My experience with the chrome headset

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:13 pm

You know how there's that teevee show called, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia"? See, here's why that's a funny title: it's NEVER sunny in Philadelphia. So as I was peering through the murky fog yesterday, I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you take a look at those sweet new chrome headsets Philadelphia Scooters is selling?" Besides, I wanted to show off my new Stebel Nautilus. Y'all, that mother is LOUD.

But I digress.

Well, I bought one. I'll tell ya, those plastic panels are quite TRYING. The little screws don't want to be aligned with their sockets, the plastic tabs need coaxing, and if you have a windshield, be prepared to remove it. But I found it to be well worth the effort, as the "chrome" headlight and instrument bezels fit and match PERFECTLY. The whole effect is quite stunning, see?

Lo, and behold: chrome fenders are available from the Scooterworks dealer catalog, too! I have one on order from Philadelphia Scooters. Can't wait till it arrives. OOO, SHINY!

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:16 pm

Chrome the entire bike.

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:17 pm

jfrost2 wrote:Chrome the entire bike.

Naw, baby...I like to think PINK!

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:19 pm

Is that the Stebel Nautilus under the right front turn signal? Nice!

Bb.

EP_scoot · Post by **EP_scoot** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:22 pm

Is that a bicycle squeeze bulb horn?

You should put a Stebel sticker on it and mess up with a few people

God, that would be funny !

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:34 pm

No, guys, come on guys, that's not funny, guys!

Actually, that horn was a gift from one of the guys at Philadelphia Scooters. I had bought a red & black bike horn last spring, but then some mofo stole it while I was at the movies. Dan saw that one and picked it up for me. Truly, he is the best scooter dude ever.

My awesome friend Sarah (aka "Uvulic" on los internets) and I installed the Stebel Nautilus during our weekly craft night on Tuesday. Sometimes we knit or sew, other days we do yard work or work on our scooters. Her Chetak is lovingly maintained, naturally.

And if you know of a place that sells Stebel stickers, then I'm ON IT, EP_scoot!

hcstrider · Post by **hcstrider** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:19 pm

Thank you for showing a picture of your chrome headset. When I first saw this item on the SCOOTERWORKS WEB site, I was skeptical about how it would look. Now that I see it on a Buddy I think that it looks nice. The only suggestion that I have for SCOOTERWORKS is that they should also sell the bottom portion of the headset in a chrome finish so that the entire headset (not just the top) is chrome.

Do you notice much glare from the chrome headset. My concern about the chrome headset is that you will get a lot of reflected glare from the headset. In your opinion is this a valid concern.

Thanks.

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:31 pm

Very shiny! Cool - err- Hot!

By the way I know what you mean about those plastic bezel parts.

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:33 pm

hcstrider, I was concerned about the glare factor, too. Right now, I live in Philadelphia, where the sun don't hardly shine. It's grey and overcast more often than not, so I don't think glare will be too big of an issue for me. Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz claims that it might be sunny next week, so I'll report back, okeh?

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:48 pm

hcstrider wrote:The only suggestion that I have for SCOOTERWORKS is that they should also sell the bottom portion of the headset in a chrome finish so that the entire headset (not just the top) is chrome.

My guess is that the top half can be replaced in ten minutes, and switching out the bottom half is a job that you'd need to set a weekend aside to do, and you'd run the risk of misaligning cables and wires and such. And the bottom half would cost more to manufacture, and thus, of course, to buy.

Accessories like that are designed to be impulse buys for people looking for something to spend a little money on when they're in the shop, and if it's complicated to install, people won't buy it. Half the "upgrades" they sell for cars at Pep Boys is stuff people stick on in the parking lot before they leave. Crash bars that clamp on will outsell much better-designed crash bars that require you to drill holes and measure things. Authentic Vespa legshield trim costs like $8, but you need a special tool to install it, and it's very difficult to do right, so half the Vespas you see have junky-but-$30 tube-steel trim that screws in place with two wood screws.

Plus, it's sort of a tradition to do it that way, The Vespa PX headset has a cheap plastic top and a cast alumninum bottom, so you see lots of Ps with 'chrome' tops, and stock bottom halves.

TimH · Post by **TimH** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:02 pm

polianarchy,
I think you would look so cool riding your buddy, if you dyed your hair pink to match your Buddy! Go for it baby........Tim

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:11 pm

illnoise wrote:Accessories like that are designed to be impulse buys for people looking for something to spend a little money on when they're in the shop

Ding ding ding we have a winner! And yeah, dude...the ol' Vespa P style was totally the look I was going for. May I take this as validation? Seal of approval?? Vintage street cred??? Ha!

TimH, the pink hair looked wayyyy cuter on me when I was a teenager, trust me. I've grown on to bigger and better body modifications.

sailortot · Post by **sailortot** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:31 pm

i like it, too.

not sure if ill chrome mine anytime soon, but maybe one day. ya never know.

aerogirl7 · Post by **aerogirl7** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:25 am

You might try out Thomas' Liquid Stainless Steel on the bottom half. It is automotive grade and you just paint it on. Then you could have a satin stainless bottom half and chrome top half!

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:55 am

hcstrider wrote: Do you notice much glare from the chrome headset. My concern about the chrome headset is that you will get a lot of reflected glare from the headset. In your opinion is this a valid concern.

For what its worth, all Vinos have a chome headlight enclosure. I have not noticed glare to be a problem. (the sun does actually shine here - not always, but it is today)

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:33 am

I like the way it looks on yours, I think it will tie in better once you get the
fenders too! I expect you will post some pics when you get them on? I think
they would look weird on my Italia, but I will prolly add those little chrome
strips & stuff to shiney it up a bit.

Plus I live in the "Sunshine State" and trust me, it's not
just a tourist gimmick.

CRIPES!

Xena · Post by **Xena** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:54 pm

I too have a pink Buddy and love all the chrome and bling stuff and was immediately drawn to the chrome piece that you just put one and my biggest concern and reason for NOT buying one, was the glare factor.

As much as I dig the chrome stuff, I am a totally pink chick and don't want to give up too much of the pinkness of the scooter....

Corsair · Post by **Corsair** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:52 pm

happy days for Poli yay!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:16 pm

polianarchy wrote:You know how there's that teevee show called, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia"? See, here's why that's a funny title: it's NEVER sunny in Philadelphia. So as I was peering through the murky fog yesterday, I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you take a look at those sweet new chrome headsets Philadelphia Scooters is selling?" Besides, I wanted to show off my new Stebel Nautilus. Y'all, that mother is LOUD. But I digress.

Well, I bought one. I'll tell ya, those plastic panels are quite TRYING. The little screws don't want to be aligned with their sockets, the plastic tabs need coaxing, and if you have a windshield, be prepared to remove it. But I found it to be well worth the effort, as the "chrome" headlight and instrument bezels fit and match PERFECTLY. The whole effect is quite stunning, see?

Lo, and behold: chrome fenders are available from the Scooterworks dealer catalog, too! I have one on order from Philadelphia Scooters. Can't wait till it arrives. OOO, SHINY!

You know you could at least look excited about it!

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:56 pm

Looks good on pink, though I think it would really rock on black!

Makes me think of the Ducati Monster "Chromo"

lou76 · Post by **lou76** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:42 pm

poli, you should totally paint the bottom half of the headlight bezel pink...

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:41 pm

lou76, no thanks.

BuddyRaton, DAMMIT THAT IS MY HAPPY FACE!!! etc.

And (like in Gilligan's Island) to all the rest, today it was actually Sunny In Philadelphia! Okeh, y'all can stop gasping now. Anyway, I'm happy to report that the chrome is dark enough that I didn't notice any glare at all. I tried to bedazzle myself, and the only hint of a glare came from the instrument bezel! I'm a happy kid.

...Now if only I had that matching chrome fender....

Alix B · Post by **Alix B** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:22 pm

Now this is an interesting thread. I don't know that I've ever read every single post in a thread.

I want one of those now too. Very nice job Polianarchy.

I would also love someone switching up panels with me. My scooter is black. Anyone want to go two tone with me? Franken buddy's?

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:37 pm

Alix B wrote:Now this is an interesting thread. I don't know that I've ever read every single post in a thread.

I want one of those now too. Very nice job Polianarchy.

I would also love someone switching up panels with me. My scooter is black. Anyone want to go two tone with me? Franken buddy's?

Wanna trade me the interior panels? You could think pink, right along with me!

DouglasLive · Post by **DouglasLive** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:55 pm

I got my chrome headset the other day and was sad to see some sort of bubbling on the top, almost as if the electroplating process didn't dry properly. Is that even possible?

Anyway, I'm sending it back to Scooter Works for a new one. Assuming I get an acceptable replacement, anyone have a suggestion how I might dull the finish, making it more matte than shiny? Perhaps some kind of clear coat I could spray on?

Modern Buddy

My experience with the chrome headset

My experience with the chrome headset

Re: My experience with the chrome headset