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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 1, 2017 21:46:36 GMT -5
Hey boyz n' gurlz... Yesterday I rode "Minnie Mouse" to the local inspection station for her annual state inspection. Pretty mundane, BUT it was the FIRST time I uncovered the old mouse and fired her up since mid-August...
Last August, I enjoyed a group ride organized by my B&M dealer. I came home, sunburned and happy, only to trip over my own boots in the night, breaking my left arm... A "not so bad" radial break, not requiring any real medical attention, but I just couldn't even get the old 250 off her center-stand. UNBELIEVEABLE how heavy a lousy 360 pound bike can feel... Heck, I could hardly get my arm into a shirt for 8 weeks... (Kat probably can sympathize... LOL!).I just missed some of THE best riding weather EVER... But now I'm back to "normal" if anything physical is actually "normal" at 71... 
After coaxing my feral-cat friends and few snakes out from under the tarps... Happily, after a few "slow, weak cranks" the old mouse fired up after sitting 3 months like she'd been ridden yesterday... Tires were still fully up, nothing leaked... And after getting inspected I enjoyed an hour of 70-and-sunshine with a WOT romp on the local freeway to blow out the cobwebs. Cheesh, I'd nearly forgotten how to ride. Memory ain't what it used to be...Surely did feel good to get my knuckles in the wind again... OK, the windshield keeps all wind OFF my knuckles, but I like the expression... I really enjoy driving my Honda car, but yesterday reminded me that when weather is PERFECT, two wheels are still a LOT more fun than four... Yup!  The weather forecasters are predicting a record warm winter here. Sure hope they're right! Maybe I'll get to recapture some of the weeks of riding I missed this summer...
Just a "wake up call" for y'all to enjoy riding whenever you can... and a call to myself to be glad these Taiwanese scoots forgive stale gas and months of disuse, AND are made to keep going like the Energizer Bunny!
Ride safe, ride often!Leo (back on the road again) in Texas |
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Post by SylvreKat on Dec 2, 2017 8:01:59 GMT -5
Hey Leo, good to read you're back in the saddle again.
And yes, you know I can sympathize. Sadly my thumb is downgrading instead of getting better (supposed to ice-soak it at night now, and warm-soak mornings, that's 20 minutes less sleep and computering sigh)
Go enjoy those pretty TX days for me, hon!
>'Kat
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 2, 2017 20:15:40 GMT -5
Hey Leo, good to read you're back in the saddle again. And yes, you know I can sympathize. Sadly my thumb is downgrading instead of getting better (supposed to ice-soak it at night now, and warm-soak mornings, that's 20 minutes less sleep and computering sigh) Go enjoy those pretty TX days for me, hon! >'Kat
Take care of that thumb! You do NOT need it to get worse... Cold and warm soakings will help with pain, but I'm not sure about actual healing. We'll be praying for you, and get your church pals on the job too! The Good Lord is the BEST doc of all!
A while back, I hurt my thumb and finally got riding again using a "monkey grip" on the bars... Amazing how much the palm of your hand can "make do" substituting for a thumb... LOL! Look how well monkeys do swinging from tree to tree like Tarzan without using thumbs! I'm trying to remember my old biology... Seems like MONKEYS have TAILS but not opposable thumbs... and APES have thumbs but no tails... or something like that...?  I found I could even do panic stops without a thumb-hold. Just be sure to REALLY mash your palm against the back of the grip, or you'll end up kissing the speedometer while grabbing the front fender... LOL! I'll bet you've figured out how to ring those bells "thumbless"... Sorta the same technique!
Stay safe, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!Leo (Betty too) |
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Post by tusky on Dec 3, 2017 9:10:06 GMT -5
Hello! Glad to hear your back riding again! Looks like Texas is still warm eh? Low 40s here in Washington state. In my part it is occasional rains with high winds. Rain with no fenders is never fun, but right now I just make do with what I have.
Going too long without riding a certain scooter is never fun. Only worse is when it's at a self run "shop" run by a single guy just for some weld work. Work on my scooter had been postponed because his garage was robbed by a previous employee (thankfully none of mine taken) and his garage two weeks later also got water damage. Has been there for over a month but I don't think it's nowhere close as bad to breaking bones.
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Post by terrilee on Dec 3, 2017 10:05:57 GMT -5
well CHRISSY is still in storage.
hadnt had time to do anything since i been out.
and now that winter is starting , i need to find a warm place (or at least out of the weather)
to start putting her back together, getting new parts etc.
and hopefully she'll be ready come spring.
4 years of just sitting,,
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Post by chewbaca on Dec 3, 2017 14:17:32 GMT -5
Hey Leo, good to read you're back in the saddle again. And yes, you know I can sympathize. Sadly my thumb is downgrading instead of getting better (supposed to ice-soak it at night now, and warm-soak mornings, that's 20 minutes less sleep and computering sigh) Go enjoy those pretty TX days for me, hon! >'Kat
Take care of that thumb! You do NOT need it to get worse... Cold and warm soakings will help with pain, but I'm not sure about actual healing. We'll be praying for you, and get your church pals on the job too! The Good Lord is the BEST doc of all!
A while back, I hurt my thumb and finally got riding again using a "monkey grip" on the bars... Amazing how much the palm of your hand can "make do" substituting for a thumb... LOL! Look how well monkeys do swinging from tree to tree like Tarzan without using thumbs! I'm trying to remember my old biology... Seems like MONKEYS have TAILS but not opposable thumbs... and APES have thumbs but no tails... or something like that...? I found I could even do panic stops without a thumb-hold. Just be sure to REALLY mash your palm against the back of the grip, or you'll end up kissing the speedometer while grabbing the front fender... LOL! I'll bet you've figured out how to ring those bells "thumbless"... Sorta the same technique!
Stay safe, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!Leo (Betty too)monkeys have thumbs. In fact they have an extra set on their feet but the great apes do lack tails |
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Post by SylvreKat on Dec 3, 2017 23:16:14 GMT -5
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure about who-all has thumbs.
As for driving monkey-grip, that's ok for Unca Leo with many decades and miles on two wheels. Probably not so ok for me with 2000-something miles total. Heck, I didn't even drive the car, although that was more from wearing the surgical-bootie.
>'Kat
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2017 0:21:48 GMT -5
well CHRISSY is still in storage.
hadnt had time to do anything since i been out.
and now that winter is starting , i need to find a warm place (or at least out of the weather)
to start putting her back together, getting new parts etc.
and hopefully she'll be ready come spring.
4 years of just sitting,, But, barring unforeseen internal rust, electrical boo-boos and such, she should get going OK... You might have to replace some basic electric doo-dads, and REALLY clean out the fuel system but you'd have to do that anyway if you got her as a "barn find". A little time and work and she'll be back running!
Ride safe!Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2017 0:41:34 GMT -5
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure about who-all has thumbs. As for driving monkey-grip, that's ok for Unca Leo with many decades and miles on two wheels. Probably not so ok for me with 2000-something miles total. Heck, I didn't even drive the car, although that was more from wearing the surgical-bootie. >'Kat
I actually DO understand... You play it safe, and that's always a good idea. Don't do anything you're not comfortable with. Riding "monkey grip" isn't too hard. Sometimes I get arthritis so bad in my hands I still do it... Look for ways to avoid using the brakes... guys half-way in a lane, low curbs, etc. ... LOL!!! Glad I'm not having to squeeze the mousetrap clutch on "Old Blue" these days... Or try stopping from highway speed with Blue's old cable-pull drum front brake... Both levers will develop "Popeye" wrists  Big difference from sixteen to seventy-one. This is the first season I've experienced noticeable problems with balance, and vision... Someday, I'll have to give up 2-wheels, but not quite yet... As for thumbs... Not too sure. I think most of my kin have thumbs. Not sure about tails though... LOL!
Ride when you can, and, RIDE SAFE!Leo |
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Post by lostforawhile on Dec 4, 2017 3:43:43 GMT -5
the replacement pins for my cdi box plug are supposed to be here in the morning, I had the scooter running for a little while, before the ground pin gave up for good. Vega helmets also sent me replacement vents, after one of my vents blew off, before all my scooter parts started self destructing at one time. I had kept forgetting to call them, they had never heard of losing a vent, but it was on there before I left, and gone when I got home.
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Post by w650 on Dec 4, 2017 17:08:12 GMT -5
We had a warm day last week and the Fashion got the nod. I bought a new battery tender for it and it fired right up. It was good to be out on it. The bike really makes even a short hop mystic.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2017 23:12:36 GMT -5
the replacement pins for my cdi box plug are supposed to be here in the morning, I had the scooter running for a little while, before the ground pin gave up for good. Vega helmets also sent me replacement vents, after one of my vents blew off, before all my scooter parts started self destructing at one time. I had kept forgetting to call them, they had never heard of losing a vent, but it was on there before I left, and gone when I got home. Hope you do get all the bugs out of your scoot! Once they're "right" they are a joy! Ride safe...Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2017 23:38:16 GMT -5
I think the big deal here is OPPOSABLE thumbs... 
Of course, our monkey pals' TAILS are sorta like a FIFTH arm... LOL!
Then, there ARE those of us who missed out on evolution altogether... Sorta lends new meaning to "Gimmie five, bro" 
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