Here's to 2013...

Yes, I'm still around and Yes I still scoot....and Yes, Blue Thunder is still scooting and a riding! 2013 will mark my 4th year of scootering. I'm learning alot about two wheels, saving money, and even about myself. So stay tuned...more to come here in 2013!

The Ride and the Lay Down

Today was a first of firsts. I planned to take a weekend and ride down to Houston from Dallas and today was it! I checked Blue Thunder(BT) over, prepped the gear, mounted the Garmin and gassed up.

I left Dallas around 7am-it was sunny, 34 degrees(cold wind) and as clear as could be. Of course, I started off unsure if I would REALLY be able to make the ride, but the only way to find out was to make it. As I rode southbound on 45, the weather started warming up to a nice 68. Riding on the freeway going about 70, meeting other two-wheelers on the road was a great experience. By the time I hit Houston, I was pumped and felt quite accomplished in my two-wheel journey.

I took a ride down to Galveston with my Aunt and Uncle who have been my two-wheel mentors. They rode to Galveston with my Jerry once and I always hoped to have joined them. Well, they asked if I wanted to go and I was ecstatic! They ride a 3-wheel Cheetah trike that is amazing.

Galveston was a great ride until......

I was heading west at 5pm, sun in the eyes and unknowingly, about to hit a bow-up in the road. Yup, my first lay down going about 40-45 mph. Yes, I was in full gear with a full helmet on. I was able to stand up, walk, and get on Blue Thunder for the ride back to League City. BT was tore up on the right side pretty bad, but she was rideable. I was sore but determined. My Aunt and Uncle took great care of me and my wounds and tok me and BT back to Dallas in their pickup truck.

Progressive Insurance was amazing in how they took care of BT and even gave me a check for my gear AND for the iPhone that was mounted as my GPS. BTW, the Garmin really sucked and never was able to calculate a route from Dallas to Houston, so I may retire it and use some other accessory for that Ram Mount. However, the TomTom iPhone app did a great job!

The major lesson here is...never compromise and ride without ALL the gear. It may be tempting when it's sunny, 70, and on the beach(like other harley riders were doing). I'm convinced had I compromised, the outcome would have been severely different.

BT should be ready soon and I look forward to some good miles ahead.

2009 Scootering in Review...

Wow, 2009 was quite a ride both on and off the two-wheels.

I started looking for scooter in mid-2008 with the intention of moving up to a motorcycle someday. So I started off with a low-cost Chinese Scooter (Big Red) just to see if it was a good fit for me. Taking the MSF was a smart move and 3 months later, is now required in TX to get the M class on your license.

Mishi Powersports was a great first experience for me in purchasing Big Red. I went with the 250cc and really had no idea what I was doing, but Suneel is a great help and I recommend Mishi for a first scooter buying experience. Big Red got some accessories and I started to ride to work daily. Funny thing is, in Dallas, you don't ever enjoy the drive to work or the store or downtown...but on Big Red, I did. The Faith Riders had a small ride from Wylie to Plano for breakfast one Saturday and I felt honored that a 250cc scoot guy was welcome to ride with the Harley's and the Yamaha's. Sense of community. My uncle and aunt were very supportive along with my wife. That started weekend adventures riding around Wylie, North Dallas, and finally the big ride around downtown...at least that was big to me at the time. Accomplished my goal of knowing it was a good fit and enjoying it. Even put a ride together of meroplex riders to a great lunch at Babe's in Roanoke, TX. This was just the beginning simply 3 months after the initial mount-up. :)

As a rewind, I lost my brother Jerry on 7/1/2007 while he was riding his motorcycle. Never wanted to ride one and got to the point of despising them. The light bulb came on and part of my healing in the loss was to start riding and find that connection to him and why he enjoyed it.

In October, Kelli took Big Red for a spin and told me to get another scooter...she was keeping Big Red. So, I acquired Blue Thunder (2007 Suzuki Burgman 400) which notched up my cc's a bit but kept me on a scooter, albeit a maxi-scooter.

The weekend after getting Blue Thunder, Kelli took her MSF and got her "M" class. Now we take weekends to scoot around town and even to a ride to Mexia to visit friends. That was a monumental day for us...2 hours each way! It's such a bonding thing for us to fire them up early in the morning on a Saturday and hit the road...to wherever we want to go.

The most scenic ride was to Tioga and riding over Lake Ray Roberts Dam. All water on the right, all farmland on the left...and enjoying Clark's BBQ. That was a fun ride day to repeat!

A pet project we are currently working up is Scamping. Packing what will fit on the two scooters and hit the road to camp for the weekend. The first time we tried, it had rained most of the week, so we camped in the back yard. Next time, it will be at a campground!

In closing out 2009, scootering has been incredible therapy for me. I enjoy it as I ride home from work or along country roads to bridges and at times, being able to experience something my brother loved to do. I enjoy it with Kelli because it is OUR time together and we're still young enough to enjoy it. With the Burgman 400, I don't see any need or reason to go to a motorcycle. I enjoy the CVT auto-transmission and how well it rides...so I'm set.

Thanks to 2009 and here's to a great 2010!

Ride Safe, Y'all!

Winterizing

One thing I'm learning for SURE is how to trial and error when it comes to scootering. What works REALLY well for one rider may not be a great fit for another one. That's the case with winterizing, or for layman's terms, getting ready to RIDE in the December-March time frame.

One important piece of clothing that all riders will agree on is the gloves. It's difficult to keep control of the machine if your hands are too cold to keep holding, twisting, and braking. I experienced that on Friday night when the temp got down to 29 degrees and I wanted to take a short ride around the neighborhood and see the lights. A 5 minute ride and my fingers were frozen. So, I got new gloves today and hope they do the trick.

Not much to report, but wanted to keep the blog active.

Scampout Rescheduled

Well......

Due to the all-day rain on Friday, we decided to re-schedule the scampout for another time. Hoping to re-set for January. What stinks is they charged me a $10 cancellation fee along with one day's camp fee.

Since we have the bug to camp, we set up in our own backyard just to test everything out. The low tonite is 45, so I hope those mummy bags will keep us warm out there.

Planning the perfect scampout

In looking for the next great adventure, I began to read about two-wheel camping when my friend Phil mentioned it on the Tiogo ride. Basically, you go camping and can only take what will fit on the two-wheeler. Lucky for the wife & I, we both have two-wheels.

It's been fun looking for just the right gear. Gear that will do the job while being compact and able to fit on the scoot. Amazon.com and Academy have come through with a backpacking tent, stove, lanterns, etc, etc. The wealth of information on the net has been quite valuable.

For a first, we bought some freeze-dried meals and I tried the BackPackers Pantry Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. Wow, it was yummy. Needed some salt and pepper and it was good. Easy enough to make and saves room in the packing.

Kelli and I are excited. Our first weekend adventure camping out. We picked a spot off of Lake Lewisville that just far enough to be out, yet close enough in case we forgot something. Never can be too sure, ya know?

So, I will report back once we complete our scampout journey.

Ride Safe!

Ride out in the country. Destination:Tioga

Today was a great day for a ride out. Been looking to group some riders up at work, so I finally got a taker!

The Destination was Clark's Outpost BBQ in Tioga, TX and the ride there was a maze of curvy winding roads through some small towns (Weston, Celina, Pilot Point). At a few points on the road, I could hear my MSF instructor-Sonny Burns- reminding me how to take the curves, don't look down, and keep yer speed up, etc.

It has so far been the best ride for scenery....old First Baptist Churches, stone farmhouses, tractors plowing the fields, the smell of grass or animals, and the feeling of enjoying the wind and the freedom. A momentous occasion was riding over Lake Ray Roberts Dam road. One side is lush farm land with livestock grazing while the other side is a big lake with boats and fisherman...all divided by a slim wall with a road on top.

The BBQ was fantastic. Clark's Outpost BBQ is a face among two-wheelers as I soon heard them all pulling up for some good eating.

Overall, this ride is a do-again ride! Next time I'll take pics.

Best MPG so far! 67 mpg...

This is a short post, but monumental.

After the round-trip to Mexia, I put 193 miles on the tank and netted a 66.7 (rounded up of course) MPG.

I've been noticing the mpg's dropping the past few fill-ups and understand that's due to winter-mix gas. Glad to see them coming back up with the slightly warming trend here in DFW.

Ride Safe!

The FIRST road trip to Mexia (Meh-Hay-uh)

Our first out of town ride finally became a reality on this beautiful Sunday 11/1/09...Sunny, cool(68-High), and all the greenery on those country roads.

We started out the morning at 6am and headed out at sunrise. Now I know the importance of knowing when sunrise is cuz that's when we can hit the road. LOL!

Headed from Wylie into Rockwall for some iHop breakfast. Yummy EggNogg and Pumpkin Pancakes-good energy for the road. As we left, the Garmin Nuvi gave up it's battery life, so we stopped at WalMart in Terrell for a replacement. My first opportunity for an on-the-road scooter update since I needed to run the DC outlet from the battery to the dashboard to plug in the charger for the Garmin that's affixed to my mirror stem. VERY valuable to have a tool bag under the seat.

Headed off on the backroads journey of 2.5 hours of beautiful greenery, lakes, small towns and all the produce stands, honey, and fresh pecans sold along the way. Was so enthralled, we forgot to take pics.

We finally got into Mexia at noon and enjoyed 3 hours of visiting with dear friends. Since I'm tracking the time for sundown, we left at 3pm to be back into Wylie by 5. So we took the 45 North main highway back....a first for Kelli. While it spooked her a bit with the wind and the big trucks, she persevered without any prompting from me.

So at 5:10, we drive back into the garage with smiles and a high five for a first successful road trip.

More to come....

Riding in the Rain

Today was the first day I actually planned to ride in the rain....to work. For the Burgman to be primary transportation, I need to learn to ride in all weather conditions...with ice being the exception.

I geared up in the Frogg Togg, full cover gloves and the helmet(which is ALWAYS worn regardless) and headed from Wylie into Plano. Being extremely mindful of the traffic in front of me and the traffic lights in the distance, I have to say that it was a fun ride in. No incidents or road issues and I arrived bone-dry thanks to the rain gear.

It rained all day today and was still raining when I left work, so I got to enjoy the ride home in the rain. I took a different route home that is lesser traffic(driving defensively) and stayed mindful of the 2 and 12 second rule. No speeding and keeping my distance. Drive like I was invisible. Once again, the MSF class proved its valuability.

So, I consider today a milestone in my two-wheel journey as rain is now an acceptable riding condition.

Ride Safe!

Our first day out!

Kelli got her MSF class done and the M-class added to her license, SO, it was time to take the first ride. The first couple of hours was in and around the neighborhood perfecting turns, stops, and remembering to turn off the turn signals. :)

MPG and MSF

I filled up Blue Thunder (that's the nickname of the Burgman-it lives up to that title) today and the dash gauge has me at 57 mpg, but the real numbers of 177.3 miles on 2.816 miles gives me 63 MPG. That's pretty impressive given Big Red has been averaging between 55-60 lately. 150cc more power for better mileage? God bless fuel injection!

Today, Kelli is taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class and will complete it tomorrow. I'm so excited that we'll get to ride around town together. Big Red is perfect for her since I've tuned it and tweaked it alot. Now I need to start looking at who is going to paint Big Red to turn her into PINKY.

Good weekend to have the cruds..it's cold outside and the fireplace is comfy!

Weekend of Cruising around......

The Suzuki Burgman 400 has been ridden ALOT this weekend.

Once we got home on Saturday, we geared up and hit the roads around Wylie...Kelli and I on the scooter and it handled the 2UP without a hitch or hiccup. The rain ended that ride. Sure wanted to see how the headlights looked, but it rained all night.

Sunday afternoon, we take a leisurely 2UP ride along 78 North into Farmersville and looped back around to Wylie. Again, the rain and cold shortened the ride.

Sunday night, I finally get to test the night lights and all I can say is WOW. Those headlights illuminate the road with some powerful halogen power. No need to worry about being able to see and see well.

Enjoyed the 2UPs with Kelli. She's having a blast and ready to get her learner permit. Once that happens, we get to ride scooters together.

Ride Safe!

I upgraded today!

I took the Kelli out for a ride on Big Red last Sunday(first time as a passenger) and let her ride it around...and little did I know that she would go ga-ga and really want to get Scootin!

After some chat, we decided that she would take Big Red...turn her into "Pinky", and I would consider the step up since I actually ride daily for commuting and pleasure. She wants to ride just for the occasional trip.

So, we went to Plano Kawasaki/Suzuki and picked up a 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400. It was a great deal, got to add 3 years of warranty, free helmet(a really nice one too!), and Kelli got some pink gear. Once I test rode the Burgman, it was definitely raising the bar-smooth ride, the handles and control feel smoother to the touch, and the brakes are more fluid versus jerky AND it gets around 60mpg and has no problem getting up to speed on the interstate.

So, I sense some longer rides in my near future! Still figuring out a nickname, but I'm really blessed that Kelli is so supportive and wanting to get in on the fun too!

Ride Safe!

Out of Gas....

Today I was really watching the gas gauge and while enroute to the gas station...I ran out of gas going downhill...which means I got to push Big Red up the hill and across the overpass to get gas. Not bad to get 187 miles out of 3 gallons and average about 63mpg.

If I had been in a car, there's no way I could have pushed up up the hill and over.

Starbucks/Babe's Chicken Dinner House Ride

I've been waiting for this ride as I looked forward to meeting some of the folks that have been chatting with in DFW Scooterist forum. I got up early and washed Big Red and made sure I had all the ride essentials. It would be the first ride with the music/gps combo I added recently.

I made it to Starbucks on time and got to meet Earl B. Along with the other scooterists and bikers. Looks like it's going to be a great ride through Grapevine as it is GrapeFest. One small hitch....Big Red won't start out in the Starbucks parking lot. A first! The 'Just Brakes' was right across the walkway. The ScootGroup was being very helpful with suggestions and I didn't want to delay the kickoff, so I sent them off and walked to Just Brakes and they hadn't seen a Chinese Scoot..and were more than happy to offer a jumper. They even recommended I go to CVS and pick up a spare 9Volt battery for backup. Lol!

So off I go to find the Babes CDH and the gps comes in handy. I unplugged the DC Sockets cuz I figured that's what drained the battery, so a 10 mile ride would charge her up. Beautiful scenery along 114. Enjoyed the light breeze and the partly cloudy skies.

I get to the restaurant and lo, Big Red refuses to start again. So I go on and enjoy a really good lunch. Earl mentions checking the fuses, so I excuse myself to go check. I'm checking over the fuses and one of the ladies(Jamie) from the group is out taking a smoke and inquires about the battery. I've concluded the battery or altenator is the issue. Jamie happens to have the number to the local cycle shop and offers to call them and see if they have a replacement. How awesome is that? She has friends that work at the "Biker's Garage" and they have one. Whew! Relief..

The lunch goes well and I meet some very interesting fellow riders, with the common love for two-wheel transportation. Enjoyed picking Earl's brains about scooters. A good time was had by all.

The whole group waited for me afterwards to walk to the motorcycle shop and back and were glad I had a battery. Earl gave me a cycle jump so I could get Big Red back to the shop to return the borrowed jumper cables and get one last jump for the road. They tested the old battery and it was bad for sure but the alternator as showing to be charging just fine. I learned that motorcycle batteries have to be prepped. Big Red is humming and I'm headed back to Kendallwood. Alternator holds up for the 40 mile trip....wow!

I get to Kendallwood and shut off Big Red and she won't restart so it's definitely for sure the battery.

What a great morning. Met some new acquaintences, learned about cycle batteries, and even learned a little more about not being quick to form opinions without merit.

I did an upgrade today-Power to my iPhone

With it being rainy today, I thought it would be a good time to figure out how to keep my iPhone charged on my Mishi Ranger 250 (Jonway YY250T/MC-54-250). Good for when I want to head out for the day and don't want a dead phone at some point.

Purchased:

DC Socket with battery clamp-ons
Box of end-wire eye
Single to dual DC Socket Adapter(In case I need two at some point)
DC Plug with 2-USB adapter slots
3.5mm Stereo Female to Male plug
iPhone TomTom app

Task 1:

I cut the battery clamps off the end of the DC Socket. Replaced the clamps with the end-wire eye. Placed them on the nut to screw on to the battery...so the adapter power is always on!

I cut a 1.5" square off the side of the battery cover so the wires can come out and the battery stays covered.

Plugged the DC Plug with 2-USB adapter slots into the Socket. Plugged my iPhone cord into the adapter. This cord was a longer one I ordered from Amazon...the stock iPhone cords aren't long enough.

As of now, the iPhone power charge cord comes out from the front of the seat and goes up to the bottom of my iPhone holder to plug in to. Will have to figure out how to secure the cord down. I won't use it all the time, so I can simple store it under the seat until I need to charge my phone.

Part One Done.

Task #2

Since my scoot has a Radio(ha ha ha ha, if you want to call it that)with an 3.5mm MP3 input cord, I needed to add the 3.5mm Stereo Female to Male plug cord to extend the length. A hole was drilled near the top right of the glove box interior. This allowed me to run the cord behind the glove box and up through the handlebar cover. Wrapped the cord up through the handlebar cover and left enough length to plug it into my iPhone or iPod without alot of excess hanging cord.

As a reward, I bought the iPhone TomTom app...and it works really well. Will have to see how it works in the daylight. Nice to have a mounted iPhone with sound to the speakers along with a GPS for the road.

A nice day for a project I've been wanting to do for a while.

Next on the checklist.....upgrading to 45W Headlights and a louder horn.

Smoothest ride EVER

Ok, as a follow-up to the 1,800 maintenance, Mishi replaced the clutch and belt. I have to say the ride has been extremely smooth and all the clackety sounds that were prominent after warm-up are GONE. I've ridden short and long to test it fully and it's extremely quiet..no more sounds of a rattling toolbox and the take-off is quite smooth now. :)

Love it when things get done and done right!

Picked up Big Red Today...

Here's a follow-up...

Mishi had a guy from Jonway come out and check out the clutch. This is the second time I've taken it in, so they called in the big guys to come take a look. Ended up needing a clutch replacement and they showed me the old one. Looked like it needed to be replaced.

Sure appreciated the extra mile on this one.

They adjusted the brakes and the brake levers feel more fluid when applied. No more squealing either.

The RPM was a little low...died once on the way home, so I bumped it up after I got home.

So, here's to the next 3,200 miles!

1,800 Mile Maintenance and Punch List

Today Big Red goes in for her 1,800 mile maintenance. A few things to get checked on while she's there that I've noted since the last maintenance with one ongoing concern:

1,800 Mile Maintenance

* Backfires on occasion when letting off the throttle. Hasn't done that prior to the last carb adjust at 1,000 mile maintenance. I use 93 octane gas only.

* Idle RPM's range varies between 2,000 and 2,500 rpms...I manually lowered it because it was requiring alot of brake to keep the scooter still at stops.

* I was averaging about 65 mpg until the last maintenance. Now it gets 50-52 mpg.

* A few times, I hear a grinding sound coming from the back (bearings?) when starting from a stop. Goes for a a few seconds and stops

* The clackety CVT is still happening and will shake the whole bike-getting worse and needs to be looked at. When warmed up, it's consistent and sometimes I need to give it more throttle in order to get it to go. Feels like something is slipping (belt?) or not making good contact. (Clutch?). I rode a passenger last weekend and was within weight limit of the bike and it would barely take off after ALOT of clackety and slipping. I thought something was going to fall off. Not good.

* Check the hoses(fuel/Coolant). I had a coolant hose come off a couple of weeks ago before a ride and was able to get it back on there, but if you would check them, it would be great.

* Back brakes are starting to squeal. Please check and replace if necessary.

Since it will be up on the stand, I'm going to see if Mishi PowerSports will do the following as well....

* Upgrade to 45Watt headlights. If possible, would you see about installing some?

* Power DC Socket-Install a power socket in the glove box and one under the seat.

I'll pick her up next week and report back....

Going to the Mother Land of Chinese Scoots...here in Dallas, TX

Out of curiosity and the need to enjoy a 70 degree morning on Big Red, I wanted to see where the Chinese Scoot import warehouses are here in Dallas. Amazingly, both are located about 10 minutes from each other.

JONWAY is the manufacturer of Big Red AKA Shenke. Looks like a distribution point.

JCL is another importer of the Chinese scooters and helmets. Mishi Powersports looks to get most of their stock from this warehouse.

On the way, I discovered that my Ram Mount will also take video while I'm driving....now that's one excellent un-documented feature. I'll work on perfecting my angles and audio, but for the first video, it's not so bad! It's a large file size, so I'll try to post it later...

Aunt Barb takes a Ride!

Finally, the day came when I had the opportunity to get Aunt Barbara out for a neighborhood ride on Big Red. She's been one of my encourager/mentors and I sure appreciate her!

Getting ready to ride!

All systems go!

Praying before we go? ? ? :)

Kickstand's up and ready to roll!!!!

DFW Scooterist JFK Ride today..

Today was the big day. Been anticipating it for some time. New social outlet with like-minded interest-Scooters! I spent Saturday evening washing and spit-shining Big Red for her debut ride with the DFW Scooterists and the Ready, Steady, Go Scooter Club.

I love history and its jots and tittles(along with all of our unlearned lessons throughout history), yet when I visit a national landmark area known for the tragedy of a fallen president, it makes the day a tad sobering.

What a great day it was. Meeting 14 other scooterists and 4 motorcyclists on this ride was an amazing experience. Yes, I was the only Chinese Scooterist in the bunch yet there were a mix of scooters in the lineup. It was more about sharing an experience of camaraderie amongst people who enjoy scootering. It was nice to know my handy-dandy ram-mount cup holder was the most desired accessory by the other scooterists.

Along the way, Jeremy's scooter kept stalling. Eventually, nothing would start it. It was encouraging to see other riders HELP someone in distress. I helped by flashing my emergency lights(since I have them).

Cagers have alot to learn here. It's about helping one another and making sure EVERYONE has a great experience. Oh, how that can be applied in so many other life situations. Maybe another blog, another time.

For pics, here's a link....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkguy323/sets/72157622060678768/

Big Red has a secret fan....and LJS for dinner!

On the way to the parking garage to mount Big Red, this nice older lady walks over to me. She's taking a smoke break and was so excited to finally meet the owner of the "cute little scooter" she's been eye-balling for about a month. She just fawned over Big Red and reminisced about her husband and his biker years. It was a nice conversation.

On the way out of the garage, I started a craving for Long John Silver's. So, off I went. It's been months since I've sunken my teeth into some battered fish, shrimp, and chicken so off I went. Yummy food and enjoyed every piece with edible delight!

HOV Cager Issues

Cagers can be so impatient. I have had the "friendly debate" with my wife about what's permissible vs profitable in the arena of driving the speed limit. She likes to hurry and I like keeping my money and not giving it up because of traffic tickets.

So, today I enter the HOV lane heading northbound on 75 and exiting in Plano around Parker and Spring Creek. I stick at 60 MPH cause it's the law and I'm not going to speed. Well, as soon as I exit and get over one lane, all the cars behind me pass and either honk with the finger, roll down the windows and shout expletives and tell me what a lousy driver I am, or just blare on the horn incessantly to prove they are impatient cagers that had a bad day and going 65+ is going to solve their problems and get them home alot faster.

Simply put, I'm not going to speed...I'm not going to stop using the HOV...and I'm not going to let childish responses deter the enjoyment of scootering. Sure, I put up with blind cagers as well. They don't see me and swerve over, etc, etc.

So, let it be known that I have the legal right to use the HOV and won't endanger my life by speeding so you can get home a couple of moments sooner.

The Sunday Ride

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkguy323/sets/72157622001132432/

I finally cleared the first checkpoint. My first "around Dallas" ride. I started out from Wylie at 9:30am

and rode 78 to N. Garland

Two places at once. I'm in Garland in this shot...

....then N. Garland to Dallas...

Two places at once. I'm in Dallas in this shot...althought I'm still parked in the same spot.

Gaston...through Downtown...I have to say there's nothing like riding downtown..lots of shade, cool breezes, and all kinds of people milling about.

My first pic of heading into Downtown Dallas via Gaston Road. Getting a slight adrenaling rush at this point.

headed north via 75 North and stopped at Eatzi's for a yummy lunch to wrap up the ride.

Got the Scooter parking spot. There was a family sitting outside(to the right of the pic) and the little boys wanted to come over and see it...

There's more pics at the link, but this was a highlight moment about about 60 miles round trip and not one issue with Big Red at all.

Great trip today. Ready for Kelli to get her scooter so it can be a duet ride.

HOV Blunder

I love the HOV lane. It cuts a good 30 minutes off my 20 mile ride. It's not the distance, it's the traffic! So, being blessed with two wheeler and only one rider(me!), I get to use it.

Well, today was interesting because as I'm scootin' northbound on the HOV lane, my Universal iPhone mount decides to let go of my iPhone(wrapped in a Sena leather wallet case) while I'm going 60 mph. Shame on me for not checking the screws for tightness. T-CLOCS!

So, I put on my flashers and pull over to the pylon poles, fearful that I now own a crushed $600 phone. I look back and it's laying in the middle of the road. In quick thinking, I raise both my arms for the oncoming traffic to stop so I can run back and pick it up. Thankfully, the driver of the big Dodge truck stopped so I could grab my phone. He even waited for me to go back and mount Big Red and get back on the road before proceeding. At my next stop, I check the iPhone and all is well.

However, when getting back into Wylie, I notice a loud scraping sound coming from the back only when I go from a stand still for just a moment. Seem like it was something lodged in the fender...no more noise!

Timeline until now... Start at the bottom!

Aug 4, 2009, 4:01pm » This morning, went out to start her up for the ride into work...barely touched the electric start button and she fired up immediately...from a cold start! Nice job on the valve adjustment. I did learn that Mishi "prefers" to only service what they sell. Since they do the PDI, I can understand that. I continue to be an extremely satisfied customer.... Aug 3, 2009, 10:58pm » Ok, I picked up Big Red today and here's the report. 1,000 Mile Oil change and Gear Oil change Valves Adjusted Carb cleaned and adjusted Clutch casing removed and things tightened up...clutch was in great shape Big trunk on back....replaced under warranty. Had a hairline crack up the back left corner that was growing. Not an impact crack, so it was covered. Replaced with a higher quality finish trunk, so I'm impressed with that! Aug 1, 2009, 6:30pm Another review I wrote The Ranger 250cc(aka Jonway YY250T) caught my eye. The 244c engine is peppy. The seat is comfortable. The storage provided(glove box, under the seat, and side/top trunks) provide space to store a laptop bag, two helmets, my rider jacket, a few groceries, and my iPod(so I can listen to tunes from the MP3 jack provided on the scooter). Yes, the speakers do the job. Braking/Handling is good and responsive. Haven't locked up the brakes and the ABS have been good. The horn isn't very loud. The mpg's range from 62-66 miles per gallon on a 3 gallon tank. I use "Big Red" daily for commuting to work here in DFW and she rides the roads well in rural, as well as on the toll roads and HOV lanes. I ride around 60 mph on the highway and the temp goes up to the 3/4 mark, but it does the hwy with no problem. The instrument cluster-black background with the orange numbers are hard to see during the day for me. Great scooter and great dealer. I will buy my next one from Mishi Powersports as well. Aug 1, 2009, 9:07am » A review I wrote... I read other posts on various boards about buyer experiences with online dealers and am so glad to have a local dealer who is the best warrantier in the Chinese scooter arena. As far as the Ranger, I bought their first one when it was 2499, so the lower price now is a steal considering how well the scooter runs. Great pep on take off and will maintain a 65-70 mph on the highway. I stay around the 60 mph since it's my main mode of commuting and don't want to break it. Lol! The engine seems solid and ride are solid. The seat is very comfortable. The plastic finish(glovebox/fuel door) is on the weak side but you're not paying $6000 for the scooter either. I average about 65 mpg. When you buy it, ask Mishi to ensure the headlights are as far up as possible. My first attempt at a night ride ended when the lights were aimed down in front of the scooter. Once they adjusted them, no problems. Make sure you get the radiator flushed and changed to a higher grade coolant. Jul 24, 2009, 8:08pm » I dropped off Big Red(Jonway YY250T) for her 1,000 mile maintenance-Engine and Gear Oil change. She's been kinda starting rough/dying alot in the morning, the CVT gets clackety when fully warmed up, and the temp gauge shows running hot along with the corner of the big trunk cracking. When I dropped off the scoot, they grabbed a pad and took notes from my explanations of what I needed looked out. They are going to even see if they can replace the trunk under warranty. Looks like a new clutch maybe needed. ALL covered under warranty. Great attention to detail and really listened to my concerns. I'm so glad I didn't buy online. I even found out they do body work for wrecked Chinese scoots and will work with the insurance companies. This is really like buying a car with the great all-in-one dealership provided. Excellent customer service..second to none! www.mishipowersports.com Jul 16, 2009, 8:00pm » Took a ride around and ended up at Lake Lavon Dam. Jul 13, 2009, 6:34pm www.themountdepot.com really came through. I ordered on Friday and got it Monday. TOTALLY recommend them for service, help, price, and quick turnaround. With slight modification(had to buy some 6mm screws), I installed the cupholder and the Universal holder(for my phone OR GPS....but not both.) So, once it gets below 100 degrees this evening, I'm going out for a ride! Next project...the 12V adapter install. Jul 11, 2009, 8:28pm » I took my first ride with the guys today. Met for breakfast at Poor Richard's Cafe and parked "Big Red" with the Harleys. Jul 10, 2009, 4:50pm » On the highway, I can do 65 with no sweat. It's gotten up to 78, but that was heading downhill with the wind pushing my back. Top average is about 70 with barely any wind. I'm comfy with 60-65 even though the temp gauge hangs on the 3/4 mark when hanging at 65 for an extended time..... Jul 10, 2009, 8:28pm » I purchased the AT&T Roadside service for $2.99/month when we got our iPhones recently. Out of curiosity, I read the fine print and found that it doesn't cover two-wheel vehicles. WHAT????? I would think a scooter would be easier to handle than a car....but not covered? Glad I read it before I had need for a road service....I would have been TICKED! So, I joined the American Motorcycle Association today... www.ama-cycle.org They offer free roadside with the $39 annual membership and it coves your 2 and 4 wheel vehicles....and anyone that lives in your house....up to 5 calls per year. Just a thought. You get discounts on lots of things. I just reserved a weekend in San Antonio at a Choice hotel and my 15% discount paid for the AMA membership. Not trying to advertise, but wanted to share what I learned today. Jul 10, 2009, 12:09pm » I ordered the Cup Holder and the Universal holder(to swap out GPS/iPhone) from www.themountdepot.com website. Ther customer service and response were incredible down to providing diagrams of the the specs to ensure I had the right part. Thanks to Syntroxis(who gets a bone for the assist!) for pointing me that direction. Willl give feedback when they arrive and are mounted. They also are the lowest price I found on RAM mounts, just FYI! Jul 4, 2009, 9:18pm » Ok gang, here's another reason why a Brick & Mortar is a better place to shop... I got my Scooter Title in the mail yesterday. The plates arrived at the dealer a few days after purchase and now, I have the TITLE...in my hand...and relieved to not have gone through the headaches of doing it on my own and hoping I could get it finished or running into problems like I've read here on the board. Another reason is the free maintenance every 800 miles for 1 year. Yes, a shameless plug for Mishi Powersports but I truly am a satisfied customer. Ride On! Jun 28, 2009, 10:36pm » *What would attract you to buying a Chinese made scooter? Pricing, Features...name brands don't matter to me. I just want an economical ride that won't break down all the time. *Would a free top box and helmet be a plus point with you? Sure would. Any freebies can be taken off later if they don't fit your needs. Since we have to have helmets and storage, this would be a great incentive! *What are the essentials you look for in a new bike? Good reviews of the scooter, soft seat, great gas mileage, decent storage compartments. *What annoys you most about Chinese made scooters? Parts seems hard to find and the quality of the body's finish is baseline at best. The worst part of the chinese scooter is the poorly translated manual. I'd recommend hiring someone to write a new manual in everyday English so people know to take the purchase seriously. *Would you prefer an online dealer, street shop only, or a mixture of both? My preference is the Brick and Mortar shop. If they do online, great for those who like that by I need face to face interaction and want to know that what I'm taking home has been PDI'd and the scooter I picked out....and not "shippers choice". The B&M shop needs to have a service department that has a decent stock of replacement parts. Since most of the Chinese scooter engine parts are interchangeable(Yamaha or Honda), that shouldn't be a problem. One main plus also is for the B&M to take care of the TT&L. I wouldn't buy from someone that can't do that for me. Jun 25, 2009, 9:42am » Mishi Powersports is looking to add more accessories and gear. I've taken Big Red in for the free 200 mile maintenance and had them adjust the headlights up and some other minor tweaks. Very professional and makes me feel secure that I bought my scooter from a reputable dealer who takes care of their customers without that "attitude" I've seen other places. Jun 16, 2009, 10:54am » I called Mishi Powersports the next day and it was repaired first thing, so I picked it up after work and rode it home...ALL the way home! It sure rides nice. I have about 50 miles on it and the gas reads at a 1/2 tank, so I hope that improves as I break it in. So, I filled it up with Shell Premium fuel, per Mishi's recommendation-Shell or Chevron because of the cleaner additives. Jun 15, 2009, 10:20pm Part C Ok, ok, I know...I've been looking for a year, but today was the day! So, today, I go back to Mishi Powersports and all the 2009's were out on display (yep, 2009 models!). Ken(Service Manager) came out and we talked about all the modifications that were made and that the one I was eyeballing was exclusive to Mishi (Mishi Ranger 250) from the manufacturer since it has the Honda engine clone(instead of the Yamaha) with the extra two compartments on the back for more storage. It was the first one of its kind and I got it. Kinda cool. So, I bought it. The in-store purchase gets you a 12 month parts/engine/labor warranty, full tank of gas and a free helmet. Not crummy ones, nice ones. No other dealer offers this. I am duly impressed. On the maiden voyage home, the throttle cable housing broke. Mind you, I just bought it, paid in full, and was on the road. I called Mishi and Ken came out to my location and got me running so I could ride it back to the shop(see, service department is crucial here) and they are replacing it. THAT is the main reason I am so glad I bought from Mishi PowerSports. I had no idea when I called them that they would come out vs giving me the run-around, or wishing me good luck and hanging up. So,if you're in the Dallas-Ft Worth Metroplex, give Mishi PowerSports a call. You won't be disappointed. I'm not. As far as the online dealers, you might save some $$$ upfront, but when something breaks or you receive damaged goods, or something happens, it good to have a local dealer/shop handy. Scooter: 2009 Mishi Ranger(Modified Shenke/Jonway YY250T-has the Honda clone engine on it Bought: In a Brick & Mortar dealership Company:Mishi PowerSports, Plano,TX www.mishipowersports.com Purchase Experience: Excellent! Price: $2,499 Pros of Scoot: 250cc, Ideal for 6'0 guy, Lots of storage space Cons of Scoot: 5 miles from dealer, the throttle case broke, finish is really plasticky, and the instrument panel is hard to see in the daylight. Pros of Method: Like the personal face-to-face, asked LOTS of questions, able to see where the scooter is assembled, the dealer also services on-site. Cons of Method: I could've save some $$$ initially on the scooter I wanted at first by purchasing it online, but would have regretted it with the lack of contact that online retailers are known for or having to ship back and forth, etc, etc. Notes: This sounds counter-intuitive, but DON'T BUY ONLINE if you find a local brick and mortar dealer that sells AND services...and will return your emails and phone calls. Research the make/model and come armed with questions. If the sales guys gets put off, then leave. I didn't have that problem at all. Sometimes saving $100 to $500 online seems like a deal, but one time getting stuck makes it all worth it! The production stamp is May 2009! The first one in the USA with the Honda Clone and the side compartments which have come in VERY handy. It has a sidewall socket for the battery charger so I don't have to open up the seat...it simply plugs into the side socket.. Definitely has great pick-up and go. First tank gave me 61 mpg. Incredible. It's gotten up to 78mph and it the smoothest ride thanks to the seat with the added lumbar rest. Jun 15, 2009 Part B After I got my "M" class, I headed over to Two Wheel World in Garland to get some gear. www.twowheelworld.com Ended up with a full face HJC helmet, 3-1 Vega Merit Mesh/Winter/Rain Jacket combo, a pair of full gloves and a pair of finger-tip gloves(which I love and wear ALL the time). The owner had alot to say about the Chinese Scoots(once they break, just toss them in the trash dumpster)...and after all his thoughts, he gave me 10% off. :) This is a great place to buy gear, parts, etc. They don't sell motorcycles here, but sell everything that goes with them. Jun 15, 2009 Part A of the BIG DAY! Woo-Hoo...today's the big day! Went to the Rockwall DPS field office and got the "M" class added to my license today. Woo-Hoo! Thank you MSF! Jun 14, 2009, 9:04pm » I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course on a scooter! My good friend Earl recommend that I take the course first before buying the scooter so I would know if it was a good fit. THANKS, Earl! I didn't want to buy first and regret it later. Good to have wise friends. My thoughts are that MSF should be mandated for all new riders. There is so much to learn in riding, safety, and getting good inside tips from someone who's ridden for a while. When I ride, I really get ticked at other riders who wear tshirts, shorts, flip-flops and no helmet. I hope they don't regret it one day. TOTALLY recommend the MSF. I went from a no-experienced newbie rider to someone who can brave the roads and drive defensively. My advice? Take the class when it's cool outside. Mine was during the 103 degree heat index wave in Dallas and I wanted to QUIT the first day....but survived it to Day 2 and passed! However, I got 2 degree sunburn all over my face thanks to a defective aerosol sunblock spray. I got no block and all oil, so it was like a magnifying glass. My face hurt like heck for a week! Jun 1, 2009, 11:00pm » First, let me start with my pre-buy experience. I contacted a few online dealers the past few months and dealt with things like NO RESPONSE, all the way to "Wanna give me your credit card number first?"....no kidding. I was leaning toward ATVDiscounter.com because they have a facility in Dallas and offered limited service onsite (UPDATE-ATVD changed its name) and were initially responsive to emails but eventually stopped altogether. The unusually high number of negative feedbacks for ATVD kept me from feeling good about the purchase. They did offer some of the lowest prices, but I couldn't bring myself to buy from them. I'll be glad later... I emailed Mishi Powersports over the past few months months and they always replied. I visited them back in October and wasn't impressed with the dealership only because they were in the middle of a remodel and it wasn't the right time for me. So, I gave them another try today and was very pleased with the location. When I went to look(and not buy) AGAIN, Suneel was very patient and answered all my questions and even encouraged me to get ON the scooter(newbie here!). I was able to talk with the Service Manager-Ken- and "talk tech" about the scooters. He even mentioned that the 2009's were on the way. Told them I needed to take the MSF Class to get my "M" on the license and come back later. They were very professional and didn't provide that usual attitude of "whatever". That spoke volumes to me. Aug 10, 2008 Hey everyone! I found scootdawg.com while doing a Google search and there is ALOT of info in here about scooters(Chinese scooters!), so I'm digging in! Since I'm looking at entry level, I'm finding there are different "names" of a scooter line that have the JCL name on them, primarily the 150 and 250...and I'm aiming for the 250.