How was your commute today?

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:32 am

After two days of being scared off by forecasts of imminent rain, I rode the Budd to work today. 1) I've been wet before. 2) I have a rain suit and my TourMaster is waterproof. 3) It didn't rain anyway. It was cloudy and 66 degrees F this morning, and the wind was straight out of the south (the direction I must ride to get to work) at about 35 mph. I topped out at 50-53 mph indicated. This afternoon, it was in the 70's, still cloudy and threatening rain, and the wind was still out of the south. At 40 mph indicated northbound, it seemed as if there was no wind at all. I hit 73 mph indicated once I hit the road out by Tulsa International, backed off and was still doing 65 indicated.

Tomorrow I'm calling Tulsa Scooters to verify that the little windshields are in and make my appointment to have one mounted, the oil changed, and have the headlight re-aimed. (I think it was knocked out of alignment when I went down on the sand.)

And, yes, I'm riding again tomorrow, rain or shine.

ECS

PS. Changed my work schedule for the spring quarter to 7:00 am to 3:30 pm to give myself more time to scoot in the afternoons! Seniority is a wonderful thing!

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:23 pm

Awesome day to ride here in Cincinnati - especially this morning on the way to church. We even have special parking at our church for 2 wheelers. There's a few of us that like to squeeze our scoots in among the motorcycles.

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:07 pm

Is that a pigment (orange) of my imagination or are there two Buddies going to your same church?

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:15 am

rajron wrote:Is that a pigment (orange) of my imagination or are there two Buddies going to your same church?

There are at least 4 buddy owners that attend our church - 2 orange and 2 black - along with a couple other scooterists. And that number will hopefully continue to grow.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:54 am

One of the four that goes there is mine, though I didn't ride it yesterday. Mine was just in that very same space on Tuesday, though it was there by itself.

I have often thought of taking a picture of my scooter with the signs there that say "Motorcycles parking only, all others will be crushed and towed".

Among the usual assortment of motorcycles I saw there yesterday was a 3 wheel Goldwing conversion. It was huge. My daughter saw that and said "look Dad, a motorcycle for a whole family".

mybuddy · Post by **mybuddy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:18 am

Beautiful ride in this morning! I think I had the roads to myself. It also helps when you leave at 5:30am too. But it was a great ride in. Look forward to the ride home, although I do not think I will have Beechmont ave all to myself....

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:51 pm

It was indeed a beautiful ride in this morning, though I most certainly didn't have the road to myself.

Got cut off by cager on River Road at about 50mph

but fortunately I was paying attention. Got cut off again on 5th downtown, again I was paying attention when the cager was not. I sounded my stock horn, which was feeble.

I had started to take apart the scooter on Saturday to install the air horn but there were t-storms predicted so I put it all back together and garaged it. Turns out I could have worked all day without a problem.

Maybe I'll put the horn in after work tonight. It has become more of a priority for some reason.

AxeYrCat · Post by **AxeYrCat** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:15 pm

On Saturday, I rode from Oakley to Mason to Yellow Springs, then from Yellow Springs to Beavercreek and then back to Oakley.

It took about 30 minutes to get to Mason, 75 minutes from there to YS, 20 minutes to Beavercreek, and then about 85 minutes back to home in Oakley...

Definitely the longest rides I've been on up to this point.

I started to understand the draw of windshields, though: I was getting blown around a LOT on the backroads -- not just by the wind, but by the oncoming traffic as well.

mybuddy · Post by **mybuddy** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:05 am

Great ride the past couple couple of days. Great weather with temps in the low 70's.

Ride in this morning was super, did not hit one red light on Beechmont Ave. (those living in cincy know what a feat that is). Got to work in record time and look forward to the trip home.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:18 pm

Great riding for me too. Didn't even get a chance to try my new horn.

Shame it's going to rain on our rally tomorrow .

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:32 pm

drizzle followed by 20 mi of hard rain.

i diddnt have any gloves or a rainsuit.

but i was smiling!!

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:30 am

Too sick to go out Wed-Fri. Wife made threatening noises when I mentioned going to the gun show Sat. If the weather has cleared enough, I may go on a solo ride tomorrow afternoon.

ECS

Catalyst · Post by **Catalyst** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:06 pm

I've been having to do MANDATORY riding this past week, and on at least 2 days, I had to ride in winds that would gust up over 40mph. Only once did I get turned just right for the wind to grab my windshield.

My left bicep is more sore than my right one, but it's a test of strength and determination. I had to take Amazon (17 years old and 143lbs added to my now 147lbs) out for her Navy PFT. I was thankful for the extra weight, it made it easier to handle the wind.

Went out alone the next day, same wind conditions. Actually rode at an ANGLE up to the hospital! That was actually kind of amusing for me. The wind was at an angle (from the South Southwest) so I couldn't get up to the 40mph speed limit, all I could do was 35 (ok, I only have a Buddy 50, but the boy runs like wild for only being 50ccs. I think it's because there's no regulator on it, due to our altitude) I was heading into the wind, so full speed was just not going to happen.

Then had a COLD ride with NutterButter (back up to the hospital for shots) and learned that another reason I had problems doing the speed limit was because it's an incline to the hospital. Coming back, we buzzed at 40+, but still only did 35 going up to the hospital. (NutterButter is 12, soon to be 13, and weighs around 90lbs.)

I've been running my buddy over bad roads, around construction, gravel parkinglots that have more holes than a field of prairiedogs...

I'm really impressed. I wanna get that "magic M" on my driver's license and graduate to the Buddy 125.

I have to admit though, I'm learning how to handle more and more adverse conditions. Ooooh! And I'm almost to 300miles already, I have less than 40miles to go before I hit 300, and, I have discovered something.

A Buddy 50, run in higher winds????

Sucks gas like a Cadillac!

I have to go get gas already. I teased my neighbor yesterday (when we ran away from the kids for a few hours) and told her I migh have to start spending $6 a week on gas.

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:22 am

Today was one for the books. This morning wasn't bad, temperature around 48 degrees F. and low wind. Followed a 4 cylinder bike down to American Airlines. Didn't see another bike or scoot.

This afternoon, well, this afternoon was different! When I walked outside, there were raindrops glistening on the windscreen and ovals of dirt where they'd evaporated on the headset, and the wind was blowing some out of the west. Oh, yeah, there was a wind shear line with rain showing below it to the north, the direction of my house. I rode straight north for five miles with a 35-40 mph cross wind, turned into the teeth of the wind for two miles feeling the Budd slow down in the gusts (I need an airspeed indicator!), and then headed north again for about a mile and a quarter when a quick sprinkle of some large raindrops hit me. As quickly as I hit it, I was out of it and pulled off the side of the road a quarter mile later. I got the yellow rainsuit (no dummy me) out of the pet carrier and suited up. A half-mile up the road the rain started again and got heavier by the time I'd gone the next mile and a quarter. I crossed 46th Street North and found out that rain wasn't all the storm had to offer. For the next two and a half miles I rode through pea to marble sized hail. At 76th Street North, I pulled up behind a motorcyclist who had no rain suit, no face shield (goggles only) and no windscreen. I had the good sense not to act superior. Two and a half miles to the east, and I was out of the rain and home.

I think I'm ready for anything but big hail and tornadoes, but if the weather looks really bad, I'll probably opt for the PT Cruiser.

ECS

healingpath · Post by **healingpath** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:35 pm

Well, I've commuted two days in a row now., a lot for this newbee, and doing that 30 mile one way thing. I feel as though I'm learning the bike, learning myself as a scooterist, learning something about scootering. One thing I've learned is that it pays to dress more warmly than you think you'll need, especially since I'm riding with a mesh armored jacket (anticipating summer, I guess), which, even though it has a wind breaker lining, doesn't provide much in the way of warmth by itself. I'm learning that there are a lot of details to keep straight, mundane things, like, today for example: while unlocking my new Kryptonite Fuhgettaboudit lock and chain, which I dutifully bought and now use (my dealer says that scooters aren't stolen in Santa Fe, Harleys are, and one should just have comprehensive insurance to cover theft, and then don't worry about it), and organizing the under seat storage with this and that, and bungee-ing my gym bag onto the back after being at the gym, and putting my keys on top of the gym bag (instead of in my pocket where they belong), and driving off happily into the sunny day - a day off actually, so I figured I'd go for a ride up into the mountains, which I did - and stopping to have a little lunch, I realized that I didn't have those keys. I'd lost them! But I knew exactly where, and I rode back to the community center/gym and sure enough, some kind soul had indeed turned in my keys to the front desk. Whew! Lots of (new) details to keep track of.

I rode home in pretty windy conditions, so I experimented with the "crouch" position (?), hunched forward over the handle bars, which seemed to help some in terms of maintaining better speed. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how nicely the scoot handled the wind, not getting blown around really at all.

I'm racking up those early enthusiastic miles/kilometers, with about 350 kilometers on the odometer already. Tomorrow's a car day, and good weather may be on its way.

sunshinen · Post by **sunshinen** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:30 pm

Yes, keeping track of keys is tough enough on it's own, but add bags and locks and covers ... it's all a bit much. The killer for me is when someone interrupts my process. Twice I have left my keys in the ignition because the security guard at work called me over to come look at something (fortunately, the guard stand is right next to the motorcycle parking). And the other night, I left my keys under the cover on the floorboard (????) because my boyfriend and a friend of his walked up as I was locking up. Ahh... good times.

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:45 am

You think YOU have problems with lost keys...eveytime I wander off it takes me almost all day to find myself. And by then I've forgotten why I needed me...

--Keys

healingpath · Post by **healingpath** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:03 am

Keys wrote:You think YOU have problems with lost keys...eveytime I wander off it takes me almost all day to find myself. And by then I've forgotten why I needed me...

--Keys

You must have needed you - and those OTHER keys - in order to make that swinging jazz you make, cuz, as you know, it don't mean a thing if it aint got that swing.

(I'm not a professional musician, but a musician none the less, and I've been playing drums since I was a wee kiddy, cut my teeth on my parents big band records, and have my musical roots in the jazz dimension, now more involved, mostly solo these days, with free improvisation).

Hey! Get lost! (I mean found. Get found!)

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:41 am

Today was a great day. It was almost fifty this morning, and I saw five big motorcycles (GoldWings & Harleys mostly) and three midsize motorcycles, no scooters. This afternoon there were lots of motorcycles out there, also no scooters again.

I'm waiting for all the self-proclaimed "scooterists" at work to start riding. Only one other person has ridden at all this winter, and she's riding a SUNL Adventure 150 that can't touch the Budd. I've really been giving the self-described "biker" grief about not riding his Harley.

Life is good.

ECS

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:57 am

Life is good.

Yeah it is. For the past few weeks the weather has been mostly nice in Denver. A few wet or cold days here and there but otherwise Spring-like. I've been riding something every day and seeing more and more riders out and about every day. About the only real issue this time of year is leftover sand and gravel. Oh, and the cagers who aren't quite ready for bikes and scoots to be everywhere.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:41 pm

My commute this morning was on a bus.

Went to the garage to get the Buddy out, and the back tire is flat flat flat.

Gonna have to see if it will hold air after work today. I didn't have time to inspect it for nails etc.

This is the 2nd flat for me on that tire, last time the dealer put a tube in it so I wouldn't have to replace the tire.

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Wed May 02, 2007 2:26 pm

Rainy

Where is the Buddy umbrella mod? Would have been okay if I had been smart enough to put on my overpants. Oh well, at least my jacket, gloves, and boots are waterproof!

Marnor · Post by **Marnor** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:21 pm

Beautiful commute yesterday...Ahhh. Sunny, high in the 80's.

The scoot in was pretty uneventful, however always as invigorating as a cup of high octane java.

The ride home, though, was marked by an impromptu drag race against a hipster ET4 rider wearing a Cleveland Browns helmet. My little 50 got its ass kicked, but oh so much fun.

I have a rare day off today and weather should be the same. I've beefed up my errand list only to get some more riding time. I only wish I could mow the lawn on my Buddy.

codemonkey · Post by **codemonkey** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:21 pm

I love how when you're driving a car, you try to come up with ways to drive less because gas is so expensive but on the scooter, you come up with excuses to drive more.

I haven't put gas in my car in almost two weeks!

Marnor · Post by **Marnor** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:32 pm

And don't you love walking up to the gas station teller, asking for four bucks on pump 2, then returning for change? So cocky, but so fulfilling.

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:19 pm

codemonkey wrote:
I haven't put gas in my car in almost two weeks!

I'm averaging about 1 fill / month in the car

I figure the scoot uses ~$10 less per week gas than the car, though it's probably even better now with gas prices on climbing again.

Tbone · Post by **Tbone** » Thu May 03, 2007 4:05 pm

Marnor wrote: I only wish I could mow the lawn on my Buddy.

If you truly wish it, you will find a way.

Post pics when you do!

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Sat May 05, 2007 4:59 am

After one day of having to haul big stuff to work in the Cruiser and three days of storms, I rode in this morning with 67 degrees and clouds, saw three bikes, great ride. This afternoon on the way home (85 degrees/partly cloudy), I shared a lane at a stop light with a 600 cc Kawasaki sport bike, saw 8 other motorcycles of various types, and a scooter. I didn't recognize the scooter, but it had a badge with what looked to be IZ on the front. The rider was NOT geared up. Oh, well.

ECS

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Sat May 05, 2007 4:37 pm

No riding for me – been out of town but also the scoot is in the shop for a new brake caliper – warranty.
It will be ready soon - I hope.

iheartsf · Post by **iheartsf** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:14 pm

Holy Crap.

I knew getting wheels would be life-changing (FINALLY I don't have to check bus/train times, walk to the station, wait, wait, wait, get on the train, ride, walk...etc etc etc), but I had no idea how much freakin' fun it is to scoot to work.

I can now get to work in under 12 minutes. The weather has been beautiful here in SF, and I'm planning a long day of gallavanting around the city with Francis.

Wow, these scoots kick ass.

rob_fuel · Post by **rob_fuel** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:43 pm

Gorgeous morning. Nice and cool. Breezed by a ten minute wait at the light by my house by splitting lanes (I'm pleased to say that I found out it's legal in TX).

Tucked in behind a motorcycle cop for the first 2/3 of my way into work. It was nice having my own police escort.

As soon as the cop pulled off, though, the idiot lights came back on. This woman passed me on my left and then decided that she wanted to be in the right lane. On the phone, of course. Just came right over. The Buddy's brakes took care of it alright. But as I hadn't been given any occasion to use my horn yet, I couldn't remember where it was. Hit the starter instead. That taught her a lesson.

A guy in a van saw the whole thing. He pulled up alongside me, motioned as if to say, "I got this", and then proceeded to pull up alongside her with his hand on the horn, flipping her a righteous bird for me. Thanks, dude. Whoever you are.

Tbone · Post by **Tbone** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:18 pm

Pedal Biked in (Going to make my appointment with the DMV for the written test so I can test ride scoots soon...or even buy and ride during daylight hours!)

It's supposed to get 90ish today in Sacramento. It didn't cool down as much last night. So I rode in shorts/tshirt. COLD for about the first 5 minutes. Once the blood got pumpin no problem.

There's a section of the ride I take specifically to get away from a MAJOR intersection that also is an off/onramp to a freeway. There's what my wife and I call the "Wall of Star Jasmin" It's one of the highlights of my day! Once I get the scoot I WILL post pictures of the Wall o Jasmin!

*Maybe because I'm reading up on drivers stuff and thinking about scooting more, I'm more aware than previously. Yesterday I noticed 3 different drivers drifting in and out of lanes of traffic. All on cell phones but WITH the phone in one hand. I do drive and talk on the cell but with a handsfree. I can't complain too much. Just interesting that within a 1 mile radius last night within an hour (Stop for errends and dinner near each other) that 3 drivers all with phone in one hand and they all routinely drifted in and out of lanes.

codemonkey · Post by **codemonkey** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:34 pm

It was a little misty this morning. I'm a little worried that it might rain today (I haven't ridden in the rain yet) but I didn't get to ride at all yesterday since my power was out all day and I couldn't get the garage door open (stupid electric company spent all day fixing an underground cable.)

mandelia · Post by **mandelia** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:24 pm

what a gorgeous day we're having here in cleveland! this morning's commute could not have been more perfect. it took every ounce of self control to not blow past the turn into the work parking lot

if i may annex a well-known phrase, "only a scooterist knows why a dog sticks its head out the window of a moving car".

louie · Post by **louie** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:25 am

DELIGHTFUL.

maryvu · Post by **maryvu** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:53 am

A little overcast, brisk but not too cold. Took the Lake Route, nice curves, little traffic until the 2nd half of the ride. I hit 60mph at one point a few miles from work on West Valley Frwy. (thanks to tailwind and dead straight roads). Eased off after a few moments, but it was fun to see the odometer!

Heading north now, hoping for a little bit of sunshine through the clouds...

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:38 pm

Little cool this morning – first time for a couple of weeks I needed the liner in the jacket. The weather people call it breezy – couldn’t imagine what windy will be. They say its going to rain tomorrow – but I don’t work

Tbone · Post by **Tbone** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:01 pm

Hit a nail on the way home from work yesterday on the pedal bike

Had to push the bike home (about a mile or two). Annoyed since it was a rather nice day to ride. Warm, with a warm wind that cooled nicely. Sigh.

This morning in the "cage" had all windows down, radio up and enjoyed the early am lack of traffic. Was relistening to an album I haven't heard in a while. Artis: Jump with Joey! GREAT BAND, great tunes...CAN'T WAIT for the scooter to enjoy mornings like this!

codemonkey · Post by **codemonkey** » Thu May 24, 2007 4:26 pm

My commute was scooterless

I have to go to the airport right after I leave work and I didn't want to ride there or leave it there over the weekend (not to mention how hard it would be to bring a suitcase.)

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:50 pm

Okay, TBone...I've posted this elsewhere, but if you keep a tubeless tire patch kit and a CO2 cartridge inflater under your seat, you can be back up again in about 10 minutes and it will hold for several weeks if you do it according to the instructions. Of course, I wouldn't recommend going out of town on that tire, but (and this is experience talkin') it IS good for several weeks of back and forth to work...

--Keys

Tbone · Post by **Tbone** » Thu May 24, 2007 9:11 pm

Yeah-again it was a pedal bike so it have to be in my backpack.

BUT with the pending scooter purchase...I think I'm gonna get those items. Thank you!

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Fri May 25, 2007 3:00 pm

Ah, well...back to work after my three week vacation. Did y'all miss me?

My commute just gets shorter and shorter. I "practiced" a LOT over my break, part of that riding from Philly to B'more & back for the Charm City Scooter Rally. So yeah, I'm a much better scooter rider than I was a month ago. Philly does keep me constantly on my toes, so I don't think there will be any overconfidence on my part any time soon.

Maybe I will move out to West Philly so I can add miles to my commute? j/k, kinda....

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:52 pm

bump

My commute this morning was beautiful, nice weather low traffic.

Last night... not so much.

Rained very very very hard on me just as I left the parking garage. I decided to try to go for it, but then the wind hit me. I decided to pull into the ginormous maintenance bay of a Ford dealership to wait until it let up some. I still rode the rest of the way home with off/on rain, but more normal kind of rain, not the "build a boat, Noah" kind of rain it had been doing.

250koala · Post by **250koala** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:38 am

My first ride to work! Today's high was 105. That part wasn't fun standing on blacktop at red lights. I left for work at 1:30pm. The monsoons arrived around 3 bringing dust, wind and finally rain for about a half hour. It was enough to slicken the road and get my bike dirty. I was not going to bring it home in a pickup if the rain got to be a bit much anyway. I'm kinda nuts like that sometimes. Wow it was so much cooler on the ride home. (93 degrees) I can't wait for what is technically "Fall" here.

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:45 am

250koala wrote: Today's high was 105. That part wasn't fun standing on blacktop at red lights.

That's why San Diego is filled with "Zonies" this time of year!

I was bummed out today. I decided not to ride because I had to deliver a laser printer to another office. As it turned out I had to walk the printer over on a cart.

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:53 am

Today, I didn't get rained on. First time in weeks!

ECSs

AgentKestrel · Post by **AgentKestrel** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:31 am

250koala wrote:My first ride to work! Today's high was 105. That part wasn't fun standing on blacktop at red lights.

What?? You don't enjoy how a FF can turn into an easy-bake oven at every stop light? I'm currenly working on a way to drive to work and cook cup cakes at the same time. It should be a time saver.

Roose Hurro · Post by **Roose Hurro** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 6:30 am

AgentKestrel wrote:
250koala wrote:My first ride to work! Today's high was 105. That part wasn't fun standing on blacktop at red lights.
What?? You don't enjoy how a FF can turn into an easy-bake oven at every stop light? I'm currenly working on a way to drive to work and cook cup cakes at the same time. It should be a time saver.

I wish I'd been able to buy that book I saw some time ago... the one on how to cook on a car engine. I would think the technique could be used on a scooter, as well....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AgentKestrel · Post by **AgentKestrel** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:46 am

Roose Hurro wrote:
AgentKestrel wrote:
250koala wrote:My first ride to work! Today's high was 105. That part wasn't fun standing on blacktop at red lights.
What?? You don't enjoy how a FF can turn into an easy-bake oven at every stop light? I'm currenly working on a way to drive to work and cook cup cakes at the same time. It should be a time saver.

I wish I'd been able to buy that book I saw some time ago... the one on how to cook on a car engine. I would think the technique could be used on a scooter, as well....

My grandfather could cook a mean potato and chicken on the manifold of his ford truck. Something about lots of tin foil. Dosn't work so well on my Honda civic, but I can warm up a can of pork and beans.

250koala · Post by **250koala** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:28 pm

That post should have come with a warning. I was drinking a bottle of Coke when I started reading. Can you say "PFFFFTsnort" That was funny.

Modern Buddy

How was your commute today?

Getting to know you

Cookin' Engine...

Re: Cookin' Engine...