a video

[bongoman]

Here's a link to a video that shows the mods I've made. New handlebars, custom seat and so forth. the video is a  bit longer than I wanted, so it might get boring in the middle. The beginning shows the mods, the rest is just riding with some funky music. The riding is more fun to do than watch. Then again, you already know this.   

[zombie]

Love the bike Bongo! Very nice Mods.

My favorite has to be the lights on the forks. Having the light follow the wheel is almost mandatory out where I live.
There is soooo much crap dropped on the road that you can easily miss heading around even the slightest of bends.

Nice Bike!

[bluesin]

Like the naked handlebars. have been thinking of doing something similar on mine .

[zombie]

It's the coolest thing that no one realizes.

It really sets a bike apart, and it's so subtle. One of my all time favorite Mods.
Custom wheels, and wide tires are right up there too.

[bongoman]

Thanks Zombie and Bluesin. The lights on the front fender are really nice on the back roads at night. I also think the extra visibility during the day is sort of like a ray gun pointing at threatening cars. I have a separate on-off switch so I don't have to turn them on for short trips.

[zombie]

They're those 4 buck each LED lights right? Ebay?

I used them om my Vruk till one burned out. It filled w/ water. They worked fine just by themselves. I was supprised.

[htcneil2]

Looks Good bongo. I still need to come get that can from you!
I still got your number.

[bongoman]

The front riding lights are not the 4 buck cheap import from China. They are Piezo, cost around $150 from my LSS - Local Scooter Shop. Routing the wires up through the fairing was the most difficult part. It requires teeny tiny hands. Or long fingers. Or do like I did and pay the tech to finish the job.

[zombie]

Nice. Yeah, I got the cheepo's but my bike cost less than your lights.
I suppose it's all relative.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Thanks for the video....it has been a long old time since I trained as a medic at Brooke Army Med. Center.
Town was dangerous as heck in those days - too many servicemen wandering the streets on week ends getting jumped by Mexicans. (2 Army posts, 2 AF bases nearby) Ft Sam was an 'open' post (no gates) so GI's were always getting mugged on pay-day nights. We were advised to travel in groups no fewer than 4. Not a safe place for my 19 yr old wife. (the wives stayed locked in the YWCA at night)
Glad to get out of there - only marginally more dangerous in 'Nam, and sent her back to Mass.
She worked in a large dept store near the Alamo.
My remembrances are probably colored by the misery of being poor (you would not believe what the Army paid in those days) confined to the barracks and a married fellow who was about to leave his young pretty wife.

I'm sure it has developed into a nice place to live, now.
Stig

[bongoman]

Well Stig, your memories are pretty accurate for that period of time. Your post brought to mind many of the issues you discussed.

This is my hometown, and was back then. I have traveled many places, and countries, so I have seen other cities and their problems. They - we who make cities what they are - all have their problems. Or uniqueness.

I am proud and honored to say that I was a part of the changes that came to San Antonio since then. It is now a favorite city for veterans, and active duty. All the bases here now have much tighter security. The bicycle lane that I used to ride to cross Fort Sam is closed. Those old funky barracks looking houses around the base have been fixed up.

Traffic is still scary, however, I have found that to be the case in almost every city I have visited or lived in. Austin, San Francisco and Sacramento, and Davis are my personal favorites for scootin' and bicycling.

[bountybuddy]

Very nice video bongoman.  Also very nice scooter.  Thanks for posting.  I envey you for where you live.  I tried to get my wife to move to Texas but she says she has to many friends here in Michigan so I have to suffer through the Michigan winters.  Ride safe my friend.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Well Stig, your memories are pretty accurate for that period of time. Your post brought to mind many of the issues you discussed.

This is my hometown, and was back then. I have traveled many places, and countries, so I have seen other cities and their problems. They - we who make cities what they are - all have their problems. Or uniqueness.

I am proud and honored to say that I was a part of the changes that came to San Antonio since then. It is now a favorite city for veterans, and active duty. All the bases here now have much tighter security. The bicycle lane that I used to ride to cross Fort Sam is closed. Those old funky barracks looking houses around the base have been fixed up.

Traffic is still scary, however, I have found that to be the case in almost every city I have visited or lived in. Austin, San Francisco and Sacramento, and Davis are my personal favorites for scootin' and bicycling.

I owned a couple of Honda motorcycles  (1st one was stolen from my apt. garage) while in the Army at Ft Sam.
When I got my orders for Vietnam I took a midnight ride to Austin on the highway. I saw 105 on the speedo.
Put my wife on a bus to catch the Santa Fe Chief to Topeka (my parents) and rode the Honda up to Topeka....was a great "final" ride.....'cept the chain guard vibrated off.

My highschool class has its reunions at a hotel in San Antonio.....and a lot of them are ex-military. (Paris American High School - our dad's were military and embassy stationed in Paris, France)

I had basic training and then medic training at the fort. (got my draft status changed to 1A-O, conscientious objector  - so that the Army had to grant my wish to be a combat medic. Only Ft. Sam had basic training for these guys)
San Antonio was life-times ago for me - but looks like a nice place now - and for reunions!
Ride safe - traffic for scooter riders is an adventure everywhere!
Stig

[zombie]

Very nice video bongoman.  Also very nice scooter.  Thanks for posting.  I envey you for where you live.  I tried to get my wife to move to Texas but she says she has to many friends here in Michigan so I have to suffer through the Michigan winters.  Ride safe my friend.

This is why they put the trunk of the car in the back. Less racket.

[bongoman]

I do like our weather. Summers are hot, so we head for the river.