150+ Miles (Bump and Update for the Workday Crowd)

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
05/28/2019 at 12:54 • Filed to: gambler 500, Two Wheels Good, Smart

Of rock, sand, mud, water crossings, jumps, gravel, and wide open throttle... That’s how long Imperator Slowiosa III survived. I also experienced my first real motorcycle crash, too.

ETA about the crash:

I was riding on a forest trail/road somehow consisting of extremely loose sand (or something like it?). It was like riding on ice. However, so long as I kept a slow pace it was okay. Unfortunately, my team didn’t notice my slowing down and they basically kept full speed ahead.

To catch up (and to ease my nerves) I decided to ride on the sides of the trail, which consisted of dirt and grass that I could get much more speed with. Well, at some point those grassy sides narrowed to just a couple feet wide with the sand to one side and trees to the other. At some point, the grass was no longer level with the sandy center. This wasn’t a problem until I encountered a rocky, rutty portion of the trail where the grass I was riding on had a 10ft drop down into the ruts below. I target fixated and at roughly 15-20mph I rode off the grass and ten feet down into the rocks.

Like with crashing the Ruckus last year I tried to jump away from the scooter as it happened. My hands (wearing cheap $10 gloves) and my left knee took the entirety of the fall. Hands were fine (gloves only got light scratching) but my knee was bleeding. Well, a dress and yoga pants definitely aren’t good riding gear!

The front wheel broke most of the scooter’s fall, with the dashboard taking the rest of the force, breaking the windshield and taking out both mirrors.

Yes, this does mean Tucker got Gambler round 2!

I’m pretty sure the scooter isn’t perma dead but I didn’t feel like troubleshooting it. I’m just going to remove the offroad lights and try to sell it for like $50.

I jumped this Suzuki.

Got a ride in this turbo flame spitting Miata death kart.

Jumped this Malibu so hard my passenger possibly broke a bone. Then I finished it off with a watery grave.

Considering my goals for this Gambler were to make an ADV out of a scooter, jump a vehicle, do a water crossing, and to kill a vehicle, I’d say this was a smashing success.

And in case you ever wondered who would win in a tug of war, a widebody Festiva or a smart? Me!

More Gambler 500 shenanigans to come!

DISCUSSION (12)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Mercedes Streeter
05/27/2019 at 19:14

This is good oppo.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Mercedes Streeter
05/27/2019 at 21:05

Sounds like a fun and somewhat painful time,

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Mercedes Streeter
05/27/2019 at 21:30

Seems like your Gambler experience can be summarised as 'Fell down. Went boom.'

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
05/27/2019 at 21:35

Oh c’mon, you’ve gotta give me more details than that about the crash/death of the scooter!

Aremmes > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
05/27/2019 at 21:58

It does seem that the entire purpose of the Gambler is to fall down and go boom.

MrDakka > Mercedes Streeter
05/27/2019 at 22:43

I now have a string urge to see an offroading rally Smart with all the works

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
05/27/2019 at 23:00

I was riding on a forest trail/road somehow consisting of extremely loose sand (?) . It was like riding on ice. However, so long as I kept a slow pace it was okay. Unfortunately, my team didn’t notice my slowing down and they basically kept full speed ahead.

To catch up (and to ease my nerves) I decided to ride on the sides of the trail, which consisted of dirt and grass that I could get much more considerable speed with. Well, at some point those grassy sides narrowed to just a couple feet wide with the sand to one side and trees to the other. At some point, the grass was no longer level with the sandy bits. This wasn’t a problem until I encountered a rocky, rutty portion of the trail where the grass I was riding on had a 10ft drop down . I target fixated and at roughly 15- 20mph I rode off the grass and ten feet down into the rocks.

The front wheel broke most of the scooter’s fall, with the dashboard taking the rest of the force, breaking the windshield and taking out both mirrors.

As for what killed the scooter? Not sure. Throughout the Gambler it would never start without starting fluid and it would ride like it was overheated. Granted, during those times the temp gauge was far into the red, but I have a feeling the gauge may also be a little inaccurate. At any rate, the scooter would sputter, lose power, and the engine would make a bad ticking noise. A little starting fluid got it to work. At some point I found myself going 70 while drafting a teammate when it started sputtering. It’s never done that before and acting quick, I gave it a shot of starting fluid Power restored for ten seconds... Eventually I had to let it die.

I originally thought it overheated. However, the coolant wasn’t boiling. I changed the oil and checked the coolant at camp, neither got mixed. Compression is fine, spark is fine, and I had a spare coil and three CDIs on hand. Everything points to a fuel issue, like something clogged the carb.

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
05/28/2019 at 00:57

Hmmmmm ... I'm trying to decide whether or not I should offer you a case of beer/bottle of booze in trade for it ....

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
05/28/2019 at 01:07

Jeremy is offering a 2 stroke minibike and $50 for it. lol

I sorta want to get a Ford Ranger for my next Gambler. I may or may not have hung out with two enthusiastic Ranger owners all weekend and have had a great dose of the Kool Aid

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
05/28/2019 at 06:59

Oh, do it and do it!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Mercedes Streeter
05/28/2019 at 13:10

>dress and yoga pants

Bruh...

barnie > Mercedes Streeter
05/28/2019 at 13:52

I like that the tiny trailer hauling the tiny 2-wheeler is wider than the tiny car pulling the tiny trailer. And that you had the audacity to even put a trailer hitch on said tiny car. And then you took that mess out and zoomed them around in the dirt. Bravo!