The Dead of Winter

It is cold. Today was supposedly the coldest day in four years. The mercury didn't rise above 24 degrees. I didn't ride today because I did not want to mess with a frozen throttle. Were I able to keep my scooter garaged, I probably would have ridden to a meeting I had at work.

I did have opportunity to stop in at Trans-Am Cycle. I had two reasons for stopping in there. The first was to check their scooter supply, the second was for information on a lighting project I am undertaking.

They have several scooters, including two Kymco Sentos, a 50cc People S, a 50cc Agility, another Kymco scooter of which I cannot remember the model, a 400cc Suzuki Burgman (insert drool emote here), and my previous scooter, still apparently unsold, sitting at the back of the showroom (*sniffle*). The fact that they have so many 50cc scooters most likely has a lot to do with the weather. Not too many people are crazy enought to ride a scooter at this time of year. It will be interesting to see if they sell in the spring though, what with the recent rebound in fuel prices.

As for my aforementioned project, I am installing some LED pods on my scooter for additional visibility. It has been a long time since I wired a circuit, so this might prove interesting, but I see no reason why I can't do it. Two of the gentlemen at Trans-am suggested that I install the LED's on a separate circuit with their own switch so as to avoid any potential problems with the Po-Po. I have all the wires I need, I just need to find a toggle or clicker switch that will work. They are rated for 12 volts so it should be no problem to hitch them right into the battery. Once I finish the project, I'll post pics of the scoot, at night of course.

Confirmation of new Honda scooter.

I went to Lancaster Honda today around 1:00 and asked the guys behind the counter if the rumor that I read on UrbanScootin was true. They said that all they know is, Honda will be releasing a new scooter in the US, with somewhere between a 100cc and 200cc engine. One of the gentlemen said that the new scoot resembles the old passport...(better known as the Cub).

Let me just tell you, my heart is racing at the prospect of the Cub coming back. They said that the final information should be available in two or three weeks and I can't wait. I'd be a little surprized if it really is the cub, but I'd be elated if that were true.

On a side note, we have a new member of the family. We are now officially well beyond crazy cat people. We now have six. Jo-jo seemed to fit right in with our other cats right away. He's a real sweetie. Here's a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

Has Honda seen the light?

I just read last night that Honda may be releasing a 150cc scooter in the United States later on this year. It's about time, and I hope it turns out to be more than just a rumor. I'll have to head down to Lancaster Honda today or Monday to see if I can verify this claim.

The information was revealed on the "Urbanscootin'" forums.

If this is true, it may mean Honda has finally realized that they have neglected the midrange small scooter market in America for too long and have been missing out on a possible profit here.

Bedtime Stories

Disclaimer: This is not a scooter post, though there were a couple of motorcycles in the movie.

I went with my family to see Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler, this evening. The movie can be summed up in one word:

Hilarious.

It's a family friendly tale of a goofy guy who's life kinda stinks, who suddenly is asked by his sister to watch his niece and nephew for a week. During that time, he tells them some bedtime stories, which they add to, and their additions come true later on.

It's cute, funny, and not full of all the garbage that Hollywood seems to put in every single movie that hits the big screen. Sure, there's a little potty humor, some kissing, and a few scenes of women in bikinis, but nothing that would be inappropriate for children. After all, kids hear worse humor from Spongebob on TV, they see their parents kiss (or teens in the mall, unfortunately...gross), and they see women in bikinis at the town pool (some of whom should have left the two piece at the store).

All in all, it's a clean, family friendly film that you can take your kids to without turning red every two minutes or having to remind them "don't you dare say that word" just as often. Plus, it has a cross-eyed guinea pig...what more can you ask for?

Crazy? I was crazy once!

I've been reminded several times lately by my wife, my co-workers, my friends, and a few strangers who see me riding my scoot in the cold, of just how insane I must be to ride such a contraption in freezing to sub-freezing temperatures.

I suppose, to someone who does not share my perspective, that it may seem crazy, but allow me to explain my logic. It would be impossible to label me an eco-nut. I care about my local corner of nature and I try to do my best to maintain it in a reasonable manner. I try not to litter. I try to pick up other people's litter when I have a pair of rubber gloves in my pocket (yes, I have this thing about germs). I dispose of oil and stuff in an appropriate manner, and so on. I do not ride a scooter in order to save the environment.

I am not really worried about whether we are going to run out of oil. I'm sure that it is likely to happen eventually, but for now, it's the least of my concerns. I don't ride a scooter to help conserve the world's oil supply.

My wife was easy to convince that riding a scooter would save us money on gas, especially since gas had just hit $3.50 a gallon when I purchased my Vino. Just the same, that really wasn't my reason for getting a scooter either.

I purchased a scooter in part because I have wanted one for years, at least since I was a teenager. I could not convince my parents of the practicality of a scooter, so it didn't happen back then. I also like small vehicles, which definitely drew me to the scooter world.

Perhaps the reason I ride my scooter in most weather, is not one I had fully realized when I purchased my first scooter, and that reason is simply, a scooter is practical. Why should I drive a car to and from work, that consumes four to five times as much gas, when I'm the only one who needs to get there. If I need to run an errand and don't need to pick up anything huge, why should I take a vehicle that is too big for the job? Sure, I have to bundle up a bit against the cold, but so what. It takes less time to bundle up while my scooter's engine warms up than it does to warm up my car and get the windows defrosted (ice-scrapers never seem to work right for me with frost). The cold really isn't all that noticeable when you're properly attired, so that doesn't hold me back either.

So, the question is, am I the one who is crazy, or is it the other people, driving around, alone, in a vehicle designed to carry at least five people (plus cargo)?