New Rider
Currently Offline
Posts: 44
Likes: 9
Joined: Jun 9, 2013 12:24:42 GMT -5
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Post by zhan on Dec 15, 2014 4:13:07 GMT -5
Hey guys, how are ya? It's been over a year since I visited the forum. Sorry about that. I bought my first scooter back in May of 2013 and was really excited about it. I rode it up until about April of 2014 when I bought a Yamaha V Star 1100. I let the scooter sit in my garage all the way up until about 5 days ago. The battery was dead, the tires lost most of their air pressure, and the carburetor got gummed up because the fuel went bad. So I took the carburetor off and pulled the pilot jet and found that it was plugged up pretty good. I gave it a good cleaning, and stuffed it back in. I aired up the tires, then I jumped the battery from my big bike. To my amazement the scooter fired right up, but ran crappy because of the bad fuel. Luckily there was less than a quarter of a tank in it, so I rode it to the gas station and filled it up with some fresh gas, then rode home and added an ounce or so of sea foam. It runs like it was brand new! I totally forgot how fun it was to ride. I ran the wheels off it yesterday and put about 50 miles on it in one day. I really get more enjoyment out of the scooter than I do with the big bike. 50 miles and used up about 60 cents worth of gas. The only reason I stopped riding it was because of the ribbing I was getting from some of the people I work with. My brother also frowned on the scooter and didn't approve. I felt pressure to get something more "manly". Hence the V Star 1100. Now I want to sell the V Star and pick up another scoot for my wife. I feel dumb for giving a crap about what other people think. Never again. I ride my scooter loud and proud. Anyone else get a hard time for their scooter? Let me know if I'm the only one. Dave  |
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Post by JerryScript on Dec 15, 2014 5:24:17 GMT -5
I'm with you! I'm currently about to purchase a new 150cc, and everyone I mention it to has the same response: "Why not just get a motorcycle?" I explain to them several of the things I prefer about scooters over motorcycles, the twist-n-go, the step-thru, the ease of maintenance, etc. They shake their heads like I'm crazy, and then stare in amazement as I leave them behind taking off from a light. Some people will never appreciate scooters, and that's fine with me!
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Post by xyshannen on Dec 15, 2014 7:49:24 GMT -5
Nope, no hard time. Usually when people hear my scoot they wonder " What the heck is that and what did you do to it!?!" Or they say "my gawd I didn't know a scoot could sound like that!"
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Post by SylvreKat on Dec 15, 2014 9:13:35 GMT -5
Only hard time I've gotten is from a coworker because I cover and lock my scoot. He wanted to just mount up and go. I explained I'd rather keep my scoot looking nice, and keep honest folk honest. Oh, and my neighbor who calls me Evel.   But that's in fun. Then again, I'm a girly-girl. So I suppose there's less expectation for me to be on a big bike instead of a medium scooter. >'Kat |
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Post by ricardoguitars on Dec 15, 2014 13:00:51 GMT -5
If people laugh at me for riding a scooter, I laugh even harder at them on my way to the gas station and/or when I have to buy parts for it  |
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Post by dmartin95 on Dec 15, 2014 15:01:13 GMT -5
My Dad, after he retired from GM, worked at a Honda Shop - Phil's Cycle, in Waterford Michigan). MY dad, bless his heart, is a small guy(5'7" 160LBs) but rides a full dresser Goldwing... He has ragged on me constantly for getting these "puny" little twist'n go scoots... "Real Men ride Motorcycles, not Mopeds - Was his motto,,,,.... I get the same crap from my older brother......
He recently came up to visit me from St Petersburg, FL. My brother came to from the other side of the state,
I own 4, 150cc scooters. So, Me, Wife, Dad and Brother went out for an all day ride. About 250 miles on each scooter.
MY dad enjoyed it soooooooo much, he offered to buy to one of my scoots. He's now the proud owner of my Sunny (Dongfang) 150cc. However, he does want me to beef up the motor and build it into a racing motor. I've already started and we'll be making an appearance at this years spring Twist and gone.
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Been awhile
by: ricardoguitars - Dec 15, 2014 16:43:24 GMT -5
Post by ricardoguitars on Dec 15, 2014 16:43:24 GMT -5
Nope, no hard time. Usually when people hear my scoot they wonder " What the heck is that and what did you do to it!?!" Or they say "my gawd I didn't know a scoot could sound like that!" This post could be more effective if audio visuals are included  |
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Post by bandito2 on Dec 15, 2014 18:44:37 GMT -5
My Dad, after he retired from GM, worked at a Honda Shop (Phils Cycle, in Waterford Michigan). MY dad, bless his heart, is a small guy(5'7" 160LBs) but rides a full dresser Goldwing... He has ragged on me constantly for getting these "puny" little twist'n go scoots... "Real Men ride Motorcycles, not Mopeds - Was his motto,,,,.... I get the same crap from my older brother...... He recently came up to visit me from St Petersburg, FL. My brother came to from the other side of the state, I own 4, 150cc scooters. So, Me, Wife, Dad and Brother went out for an all day ride. About 250 miles on each scooter. MY dad enjoyed it soooooooo much, he offered to buy to one of my scoots. He's now the proud owner of my Sunny (Dongfang) 150cc. However, he does want me to beef up the motor and build it into a racing motor. I've already started and we'll be making an appearance at this years spring Twist and gone. Jeez!!! Small world!!!... I grew up in Waterford. Been into Phil's Cycle Shop numerous times looking at the beautifully restored bikes wishing I had the $$ to get one. The shop was just across the street from the parking lot of the high school I graduated from. (when it was actually still there. It was torn down & replaced with a grocery store.) Haven't been back there in a good long while, but a quick internet search shows the shop to still be in operation. Dang, but they've been around for a long time. Using Googlemaps and searching for Phil's Cycle Shop, Waterford, MI and clicking on the "take a look" or click the arrows while in street view one can look around inside of the shop. Fairly recent images.... The calendar by the front desk shows April 2014. Yep, lots of beautifully restored bikes there. Ahhhhhh yes!!! youthful nostalgia. That was nice. Thanks for the post reminding me of the good old days. |
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Been awhile
by: dmartin95 - Dec 15, 2014 19:31:28 GMT -5
Post by dmartin95 on Dec 15, 2014 19:31:28 GMT -5
My Dad, after he retired from GM, worked at a Honda Shop (Phils Cycle, in Waterford Michigan). MY dad, bless his heart, is a small guy(5'7" 160LBs) but rides a full dresser Goldwing... He has ragged on me constantly for getting these "puny" little twist'n go scoots... "Real Men ride Motorcycles, not Mopeds - Was his motto,,,,.... I get the same crap from my older brother...... He recently came up to visit me from St Petersburg, FL. My brother came to from the other side of the state, I own 4, 150cc scooters. So, Me, Wife, Dad and Brother went out for an all day ride. About 250 miles on each scooter. MY dad enjoyed it soooooooo much, he offered to buy to one of my scoots. He's now the proud owner of my Sunny (Dongfang) 150cc. However, he does want me to beef up the motor and build it into a racing motor. I've already started and we'll be making an appearance at this years spring Twist and gone. Jeez!!! Small world!!!... I grew up in Waterford. Been into Phil's Cycle Shop numerous times looking at the beautifully restored bikes wishing I had the $$ to get one. The shop was just across the street from the parking lot of the high school I graduated from. (when it was actually still there. It was torn down & replaced with a grocery store.) Haven't been back there in a good long while, but a quick internet search shows the shop to still be in operation. Dang, but they've been around for a long time. Using Googlemaps and searching for Phil's Cycle Shop, Waterford, MI and clicking on the "take a look" or click the arrows while in street view one can look around inside of the shop. Fairly recent images.... The calendar by the front desk shows April 2014. Yep, lots of beautifully restored bikes there. Ahhhhhh yes!!! youthful nostalgia. That was nice. Thanks for the post reminding me of the good old days. I grew up in Waterford as well. Right behind Kettering... Went to Cooley elem, Pierce Mid, and Kettering High, Until I was sent to same school as you.... I had skipping problem....  But yeah, My Dad is Ron Martin, Phil's right hand man.. If Phil wasn't in there, My dad was running the shop for the past 15 years,,... Phil is a good friend of the family. Phil's cycle is very much still in Business and still pumping out frame off resto's.... Phil has received more awards than I can count. |
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Been awhile
by: bandito2 - Dec 15, 2014 20:10:54 GMT -5
Post by bandito2 on Dec 15, 2014 20:10:54 GMT -5
I grew up in Waterford as well. Right behind Kettering... Went to Cooley elem, Pierce Mid, and Kettering High, Until I was sent to same school as you.... I had skipping problem.... But yeah, My Dad is Ron Martin, Phil's right hand man.. If Phil wasn't in there, My dad was running the shop for the past 15 years,,... Phil is a good friend of the family. Phil's cycle is very much still in Business and still pumping out frame off resto's.... Phil has received more awards than I can count. I went to Della Lutes Elem, John D. Pierce Junior High School (Middle school) like you, and of course WTHS. I had a skipping problem as well only because school bored me at times. It moved way too slow for me and some stuff was ridiculously easy and quickly became boring. So I ended up being a 2nd year senior because of that; not because I had ANY trouble learning. Parents didn't have the means to send me to college nor do I think they really recognized my wits. And socially, I was invisible as a wall flower so I never got the encouragement to move up to something like college. In retrospect however, I can see now that I left high school far better educated than today's nearly illiterate college students. BTW, my dad gave me the bug for 2 wheel riding. I used to love picking the grass and weeds out of the chain guard, away from the shocks and foot pegs of my dad's Honda Dream 300 after taking my brothers and I for rides through the wide open fields around our neighborhood. (hardly any empty spots like that any more) Boy do I wish I had that bike now. |
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Post by rockynv on Dec 15, 2014 23:11:57 GMT -5
People stopped ribbing me about the scooter after they found they could not keep up on the commute to work. The naysayers really quieted down when after 4 years/26,000 miles I had saved over $20,000 from riding instead of driving and the 250cc Aprilia had proven more reliable than any of the other bikes they rode and most of their automobiles.
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Post by scooter on Dec 15, 2014 23:39:22 GMT -5
Nope, no hard time. Usually when people hear my scoot they wonder " What the heck is that and what did you do to it!?!" Or they say "my gawd I didn't know a scoot could sound like that!" This post could be more effective if audio visuals are included |
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Been awhile
by: ricardoguitars - Dec 16, 2014 0:09:03 GMT -5
Post by ricardoguitars on Dec 16, 2014 0:09:03 GMT -5
This post could be more effective if audio visuals are included If I remove the muffler on my 125cc, it sounds like a Harley  |
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Post by BadCattitude on Dec 16, 2014 0:22:55 GMT -5
I wonder if moped owners get ribbed by scooter folks... |
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New Rider
Currently Offline
Posts: 44
Likes: 9
Joined: Jun 9, 2013 12:24:42 GMT -5
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Post by zhan on Dec 16, 2014 2:22:09 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I thought it was just me. Rumors were spreading around my office about me and my scooter. People snickered behind my back and to my face. I'm 43 years old for pete's sake. Been happily married to my wife for almost 10 years. I buy a scooter and everyone starts a bunch of crap. I've decided I don't give a green and purple polka dotted moose twit what anyone thinks anymore. Anyone wanna buy a V Star? LOL! It's great to pal around with other scoot-minded people. Dave |
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