Category: Scooter

Articles about my scooter and scooters in general.

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Two Wheel Upgrade

After the last couple of rides with the Fat Bastards Tourers, it was obvious that if I wanted to ride with them more regularly I needed to upgrade my transport to something more than 250cc.  My Honda Forza scooter has been the picture or reliability and practicality, taking me to and from work every day no matter what the weather.  Over it’s 36,000 odd Km’s I have had only one part failure and that was the Stator in the charging circuit.

Over the last month or so I have been looking for a tourer or sport tourer motorcycle without and insanely large motor, something under 1000cc.  So I tried the Honda DeVille, and found the ergonomics all wrong and I had sore wrists even after 30mins.  The Suzuki VStrom was just a little tall but otherwise good.  The Suzuki Bandit (1250cc) was a great bike ergonomically, however that motor was just WAY TOO much for me, also the luggage options were just to optional looking.

So after riding a 2nd hand Triumph Sprint ST 955i with 40,000km on the clock, I loved the ergonomics and that motor!  The 995i has more than enough power and torque (88 kw and 100Nm) but it is really manageable, the power comes on steady and strong very predictable and controllable.  So I spent some time looking for a good 2nd hand one with the hard luggage option.  After looking around I found a good one about 300km away, a low k (6,400) 2004 model with the soft luggage at a price I couldn’t pass up.  I am aware I will have to sort out the luggage as the soft panniers are not quite shaped right for my trip to work but with the money I have saved I can sort it out when I sell the scooter.

I picked up the Triumph yesterday and rode it home.  For the hour and a half I was riding down the range in the rain and fog… wonderful introduction to the bike.  The rest of the trip was fine, however the road was wet and the police were out in force on the long weekend.  The bike is home now and needs a bath.

Triumph Sprint ST 955i

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Difference between Car and Motorcycle Repair shops

My little scooter went in for its 30,000Km service early this week.  New tires were also required so I had a set of Michelins fitted at the same time.  Since I purchased the bike from this shop I automatically get a loan bike.

Now when I put my car in for a service I get a loan car.  This car is normally the oldest, smallest and cheapest car they have access to, they see the service as an expense to them.  However when it comes to the loaner bike the guy asks if I have a full licence with no restrictions before handing over the keys to a Kawasaki Vulcan Classic, 900cc VTwin Cruiser.  Vlucan

Admittedly not the most expensive bike on the lot, but far from the cheapest.  Now as you know this is probably the kind of bike that is least like my scoot.  Great to ride for two days (had to wait for brake pads for the scoot) but not my cup of tea.

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New GPR Muffler

I purchased a new muffler for my Forza last week and fitted it yesterday. The G.P.R muffler is made in Italy and imported into Australia by GPS imports and sold for the very reasonable price of $499 (AU). The recommended this muffler over the Giannelli and leo vince systems, providing better sound and performance than both.

The first thing I noticed was how light it was compared to the stock, unfortunately without large enough scales I can only estimate the difference to be about 3KG’s (approx 7 pounds). The second thing I saw was the fact I could see straight through it.

Fitting was painless if a little fiddley. It’s shape and size means it’s outer edge is closer to the bike and fully under the body work. However it is a little longer and protrudes just past the back wheel. The sound is much “nicer” than the standard, however those not doing the K-Mode due to noise definitely should not get this muffler.

Riding the scooter afterwards (I did a 90Km trip suburb, freeway and backroads) the most noticeable difference came from the reduced weight.  Since the muffler is part of the unsprung weight, the reduction has
made the Forza more stable during cornering. If I hit a bump now during a corner the rear dampers can now settle the bike MUCH faster. The next thing was the improvement in holding speed up hills while going 100km/h or higher (indicated), this is a real blessing for me around Canberra.

New Muffler

New Muffler

Have a look at more photos my photos of the scooter

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Front Plates

Road authorities in Australia are contemplating the introduction of front number plates on motorcycles and scooters.   They estimate the cost to introduce will be approx $70.6 million over 10 years, $10 million of that in an Education campaign.

Ok so what is the pressing reason for front number plates?  Why do we need to align ourselves with India and Singapore (the only other two nations in the world that enforce this)?

Well apparently to save lives.   The logic goes that if motorcyclists thought they were more likely to be caught for speeding due the the fact front facing speed cameras could “catch” them, they would then slow down and less would die.  Based on figures in Queensland where 17,000 Vehicles in one year could not be fined due to inadequate or lacking number plates.  Out of that number only 2,553 were motorcycles, that’s right approx  15%.  So it seems this would not be a large impact on the riding community, considering that the majority of these would be repeat offenders, the same people going to same route to and from work every day.  It could be as few as 10 people caught everyday.  (I don’t think it is only ten guys but it just shows how low the figures are.)

Many accident studies around the world have shown that it is not excessive speed itself that causes the majority of motorcycle accidents but poor road conditions.  1 in 5 single vehicle motorcycle accidents are due to things like potholes, loose gravel and oil spills are the responsible cause of motorcycle accidents, and roadside objects that cause most deaths.   87% of all motocycle accidents occur on Urban roads and 61% involve another vehicle.  61% of the time the other vehicle is to blame for the accident.

Based on the figures above I would prefer the $70 millions dollars to be spent on bad road conditions and driver education.  That would save more lives and target the problem areas.

Information in this post was from TwoWheels magazine and the Motorcycle Council of NSW

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Back on the Road

Today is a great day.  I got my scooter back today after 2 and a half months at the shop… yep 2.5 months.  The guy’s finally got the Stator back from the reconditioner in Melbourne and fitted it.

I got to ride it home today and seems ok (if a little dusty from the time in their shed).

So no more buses, no more lifts home it is all good.

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Upcoming Ride

I have decided to join the Snowy Ride this year. Before you all say, yes I know I have a scooter, yes I know I will have to ride it up the biggest mountains in Australia.

However I am sure me and my Honda Forza will be able to handle it well. I will update date you with my preparations as the ride gets closer.

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Getting Cold

Well over the last 2 weeks it has been getting very cold in Canberra in the mornings.

Every morning has been below zero degrees Celsius and we have had a minimum of -4 one morning. You all might be wondering if I still think the scooter was a good idea.

Well I am still riding, still enjoying it and still not frozen solid. Actually as yet I have not had to put on my winter pants or my winter liner in the Jacket. I am wearing the rain liner to block the wind and a jumper under that, with the winter gloves and a neck warmer I am doing fine.

Nearly 11,000Kms on the scooter now and no problems at all.

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Passed!!

Ok today I did the test to get my Provisional Motorcycle License and as you guessed I have passed!

So I have 6 months on my P’s plates and 12 months to a fully open license.

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Photographic Prize

I just got a real nice email today from the Honda Riders Club of Australia. I put the photo below into a competition and it seems I have been selected as a sub category winner!

I am still in the running for the major prize that they will draw at the end of the year.

— from Splinter – (?)

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Drivers as a reflection of our society

I know by the end of this post I am going to sound like an old man talking about the good old days, but you know what I don’t care!

Now my scooter keeps up with the traffic (top speed over 120Km/h most limits in Australia peak at 100Km/h), the only people I “slow down” are the ones that want to travel well over the speed limit and then I will always be in the slower lane. However I tend to leave a good three second gap in front of me as stopping distance.

Today on the way to work on my scooter I experienced the most stupid dangerous piece of driving I have seen in a long time. I was undertaken (passed on the left hand side, remember we drive on the left here) while trying to negotiate a left hand sweeping turn onto a on-ramp. The road was wet from last nights rain and I was taking the corner a little easier than normal and was off to the right to give myself room as I turn into the apex on the left. Just as I start to turn in a large family sedan appears on my left hand side. Now this is a single lane on-ramp, the car had two wheels on the verge (actually a bicycle lane) and the other two in the lane. Luckily I had given myself enough room that I did not run into the side of the car (turn in) or end up across a traffic island (not enough turn) so I did survive to swear loudly at the person. It was also lucky that she did not slide out on the corner due to the wet greasy conditions and take me and my scooter out because I had nowhere to go to avoid that.

Now do you know what advantage this person got from this extremely risking driving maneuver? Well it was five car spots… behind me! Just after passing me the person pushed into the right lane (nearly collecting a small compact car, obviously did not mater car or bike), I stayed in the left and in the stop-go traffic I was taken ahead of them quite a way.

So this person risked MY life and limb (I was traveling about 65Km/h) on there drive to work to hopefully save themselves what 20 seconds at most. Even then due to the traffic that time was lost. Now this was not some 19 year old “lead foot”, this was a “lady” in her 40’s driving to work for the day.

This is not a comment on old/young, male/female drivers but more a comment in general.

When did we as individuals stop thinking about the effects our actions have on other people?

This in most graphically shown on our roads, behind the anonymity of our vehicles we are impatient, aggressive and dangerous.

  • People a buying cars that protect themselves to the detriment of the environment and other road users (yes SUV owners).
  • People fit devices on the front of the car to reduce repair costs after small accidents, these same devices are shown to kill pedestrians much more effectively and at lower speeds than a car without a “Bull-Bar” or “Nudge-Bar”.
  • Drivers will double park, use disabled parks or parent parks just to save 20 meters extra walk to the shop.
  • Parents the stop next to and sometimes across a school crossing because they don’t have the time to find a park and walk in with the kids.

What happened to the days when people would:

  • smile and wait for the old lady to cross the road
  • give the learner driver just a little more room
  • let the lady with the kids in the back have the park that you “spotted first”

OK so call me the old man pining for the good old days. To be honest I think the world is full of individuals now and because of that I am unsure how a society can survive.

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New Scooter

Ok got my scooter today and have ridden it around a bit. Man this is fun. 🙂

BUT boy do I have to keep an eye out for other road users.

Zoom

Seriously Happy

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Rider Training

Down in the ACT we have to learn how to ride a motor bike before they give us a license. Not a bad idea at all.

So today I spent half the day at rider training and tomorrow I will do the same. Good news, I didn’t fall off. Bad news, didn’t to too well with the gears.

Doug and Pete are good instructors that know what they are doing, have a lot of experience and are generally nice guys.

Tomorrow we get to go out on the road.

Update: Well I have passed, tomorrow I get my learners and a 250cc scooter. Wish me luck!