Buy your own frickin scooter.....

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:29 am

It seems that almost every time I ride my scooter, some stranger asks me if I want to sell it. (there are already 2 people lined up to buy it, if/when I sell it) Srsly, if I want to sell it, it would have a 4Sale sign on it. And if I sold it to you I'd have to go buy another one, and what you paid me for mine wouldn't get me anything near what I already have. :wtf is going on here?

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:56 am

Whenever I have yardsales people ask me if my scooter is for sale. I don't think they're serious most of the time, but it's just this thing people say!

jonlink · Post by **jonlink** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:13 am

Reesh wrote:Whenever I have yardsales people ask me if my scooter is for sale. I don't think they're serious most of the time, but it's just this thing people say!

I have a distinct memory from my early childhood of my parents having a yard sale where some haggard looking old man tried to buy my parents' Pinto for a hundred dollars. My mother turned him down.

I've never had anyone try to buy my scooter. Just say no to ridiculous unsolicited buy offers.... But maybe one day someone will just throw a boat of money at you.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:11 am

When someone asks me, I just hear the words "I was thinking about violently scooterjacking you, but I'm doing a risk assessment and I need your input." So I usually say "Aw, you don't want this piece of crap."

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:16 am

illnoise wrote:When someone asks me, I just hear the words "I was thinking about violently scooterjacking you, but I'm doing a risk assessment and I need your input." So I usually say "Aw, you don't want this piece of crap."

never thought about that....I'm like 6'1", 195lbs, pretty lean for my age....I've never really had anybody give me cr@p in my life, unless they were armed, then I had to punish them.

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:18 am

I guess they all saw Larry Crowne buy scooter at a garage sale, so now that is a popular place to buy used scooters

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:30 am

Stormswift wrote:I guess they all saw Larry Crowne buy scooter at a garage sale, so now that is a popular place to buy used scooters

I need to put that in the queue.

BTW: I got this patch from Dennis Kirk when I ordered a new front tire for my ZX-6R to put me over $100 for frees shipping. I just put it on today. I was wearing the jacket when the guy started talking to me about the scooter.

I guess maybe that patch is an indicator that I want to sell the scoot?

I think I'm going to have to sew it on, as it's just doesn't seem to be sticking to the textile material.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:45 am

Last time someone asked if I'd sell my scoot to him, I said sure, and quoted him the price what it would take me to get a NEW 170i......

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:43 am

I guess people get the wrong idea sometimes. Today when I was riding through my local hood, I stopped at the sign and I heard yelling to my left, so naturally I looked and there were 4 girls that raised their shirts and flashed me. I'm lucky I wasn't in motion or I could've got distracted and crashed.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:45 am

I got flashed once. That was pretty rad. Right in front of a police station, too. It was probably a transsexual prostitute but (s)he looked like a cute indie rock chick at 35mph.

jprestonian · Post by **jprestonian** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:47 am

I had to switch convenience stores because there was this one young guy at the one I used to frequent who could not get it through his Pakistani skull that 1.) he was not going to ever get to ride my scooter, and; 2.) it was not for sale for a few hundred dollars.

I even started pre-emptively asking for the keys to his Honda. C'mon... let me take it around the block!
.

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 12:13 pm

This reminds me of St. Louis' St. Patrick's Day celebration earlier this year. The scoot was the perfect way to get through the thick crowd's quickly, but drunk people just kept asking me for rides or straight up hopping on the back of my scooter. I told them all that I would never ride with a drunk person the back or told them to GTFO my scoot.

izark47 · Post by **izark47** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 12:45 pm

Just say yes and them tell them $12,063 dollars

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:37 pm

illnoise wrote:When someone asks me, I just hear the words "I was thinking about violently scooterjacking you, but I'm doing a risk assessment and I need your input." So I usually say "Aw, you don't want this piece of crap."

This is very true.
I once went to the grocery store and parked in a normal car spot.
It was getting dark out, and when I come out I see a van with its large side door open, and a guy leaning over my precious Stella.
I come up from behind me and he acts startled when he realizes I'm there, he then proceeds to tell me how much he likes her and how he has scoots of his own. When I asked him what kind he was very vague.

To this day I am convinced that I was just in time to save my scoot from being pushed into that van, so now I push her on the sidewalk outside the store in full view of the security guard

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm

I think its just people thinking its worth $300 and lookin for a deal...Come up with a LAVISH price, and hit "em with that...

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:59 pm

I already had two strangers try to offer me 500 for my p200e. I tell them "you can't afford it" in the curt tone that used to be used alot when I drove a cab (i.e. being as aggro as possible with a short stare in the eye). Most seem to get I'm not friendly with someone who thinks my bike is a cheap moped. Had one guy earlier this week at an Arco not get the hint that it wasn't for sale. I guess he thought scooter riders are limp-wristed pushovers or something... he was ARGUING that I should be grateful I'd get 500 out of the "moped" and why dicks like me were giving him trouble

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:40 pm

^^^ yeah, that EXACTLY what I mean..."Yeah its 4K"...WHAT???? I was thinking of offering you 300 bucks...

"Well, then you might want to look into what a quality scooter costs...This ain't no moped"

Hwarang · Post by **Hwarang** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:00 am

This happens to me too! The last time, it was the itchy-est guy ever. I was scooting through uptown on the way to a friend's house for some Friday fun, and stopped for gas. I filled up the scoot and was going in to pay, a dude got off a huge Harley and started shouting at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey! Hey buddy! Hey buddy that's a sweet bike."
(I notice he is itching himself furiously all across the chest and arms)
(make eye contact but do not deviate stride)
"Oh, thanks. I like it."
"I'll buy it from ya!!"
"uhh ... "
"How much is it worth?"
(he continues itching, his scalp then his knees?!)
"Well, it's pretty nice, so probably about as much as your Harley."
(no response, not sure if he heard me, or was on earth anymore)
(furious itching, pulling his jacket and shirt up to really work that itch
(I'm at the door, and he stays outside)
(cashier looks at me, a moment of 'yup i get it' is passed back and forth)
I pay and leave and go out and he is on his Harley, itching furiously.
"Call me if you wanna sell that!" (no contact info was shared, lol)
He takes off with much acceleration.
Everyone in the parking lot is like "WUT"

He was the highest man I've ever seen.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:35 am

Must be a scooter thing. I can safely say that I have never had anyone walk up and offer to buy my motorcycle.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:57 am

^^^^ I have, but interestingly enough...Only when on the antiques...

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:51 pm

Hwarang wrote:This happens to me too! The last time, it was the itchy-est guy ever. I was scooting through uptown on the way to a friend's house for some Friday fun, and stopped for gas. I filled up the scoot and was going in to pay, a dude got off a huge Harley and started shouting at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey! Hey buddy! Hey buddy that's a sweet bike."
(I notice he is itching himself furiously all across the chest and arms)
(make eye contact but do not deviate stride)
"Oh, thanks. I like it."
"I'll buy it from ya!!"
"uhh ... "
"How much is it worth?"
(he continues itching, his scalp then his knees?!)
"Well, it's pretty nice, so probably about as much as your Harley."
(no response, not sure if he heard me, or was on earth anymore)
(furious itching, pulling his jacket and shirt up to really work that itch
(I'm at the door, and he stays outside)
(cashier looks at me, a moment of 'yup i get it' is passed back and forth)
I pay and leave and go out and he is on his Harley, itching furiously.
"Call me if you wanna sell that!" (no contact info was shared, lol)
He takes off with much acceleration.
Everyone in the parking lot is like "WUT"

He was the highest man I've ever seen.

Man, aren't tweakers freakin' scary? Living in Mesa we have a surplus of them, and they freak me out and I used to drive a cab in South Phoenix.

As far as only a scooter thing, I did make a kid an offer on a Honda CB200T unsolicited once. It was in front of a comic book shop in Tempe and the clerk owned it. Made a mention it was pretty sweet, but he seemed to think otherwise. He got it fir cheap transport but said it broke down too much. Told him I could take it off his hands as long as it had a title. He asked how much and I offered 600. Ended up riding home with two new editions of Hellboy and a new bike! Granted that was in college the first time around. Now everyone wants a CB!

But it does happen.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:11 pm

I usually leave a car on the seat or something. I left a card on a srx6 yamaha once. Bought it the next day.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:10 pm

Hmmm...I've never had anyone ask me if they could buy my scooters, but then I always make a point of telling them what a blast they are to ride, so they probably figure it's a no-go.

I have had a lots of people ask who makes them, how much they cost, where they can buy one, etc, etc.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:06 am

I always find the people who speak to you while driving down the road...usually at every stop light, to be the shadiest and they are always in twos-rarely alone. When they start asking how much it costs I usually say "I don't know, my husband bought it. Probably not much though, since we live on vigilante sharp shooter cop's salary".

What bothers me is they do not take note of the info I give them about where to buy one and get answers to all their questions-so it makes me wonder what the heck it is really up. I don't mean to complain b/c there are mostly genuine interested people out there...but some really make me suspicious.

I am also suprised that high people ask for rides and get way to close for comfort. I almost always wear a full face helmet so this minimizes a lot of foolishness, but it also makes you less approachable to nice people too.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:26 am

Hwarang wrote:This happens to me too! The last time, it was the itchy-est guy ever. I was scooting through uptown on the way to a friend's house for some Friday fun, and stopped for gas. I filled up the scoot and was going in to pay, a dude got off a huge Harley and started shouting at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey! Hey buddy! Hey buddy that's a sweet bike."
(I notice he is itching himself furiously all across the chest and arms)
(make eye contact but do not deviate stride)
"Oh, thanks. I like it."
"I'll buy it from ya!!"
"uhh ... "
"How much is it worth?"
(he continues itching, his scalp then his knees?!)
"Well, it's pretty nice, so probably about as much as your Harley."
(no response, not sure if he heard me, or was on earth anymore)
(furious itching, pulling his jacket and shirt up to really work that itch
(I'm at the door, and he stays outside)
(cashier looks at me, a moment of 'yup i get it' is passed back and forth)
I pay and leave and go out and he is on his Harley, itching furiously.
"Call me if you wanna sell that!" (no contact info was shared, lol)
He takes off with much acceleration.
Everyone in the parking lot is like "WUT"

He was the highest man I've ever seen.

Now I want to know which gas station that was...so I can not go there after dark.

/only half kidding

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:29 am

peabody99 wrote:I always find the people who speak to you while driving down the road...usually at every stop light, to be the shadiest and they are always in twos-rarely alone. When they start asking how much it costs I usually say "I don't know, my husband bought it. Probably not much though, since we live on vigilante sharp shooter cop's salary".

What bothers me is they do not take note of the info I give them about where to buy one and get answers to all their questions-so it makes me wonder what the heck it is really up. I don't mean to complain b/c there are mostly genuine interested people out there...but some really make me suspicious.

I am also suprised that high people ask for rides and get way to close for comfort. I almost always wear a full face helmet so this minimizes a lot of foolishness, but it also makes you less approachable to nice people too.

Living in a not-so-good part of the Phoenix/Metro area, this is a valid concern. Auto theft here is VERY high, and usually tweakers will pull the "How much's it worth" questioning. And, they're always in packs. Most here are hillbillies that have neither heard of nor seen a Vespa before (believe it or not, it's true!) but some have other motives. One common trick is for one of these guys to come up to someone at a gas station claiming that their car ran out of gas and they just need to call their wife/girlfriend/other to pick them up. Of course, the person lends them their phone, and the thief bolts with it into a waiting car around the corner. People still fall for this one.

So, if I get the usual "Hey, is that a Vespa?" question, I'm more than happy to talk scooters. But, when I get the rapid questioning from a couple of dudes pulling pawn-shop like questions, I leave the gear on, bike running and usually find another reason to choose a different stop.

There are some real creepy people out there, but most are just curious since the US is the only place where scooters are alien technology. I'm all for preaching the sermon of the scooter!

rev_sole · Post by **rev_sole** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:23 pm

but why do people ask you "how many MPG?? that thing get?" when you have a fullface helmet and can't hear Shi

they are saying.
wen they are driving a P.O/S that gets 10-12MPG and/or is worth less than my Blur. I just don't get it.

Hwarang · Post by **Hwarang** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:43 pm

ravenlore wrote:
Hwarang wrote:This happens to me too! The last time, it was the itchy-est guy ever. I was scooting through uptown on the way to a friend's house for some Friday fun, and stopped for gas. I filled up the scoot and was going in to pay, a dude got off a huge Harley and started shouting at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey! Hey buddy! Hey buddy that's a sweet bike."
(I notice he is itching himself furiously all across the chest and arms)
(make eye contact but do not deviate stride)
"Oh, thanks. I like it."
"I'll buy it from ya!!"
"uhh ... "
"How much is it worth?"
(he continues itching, his scalp then his knees?!)
"Well, it's pretty nice, so probably about as much as your Harley."
(no response, not sure if he heard me, or was on earth anymore)
(furious itching, pulling his jacket and shirt up to really work that itch
(I'm at the door, and he stays outside)
(cashier looks at me, a moment of 'yup i get it' is passed back and forth)
I pay and leave and go out and he is on his Harley, itching furiously.
"Call me if you wanna sell that!" (no contact info was shared, lol)
He takes off with much acceleration.
Everyone in the parking lot is like "WUT"

He was the highest man I've ever seen.
Now I want to know which gas station that was...so I can not go there after dark.

/only half kidding

SuperAmerica on Hennepin and 25th'ish in Uptown. It was about 5pm, so that tweaker wasn't a vampire.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:49 pm

Hwarang wrote:
ravenlore wrote:
Hwarang wrote:This happens to me too! The last time, it was the itchy-est guy ever. I was scooting through uptown on the way to a friend's house for some Friday fun, and stopped for gas. I filled up the scoot and was going in to pay, a dude got off a huge Harley and started shouting at me from across the parking lot.

"Hey! Hey buddy! Hey buddy that's a sweet bike."
(I notice he is itching himself furiously all across the chest and arms)
(make eye contact but do not deviate stride)
"Oh, thanks. I like it."
"I'll buy it from ya!!"
"uhh ... "
"How much is it worth?"
(he continues itching, his scalp then his knees?!)
"Well, it's pretty nice, so probably about as much as your Harley."
(no response, not sure if he heard me, or was on earth anymore)
(furious itching, pulling his jacket and shirt up to really work that itch
(I'm at the door, and he stays outside)
(cashier looks at me, a moment of 'yup i get it' is passed back and forth)
I pay and leave and go out and he is on his Harley, itching furiously.
"Call me if you wanna sell that!" (no contact info was shared, lol)
He takes off with much acceleration.
Everyone in the parking lot is like "WUT"

He was the highest man I've ever seen.
Now I want to know which gas station that was...so I can not go there after dark.

/only half kidding
SuperAmerica on Hennepin and 25th'ish in Uptown. It was about 5pm, so that tweaker wasn't a vampire.

Yay, not Lake and Aldrich!!!

Hwarang · Post by **Hwarang** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:39 pm

ravenlore wrote:
Hwarang wrote:
ravenlore wrote: Now I want to know which gas station that was...so I can not go there after dark.

/only half kidding
SuperAmerica on Hennepin and 25th'ish in Uptown. It was about 5pm, so that tweaker wasn't a vampire.
Yay, not Lake and Aldrich!!!

ha, is that "your" gas station?

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:21 pm

From all of my friends and acquaintances that know/have found out that I have bought a scooter I usually get "How are you going to go anywhere around here on that thing?! Can't it only go like 30 mph?!"
I usually roll my eyes, answer "No, it can go more than twice that easy with someone my size on it.."
Then, after an "Oh... well that's awesome then!" I get the 20 questions.
"WTF is a Buddy?/Is it like a Vespa?" "How much was it?" "What does it look like?" "Can I ride yours when you get it?"

To this day my friend Dave, a motorcycle guy and the manager of a local restaurant/bar (Bombers, for those of you in my area), pretends to "ride" up to me when he sees my bf and I there, going "buzzzzzzz-zzzzzzzz... did you get it yet?!"

I guess he'll believe it when he sees it!

Surprisingly, for the kind of city Schenectady is, it's distance to the city of Albany, that you can take State Street/Central Ave (40mph limit) all the way from the heart of one city to the next, the amount of local colleges there are, and the fact that there is a Vespa/Piaggio/Genuine dealership in the city, there are approximately ZERO scooters. Not even cheap Chinese jobbies!

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:23 pm

Hwarang wrote:
ravenlore wrote:
Hwarang wrote: SuperAmerica on Hennepin and 25th'ish in Uptown. It was about 5pm, so that tweaker wasn't a vampire.
Yay, not Lake and Aldrich!!!
ha, is that "your" gas station?

For the purposes of scootering, yes. There's a BP that's equidistant, but I don't do BP anymore.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:47 pm

When I was down at the Gulf, I bought a T-Shirt that says: "BP: Bringing oil to American shores."

BootScootin'FireFighter · Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:51 pm

my dumbass co-workers over and over ask "how fast that thing go?" my reply... As fast as it went the last time you asked me!

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:02 am

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:my dumbass co-workers over and over ask "how fast that thing go?" my reply... As fast as it went the last time you asked me!

I will always say, "as fast as the law allows" Then roll back on the throttle and take off!

thehypercube · Post by **thehypercube** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 6:22 am

guy rolls down the window of his brand new dodge in side by side lanes at a red light:

"hey how fast's that thing go?"
"i dunno 50-60?"
"cool wanna race?"
"ahhh no thanks..."

light changed and i left him in the dust he was waiting to hang back and toy with me (van ness ave headed south and mccallister for those of you who know). he realized what just happened and floored it and i seen him catching up on me and i *safely* split some stopped cars approaching market and then mission and never saw him again after that.

anyone who takes an interest in my scooter is a potential road hazard. i dont need the distraction and neither do they. still havent had an offer to buy at a pump yet, tho i might bite after the thread on the Sym Classic being available in CA.

Modern Buddy

Buy your own frickin scooter.....

Buy your own frickin scooter.....

no ofers to Buy..