contacting membership
HI Augi, I spoke again to Whizzer, and amoung other things we discussed the Whizzer 49. Along with other things about it, I discussed using a std piston from another bike (ie Honda, Kawa, suzuki) and not "re-inventing the wheel" at that point. This project is completely viable, using the exsisting Whizzer bike, and just doing a small-bore barrel, and moving the crank pin to adjust the stroke (which I explained to him). Addionally, I assured him, that I've ridden 2hp 4-strokes, and outran an auto-clutch Whizzer with one, untill I peaked at 30 and the whizzer caught me and blew by. I also discussed the fact, that he would have no legal worries with the 49, as it would be UNFEASABLE to bring it up to 138, as the crank is expensive and not likely to ever get changed. One other powerful point in our favor here, is that I was talking to him, finding out how many states that are NOT allowed moped status on Whizzer, and that, therefore they are not very sucessful in selling to, I'm trying to show him that this engine will open new markets for him, and that they will make money with this project.
They have a quoate from thier suppliers as to the cost to do this. I am not at liberty to divulge that at this time, but I can tell you, that from a business standpoint, it is very do-able!
You must be now wondering, "well, where are we at on this thing"? He was busy yesterday (agian) and we did not get the convo finished. They would not be much cheaper than the 138's as it will, at first, cost even more to make the "Baby Whizzer" tho it will probably be priced a little lower, in the case of Chinese motor-scooters, usually 100.00 less for the small engine.
I think it would be a very good idea, if here, you and your "guys" did the promoting of concept, not me. Oftentimes I have wondered how well accepted I, and my ideas are here, not amoung the few, but amoung the masses. Primary promotion would be much more sucessful if you did it here.
The fact that I'm so burned out on the whole "stick the engine (cheapest one i could get) into the cheapest bike I could get, and run it like a little naked animal (no fenders, no lights, no rack etc) may emerge at times, and is certainly not good for Images sake. Most of the time I make no comment whatsoever about builds in the gallery because of this very reason, and the fact that I built about 30-35 of those myself already. BUT if you look on my gallery
http://www.simpsonmotorbikes.com/picutres.html you will find that many of my bikes were vintage americans, that I scrounged up, and restored myself. This many of the guys could do, if they wanted to.
The most important part of this early part of the "campaign" will be to get my guy at Whizzer to make a Yahoo mailbox (so we do not just fill up his business mail with wannabe ideas) and then get the people who have the interest to write him, to tell him what they think, and if indeed they, or friends would want one .
Here is an inside tip that is very important. In the time I have been in Motor Bicycles, MOST of the guys are 45+ yo, and even up into thier 70's, Whizzer KNOWS that it needs to reach the younger market, you cannot survive if your market gets old and dies!
Maybe there should be a little questionaire section, and then personal comments by each respondent? Pertanant info would include many market ideas.
All below are about Owner/Rider
Age
State/maybe city?
What he now rides, how many he has,
How many miles he rides
What do his friends think of it
How many might be more interested if it were a better(complete, and higher quality) bike
Would they somehow come up with about 1600 for a "Total Bike"
Or around 700 for the kit (including alternator, wiring harness, Whizzer tank, and good controlset?
Maybe a section, would Dad buy one for his son?
I will think more, let me know what you think, and what ideas I may have not seen.
Mike
PS I DID ask him if he would like to be the Only True American Moped, he seemed to like that idea!
