Bring Me Another Convert...
I took some time away from the blogsite to square some stuff away. I basically needed to get refocused on home life, work life, and whatever extra stuff that is thrown in to make up my days. So a few things had to suffer, and this blog ended up being one of them. Stuff just piles up you know, and pretty soon you end up looking up at this huge pile of issues, and say, "Oh crap, I gotta get things figured out." So thats what I've been doing.
Now, where am I?
I don't know how things are in your town, but around here, scooters and small motorbikes are being scooped up left and right. If the trend of rising fuel costs continues, the local riding population will continue to grow with the fuel prices. The local motorcycle dealership is having a hard time keeping the 50cc scoots in stock, and the after-market parts and repair shop that my buddy owns is now bringing in a line of scooters as well. It blows my mind to think that the preferred local Harley repair house will now be selling scooters. I guess that day has come.
My Pa-in-law was looking into buying a cheap-ass scooter on-line for $699.00, and I told him that he was probably going to get boned in some form on the deal. I mentioned an ad in the classifieds for a 1985 Honda Elite 250 going for $1100.00. I didn't wait to see if my in-law was going to make the call, so I rang the dude up myself. The cat seemed real cool on the phone, and said to swing by in about an hour. I gave the old Corndog a ride to the dudes house in my pickup, and met Cliff out back washing his brand new Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic. No wonder he isn't riding the Elite anymore.
I was real pleased when Cliff pulled the cover off the Honda to unveil a very well kept ride. It had a fresh coat of metal flake blue paint, and everything just seemed to look nice. Old Corndog hesitated when Cliff offered up a test ride, but not me, I was on it, and gone in about two seconds. Since the starting procedure is just like my old Helix, I knew just what to do without being shown. And boy did this scoot want to get out and run!
I knew that this was the deal not to be missed, so I went directly to my in-laws house to show my mother-in-law the scooter, so she wouldn't have to come up with a mental picture when Corndog tried to describe to her what the scoot is, and looks like. A sly move, but it paid off.
After Corndog finally took a quick spin around the block, he told Cliff that he'd let him know the next day what his decision would be. About this time, Cliff's cell-phone is jangling, and he flips it open to speaker phone. The cat on the other end wants to know if the scooter is still for sale. Cliff says, "I'll call you back." And here we go down the road with no decision. Geez!
I told my father-in-law that he was a "dumbass" for not pulling the trigger on this deal. He was willing to gamble on an on-line purchase for a 49cc scooter with a max load rating of 165 lbs, and a top speed of next to zero, and then take his time to ponder a sure deal that will do well over the speed limit, while still saving on fuel. So yeah, I called him a "dumbass."
I dropped him off muttering swear words under my breath (loud enough to hear) and ran an errand, and by the time I got home, he was waiting in my back yard...the deal was done. Corndog bought the Elite 250, and has been happily riding almost non-stop since.
Another convert to the magical world of scootering. I've scored again, and am damned proud of it. I may have been gone from here for awhile, but I'm still getting my job done as far as preachin' the good word of scootering. You see...I've got The Secret.
Have fun,
Bill
Now, where am I?
I don't know how things are in your town, but around here, scooters and small motorbikes are being scooped up left and right. If the trend of rising fuel costs continues, the local riding population will continue to grow with the fuel prices. The local motorcycle dealership is having a hard time keeping the 50cc scoots in stock, and the after-market parts and repair shop that my buddy owns is now bringing in a line of scooters as well. It blows my mind to think that the preferred local Harley repair house will now be selling scooters. I guess that day has come.
My Pa-in-law was looking into buying a cheap-ass scooter on-line for $699.00, and I told him that he was probably going to get boned in some form on the deal. I mentioned an ad in the classifieds for a 1985 Honda Elite 250 going for $1100.00. I didn't wait to see if my in-law was going to make the call, so I rang the dude up myself. The cat seemed real cool on the phone, and said to swing by in about an hour. I gave the old Corndog a ride to the dudes house in my pickup, and met Cliff out back washing his brand new Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic. No wonder he isn't riding the Elite anymore.
I was real pleased when Cliff pulled the cover off the Honda to unveil a very well kept ride. It had a fresh coat of metal flake blue paint, and everything just seemed to look nice. Old Corndog hesitated when Cliff offered up a test ride, but not me, I was on it, and gone in about two seconds. Since the starting procedure is just like my old Helix, I knew just what to do without being shown. And boy did this scoot want to get out and run!
I knew that this was the deal not to be missed, so I went directly to my in-laws house to show my mother-in-law the scooter, so she wouldn't have to come up with a mental picture when Corndog tried to describe to her what the scoot is, and looks like. A sly move, but it paid off.
After Corndog finally took a quick spin around the block, he told Cliff that he'd let him know the next day what his decision would be. About this time, Cliff's cell-phone is jangling, and he flips it open to speaker phone. The cat on the other end wants to know if the scooter is still for sale. Cliff says, "I'll call you back." And here we go down the road with no decision. Geez!
I told my father-in-law that he was a "dumbass" for not pulling the trigger on this deal. He was willing to gamble on an on-line purchase for a 49cc scooter with a max load rating of 165 lbs, and a top speed of next to zero, and then take his time to ponder a sure deal that will do well over the speed limit, while still saving on fuel. So yeah, I called him a "dumbass."
I dropped him off muttering swear words under my breath (loud enough to hear) and ran an errand, and by the time I got home, he was waiting in my back yard...the deal was done. Corndog bought the Elite 250, and has been happily riding almost non-stop since.
Another convert to the magical world of scootering. I've scored again, and am damned proud of it. I may have been gone from here for awhile, but I'm still getting my job done as far as preachin' the good word of scootering. You see...I've got The Secret.
Have fun,
Bill
posted by Bill Sommers at 5:13 PM
9 Comments:
I like your style and candor in recruiting the convert, whatever it takes, right?
Love it.....keep on preachin' brother!
Oh yeah, and welcome back. It was great to see a comment from you today.
I don't know how things are in your town, but around here, scooters and small motorbikes are being scooped up left and right.
Well, I'm out on the streets almost everyday and I really don't see much sign of that, Bill.
On my birthday, Monday, the streets were jam packed with automobiles, on a Monday, what in the hell were they all doing? The price of gas isn't high enough yet if that is all they have to do.
I see a few more scooters here and there, but not really that many. Some of the cheap scoots are worth what you pay for them, but I don't know which ones.
Even if you bought a new one each year the math would still add up okay, still cheaper than a car, and they do keep improving, they have to or die.
In a few years you will be able to buy a six hundred scooter that goes sixty miles an hour and holds up okay. It won't be a Cadillac but it will get the job done, like the cheap band saw I bought recently, I'm happy with it.
Meanwhile, being as you think scoots are so much in demand I have a pretty nice 1986 Honda Elite 150 . Water cooled, four cycle, low miles and electric start that I would let go for eight hundred.
It's not that I don't like it, but I seldom ride it, I drive as little as possible anymore and when I do I often have Helen with me and an 86 year old woman isn't about to get on one.
Well, maybe for sex, but not to go anywhere. LOL
Hey glad you're back on the pulpit! You might want to snatch up that Elite bbc is hawking. As demand goes up so goes prices.
You don't have to worry about converting me Billy. It would be like preaching to the choir! -As soon as I can figure out how financially, I'm going to make the leap into scooterdom.
I've even considered trading in my Sportster but can't quite "pull the trigger" on that idea just yet.
Earl,
Thank you, and welcome to my little neighborhood. I hope you drop in and hang out now and then.
Sarch,
Oh, I will. You can count on that.
Billy B.
You don't have to look far to see the increase in riders around here. I talk with the m/c dealers and local club guys often, and the talk of all the newbies on the road is a hot subject.
I know a guy who is interested in your scooter. He's looking for a coffee shop commuter, and asked me to poke around and see if you were serious about selling it.
Kano,
Preaching to the choir is still good practice though.
For a guy that is pretty settled in riding a motorcycle, a move to scooters is one that brings a lot of thought. I made that move, and I spend time thinking about a large cc motorcycle again, but all I have to do is jump on my scooter, and I'm back in check.
My suggestion to you would be to test ride a scooter that will do highway speeds. Coming off your Sporty and landing on a scoot that will only pull 40 or 50 mph won't scratch your itch. But a 250cc scoot that will zip along happily at 65+ and still get 70 mpg will get you wondering. Its always fun to look.
Have fun,
Bill
Lots more scooters going out the door at our local dealer and I see a lot more on the road but most look like the occasional errand runners. See them in town but seldom out in the sticks. Perhaps they are all suffering from the scooter don't go far syndrome...
Steve Williams
Scooter in the Sticks
"I don't know how things are in your town, but around here, scooters and small motorbikes are being scooped up left and right."
Well, in the 3 weeks since the wife and I put down deposits on a couple of Genuine Scooters (Stella for me and a Buddy St. Tropez for her,) I'm seeing scoots everywhere. The folks at the shop tell me that they can't get 'em in fast enough and that most of the bikes on the floor are sold, they just won't let them go until they get another shipment. Otherwise they won't even have anything to show prospective customers...
Dude, you're slowly travelling down the road to mental insanity that I've already been on. First it's riding two wheels, then it's trying to ensnare others, then it's calling your father-in-law a "dumbass". What next? Become an instructor so you can infect, er, I mean, enlighten, even more people?
Post a Comment
<< Home