(You can view the video by clicking on image above, but for a better image quality you should click on the image and select the “download to pc/mac” option and let it download completely before watching.)
Well, we’ve finally gone and done it… We posted the Premiere Edition of The Scooter Scoop dot TV _AND_ met our deadline for January. This month we are bringing you FULL coverage of the Sachs MadAss imported by Tomberlin. Since we first reported on it back in July we’ve been trackin’ her down… awaiting her arrival in the ole USA. Now she’s here, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to bring you behind the scenes with interviews, a crate opening ceremony, test drives, reviews, and more!
We hope you savor and enjoy all 20 minutes… while you’re doing that we’ll be thinking up what to bring you for Episode 2 by the end of February.
If you like what you see, let us know! Give us some feedback… Comments, emails… Tell us what you think could be improved, what you’d like to see in the future and if you REALLY liked it, pick up a “TheScooterScoop.com” support patch… They’re cheap, they look great on Jackets, Hats, Chaps, PJs, Boxershorts. Show us some luv and we’ll keep showin’ it back! (by the way… those of you who pre-ordered the support patch. They were shipped out this morning and should arrive shortly… oh and, be sure to read the show credits)
Oh yeah… which reminds me… Until February 15th we are also having a sale in TheScooterScoop Store. Sure, we don’t have a huge selection… yet… but we are working to bring you more stylish gear that says “I ride a scooter and I love it!” (not in those exact words of course).
Thanks again for paying us a visit. Scoot on!
Steve
editor
http://thescooterscoop.com
1. February 2006 at 4:49 am
Bravo! Fantastic job Steve!
1. February 2006 at 2:35 pm
Mac users with problems (audio but no video) go to : http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/ and download & install VIVX.
Thanks Steve!
1. February 2006 at 2:53 pm
This is a great effort and makes me look forward to more in the future. Well thought out and with lessons learned in production this is a high mark for a starting point. It doesn’t hurt that you have chosen a good first subject either!!
Hope it stays fun because I’ld like to see more of these.
1. February 2006 at 4:34 pm
c’mon, I didn’t see a single scooter in the whole clip… mopeds and a helix?
scooters man, scooters.
1. February 2006 at 4:39 pm
Very nice work, Steve. And I like the MadAss from the time I had to check it out at Woods the other day. I was impressed by a lot of the same stuff you guys liked, like the integrated fuel tank and the cool fuel cap, as well as just the general solid and well-built appearance. Any word if Tomberlin is planning to bring in the 125 or that crazy-looking 500 cc MadAss in?
1. February 2006 at 5:22 pm
Thanks for the kudos everyone. Thanks Philip for the help offered to our Mac viewers. I built this on my wife’s Mac, but that’s about all I know.
I hope to have Episode 2 out by the end of Feb. We are accepting submissions if you have a digital video camera!
As for Anonymous’s request for Scooters.. if yer lookin’ for those little 2-wheeled foot scooters, this is the wrong place. Sorry. ;P~
And James… as far as MadAss Developments go, I don’t have ALL the details, but this month Tomberlin is supposed to be releasing an 88cc and a 108cc (something around there) upgrade kit THIS MONTH! We _may_ see the 125cc in the USA this year and as for the 500cc… don’t hold yer breath.
1. February 2006 at 7:53 pm
very nice, but where’s the manual to remove the speed – limit thing?
1. February 2006 at 8:08 pm
The Rev Limit removal trick should be documented this week. I had hoped to have it when the .TV show aired, but P-Town has been SWAMPED!
1. February 2006 at 10:35 pm
Thanks for the video review!
== Yippee! 2007 MadAss 500 ==
Other than the MadAss 500 what would “create new clientel” and “explode the name”?
If the MadAss 500 was stable at highway speeds, capable of 90mph+, spunky from a stop, and had CVT – I would buy it. In fact, I would sell my 2005 SWing-600/ABS to get the MadAss 500.
I ride to work daily down the highway… so sometimes I’m going 2-mph in traffic jams and sometimes I’m cruising ar 80mph+. I don’t need a “2-up” touring scooter; just need a punky, fast, highway stable bike with auto-tranny.
CAVEAT: The MadAss 500 needs to get here before Honda’s DN-01 [cuz I'm getting that unless something better shows up].
1. February 2006 at 11:11 pm
P.S. The MadAss 500 is ‘wierd-er’ than you think… check out the hole in the gas tank:
http://www.t5net.de/messebilder/intermot2004/images/intermot2004_042_jpg.jpg
Also:
http://www.t5net.de/messebilder/intermot2004/images/intermot2004_039_jpg.jpg
———–
I assume it’s using a cvt… cuz if it’s not, I’m not interested. Maybe Tomberlin is planning to take the frame/design and drop in their own engine.
2. February 2006 at 2:06 am
Steve – first of all, the ScooterScoop TV is fantastic, I never have enough patience to sit at my screen and watch videos but this was so interesting. Can’t wait for next installment
Secondly, I have wanted MadAss since I first saw on the German web site over a year ago, can’t wait. I will have to sell one of the street bikes but never the dirt bikes.
2. February 2006 at 3:37 am
Nice! Just seeing it for the first time and must say not bad. I can see alot of mods that could be done to this bike. Mod my scooter tv show I can see it now.
2. February 2006 at 3:55 am
1. It bugs me the way this Tomberlin guy imports the Sachs MadAss and rebrands it as a Tomberlin. If I bought one I’d want to paint over his name and tell everyone it was a Sachs; except that feels fudgy.
2. I read that Tomberlin deals with Wal-Mart; so the big news is probably him importing a cheap Chinese scooter, rebranding it Tomberlin, and distributing through Wal-Mart. You can judge a man by the company he keeps.
3. The Sachs MadAss 500 Concept purports to use the Royal Enfield engine made in India. It’s a low-tech carbureted 22 horsepower engine with five speed manual transmission and a top speed of 70 mph on a good day, down a hill, with a tail wind. A better pick would be the Ninja 250 or the Yamaha Majesty; either would be faster, better, and probably cheaper.
4. Great video. I liked the interview, the product review, and the way people were honest about the lack of power and speed with the MadAss. I would be interested in seeing a review for the 125; I could use a new toy if it was fun and fast enough.
2. February 2006 at 6:52 am
Wow, what an impressive way to start! That had a lot more than I’d expect from a homebrew internet show. Well written, well delivered, cleanly edited, in-depth discussion, and a photogenic host. Steve, don’t be surprised if the Discovery Channel comes knocking on your door!
There were a few things I would have liked to see to polish up the presentation:
a) It might be a good idea to put the ScooterScoop logo in the opening shot somewhere.
b) The opening monologue would have been the ideal voice-over for a series of still images.
c) A low-angle shot of the MadAss roaring by at top speed would have been an awesome addition, though I am grateful for the close-up shots we got.
d) The blurriness caused by compression made the techs hard to see. Maybe they could have had close-ups while they shared their impressions.
e) Shorter takes and more cuts could help to edit out the background noise. Still, I love the conversational tone of the show. Standing around, talking about how to mod the engine, that’s exactly what I’d be doing if I was there!
Overall I’d say that was a great video. A show about scooters, even on the internet, is long overdue. The highway shot was a tantalizing hint at what could be done if a future episode covers a major rally.
2. February 2006 at 7:06 am
By the way, the Tomberlin Outdoors site’s “locate a dealer” section is still “under development” and the link to email them is dead. Is anyone else having trouble getting information on the MadAss?
2. February 2006 at 2:02 pm
Sleepy Weasel has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to
entitled – The New Sachs MadAss – scooter video review – in the General
forum of TWT Forums.
This thread is located at:
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7582&goto=newpost
Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
I guess this video illustrates just how loud and disruptive all those
little background noises can be, like passing vehicles, and the PA at
the dealer. My best advice would be, don’t be afraid to reshoot a segment
if an unavoidable background noise pops up.
The spot with the host (Steve, I think?) sitting on the bike messing
with the mirrors seemed like a good chance for a reshoot. He was talking
to the bars, not the camera, or maybe more importantly, not to the mic.
The test ride looked like it would have been boring even if the scoot
had 500cc’s instead of just 50. I’d be more interested to see what a
light little thing like that would do through a slalom course if you could
lay your hands on some little cones. Spice up the test a little if you
can get your hands on one with “deslimed” tires.
Those three observations aside, I was impressed at the organization and
presentation of the whole thing. It clearly had a plan to it, and
despite some minor technical issues, you could tell it wasn’t just some
squids out with their mom’s camera saying “Hey, watch this!” The fact that
it presented some history, and wasn’t full of off camera giggling
bystanders helps. This looks like a good starting point. Keep it up.
***************
There may be other replies also, but you will not receive any more
notifications until you visit the forum again.
All the best,
TWT Forums
2. February 2006 at 8:06 pm
Thanks again everybody. Great feedback. I’ll have to write up a summary… a sort of post mortem. It can only get better, right?
2. February 2006 at 10:39 pm
Thanks for the valient film. You’ve done did good.
Great website – better in html than it is in a streaming format! Keep this GREAT STUFF going!
3. February 2006 at 5:48 pm
Nice music selections too by the way. I like the MF Doom reference.
4. February 2006 at 6:07 am
Ok Jelle! It’s up! The trick to getting your money’s worth out of the MadAss. Check it out here:
http://thescooterscoop.blogspot.com/2006/02/p-towns-madass-rev-limiter-removal.html
4. February 2006 at 9:35 am
I’ve been looking forward to seeing a MadAss in person since they released their web site. If it’s still at Woods, I’ll have to plan to stop by.
Unfortunately, there is no way to make a MadAss meet the 49cc moped or twist-and-go scooter regs in any US state (other than lying).
Yes, it comes with the right size engine and speed-restricted – but it doesn’t come with pedals or the required automatic transmission that would make it meet either special registration rule (the two motor offered have four speed manual shifter trannies with hand or shifter clutch) that would allow you to ride without a full motorcycle license.
It’s still a great little motorcycle, and I’d love to have one. Drop in the 125cc motor out of an Malaysian Honda Astra and string a coiled-up Buell-style low pipe underneatch and you have a little street ripper to be proud of.
Good work on the video. Keep it up.
6. February 2006 at 9:01 pm
We’ve got a 49cc, two-speed automatic (Silver) sitting on our floor right now that should meet the Oregon DMV’s rules for riding the bike with a valid Drivers License but without the need for a Motorcycle Endorsement.
6. February 2006 at 10:48 pm
Having two gears doesn’t mean your bike can’t meet the standards for a ‘no M/C endorsement’ license. You are allowed any number of gears, as long as you don’t have to shift.
The 49cc MadAss has three or four gears and you have to manually shift – which eliminates it from that class.
It’s a motorcycle, and requires a motorcycle endorsement.
8. February 2006 at 10:41 pm
The MadAss comes in 2 versions: an automatic (no-shift, twist the throttle and go) and a 4-speed manual.
16. January 2008 at 3:37 pm
I noticed something. The knock-off Sachs Madass 49cc and 125cc have the chain running to the rear sprocket on the right side of the bike, the original ones have the chain on the left. Here is a link to another Knock-off called the monster.
http://www.madeinchina.com/2684055/tradeleads-1643646/photo-6532406/Sell-Sachs-Madass-50cc.shtml
This link is to one that has the chain on the right side. Indication of cheap china crap.
http://www.madeinchina.com/2684055/tradeleads-1643644/photo-6532404/Sell-madass-sachs-100cc-motorcycle.shtml
6. May 2008 at 7:40 pm
how do you derestrikt it? i have one but it gos to slow and i dont know how. in this movie they say that you can but how?
sorry for my bad english, i am from the netherlands and bad in english