Just gave myself my first scooter lesson

[big blue]

Motorcycles and scooters are very physically tiring when you first start. As you get better, you will relax and loosen your grip on the controls. Remember the handlebars are controls. If your arms are stiff, they resist steering. Breathe and look where you want to go.

+1 

[exhalent99]

I look back on my first few weeks of riding the Like and find myself giggling.

I'm sure I was rigid with the controls, but that's not what sticks in my mind...

Whenever I would get up to speed (60km/hr+), I would clench my legs and apply downward force to the floorboard. It made me feel more secure. I did this without realizing it mind you. After parking for the day I noticed my legs were a little sore.  The next day when I got up to speed I clenched, and wow I felt those muscles ache.  I think I still do it but my legs have been conditioned now after 5000 kms or so.

The worst part for me was my neck. For the first few weeks my neck got pretty sore. Adjusting to wearing a helmet was hard.  It didn't stop me from riding though.  As soon as I'm on the road all pain and worries disappear.  "Like" morphine!

After about 3 weeks of riding all symptoms disappeared and I was physically stronger. So if you find yourself a little sore, hit the road till the pain goes away!

[Stig / Major Tom]

I also got very tired from riding my new scooter - but most of this was caused by my lack of sleep.
"You can lay here like a dead man, OR you can get up and ride your new scooter!"
Bang, at 5 AM I'm out the door with a cup of Joe while the scooter warms. Throw the cup over your shoulder and away you go! (no, it's one of her favorties so you put in carefully on the brickwork by the garage door - and THEN you're off!)

Conversely, I find that the Haynes "the Scooter book" with it's pretty pictures of modern scooters and maintenance tips like: "flushing your cooling system" on my air-cooled Kymco LIKE , or mixing the 2 stroke oil of a Peugot scoot on my LIKE 4 stroke .... Makes great bed time reading.  To drift off thinking about scooters is a good thing for your body and mind! And that 5AM alarm comes pretty quickly!!

It really is a nice book - would make a nice birthday gift for a scooterista.