Mid-Atlantic Fall Scooter Rally Begins

The Mid-Atlantic Fall Scooter Rally began this evening in New Holland. A cook-out was generously provided by the Hollander Motel. Between hot dogs and hamburgers, people re-newed old friendships. This rally is held twice a year in the same spot, so many attendees know each other from previous events. People trickled in all evening, mostly on Suzuki Burgmans.

This Honda SH150i was bucking the trend, and not just by parking contrary to everyone else. It was one of the smallest bikes there this evening. But it was ridden by a couple riding 2 up, so it is a capable scooter. I especially like the barrel Prima bag on the back. It brings out the Italian influence.

I expect a wider range of scooters Saturday. Be at the Hollander by 8:30 to leave for breakfast!

Wheels 2009 - The Photos

This past weekend was the annual Wheels show in downtown Lancaster. I was wondering if there would be any scooter presence this year, but just as I arrived, I saw Ryan and Lauren pulling in with their friend Mike. All three were riding Hondas. A new aquaintence, Vinny, was also there with a red Stella. I pulled my new white Vespa up next to them to make a respectable representation for scooters.

Ryan and Mike showed their Honda Ruckuses, both of which have been heavily modified. Ryan's midnight blue one was sporting a new set of handlebars since I last saw it, but looking pretty finished. Mike's is still a work in progress, looking for that balance of customization vs. complying with PennDOT's arcane rule book.

You really need to know the configuration of a stock Ruckus to appreciate how much work has gone into these. Mike's guages and lights have all been fabricated into the box under the handlebars. And that box has been given a custom airbrucsh/spray paint job by Derek Cochran. Photos cannot capture the eye-assaulting shade of pink on the rims. But it works well with the white, and it's echoed in the outline of the graffiti.

Compared to the boys, Lauren's Metropolitan is the essence of classic style. But don't be fooled; a lot of work went into this also. Honda doesn't make them look like turquoise '57 Chevys. That's a custom paint job on an '02 (which is where the brown seat, floor and grips come from). Note the paint on the swing arm and exhaust covers, for an extra splash of color. A cavernous wicker basket has been added to the back and the wire basket in the leg shield has been wrapped in that same wicker. On top of the new paint has been added brand new chrome badges from '09. The result is a tastefully refurbished Metro that could be confused for factory new.

The scooters attracted the attention of Mayor Gray and his wife, who stopped to talk to Mike, Lauren and Ryan about their own scooters. The Mayor also mentioned the free scooter parking around the ramp of the Prince Street Garage. He hinted that maybe the rule about registering before using isn't being so closely watched... but you didn't hear it from me ;-). He did say that he hopes to create more official scooter parking around town, but can only do so if he can show the existing spaces are being used: so get to the Prince Street Garage! And remember that the scooterist's friend in City Hall is up for re-election this year, so register to vote.

To wrap up, here are some more photos taken around the festival. Remember, you can click on any of the photos above or below to view them larger.

Spotted Around Town

A Honda Big Ruckus.


-- Post From My iPhone

editted to add: I caught what seems to be the same scooter with my better camera on Saturday, over by Long's Park.

Ruckus Café Racer

It figures that when I'm out without my good camera I would run into this. A Honda Ruckus doing its best imitation of a café racer. At a café, no less. Cell phone photos will have to suffice.

This pair of scoots belongs to Ryan and Lauren, whom I met at Marion Court. Ryan says that bought this 50cc Honda Ruckus new in November, and has put a lot of work and many miles on it since.

Why do I call it a café racer? Well, the handlebars are upside down in a clubman style. It appears stripped down (although a Ruckus is pretty bare to start; he probably added more parts than he took off). And the bar-end mirror. The only things forgivably out of place are the highway pegs. Let's face it: the Ruckus is too small for a traditional café racer riding position. Scooters are cruisers, and these pegs are a nod to that, as well as they get the feet out away from the guage on the floorboard. (Don't forget to click on the pictures to expand them.)

Ryan said that he and his friends all bought scooters around the same time. Four or five Ruckuses (Ruckii?). He said they have a lot of fun riding them around the City. I agree: riding a small cc scoot in Lancaster is a blast. But something tells me that Ryan is having more fun than usual.

Honda unveils the SH150i to America

In June 2009, Honda dealers in the U.S. will begin selling the 2010 SH150i. It’s a 153cc, 16” wheeled scooter that looks a lot like the Kymco People, but is priced like a Vespa. So what makes it special? Other than it’s the first new scooter from Honda for years? Well, unlike those other scooters, it is fuel-injected and liquid cooled. Those closed, electronically controlled systems mean better efficiency and reliability, and, combined with an air injection system and exhaust catalyzer, fewer emissions.

It also has combined brakes, which I think is new for a scooter of its size. The website doesn’t say much about it, but “combined brakes” usually means that squeezing either brake applies at least some pressure to BOTH brakes. This may be electronically-controlled “brake by wire”. With the large tires, it ought to be a very confidence-inspiring ride.

The styling is decidedly as modern as its technology. Despite the fact that it looks more like something you would see in southern Asia, Honda claims this is the best selling scooter in Italy. European or Asian, this is a big step for Honda in America. It’s the first scooter of this style by one of the Japanese big 4 (3, since Kawasaki doesn’t import any scooters). Big wheeled and high-tech, this is a scooter that will either flop here or further the scooter trend started over the last year by high gas prices. If America continues to buy scooters at an increasing rate, will it accept this practical, modern model? Or will scooter buyers break into two camps: classic vs. tuner, like the Harley vs. sport bike dichotomy of the USA motorcycle market? It will be interesting to find out.

I hope America embraces it. It represents what I’m preaching about scooters: fuel-efficient, good for the environment, and practical for commuting. It doesn’t take an SUV, with all the fuel and space it takes up on the road, to transport one person from home to the office. By including on a scooter all of the systems that Americans expect in their automobiles, this could be an important model for the future of scootering in America.

Las Vegas

There hasn’t been much action here at ScootLancaster lately. There have been a couple fitful starts and stops. What have I been up to? Well, I thought I was going to get back into it here. Ironically, 2 hours later I found out that the guy in the cubicle next to me was let go and I would start covering for him. I have taken over his job, and that came with a long To-Do list. It also came with a trip to Autodesk University in Las Vegas.

While in Vegas, I rented a Honda 1300ST and rode out to Hoover Dam. It was fun, and great to be out in the sun on a bike during the first week of December. The Honda was really smooth and I loved the electric windshield. But it was heavy and really fell into corners at low speeds. It was great on the highway, but a little work in town. When I got back and rode the Versys again, it felt like a dirt bike.

Las Vegas is a town of highways, heavy traffic and monumental architecture. So it surprised me to see a number of scooters out and about. One local on a little scooter even engaged me in conversation at a stop light and jokingly offered to race me on the 1300.

At the keynote address of the Autodesk convention, they revealed this chopper. They claimed that it was, at the time, the largest piece ever created on a 3D printer. It was meant to show the state of the art in computer design and rapid prototyping.

I made it a point to get out and see the sights. I stayed at the MGM Grand, but spent a lot of time across the street at New York, New York. I saw the Bellagio fountains. I met an old high school friend who lives out there, and she showed me Fremont Street. I saw a show and gambled (for about 20 minutes). I had a blast, and hope to go back.

New Hondas

I was at the Washington DC Motorcycle Expo yesterday. Honda had the largest display area there. The new DN-01 was there and I sat on it. The DN-01 is a motorcycle with an automatic transmission.

Impressions? Meh. It's a crusier. The seating position is reclined. The thing needs a backrest.
The handlebars are drawn too far back for me. I'm not really sure to whom this will appeal, and for a radical new model, it wasn't getting much interest at the show. Meanwhile, there was a huge crowd around the two Goldwings.

There is a rumor floating around that Honda is coming out with a new 150cc scooter. I asked the representatives there about that, and they confirmed that Honda will indeed be bringing a new mid-range scooter to the American market soon. They said to check with your dealer in a month or two for details.

Robotic Legs From Honda

Alright, these are cool. But is this why Honda is not releasing any new scooters this year?

Honda News

No new scooters from Honda for '09. There. That's out of the way.

But there is this. The Honda DN-01. It's a motorcycle with an automatic transmission. It's a scooter without storage. It's a sporty cruiser. It's all things to all people, and I'm afraid that it will appeal to very few. It's exciting on paper, but a bit weird in reality. It's like what the people of the past thought the motorcycle of the future would be like... and I think it's still ahead of its time. But the transmission is interesting.

2009 Honda Metropolitans

You may have seen stories lately that scooter dealers are out of inventory. Well, Honda is trying to react to that: the rumor is that 2009 Honda Metropolitans will hit stores later this month. They are already shown on Honda's website. New colors for this year include "Ghost", an all white version. I guess that is the opposite of last year's "Gothic", this year renamed a more consumer-friendly "Graphite".

2008 Hondas

Honda appears to be the most popular, in Lancaster, of what I consider the major brands of scooters. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we have 2 Honda dealers in town: Ephrata Cycle and Sports and Lancaster Honda. Honda makes few changes for America in 2008.

Their base model, and the scooter I see most around town remains the Metropolitan. A 50cc model with some storage and styling reminiscent of a Vespa (but in plastic intead of metal), this is the perfect scooter for getting around town. High mileage and low cost are its strengths. For 2008, Honda offers some new colors, including a Gothic (black and gray) and Monza (red on red).

If you like the low displacement, but plan to get out into the country or just want something more masculine, check out the Ruckus. It almost looks like a mini-bike. There is no lockable storage, but there are some interesting hop-up accessories available.

It appears as if Honda has dropped the Elite 80 (80cc) and the Helix (244cc) for 2008. These scooters sport a look like what designers in the 1980’s thought the year 2000 would look like. Also gone: the Reflex. Maybe you can find a good deal on an older model of one of these bikes.

That leaves a huge gap in engine sizes until you get all the way up to the Silver Wing at 582cc. This is a maxi-scooter. At over $8,000, it’s competition is the Suzuki Burgman and motorcycles. Power and luxury are what you are paying for. This is not a grocery-getter. This thing’s big enough for touring.

The reasons to buy a Honda are their reliability, value, and the convenience of 2 local dealers. For value and “green-ness” the Metropolitan is the stand-out model.

Parking Now Open!

The free, dedicated scooter parking in the Prince Street Garage is open for use. The article about it appeared in the paper yesterday.

To use the spaces, you must sign a waiver stating that you will not use the space for vehicle maintenance, or for sale or display of merchandise, etc.. There is no parking from 2am to 6am. They also state that they are not responsible for vandalism, damage or loss. Considering that, it would be nice if they would provide some anchors to lock down to.

After signing the waiver, you are given a numbered sticker. The sticker doesn't have to be stuck to your scooter... it actually comes on a plastic hanger card (designed for automobile rear-view mirrors). So you can pull out the card and hang it on your handlebars. The Mayor peeled his sticker off and put it directly on his Honda Elite 80. Of course, the mayor got #001.