PNW area thread: someone left the bike out in the rain

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > PNW area thread: someone left the bike out in the rain

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Keldoclock posted:

Location: Portland
Bike: bikeless pleb
Hours ridden: 18
Down for: new rider advice, talking about electric bikes

Piaggio makes a three-wheeled hybrid-option scooter. Yes, it leans like a motorcycle and you steer it like one, too. Piaggio m3. I'd buy one if they came with a under-bar engine vs swingarm mounted. I like me a saddle. They're under 10k

# ¿ Sep 25, 2015 14:23

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 02:24

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Lynza posted:

Yeah, one of my old coworkers has one, and he loves that thing. Apparently he's had trouble finding a reliable service place, though, so hopefully you can/want to do your own basic wrenching. Or you know someone reliable.

I've heard terrible things about the Seattle area Vespa dealership, which sells (and maintains) Piaggios. Apparently they're fine to sell the thing but poo poo CS and techs. I don't know if that's universal - I always think of scooters as a non-tinkerer's bike so that'd be lovely.

# ¿ Sep 27, 2015 13:29

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Gay Nudist Dad posted:

Yeah this tends to be true.

When Triumph of Seattle was still Lynnwood Cycle Barn and sold scooters, most people I knew went up there for official Piaggio/Vespa dealer service - a 45+ minute trek by scooter so it wasn't really easy to drop your bike off there. Shows how badly people wanted to skip Vespa Seattle. But they lost the scooter dealer licenses for Piaggio/Vespa and for Genuine when they moved to Seattle because Vespa Seattle and Scoot About (Genuine) had the claim and wouldn't accept the competition.

If you do need a shop to work on a scooter in Seattle, you've got options. Fritz Repair (works on anything, just one guy, no bullshit, only place I'll take my bikes), Seattle Cycle Center (also works on anything), Triumph of Seattle, Moto International (sells Aprilia, may take other Piaggio-family scooters). There are some other shops around that take scooters that I just don't know anything about, like Rainier Cycles. Avoid Vespa Seattle (aka Big People Scooters) and ESPECIALLY avoid Scoot About (Genuine//Chinese scooter/Royal Enfield dealer) who are probably worst in the area.

Scooters are just as much a tinkerer's ride as anything else. They're mostly dead simple, single-cylinder with belt-driven CVT, so there's not much to get wrong on them. Maybe my perspective is skewed on scooterists though since everyone I know is in it for the hobby, not just the cheap transportation, and so work on their own bikes - whether just for maintenance or for customization/performance.

I'm probably wrong about the tinkerers impression. I always saw motorcycle as passion sacrificing utility and scooter as functional. Thank you

# ¿ Sep 27, 2015 19:48

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

EkardNT posted:

I'm the debris-strewn shoulder.

Well, gently caress you.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2015 22:46

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Delta-Wye posted:

So I totally put a deposit on a bike last Saturday

The weather was pretty lovely on and off so I didn't actually buy it that day. I think I'm going to try my hand at hot doggin it back to Seattle from Bham on WA9 this week if the weather clears up a bit.

Am I going to die a lot, or just a little?

Highways, imo, are the safest roads unless you forget you're invisible. Don't think for a second that they can see you, even with eye contact, and you'll be fine.

# ¿ Nov 2, 2015 08:48

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Delta-Wye posted:

I was a bit concerned about keeping up with traffic on such a slow rig, but I found a couple old gopro videos on youtube of a fellow pulling past traffic on i5 and also on i90 crossing the bridge. I was looking for the i90 stuff specifically because I don't want to have to drive around the lake! The guy didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up with traffic at all.

I was thinking wa9 from ferndale all the way down to 228th over to Lake City Way. I drove down it on the way back from the dealership and it's a well maintained road and quite a few spots are limited to 25 or 35mph. Other than some fun looking switchbacks as it goes through some hills and around a lake, it's not too bad. Once you get to Lack City, it's pretty much a straight shot into the city from there by either by hopping on I5 for a couple exits (only a couple spots with merging to deal with) or taking poo poo surface streets through the u-district.

I think corners are going to be okay (throw some weight in the tub and lean) I'm mostly worried about hitting poo poo on the right with the sidecar. I'm expecting lane position is going to be the tricky part so I'm going to endeavor to not slam it into stuff. I'm going to try and find insurance before I do this though just in case lol

What is this super slow bike you're thinking won't have the speed for the highway?

# ¿ Nov 3, 2015 19:09

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Slim Pickens posted:

The DUI-mobiles are those bikes with the engine and gas tank slapped on, I think.

Washington's just weird in not allowing unlicensed mopeds.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2015 15:36

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Delta-Wye posted:

It was nice enough this weekend to go out and practice my side wheelies The last few days have been miserable once the sun's gone down though.

http://gfycat.com/GrandioseTornAustraliansilkyterrier

What the gently caress? Is that a shaft-driven dual sport?

# ¿ Dec 2, 2015 20:06

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

clutchpuck posted:

It's a hack. Judging by the driveshaft, it's a Ural 2WD hack.

Holy poo poo. Do want.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2015 20:41

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Delta-Wye posted:

It's a 2014 Gear Up. It's my first bike and it's stupid fun to drive around. I got it a few weeks ago and I can't wait for spring/summer to roll back around again.

Whoa, I didn't know they still made Urals! What is this madness? That's a beautiful machine, man.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2015 22:54

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Story time: [someone I know] was driving and noticed the motorcycle rider in front of them had riding overpants that were flailing in the wind, about to fly off. He high beam flashed him, etc. to no avail. Rider flipped him off and brapped away. Few miles down road, there were the pants. They're a really nice brand and they fit me so I'm keeping them unless, of course, I can find the rider. If you're the rider, describe them or something - get in touch with me. Until then, I'm wearing your ridiculously comfortable pants (as overpants, of course). Normally, I'd be less inclined to wear someone else's gear but you flipped off [someone I know] so I think in this case we're square. ^.^

# ¿ Feb 16, 2016 06:55

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Coydog posted:

Sounds like SWIM just got a nice pair of riding pants. Or not nice. I don't know if I'd trust a pair of pants that came off while i was wearing them and i didn't notice.

They're Thor and they were on a rack or something.

# ¿ Feb 17, 2016 07:50

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

I also wanna point out that batteries, historically, are not very shock resistant. I don't know if Zero has confronted this but it's the big reason I didn't buy one. Of course, like Sagebrush said, the cost for either a 250 or a Zero are both close to negligible, they give you the fun of ridiculous acceleration for quite cheap and you don't have to bother with gas stations, which for me is a pain in my rear end. It's not about the money, it's about the loving CLERKS NOT LETTING ME DO MY THANG! (Oregon)

Also, am I the only one that feels that new riders should have to go without ABS? Am I just being one of those anti-future fogies?

Almost forgot the other reason I stayed off Zero's: insurance is through the roof on those things, get a quote first.

Verge fucked around with this message at 21:43 on Jun 30, 2016

# ¿ Jun 30, 2016 21:37

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

i don't understand how you guys commute in Portland. poo poo's painful

# ¿ Aug 16, 2016 08:16

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

Daemoxx posted:

This is a large amount of why I both live and work in Beaverton. That, plus looking at rent numbers in Portland makes me depressed.

I'm a super new rider though, just tried out the freeway for the first time today. Went great, think I may have waited longer than I actually needed to, but oh well. I have way more fun on the bike than I ever do in the car.

freeway safe, city scary

# ¿ Aug 18, 2016 22:56

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 02:24

Verge: Nov 26, 2014; Where do you live? Do you have normal amenities, like a fridge and white skin?

its all nice on rice posted:

This next few days should be interesting considering I have no alternative to riding my motorcycle to/from work.
Luckily the snow isn't sticking, but I'm more worried about ice in the coming days. Portland!

Been riding since summer in Eugene. Just be easy with leaning and stay off the paint good buddy.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2016 19:59

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > PNW area thread: someone left the bike out in the rain