scooter done for me

At 66 years of daily riding, bike/scooter used as main transport that time, although cars have been owned now and then (easier to go skiing). The other day, wet/cold damp high crowned TN rural roads with no runoff---mistake and you are in the woods.  Made choice to park scooter/sell---they just do not track as nice as motorcycles---warranty had just run out, too--my 2019 Kymco XTown 300i (been very reliable, ok to ride, usual maxiscooter buffeting.)  over 400,000 miles with them, Kymco is my 11th new one.

On return trip to Chattanooga,(35 miles from Dalton GA) stopped and ordered/bought new Chevrolet Spark) (really Daewoo, car has reg key/AC/heater/ radio/crank windows....all stuff I like like/want)  price right, too....bought in GA, this dealer did not charge the $600 "doc fee" TN dealers.   do! After over 1.5 million 2 wheel miles, over 75 new bikes/scooters, rode in 15-20 countries in all kinds of weather, approaching 82 birthday---picked up car in rain=nice to ride home with heater and no ear plugs.

Next---small light, motorcycle, CENTER STAND!!, Ashai Windshield from Japan with canvas lowers,  rear rack for dog's box, new and nice price.

Stayed tuned---I am going to be offering some things for sale....as I get them sorted out---retaining enough to comfortably ride/use new bike.

Well Mr Grinsel, congratulations on those 1.5 million miles. But it took that long before arthritis finally convinced you that you’re not John Wayne* and it’s much more comfortable to ride in a nice warm car on a cold, rainy day?

Ashai windshield? What kind of a bike are you getting next?






*”20 years a cowboy and never stepped in sh*t. High in the saddle all the time”.

Not body stiff----scooters just do not handle as well as motorcycles----can be scary, yet old farts who buy them in most cases were not very skilled riders in their youth......so do not know difference. Before I went sailing off in the woods----decided to stop. Scooter harder to ride skillfully with no tank to grip/pegs to stand on/feet forward!. SilverWing, loaded for touring easy to drop in parking lot, too. Next bike up in air air at this time----but needs centerstand for sure....and European tires for the wet.

You're an inspiration to us all John, I hope I'm still riding in my 80's.

Ride as long as it feels safe for you. The thing I miss is on a scooter is the ability to stand on pegs and relieve some pressure on butt for a short time. SW handles great above slower speeds for sure.

Chevy Spark good luck.

Mech 1 twa wrote:

Ride as long as it feels safe for you.  The thing I miss is on a scooter is the ability to stand on pegs and relieve some pressure on butt for a short time. SW handles great above slower speeds for sure.

Chevy Spark good luck.

Can't you stand on the side platforms? I've done it many times. Oh course I only weigh140 pounds (US).

Standing on side platforms has to be related to bike control, not just standing up.

Good Luck In The Future John!
I'm not as old as you yet but I don't like riding in the wet and cold. Wet and warm is bad enough but if I get caught in the rain there's not much to do about it. My SWing, or any of the cycles I've owned in the past, have never left the garage when it was raining. I don't volunteer for the rain but getting caught in it after I leave the garage is another thing.

Live in Germany or Japan, you ride a lot in the rain---I did almost 40 years of that...and then how about Tacoma Washington?

Can't you stand on the side platforms? I've done it many times. Oh course I only weigh140 pounds (US).

Yes I can stand but it's very awkward with legs pinned against bars and hunched to reach the bars. Feet are to far forward and feels so unsafe. Compared to my FJR it's difficult I can stand at 80mph and still feel safe.

John while not in 10-o-C I understand your situation, the same road conditions exist here and I thinking along your lines. I gave up the heavier G'Wing several years back in favor of the S'Wing. I managed a couple years without a bike but that was about long enough to grab this S'Wing when it came along. If this year is like last year as far as riding I too may just hang it up, spring will tell the tale.

John you truly are inspiring, can't imagine that many miles on a scoot! Fantastic. Keep us posted on what you end up with eh?

Standing up on the Silver Wing, for me, is all about geometry. Just can't do it. The position is awful for me on the Silver Wing, now that said when I had my 2005 Gold Wing the peg position was near perfect. I could stand on the pegs and ride that way for 20 minutes or so, really helped to be able to stretch out on a 500+ mile day. I assume it had more to do with MY geometry than the bikes...  LOL

I've owned a bunch of bikes and scooters since my first scooter (Cushman) back in 1956. Still going with my Silverwing. We also have cars, my wife's 2015 Chevrolet SUV and my 2010 Jeep Liberty.

I keep the Jeep for riding in the mountains around here, and running errands when the weather is nasty. Long hauls mostly done with the Chevy since it has much less mileage and more comfort than the Jeep.

Been contemplating about another motorcycle, like a BMW K1100LT, but our local BMW dealership  was burned down along with  city of Phoenix, Oregon last fall. At my current age I think I'll just keep on with the Silverwing for local rides and errands.

It was a sorry day when I sold my last Goldwing (the world's best highway bike). I traveled to Alaska, the US east and west coasts and most states as well as Baja California and other parts of Mexico. But those days are well behind me, general debilitation just makes it impossible for me to ride the big heavy beast. Though I do take short rides on my friend's GW now and then.

My take---never ride anything you cannot pick up alone. Scooters are not as nice handling as motorcycles----I like to precision point them!

john grinsel wrote:

My take---never ride anything you cannot pick up alone.  Scooters are not as nice handling as motorcycles----I like to precision point them!

Some truth to that picking up alone, NOT now anyhow but I have seen the G'Wing 1500 " picked up by a lady that didn't weigh 100 pounds, as I have too. Lock the steering head left ( hope it fell that way ) back To the bike hold handlebar with one hand the grab bar with the other straighten up and staRt shuffling back to the bike using legs not back, the next step is getting the sidestand down The big difference is the G'Wing is going to suffer less in that spill BTDT.

This topic reminds me of an incident when I was knocked off my CX650ED by a guy entering a roundabout, I was on the roundabout and therefore had right of way. Anyhow, after that 'tarmac, sky, tarmac, sky' tumble down the road, I got to my feet. My bike was lying on its side, pi***ing petrol all over the road so I went over to pick it up. The goon who put me there was standing looking at me struggling to get my bike upright. I did it OK but I was much younger.

But now at 60 years old I do wonder if I could lift my SW. I've had to get it upright occasionally by over tipping it while stationery and that wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, especially with 'er indoors' on the back

john grinsel, all I can say is that you are amazingly durable (with over one million miles on two wheels). You come to mind at times when I'm out riding ,mostly less than 100 miles and say to myself John is out most everyday in all kinds of weather @81years old ,that's when I get a boost to keep going. You are a two wheel icon.