Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Post by Smorkle on Aug 15, 2013 14:55:39 GMT -6
I just wanted to put out one more post for STO that will be happening next month in Eureka Springs AR. All of the rides are ready and if you're planning to attend I suggest that you go to THIS LINK and start printing out your maps and directions. We're hoping to have a good turnout again this year and we're looking forward to seeing some of you fellow riders again or for the first time. Good Luck and safe riding. scoottheozarks.proboards.com/ |
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Jul 21, 2012 15:48:15 GMT -6
I purchased some new tires for my Silverwing and they came in last week. I called around to a few of the places around town that do bike tires and the going price to put the tire on the rim if *I* take the rims off the bike and bring them in is $35 EACH. I decided that was too high when the tires only cost $50 each. I decided there must be a better way so I found this tire changer tool at Harbor Freight: www.harborfreight.com/portable-tire-changer-69686.htmlI bought that tire changer and as a I feared it is NOT designed for motorcycle tires. That having been said, the "bead breaker" on it works fine for my tires. I happened to have a steel rod that fit nicely through the hubs and I drove that into the ground and used that and another rod as a stake to keep the tire from spinning along with the separation tool that came with the tire changer to get the old tire off and the new tire on. I figured out how I was gonna do it all, removed the front tire, rim and all, replaced the tire and put all it back on the bike in about an hour. I left some red marks on the rim where the tool rubbed it, but I think I can buff those out fairly easily. I had never changed a tire on anything other than a bicycle before and so I'm thinking when I get around to the back tire the process (for the tire itself anyway) will be shorter. If it needs balancing (which it didn't seem to on the first ride afterwards) I'll get some Dynabeads and put in it. If you decide to do this make sure to get some bead breaker lube available at any auto parts store. I bought a gallon from Advanced Auto Parts for $9. Don't use water based soap without some sort of rust inhibitor in it or your rims may rust. Also don't use petroleum oil as it can break down the tire. There's no better feeling than discovering that you can do something yourself that other people charge you through the nose to do. And the tool cost me $39 plus the $9 for the lube and that is STILL cheaper than having the tires changed at a dealer. |
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Jul 4, 2012 9:22:29 GMT -6
Today is Independence day. That is far more important than the fourth day of July. Remember that brave men have fought and died for your rights and privileges. Take a moment this Independence day and READ the Declaration of Independence. www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/Have a happy day with family and friends and try to stay cool and get a scooter ride in before it turns into 350° this afternoon. God bless one and all. |
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Jun 20, 2012 18:27:56 GMT -6
I was doing some math concerning my scooter and whither or not it was saving me any substantial money driving it to work. Noting that my Silverwing gets 55MPG on average and my truck gets 18MPG I can extrapolate from there.
Figuring gas at $3 a gallon my truck uses 16.667¢ per mile.
My scooter uses 5.4545¢ per mile.
Each trip to work is approximately 9 miles one way, so 18 miles round trip.
Truck costs $3 per trip
Scooter costs 98.1818¢ per trip. Less than a third.
When I drive the truck I have to pay $3 per day parking.
When I ride the scooter I get free parking. Instant $3 savings per day.
Truck costs $6 per day
Scooter costs 98.1818¢ per day.
Maintenance costs are close enough to the same to call it a wash.
Truck total is $30 per week or $120 a month or $1560 Annually.
Scooter is $4.90 per week or $24.50 a month or $254.80 annually.
This is a grand total savings of $1305.20 annually assuming $3 per gallon gas. Now, in reality there are about 4 months of the year that I cant ride because of snow and ice and freezing temperatures. Also there are times I can't get away from driving my truck because I need to carry tools and stuff. So let's divide that by 2. That's a real savings of $652.60! That's nothing to sneeze at.
So, let the idiots laugh at me. I'll be laughing all the way to the bank.
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on May 23, 2012 18:17:20 GMT -6
I have recently been made aware of a vendor from STO that has been in a severe accident while on an extended scooter ride to Wyoming from his home in Minnesota. Please keep him in your prayers. He is in need of donations. You can help at www.gofundme.com/oi8rcThanks all, ~Roy |
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on May 18, 2012 14:39:39 GMT -6
Well I missed out on that one. Guy emailed me today and said it was gone. I guess I'll keep lewkin.
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Post by Smorkle on May 16, 2012 19:32:48 GMT -6
As some of you know I am the ride coordinator for Scooting the Ozarks that happens every year in September. Every year that I've attended there have been quite a few people with small scooters (50-125cc) and I don't think I've been doing them justice with the rides I have planned due to the fact that I ride a Honda Silverwing 600cc. Wanting to include everyone I've been considering picking up a 50cc scooter to take to Eureka Springs, AR and try and plan some routes for smaller scooters. It's very hilly in the area and I'm curious about how a 50cc would fare in the terrain. I found this on Craig's list and went out today and test drove it. I was quite surprised at how light the thing was. I almost dumped it because of the sheer weight difference between it and my 550# Honda. The thing has been laid down once before and scratched it up pretty good on the left side. The wreck also knocked a hole in the air intake box which he had taped over to keep it from getting too much air. The tape came loose while I was riding it and the power really dropped off but once re-attached it seemed to work fine. I guess the reason for this post is that I know it's a Chinese bike and once I'm finished with it I'm kicking around the idea of giving it (or whatever scoot I end up with) to my 14 year old daughter as soon as she gets her motorcycle license. She lives in AR and they can get a restricted motorcycle license at 14. She can also get a "motorized bicycle" permit, but she has to have one or the other (or a regular driver's license) in order to ride the 50cc scooter on the streets. I'm just worried about having her with a bike that's broke down all the time and no one around to work on it. $550 seems like a good price with minor repairs needed but will there be a lot of work that will need to be done on the thing in the future? My last Chinese scoot needed a LOT of TLC and I was more than willing to give it what it needed but would this be a good bike for a kid? Just looking for any input or guidance you all may have. |
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on May 8, 2012 16:56:35 GMT -6
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Post by Smorkle on Apr 25, 2012 19:26:39 GMT -6
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
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Easy Rider
by: Smorkle - Mar 28, 2012 16:06:08 GMT -6
Post by Smorkle on Mar 28, 2012 16:06:08 GMT -6
I thought you guys might get a kick out of this. I know some scooterests like this. LOL |
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Scooter Doc
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2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Feb 7, 2012 17:02:30 GMT -6
Maybe it needs to go in the joke thread, but I figured everyone should enjoy. LOL  |
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
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Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Jan 7, 2012 23:48:29 GMT -6
Funny, I just watched Larry Crowne for the first time this week too. We checked it out from the public library. That beat Redbox's price by AT LEAST $1. LOL. Very good flick.
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Dec 16, 2011 11:47:07 GMT -6
Just heard on the radio news that a scooterist got killed locally overnight by hitting a pickup truck that apparently tried to cross in front of them. I don't know any more details, but guys, be careful out there. The other drivers are NOT looking out for you. www.kmbc.com/news/30011703/detail.html |
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Dec 8, 2011 16:35:45 GMT -6
By law, places that sell motor oil are required to maintain a place to dump it in order for it to be disposed of properly. What I do with my motor oil (I have the silverwing and a truck and a car that I service) is I when I purchase the oil I get it in gallon or 5 quart jugs and save the jugs for the old oil when I drain it out. Then I take it to the Oreily auto parts up the street where I buy most of my oil and they have a container to dump it in. If you're asking what do I literally drain it into, I have a round oil pan that I bought from wal mart for less than $5.
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Scooter Doc
Currently Offline
2008 Honda Silverwing
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Joined: Apr 9, 2010 17:44:46 GMT -6
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Post by Smorkle on Nov 21, 2011 16:58:14 GMT -6
I doubt there's few Wingers out there that can work on their own bikes either. I guess I'm one of the few SWingers that can. I am amazed though at some of the posts I see on the silverwing web site. Simple little things some people send other people to the dealers over. There are quite a few "do it yourself" threads on there, but there's a lot of "if the light bulb goes out take it to the dealer" threads too. I would say that the mentality towards "do it yourself" draws people to the China scoots. If you go in eyes wide open knowing you'll have to take care of it yourself and you had better be a good mechanic or a good learner tends to draw the crowd like is here at scooter doc: People who like Harbor Freight tools. People who tend towards Honda and Yamaha are people who would rather pay more for reliability (or the idea of it) and want to do less to their bikes: People who wouldn't darken the door of Harbor Freight tools. (LOL) In my case, I just needed the larger displacement to haul my fat arse and my girlfriend on long trips. We like to go off for a weekend ride and be able to keep up with interstate traffic. I am sad to see Honda getting out of the smaller scoots. Seems odd that they're throwing in the towel and letting china have it. Perhaps they have something else up their sleeves. |
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