Visit our Popular Forums

cameront120 · 09-08-2008, 07:04 PM

Well, if you already have a Vespa, a natural motorcycle would be a Moto Guzzi. Check out my friends gallery of images:

Guzzi Gallery

ROBERTSUNRUS · 09-08-2008, 09:11 PM

Hi, I have been rideing/driveing motorized two wheelers since I was 15. [Illegally at that age] I have a California M-1 motorcycle license. I got it in 1968 when California required an actual motorcycle license. Before then you only had to have a car/learner's permit. People look at me funny when I tell them that I have to have an M-1 motorcycle license to drive my 150cc motor-scooter. When people ask me if I think they could drive a motorcycle, I ask them two things: (1.) Can you ride a bicycle? (2.) Can you drive a stick shift car/truck? If you can do both of these, you have a better chance of succeeding with a motorcycle.

Mackhopp · 09-09-2008, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameront120

Well, if you already have a Vespa, a natural motorcycle would be a Moto Guzzi. Check out my friends gallery of images:

Guzzi Gallery

Very nice looking bikes... I'd never considered them before - now it's time to plow through and research 'til the cows come home.

And as for driving a stick shift - apparently there were a few students in my MSF course who had never driven a standard, nor were they at all familiar with the mechanics of doing so. Most of them ended up getting the hang of it eventually, but one or two just couldn't smoothly grasp the concept.

I'm glad I learned how to drive a car with a standard transmission. Definitely comes in handy.

**jcanavera** · 09-09-2008, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfrodge

Congrats Jack! It's all worth it!

So are you fully licensed now?
Cheers!

Yep. If you take the MSF course and pass, Missouri waves the requirement of taking their driver's test. You just show your MSF card and take the Missouri written test and you get your M endorsement on your license.

Actually the MSF work is more difficult than the Missouri motorcycle driving test. Our riding occurred as the remnants of hurricane Gustav passed over the state. It was difficult and the rain factor added another element of difficulty to the process. Yes it was fun but the stress factor was high. I went into the test phase with the mindset that finishing the course was goal. Whatever I had done on the test didn't matter to me because if I had failed, I could have easily passed the Missouri test. Passing was icing on the cake.

We had 12 enrolled for the class. 2 didn't show, which I assumed was due to the rain. 3 came 37 minutes late for the first class which led them to be dismissed by the coach. We lost our last person on Thursday during riding after she became so disoriented that she fell twice. She fell a few times on Wednesday and just couldn't get the concept of the clutch and the coaches recommended to her that she leave before she hurt herself or one of the six of us left.

While I have driven a manual transmission car, and back in the late 60's I used to rent Honda 50's, I really had break some habits picked up with the
Vespa (mainly using my feet for brakes and shifting, and remembering to clutch). While some scooter folks after taking the MSF course pick up a craving for the motor cycle world, I took the opposite approach. There is something very comforting about being able to ride without worrying about gears, foot brakes, clutches and shift bars. Just hop on, the left and right levers on the handle bar being the brakes and you twist the right grip for the throttle. Very simple, very easy. Something my tired old brain likes. Maybe 30 years ago.....but I've passed into a different phase of my life.

Jack

pmclemore · 09-09-2008, 09:50 AM

Pop - that's a great pic of your rig with the scoot on the back. I can see that it was taken at the Camping World as we were staging for the Balloon Fest. That's my rig on the right!

Pat

xrvr · 09-09-2008, 03:33 PM

That 850 Lemans still drives me nuts!!! zz

cameront120 · 09-09-2008, 06:40 PM

It's a nice bike, isn't it? If it weren't for the Triumph Bonneville already occupying my garage, I'd be tempted to find myself one like my friends modified 850T.

Mackhopp · 09-10-2008, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Yep. If you take the MSF course and pass, Missouri waves the requirement of taking their driver's test. You just show your MSF card and take the Missouri written test and you get your M endorsement on your license.

A full congrats to you then! All done - that must feel great. I'm breathing a sigh of relief for now, but have to test in a couple years for my full M.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

There is something very comforting about being able to ride without worrying about gears, foot brakes, clutches and shift bars. Just hop on, the left and right levers on the handle bar being the brakes and you twist the right grip for the throttle. Very simple, very easy. Something my tired old brain likes. Maybe 30 years ago.....but I've passed into a different phase of my life.

Jack

I understand completely - I feel the Vespa is fun to drive around (I'll post some pics when I get my #$% seat from Corbin - it's currently on its way from CA to NY so will take a little bit longer), but I think I caught the motorcycle bug as well. People take a motorcycle a bit more seriously on the road as well, which decreases my stress level.

Ah - no matter. It'll give me an excuse to go shopping for motorcycle gear and accessories to add to my scooter gear and accessories collection!

Cameron - I googled the Triumph Bonneville to see some images and am very impressed. Nice bike.

cameront120 · 09-10-2008, 01:34 PM

I need to get out on mine more. It has spent most of this season in the garage. Maybe once the house is finished I'll have more time to ride.

slowmover · 09-11-2008, 09:15 PM

Back to the original post, heard today on the radio that more municipalities are allowing ATV's on the road. NHTSA not happy about it (nor, I suspect, the manufacturers), but it kinda makes sense in the rural areas.

Journalist · 10-17-2008, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Back to the original post, heard today on the radio that more municipalities are allowing ATV's on the road. NHTSA not happy about it (nor, I suspect, the manufacturers), but it kinda makes sense in the rural areas.

Many of the towns doing this are small rural communities that connect with ORV trail systems. Several towns near the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System in West Virginia are good examples of this. Allowing ATV riders to ride short distances into town from the trail to buy gas and food and ride from the local campgrounds and hotels to the trail head has been a huge boost to local economies. I don't think ATVs will ever become a huge presence on America's roadways, so the powers that be can rest easy.
I have to admit, being an Airstreamer and an ATV enthusiast is really interesting in places like that. The vast majority of folks in campgrounds that cater to ATVs tend to fit in two categories, folks in tents and people camping in huge toy haulers. Most of them have never seen an AS in person. While setting up, I usually get a small group of other campers who can't resist walking over to get a closer look at my vintage AS. It's kind of fun watching someone who owns a shiny new 40' toy hauler stopping whatever he was doing to run over and check out a 39-year-old Airstream that would almost fit in the living room of his mobile castle. Of course, the looks from other Airstreamers when they see the quad in the back of the truck is almost as interesting: