadays for a DMV night-driving permit.
You could probably get away with using bike parts for your side car, but if you use a bike wheel, definitely go with a "BMX" type one-piece "mag" wheel, don't use a mountain-bike type spoked wheel, I think it'd get bent too easily.

Body work will probably be necessary so the whole thing doesn't look much like a scooter with a side car which probably wouldn't be "mutant" enough, custom-built or not.

[Ugly Dougly]

VISUAL!

[Isotopia]

Before you go investing time, resources and money into it I'd verify with the Black Rock DMV that scooters are even a category to be issued permits at the event.

[Ugly Dougly]

I've seen plenty of MVs and Artcars based on scooters. Has that changed, Iso?

Read up:
http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/playa_vehicles/criteria.html

[Isotopia]

Well, there *is* some vagueness as to scooters and such.

It seems to remain a gray area and I know of instances in which scooters have been denied outright in the permitting process.

[Ugly Dougly]

It has to be mutiliated sufficiently.

Come think of it, the scooters that looked like rabbits and such were from the Art Car period and before Mutant vehicle period.

[mdmf007]

It has to be mutiliated sufficiently.

Come think of it, the scooters that looked like rabbits and such were from the Art Car period and before Mutant vehicle period.

That is why you have to submit an application and be INVITED to bring your mutant creation for submission.

[Shambala]

If you make it a scooter that you stand to ride, then you can use that. It really help to mutate the crap out of it as well, but a standing scooter is allowed. I'll try to find where that is written.

[JRoyale]

Before you go investing time, resources and money into it I'd verify with the Black Rock DMV that scooters are even a category to be issued permits at the event.

Scooters are allowed, most certainly. However the same rules apply to them as to other mutant vehicles, which is that they have to sufficiently mutated. Which can be a challenge. While I don't have any hard numbers to back it up, I won't be surprised if we have much higher rejection rate for scooters and motorcycles then vehicles based on cars and trucks.

JR
DMV Council

[JRoyale]

If you make it a scooter that you stand to ride, then you can use that. It really help to mutate the crap out of it as well, but a standing scooter is allowed. I'll try to find where that is written.

That would be incorrect. We do allow small stand up go-ped type scooters to operate without a license - preferably an electric one as the gas powered ones annoy a lot of people. But the larger "Vespa" type scooter always require a license and therefore must meet all the DMV criteria to be granted a license.

JR
DMV Council

[Shambala]

If you make it a scooter that you stand to ride, then you can use that. It really help to mutate the crap out of it as well, but a standing scooter is allowed. I'll try to find where that is written.

That would be incorrect. We do allow small stand up go-ped type scooters to operate without a license - preferably an electric one as the gas powered ones annoy a lot of people. But the larger "Vespa" type scooter always require a license and therefore must meet all the DMV criteria to be granted a license.

JR
DMV Council

You said that is incorrect, then repeat exactly what I said. No wonder there is so much confusion with the ever-moving goal posts at the DMV.
I believe the Vespa has a seat--correct?

[ygmir]

maybe there is an H.P. threshold you two are on different sides of?

[Shambala]

Thanks yg. I wonder what the rules are for placing a wheelchair on a scooter and standing on it while riding? I really miss the good old days when all you had to do was put some bullet holes in your rental car and drive it on the playa as fast as you wanted while your passengers tried to balance on the roof without falling off. 5 fucking miles per hour!

[Cassidy]

Thanks yg. I wonder what the rules are for placing a wheelchair on a scooter and standing on it while riding? I really miss the good old days when all you had to do was put some bullet holes in your rental car and drive it on the playa as fast as you wanted while your passengers tried to balance on the roof without falling off.

That made me crack up... I wasn't there but it makes me miss the good ol' days! I also miss the cupcake cars.
I guess they went commercial. Can't find the plans online anywhere anymore. Meanies!