an end, and a beginning

If you search for Kymco on the Lancaster, PA Craigslist, you will find this advertisement.

Yes, the Silver Streak is for sale. She has served me well, but due to changes in my work situation, she's not going to be the best option for what will sometimes be a much longer commute.

While I will admit I feel some sadness, I am pleased to announce that the "Sold" signs on the pictures of the PCX-150 I tested the other day were due to it being in the process of sale, to little old me.

Tomorrow morning, I will be picking up the new scoot. The only thing she will need is a fitting name. I'm still working on that. I'm thinking a name with Onyx, or Obsidian in it, or something similar.

The lighthearted side of life

There are disadvantages to being in the minority. Sometimes it's hard to get respect, to even get noticed. People don't always take those in the minority as seriously as they do those in a majority.

But there are also advantages. In the minority, you don't have to fit a mold. You can be different, and if you're different enough, you will stand out and be noticed. I'm not talking ethnic or cultural minorities, nor do I intend to cheapen the difficulties that have been faced and overcome by people in those groups. No, I'm talking about motoring minorities.

Being a motorcyclist, by simple fact of numbers, puts one in a motoring minority here in the United States. Scootsters are an even smaller minority within this larger group. I think this may be part of the reason that those of us who ride scooters tend to be a little more on the quirky, even goofy side. I fall more in with the latter certainly; my headgear attests to that.

But here's the beauty of it: When you're quirky and goofy, you get noticed. For those of us who ride on two or three wheels, That's a good thing. Granted, I don't always have Maggie with me, but even with just Rowlf, I've seen people take a second and third glance, laugh, then nearly run into a utility pole. At least they aren't running into me.

On my way home from work, I will often take the highway home and very often will observe cell phones filming me as vehicles pass. I've long been a proponent of being visible while riding and this lends to it. Sometimes it's good to be just a little weird.

Marines to implement new strategy in wake of Chattanooga, TN attack.

After the tragic murder of four Marines and a Navy corpsman three weeks ago in Chattanooga, TN, the United States government has been slow to respond to a public outcry for better defense of our military personnel.

In the wake of the shootings Armed citizens stood up to keep watch at recruitment centers. This drew the ire of the Department of Defense, which released warnings to citizens that they should leave well enough alone and stop assembling peaceably to protect the servicemen and women inside the centers.

After weeks of pressure from the public, the Navy has made it known that they will be moving to arm soldiers in the Recruitment centers, per FOX News.

Not to be outdone, the United States Marine Corps has released details of their plans for protecting recruiters. Training is now under way for all Marine recruiters and eventually for the rest of the corps that will enable any marine to catch incoming bullets in his or her teeth and spit them back at the attacker. The technique, similar to the ancient martial arts technique of catching an arrow with one hand, should allow Marines to adequately defend themselves in the event of an attack.

When asked the President's opinion, White House staff declined to give Mr. Obama's position stating that he will formulate a response after he hears about it on the news this evening.

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Please note, the above is satire. Additionally, I have the utmost respect for our men and women in uniform and mourn with them the loss of their brothers. Our government, on the other hand, has droppped the ball in protecting those who so selflessly protect us.

All the pieces fall into place (HONDA PCX 150)

I know. I talk about Honda a lot. What can I say, I really like their products. I love my Kymco, which happens to have an engine based on a Honda design, which at this very point in time has traveled more than 24,400 miles. All with a horizontal 150cc engine! That's quality in my humble opinion. Of course, regular maintenance and occasional repairs have played a significant part in the scooter's survival, but even with regular maintenance, I've seen other brands just fall apart.

So, yesterday I tested a Honda PCX-150. Let me say up front; it looks sharp and vaguely shark-like. I understand that it is supposed to be a "sports scooter," and this contributes to the look of it. The example I tested is a 2013 model, but aside from a few cosmetic differences and the apparent addition of a 12V plug on the 2016 model, there really isn't any substantial variation between the model years.

When one straddles the machine, it feels big and a bit heavy, of course, with a curb weight of 286 pounds, it is heavier than I am used to. The next thing I noticed was the dash layout which is sharp and easy to read. The fuel meter and odometer are electronic, but the speedometer is a good old fashioned analog dial. One oddity is on the left handlebar controls, the horn and turn signals are swapped from their normal positions with the turn signals at the bottom of the cluster and the horn in the middle.

Basic inspection completed, I turned the key, depressed the left brake handle and hit the starter and had to stop for a moment to make sure it was running. I've ridden quiet scooters before, but the engine sound was like the rustle of bird wings, it was that quiet. I needn't have bothered with listening though since I soon realized through the vibrations in the seat that the single cylinder beneath me was thumping away.

So, off down Dairy Road I went. A left turn out of the driveway and quickly up to an indicated 50mph without so much as a sputter. The scooter felt planted to the ground, even as I did a little bob-and-weave down the road to test handling around non-existent potholes. The handling was much better than I've experienced with other scooters with similar sized wheels (14 inch). I didn't even need to take the scooter all the way around on my normal test route. upon reaching the bridge at the end of the road, I turned around and headed back to the dealer. 

Twice in the last two weeks I have been surprised at how a vehicle has made me feel. First, the Nissan Leaf, despite it's ridiculous price-point surprised me by how civilized and normal and nice it was to drive, and I'll admit, it was so nice I actually would enjoy owning and driving one on a regular basis, but not for anything near the price they are asking so if someone wants to give one to me, just let me know. Then along comes the PCX-150, which is actually a very sporty handling scooter that feels like a big touring scooter with a lot more power than it really has.

The riding position was comfortable, though the stock windscreen is a bit on the short side. This did make riding with a sore shoulder a bit uncomfortable and tiring, which was another reason for turning around after such a short distance. Thankfully, there are aftermarket screens available through both Honda and Givi (the Honda screen is quite pricey).

For someone like me, who likes to travel long distance on occasion, it would be the perfect machine with a taller windscreen and a bigger rear rack (more on this below). The seat is comfortable and seems like it would be so for a long duration. The under-seat storage is about twice that of the Kymco and maybe about the same as the Elite 110 but not the same shape. Fuel capacity is 2.1 gallons which is better than I've seen on a 150. It's as if the engineers at Honda said, "hey, lets make a 150cc scooter that some crazy American will take on road trips!" Who knows, it may be time to sell the Streak before she needs a rebuild.

The one big thing that could use some work for the average scootster such as myself is the rear rack. It's rather pointless. Ok, that's not true, it's sort of pointy, but it's pointiness has no point...if that makes sense. The rack is so small and has such a tiny surface area, it was obviously never intended to be used for anything other than a top-box, which is fine for some, but limiting if you want to haul a bit of camping gear. Even if you get a top box, which is available aftermarket through Givi, you have to also get an adapter plate. Of course, this isn't going to affect all riders, but for me, it's something that would need to be modified.

So, to sum up, here are the positives of the PCX-150:

• Planted
• Handles well
• Good control cluster layout
• Quiet engine
• Feels fast
• Comfortable seat

And here are some of the negatives:

• Small rear rack
• Limited accessory options (some after-market)
• Quiet turn signals
• Vigorous thumping from engine at stand-still
• Short Windscreen

The real question is, would I buy one? The answer is a resounding yes. A second question is, would I recommend it to others? On the whole, yes. If you want a big scooter that sips gasoline like a mosquito yet has enough power to get out of its own way and possibly even ride short hops on the highway on rare occasions with potential for long distance riding, then yes, assuredly yes! If you're just starting out though, it might be a little too big. Just the same, I know the PCX-150 surprised me. Go, try one out. You know you want to! 

Note for the observant, when I rode it yesterday, it did not yet have a "Sold!" sign on it. I forgot to get pics yesterday and went back this morning.

Laid up

I wished I could go for a ride. As it was, I was sitting here in my lazyboy with muscle relaxers coursing through my veins and a light-headed feeling which really doesn't lend itself to operating any kind of vehicle, nevermind one requiring balance. See, my job can be dangerous. When you work with the developmentally disabled, there are chances you could get hurt, and I did...again. I've been having back spasms and difficulty with my left shoulder and neck for almost two weeks now and have been on Dr. ordered leave from work.

I can tell you, I'd rather be working, but today, today I decided I'd had enough and I took a little scooter ride to my third physical therapy appointment. Boy oh boy was I excited! Ok, I'll admit, I was a little scared as well. As it was, I brought out the rarely used half-helmet since I thought less weight for my neck to contend with would be a good thing and since the speed limits in town are 25mph (and amazingly people follow them since the police keep a very close eye on Main St.), I wasn't too concerned about a high speed collision.

The ride was uneventful, but I could feel that a prolonged ride wasn't going to be a picnic. I went in to my PT appointment for my impending beating, then put my helmet back on and rode over to Lancaster Honda to get the scoot inspected. It was there that I saw they still have a 2013 PCX 150 for sale, as well as some 2015's, and I finally got to test-ride one after trying out the seat five years ago. The write-up of the test ride will come tomorrow. I need to go get some photos which I forgot to do in the midst of my discomfort.

In any even, the Silver Streak passed inspection without any issues. Happiness this is. 24,406 miles at the time of inspection and not a single problem other than a slight wobble of the windscreen, which was fixed with a couple turns on an Allen wrench.

I'll tell you though, by the time I got home, again uneventfully, I was ready for some Tylenol, my hot-pad, and some sit down time in my recliner.

I'm glad that I was able to get out for a ride today. While my car is a lovely place to be, riding a scooter or motorbike has no peer in giving one a feeling of freedom.