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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 4, 2017 23:44:08 GMT -5
Considering my age, health and budget, I'm completely sold on scooters... But, I do wonder how many others feel the same.
Back in the day, when I'd haul my Harley over into a gas-station, beer-joint, coffee-shop, etc. along side other big bikes, friendly conversation would almost always start up... "Hey, nice paint"... ""What kinda cam ya' runnin'"... "Whatcha think of Limey bikes"... and so on. Often, I'd join up with some White-line brothers and sisters for a ride. THAT was a truly enjoyable part of the 2-wheel (or 3-wheel) experience. There are a lot fewer scooters around than big bikes, but when we meet up, there is SO little comradery. I often am filling up "Minnie Mouse" and another scooter will pull up just feet away, filling up from the other side of the same pump. Unless I smile, and initiate a conversation, the rider will just fill up and ride off... If I park next to some scoots, and riders are present, there is no interest in each other's rides, or having any conversation. When I do have the opportunity to talk with other riders, It's between thumbs on smart-phones... "Hey friend, how'd ya' like that Yamaha?" "Ah, it's transportation..." "Why do YOU ride a scooter, friend?" "Ah.. cheap transportation and I think green..."I do wonder what reaction I'd get if I broke their balloon by telling them scooter emissions are WORSE than a car... LOL!  I really ENJOY riding my scooter. I enjoy it as much as if it was a big bike. Sure, it's cheap transportation, but so is my car. Only at the organized fun-ride last August did I find others who ride SCOOTERS because the enjoy riding scooters... BIKERS usually ride for the experience of the ride. Everyday SCOOTER riders around here seem mostly to ride simply to get from point A to point B as cheaply as possible.Amazingly, even now, if I run into a posse of chopper-jockeys I usually fit right in. They have to give the mouse a close-up inspection, fin out WHY I'm NOT on a Hog, and usually invite me to ride along with them. I do wish the scooter crowd would have more interest in their scooters, but it seems they are usually viewed simply as transportation. When I find a scooterista who is enthusiastic about his/her scoot, he/she is usually an old-timer who has down-sized from big bikes due to age, like me. The younger riders are riding "just because the scoot is there" with little interest in what it is.
I believe the scooter crowd and the big-bike crowd are always destined to view their riding experience and their rides very differently... I do miss the biker-comradery of days gone bye.Ride safe, Leo in Texas
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Post by pistonguy on Oct 5, 2017 10:04:56 GMT -5
It used to be about Two Wheels, No matter what it was everybody waved, any Two Wheel broke down and other Two Wheelers stopped to help, never mattered what kind of two Wheels it was.
It all about Bike Snobs these days, I ride the Wrong Bike, I wear the Wrong Helmut or a Helmut at all, all Scoots around here are considered Licker Sickles.
Ya Whatever...
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Post by crawford on Oct 5, 2017 10:48:55 GMT -5
I Have Ice bear Zodiac's 3 in fact I have many friend have Harley's with 2 wheels and 3 wheel trikes they tell many it's not the bike it is about riding. They couldn't care less what they ride, My friend say don't worry what they think it's what they do.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 5, 2017 21:20:03 GMT -5
It used to be about Two Wheels, No matter what it was everybody waved, any Two Wheel broke down and other Two Wheelers stopped to help, never mattered what kind of two Wheels it was. It all about Bike Snobs these days, I ride the Wrong Bike, I wear the Wrong Helmut or a Helmut at all, all Scoots around here are considered Licker Sickles. Ya Whatever... We don't have the "Licker Sickle" syndrome here as all bikes have to be licensed and insured and riders must have a current, valid license... The 50's aren't any help to a DUI rider.
But, the rest is about the same.The big-bike riders are friendly as can be to me... even the young crotch-rocket jockeys. But the scooteristas are a different animal. Really more "just don't give a hoot" than snobby but definitely not enthusiasts.
I do use the mouse for errands, but I genuinely enjoy the ride, for the ride's sake... Just like this site is named. If I recall, I didn't even HAVE a scooter yet when I did the art for the banner... Just checking out scooter sites while thinking about getting one. Glad I did!
Ride safe, and ignore the snobs...Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 5, 2017 21:26:42 GMT -5
I Have Ice bear Zodiac's 3 in fact I have many friend have Harley's with 2 wheels and 3 wheel trikes they tell many it's not the bike it is about riding. They couldn't care less what they ride, My friend say don't worry what they think it's what they do.
Absolutely! Have a bone for the good advice...I've been riding now for 55 years... Had my share of choppers, baggers, small bikes, big bikes... every kind of bike except a trike, or crotch-rocket. Loved most of them. Now, too much arthritis to handle the big bikes (and too little money... LOL!). I actually do enjoy riding my old Kymco 250 as much as I ever did my choppers and baggers. Really! And I don't pay attention to what others may think unless it's friendly.
Ride safe, and enjoy the site!Leo in Texas |
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Post by chewbaca on Oct 6, 2017 10:51:36 GMT -5
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Post by spandi on Oct 6, 2017 12:15:53 GMT -5
Considering my age, health and budget, I'm completely sold on scooters... But, I do wonder how many others feel the same.
Back in the day, when I'd haul my Harley over into a gas-station, beer-joint, coffee-shop, etc. along side other big bikes, friendly conversation would almost always start up... "Hey, nice paint"... ""What kinda cam ya' runnin'"... "Whatcha think of Limey bikes"... and so on. Often, I'd join up with some White-line brothers and sisters for a ride. THAT was a truly enjoyable part of the 2-wheel (or 3-wheel) experience. There are a lot fewer scooters around than big bikes, but when we meet up, there is SO little comradery. I often am filling up "Minnie Mouse" and another scooter will pull up just feet away, filling up from the other side of the same pump. Unless I smile, and initiate a conversation, the rider will just fill up and ride off... If I park next to some scoots, and riders are present, there is no interest in each other's rides, or having any conversation. When I do have the opportunity to talk with other riders, It's between thumbs on smart-phones... "Hey friend, how'd ya' like that Yamaha?" "Ah, it's transportation..." "Why do YOU ride a scooter, friend?" "Ah.. cheap transportation and I think green..."I do wonder what reaction I'd get if I broke their balloon by telling them scooter emissions are WORSE than a car... LOL! I really ENJOY riding my scooter. I enjoy it as much as if it was a big bike. Sure, it's cheap transportation, but so is my car. Only at the organized fun-ride last August did I find others who ride SCOOTERS because the enjoy riding scooters... BIKERS usually ride for the experience of the ride. Everyday SCOOTER riders around here seem mostly to ride simply to get from point A to point B as cheaply as possible.Amazingly, even now, if I run into a posse of chopper-jockeys I usually fit right in. They have to give the mouse a close-up inspection, fin out WHY I'm NOT on a Hog, and usually invite me to ride along with them. I do wish the scooter crowd would have more interest in their scooters, but it seems they are usually viewed simply as transportation. When I find a scooterista who is enthusiastic about his/her scoot, he/she is usually an old-timer who has down-sized from big bikes due to age, like me. The younger riders are riding "just because the scoot is there" with little interest in what it is.
I believe the scooter crowd and the big-bike crowd are always destined to view their riding experience and their rides very differently... I do miss the biker-comradery of days gone bye.Ride safe, Leo in Texas Well Leo, I remember watching "Scootermania" on youtube and a British commentator said that buying a Vespa (and by extention ALL scooters) was more like buying a two wheeled car than a motorcycle. Too bad you're not in range, we could have coffee and really talk bikes.  |
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Post by w650 on Oct 6, 2017 16:56:44 GMT -5
Well Leo, I remember watching "Scootermania" on youtube and a British commentator said that buying a Vespa (and by extention ALL scooters) was more like buying a two wheeled car than a motorcycle. Too bad your not in range, we could have coffee and really talk bikes.
What he left out is the type, in general, who buy scooters. They're people who only see them as transportation. As a result many don't understand the motorcyclist and think the difference between them is personal. It isn't. Bikers buy bikes for the sensations they get riding. Scooter owners don't see that a covered engine, heavily muffled, automatic transmission and a built in trunk is about as "Car" as it gets in many ways.
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Post by spandi on Oct 6, 2017 17:45:06 GMT -5
That's what makes the folks here a bit different. We DO work on our scooters in addition to using them for "car like" stuff. (A grocery getter for example)  |
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Post by w650 on Oct 6, 2017 19:21:59 GMT -5
People here are pretty cool. I visit a scooter group on Facebook though and you can see the raging dislike they have for bikers in some thinly veiled statements. I own both bikes and scooters and just don't get the anger. If you ride you should be part of the clan, not a separate citizen.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 6, 2017 21:21:48 GMT -5
People here are pretty cool. I visit a scooter group on Facebook though and you can see the raging dislike they have for bikers in some thinly veiled statements. I own both bikes and scooters and just don't get the anger. If you ride you should be part of the clan, not a separate citizen.
Good point! Have a bone on the old chopper guy!
Indeed, riders should be a clan, not separate... It just seldom works that way though. For example, here in my "hood" it's "red-neck city". A lot of folks who love and ride horses. And, a lot of others who love and ride motorcycles. The two disciplines are SO similar that I'd think horse-riders and bikers would have enough in common to get along. But NO... They don't get along at all...
A half-century ago when I was a kid, I began my "big-bike" adventure with my chopper. Many pals rode baggers (dressers back then) as well as Brit bikes and SCOOTERS. Mostly Cushman and Sears "Allstate" scoots made by Cushman. A few Vespas and Lambrettas and the occasional Whizzer or Mustang. As long as they could keep up they were more than welcome as fellow bikers. We were pretty accommodating to our small motorbike pals though... Mostly, 50-mph was fast enough even on 2-lane "highways". Few limited-access freeways back then. NO problem for the frisky flathead Mustangs to keep up... But... If we had Whizzers, or Harley Hummers or Euro mopeds in the pack, we'd happily cruise at 30-mph so they could stay with us. I even remember ONE day when we had a whole tribe of "tweenies" on fat-tire bicycles, dreaming of soon jockeying their own Hogs ride along... THAT was one SLOW ride! But we had great fun with our snot-nosed little admirers. When we stopped at a roadhouse for a few, I brought out a batch of Cokes for the kids, sipped one with them and let them climb all over "Old Blue". Took a few for a ride... THAT locked in their love for the mighty Hog forever!
Yup! We were a clan (not a Klan... LOL!).Things today are just all different. Not unusual, just different for us old geezers. It must have been the same when folks transitioned from horses to ancient motorcycles, and from buggies to horseless carriages. Different "genres" just don't always get along... My Grandma saw the Wright Bros. fly at Kittyhawk. THAT knocked me out as a kid! SHE was NOT impressed... Said we already had CARS and MOTORCYCLES, to cause mayhem. WHY would folks want to fly through the air to get themselves killed? At least it's easier for most of us to get along with each other, than to get along with "Kimchi Yuk" of North Korea... Now, just WHERE did I put that pesky old nuke...? 
Play nice, wave to other 2-wheel pals, and ride safe!Leo |
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Post by chewbaca on Oct 7, 2017 15:02:43 GMT -5
I have never had any body on a "real bike" so much as acknowledge my existence at a gas station or a restaurant
I have even seen a few guys drop a hand with a V and then take one finger đ back when they realize its a scooter.
Normal people seem to be nice though some even come up and ask about scooting
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Post by w650 on Oct 7, 2017 18:55:20 GMT -5
I've had bikers wave to me when I was on anything from pedaling my mountain bike to my 750 Kawasaki. I never understand this scooter versus bike thing. No one has ever belittled anything I ride.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 7, 2017 19:53:19 GMT -5
I've had bikers wave to me when I was on anything from pedaling my mountain bike to my 750 Kawasaki. I never understand this scooter versus bike thing. No one has ever belittled anything I ride. Wow... Same here. I've had nothing but friendly response from all types of bikers... Only other scooter riders seem indifferent, but not unfriendly. Maybe it's my gray hair (or the Colt in my jeans)... LOL! I've never had a guy or gal riding a cruiser, chopper, bagger, crotch-rocket, etc. fill up next to me who didn't give me a friendly greeting and want to check out the old mouse. I imagine the area one lives in makes a BIG difference in attitudes... Now, IF "Minnie Mouse" had a New York plate on her butt, it would make a huge difference in the attitude of others... So much so that it would be almost a certainty that some Bubba in a 4x4 would run over me from behind with no warning. I spent a couple of weeks in Georgia once on business, with a rent-car. Much to my surprise, I found that to avoid trouble, your vehicle not only had to have a Georgia plate, BUT from the same COUNTY you were in... Whew! Talk about discrimination... That was long ago, and I hope things have changed... At least maybe drop the county I.D. on the plates... LOL! Ride safe, and watch yer' six! Leo |
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Post by onewheeldrive on Oct 8, 2017 2:44:38 GMT -5
Most people on scooters near me donât really wave or honk or say anything.
Most people that initiate conversation with me are people that are curious about scoots and are thinking of possibly buying one. They usually ask how much did my scoot cost, how many mpg, how fast it goes, do you need a license, insurance, registration ...etc, which Iâm sure most of us have been asked at some point.
I still get compliments on my scoot from time to time, which actually makes me feel good since Iâve had it for 8.5 years and over 70,000km. Definitely some scrapes, stripped body panel screw holes, several broken panel tabs, and some âmatchingâ yellow duct tape holding the panels in place near the keyhole that opens my seat at the rear. Missing both of the smaller, long rectangular panels on each side of the floorboardâ I still have them though.
Anyway, usually (almost always) itâs the people on motorcycles that wave when Iâm riding. There arenât any scoot clubs in town here. There just isnât, or atleast openly, a sense of âfamilyâ or a group with a common interest amongst scooterists. Itâs more like âhey, that guy/gal rides a scoot, too. Cool!â and we ride on.
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