CT (Connecticut) Soon To Be Rider
Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 7:53 am
Okay let me start by saying I don't own a scooter...YET! However, I am NOT new to riding for I owned in this order:
1. Honda Nighthawk (standard not crotch rocket) in 98 which was when I got my motorcycle license and first bike...obviously.
2. About a year later I upgrade to a Honda Sabre cruiser and heavy as well powerful bike. I did sell it about 2 years later due to having a child.
3. Over a decade later a friend talks me into going off-roading so I get a dual-sport Kawasaki and that was a BIG mistake. Besides the bike stalling all the time and starting when it wants to especially when it stalls on a mid-climb on a hill it had no traction and I went down so many times. The last time I fell off I was literally in mid-air and still don't know how, slammed my back against a tree, and slide down a hill upside-down. When I finally stopped and took a breath I said out-loud "F-THIS". Sold the bike the following season. But I didn't leave empty handed which brings me to #4.
4. Ducati Monster 1100. Honestly I think it was a mid-life crisis purchase much like my Subaru WRX which I traded in after having it for 9-months for I am a big guy and it was not the most comfortable thing to get into. Anyway, I had the Ducati about 2 years and came to accept that I spent more money on gas, insurance, registration, service and so on than the amount of times that I owned it.
Well that was a few years ago and haven't ridden anything since. Then at some point during that time-span my fiance showed me a movie "Larry Crowne" starring Tom Hanks. I had to say that put an idea in my head and I really liked the nostalgic look of a Vespa. But that was all it was, a thought.
So about a year later to the present time (Saturday 6/30/2018 to be exact) it hit me: I am going to get a scooter. The reason it took me so long to decide is once you go Ducati it's really hard to ride anything else especially a scooter. But I have to admit just riding on something to putz around, take long trips (riding and/or hauling) and go about 200 miles on 2 gallons of gas and on top of it costs less than 5k is VERY appealing. I don't see maintenance costing much, the taxes please I am sure will be pocket change, registration is not bad, and it's less of a death-trap IMHO; I ended doing some crazy stuff on that Ducati including doing wheelies by accident 2x's.
Well on Saturday and Sunday I went into research mode and really focused on the Vespa's. I really like the look but there is something that really concerns me, there was only 2 shops that sold and services Vespa's in the state of CT; now there is only one. Similar to the Ducati this is an issue for if that business closes I am s******.
So I did a search on the top Scooter brands and of course Vespa was on there but so many others. It wasn't till I saw the 2019 Honda PCX 150 that I immediately said to myself: THAT'S THE ONE!!!!
Don't need to test ride it, the decision is made, just need to pay off my debt and save it so I can pay cash for it and in comparison shouldn't take more than a year to do.
So in the meantime I am going to learn as much as I can about this thing and might learn it's not the best choice: who knows!
Sorry for the long post but I am known to be blunt, brutally honest, and to put it out there honest. I HATE PR and how bad it's gotten, so this resulted in being banned in a few forums, and suspended in others. I do try to respect the rules but things I get banned or suspended for I didn't realize it would be an issue. So I will respect this place and if I break a rule chances are that wasn't my intention.
Would love to ride with others, and really would like to take a back-road trip to Vermont and maybe stay overnight or two but have to bring the fiance other wise I will be in the dog house. She probably will just head up there in one of our Subarus. Yeah we have a thing for Subarus.
1. Honda Nighthawk (standard not crotch rocket) in 98 which was when I got my motorcycle license and first bike...obviously.
2. About a year later I upgrade to a Honda Sabre cruiser and heavy as well powerful bike. I did sell it about 2 years later due to having a child.
3. Over a decade later a friend talks me into going off-roading so I get a dual-sport Kawasaki and that was a BIG mistake. Besides the bike stalling all the time and starting when it wants to especially when it stalls on a mid-climb on a hill it had no traction and I went down so many times. The last time I fell off I was literally in mid-air and still don't know how, slammed my back against a tree, and slide down a hill upside-down. When I finally stopped and took a breath I said out-loud "F-THIS". Sold the bike the following season. But I didn't leave empty handed which brings me to #4.
4. Ducati Monster 1100. Honestly I think it was a mid-life crisis purchase much like my Subaru WRX which I traded in after having it for 9-months for I am a big guy and it was not the most comfortable thing to get into. Anyway, I had the Ducati about 2 years and came to accept that I spent more money on gas, insurance, registration, service and so on than the amount of times that I owned it.
Well that was a few years ago and haven't ridden anything since. Then at some point during that time-span my fiance showed me a movie "Larry Crowne" starring Tom Hanks. I had to say that put an idea in my head and I really liked the nostalgic look of a Vespa. But that was all it was, a thought.
So about a year later to the present time (Saturday 6/30/2018 to be exact) it hit me: I am going to get a scooter. The reason it took me so long to decide is once you go Ducati it's really hard to ride anything else especially a scooter. But I have to admit just riding on something to putz around, take long trips (riding and/or hauling) and go about 200 miles on 2 gallons of gas and on top of it costs less than 5k is VERY appealing. I don't see maintenance costing much, the taxes please I am sure will be pocket change, registration is not bad, and it's less of a death-trap IMHO; I ended doing some crazy stuff on that Ducati including doing wheelies by accident 2x's.
Well on Saturday and Sunday I went into research mode and really focused on the Vespa's. I really like the look but there is something that really concerns me, there was only 2 shops that sold and services Vespa's in the state of CT; now there is only one. Similar to the Ducati this is an issue for if that business closes I am s******.
So I did a search on the top Scooter brands and of course Vespa was on there but so many others. It wasn't till I saw the 2019 Honda PCX 150 that I immediately said to myself: THAT'S THE ONE!!!!
Don't need to test ride it, the decision is made, just need to pay off my debt and save it so I can pay cash for it and in comparison shouldn't take more than a year to do.
So in the meantime I am going to learn as much as I can about this thing and might learn it's not the best choice: who knows!
Sorry for the long post but I am known to be blunt, brutally honest, and to put it out there honest. I HATE PR and how bad it's gotten, so this resulted in being banned in a few forums, and suspended in others. I do try to respect the rules but things I get banned or suspended for I didn't realize it would be an issue. So I will respect this place and if I break a rule chances are that wasn't my intention.
Would love to ride with others, and really would like to take a back-road trip to Vermont and maybe stay overnight or two but have to bring the fiance other wise I will be in the dog house. She probably will just head up there in one of our Subarus. Yeah we have a thing for Subarus.
