"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
10/08/2018 at 11:09 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good
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"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
10/08/2018 at 11:09 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good | 6
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Yesterday afternoon I t ook a little 12 mile or so ride on my scooter. The odo rolled over 4k miles while I was out, which means I’ve ridden this silly wonderful little thing over a thousand miles in the scant three months I’ve owned it. Granted, nearly half of those were last weekend running it in the Gambler 500-Illinois, but still.
I’ve been riding for a little over two years now. I’ve been loving it, no doubt, but riding 492 miles on all kinds of roads, much of it in cold damp conditions, has changed my perspective on this hobby significantly.
Yesterday when I went for a ride, it was 58 degrees, damp, with the first of fall’s fallen leaves on the road. Last year, I would’ve just felt sorry for myself that I didn’t have a perfect day to ride. You know what? It was a great little ride. I put on a hoodie and gloves, rode a little slower than I normally would, and had a ball.
Last Wednesday, I did something else I never would’ve done. After the Gambler, with my truck’s brake line blown and AAA taking their sweet ass time getting me a tow truck, I went home in Bill’s extra car. Once my truck was done being repaired a few days later, I had to bring Bill’s car back and ride my scooter home.
That’s a 25 miles ride, on some big roads. I mocked Bill in the past for suggesting that scooting between our houses was a viable option. My, how wrong I was . I did it late at night, to minimize traffic. I also took a different route than the one we use by car, to avoid getting my scooting ass run over. It was a wonderful ride. One I intend to repeat.
It turns out you don’t need perfect conditions to enjoy being on two wheels. Who knew? Some of you knew, but now I know too.
WilliamsSW
> shop-teacher
10/08/2018 at 11:39 |
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Nice! Glad you’re enjoying it!
In my biking experience, keeping your hands warm in cool weather is critical. Then your face of course.
Hopefully a few more months of scooter weather left this year!!
Decay buys too many beaters
> shop-teacher
10/08/2018 at 12:15 |
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Last year was my first crack at doing year round motorcycle commuting (in an area that gets 9 months of rain on average), and I agree. I like my commute more now than I ever did in a car. The right gear makes riding in just about any conditions possible.
Pickup_man
> shop-teacher
10/08/2018 at 12:52 |
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I love riding in cool gloomy weather, I’ll admit that it takes a certain mindset to enjoy it, but being all bundled up and cozy while the cold outside air tries to sneak it’s way through any opening it can find is very fun. You get lost inside your own little bubble of warmth and very little else matters. It makes the end of the ride all that more satisfying too when you can step inside and grab a warm drink. It also doesn’t hurt that the bikes run like a top with that little boost in power and super crisp throttle response.
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shop-teacher
> Pickup_man
10/08/2018 at 13:06 |
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I’m starting to figure all this out :)
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shop-teacher
> Decay buys too many beaters
10/08/2018 at 13:08 |
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I’m not ready to take the commuting in the rain plunge, and with winter around here, riding year round is ill-advised. With this new found attitude of mine though, the riding season just got a loooot longer though :)
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shop-teacher
> WilliamsSW
10/08/2018 at 13:45 |
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Yeah, I’ve never had riding gloves before this weekend. It made a HUGE difference.
Yes, hopefully!
Mercedes Streeter
> shop-teacher
10/09/2018 at 13:02 |
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Challenge Accepted. You will see me riding some sort of Chinesium through the winter. :D
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Mercedes Streeter
> shop-teacher
10/09/2018 at 13:08 |
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Yay! Now you know how I felt that night when I was soaked riding your Elite. Two wheels are fun in all conditions!
My winter project with my GS850G got a little more complex. Looks like the clutch is a getting worn and doesn’t like doing full throttle runs without slipping. Can’t blame it, I’m probably its youngest owner in a long time and not afraid to stretch the nearly 40 year old bike’s legs. Clutch replacement doesn’t appear to be too hard or too expensive if I don’t feel like doing it myself.