A BMW, SH-150's, and a Majesty

I always do shopping for work on Mondays. Today, on my way back to the group home from Oregon Dairy, I passed a 1984 BMW that had a for sale sign on it. Since I was at work, I did not stop, but continued on about my business. I arrived back at the group home, put the groceries away, then scooted to the Wal-Mart in Ephrata to pick up some other things for the house.

After I got back from that errand, I went back to where the BMW motorcycle was for sale. The owner stated that he had purchased it new in '85 and it had over 100,000 miles on it. There were a few other issues too, but just for kicks, I tried to sit on it. I eyed the high seat with some trepidation and decided to give it a go anyway. I lifted my leg to put it over the bike, and I heard and felt a loud "pop!" This was closely followed by shooting pain. I guess that's not the bike for me, but if anyone wants a project for $1800, I can tell you where to find it.

The pain subsided after a little bit, so I decided to go to Lancaster Honda to see if they had any SH-150i's yet. To my delight, they had three. I have to say, they are very nice to look at. I didn't sit on one, but I didn't really feel the need to since my next step will be something in a larger displacement.

I talked to one of the sales reps and was able to test ride a 2007 Yamaha Majesty. The Majesty was impressive. It was a little intimidating at first since the big single cylinder was thumping away beneath me, but I rolled out of the parking lot and took a right down Dairy road. I took another right after passing under the railroad bridge, then another onto Rohrerstown road.


By this time, I was starting to feel a little more comfortable, so I opened it up a little and soon had it up to a reported 50mph without so much as a stutter. After turning onto Harrisburg Pike I gradually accelerated and was keeping up with traffic until I looked down to see that I was well exceeding the speed limit. WOW! What a rush!

Another pair of right turns, and I was on the highway. The Majesty seemed very stable and capable. I wasn't able to test out its full capacity, but moving along at nearly 70 with nothing but the wind around me was exhilerating. I opened it up again on Dairy road and again, WOAH!

I am now fully convinced that I want at least a 400cc. I looked briefly at the Honda Silverwing, but at $9,000 it's a bit much to stomach. A used Majesty or Burgman can be had for much less, and will be perfectly suited to my touring needs. I'm not yet in the market to buy, but it's still fun to look at the various options that are available.

I got back on my own scoot and rode home. It was quite a difference, but it was nice to be back on my little scoot. It may not have the oomph of the bigger scoot, but the agility of my People 150 just can't be beat. The Majesty was better than the Kymco GrandVista, but it's stability and cornering weren't nearly as good as I'm used to on the smaller scooter.

I'll keep test riding until I find the scoot that really fits me well. I may even have to try the two 500's Piaggio has to offer, though I really don't think I want an MP3. At least I have a lot of time to make my decision.

Ramblings and reflective tape

I had a nice ride around a bit of the county today. My son and I went golfing at Evergreen (see Wednesday's post), and took the scoot to get there since my wife was getting her hair done and she had the only car we currently have registered. Evergreen is very close to home and it worked out very well.

Later in the day, I took a ride to get some groceries. This is when most of my riding occurred for the day as I put in about thirty miles just jogging around the back roads. I'd have gone further and ridden longer, but my wife was feeling ill and I didn't want to leave her alone for too long. Ain't I nice?

I picked up the groceries at a local Giant food store, and headed home. It's amazing what one can fit in a topcase, even a moderately small one. I didn't really get all that much. Just some bread, coffee grounds and a few other small items, but a car would have truly been overkill for such a small errand.

I had to go out again later to pick up some stuff at Home Depot. While I was there, I stopped at Pep Boys to see if I could find some reflective tape for my new half-helmet. I found some, and though it was not exactly what I had wanted, I was able to cut it, with my wife's help, to do what I had wanted. I think it turned out pretty well.

A half helmet may offer only minimal protection in the event of an accident, of that I am fully aware, but it's what I was able to afford at the time, and the feel of the wind on my face is certainly refreshing.
I got a little creative with the cross on the back. It may look a little corny, but I like it.

Scooter Re-tired

I left my scooter at Trans-Am Cycle sales this morning to have the rear tire replaced and have the valve clearances checked. Now that I've seen the clearance check done and i know how to get at the valves, I can do it myself with a little help from my friends at the scooter club.

The old tire was very light on tread in the middle and the tread was flattened out rather than rounded, so I decided it was time, after over 7,000 miles, to get a new one.

I had originally scheduled a "while you wait" appointment, but i had to take a client to an appointment, so i figured, drop the scoot off at 10 am, pick it up at noonish. Unfortunately, our lines of communication got crossed and they had not noted that it was a "while you wait" appointment. They were very apologetic, and I was understanding, because, after all, now I had opportunity to watch them work. They were kind enough to show me how to take off the engine cover and it was amazingly easy. The front access panel on the People 150 makes accessing the engine easy, even if it's a bit cramped.

They then fought with the back wheel for about an hour before they finally got it off and back on again. I am glad I didn't attempt that one myself. They had to remove the muffler, the battery, and the right shock. The finished product is nice though.


The new tire is very grippy. I found myself much more comfortable leaning and countersteering, whereas with the old tire, it was a little dodgy on some corners.

Since it took a while for them to replace the rear tire, I took the opportunity to look over the scooters and cycles they had for sale. As I have previously written, I am interested in eventually obtaining a second scooter in the 400cc+ range for touring, while still retaining my People 150.

They had a Kymco XCiting 250 Ri there, which I sat on and found very comfortable. The 250 Ri and the 500 Ri share the same body and frame, which is why sitting on the 250 was a great way to see how I would like the 500. The only issue I had with it was the width of the floorboards and seat. Both are very wide which might prove uncomfortable when stopping at lights and such. The sitting position is nice, as are the controls.

I had an opportunity to take a GrandVista for a spin. I wanted to see if I'd be satisfied with a 250cc touring scooter. I have to say, I was impressed by the smooth ride. I wasn't really wowed by the engine's power initially, as it wasn't really all that much different from my 150 at the low end. At the upper end of the spectrum though, wow! Smooth, no screaming at 60+, a very pleasant ride, and a comfortable seat. I had it up to a reported 73mph, with throttle to spare and no hesitation. Unfortunately that is not GPS verified, so I can't be certain of the accuracy.

There was a noticeable difference in stability and cornering. Due to the smaller wheels and longer wheelbase, the GrandVista does not feel as surefooted as the People 150. I think I would prefer larger wheels, which is one reason I am leaning toward something in the 400cc+ range.

The underseat storage was impressive. It almost precludes the need for a top box and saddlebags, though I would probably opt for them eventually anyway.

I find the front end of the Grand Vista to be ugly, but if I were to be in the market for a 250cc scooter, the Grand Vista would certainly be in the running.

Since it took hardly any time to check the valves, they cut a good chunk off my service bill, so I bought my first armored riding gear today; a pair of Joe Rocket waterproof gloves
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They are very comfortable, and I feel a little more secure about keeping my fingers and palms intact should I be in an accident. I also like the reflective piping on the knuckles.

My next step in the gear department will be an armored jacket or possibly a jumpsuit. I found something rather nice from Olympia Moto Sports that would work well I think. Unfortunately, the price is prohibitive at the moment, but once I can afford it, I think I may go for one of those in hi-vis yellow.

Perchance to dream...

18 holes and the two wheeled mindset

I called my best friend this morning after I got out of work. He was at a local golf course at the time, finishing up the back nine. He said he'd call me when he was done and we'd go get a bite to eat.

About a half an hour later, I was sitting in my living room, getting ready to watch an episode of Stargate SG-1, when the phone rang. It was my buddy again, but this time, he wanted to know if I was up for a round of pitch and putt. My answer was, "heck yeah!" of course. So, I grabbed my clubs which have a pack style harness on them, shrugged into the shoulder harness, and hopped on the scoot to go up the road about a mile and a half to Evergreen Golf. The ride was relatively easy, even with the 55 mph speed limit and a bag of clubs over my shoulder.


It was a little misty and the grass was wet, but aside from that, it was a nice day to hit the greens. I played horribly, but then, I'm not a great golfer. I enjoy it just the same, probably more because of the company than because of the game itself.

All of the riding I do, and the errands I run, and the excursions I go on while on my scooter, have gotten me to thinking; what is so hard about living a life revolving around a two wheeled vehicle?

One of the best known icons of America is the Automobile. The American mindset regarding the automobile has traditionally been, "bigger is better." Contrast that with Europe and most of the rest of the world, where two wheeled transportation and small autos have been the norm for decades.

With the cost of gas, the current economy and several other factors, it seems possible that we may see more Americans adopt a two wheel centric lifestyle, but many will still balk at the idea. I read a post on the local newspaper's forum today, in which a woman stated that she could never use a cycle or scooter since she has several children and it would never work for her. I can think of several ways she could make it work. Of course, if she is a parent who has her children involved in several different clubs, extra-curricular activities, and so on, reducing the amount of baskets into which she puts her proverbial eggs, might solve that problem.

In my opinion and from my observations, the large vehicle mentality comes out of the overwhelming privilege we have in this country, which is not at all a bad thing; however, we have, unfortunately, come to take the blessings we have for granted. Instead of conserving, we have used that privilege to build more and more low efficiency vehicles and have allowed our government to mandate changes such as cafe standards and ethanol restrictions (in some states %10 ethanol is mandated in all gasoline, despite its shortcomings), which do little to solve the problem, and in some cases, make it worse.

As a society, it would behoove us to move to a simpler lifestyle. I don't see it happening anytime soon, but there is certainly something to be said for returning to the days of the single car household. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to happen any time in the near future, for more reasons than I care to hypothesize. One possible reason that I will point out is that we seem to be convinced that we need two or more cars in every household, and we shape our lives in such a way as to make it necessary.

The way I see it is, if I can take long distance trips, go golfing, grocery shopping, hunting, fishing, take my kid to school and church functions, and so on, with only a 150cc scooter, there really is no reason that any other adult cannot do so. I in no way wish to force others to bend to my will, but simply want to make it clear that the argument "I can't possibly do everything I need to on a two wheeled vehicle," may not be as true as it seems on the surface.

Edited to add:

There are some exceptions of course. I rented a roto-tiller last week and picked up some salt for my water purifier. Carrying three fifty pound salt blocks and a medium sized tiller on my scooter would have been difficult and would have been too much for the suspension to handle, but for basic daily tasks, a scooter is well suited.

And in reference to Joe's comment, good rain gear can significantly alter the comfort level of riding in the rain. Snow and ice, on the other hand, are an entirely different story, and I do not begrudge anyone the use of a four wheeled vehicle in those conditions.

Thank you for the reminder Joe! :)

Memorial day fun

First, let me express my deepest appreciation for those who have given of themselves in the service of the United States of America. If any veterans happen to read this, you have my deepest thanks for your sacrifice for my freedom.

I had the opportunity to visit Harrisburg today with the men from the group home I work in. My wife and son also accompanied us, which made it all the more fun. The reason for the trip to the capitol was an art festival with various artisans and craftsman from all over the country.

It took us a while to find parking, but I finally was able to see the state capitol building up close. I also had this view up a side street.


There were several scooters being ridden around. I saw a group of about five or six riders on maxi-scoots, but wasn't able to take a picture since I was driving at the time. I also saw a couple on a pair of Schwinn scooters, but again, I was driving, so it wasn't the best opportunity to take a photo. There was this nice little Honda Metropolitan parked near the festival.


The men from the home and the other staff who were with them had to leave, but my family and I stayed and looked through the stalls a bit longer.


We also had a wonderful view of the river. My son seemed especially entranced by the boats and water-skiers.


After we came home, we relaxed for a while, then had some hotdogs on the grill. My son decided it would be fun to spray me with the hose, so I took a scoot to dry off. It was a beautiful evening for it. The sun was nearing the horizon, and the air was clear and warm.


I saw a couple on a pair of Honda Ruckuses, or should that be "Rucki?" In any event, they seemed to be enjoying the evening as well. I had opportunity to speak with one of them at a stop, and she stated that it was her first ride.

I rode for a little longer myself, then turned toward home.