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How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:58 pm
by Walrus
I'm not saying I'm old, but on my last birthday when I tried to blow out the candles on my cake the heat drove me back. Here is my best friend and I riding an old early 1960's Sears Allstate scooter (made by Vespa I think). It belonged to my friends brother and we snatched it for a joy ride in the 60's whenever he wasn't around. The brother is responsible for the custom hand paint job. This was the first two wheeled motorized vehicle I ever rode approximately 50 years ago. I have been a scooter fan ever since. We both soon got our own small displacement bikes and with a few more friends our tiny gang was born. What got you started?
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:09 pm
by Jge64
Less than a month here.....but all my life with motorcycles....18 years with Honda , BMW & Kawasaki corporate. Retired now, and here everyone owns golf carts to get around , how boring!
Love the scoot, so much fun for neighborhood trips.....and faster than a golf cart!
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:19 pm
by you you
Walrus wrote:I'm not saying I'm old, but on my last birthday when I tried to blow out the candles on my cake the heat drove me back. Here is my best friend and I riding an old early 1960's Sears Allstate scooter (made by Vespa I think). It belonged to my friends brother and we snatched it for a joy ride in the 60's whenever he wasn't around. The brother is responsible for the custom hand paint job. This was the first two wheeled motorized vehicle I ever rode approximately 50 years ago. I have been a scooter fan ever since. We both soon got our own small displacement bikes and with a few more friends our tiny gang was born. What got you started?

I'll pinch the heat drove me back

Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:35 pm
by Mister Paul
I had a PX125 when I was at uni nearly 20 years ago (!). last year we had to giveu p a car so I got a Vision. I'll go back to a proper scoot one day, but for now just need reliability and simplicity.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:45 pm
by gn2
What got me interested was Victor Devine's bike showroom near my primary school, I remember looking at the gleaming new Nortons and Triumphs in the window.
I had bikes for years but always had a hankering for the practicality of a scooter.
My first scooter was a PCX and I bought it because I was bored with the bike I had and didn't ride it much.
Once I got a scooter I started riding more, it rekindled my enjoyment of riding.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:20 pm
by dergav
Originally back in 1966 when I had a Vespa 90..but of course moved onto a car in1970/71.. Came back 5 years ago when approaching retirement with a honda 125cc Swing..and 12 months ago the Forza..best move since retiring
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:26 pm
by you you
Walrus wrote:I'm not saying I'm old, but on my last birthday when I tried to blow out the candles on my cake the heat drove me back. Here is my best friend and I riding an old early 1960's Sears Allstate scooter (made by Vespa I think). It belonged to my friends brother and we snatched it for a joy ride in the 60's whenever he wasn't around. The brother is responsible for the custom hand paint job. This was the first two wheeled motorized vehicle I ever rode approximately 50 years ago. I have been a scooter fan ever since. We both soon got our own small displacement bikes and with a few more friends our tiny gang was born. What got you started?
Yep they were rebranded Vespas I'm sure, but I could be wrong. I used to read the American motorcycles mags and dreamt of Hodakas. Hope I got that right. Tiny two stoke bikes.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:31 pm
by you you
you you wrote:Walrus wrote:I'm not saying I'm old, but on my last birthday when I tried to blow out the candles on my cake the heat drove me back. Here is my best friend and I riding an old early 1960's Sears Allstate scooter (made by Vespa I think). It belonged to my friends brother and we snatched it for a joy ride in the 60's whenever he wasn't around. The brother is responsible for the custom hand paint job. This was the first two wheeled motorized vehicle I ever rode approximately 50 years ago. I have been a scooter fan ever since. We both soon got our own small displacement bikes and with a few more friends our tiny gang was born. What got you started?
Yep they were rebranded Vespas I'm sure, but I could be wrong. I used to read the American motorcycles mags and dreamt of Hodakas. Hope I got that right. Tiny two stoke bikes.
Bloody hell I've just googled Hodaka and nearly wet myself with excitement. Now I know why my first new bike was a Kawasaki ke175
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:28 am
by Oyabun
I still feel the mix of two stroke exhoust fumes and fog-rotten autumn leaves in my nose when my late father first brought me to kindergarten in '79. I was riding in front of him on the tank reaching out to the handlebars while riding his Verkhovina 50 moped.
I'm lost to motorized two wheelers since then, owning all kinds of motorcycles - however I only bought my first scooter a month ago in form of a fine PCX 125.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:55 am
by Kenno
I've always liked bikes and very nearly got a scooter when I was 17 - until I sat on a Peugeot Speedfight 100 and my girlfriend at the time laughed saying it was too small for me, so that put me off for a while!
My wife has always hated motorbikes saying they're too dangerous, so never considered getting one until I noticed that the price of a brand new PCX on finance was about the same as I was spending on tunnel fees alone (£1.70 each way for cars, free for bikes), and would save me loads on petrol and (more importantly) time. So, I got my PCX at the end of last year (at 34), and loved it so much I'm (hopefully) about to pass my full bike licence.
I'll still keep the scooter for commuting, but might buy a proper bike too if I can find the right one, ideally a very cheap and very well looked after Honda Hornet! I won't have time to ride much other than the commute so can't justify spending too much, and I'll still need to convince my wife anyway!
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:18 am
by Mel46
Scooter-wise I have only been riding for 3 or 4 years. However, motorcycle-wise, I have been riding since my first Harley in 1964-65 when I was 17-18 and in the military. Through all the years, I have owned all sorts of bikes. I have always been conservative in my riding, so I am still around, though many of my riding friends are not. I see riders on sport bikes doing all sorts of tricks on them and I know in my heart that if they continue riding like that they will be a statistic also. It looks cool, but in the end the video may be all that is left to remind others of them.
With that said, riding scooters has been the most fun I have had on bikes. My PCX 150 is nimble and just plain fun. My wife and I ride the back country roads and enjoy the view as well as the fresh air.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:04 pm
by DAB
Scooter, 2 years
Motorcycles, 41 years.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:57 pm
by mikecalderone
Scooting 10 years since I bought my 2005 Burgman 650. On two wheels Motorcycling since 1974

Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:09 pm
by you you
Kenno wrote:I've always liked bikes and very nearly got a scooter when I was 17 - until I sat on a Peugeot Speedfight 100 and my girlfriend at the time laughed saying it was too small for me, so that put me off for a while!
My wife has always hated motorbikes saying they're too dangerous, so never considered getting one until I noticed that the price of a brand new PCX on finance was about the same as I was spending on tunnel fees alone (£1.70 each way for cars, free for bikes), and would save me loads on petrol and (more importantly) time. So, I got my PCX at the end of last year (at 34), and loved it so much I'm (hopefully) about to pass my full bike licence.
I'll still keep the scooter for commuting, but might buy a proper bike too if I can find the right one, ideally a very cheap and very well looked after Honda Hornet! I won't have time to ride much other than the commute so can't justify spending too much, and I'll still need to convince my wife anyway!
Want to buy a factory fresh Peugeot Speedfight 2?
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:50 pm
by Kenno
Well, that girlfriend won't see me on it so it is an option! Didn't realise they kept on making them! Could never understand why they were making 100cc scooters instead of 125s.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:42 pm
by CelticCross
As a child, I wanted a motorcycle. But when I saw, and had an opportunity to ride, my college roommate's 60's era Allstate, I got hooked on scooters. Many years later, I finally purchased my first scooter - a Honda Met. In the last dozen years, I've had the pleasure of owning a number of scooters to meet real and perceived needs (Kymco People 150, Piaggio MP3, 2 different Vespas, and a Burgman 400). I've promised my wife that the Forza will be my last scooter.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:35 am
by Leafeh
About a month now.
Only started getting interested in bikes for about 2 years or so.
My first bike was a Honda Varadero 125, but the size and sheer weight of it scared the shit out of me.. being a relatively small guy. [18 y/o and about 5'9, 140lbs]
Also found myself taking a while to get used to the gears too.. I'm my worst critic in that sense, so I kinda gave up.. but I WILL be back to try again later in life.. there's plenty of time! :')
So I sold the Vara [For the same price I got it for.. RESULT!] and put down a deposit on a PCX. The rest is history!

Loving it so far.
Might go for my A2 Licence when I'm legally allowed to do so [19 in August.] - but for the time being I'm sticking with the PCX!
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:19 pm
by Walrus
I really love hearing these stories both young and old about how everyone got started with out two wheel passion! Reading and writing and reliving these accounts help rekindle and fuel our fire to ride. With me moving to a different ride keeps it interesting for me. I've tried out or just ridden a bunch of different bikes this year. What fun!
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:28 am
by Branyers14
I've always loved the smaller bikes. My first ride was a Honda C70 back in 1995. Held onto it for 18 years. Then I built a high performance CT70 from the ground up. Then an NSR50R, very fun little 6 speed. Followed by the PCX150, and now a Forza. The Forza is the largest bike I have ever owned. For fuel economy reasons, I do not see myself ever buying anything bigger.
Re: How long have you been scooting?
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:33 pm
by TonyM
In May 1962, I went to the local Honda dealer to buy a step through Honda 50. But when I got there I saw the Sport 50 which looked like a small motorcycle and had a shift lever and clutch lever like a motorcycle. So that's what I bought.
After many, many motorcycles, in 2005, I made the switch to scooters. My first scooter was a Silverwing. At times I'm tempted to buy a motorcycle but the seats are too high these days. Obviously, I'm still sticking to scooters - I bought a brand new Forza a little over a week ago.