Can you rent mopeds on SABA?

[mmod]

I'm thinking about coming down to SABA sometime early next year and want to see if getting around SABA on a moped is practical- i've seen pictures of SABA's roads (pretty hilly) but i want to experience it myself so i can make a good determination whether a moped is okay for me.

So is there any place on SABA that rents mopeds for the day and if so, how much does it cost?

[skandinavian]

No. But you can rent cars from Kenny. Not sure why you'd want to though. You can get rides anywhere. Just hitch.

[Gavanshir]

That's pretty cool. A Vespa would be cool for medschool in the carib. Somebody should get one and make write about it here.

[Experienced]

So is there any place on SABA that rents mopeds for the day and if so, how much does it cost?
I think right this second, the answer is no. But Wilson at the gas station is trying to start up a new scooter rental business. Hopefully he will be successful and you will be able to rent one soon.

[wolfvgang22]

It would be a lot cheaper in the long run to buy a scooter from st. maarten and have it shipped over. A few students have had good luck with that, ask natedog. Just make sure you get one powerful enough to get up the hills.

[rdecastro]

A couple of people in class went to Sint Maarten and bought scooters, and had them shipped over. The plan is that they'll be able to sell them for a significant fraction of their purchase price.

The problem with scooters is dealing with rain, and carrying groceries, etc. But, it doesn't rain for very long at a time, and most places will deliver. Oh, and the inherent risk in riding a scooter on an island where most of the drivers are insane.

[mmod]

A couple of people in class went to Sint Maarten and bought scooters, and had them shipped over. The plan is that they'll be able to sell them for a significant fraction of their purchase price.

The problem with scooters is dealing with rain, and carrying groceries, etc. But, it doesn't rain for very long at a time, and most places will deliver. Oh, and the inherent risk in riding a scooter on an island where most of the drivers are insane.
carrying groceries isn't/shouldn't be such an issue when using a moped, just don't buy an enormous amount of groceries and put them in a backpack. i used to have a small motorcycle and used to go grocery shopping frequently. the 'backpack' storage method worked fine for me.

[Nate-MD]

Ok, If anyone has any scooter questions.... feel free to PM me.

I've bought 3 scooters personally and had them shipped to the island, 2 for myself and one for my roommate which he just uses to go on internet runs at night and crashes occasionally. I've also pretty much had an indirect hand in most of the others getting here. (minus Wilson's bikes)

So yes, there is a local guy that is trying to start up a rental buisness. The local government is giving him a hard time, but hopefully he can get it worked out. He's a really nice guy and probably will have a good deal once he get's the OK to rent them out. And apparently he works at the library now, or just likes to hang out here. Can't tell as of yet.

The other option is go to SXM and buy one new, or slightly banged up. I like to buy ones that only have 100 clicks on them, but got dropped once. You'd be suprised how much you can get knocked off for a few scratches. Unfortunately I've probably depleted the supply of good deals by now. Even new, a scooter will cost you about the same as a really beat up student car that you will have to get fixed all the time. Get 150cc's. There is pretty much no question about this. I have a jacked up 150cc turbo version of everyone elses scooter. The only real difference is it's easier to go fast and do dumb stuff on. Luckily it also has larger brakes so I haven't killed myself yet. The guys with 50cc's regret it. They work on SXM, but are not really that practical here because of the hills.

What else....? Oh, carrying books, groceries, and the rain issue. You would not believe how much you can carry on a scooter when you put your mind to it. I have ridden home (lower Hell's Gate) from Windward with 2 cases of beer, groceries, my roommate, and 2 school backpacks. Granted this was 90% downhill and the brake pads were on fire by the time we rolled in, but honestly I've carried some pretty heavy pilons up the hills with no problems. I also bought a luggage bungee when I was in Europe over break. Man, no one loves the scooters like the Italians.... anyways, I've only had it for a week, but it's great to strap crap on your tail and not have to carry it on your back. And for rain.... buy a rainsuit. If you have a rainsuit on, riding in the rain isn't that bad. Hell, half the jeeps here at the school don't even have whole roofs. It's part of the experience. I just keep mine in my trunk, and I have a waterproof backpack cover. I've ridden home in a near hurricane and was toasty warm at the other end. Just be carefull, you obviously can't lean the bike as much in the wet. I've had one for almost a year now and ridden it through pretty bad weather and remained both upright and dry.

And as for insane drivers, yea... But I'm more insane. I like to see how many other students I can pass on the way to school. I also like to lock the front brake and..... ok well never mind, we all know I'm insane.

[gianefiasco]

Ok, If anyone has any scooter questions.... feel free to PM me.

I've bought 3 scooters personally and had them shipped to the island, 2 for myself and one for my roommate which he just uses to go on internet runs at night and crashes occasionally. I've also pretty much had an indirect hand in most of the others getting here. (minus Wilson's bikes)

So yes, there is a local guy that is trying to start up a rental buisness. The local government is giving him a hard time, but hopefully he can get it worked out. He's a really nice guy and probably will have a good deal once he get's the OK to rent them out. And apparently he works at the library now, or just likes to hang out here. Can't tell as of yet.

The other option is go to SXM and buy one new, or slightly banged up. I like to buy ones that only have 100 clicks on them, but got dropped once. You'd be suprised how much you can get knocked off for a few scratches. Unfortunately I've probably depleted the supply of good deals by now. Even new, a scooter will cost you about the same as a really beat up student car that you will have to get fixed all the time. Get 150cc's. There is pretty much no question about this. I have a jacked up 150cc turbo version of everyone elses scooter. The only real difference is it's easier to go fast and do dumb stuff on. Luckily it also has larger brakes so I haven't killed myself yet. The guys with 50cc's regret it. They work on SXM, but are not really that practical here because of the hills.

What else....? Oh, carrying books, groceries, and the rain issue. You would not believe how much you can carry on a scooter when you put your mind to it. I have ridden home (lower Hell's Gate) from Windward with 2 cases of beer, groceries, my roommate, and 2 school backpacks. Granted this was 90% downhill and the brake pads were on fire by the time we rolled in, but honestly I've carried some pretty heavy pilons up the hills with no problems. I also bought a luggage bungee when I was in Europe over break. Man, no one loves the scooters like the Italians.... anyways, I've only had it for a week, but it's great to strap crap on your tail and not have to carry it on your back. And for rain.... buy a rainsuit. If you have a rainsuit on, riding in the rain isn't that bad. Hell, half the jeeps here at the school don't even have whole roofs. It's part of the experience. I just keep mine in my trunk, and I have a waterproof backpack cover. I've ridden home in a near hurricane and was toasty warm at the other end. Just be carefull, you obviously can't lean the bike as much in the wet. I've had one for almost a year now and ridden it through pretty bad weather and remained both upright and dry.

And as for insane drivers, yea... But I'm more insane. I like to see how many other students I can pass on the way to school. I also like to lock the front brake and..... ok well never mind, we all know I'm insane.

LMAO great story.

[Nate-MD]

Guess who had to go and poke fate with a sharp stick.... 2 days after stating that I had never had a problem transporting all my groceries for the last year on a scooter and even going as far as to brag about the ammount of beer and roommate I carried home on it, fate finally smacked me upside the helmet. I was coming home from Big Rock with the usual supply of fattening food and cigarettes, when I decided to put a half gallon of ice cream and a container of apple juice in the external pocket of my backpack. I thought this would prevent the bread and chips that were bungeed down to the tail from being smashed. So halfway home, with Audioslave blaring in the helmet and totally drowning out any honks or insults other drivers hurled my way for driving too fast, I decided to lean the bike over on a nice curve and pretend I was Valentino Rossi on the Moto GP. Well of course the Ice cream and apple juice fell out of the backpack and hit the pavement. The ice cream came clean out of the container and proceded to roll down the road, leaving a red (strawberry) tinged streak of lactose about 15 yards long. The apple juice container didn't break, but managed to slide about 35 yards down the hill, and even passed me as I was parking and swearing. The juice I salvaged, but the exterior looks like a well used dog chew toy. So yea, I hope everyone gets a good laugh out of this.

[DonnieMD2B]

Nate, you failed to tell me about this the other day... What great fun. You're lucky it wasn't you rolling past the bike. OK back to Histology.