Modern Buddy

Hello all. I do not yet own a Scoot, but have always wanted one and am thinking about getting one, a Buddy 125 specifically, as my main mode of transport. My old Volvo is dying and I see this as a chance to take one more expensive to operate car off of the traffic choked streets of Charlottesville. One of the main issues that comes up in my discussions with friends and family is weather. I am a bicycle rider from way back, and have ridden in lots of inclement weather, so it's nothing new really, though I am sure it would be different on a Scooter. Obviously no riding in snow and ice, but rain and cold seem like something I could deal with. Especially since I only live about 5 miles away from work. I would love to hear some comments from people who do ride in less than ideal weather, and use their Scoots as commuter vehicles. This is my first winter in Charlottesville, and so far, we have only had about 3-4 days of really nasty stuff.

I commute 8 miles on my scooter, and ride in most weather, though not ice/snow. I also stay off the road when they have a lot of salt on them from a snow panic, big patches of that stuff is a traction loss waiting to happen.

Rain is OK, just get your self some Frogg Toggs or the like.

Cold is OK too, it's all about having the right gear. I use layers to adjust to the cold as needed. More cold = more/heavier layers. I do whimp out somewhere in the 15F zone though I know people that ride below that.

I've had my scooter for just 4 weeks now (my only transportation) and have taken it to work every day except for about 3. Two days, the temperature dipped right around 0 (a rarity for the CO front range) and the other we had gotten a few inches of snow during the night.
As long as you have warm enough clothes and snow/ice aren't a huge problem, I'd say you're good to go!

Good Question- I was wondering the same thing. It hardly ever rains in AZ (I thought) but over that last month or so we have had a couple of decent rain storms. What is the best way to ride in the rain- especially since this will be my first scooter? What gear should I wear? What do I do/ not do? What is rideable rain and what isnt? Thanks

I seem to remember a lengthy "riding tips" thread over at Modern Vespa. You folks may want to check in over there as well.

I ride in cold and I ride in rain. One or the other is tolerable, both together can be pretty bad, even for my 4 mile commute. Good, water proof gear is essential. You want a tight fitting visor and you want your helmet vents closed. You also want some sort of rain suit (top and bottom), water proof gloves and water proof boots.

As for actually riding, you have less traction in rain and in cold (hard tires) so it's important to ride less aggressively than normal. Your lean angles should be less than on hot, dry days and your braking should be more gentle. If you keep your bike a bit more upright and you take things smoothly and gently, you'll be fine.

Don't try to rush because you're fearful of getting soaked. This is another reason why gear is so important. If you stay dry, you're less likely to push your luck at a 4 way stop or something like that. When cagers actually see you riding on bad days, many will give you the right of way but you should never assume this.

One of my favorite times to ride is on a warm, wet summer morning. Just stay out of cars' backsplash and give your tires extra time to warm up. If you're alone on the road, it's amazing.

I've only ridden in light rain so far. For gear- some kind of rain suit, either a baggy camping suit that will go over your regular clothes or you can buy a riding rain suit anywhere you buy riding gear. There are little squeegees that go on your thumb to wipe your visor as well.

As far as riding in the rain it seems most is common sense- go slower, take more care on turns and stopping, cars are even less likely to see you, stuff like that. Also be super cautious on painted lines, arrows, etc. They are like ice in the rain. It's also most dangerous the first 15 min or so after rain starts because that's when all the oils are on the surface of the road. Try to ride in the path of other car's tires in front of you as a general rule as well.

Do a search for rain here. These are tips I've picked up and there are many more.

Cold is OK too, it's all about having the right gear.

Absolutely true. Remember that you'll be riding in a 30-50mph wind wherever you go! I am a big believer in a good windshield and you MUST have good gloves (unless you have some kind of wind protection for your hands, such as "hippo hands")! The first thing to freeze in the cold will be your fingers--I can attest to that!

I commute in the rain everyday here in Portland. It's not bad if you have a full face helmet, water proof gloves, rain pants and a good rain coat. Bundle up with fleece or wool underneath to keep warm and dry. My feet get a little wet but I just deal with that. I also have heated grips to keep the fingers warm. The Buddy can handle an amazing amount of rain and still run great. My co-workers think I am crazy, but I think I would be crazy NOT to ride it to work in the rain.

Of course I had to jinx myself; I made it out of work in time just as the snow started falling heavily. We're looking at a few inches overnight which means I'll probably be on the bus tomorrow morning.
I was really looking forward to a talking a super long cylinder break-in ride today.

lobsterman wrote:...it's all about having the right gear.

I'm reminded of a quote that's attributed to English adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes:

"There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."

~Ken

Well here in Wisconsin there is a season where you don't take two wheeled transportation. While the highways and major streets may be clear the day after a snowfall, the side streets (the roads you have to take to get where most people live) don't get back to being dry and snow and ice free until it warms up a little. All the roads may be plowed but a plowed road does not mean all the snow and ice are removed.

It's a pain for scootering but it makes snowmobiling a lot easier and I do ride in weather. The coldest I have ever gone snowmobiling is -12 and I'm not sure what the wind chill when you are doing 90+ down the trail but it's a tad nippy.

Thanks everyone for the good advice and info. Yup, good gear and common sense makes sense to me. I went out for a walk in the (light) rain last night and saw someone go past on a scoot, all suited up and looking, well, just really cool and confident. Wished it was me. Last year when I lived in Northern Ca, we had a couple of weeks of 20 and 30 degree temps, and I rode my bicycle all through it. Of course pumping the pedals on the bike, my bod stayed warm, but those fingers..... Good gloves are a must. Also, the gloves with the squeegee,(saw that in an older post?) what a great idea.

This morning I saw the post about Black Ice vs Stella. Youch! Glad you are OK!

Valgal20 wrote:Good Question- I was wondering the same thing. It hardly ever rains in AZ (I thought) but over that last month or so we have had a couple of decent rain storms. What is the best way to ride in the rain- especially since this will be my first scooter? What gear should I wear? What do I do/ not do? What is rideable rain and what isnt? Thanks

I can and do ride every day of the year to and from work and I ride 18 miles each way. There is no "riding season" in AZ. Today was 31 degrees when I left for work, yesterday was raining when I went home, and it is hot as hell in the summer.

it is a very rare occasion that my wife is not working AND has nothing to do that day so that I can take the car.

slow down in rain and cold...keep a close eye on tire pressure due to our sometimes drastic night/day temp changes...WHERE THE GEAR...over kill is always better, if you are cold or wet you will be in a hurry...which is not good. some of my most memorable and fun rides have been in the cold and/or rain...have a sense of humor and a love for the choice you have made to exist on 2 wheels.

rideable rain??? it all is. is it fun? not always. is it safe ? depends on how you ride. I would not have ridden in yesterday's freak thunder cell (if you experienced it) if I had a choice. If work is over and I have to pick up my kids??? you bet...it would just take me longer.

waterproof/windproof gear is a wonderful thing.

with a year and a half of riding under my belt, i am thinking i might be ready to get rid of my car. i can put what i would pay towards maintenance and fees on the car towards taking a taxi when bad weather crops up and then rent a car every month or so to run big-stuff errands.

having my battery die and my tire go completely flat in the heart of winter has made me realize just how possible the scoot-only life would be, at least in my area/situation. cars are ridiculously expensive, and living so close to work, people often offer rides if the weather gets bad.

while it's possible to be comfy in very miserable conditions, strong winds can be a serious safety factor. most of the days i choose not to ride are because of wind rather than precipitation. you also need to consider how much more dangerous other drivers are in bad weather, that you will be less visible, and that your ability to dodge will be compromised on slick surfaces. how busy is your commute? how much risk are you willing to take? can you ride at off-peak times, or wait it out if there is quick, but brutal thunderstorm?

sunshinen wrote: cars are ridiculously expensive...

A huge reason why I went scooter only this year. I just moved back to the states from Costa Rica (where scooters are EVERYWHERE!) and without a car I had 2 options: drop $2700 on a used car and hope that didn't have any problems or buy a brand new scoot with 2 year warranty and kit that sucker up! It's incredible how much fun these are to ride. I can't think of too many times I'd fly past my house after work when I had a car and just keep on going just for the fun of it like I do now!
When the weather's bad, I spend a total of $3.50 on the bus to get to and from work.

scarabmonkey

When I said rideable rain- I mostly meant those freak monsoon storms- should I avoid them- or just go slow? Im a bit worried Ill go to school or work and when I go to leave- a huge dust/wind/flying debris/rainy/lightening-y/minimal visibility, storm will be raging- what then? And should I have rain gear with me all the time? Anything else I need to survive? um- like that rain-x stuff for my face shield? or- I'dunno, what do you think? Drivers around here get all squirrely when the weather is anything but sunny. Any Arizonan scooterists- let me know.

scarabmonkey wrote: ...I would not have ridden in yesterday's freak thunder cell (if you experienced it) if I had a choice...

Did you have to ride in it? My condolences. That was one impressive looking storm though! I spent some time just admiring it. Then, of course I thought about having to ride in it. So I dedided to take advantage and quit work early. Called the better half to break the news and was told it was pouring at our house. I hate it when that happens! So instead of getting off early, I ended up staying late.

Valgal20 wrote:scarabmonkey

When I said rideable rain- I mostly meant those freak monsoon storms- should I avoid them- or just go slow? Im a bit worried Ill go to school or work and when I go to leave- a huge dust/wind/flying debris/rainy/lightening-y/minimal visibility, storm will be raging- what then? And should I have rain gear with me all the time? Anything else I need to survive? um- like that rain-x stuff for my face shield? or- I'dunno, what do you think? Drivers around here get all squirrely when the weather is anything but sunny. Any Arizonan scooterists- let me know.

So far if I can avoid it, I do. The other day it was pouring really hard when I needed to leave... I found more work to do until the rain at least slowed down. I also had forgotten to plan ahead and all my rain gear was in my top case. If I had brought it in maybe I would have braved it.

Obviously, the heavier the rain, the harder it could be to ride for many reasons. The wind, visibility, other drivers.

I tried rain-x on my visor but (maybe I didn't apply it too well) it turned out it was more annoying than helpful. It did help with the rain but at other times made my visor just kind of hazy.

My wife and I both have buddy 125's and we ride through the majority of the year, to include sub freezing temps, the key is to spend the money on the correct gear, get some kind of hippo hands sort of thing they range fron $20.00 to about $60.00. good rain gear, and apprpriately insulated and wind proof pants and jacket, a windshield is the correct thing to get when its cold.....when its 40 degrees and raining at 45 or so mph its cold, and it gets way colder when the temps drop to the freezing area, just avoid ice like the plague.

Outside of that scooting is a blast even when the weather is nasty, We sold our corolla , and share the 2005 scion xb, and scoot the rest of the time...............

Since we're talking about rain, here's a question. I live in an apartment, and have no place to put my scooter under cover. Every time that I see/hear there's a storm brewing, I go out and put the cover on to protect it. But about 35-45% of the time I come out and the cover has acted like a sail, and ol Scootz is on its side. That seems much worse than a little rain, am I right? Is there any reason I should be worried about having my scooter get a little wet in the rain? It's just frustrating!

Yes, I now take my cover off for big storms.

Valgal20 wrote:scarabmonkey

When I said rideable rain- I mostly meant those freak monsoon storms- should I avoid them- or just go slow? Im a bit worried Ill go to school or work and when I go to leave- a huge dust/wind/flying debris/rainy/lightening-y/minimal visibility, storm will be raging- what then? And should I have rain gear with me all the time? Anything else I need to survive? um- like that rain-x stuff for my face shield? or- I'dunno, what do you think? Drivers around here get all squirrely when the weather is anything but sunny. Any Arizonan scooterists- let me know.

Yes, rain gear with you all the time. Better a dry, comfy, and relaxed rider able to take her time and ride smart, than a cold, wet, miserable rider in a rush to get home. How often are the weather guys wrong? Just leave it under your seat. If you ride frequently, you will be very glad to have it at some point.

What you can handle will depend on your riding skills, your weight (lighter people are going to have a harder time in the wind), and the exposure and type of roads you ride on. Some places will be really subjected to wind gusts and pooling water, others are rather protected and drain well. Some places you can slow down and take your time, others the cagers will run you over. Often there are longer, safer routes to take on bad weather days. These are things you kind of have to feel out for yourself.

Fortunately, leaving times are usually a lot more flexible than arrival times. So it's pretty easy to wait things out, as long as the weather lets you get there. And if not, another thing to carry with you is a hefty lock. I've never had to abandon my scooter somewhere because of weather, but never ride when you don't think you should. Have a plan for what you will do if one day there is something where you aren't comfortable riding.

Valgal20 wrote:scarabmonkey

When I said rideable rain- I mostly meant those freak monsoon storms- should I avoid them- or just go slow? Im a bit worried Ill go to school or work and when I go to leave- a huge dust/wind/flying debris/rainy/lightening-y/minimal visibility, storm will be raging- what then? And should I have rain gear with me all the time? Anything else I need to survive? um- like that rain-x stuff for my face shield? or- I'dunno, what do you think? Drivers around here get all squirrely when the weather is anything but sunny. Any Arizonan scooterists- let me know.

avoid, obviously, if you can...but don't avoid a commitment to 2 wheels due to a few (literally) storms that may crop up...you can ride if you need to...and if you can't, wherever you are going is never more important than your safety.

Yes, carry rain gear all the time, to start...but, you will learn when it is going to rain...just remember, if you think it MIGHT, bring the gear...and if you think it might before you get home, WEAR the gear...better to be a little too warm, than to be cold and wet and in a hurry (catch the ongoing theme here...you DO NOT want to be in a hurry and no matter how hard you try, if you are cold and wet you will be in a hurry AND distracted).

to survive phoenix traffic....you mostly need your wits about you...and stay calm, fuming about the last guy who tried to hit you will only make you miss the next one. and if you feel better with the rain-x, go for it...of course, I always think in a rain storm, "hey, my visor is finally getting washed".

sunshinen wrote:waterproof/windproof gear is a wonderful thing.

with a year and a half of riding under my belt, i am thinking i might be ready to get rid of my car. i can put what i would pay towards maintenance and fees on the car towards taking a taxi when bad weather crops up and then rent a car every month or so to run big-stuff errands.

having my battery die and my tire go completely flat in the heart of winter has made me realize just how possible the scoot-only life would be, at least in my area/situation. cars are ridiculously expensive, and living so close to work, people often offer rides if the weather gets bad.

while it's possible to be comfy in very miserable conditions, strong winds can be a serious safety factor. most of the days i choose not to ride are because of wind rather than precipitation. you also need to consider how much more dangerous other drivers are in bad weather, that you will be less visible, and that your ability to dodge will be compromised on slick surfaces. how busy is your commute? how much risk are you willing to take? can you ride at off-peak times, or wait it out if there is quick, but brutal thunderstorm?

Your weather is probably pretty much identical to mine. I don't know about where you are, but here in Cville, it seems like everything just shuts down anyway when we have any appreciable snow.

I said my car was dying, but it's actually as good as already. I have been taking the bus for over a month now (something I should have been doing anyway) and have made it in to work on at least one snowy day when others could not.
The expense of running a car, yes, it's just nuts. The gas bill alone would be enough to convince me to go two wheels all of the time, much less all the other money that must be dumped into one. And yes, I can rent a car, a much more fuel efficient and comfortable one for longer drives, if I need to.

I am well aware of not being seen on two wheels, especially in bad weather. I have saved myself many times on my bicycle by always being aware of that. Yes, even as they look me right in the eye while they are trying to run over me...
I have also thought about my commute route, and needing to stop for thunderstorms etc.... I have a pretty good though crowded route. I would be mostly on city and neighborhood streets. I have always preferred the back ways anyway. Plenty of good places to pull over if need be, maybe even with a cafe nearby. I don't work a 9-5, so riding at off peak times would be a lot of the time.

I know, what am I waiting for right?

Cvillescoot wrote:
Your weather is probably pretty much identical to mine. I don't know about where you are, but here in Cville, it seems like everything just shuts down anyway when we have any appreciable snow.

Yeah, so far any time I would not want to be on my scooter because of ice or snow, people with cars were also bailing from work (leaving early to miss the snow, coming in late, etc.)

Cvillescoot wrote:
I know, what am I waiting for right?

Well, you have to think it through. =)

My biggest caution is to realize that scooters give you a false sense of confidence in your riding ability. Let yourself get used to the scooter and how it handles in the safest possible scenarios. Practice. Practice. Practice in the rain. I would be very cautious about trying to brave the elements and the cagers together right off the bat.

What I like about trying to rely on my scooter is discovering how often the weather doesn't pan out as predicted. My policy this month has been if it's rideable when I get up, I ride. Today there was a 70% chance of severe thunderstorms for when I will be riding from work to school and a 100% chance of thunderstorms when I would want to be riding home (but only a 30% chance an hour later). I decided to ride. Now there is a 30% chance of "isolated storms" for the trip there and 100% chance of storms for the time class is out, but still dropping to 30% within an hour. The severity of the predictions keeps dropping. (I'm a big fan of the hour-by-hour at http://www.weather.com/)

Of course, there are times when the storms are unexpected and big and bad and ugly and all day... and there have been times when I was not so cavalier, when I tried hard NOT to get caught in the rain, and was still caught in a thunderstorm in the midst of my ride home (which from school is 20 miles)... but

Cvillescoot wrote:
Plenty of good places to pull over if need be, maybe even with a cafe nearby.

any excuse to pop into a good cafe or coffee shop, slow down and enjoy life, is a good one!

oh wow you guys are brave. i dont ride in any kind of rain. brave souls is what you guys are!

When I first got the scoot last summer, I figured I would put it away at the end of November and bring it back out again in the spring. Then I went on vacation to London and Paris in the fall, and saw people riding their scooters regardless of the weather. It's at that point that I decided to go "hard core."

The only conditions in which I won't ride is if there is snow or ice. Otherwise, rain, wind, cold, warm, I'm out there! People are constantly asking me if I'm cold, but with the right gear (scooter skirt, warm jacket, rain pants, gloves), it's all good, even if it's below freezing.

That being said, I can't wait until spring!

I ride in weather; good weather

Jed wrote:I commute in the rain everyday here in Portland. It's not bad if you have a full face helmet, water proof gloves, rain pants and a good rain coat. Bundle up with fleece or wool underneath to keep warm and dry. My feet get a little wet but I just deal with that. I also have heated grips to keep the fingers warm. The Buddy can handle an amazing amount of rain and still run great. My co-workers think I am crazy, but I think I would be crazy NOT to ride it to work in the rain.

I'm the same way. The rain is really not bad once you get used to it. I have been riding here for about 4 - 5 years now. about 12 miles (roundtrip) per day.

On the really bad days, I'll opt for a ride with my roomie or Tri-Met

Jed - where did you get the heated grips from?

I live in Cville also! The weather is in fine to scoot year around. I hate being cold, so I wear a lot of gear-gloves, underhoody (Corazzo), snowpants, longjohns, wool socks.

The gear stores nicely in my Buddy- there is lot of storage room, with additional topcase, you will find it easy to go on a shopping trip. I even drive up to Southern States to get dog food.

You do it a couple of times and you realize its no biggie. Gotta plan a little bit more time to strip off the gear, thats all.

Cville riders get together when its wamer, I think Wednesdays.

Scoot Richmond, obviously in Richmond, is where I picked up my Buddy. The owner and crew there are awesome and knowledgable. They will take care of you. Ya, there is a Vespa place here, but I don't feel taken care of when I visit. And I'm NOT AT ALL the only person saying that.

Lemme know if you get a scoot.

LOL! I'd like to hear replies from people who do not ride in 'weather'. I'm highly curious as to how one accomplishes that trick?

Drumwoulf wrote:LOL! I'd like to hear replies from people who do not ride in 'weather'. I'm highly curious as to how one accomplishes that trick?

maybe riding in outerspace....

No, not outerspace weather.......
Ok, this is my last post for awhile, since I am feeling a bit like a poser until I get my scoot.
How about sitting at a stoplight while its 95 degrees with 90% humidity, with a full face helmet on? What's that feel like?

Cvillescoot wrote:No, not outerspace weather.......
Ok, this is my last post for awhile, since I am feeling a bit like a poser until I get my scoot.
How about sitting at a stoplight while its 95 degrees with 90% humidity, with a full face helmet on? What's that feel like?

Glub gulp gasp cough gasp cough glub wheeze gulp, -ohmygawd my friggin' baking bean is gonna explode----!!!

(It's why I wear a white open face 3/4 with a flip shield!)
(And yes, of course I know it's 'less' safe!)

(But so is riding a scooter instead of a tank...)

Cvillescoot wrote:No, not outerspace weather.......
Ok, this is my last post for awhile, since I am feeling a bit like a poser until I get my scoot.
How about sitting at a stoplight while its 95 degrees with 90% humidity, with a full face helmet on? What's that feel like?

I haven't yet ridden in the summer down here so I haven't gotten to experience that, but it has been in the mid-high 80's with high humidity lately and as long as the light isn't too long, I just flip up the visor while at the light and I'm alright. It's not cool by any stretch, but it's bearable!!

I ride to work all year round as long as there's no snow in the forcast and it's not raining AND cold at the same time.I live in the Philadelphia suburbs. My trip to work is 16 miles one way. I have ridden in temps down to +4 deg F in the am. The most important item of clothing is HEATED GLOVES. I can't bear riding in cold weather without them. I use Gerbing's heated gloves with harness that goes up under your jacket and "T"s off down each sleeve to hook to the gloves from Derby Cycles. Buy the electronic thermostat also so you can regulate the wattage and heat output. I also wear boots, insulated bib pants,fleece liner and Joe Rocket touring type jacket, balaclava and full face helmet. Any exposed skin will be frozen at low temps especially at highway speeds. I love the looks I get from the cars! -Kevin