Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

The Boalsburg Moto Hang

by 24 Comments

Jeff at the Boalsburg Moto HangOnly the roughest, toughest riders come to the Boalsburg Moto Hang.  Jeff, chief mechanic at the Boalsburg Car Company, epitomizes the eclectic persona evident at the event. This Wednesday the Moto Hang gathering at Ken’s Moto Shack & Lounge begins at 5:30 and will go till 7:30.  All riders are welcome regardless of what machine the wheels find themselves attached to.

If you’re in or around State College, Pennsylvania maybe you’ll want to take a ride.  This Google Map will show directions or plug the address below into your GPS:

203 East Main Street
Boalsburg, PA 16827

Ken’s Moto Shack and Lounge is behind that address — the corner of Academy Street and Rockeys Alley.

Motocycles at the Boalsburg Moto HangThe Moto Hang has a decidedly un-biker gang feel.  Lots of motorcycles but the rider’s interests and focus are broad with something for everyone from racers to adventurers to scooter riders.  The informal nature of the gathering along with the unexpected machines and people who show up make for some interesting conversations.

Paul Ruby with his "new" Traffic Unit CushmanDuring a recent Moto Hang, Paul Ruby showed up with his “new” Cushman scooter — a retired Traffic Unit vehicle used by Penn State’s Parking Enforcement Team.  Ruby picked it up at a salvage auction has has big plans for his latest scooter.  Weird thing — it’s titled as a truck.  Go figure.

Boalsburg Moto HangI wouldn’t mind owning a BMW airhead like this vintage example.  One of the cool things about the event is you have a chance to see a wide range of machines and get some first hand information about them.  For anyone thinking about riding, buying a new or used machine, or just has questions about motorcycles or scooters, this is a good place to be.

Vespa scooter riderCigar smoking scooter riders aren’t common but are part of the rider ecosystem of the Boalsburg Moto Hang.

Boalsburg Moto HangRiders come and go all evening.  Don’t feel bad if you can only stay a few minutes.  Just stop by and introduce yourself.  Ken Hull (center) is the founder of the event.  Make sure you say hello.

John at the Moto HangJohn suiting up in his spiffy Klim riding gear before departing.  With the long days upon us there is still time for a nice ride before dark AFTER the Moto Hang.

Dave Dix departing on his BMW motorcycleDave Dix rides off on his BMW adventure bike as the evening winds to a close.  On other evenings he arrived on a Honda scooter or Moto Guzzi (I think).  So whatever you’re riding (or not riding), stop by and say hello!

 

The Boalsburg Moto Hang

by 13 Comments

Kind of a “woe is me” state at the moment.  Tired, no energy, exhausted.  Hardly a surprise when the candle is burning at both ends and the middle. I knew it was bad this evening when Kim suggested I take a ride and I chose the car over the Vespa. Looking at a ponderous collection of text, images and stories I want to post creates a ponderous psychic weight of fatigue and sloth.  Finding solace in such times here I downloaded a video from my phone to provide a report from the last Boalsburg Moto Hang.  For those not familiar with the Moto Hang it’s a twice a month gathering of motorcycle and scooter riders.

The next Moto Hang is on Wednesday, August 20.  The rumor is that this one will be at a local airport where some of the pilot members might be taking people on airplane rides.  I wonder if any of them own a P-51 Mustang?

A Racer at Moto Hang

by 2 Comments

No, not this guy.  That’s Mike with his 2-stroke Yamaha cafe racer.  He’s a regular at the Piston and Pints gathering and tells me he’s working on another bike though the details escape me at the moment.

Before I go on, if you want high resolution files of these pictures you can download them from my Flickr site.

Every Moto Hang gathering seems to have some new aspect of motorcycling or riding in play from a member riding around the world to custom sidecar builds to this evening when a truck and a racing motorcycle appeared.

Here’s where I realized I should have taken notes to at least get some specifics on the motorcycle and rider.  I’m going to take a clumsy stab at both fully expecting to be corrected later by some of the more observant riders.

John Dershimer rolled his Suzuki motorcycle down the diamond plate ramp and gave a short course on some of the ins and outs of riding a motorcycle at high speeds on a race track.

The Vespa among the motorcycle rabble.  John Oppy’s Honda project bike (right) was cool.  Love those knobby tires.

Liked those knobbies enough to make a portrait — just one step away from including myself in a selfie…

Another view of the Vespa twinkling in the sunlight.  It’s my blog so I’ll post pictures of the scooter until I’m sated.

Someone asked (and I think I failed to answer) if they had to drink beer to be part of the Moto Hang — here’s photographic evidence that you don’t.  One out of three has a beer.  I drink bottled water heavily at the get togethers but not beer.  All are welcome.  Even trikes I think.

Meet Ken Hull.  He’s the founder of the Moto Hang and related riding and social activities.  He’s inviting anyone within riding distance of Boalsburg to join us on the first and third Wednesdays of every month from 5 p.m. until the last rider departs for home.

So mark your calendar and join the group — motorcycles of all kinds, scooters, hacks.  No one shown up with an electric motorcycle yet.  You can be the first!