Monday, May 17, 2010
Rainy
Friday, May 14, 2010
Warzone!
Interview: Grant from Knoxville Tennessee
Grant was born and raised in Michigan and graduated from Muskegon High School in 1974. He attended seven different colleges starting at Michigan State University, and took 20 years to obtain a BSMET in Engineering. He is now a design engineer working in the automotive industry in Tennessee. I met Grant online and then last year in person when he organized the first Burgman Rally to ride US-129 (aka The Dragon).KSC: Grant, when did you start on two wheels?
Grant: When I lived in Michigan, I rode a couple of different motorcycles, a 400cc dirt bike that nearly killed me. I rode a Honda 300 for a while 20+ years ago. Because of the limited warm weather in the cold white north, I did not pursue a newer or different motorcycle. I drove the Honda for only one season.
KSC: What happened on the dirt bike?
Grant: My dirt bike liked to climb trees, and I guess I was along for the ride.
KSC: I can see how that would limit the level of fun! When did you start riding again and move to a scooter?
Grant: In 2008 when Gas went out of sight I thought it was time to make a change in the Gas consumption and try to off set the cost of getting to and from work. I went shopping for a new motorcycle. The want list was short but important: great gas millage, low cost, plenty of power (I am a big guy), and stylish.
KSC: What did you have in mind that fit the bill on all those points?
Grant: What I was looking for was a style I remembered from a long time ago. Honda had a bike that they called the “Pacifica” (I think that was the name), it was a bike that had molded saddle bags with lots of storage space and large enough in power to go on long cross country rides. I soon found out that Honda did not make that model anymore, the closest thing they had was the “Gold Wing”. That was too big, to much bike, and to expensive of an investment for me to get started back into motorcycles.
KSC: I can understand that. I thought the same thing about many bikes when I first started looking...same time as you with the gas crunch. What brought you specifically to a scooter?
Grant: I looked at different makers then I came to the Suzuki dealer near my home. They showed me the Burgman 650. The first thought was "Scooter, no way, I don’t want a stupid scooter." They showed me the plusses of the Burgman; Automatic, 650cc, trunk space, 50+ MPG, plus many other little things. I still had a problem with the Scooter look so I looked further. The thing is I kept coming back to the Burgman because of all it had to offer.
KSC: So in your book it fit three of your four criteria. I guess that's not bad. Did you keep looking for something "non-scooter"?
Grant: I did my time on the internet looking at anything I could find about the Burgman. The more I found the more it sounded like the bike for me. Simple to ride, great gas millage, comparable cost, and plenty of power. But the Scooter look, was still keeping me from a purchase. After thinking about it for several weeks I did make the purchase of a 2008 Gold Burgman 650. Right away I caught tons of flack from my co-workers because of the Scooter look. Why didn’t I get a real bike? I kept sticking up for my purchase and explaining the benefits of the Burgman but to no avail.
KSC: I think many maxi-scooterists get the same lack of respect. How did your peers opinion affect you?
Grant: I was having buyers remorse, until I was talking to one of the Japanese workers at work and they backed me up and was telling my other co-workers that the Burgman was the most coveted motorcycle in Japan. He told everyone that this was the largest and most powerful Scooter made and they needed to give it respect. Every day I drove the Burgman to work, and it generated plenty of questions and jokes until several Harley owners spoke up and told the stories of how they rode with several Burgmans one day through the mountains and they were very cool bikes. My Burgman had been vindicated.
KSC: You note how the Japanese did not refer to it as a scooter, but a motorcycle. In their country, and most of Europe too, these are not even seen as scooters, but as motorcycles. Why do you think the U.S. is different?
Grant: Peer pressure is much stronger here in the US than elsewhere. Once those who scoff at my Burgman see the power and performance they back off the Scooter comments.
KSC: I have seen this happen many times. Bikers laugh at scooter. Bikers see scooter in action. Bikers stop laughing. What is your overall opinion of the Burgman now?
Grant: The Burgman is a very cool motorcycle and I love riding my Scooter.
KSC: Grant, do you belong to a club? If so, what club? Tell me a bit about it.
Grant: Yes, I attend and co-organize a Meet-up group in Knoxville. It is “the Knoxville Riders”.
This is a group of like minded motorcycle riders (to date 146 members) who want to get together to ride and have fellowship with people from the area. We have monthly meetings where we talk about different topics dealing with motorcycles. In cold weather when most riders pack up their cycle and hope for warmer weather we schedule social meetings where we gather at a local restaurant and have a meal and swap lies with each other. At our regular meetings we discuss specific topics like the Best GPS to get for the bike, How to change our own oil, What over night trips the group is interested in. Tire selection, Gadgets, Rules of the road when riding in a Group.
(This is not a scooter group, I am the only scooter rider in our group)
KSC: Many maxi-scooter riders (the scooter with large enough engines to be considered highway and interstate capable) seem to fit in better with other maxi-scooters, or motorcycles. This is obviously true in the Knoxville Riders. Do you think this is merely a matter of functionality?
Grant: Yes, if you can keep up with the big boys than you can ride along, no matter what you ride. On the other hand. Some “old timers” are just curious and want to learn more. Others are just “old School” and don’t care, if it is not a Harley than you need to go away. (Small Minds)
KSC: I also see groups of just maxi-scooters forming. You said you're the only scooter in your club. Do you see other scooters in Knoxville area, or are they very uncommon?
Grant: There is a Vespa style club in Knoxville but they are 150cc or less. I would like to form a Maxi Club some day. I see more and more on the roads all the time. I answer questions about my Burgman on an average of once a week, where people are interested and want to know more about it because they are thinking of a purchase, they want to know if it will do what they want or need.
KSC: I started the Louisville Scooter Group with the idea of it being a group for all people no matter what they ride, but with a few exceptions, I see we tend to have mainly larger displacement scooters. So far we do not have many people on motorcycles. We did have one member who actually converted from a motorcycle to a Burgman. I hear about this more and more often. Do you know any folks who have been long-time motorcycle riders and decide to make the change to a maxi scooter?
Grant: No, not a complete change over. However, I’ve talked to some folks that purchased a Burgman in addition to the other motorcycles they have.
KSC: What do you like best about riding on two wheels?
Grant: The freedom of being in charge of my life and I fully make the decisions of where I go and how I get there. Driving in my pick-up truck I do the same thing, drive where I want and I decide how I get there, but it’s different on two wheels. The feel of the power beneath me and the wind in my face is a great feeling. I like the feeling of full control and that little bit of death can happen at any minute if you don’t keep your head screwed on your shoulders very tight. It is a religious experience with me when I ride. I am the closest to God and to nature I can get with out getting off my bike and walking on the trail. 90% of my non-work riding is in the Smoky Mountains and I ride there all the time. Nothing compares with a 4 hour ride up in the mountains and feeling the wind in my face and a closeness to God.
KSC: The Smoky Mountains area is world famous for it's motorcycle roads. The most publicized of all is US-129, also known as "The Dragon". What do you think of that actual stretch of road?
Grant: The “Dragon” is one of the most popular sections of twisting and winding roads in this area. However, it also has the reputation of killing more bikers on it than any other stretch of road in this area. As far as roads to ride on there are plenty of sections of roads that are every bit as twisty and curvy and less traveled on than the “Dragon”. On the other side of the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina, there are countless routes that many say is even better than the “Dragon”. There is no other road that has as much PR or notoriety than the “Dragon”, I myself like to ride on the “Dragon” it is fun and it has all the curves you could want. The down side is someone has started a timed race challenge among the sport bikers. There is a posting of how long it takes to get from point “A” to point “B” on the “Dragon” and every hot shot with a crotch rocket is trying to break that record. All they end up breaking are bones. In the height of the summer season the police are stationed every 200 yards or so and they are very willing to ticket anyone that is going to fast on that stretch. Fines are extreme and they are very willing to write as many tickets as they can handle. My favorite route to take is called the Cherohala Skyway. It is 50+ miles long that starts in Tennessee and travels over 5,500 feet up and into North Carolina. That is a route that I will try to go on once a week or so.
KSC: I have to compliment you on your choice of routes for the Burgman ride last year. I tend to try and take roads I have never been on before. For example, I have been to Indianapolis and Cincinnati multiple times and I have never taken the exact same route twice. I think GPS with good routing software helps me more to explore than find my way home. Do you explore much? Do you use a GPS?
Grant: I am always going to different places at different times. I am an explorer at heart. I’ll just be driving down the road and see a road that turns off from the road I’m on and I say (to myself) "I wonder where that road goes?" In East Tennessee, not very many roads go in a straight line so you can start out going south on a road and end up who knows where, in a new location in a new place. It has never failed me so far. I am really glad that I know my gas gage extremely well. I do not use a GPS as yet because I know so little about them I would not know what to get. We have a GPS salesman scheduled to speak at our Knoxville Riders Group, and talk about all the electronic gadgets we can add to our bikes.
KSC: Speaking of the 2009 Burgman Ride/Rally, how difficult was it to organize that?
Grant: The Rally was not too bad to organize. It is in my backyard. I had been to a Rally in Mentone, AL the year before and thought…this could be done around my area and I could do that! First thing was to ask around for friends to help, and because this was the first time, it was run kind-of by the seat of my pants. I wanted to go on as many routes as I could get in, and find places that would accommodate the group. Because this being the first time for the Rally I could not tell anyone, how many people to expect. Hotel was easy, restaurants were a bit harder. The easiest was the routes to take. The routes were the exact same places I had been riding for a while already. They were some of the best in the area and they were close. There are even better rides we could have gone on but it would have taken 3-4 hours to get there then 3-4 hours back and 1-2 hours on that specific route. That would make a very long day. With that long of a route riding in 3 states, there could be problems unexpected so I opted out of that. I and one other friend actually rode on these routes to time them and millage mark them so that we had a good idea of how long it would take and where we would meet up with the others from the second group. My timing was a little off so it did not work out as planned but it still worked out well. If I were to change anything, I would have planned more sight seeing stops and more things to do while on the route.
KSC: Well, there is always this coming year! Are you going to do it? What about the recent closures of US-129? How will that affect your plans?
Grant: Yes, I would like to do something again. You have to understand that the similar closures like the ones on hwy 129 have happened all over the Smoky Mountains this year. I personally had an encounter with a falling rock while driving in my car with my wife. I was following a car on a familiar road through the mountains when a rock came crashing down at the car ahead of us and the car swerved to miss the rock and I said, Wow! Look at that! When as I approached the same spot a large tree came crashing down near us and a medium sized bolder came rolling down the mountain towards us. The rock was about 4 foot around and I had to jump on the brakes to avoid getting crushed by the rock. As I pulled through I looked in the rear view mirror and saw several large rocks laying in the road where we had just rolled through. In our area there has been 4 major rock slides that have closed several roads and some are major roads. The biggest one was on Hwy US-40 cutting off a major trucking route through the mountains east to west. They took 15,000 truck loads of debris from that site to open just half of the road to start to get traffic moving again. US-40 was closed down completely for about 6 months. There was a rock slide in the Smoky Mountain Park it’s self, not to mention on US-129 the “Dragon”. There was some talk of not clearing the rock at all on US-129 and keeping it closed therefore saving the lives lost every year from motorcycle crashes that happen each year. Like I’ve said earlier I would like to get something going again this year and it will be much easier this time, I just need to dedicate some time to sit down and do the planning again. Look for it to happen this fall 2010.
KSC: What do you feel like scooterist share in common with all riders?
Grant: The Maxi-Scooterist has that love of the open road, at least I do. I don’t feel like a different class of biker so much as I feel that I am using the technology to my benefit. I can ride with the big boys (power) and hold my own on the freeways. I wear my leather vest and leather half-gloves. I have that “John Wayne” saunter when I walk away from my bike and go into a business. I give “that” attitude to people when I talk to them, right up until they notice the scooter look of my Burgman. Then I am just a geek. The smaller scooters and the people that ride them are in a different class than I think I am. They are typically in the larger cities or college campuses. They do their commute to and from class or work close to home and usually never push above the 25-35 MPH of in town driving. It is very unlikely to see a small scooter on the skyway or the “Dragon”. Would I accept them, yes…would I want them lead a group ride for our club, no not really.
KSC: I keep feeling like the Maxi-scooter is the bridge between what you call the "smaller scooters" and the larger displacement motorcycles. I know in our group we welcome most anybody to ride if they can keep up, no matter if they are on a 150cc Vespa or a 650cc Burgman. Whether or not I personally have ridden with them, I show them the respect due another rider. This is because I have known several folks who have put 15,000 miles on their "little scooter" while their neighbor next door has 1500 miles on his nice big motorcycle. What is your viewpoint on that?
Grant: We feel the same way too in our group. I think that is a shame that a nice big motorcycle is going to waste in the garage under the tarp, in the corner. I have seen new motorcycles left in the garage and the only use it has is a “catch all” and a work bench. On the other hand I wouldn’t mind finding an older bike that was stored under the tarp and the current owner wants to make room and shed the bike for a pittance. I’d be a 2 bike owner if the right bike came up for little or nothing. The papers are full of one season riders who found out that you have to have 110% attention when riding a bike. You can’t be texting on your cell phone and drive a 2 wheeler. Riding a motorcycle takes some skill and attention to the road. But once mastered you will become a life long rider, no matter what you drive. I think the motorcycle dealers prey on people and get them to buy more bike than they need or can afford. If I had a car that did everything I needed and got 30-40 mpg and a new motorcycle that cost 25-35 thousand got less than 30 mpg on average I would have a real hard time expending that kind of money for a once in a while toy. (New Owner to something that is NEW to them) At the end of this season I will have about 30,000 miles on my Burgman. I am having a great time on the road and when the Burgman dies or no longer gives me that thrill I will get either another or look around for something else to replace it. The other day I had my Burgman serviced and the dealer gave me a brand new Burgman to use as a loaner so that I could drive it back and forth to work that day of service. I only work 2 miles from the dealership, so it was not going to rack up the millage on their new bike. I was extremely impressed with the new model. It was so tight and ran “Just like a new bike” how funny was that. I got back to the dealer and remarked that was not fair, and he asked what I was referring to. I said driving a new Burgman made me want to trade up to the newest model, TODAY. He laughed and said, “Yes I know”. Jerk. Not today but maybe some day.
KSC: What do you feel sets us scooterists apart from other riders?
KSC: What do you feel sets us scooterists apart from other riders?
Grant: We are generally older riders, not so hung up on the status quo, able to see and embrace the technology to our advantage. Everyone is shocked when they learn that the Burgman is automatic. The trunk space is extremely useful, I have even made a pizza run and the box fits very well into the trunk. Some old schoolers ask if I need a license to drive on the road. Always the very next question is how fast have I had it going. Most don’t believe me when I personally had the Burgman up to 120MPH. Not for very long, (not many straight roads) but when I pass them up on the freeway they stop asking stupid questions. At the end of it all we’re just cool!
KSC: I will never forget when I pulled in to a biker shop one day on my 250cc. They gave me the snickers and looks too, until the first guy asked "How many miles to the gallon do you get on that thing?" After I told them "Damn thing is supposed to get about 65, but I have only been getting around 60!"--well, several stopped me to ask where I got it and how much I paid for it. A few were heard to say "I gotta get one of those!" This was in '07 when gas was up to $4 per gallon. Do you ever get questions about the gas mileage?
Grant: Every time I am questioned about anything involved around the Burgman they always ask the gas millage. I typically get right around 50 MPG. The best I’ve gotten was 85 mpg and the worst I got was 32 mpg and they were on the same trip. The bad gas millage was when I was going up Mount Mitchell on the “Blue Ridge Parkway” in North Carolina. And the best was when I was coming down off Mount Mitchell. Better gas millage is directly influenced by the weather. If it is a hot day I get better millage, if it is cold, 60’s, I get about a 5-8 mpg drop.
KSC: What do you think about the whole "green factor" of riding a scooter? Do you play into that or make a point of it?
Grant: Green, ha! My bike is Gold. I don’t buy anything for green’s sake. I buy what I want, if I can afford it, when I can afford it. I did crunch the numbers and figured out that the Burgman would pay for it’s self in 3 years just in saving from gas usage over the usage in my Full size Ford truck. Plus I am having the time of my life on 2 wheels. I meet the coolest people at the stops, and I like the looks of the un believers when I walk in with my leathers on. (Just so long as they don’t see that I just got off a scooter) Ha.
KSC: What is one odd, interesting, or amazing thing that has occured to you while you were riding?
Grant: Several. What’s with the wave? What is the customary rules to wave or not to wave, that is the question. I typically wave at every biker that I can, no matter what they ride. Some Crotch Rockets only wave at other rockets, old school Harley riders only wave at other Harley riders. Most do not make any waves in the corners of twisting roads like on the “Dragon”, and I can accept that I am trying to keep my bike under control and do not care to be that friendly at that specific point. Somebody’s got to have the rules written down somewhere.
I did crash and burn on the Burgman, I was going way too fast on a road that I have traveled countless times and forgot my attention span. I was gawking at the scenery and the first curve came up way too fast and I left the road. Sky, ground, sky ground, sky, ground. Oh my God, I was feeling the pain and suffering then. After a full check out in the hospital they cut me loose to go home and I hobbled around for a couple of days and nursed my road rash and my sore legs. I broke my hand and got a few scars from that. My insurance (Geico) paid the bill to completely repair my bike. Nearly $5500 to replace the skin and a few other parts on the bike.
One of the most life changing events happened while on the bike rally. I was leading a the group and we were coming up to a stop light on the route. I knew it was a bad intersection but forgot to be extra careful while on the bike. We all stopped at the light, I was first in line at the light and when we pulled away from the stop a car ran the light from the cross direction and pushed the car ahead of him right in front of me into the middle of the intersection. I came so close to becoming no more than a grease spot on the road that day. That reminded me that you must have your head screwed on Very tight when riding in traffic, and always look out for the other fool in the cars and trucks.
The best thing that has happened is I have gotten so close to a full-blown religious experience while riding my bike in the mountains. That has to be the all time best time of my life while I am our riding my bike, wind in my face and the road beneath me.
KSC: Grant, what is the main reason you like to ride?
Why do I ride? The quick answer is simple. It is the excitement and sheer terror of all that power between your legs, the wind in your face, the force in which you feel inertia pull you back in the seat. Knowing that the laws of gravity will ruin your whole week in just a split second. Every other vehicle on the road has only one thing on their mind, “can I pull out in front of that motorcycle at the same time as I text my friend at the mall, brush my hair, eat a cheeseburger, making an appointment in my day planner, and fix my make-up”. All of this goes through my mind when I am still in the driveway about to enter the street.
I remember the first 40 yards of the first time I rode a motorcycle in 25 years. I had just signed the papers on my Burgman at the dealer. The dealer is on the top a hill. I am pulling down the driveway approaching the crossroad traffic, afraid for my life. I nearly dumped the bike twice just in the parking lot of the dealer and then once at the road entrance. I hit the gas, pull out into the street and away I went.
I left the dealer needing to stop and get gas at the corner station. I barely knew how to ride the stupid thing well-alone what all the buttons were for. I was just glad the engine turned off when the key was turned, or did I turn it off. I did not know. I think it stalled out when I put the kick stand down. Oh crap, I hope it starts again. It did not. After a few minutes of panic and only by luck did the engine start. I kicked the stand up just as I was going to push the bike over to the side, I hit the start and the bike fired up. I left the station and drove home. That was going to be enough for one day.
The horror of learning how to ride a bike again, you see, it is a lot different learning to ride something that runs 10 mph verses a motorcycle that runs well over 60 mph. The idea of broken bones and major road rash is an impact force that most motorcyclist learn either by first hand experiences or by talking to people they meet that have those experiences. Many new owners of a motorcycles learn the hard way to ride their bikes. I recommend a driving school to learn how to handle your new purchase and how to keep what little brains you started with inside your skull. Secondly, join a riders group in your area so that you have some fellow riders to bounce off ideas and you have someone to ask questions of. There is not a day that goes by where I have a new question to ask my ridding buddies, about general motorcycle questions or a maintenance question. Something pops up all the time. The Internet is a good source of information about your bike and the people that ride it.
I love to ride and I am, in a very small way, glad that the price of gas went up so high, because with out that happening I may not have ever gotten back into riding a motorcycle again. Look for me on the road, I am the big guy on the gold Burgman. I may not wave back at you and it’s not that I am snubbing you, it is that I am just having such a wonderful time on my bike and I just did not see you go by.
I remember the first 40 yards of the first time I rode a motorcycle in 25 years. I had just signed the papers on my Burgman at the dealer. The dealer is on the top a hill. I am pulling down the driveway approaching the crossroad traffic, afraid for my life. I nearly dumped the bike twice just in the parking lot of the dealer and then once at the road entrance. I hit the gas, pull out into the street and away I went.
I left the dealer needing to stop and get gas at the corner station. I barely knew how to ride the stupid thing well-alone what all the buttons were for. I was just glad the engine turned off when the key was turned, or did I turn it off. I did not know. I think it stalled out when I put the kick stand down. Oh crap, I hope it starts again. It did not. After a few minutes of panic and only by luck did the engine start. I kicked the stand up just as I was going to push the bike over to the side, I hit the start and the bike fired up. I left the station and drove home. That was going to be enough for one day.
The horror of learning how to ride a bike again, you see, it is a lot different learning to ride something that runs 10 mph verses a motorcycle that runs well over 60 mph. The idea of broken bones and major road rash is an impact force that most motorcyclist learn either by first hand experiences or by talking to people they meet that have those experiences. Many new owners of a motorcycles learn the hard way to ride their bikes. I recommend a driving school to learn how to handle your new purchase and how to keep what little brains you started with inside your skull. Secondly, join a riders group in your area so that you have some fellow riders to bounce off ideas and you have someone to ask questions of. There is not a day that goes by where I have a new question to ask my ridding buddies, about general motorcycle questions or a maintenance question. Something pops up all the time. The Internet is a good source of information about your bike and the people that ride it.
I love to ride and I am, in a very small way, glad that the price of gas went up so high, because with out that happening I may not have ever gotten back into riding a motorcycle again. Look for me on the road, I am the big guy on the gold Burgman. I may not wave back at you and it’s not that I am snubbing you, it is that I am just having such a wonderful time on my bike and I just did not see you go by.
KSC: I look forward to riding in your mountains again soon, Grant. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions and share your experiences and point of view.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Nano Mount - First Run
I can say first that it is impossible to get turned on and mounted with gloves on. I turned it on and attached it with the velcro. On my way to work I lucked out and it didn't rain. I rode at speeds up to 55-60 miles per hour, and it held fine. I turned my head several times to record the range of view. I also bent my head far down at a stop light to see if I could record the dash. When I arrived at work, I removed the mount and found that the Nano was off. It had only recorded about 23 seconds and that was mounting it to the helmet. If it is not raining on the way home, I may try this again. I might be able to record with a little loss of clarity even in rain with a simple plastic baggie...might try that.
Nano Mount: Mounted, Front View
Nano Mount - MOUNTED TO HELMET
Nano Mount with iPod
Nano Mount SIDE VIEW
The iPod Nano mount
Monday, May 10, 2010
Ride to Corydon, May 8th
Louisville Scooter Group took a ride on Saturday to Corydon, Indiana. We travelled the nice twisties and even just a wee bit of gravel road. My good friend Vince was nice enough to scout ahead and make sure it wasn't miles and miles of gravel. He was the most experienced of us in off-road situations...he used to ride dirt bikes a lot when he was younger. I don't mind well packed gravel but most the rest of our gang likes some tarmac if they can have it. We stopped in Corydon for lunch at The Real Enchilada which is a good Mexican restaurant on Capitol Avenue. That whole downtown area has a really cool small-town look to it. We rode back through more good roads and stopped at Brewer's General Store in Borden for a soda. Vince split off at that point and took the quick road home. I ran up toward Huber's Orchard on Dow Knob road which is a very steep climb and lots of fun. The GPS was giving me fits because I was not sticking 'to the plan' so I got us into a long loop. After I turned us the wrong way on Scottsville road and starting to head back toward Huber's, friends Steve & Jan cut out for a more direct route home. Ralph stuck with Kat and I, as I got my bearings and we paused for gas at the marathon that sits at the top of the hill at Scottsville and Paoli Pike. Ralph and I rode down into New Albany then got onto the Indiana section of I-265 and finished the ride home on the interstate. It was a good ride, but my only complaints were that it was a little too cool, a little too windy, and my GPS screwed up once or twice--mainly due to my not using it right. *shrugs* I still think everyone had a good time.
Broken!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Interview: Jeremy Hall of Enviromoto
Jeremy Hall was born in Shelbyville Indiana in 1977. He is married with two great kids and has a lot of fun on his off time working in the garden. Jeremy has been working on just about anything with an engine since he was 13 years old. He owns a couple businesses and manages The Antisocial Scooter Club. He is also organizer and owner of the recent Twist and Gone scooter drag races and swap meet. I have known Jeremy for several years now being first acquainted with him on various tech boards for Chinese scooter riders and then at regional scooter rallies.
KSC: Jeremy, how long have you been riding?
Jeremy: I got my first dirtbike at age 6, still got it, she's a 1985 Honda Z50r, going to restore it and give it to my son one day.
KSC: What do you think of the recent "Lead Ban" which threatens to keep children off of motorbikes?
Jeremy: For the record I'm firmly against it and think the measure was politically motivated by the big 4's lobbying groups.
KSC: You feel the same as many people. I have heard that opinion before. Let me ask you, how long have you been riding specifically scooters?
Jeremy: I have been riding scooters since I was 15. First scoot was Yamaha Jog.
KSC: You still have your dirt bike. Do you still have the Jog?
Jeremy: No that puppy had a hard life. Eventually left it in the woods after a monster leap off of a bmx ramp broke the case in half. Landed it though with two of us on it. It was a long walk home.
KSC: What kind of scooter do you currently ride?
Jeremy: That all depends on the destination. I have a Honda Ruckus with a 70cc Zuma motor I built over the winter for fun and a 150cc China special for daily beating around.
KSC: Well, to start, I find it interesting that you took a Yamaha engine and put it into your Honda Ruckus. Were there any difficulties doing that?
Jeremy: I spent about 4 months building that scooter over the winter. You can follow the complete build over at TotalRuckus just search the word "Hamaha". The reason we swap out the motor on the rucks is because the stock motors are so expensive to tune and make fast its cheaper to just swap out the motor. At this point its pretty much my show bike.
KSC: I personally rode a 250cc Roketa for 8000 miles as my first bike. I sold it and it's still going strong as far as I know. You say you have a "China special" for regular use. I know a lot of people who shy away from the scooters imported from China. There have been many comments on how they are just junk. What are your views on the Chinese imports?
Jeremy: China gets a bad rep and mostly deceivingly so. However what people don't realize is the GY6 platform has been around for a long time now. With a little know how and elbow grease you can have a dependable scooter on your hands, if you just do the work. They are the VW Beetle of the 21st century. Periodic valve adjustments and oil changes will help keep your GY6 scooter on the road for a long time. One thing people overlook about the Chinese scooter market is that it drives the high end scooter market. Say Kim walks into a scooter shop and sees the price of a new Vespa. She is nervous about spending that kind of cash right away so she goes around the corner to buy a $699 Chinese scooter. She drives it, gets the scootering bug, and saves her money and buys that Vespa a couple years later. If it wasn't for the Chinese scooter being there when she needed a cheap scooter she may have never jumped on a scooter at all. Bottom line the Chinese scooter market has its good and bad side, but from where I'm sitting the scooter culture wouldn't be half of what it is today without them.
KSC: I believe that there are two main reasons for the bad reputation of Chinese made scooters. The first is due to the quality (primarily assembly but secondarily parts) when they first started coming into the country in 2006-2007. The second is shady dealers who would open a store, sell their container load of scooters, then close the store--or online dealers who would sell a scoot in a crate sight unseen and have it drop shipped from the importer's warehouse. These types of dealers had no knowledge, mechanical or otherwise, of the products they sold and had no wish to support them. Do you agree? Disagree?
Jeremy: I agree.
KSC: Tell me about your company Enviromoto. What service or product do you provide?
Jeremy: We build custom scooters, sell parts online. In the future we plan on branching out to a bigger location and offer scooter sales and service.
KSC: Give me an example of one of your custom jobs, and something you have in the works.
Jeremy: One of my favorites was a Honda Reflex Clone done up Tokyo style, lowered, chopped, and enough LED lighting to cause a UFO scare. Currently I'm restoring a vintage Lambretta for a friend and I hope to get my hands on a 60's Allstate soon.
KSC: I would like to see a picture of that Reflex clone! About the Lambretta, are you doing custom work on that also, or just a straight restoration?
Jeremy: Its a full blown resto-mod, and you can see it when its done at the Gasoline Rally.
KSC: When you are able to offer scooters for sale, what brands do you plan to carry?
Jeremy: Its up in the air at this point. Although I do like Genuine Scooters along with the Znen lineup.
KSC: Genuine makes a sturdy machine. I know, I was hit by a Stella recently. It make have scratched the Stella, but it tore off the back of my muffler!! Znen is Chinese, right? I expected that. Do you think you will be able to provide good service and keep parts in stock to keep your customers rolling?
Jeremy: Znen is Fly, Lance, Puma Cycles. Of course these are simple machines and parts are readily available at my shop.
KSC: If you are able to keep your customers with Chinese scooters running and satisfied, I think you'd be one of the few to do it. I personally would be thrilled to see that! You are starting to sound like the scooter version of those chopper guys. Are you more like a Paul, Paul Jr. or Jesse? Do you think it will ever get that big?
Jeremy: I would say I'm a healthy mix of all three. Yes I know it will get that big just look at the rest of the world for examples. Scooters are fun, cheap, and earth friendly. You don't have to have a crystal ball to see where this industry is headed.
KSC: I would really like to see that. If gasoline price keeps rising I don't think there's any way the scooter scene won't blow up. Jeremy, you also head up the Antisocial Scooter Club. Tell me a bit about it.
Jeremy: Antisocial SC was formed a couple years ago because we felt we just didn't fit in with the local scooter clubs. Now we have chapters in several states and have seen steady growth ever since its conception. Our motto is " long hair, freaky people welcome"
KSC: Awesome concept! Would there be any types who would not fit in with the Antisocials?
Jeremy: Dishonest, fake, assholes will not fit well into our group. We try to accept people for who they are not who we want them to be but we have our limits.
KSC: What do you like best about riding on two wheels?
Jeremy: There is always a moment when I'm out
on the scooter or riding in a rally and I think "this is why I do what I do" and that is my favorite part. Sometimes its just the way the light shines through the trees, or the smile on my wife's face, or the thanks of my peers for being there for them. Since Ive owned a scooter I have never been happier.
KSC: I can identify completely with that! Let me ask you about the Twist and Gone. Can you tell me about that?
Jeremy: We started the Twist and Gone as a prototype and only planed on a few of us getting together at the track to see how it would work. The word got out to Scoot! magazine and the whole thing took on a life of its own. I did a little work behind the scenes to get some top notch sponsors on board and the rest is history.
KSC: I attended Twist and Gone and I can say that it was pretty cool!! You can you can view the report about it on this blog. How does the North American Scooter Racing Association fit into this? How are you involved with the NASRA?
Jeremy: The North American Scooter Racing Association LLC is the organizing body for all of our events. They are the Host of the Twist and Gone and we plan on hosting other events around the country in the near term. Long term we hope to establish a nationally recognized racing organization with a points chase and standardized rule and class structure. I am the owner.
KSC: Is the NASRA part of the Motor Scooter Racing Association? How do you guys fit into the scheme of things?
Jeremy: No we are our own organization. Currently we are putting on a few events to measure the interest in scooter racing. From there we want to partner up with the other racing leagues around the country and start hosting nation wide events. Eventually we want to be recognized in the scooter community the same way the NHRA or AMA is recognized in auto and motorcycle.
KSC: What do you feel like scooterist share in common with all riders?
Jeremy: Our passion for freedom and the open road.
KSC: What do you feel sets us scooterists apart from other riders?
Jeremy: Not much, we may be a little smarter with our money but other than that nothing.
KSC: You know I am pretty keen on the larger scooters. What are your views on them? Would you ever own one?
Jeremy: I like them and I see how they fit into the scooter culture. I have owned one it was a 150cc and I liked it.
KSC: Most would not categorize anything below 250cc a maxi-scooter, but then its a term for a very sketchy classification. Some view them as big scooters, some as automatic motorcycles. Have you done any custom work on these kinds of scooters? Was is mostly aesthetic, or performance?
Jeremy: I haven't done much more than general maintenance on the 250cc+ scooters yet. I will one of these days and when I do Ill send you some pictures.
KSC: I will absolutely post your work here as I am sure it would be of interest to many scooterists who are looking to get some custom work done. I myself am looking for someone to fabricate highway pegs for the front of my Majesty for when I travel distances. Would that be something you could do?
Jeremy: Yes sir we can do that no problem. I would need your scooter for a week or so and it will get done.
KSC: Let me say that even general maintenance has my respect! I can do a few things like change oil & plug by myself and a few others like belt and weights with the help of good friends, but setting the valve gap and stuff like that is beyond me. I might have to check with you about coming up to get some things done. How does Enviromoto work? What are your hours, or do you work mostly by appointment? What percentage of the day is spent in things like upkeep and repair as opposed to the cool stuff like modifications? Do you have a labor rate?
Jeremy: Everything we do is by appointment only and we can talk about money later, for my friends I usually take payment in beer.
KSC: Have you ever owned a regular street bike?
Jeremy: I've owned several including a 2002 Harley-Davidson Wide glide. I like scooters better because you can have fun without worrying about getting it dirty or scratching it as much as a $20,000 ride.
KSC: On your previous motorcycles or on a scooter, what is the longest trip you've taken on two wheels?
Jeremy: Honestly I'm not much of a long haul rider. I like to take less than 200 mile rides, anything longer than that my back and butt starts hurting.
KSC: Perhaps you need to get into the custom upholstery also! There is big business in custom motorbike seat work. Do you do that at Enviromoto?
Jeremy: Not currently but I do know a amazing upholstery guy.
KSC: Enviromoto seems to imply something about the 'environment' What do you think about the whole "green factor" of riding a scooter? Do you play into that or make a point of it? Does your company promote "green"?
Jeremy: Lets see, scooters use less gas, and make people more aware of their consumption, so yea they are about as green as two wheel transportation gets. 4 Stroke scooters are very green, the 4 Stroke Stella is the green machine to beat right now with a EPA rated 150 + mpg and CARB certification.
KSC: I completely agree on this viewpoint, and so do many others. According to Washington City Paper's Cecil Adams, "The major greenhouse gas produced by motor vehicles is carbon dioxide, which is a function of gas mileage. SUV fuel economy for model years 2008 and 2009 ranges from 12 to 32 miles per gallon, for an average of 18.5. For scooters the range runs from 33 to 140 mpg; we’ll say the average is 75. At 19.4 pounds of CO² per gallon of gas, an average SUV emits 1,050 pounds of CO² per thousand miles, while the average scooter emits 259 pounds. Even assuming the SUV carries a passenger plus the driver, it’s still contributing twice as much to global warming per person." He adds to this "Given that a typical SUV weighs about 20 times what a scooter does, it’s a safe bet manufacturing an SUV uses way more resources. While it’s tough digging up numbers for a good apples-to-apples comparison, the estimates I can find suggest car manufacturing produces anywhere from 12 to 65 tons of greenhouse gases per vehicle, whereas building a scooter may produce less than 5."
Jeremy, when you say you don't need a crystal ball to see where scooters are going, I firmly believe that. Thank you very much for answering questions. Readers, if you are interested in learning more about Enviromoto or contacting Jeremy visit the Enviromoto website at www.enviromoto.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Louisville Scooter Group Rides!
LSG meetup
Is that thing a SCOOTER?!?!?!
to her car and made sure she got in, then headed home. I thought she
was following me, but when I looked back she was not there. A couple
miles later I turned onto a long straight road with few lights. I
rode for about 3 seconds down this 4-lane when right beside me I hear
this loud roar that is unmistakably straight pipes. I look over and
there is some no-helmet wearing biker and his chick on a chromed out
cruiser. He was nice enough to stealth up beside me before laying
into the throttle so that he could have maximum effect in his effort
to "blow the little bike off the road". Usually I am able to let this
go, but this time it made me kinda angry.
I gave my little Majesty some gas and closed the distance in a few
seconds. "That's not gonna be good enough." I thought so I went WOT
and zipped past him with as much speed as I could muster in such short
time. It was enough. I had to slow down for the light and when I got
there, he pulled up beside me just as the light was changing. I went
heavy again on the gas and left him behind. My lighter weight and CVT
means I get a lot more accelleration off the start than most folks
give you credit for. At the next light I caught it yellow so had the
full red to casually turn mey head and smile. He says "Is that thing
a @$&%ing SCOOTER???" I tell him not only is it a scooter but its a
400. "Four hundred cc's????" he is in total disbelief. I explained
that these scooters DO come in 650... "No shit??? When you passed me
back there I was like 'Honey, what they hell was that???'"
The light turned green and just to make my point, I opened it up all
the way and after a few seconds, he was just a little dot in the night
far behind me.
...I'm blaming this incident on my buddy Vince. I think he might be
rubbing off on me.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Kat's new Pink Tourmaster
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Vince’s videos of the Twist and Gone
My friend Vince
had his iPhone working overtime at Twist and Gone also!
Here is the link to his movies: Vince’s Movies
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! Stop on over at his scooter blog and tell him hello! http://blog.ravenscooter.com
After Party???
We got there a little while before they were supposed to be in full swing so perhaps that might be why, but we were told we could at least get some home baked goodies (cakes, cupcakes, pies, etc) and maybe even free Firefly vodka!
Overtaking the leader
Here you see the scooter from Germany overtaking the other scooter. These were the two fastest in the whole event.
Slow start
I have no clue about what was going on with the second scooter but as you can see, it seemed to get a slow start…
Race for small displacement engines
Many folks were complaining due to these smaller bikes running more slowly, but I thought it was pretty cool.
The fellow from Germany
Yes, that is right. One of our racers on a particularly badass machine is from Germany and his bike is imported from there too. That seems to be one of the cool things about the NASRA…standardization means anyone can race and compete equally with those in the same classification!
This bike was pretty torn down. Only a short while later you see it in action!
Inspected
Each scooter had to pass inspection. Everything was very professionally done and safety standards were observed.
Mister Jeremy Hall, Owner/Coordinator
I was happy to see everything was going well for my friend Jeremy Hall. He wears many hats in order to do so much for the growing scooter community. I am going to interview him soon, and you’ll see that coming up on Friday. Here you see him in his duties as the Coordinator of Twist and Gone, checking out the scooters.
Scooters I have not met before…
There were a lot of vendors with cool stuff and scooters I had never seen up close and personal before.
Milo's Scooter Shop out of Kokomo, IN carries these Flyscooters
Scooter Drag Races!
Red Dog Scooters has been working on tuning their scoot for the races.
I think this is going to be pretty neat from a scooterist point of view. I like the maxi-scooters mainly, but this has a decent spectator appeal.
Cage up to Twist and Gone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)