First time 2-UP

The kids and I were having fun hanging out on this lazy Father's Day afternoon so I got the wild hair to take them for scooter rides. Now granted, I only have my learners and am not technically allowed to have passengers, but I only took them on my street (which is a culdesac and less than 1/10th of a mile in length). The Wife was not terribly thrilled with the idea, but after she saw how we were riding, she had no problem with it at all.

We had a great time! I don't have a motorcycle helmet to fit The Girl, so she wore her bicycle helmet. We never got above 10mph, so I figured it was ok. I took The Boy for a ride and he can wear my extra adult helmet with no problem. We toodled around the culdesac for about a half-hour with The Kids taking turns. The Kids were absolutely thrilled! Plus, it was good for me to get a feel for passengers in a safe environment.

The Wife didn't go for a ride with me today, but she said that she definitely would sometime. Yeah, come on! That will be fun.

Title....finally!

Lucia's former owner was finally able to get the title! They had to drive from Athens to the main tag office in Atlanta to get it taken care of because they kept sending the title to the wrong place. It's all signed and filled out with my new information. I'm going to the tag office tomorrow morning to get the tag and the title put in for transfer. Whew! Finally. Then I will be able to ride around legally. I've not had any issues with not having the tag on there, but it would only be a matter of time. After tomorrow, there shouldn't be any issues though.

I'm all signed up and confirmed for the MSF Beginning Riding Course on August 10th. From what he says, those classes fill up really quickly and they had had a cancellation for that date, so I guess I'm lucky to even get in then. I've got the course book and have been reading it. I just want to be as prepared as possible so that I can pass the course without any problems and get my license.

Counter-steering

What, you may ask, is counter-steering? That's what I asked myself as I was reading through a State Motorcycle manual when it breifly mentioned that pressing on the handlebar on the side of the direction you want to go is also known as 'counter-steering'. Well, that didn't make any sense to me. Push the handlebar on the side of the direction you want to go??? huh? What did that mean?

Did that mean that you pressed the handlebar toward the ground on the side of the direction you wanted to turn? That sort of made sense because maybe that would help start the lean. I tried it and it 'sort of' worked. I was still interested in this term 'counter-steering' so I decided to do some research.

Through lots of reading and many semi-scientific explainations, I had a good understanding of what it was but found it hard to believe. The basic idea was that if you are coming into a curve that goes to the right, you push the right side of the handlebars forward! That's right, you turn the handlebars to the left! How could this be? I want to turn right, so I turn the handlebars to the left?

I was a little dumbfounded, but because of the promise of effortless cornering, superior agility in emergency situation, and a real increase in the control of your bike, I was very anxious to try it. I got out on The Vespa and started down a long straight stretch of road. I figured I would try it out on a straight road before trying to turn the wrong way in a curve. So I'm going straight and gently but deliberately pushed my right hand forward on the handlebars. WHAT THE HECK?!?! The vespa immediately pivoted on it's center of gravity and started angling to THE RIGHT!

I couldn't belive it. That went against all logic. Well, I decided since that worked, I would put it to the test in a corner I ride through every day. I approached the corner at a slower pace than normal, and when the curve went to the right, I gently turned the handlebars to the left. As if by magic, my vespa fell into the most perfect lean to the right for going through the curve. I rolled on the throttle and shot out the other end! PERFECT! I couldn't believe it.

I had to stop and raise my faceshield and regroup for a second. I had had an epiphany! I felt like I had just learned that I could fly! This was the single most important thing I had learned thus far in my journey to be a 2-wheeler. I proceeded to ride for another half-hour or so trying to find as many curves as I could. I was able to go through all of my familiar curves faster and with more control than I ever had.

Well, I'm sold. I still have a lot of practicing to do to make 'counter-steering' second nature, but it absolutely works! There is alot of explaination on counter-steering that quotes scientific reasons such as Gyroscopic Precession and centrifugal forces, etc., but this is how I sum it up myself in very non-scientific from my brief experience. When you perform counter-steering, what it essentially feels like is that you are steering the bike out from under you in a controlled manner which makes it fall into the lean that is appropriate for the curve, lane change, or evasive manuver you are performing. Another interesting feeling you get when doing this maneuver is that the bike's line of travel is tied to it's center of gravity, not to where the tires touch the pavement. You can feel the tires pivot one way, your body pivot the other, but the path of motion is somewhere in the center of the bike, where the center of gravity is.

Anyway, this is not a very good explaination of how to do it, nor of why it works, but it is just my tale of experiencing it for the first time. Also, I know you experienced riders have known about this and been doing it for years and are thinking "what's the big deal?", but it was a beautiful thing for me to learn this. Below are some links that help explain it more thoroughly and scientifically.

• Counter-Steering
• How Counter-Steering Works
• Counter-Steering
• Motorcycle Riders who Zig
• Counter-Steering: Push Steering the Easy Way
• Counter-Steering - Question & Answer
• Countersteering at WikiPedia (Lots more links here)

Patiently waiting

In retrospect, this was probably not the best decision, but when I bought Lucia, the previous owner did not have title in hand, but did have a notorized Lien Satisfaction affadavit from his loan company and he told me that he had done the request for title and should be getting the title in two weeks. Well, next Tuesday will be three weeks. I spoke with him last Tuesday and he said that he had called about the title and they said that it had been sent, but it had been nearly a week and hadn't received it.

I'm really not worried as the guy I bought the scooter from seems a very decent guy and I don't think he is trying to pull anything, but it is a bit inconvenient. I have the scooter insured, I have my learners permit, I just can't get a legal tag until I get the title...ugh. Anyone know of a way to get a legal tag without the title in Georgia?

Had a nice 20 mile ride today (all within my neighborhood) to keep up with my practice, but I'm wanting to get out on more main streets and am hesitant without the tag. Well, gotta go to Palmetto and play bluegrass music for a wedding.

Working out the details

I got signed up for the MSF Beginning Riders Course today at Earl Small's Rider's Edge. Everything I've read say's you really really REALLY need to take the MSF course. It's one of those courses where you learn the things that you didn't even know that you needed to know. Apparently their classes fill up pretty well in advance so I'm just hoping to get in in June sometime.

On another note, I'm still waiting to get the title for the scooter because I can't get a tag without it. Without a tag, I have to really limit my riding to within my neighborhood... not that I should be riding much further without more experience.

When I got home from work earlier I happened to notice the cool reflection in the chrome cap in the engine of my vespa and decided to take a picture of it... Like it? 

Baby Steps

Another day, a little more confidence a little longer ride. This morning I rode a little over 13 miles. I went through most of the neighborhood streets in my area. Good practice stopping, signaling, turning, etc. Plenty of curves, dips and manhole covers to keep you on your toes in a fairly controlled environment. It's amazing how much differently you view things on a scooter than in a car. I was noticing the shape of the road that I had never seen in places that I have driven over every day for the last 3 years.

Maybe I'll get a chance to take her out this evening again.

First Rides

After getting my learners permit yesterday, I took Lucia for a ride last night and just got back from another ride this morning. I have a great neighborhood for learning to ride. There are lots of curves and hills, the speed limit doesn't get above 45mph (mostly under 35) and there are very few cars.

The hardest thing I am finding to get used to is remembering to turn the blinker off! I'm starting to get more comfortable leaning into curves and starting from a stop on an incline. But overall things have been easy and fun!

I've got an open face classic style helmet and and full face helmet. This morning I rode for the first time with the full-face helmet. It's a cool spring morning and the full-face is definitely nice. Lots less wind noise, no watery eyes, just more comfortable overall.

Yeah, I'm legal!

Ok, now I can leagally drive my italian sweetheart! I got my motorcycle learners permit this morning and got my insurance all set up. I guess now I can burn up the hot metropolis of Smyrna. . . Look out!

You know, the DMV is a great place to look at a cross-section of life in your area. If they had a coffee shop there, it might be my new hang-out. I was behind an immigrant who was trying to pass off a tax id number as a social. The DMV worker looked at the person as if she had seen this attempt 1000 times.

I'm 5'11" and was behind an african-american woman who was probably 4 inches taller than me and out weighed me by about 100 pounds. She had on biker boots, skin-tight jeans, a see-through top and spiked out hair that was hot pink. I think that might be a good look for me. . .hummm. . .

New Scooter

I'm a little behind so this post may be a bit long. I wanted to start this blog before I bought my scooter so I could chronical the decision making process. But alas. . . The best laid plans. . .

Well, I did it. After three years of waiting and wanting, I finally got my first scooter. During that time, I think I nearly drove The Boss (aka The Wife) crazy.

I have read practically everything available online about practically every possible type of scooter and had come down to deciding between two: A Dragon Red Vespa GTS 250 and a Tangerine Orange Stella.

The GTS was just absolutely beautiful - Classic lines, powerful engine, grabbing color, modern performance. What an absolutely perfect bike. But OUCH! Coming in at just under $6K was a bit burdensome on the wallet.

On the other hand, the Stella was smaller (149cc 2-stroke), was totally vintage in nature and I just loved the Tangerine Orange. Plus the bike came in MUCH cheaper at around $3K. This seemed like just the bike for me as I loved the vintage flair.

Well, as I had just about made up my mind on the Stella, a slightly used Excalibur Gray 2005 Vespa GT 200L came up for sale on Craig's List. From the pictures, the bike looked absolutely perfect and the owner was only asking $3800 for it.

My mind had already started trying to get comfortable with the idea of the Stella! So, I went over to Stella Speed to see if those Stella-heads had any opinion about this. After telling them about my 6 mile commute with about 80% being on a non-divided 55 mph 4-lane, they suggested that I go with the GT as the stella really tops out around 50-55 mph and the Vespa will do 70+ pretty easily, plus the Vespa was such a great deal.

So I called the owner about the Vespa and after he had gotten his title details straightened out I drove over to Athens to take a look at it. Sure enough, it was perfect. Not a scratch, dent, ding, or blemish. Plus, the owner was throwing in two helmets and a shop manual. I bought her on the spot and you can see a little snapshot of her above (her name is Lucia).

To be honest, I've been a bit scared of the scooter. I've never ridden a scooter or a motorcycle. Well, yesterday morning I was backing her out of the garage so that I could get my car out to go to work and spontaneously decided to coast down the drive way. I got to the culdesac, turned around, started her up and gingerly rode back up the drive. That wasn't so hard! Well, The Boss was standing in the garage and she immediately reprimanded me sharply for riding down the drive without a helmet and "what kind of example is that setting for The Kids." Ok. Fair enough. Point taken.

Well, last night I got home from work, had supper, then went out and pulled the scooter out of the garage (this time geared up with a helmet). As the scooter doesn't have a license plate yet and I don't even have a learner's permit yet, I limited my roamings to the culdesac and the 1/10 mile of street I live on. The Kids are both so excited about the scooter and went out into the yard by the street (in their jammies) to watch me practice riding and made a game of running up and down the length of the yard as I went past. The Wife was out sweeping the driveway and hanging the curtains she had washed in the garage.

Looking back at the situation from the outside, we must look like the neighborhood crazies. The Wife was in her pajamas sweeping the driveway and hanging curtains. The Boy was in his t-shirt and boxers running through the yard laughing and playing, The Girl was in pink pajamas rolling in the grass, and I was doodling up and down the short street and around the culdesac on a scooter for about 45 minutes.

Even just that little bit of low-speed riding was SO fun. It really is exciting! I think I am going to go get my learners permit and see if I can get a tag for her today. Then I will be legal and I can take her a little further in the neighborhood (not going to brave the bigger streets yet).