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I have been thinking about it here in Florida but with the way rain storms can come up quickly, it would be a hard thing to do regularly unless you don't mind getting wet. I had thought about getting a moped or something for short trips but we will see.
In SE Asia they ride in the rain a lot, monsoons! Pretty amazing to see, rain doesn't seem to stop anyone from going anywhere.
Rains suits can be had pretty cheap. If you had a moped with storage maybe you could just keep it with the bike? Not so great if you are dressed professionally but might be an idea if you are casual.
I don't like to go fast when it is wet but I am OK slow
I have been thinking about it here in Florida but with the way rain storms can come up quickly, it would be a hard thing to do regularly unless you don't mind getting wet. I had thought about getting a moped or something for short trips but we will see.
I notice you are also in Orlando. Let me just say riding in Orlando proper is pretty hair-raising, it is full of bad drivers, third world numbnuts who think the rules of the road are just suggestions. I live out in Oviedo and ride mostly in Oviedo, Winter Springs, and East Orange County. The drivers are more sedate, the only bad drivers are generally college students. When college lets out the roads suddenly get quieter.
Sunspirit has a point about the rain, too. I wouldn't like to mix a heavy downpour with downtown Orlando traffic. When it rains, you tend to get soaked in Florida, too. Unless you are wearing a Gore-Tex jacket, which can be uncomfortable in the heat of summer. It's not a cold rain so it usually doesn't bother me but if you don't like water, don't ride in Florida. This summer I'll probably carry around a rain jacket just to slip on when it rains.
Mopeds won't work very well in Florida, they are mostly too slow- mopeds are basicly bicycles with two stroke engines that deliver about 2-3 horsepower and top out about 25-30 mph. The only places I could see one working is select areas in Winter Park You need a higher-horsepower 50cc scooter at the least, even then it would probably only ride around downtown Orlando or Winter Park (most have 37-43 mph top speeds). Better yet something 125-150cc's or greater. This means getting a motorcycle license. Technicly you need a motorcycle license for anything over 2 horsepower in Florida, but dealers and cops will let 50cc's slide usually. You also need a helmet (I wear a full helmet), gloves, boots, long pants, and a jacket... all year round. It isn't a small commitment. And in Florida heat it certainly is not as comfortable as sitting in an air conditioned car, especially if you get stuck at a light or traffic jam.
And if you had a sidecar rig, I assure you riding in the ice and snow would be do-able with some care. That's why sidecar hacks are popular in countries with alot of snow.
Yup. During one of the rare snows we have here, I just had to take my rig out to see if it could do donuts (in a church parking lot). That was fun The fellow who taught the sidecar class I attended rides a Ural. He puts car tires on his in the winter to aid in traction.
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I also beg to differ with anybody who thinks riding a scooter is "easy", just because it has an automatic (not all do, classic scooters don't). Certainly making it go isn't hard, but learning to ride one safely is another challenge.
Absolutely. When the Silverwing came out, it was a first ride for a lot of people. "It's a scooter, it'll be easy to ride" was the opinion. Then came the stories of people running into the side of the garage (that person damn near died) and riding the bike up a tree ("all I did was give a little twist on the throttle! I didn't know it had that much power!" ). The first time I rode mine to work, some numbnut remarked "that's the kind of bike I'm going to get my wife. She doesn't want to learn to ride a motorcycle. Should be easy for her." My reply: "so you think she can keep a ~500 lb bike upright; one that has been clocked at 120mph?" His reply ".....".
Even on the lower cc bikes; for people who haven't been on two-wheels since the 4th grade, I remind them "you're guiding a two-wheel machine that is going 50mph. There's nothing around you but air." I think a lot of adults start out with the same bravado they had as kids, but once they start thinking that, they get a very thoughtful look on their faces.
The Silverwing wouldn't be my first choice of scooter for anybody- it is definitely a long-range highway cruiser. Even my Reflex 250 is a little overpowered for most of the riding I do. I test-rode a Burgman 400 and I thought it was a little heavy but it was rideable. The acceleration was amazing too, it gets to 45 mph almost instantly.
Most people just need a little runabout scooter for the errands that are only a few miles, maybe 50-150cc's at most. In this range the Japanese scooters are actually the weakest, and Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean manufacturers are picking up slack. The Japanese do make some excellent 150's... in Japan and Europe, but they aren't sold in the US yet. They are just dropping the ball on that one. Vespa/Piaggio is also a good choice in this size range, but alot of shorter men or women might have problems with the seat height (I didn't know Italians were tall?...).
I think the down side to the Vespa's is the price. For an entry level rider swallowing a $5000 price tag is a bit daunting. For many people it maybe something they can ride only half a year or they maybe trying out scooting and don't feel comfortable committing that sort of money.
I'm not debating whether or not they are worth the price but I hope the influx of lower priced scooters will bring more people in to try it out. Time will tell.....
I love my Honda Helix. The seat is low and the center of gravity is low and when I am stopped I am not holding it up. I get 70 plus mpg and I always wear a helmet. I took an advance safety class which was very helpful. I use mine really for recreation. This is my third summer with this one and I have 8500 miles on it. I think in a city I would worry about the other drivers and you would have to be alert all the time.
It is worth it to buy a name brand since you want to be able to get parts. This is my third Honda scooter and I have never had a problems with any of them.
It is my outlet in life and I love to wander the countryside and enjoy nature.
Of course they will....it will be like in the post WWII days in Europe everyone rode motorcycles!
Is that true?
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The fellow who taught the sidecar class I attended rides a Ural. He puts car tires on his in the winter to aid in traction.
). The first time I rode mine to work, some numbnut remarked "that's the kind of bike I'm going to get my wife. She doesn't want to learn to ride a motorcycle. Should be easy for her." My reply: "so you think she can keep a ~500 lb bike upright; one that has been clocked at 120mph?" His reply ".....".
