Riding through city traffic on my commute home yesterday - sitting at a long traffic light:
"Hey Mister, is that fun to ride?!"
A youngster hanging out the passenger window next to me at the light.
I looked at him, flipped up the face shield, smiled and replied, "Sure is!!"
He smiled back and had his mom pace me for a couple of blocks until I turned off.
I suspect it was the carnival-ride-looking 2-color LIKE with its chrome crash bars and the mismatched bright yellow guy sitting the scooter that made him ask.
I doubt he would have asked the same of a stealthy blacked-out rider and bike.
I recognize that I am just about silly looking on this scooter - and certainly not intimidating to a kid of a certain age.
I was reminded of this a few mins later: Cruising along smiling about this encounter when along comes a helmetless HD rider. I gave him the 2 fingered low wave and head nod.....and he, of course, responded to the same scooter which made the boy smile - by ignoring me. I had to laugh at myself for expecting anything more. (I get the wave when I'm on the Burgman with its menacing twin headlights and darker front visage....almost always.)
Scootering is still fun....ordered some new boot-cut Sliders kevlar jeans today to try to keep it so.($79, on sale - their other jeans are cut so big if you turn around too fast you'll have 'em on backwards)
Stig