Another first modification people commonly do is purchase a lowered seat frame for the Honda Ruckus. Why do that? Well, there are several purposes in doing so. You can lower the seat frame for looks. You can lower the seat frame for weight. You can also lower the seat frame for aerodynamics. However, once you do, you lose the under seat storage you once had. There is a solution for that, too.
When it comes to a scooter, even the Honda Ruckus, the smallest changes make such a huge difference. You have to remember, you’re using a 49 cubic-centimeter engine that won’t make much power or torque without lots of help. Even though the Ruckus is capable of 40-45MPH out of the box, you still have to help it get there through aerodynamics. Yes, I am mentioning aerodynamics and the Ruckus in the same sentence. I’m not crazy, well, ok, I am, but hear me out!
It sounds weird, but tucking on a Ruckus does make a huge impact on how fast you get to 40MPH. Think of yourself as a parachute, when you’re sitting up you’re 100 percent in the air and causing all kinds of bad drag. When you tuck down, you remove the drag and reduce the area that wind must flow around. Now, I am simplifying aerodynamic theory here and I’m sure there are way more tricks than tucking to get better aero, but tucking is free, deal with it.
Now, outside of working some guys at NASA with letters behind their names and spending over a hundred times more than what you purchased the bike new for, there are some things you can install on the Ruckus to gain some aero. The cheapest solution is a lowered seat frame. There are a lot of positive things happening when you install one; you lower your weight to improve center of gravity, reduce drag by putting less of you above the handle bars, and really begin to see the bike look much better by reducing large openings in the frame. You probably also save your back because now you don’t have to move as far to tuck down, too.
There is one bad thing to lowering the seat frame; you can lose your ability to store things under the seat with normal storage bins. However, DROWSports has a part made for just that! The DROWSports Honda Ruckus Carbon LowPro Storage Bin! It is designed to fit both the OEM and most lowered aftermarket seat frames. Not only does it feature a low profile for those lowered seat frames, but it is also made of true Carbon Fiber! This means that you don’t add much weight, but it also won’t fade or start to look old after months of use. It also means that it will be durable and last for as long as you own the bike, maybe even longer.
