The Love

Space sharing. Another unadvertised benefit to riding.

I titled this post 'the love,' but it isn't about romance or anything. It is more about the love you get when you give up the cage and get on two wheels. I enjoy writing the blog, but sometimes I wonder if there is a purpose to it. There are better writers with more interesting content out there. I keep a list of scooter/cycle related blogs I like over there on the left. Looking over what I've posted to date, I guess the bandwidth I suck out of the cybersphere is devoted to sharing the experience. I know when I was researching the possibility of getting on a motorcycle or a scooter, I did a lot of Googling and found a lot of blogs. Most of what I read, nearly all of it really, convinced me I was on the right path. Maybe someone out there is reading this right now, still sitting on the fence. Go ahead. Do it. Get on two wheels.

There seems to be something out there for almost any budget. And as bad a rap as the average American gets for going into debt, I'd have to say that financing a scooter is a pretty sound investment. Depending upon the size of your current daily driver, driving style, and commute conditions - the scooter is going to pay for itself in gas savings. Right around the two year mark, I should break even. ...but think about it. It may take two years, or three or four, for you to break even money-wise, but there are other profits to be had past mere money.

It's just fun. There are safety issues, of course, with riding as opposed to driving - and not everyone is blessed to live in a place they can ride 12 months a year without the hassle of inclement weather, but once you're past that it is just fun. Something about turning the throttle, and having that direct a connection to your conveyance - well, it puts a smile on my face every time. Mr. Lucky describes is as the difference between Dr. Moto and Mr. Hyde, i.e. the happy quotient to his personality seems directly proportional to whether he has ridden that day or not. I'd have to agree. You may get a few people on the road that don't welcome your presence, but the overwhelming number of people, in my experience, support you - even if it is just vicariously. It is one of those few life experiences that is both solitary and communal at the same time.

You see more of your world. Not as much as you would see on a bicycle, and even less than you would see if you walked everywhere - but riding is a great compromise between timeliness and completeness. You get where you are going in a reasonable amount of time and you see the world because you are in the environment. One thing I didn't really get before I started riding was the term 'cage' to describe cars and trucks. I get it now. If I were a dog, it would be the difference between sitting in a kennel in the backyard and getting let off the leash to run free. Either way, you're outside - but off the leash is a lot more fun. Arf Arf, indeed.

Day One (3+2+1+1+2=40)

2009 Vespa LX 150. Graphite Black.

I was on a business trip a few weeks ago. Lisa from Newport Beach Vespa called me as I was trying to board a plane at DFW, bound for Albuquerque. "We've got your Black S in," she told me. Well, the black S was my second choice. I really wanted the LX 150 in Graphite Black, but I figured I would go ahead and get the S. Pretty much the same scoot, and I'd save a few hundred. Right? I was still number two on the list for the LX. Fast forward a day and a half later. While waiting for the park/fly shuttle on the ground at LAX, I decide to give Lisa a call. She couldn't get hold of the first person on the list. If I wanted the LX, it was mine.

"Um. Yeah, I want it."

Of course, I didn't have my permit yet. I figured after taking the MSF course, I would just take the written portion of the test and get the license. Didn't imagine the scoot would arrive as quickly as it did. So, I wouldn't be able to drive it home. No worries - I could just load it in the pick-up (also a 150, an F-150). Eh. Now I needed a way to get it out of the pick-up once I got home. I went over the options. Buy a moto-ramp. Maybe a thick piece of wood? Then I found out Home Depot will rent you a ramp - 4 bucks for 4 hours. Or keep it 24 hours for 7. Not bad.

I actually stopped at the DMV in Laguna Hills, CA on the way home to take my written test. I guess 2PM on a Wednesday afternoon is the right time to visit the DMV. Three lines, two forms, one remittance, one photograph, two tests - about 40 minutes.