Greetings from Newbie in Houston TX

[Rebiker]

Rebiker/Beckers here.  Grandmother from Houston TX.  LOVE my X500.  I can't believe it took me so long to find you.  I was researching air filters for the X500 when I ran across a post and here I am.

Priscilla (my X500) and I have been together since March 2006 and it's been a  blast.  My first scooter was a Stella with sidecar - still ride have her.  My daughter and I carpooled with her for almost a year before I got my Kymco.  Priscilla and I now have 28,000 miles, although I didn't get to ride her for more than a year of that time because of a bum leg and various other things (being that I also ride a SilverWing, Reflex and my daily commutter a Helix.  I've got over 20,000 miles accumulated on all the other scooters).

Who would have thought that scooting would have become a lifestyle for me!  I've even been on the local news, touting the joys of owning a scooter.

I'm organizer for United Scooter Riders here in Houston and it's a blast.  We do everything from local scooting in the city to touring trips that last a week.  In the two (2) years that I've been organizer, we have averaged seven (7) events a month.  I've got a really great group of riders from 50cc all the way up to 650 Burgies.

Life is GOOD and I'm looking forward to the information from this forum.

[winginman]

Welcome to the forum.  I have found friends and a lot of good advice here.  Tell us what maintenance you have done to the X500 to get the the 28,000 mile mark.  Belts, adjustments, oil changes, tires, etc. 

[bongoman]

Hi Rebiker,
Welcome.  I have an '07 X500 and have also logged a bunch more miles than ever on a motorcycle. Mine is coming up on 24k and she's only a little over a year old.

Mine is named Puff. We'll be commuting that way for the next three months working Texas Renaissance Festival north of Houston by Magnolia. Maybe we'll spot you on the road.

[Rebiker]

Bongoman, you'll be seeing me at RenFaire.  I take my group there each year.  I think we've not scheduled our event until November this year.  Do you have a booth or are you an actor?  Who should I be looking for?  If you want to ride while in this area, we do a lot of scooting up there.  I was up there yesterday and will be again next Saturday.  I'm making ice cream for United Scooter Riders after we ride the twisties on Hwy 149 & 3090.  There are some mighty fine roads up that way.   Puff....as in The Magic Dragon?  That's funny!

Winginman, greetings!  I've done nothing more than basic maintenance with Priscilla.  I do run synthetic oil but I was told last week that I'm just wasting money on the oil since the regular oil changes don't call for it.  What do you think? 

I run Michelin Gold Standard tires and they've been really good.  I'm on my third rear tire - the 2nd one got a chunk bit out of it when it had lots of tread left...dog gone it... and the front tire will need to be changed soon.

I just put my 3rd belt on.  I hear that I changed the 1st belt too soon and the second belt (also Kymco standard belt) got almost 20,000 miles on it.  We'll see how this 3rd one does.  I've still got the 1st belt in the garage as a spare.

Accessories:  I've added running lights to the reaar, a Givi box, a Laminar rain/sun cover, orange LED's in the front and rear wheel wells, Laminar Lip on the windshield and a deer whistle in the front.  She's mighty fine.

[bongoman]

At Ren Faire I am an actor, this year in the English court as Sir John Seymour. If you are there for any of king's proclamations, you will see us presented. Proclamations are 3 times a day, beginning first thing in the morning.

In about 2 weeks, I will be there every Saturday for rehearsals. It's a big production, all told about 3,000 actors, singers, jugglers, and such putting on about 200 shows a day. Lots of fun.

Anyway, Look me up in the English court if you get a chance.

[Rozz]

Hi Rebiker, Greetings from Canada--sure would like to go ridin' with y'all.
I just passed the 7000 k mark on my 500 ri Xciting.
Surprised to hear of the theatrical connection, Bongoman.  Who knew the English held Court in Texas!  How's that accent workin'?

I am directing The Mousetrap this fall and hoping that I can persuade my actors to opt for Sunday evenings as opposed to afternoons so I can still get maximum biking in.  Accents may be a problem for them too--we'll see.

This afternoon my Southern Cruisers Riding Club patch arrived in the mail so I'm off to get it sewn in place on my vest.  Not on the bike, mind, we're expecting a major thunder storm (again).

Greetings Wingin' Man!  I still valued your sage advice when I was shopping for this bike.  It has been perfect for me.

[bongoman]

Yeah that accent thing. I've never done an English one. Foreign characters I've played are usually French, Spanish, or Transylvania. That's been my best Ren character so far, Transylvania. I do love a challenge.

Mousetrap? I've heard of it, or read it or something, but can't place it. "Break a leg" k k k k k k

[winginman]

Roz, you are welcome.  I am still very happy with mine as well.  Didn't get in much riding this week due to weather.  Tuesday we took a beating.  Rained 6 - 8 inches in an hour with quite a lightening show.  Louisville was flooded out everywhere, drains and pumps could not keep up.  Lucky my house is on high ground.  Lots of flood damage to the city and no telling how many cars got flooded out on streets and in parking lots.  I almost rode the scooter that day to work because the weather guys on TV said a couple of light showers possible. Ha, they missed that one. When I walked out of the garage there was this big black cloud heading towards us, so I decided then maybe I should take the car.  These things popped up right over us.  Rained hard all day and part of the night as well, then off and on through yesterday.  We still have underpasses that are blocked and some traffic lights did not get fixed until today.  Anyway got to ride this evening, it was great.  Now it looks like hot weather may be here at last.

At 7000 miles what do your tires look like? 

[Rozz]

Hi Jim,
We're metric so it's 7000 kms or 4200 miles.  My tires still look like brand new.  Amazingly they don't seem to need much adjustment for air either.  Dealer says to expect about 15000 k or 10000 miles or so on the tires.  Previous scooters I've owned don't seem to wear the same on front and back.   The ratio is predicted at two rear tires to one front, however I've never owned a scooter long enough to replace a tire, I just got a new scooter--darn it, that's about to change.

Longest rides I've done are about 400k per day--that's 240 miles.  You just multiply the k's by .6 to get the equivalent miles--real simple.

We had a very wet summer last year, incredibly we're even more drenched this year.  Our world is very green and beautiful but I think the farm produce is water logged and spoiled.  Raspberries are not good.

We don't get much flooding probably because we live in an area that has well maintained road services and the water drains away pretty much instantly.

Bongoman, if you've got this far-- The Mousetrap is the longest running play in the world.  Opened in London in 1952 and is still running 57 years later.  Film rights have been sold, apparently, but the movie can't be made until the original production closes and that hasn't happened yet.
It was written by Agatha Christie and given as a gift to her nephew as a birthday present.  She didn't think it would last a year.
It's a genre whodunit mystery--8 characters, 5 M and 3 F, one interior.  Creepy mansion with many doors and every one is guilty.
Should be a ton of fun.

Happy riding everyone--we've got a new biker in the family this weekend.  Daughter-in-law bought a 50 cc Yamaha Vino, I guess we're going to have to help her learn how to ride.  If it stops raining long enough.
RozzW

[Rebiker]

Congrats to the new rider!  Does she know scooting becomes a lifestyle?   I got one and now my entire household scoots...or at least all the ones that are old enough to drive - myself, daughter, son-in-law and oldest grandson.

[Rozz]

Hi Rebiker,
Sorry to take so long with this, I've been riding a lot this week.
Well we've added two bikers to the family this year.  A little lopsided.  One got an 1100 cc Honda circa 1984.  The wife went for a Yamaha Vino .49cc.  I did all I could to get her up to a Kymco 125, but no can do.
Oh well.  As you say, it's a lifestyle.  If the bug hits her she'll be buying another next year.
I guess that helps the economy.
Now it's riding time again.
Rozz

[winginman]

Rozz, that 49 cc gonna have a little trouble keeping up with the rest of you when you go for a ride unless you all ride 35 MPH. (or whatever that is in Canada, you get the drift)  We ride with several scooter clubs and one has a lot of 49 cc scooters.  They like to ride on back roads where tops is 35.  That's fun if the ride is not too long, then it starts to get a bit boring if  you are on a bigger scooter/bike.  Give her some time to adjust to 2 wheels she will come around and help the economy.  Of course for commuting in town the gas mileage is gonna be great for her.  So how many miles on that X500 you got now?

[Rozz]

Hi Jim,
My daughter-in-laws new scooter is a hoot.  I think she put 45 kms (27 miles) on it in three weeks.  I doubt it will get far from the curb at this rate.
I have had a great season despite the rainy weather which has cancelled many rain dates for us.  I now have 9725 kms or about 6500 miles on my bike.  I hope to get another 2K at least before the season ends in November.
Now I have a quesiton.  My husband is trying to get me to take over his Kawasaki 900 Vulcan instead of riding my scooter.  What do you think about that?
I am reluctant as I feel that I go fast enough, keep up well enough and can easily handle the scooter.  I manage a top speed of about 70-75 miles/hr which is in excess of our 65 limit and I think that is sufficient.
He wants a bigger bike and is trying to offload his current ride to me.
What's a girl to do.
Rozz

[Bryan]

Hi Rozz, strange you should bring up the same subject the wife and I were talking about last night. I think there are those who need to get from A to B and see the wheels mainly as transport so to them it's more about the destination and the best fit vehicle to get there, then there are those who love to ride like the folk on this forum and thats about the trip as much as the destination. What you enjoy riding, how it handles, and automatic versus gears and all the other aspects of your ride that makes up who you are. I guess I'm saying go with what fits you best and makes you feel right. So why not keep both and ride the one you are in the mood for? Regards from Durban RSA.

[winginman]

Rozz, Last weekend I rode down to the Smokey Mountains and Deals Gap with some friends and my wife.  I have to say I rode the big bike as did my friend Mike.  His wife rode her 750 shadow and my wife rode her scooter.  She has an 04 Scarabeo 500.  We rode 755 miles that weekend and my wife pushed us through Deals Gap (318 curves in 11 miles).  I had her behind me and couldn't stay out of her way.  In the mountains on the curves it looks like the automatic was an advantage, she did not have to worry about what gear to be in just twist and go.  We rode down at highway speeds of 55 to 65 MPH, we took the back roads down and back.  When we got back first thing she said was "When can we go back?".  Got to find an adapter to move the bars back about an inch for the longer rides.  Then I want to find out how well the X500 can do Deals Gap.  I ride my X500 with the Goldwing and HRC groups on their rides all the time and have no problem going anywhere they go at whatever speed they ride.