Comments on: Wrestling with Bumps in the Road https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/ Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 21:52:27 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymous https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-648 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:25:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-648 steve:
another wonderful column and certainly thought inspiring. two weeks ago our local fire chief was buzzing around town on his harley and was hit by an 83 year old man who pulled out in front of him going the wrong way. it was one of those cases where you think, ‘he did everything right, was alert, but what can you do when a car pulls out in front of you going the wrong way?’ the fire chief survived but was busted up pretty good. will it stop me from riding? no, but it sure gives pause.
cheers
rsb-california

]]> By: Steve Williams https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-641 Sun, 17 Dec 2006 17:14:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-641 pitchertaker: As I’ve looked at the work you do photographically I have always been amazed at how well you see from a car. I’ve never been good at that. I certainly see better from the Vespa but so far that hasn’t translated into any new work.

Roadbum: Thanks for your kind words. Settling down has some far reaching rewards doesn’t it?

combatscoot: I think the reassessment process is a good thing. My big worry about it is that I will be faced with something I don’t want to face.

eldercattus: That seems to be common with riding and accidents. Maybe it gets into our head that the whole act of riding is unamanageably dangerous. That line of thinking delivers us from any personal responsibility or need to change our approach to things. I hope your wife changes her mind.

hrw115: Yossarian. Funny.

Jeff: When I started riding again 35 MPH seemed really fast. Over time the sense of speed loses it power, at least at scooter speeds, and you find yourself wishing you could go faster. And this is where many who start small move up to bigger scooters.

I’ve had to ask myself why I want to go faster and the answer most of the time is “because I can or want to”. Nothing about needing to go faster. Just desire.

Whenever I think of a bigger scooter I keep coming back to handling and simplicity. The bigger scooters handle well but not like the 150. The mass is different, the water cooled system is more complicated than the air cooled one, and it costs more money. So I choose smaller for now and accept that I can’t race home if I wanted to at 80MPH. I just have to be patient. But I still wish I had more power. Like I wish I could win the lottery, have a candy bar, and so many other things.

You need to decide what you will do when the desire for more speed and power comes along and you can’t have it riding on a 150. If you can rationalize acceptance for some reason you’ll be fine. If you can’t, then get the bigger scooter.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!

]]> By: Anonymous https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-640 Sun, 17 Dec 2006 14:25:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-640 Steve, wonder if I could ask your opinion a bit off the subject. I’ve decided to buy a Vespa for pleasure, sightseeing, and short errands. I’m a bit nervous about riding at highway speeds, and don’t plan to do long-distance, high-speed riding. I’m drawn to the 250GTS only for the comfort, power and stable ride. Besides the extra money, do you see a downside to the bigger 250GTS when really the 150LX is probably all I need? Ever wish you’d gotten the bigger scoot, or are you considering upgrading? I don’t want to buy the smaller scooter and then wish I had more power. Thanks for the great blog. I look forward to your pics and posts. You’ve turned me into a soon-to-be Vespa rider. Jeff

]]> By: hrw115 https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-639 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 23:31:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-639 Joseph Heller’s Catch 22 – you remind me of Yossarian.

]]> By: Eldercattus https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-638 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 23:22:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-638 I cn see where there may be a life-changing event happen. I ride a Burgman 650, and wanted my Dear Wife to ride as well, so she bought a Kymco B&W 250. DW, despite being a loving companion, simply CANNOT take advice from me that she doesn’t want to hear … and so, despite warnings, and the PA traffic manual, she just had to go off away from me on one of her first rides … and took a header over the handlebars when she caugh the scooter’s front wheel in some old trolley tracks. Nothing injured except for pride. But now, there are endless excuses why not to ride … I get to keep the machine turned over and running every clouple of weeks … it’s going in the shed for the winter … and I don’t think I’ll have a riding companion next year, if ever. I hope she changes her mind, but …

]]> By: Combatscoot https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-637 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:06:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-637 I’ve had to reassess the risks from time-to-time in my moto-experience. Heck, I’ve even quit riding a few times. However, something always brought me back to it. It’s just something that is a part of me. I minimize the risks as much as I can and just keep going.
John

]]> By: American Scooterist Blog https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-636 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:54:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-636 I came away with quite a bit from reading what you wrote in this one. Its a question that seems to reappear when we give ourselves the chance to settle down. I wonder what I’ll think about my life when I hit fifty?

You asked some excellent questions. I can see I’m going to come back and read this post to your blog again from time to time. Its what makes you a great writer.

Roadbum

]]> By: pitchertaker https://scooterinthesticks.com/2006/12/wrestling-with-bumps-in-road/#comment-635 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 15:08:00 +0000 http://69.195.124.229/~scootet3/?p=648#comment-635 Thinking of one’s venerability and mortality makes living just that much more fine — fine in every sense from the minutest to the larger than life moments we live each day. You ride for the same reasons I drive (I have little choice since my cameras are much bigger, ya’ know?)

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