scooter as main source of transportation

Discussion of the Genuine Buddy, Hooligan, Black Jack and other topics, both scooter related and not

Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff

User avatar
KCScooterDude
Member
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Post by KCScooterDude »

I ride in the rain, and love it, but only do it when I'm caught out in it. I think the mistake most people make is that the change the way the ride too much in the rain. The only thing I change is to slow down, and I do try to avoid traffic (taking more back roads, etc). Don't forget when you turn that adding a bit of throttle increases grip, not decreases.
User avatar
Gen. Magnus
Member
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:56 am
Location: Kansas City area, MO, USA

Post by Gen. Magnus »

KCScooterDude wrote:Don't forget when you turn that adding a bit of throttle increases grip, not decreases.
Quoted for absolute truth. It is true on dry roads but possibly more important when riding on wet ones.
"Scootering. Fun in the sun cause I'm scootering. Playing ska on my walkman. Scootering with a friend of mine today." - Scootering, The Invaders

Mad Toto Scooter Club of Kansas City
User avatar
Kaos
Member
Posts: 4892
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Post by Kaos »

Gen. Magnus wrote:
KCScooterDude wrote:Don't forget when you turn that adding a bit of throttle increases grip, not decreases.
Quoted for absolute truth. It is true on dry roads but possibly more important when riding on wet ones.
+1 to that. I know its counter intuative, but its absolutely true.
User avatar
Francois Donadet
Member
Posts: 73
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:26 am
Location: Austin TX

Post by Francois Donadet »

Gen. Magnus wrote:
KCScooterDude wrote:
Don't forget when you turn that adding a bit of throttle increases grip, not decreases.


Quoted for absolute truth. It is true on dry roads but possibly more important when riding on wet ones.


+1 to that. I know its counter intuative, but its absolutely true.
Is this because of the weight shift to the rear wheel while accelerating?

And nearly forgot I have been scooter only since November. And love it except when it's raining. I find it very difficult to brake suddenly because someone cut me off. Fell once doing this.
User avatar
KCScooterDude
Member
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Post by KCScooterDude »

Francois Donadet wrote:
Gen. Magnus wrote:
KCScooterDude wrote:
Don't forget when you turn that adding a bit of throttle increases grip, not decreases.


Quoted for absolute truth. It is true on dry roads but possibly more important when riding on wet ones.


+1 to that. I know its counter intuative, but its absolutely true.
Is this because of the weight shift to the rear wheel while accelerating?

And nearly forgot I have been scooter only since November. And love it except when it's raining. I find it very difficult to brake suddenly because someone cut me off. Fell once doing this.
Partly, especially in braking. I think, though, it has more to do with tire loading. If you let off the throttle, you are braking even if you dont' touch the brakes because the engine reving down (engine braking). Keeping steady throttle or increasing the throttle creates tire loading on the drive wheel, which is a downward force and creates more traction. When you turn, you are decreasing the contact patch the tire makes on the road, giving a little throttle overcomes some of this. If you give it too much throttle though you'll get into trouble quickly.

I'm remembering this from learning to drive a car and getting some performance driving advice decades ago, so there are others on this board who I'm sure are more qualified to explain this. I also remember reading something about this in Motoercycling Excellence.

The best real world example is NASCAR (or Indy Car oval racing). You'll see a lot of accidents in turns caused by the driver lifting off the throttle or the engine stopping althogether. The car heads right for the wall.
User avatar
r0sa
Member
Posts: 1313
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:38 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Post by r0sa »

gearhead wrote:congratulations! my turn to do that now!
you WON'T survive!
User avatar
Becktastic
Member
Posts: 837
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:39 am
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
Contact:

Post by Becktastic »

r0sa wrote:
gearhead wrote:congratulations! my turn to do that now!
you WON'T survive!
I'm not sure if you are talking about riding in the rain or lifting heavy...but it is highly likely you would survive either. ;)
Lift heavy eat clean!
User avatar
r0sa
Member
Posts: 1313
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:38 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Post by r0sa »

Becktastic wrote:
r0sa wrote:
gearhead wrote:congratulations! my turn to do that now!
you WON'T survive!
I'm not sure if you are talking about riding in the rain or lifting heavy...but it is highly likely you would survive either. ;)
im thinking he meant ditching his car and being 2-wheeled, im not sure, if that is the case, i CAN survive, as far as riding in the rain, im too much of a scaredy cat :roll:
User avatar
rabbitgod
Member
Posts: 258
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:31 pm
Location: Tucson Az

Post by rabbitgod »

I don't have a car. My wife does and I use it all the time so I probably don't count.

Riding in the rain isn't that bad. Let it rain for several minutes before you go out though. All the slippery stuff on the road will get washed out to the gutters and storm drains leaving you with a fairly grippy surface.
User avatar
fs8gbe
Member
Posts: 359
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:08 pm
Location: atlanta
Contact:

Post by fs8gbe »

i don't mind riding in the rain, i am just trying to figure out a good way to keep my laptop dry while riding through said rain.
User avatar
Kaos
Member
Posts: 4892
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Post by Kaos »

fs8gbe wrote:i don't mind riding in the rain, i am just trying to figure out a good way to keep my laptop dry while riding through said rain.
I'm lucky in that my laptop fits in the pet carrier.

A friend of mine who is an avid bicyclist uses a Chrome messenger bag in the rain, his laptop has never gotten wet.
User avatar
Scooter Hoot
Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:17 pm
Location: Houston

Post by Scooter Hoot »

I'll be going scooter only after my girlfriend finally gets a car from her parents for graduation. My old sedan (I say old because that's how it acts, but it's actually only a 2002 Sable, just a particularly shitty 2002 Sable) has gotten to want more repairs than I feel like giving it. However, we've been effectively 6 wheels for quite some time, just that I own all 6 wheels. :oops: That's what I get for cradle robbing an undergrad ... (I'm only 3 years older - not really that creepy I swear!) I'm currently debating whether to take the proceeds of the sale and add another month to my "Oh Shit I got Fired" fund or to buy a motorcycle or some other toy.
User avatar
KCScooterDude
Member
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Post by KCScooterDude »

Scooter Hoot wrote:I'll be going scooter only after my girlfriend finally gets a car from her parents for graduation. My old sedan (I say old because that's how it acts, but it's actually only a 2002 Sable, just a particularly shitty 2002 Sable) has gotten to want more repairs than I feel like giving it. However, we've been effectively 6 wheels for quite some time, just that I own all 6 wheels. :oops: That's what I get for cradle robbing an undergrad ... (I'm only 3 years older - not really that creepy I swear!) I'm currently debating whether to take the proceeds of the sale and add another month to my "Oh Shit I got Fired" fund or to buy a motorcycle or some other toy.
Do the responsible thing - buy a toy! Actually, it's fairly easty to justify - you are stimulating the economy.:)
User avatar
KCScooterDude
Member
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Post by KCScooterDude »

fs8gbe wrote:i don't mind riding in the rain, i am just trying to figure out a good way to keep my laptop dry while riding through said rain.
I have a Givi topcase. What I do is strap my backpack to the topcase, like it's a passenger with no arms, legs or head. When it rains I pull out the rain cover (Glad trash bag, tall kitchen size) and slip it over the backpack.

Works like a charm.
Attachments
blurbackpack_965.jpg
blurbackpack_965.jpg (127.83 KiB) Viewed 746 times
User avatar
Scooter Hoot
Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:17 pm
Location: Houston

Post by Scooter Hoot »

KCScooterDude wrote:Do the responsible thing - buy a toy! Actually, it's fairly easty to justify - you are stimulating the economy.:)
I'm already stimulating the economy - assuming my offer on a house goes through. Scooter Hoot - one man savior of the housing market right here! 8) :lol: That down payment is a bitch, but a good chunk of it is directly possible because of the scooter. My parents were going to help me replace POS (the name of my car ... stands for Piece of S***) - I asked for cash, bought a scoot, and saved the rest. 3500 for scooter, gear, and training is much much less than the 15-25k I might have spent on a car.
TVB

Post by TVB »

Scooter Hoot wrote:I'm currently debating whether to take the proceeds of the sale and add another month to my "Oh Shit I got Fired" fund or to buy a motorcycle or some other toy.
For what it's worth, one of the factors that led me to decide to buy a scooter this year (and to buy it from a US-based company, through a local dealer) is the fact that A) I can (just barely) afford it, and B) that money moving through the economy right now might help out a little. The same thinking went into my plan to take that scooter on a road trip this summer through Michigan, sprinkling a little money around a state that's being hit by a category-5 recession.
User avatar
brettro
Member
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post by brettro »

bf and i use the scooter, bus, and walk. Zipcar is good for anything that can't be done via those 3 modes.
User avatar
KCScooterDude
Member
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Post by KCScooterDude »

Scooter Hoot wrote:
KCScooterDude wrote:Do the responsible thing - buy a toy! Actually, it's fairly easty to justify - you are stimulating the economy.:)
I'm already stimulating the economy - assuming my offer on a house goes through. Scooter Hoot - one man savior of the housing market right here! 8) :lol: That down payment is a bitch, but a good chunk of it is directly possible because of the scooter. My parents were going to help me replace POS (the name of my car ... stands for Piece of S***) - I asked for cash, bought a scoot, and saved the rest. 3500 for scooter, gear, and training is much much less than the 15-25k I might have spent on a car.
I like to hear that, one of my day jobs Realtor!:)
Sparky
Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 3:14 am
Location: Montreal, QC

Post by Sparky »

I'm strictly scooter-only. Montreal has a good public transport system I use in the winter. In summer, my scoot is my primary vehicle in any weather short of Noah's Flood or a freak snowfall.

Riding through urban traffic during a sprinkle is a doddle compared to riding over a hundred miles home through a damn monsoon. I've had to do the latter more than a few times.
Post Reply