Janus Motorcycles

So I was watching TV with my Dad yesterday and a weird show called Tech Toys 360 was on which showed off an interesting moped. Its a 50cc 2-stroke with 9 HP and what looks like direct oil injection so you don't have to premix fuel, oil cooling, and full sized wheels. The bike is made in America, though I suspect basic components are Chinese, much as you see with Cleveland Cycle Werks.

Their Halcyon 50 weighs 173 pounds, has a 6 speed manual transmission like a motorcycle, and drum brakes, gets 60 mpg and can do 55 mph on the flat, with a tailwind. Considering the engine is tiny that's kind of amazing. I wonder just how much maintenance it takes, and if it vents hot exhaust gases into the crankcase, destroying its own lubrication oil and thus eating itself alive like nearly all 2-strokes do? The bike looks really nice and its American made.

Downside? Its $5300 base price, and a $2900 deposit to get started since they build to order. The saddlebags and chrome or stainless steel exhaust are extra. On the flats, drum brakes are probably okay. Up here in the mountains, with steep roads being the rule? Not so much. As ugly as the MadAss is, its better value. And any used Enduro bike in running order is cheaper yet, and easier to maintain a 4-stroke engine than a 2-stroke like this. Lovely bike though. I do like it on pure aesthetics. For American labor costs and warranty, the price is probably appropriate, however you can buy a nice Honda for a lot less, new. This is Vespa money. And probably the same target audience, of 1%ers. It is almost certainly safer than a Vespa, and isn't made of plastic so will last longer, though spare brake pads will be crucial with those drums, and it remains unclear about the maintenance requirements to keep the engine from seizing on burnt up oil.

The MadAss is 4-stroke, is 100 mpg, not 60 mpg, has disc brakes, and the engine swaps with 4 bolts for half the price. Its just really ugly compared to this. And its made in China, which is an unreliable "partner" at best. $600 more than the MadAss gets you a real motorcycle, new, from CCW.

With disc brakes, a 250cc engine, common tires, vintage 1960's looks, and able to deal with the freeway, barely, though not as well as a bike with fairing and windshield. Around here this would be a good choice for canyon rides if you must have vintage, and its $3400 new. Probably a lot better starter bike than say, a Harley Davidson, which costs 3x as much.
All the above in mind, I still wonder about an ultralight stripped out city car with good tires, good brakes, good exhaust and intake and a recent oil change for pure driving fun. And with 4 wheels, a great deal more stability. It is a shame that they only seem to give us the 4-door Fiesta, the 4-door Civic, the 4-door heavy boring vehicles that are overweight and bad handling and slow. I miss the old days of no safety and blithe joy. Why did those damned Boomers decide to ruin our fun when it was our turn?