[Silly Little Cars] Info

Sun Dec 18 23:24:26 PST 2011

See below:

On Sun, Dec 18, 2011 at 6:13 PM, Renee de Abreu <ipaqgps at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am in San Francisco.  Wow look what I have learned already..   I love
> cute but there is the practical side..  Also what becomes available and
> price.
>
> What kind of gas mileage can you expect from each one?
>

Surprisingly crappy on both. My Cush gets like 22, my Interceptor around 26
I think though I haven't measured in awhile.

> Do they both still classify as motorcycles for parking?
>

Yes. Don't let DMV tell you differently. If they do, this list can help.

> I am able to work some and I do some shopping for people, deliver packages
> and the like.  Needing that locked back area.  I also have my little dog
> that I take with me and I think she would love it.
>

All those things are much better in a Cushman, which has a waaay bigger
lockbox in the back. The Interceptors have the engine back there, so though
they look the same from outside, the Cushman really has an awesomely
gigantic lockbox. In the Cushmans, the engine is under the seat, which is a
tradeoff in terms of increased noise and stinkiness, neither of which do I
personally mind. Cushmans also have a little open storage area between the
lockbox and the cab, which is really miss.

You also might look at Cushman vans... Hard to find but awesome.

>
> Would love to really get a good look at one up close and personal....  and
> I am glad to hear that people for the most part leave them alone if you
> make them different enough.
>
> I am paying $75 a year for insurance for my scooter and I am sure my guy
> must insure these little guys also.. guess I could give him a call
> tomorrow.
>

That's another thing. For some reason Cushmans are way cheaper to insure. I
was paying around $80/year for my Cushman, and I think I"m paying like $350
for my Interceptor, though its complicated since I have more vehicles on my
policy now.

>
> I was on Tehama a few weeks ago and say the Photoboof one sitting in a
> parking lot.  Called that guy but he was in Europe and really didn't have
> the time to talk to me.  So they are around just how do I get one.
>

That's my Photoboof! photoboof.org. You must have called my partner. If
you'd like, come on  by and have a look. I have a Cushman in that lot that
I'd love to sell, but it requires jumping through a couple of hoops at the
DMV since it doesn't have a title. Easily done, and I should really just go
do it, but if you'd like, come get it. Simon on this list might still have
a Cushman for sale too?

>
> What are the plusses that each one have?
>

I've already said what I think are the plusses, maybe someone else wants to
chime in.

Off the top of my head since I'm bored though:
*
Cushman Plusses:*

- cute as hell
- relatively simple engines
- giant trunk, and the open storage area between the trunk and the cab.
Interceptors have their engines in the truck so the trunks are relatively
tiny. Its also possible that Interceptor trunks get a bit hot, which you
might want to investigate if you're carrying food, though you can probably
just put a layer of carpet insulation or wahtever over the engine cover.
- I prefer the water cooled engines (mid 1989 and beyond), but that's
probably just because the air cooled one I had was such a beater.
- can easily install a bench-type two person seat (hard in an Interceptor
because of the shifter and e-brake, which could and have been moved)
- cheap insurance
- comes in van form (Interceptors do too, but I've never seen one in the
wild)
- can turn on a dime. When doing u-turns, you're practically pivoting
around the center of the rear axle. Its like a magic trick.
- can do donuts easily

*Cushman Minuses:*

- way less power
- stinky
- noisy
- usually don't have doors
*
Interceptor Plusses:*

- insanely cushy ride, like a small car instead of an overgrown scooter
- great heat, though if you're just zipping around town it usually just
starts putting out heat when you arrive where you're going
- great sliding doors, water tight
- comfy bucket seats
- waaay safer. Roll cage, shoulder seat belt... Cushmans just have a
fiberglass shell. And in every accident I've seen involving a Cushman, the
steel bars on the side that you think might provide some protection are
exactly the things that you need to watch out for in a crash...
- waaay more power.
- in a pinch can easily drive on the highway. I wouldn't think twice about
driving over the Bay Bridge, though I wouldn't want to do it regularly.
Unthinkable (by me, though some have done it) in a Cushman. I bought my
Interceptor in Mt. Shasta and drove it back to SF with a passenger
(deets<http://sillylittlecars.com/?p=4>).
Julia (on this list I think) drove hers to Burning Man from SF... Both of
those would be really really hard in a Cushman in my opinion.
*
Interceptor Minuses:*

- looks a bit like something the Terminator would drive compared to the
cuteness of a Cushman
- more complicated engine
- crappy suspension, especially the front fork
- oddly large turning radius, compared to a cushman
- a bit longer, so when you park perpendicular you're (I think) technically
illegal, though everyone still does it and very few have been ticketed. But
on narrow streets I usually try to jump the back wheel over the curb. This
is a pretty serious minus, Cushmans are awesome to park.
- more expensive to insure
- more expensive to buy (usually around $2500, Cushman are usually around
$1500)
- parts are getting harder to find, and they're always more expensive
- I've tried a million things but I still can't prevent the damn windshield
from fogging up.
- smaller trunk
- you look way more like a metermaid, which I personally sort of like.

> Thanks
> Renee
>
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