Will be in Chicago 06/13 and 06/14

StacyB · Post by **StacyB** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:39 am

My husband and I are going to the Chicago Mods vs. Rockers. Is anyone else in the Chicago area (or outside the Chicago area) going?

Here are the links:

http://www.myspace.com/tonupchicago

Ton Up Club Chicago Website - http://www.tonupchicago.com

Since the event really isn't until Saturday, I'll be scooting around on Friday. Can anyone suggest any cool hang outs or places that I absolutely have to go while there? I'd like to stop by Genuine and Scooterworks if I have time. Other than that, no plans really on Friday.

Thanks!

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:08 am

If I lived in Chi Town I'd say my place

Always up to hanging with fellow scooter people. Especially if they are not afraid of beer of 3yr olds

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:30 am

Scooterworks is worth stopping by, but there's not much of a 'showroom,' (it's a 10x8' room with a few scooters and a display case) and not much to see, it's best to make a list of what you want and they'll dig it all out of the warehouse for you. They welcome customers, of course, but it's just not a place to hang out for a while like some scooter shops. Genuine's right next door, but it's not open to the public. You might want to check out Mr. Moto, they're a good shop, too.

I'll hopefully be at Mods vs. Rockers, but I'm pretty busy for most of the weekend so I can't show you around, sorry. Restaurants are really the best thing about Chicago, you can eat lots of great food, really cheap, let me know what you like and I'll recommend some. Once you figure out where you're staying, I can recommend attractions near there.

Riding here isn't really much fun, traffic stinks all weekend. If you just want to joyride, do it really really late at night (look out for drunks) or early in the morning, it's deserted. If you've got a 150+, Lake Shore Drive is fun (but look out for frost heaves and potholes). The Loop and Lower Wacker is neat to zip around and play Blues Brothers when there's no traffic (pretty dead on weekends, actually)

Let me know what your interests are (shopping, food, ethnicity, history, architecture, how adventurous you are) and I'll come up with more.

Mods and Rockers has been really great the last few years, you'll dig it. There's a really amazing variety of bikes, second only to Rockerbox in Milwaukee. It's mostly vintage British, Italian, Japanese, and German motorcycles, and of course vintage scooters and plenty of other stuff. Even the very few Harleys and sportbikes that show up are generally interesting.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:33 am

I live about 30 miles outside of Chicago so here are the suburbanite suggestions
Dont have any scooter specific suggestions but....
If you like sports bars - Murphy's next Wrigley Field (especially if you are an Astros fan)
Bar but not a sports bar? If you are around Bucktown - The Map Room (cool but I wouldnt make a special trip)
For a restaurant (steaks & chops) 437 Rush is my favorite
Museum - dont miss The Art Institute of Chicago (unless you dont like art)
The sky deck at the sears tower is always fun for "out of towners" but I actually prefer the sky deck at the John Handcock
Got to get an Italian Beef at either "Al's #1 Italian Beef" or "Mr. Beef"
Lots of good places for a Chicago Hotdog - I suggest Superdawg
Most of these are pretty popular places so you shouldnt have any trouble finding them (for the real Chicago people, I realize my suggestions are pretty "suburbanite" but hey... I like what I like)
damn.... I am getting hungry.

have a fun trip

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:39 am

if you are out late, want an awesome hot dog, and want to be yelled at and made fun of by the staff behind the counter... check out the Weiner Circle...
2622 N Clark Street

I LOVE THAT PLACE!!!

If you want a fun Dublin style Irish bar and are in the gold coast, check out The Kerryman on the corner of Clark and Erie, or 661 N. Clark proper address.

Im not saying that place rocks just because I used to work there.... I swear!

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:58 am

Not much to see at Scooterworks.
It's hardly the "mecca" that many out of town folks think it is.
Don't get me wrong - I love having them in town for when I need something but I usually just zip over there, grab what I need and go.
I would suggest stopping by the aforementioned Mr. Moto or Ace Motorcycle & Scooter. Both shops have a sizable showroom with many interesting bikes - mostly vintage.
Foodwise, you really do need to stop by Hot Doug's. Yes, it's hyped. Yes, you'll wait in a long line. But it's one of a kind.
One of my favorite things to do in Chicago (still) is just to ride and get lost. You're certain to discover some hidden gem.
Have fun! Mods V. Rockers has been great the past few years. I'll be there. I'll probably have my red and white Lambretta if you happen to see it and want to say hi.

Johnny

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:38 pm

Johnny, are you Johnny from Mr. Moto?

Chad at Ace just tuned up my wife's CB350F, it's such a great bike!

Bb.

arrowman · Post by **arrowman** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:37 pm

Best Place for a hot dog: http://www.hotdougs.com/

Don't pay the money to hit the top floor of the Sears Tower. Instead, go to the top of the John Hancock Building on Michigan avenue. Take the elevator to the 93rd floor bar which takes up the entire floor. Free to get in. Save the $11 bucks for a good drink while you're there.

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:58 pm

illnoise wrote:Johnny, are you Johnny from Mr. Moto?

Chad at Ace just tuned up my wife's CB350F, it's such a great bike!

Bb.

No - we've met before though (at Club Foot once and possibly Scooterworks).
Chad tuned my 350 Twin recently.
The 350's are one of the best city motorcycles IMO.

StacyB · Post by **StacyB** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:17 am

Awesome!!! Thanks so much for the input everyone!!!!

We will be staying with some friends in the Jefferson Park area. I have no idea where that is in relation to any of the ideas you've given. I do know that for Mods v Rockers we will be on Lincoln Ave.

So...

1) no go for Genuine and Scooterworks! That's fine. I was just thinking that since I was up there might as well stop by, but since it's not ALL THAT, nevermind. lol Maybe pop over to Mr. Moto and/or Ace instead!

2) No riding til midnight! I'll probably venture out... carefully, of course. (I have been warned!) My Buddy is a 125, so probably not Lake Shore Drive... what is a frost heave? Being from Texas, I've never heard of such a thing...

3) Very much looking forward to the architecture! Plan on taking lots of pics of buildings and the like. Would also love to hit a museum while I'm there.

4) Not that much into hot dogs, but I can handle getting yelled at. lol... With all the recommendations for Hot Doug's and Weiner Circle (don't know what the gold coast is either...) sounds like a blast, so we may have to hit those two. Nitrate overload? We love Irish bars, so maybe we'll be able to head over there too!

5) Great idea about the John Hancock Buidling. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about the Sears Tower, so thanks for reminding me about it and the alternate (cheaper!) recommendation!

6) Nissanman - If we're ever in your area, we'd stop by for sure! We're neither scared of beer, nor 3 year olds. Have 5 year old twin nephews and their 3 year old sister that we babysit/hang out with all the time!

Again, thanks so much to everyone!

StacyB

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:24 am

A good day (off) in Chicago
Lunch at Chez Quis
Visit the Art Institute
Cubs game
Catch a parade

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:30 am

Frost Heave...

When the streets get totally screwed by up and down temperatures that cause the asphalt to expand and contract, weakening it before the snow blows blast the heck out of it...
The salt that they throw on it messes it up too...

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:46 am

Keep an eye out for the big potholes as well...

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:49 am

And dont drive into the pools of water that gather after heavy rain storms underneath the bridges going over the Kennedy or the Edens... they have been known to swallow cars...

sargelee71 · Post by **sargelee71** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:39 am

Chicago is a great town. My heart belongs to Portland, OR, but I do love Chicago. Here are some suggestions (mostly food, cause I'm a totally foodie) that are not too far from Jeff Pk. And just FYI: Jefferson Park is on the Northwest Side of Chicago--west of I90/94 and north of about Wilson Ave.

--Tre Kronor and Overeasy for brunch
--Hopleaf in Andersonville for a HUGE selection of beer and GREAT mussels...good restaurant, too.
--Hema's Kitchen on Oakley off of Devon for AMAZING Indian food, if you like.
--Moody's on Broadway for the best burgers in town
--Hideout is a great bar with a back room for great music. Just look it up--on Wabansia off of Elston.
--Cub's game
--Phoenix in Chinatown for the best dim sum in the city (if you're interested)
--Irazu for great cheap Costa Rican food and shakes on Milwaukee.
--Margie's Ice Cream near Irazu on Western--an institution

I'd better stop here. There's soooo much more.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:13 pm

Jeff Park is way up northwest, so you won't be too far from Scooterworks. Mr. Moto isn't really much more exciting, unless you ask to see their giant warehouse full of vintage motorcycles. Ace is a cool shop but not really worth stopping by, they just do repairs and usually have a nice assortment of vintage motorcycles sitting around. Of the three, especially since you're not too far away, I'd hit Scooterworks, I'm just saying, don't expect too much, some people expect it to be some sort of giant fun store, and it's really just sort of a room full of stuff.

I'm not too far from where you'll be, and I'm sorta between you and Delilah's, so if you'd like to meet up and ride down together, I'd be up for that. A bunch of our friends live near us, so we might be able to get a little scooter posse together.

Also, as far as hot dogs, all recommendations are good, but you're closest to Superdawg, so I'd hit that for sure (not the most authentic "chicago" style, but great. Try the onion chips!). If you like Indian food/stuff, you're not too far from Devon and Western. And Jeff Park is so far out from the city that there are a few fun roads out there, looping around O'Hare is a fun ride, traffic on the highways sucks around there, but the surface roads are fast, curvy, and not too crowded.

Bb.

bikebuda · Post by **bikebuda** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:37 pm

scooterworks has a new showroom

it is about 50 x 65

Wafflehaus · Post by **Wafflehaus** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:56 pm

just moved from Logan Square in October. kind of miss it now that summer is coming back around, but i think i'll live.

I am feeling particularly jealous today though. I love Delilah's. I found that place early on in my Chicago life and it reminded me alot of new orleans. still one of my favorite bars...too bad it's in Lincoln Park.

I was up for a wedding in Milwaukee in April and was staying up in Edgewater. The monday after the wedding we were heading up to hit some golf balls at some driving range north of Devon and I decided I wanted to swing by Scooterworks on the way out just for kicks. turns out they're closed on Mondays. so that was a fun discovery.

have a good trip.

StacyB · Post by **StacyB** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:17 am

"I'm not too far from where you'll be, and I'm sorta between you and Delilah's, so if you'd like to meet up and ride down together, I'd be up for that. A bunch of our friends live near us, so we might be able to get a little scooter posse together."

That would be so cool!! I'll PM you.

Again, thanks to everyone for the suggestions! I'll be sure to post some pics once we get back!

StacyB