2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F Review

[Administrator]

Original Article:
2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F Review

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[schizuki]

As far as fuel mileage goes, after an entire day of running around San Francisco at wide-open throttle, the fuel needle hardly moved.

Um... great. So what does that mean in MPG? That's pretty much in the top 2 priorities for a scooter review. Apologies if I'm missing it.

I dig scooters, and this sounds like a perfect bike for a large city. If I lived in one, I'd be perfectly happy with it as an only-bike (well, maybe a 125...) Always liked the looks of the Zuma, and its dirt-road-ability. But I live in a small city, and it just doesn't make sense for me. For short around-town trips, I use a bicycle (infinite MPG). For longer jaunts, a motorcycle (50 MPG). Outside of a big city, a scooter is too much of a tweener.

A large Southern or California city? It would replace my car, too.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by schizuki

Um... great. So what does that mean in MPG? That's pretty much in the top 2 priorities for a scooter review. Apologies if I'm missing it.

I dig scooters, and this sounds like a perfect bike for a large city. If I lived in one, I'd be perfectly happy with it as an only-bike (well, maybe a 125...) Always liked the looks of the Zuma, and its dirt-road-ability. But I live in a small city, and it just doesn't make sense for me. For short around-town trips, I use a bicycle (infinite MPG). For longer jaunts, a motorcycle (50 MPG). Outside of a big city, a scooter is too much of a tweener.

A large Southern or California city? It would replace my car, too.

Press launches don't usually provide opportunity for actual as-tested fuel economy numbers. But based on Yamaha's 132 mpg claim, it should be next to impossible to get less than 100 mpg on the Zuma.

[pushrod]

A buddy has a Ruckus that he loves.

He doesn't ride it around town (it's mostly a camping trip and racetrack 'pitbike') because it is too slow, and can't get out of the way quickly enough. It's all it can do to get to and maintain anything more than 35mph.



Speaking of camping and racetracks, don't forget the Barber Vintage Festival (7 - 9 October)!

[schizuki]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Duke

But based on Yamaha's 132 mpg claim, it should be next to impossible to get less than 100 mpg on the Zuma.

Well, based on this sentence from the article - "Wegener informed me that the real-world mileage numbers for his two-stroke Zuma are nothing close to the 123 mpg Yamaha claims. Instead, he gets around 60 mpg on his “tuned for mileage” gen-two Zuma" - I'd say it would be very possible to get only 65 mpg.

My Sportster gets 55. Of course, it can't carry a six-pack, a fifth of Jack and a Beretta under the seat, so the Zuma has that going for it. Which is nice.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by schizuki

Well, based on this sentence from the article - "Wegener informed me that the real-world mileage numbers for his two-stroke Zuma are nothing close to the 123 mpg Yamaha claims. Instead, he gets around 60 mpg on his “tuned for mileage” gen-two Zuma" - I'd say it would be very possible to get only 65 mpg.

My Sportster gets 55. Of course, it can't carry a six-pack, a fifth of Jack and a Beretta under the seat, so the Zuma has that going for it. Which is nice.

I'm gonna guess Wegener rides fast, as getting barely more mpg than a Sportster is ridiculous. Also, the extra torque of the 50F over the two-stroke 50 is going to require less throttle, which equals more mileage. Plus, two-strokes aren't known for their fuel economy, so I stick by my guess I'd be able to extract 100 miles from a gallon of fuel in a 50F.

[schizuki]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Duke

I'm gonna guess Wegener rides fast, as getting barely more mpg than a Sportster is ridiculous. Also, the extra torque of the 50F over the two-stroke 50 is going to require less throttle, which equals more mileage. Plus, two-strokes aren't known for their fuel economy, so I stick by my guess I'd be able to extract 100 miles from a gallon of fuel in a 50F.

Yeah, that makes more sense. 65 mpg from a scooter sounds ludicrous. Quickie search shows the 125 Zuma getting 80-100 real world.

[seruzawa]

My first bike, a Honda 50, got about 125mpg and that was with the throttle WTFO. How do you get 60mpg out of a 50?

Personally I think 50s to be a poor choice unless you live in really congested urban environments. 125cc Scooter will do more like 55mph vs the 50's 40mph and don't get all that worse mileage.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Personally I think 50s to be a poor choice unless you live in really congested urban environments. 125cc Scooter will do more like 55mph vs the 50's 40mph and don't get all that worse mileage.

Yep, a 125's higher-ranging speeds makes it more versatile, but a Zuma jumps off curbs really good.

[The Spaceman]

50 mpg on a Sportster? Wow, that's great mileage. Must be the FI.

My Mini's gas mileage is comparable to my Vee's, which is around 25-30 mpg real-world, commuting mileage. Not exactly "stellar."