Scootin'

Home

Scootin'

All fixed up!

I was having some problems with the charging system on the scoot, so I ordered a replacement for the rectifier - a whole $19.00. Took a while to get it in since the rear plastic had to come off. While I was at it, I added a high performance CDI/Coil combination. The Xtreme Performance CDI coil is supposed to give me another .o5 spark duration and another amp in spark. All I can say is that it is running a lot better. Going to have to do another sunset ride to see how it's feeling. Haven't been able to do too much on the house since we're still waiting for the site to dry up some. It will be really interesting to see if the new stuff on the scoot helps be break the 60mpg barrier.

Wonder Weather

First long ride of the spring!

I wanted to attend a meeting in Madisonville, Texas this week on the future of the Navasota River. It was an absolutely beautiful day so I really had no other choice. 40 miles each way. Not too bad. The meeting was very interesting and I met some really great people. When the meeting was over, it was dark so this qualified as my longest night ride since I put the new headlights in.

Wow! Low beam was wonderful - it lit up the road and the side very well and no one flashed their lights so I guess they were adjusted fairly well. When I hit the high beams, It was nearly daylight. I could see a very long way down the road very clearly. Oh, but wait! I had forgotten to turn the right light on. Now that really made a difference. Low beam really illuminated the right of the road, again with no flashed lights at me. When I hit the high beam, well, I'm going to have to make some measurements and see how far down the road I can see. They....are.....bright.

There was a rather nasty cross wind both going and coming. It was fairly steady around 20mph, with gusts around 30 and 40. Kept me on my toes. It was a good experience. I sure was happy I had the full face helmet - lots of bugs out!

Wow they are bright!

Well the ride to Hempstead was off. The class/seminar was postponed until April 17. I just realized that the wild flowers should be in full bloom by then.

Old Headlight

The new HID headlights arrived from Hong Kong Friday (isn't the internet neat?). Anyway Friday night I took these pictures of the old headlights...

Low beams are on the left and high beams are on the right.

I thought they were OK. Compared to other bikes they seemed just as bright.

I read about some fellow scooterists over at Scoot Dawg who had found some HID kits on E-Bay. I followed the link, and soon I had a set of HID headlights on their way to me from Hong Kong. I was surprised when they arrived 4 days later.

One of the problems when dealing with scooters and electronics directly from China are the instructions. Something seems to be lost between Chinese and English. example... "Please read first the foundation install the catalogue. Before installing far near light system, please the first check power supply on line and plus or minus pols adjust input the exportation lead the linear position, then according to top the diagram show beginning gearing" (I very carefully made sure to get all their words right) There we go - got it? Luckily, after all was said and done, it came down to 3 wires, none of which were the color shown in the diagram. The bike was getting put back together around sundown, so I didn't have too long to wait to take the after pictures

new low beam

new High Beam The difference is absolutely amazing. I'm still tweaking the aiming of the head light to get them just right. They easily reach 3 to 4 times the distance on high beam.

The new head light should be wonderful for picking out the beady little eyes of night critters that like to jump out in front of you.

I've written up my experience installing the light for my friends at Scoot Dawgs.

Spring has sprung

Days are getting warmer...40's in the morning, and 70's in the afternoon. Soon, major flower sniffin' time arrives. Winter upgrades to the scoot are nearly complete. Incadescent bulbs have been swapped out for LEDs; new windshield in place, tune-up, new spark plug, soon the new HID headlights will be installed.

Overall, it was a fun winter. It didn't get too cold, but it was cold enough to keep one alert. I can say that it really surprised people to see me on the scoot in January in the rain. I guess the guy on the big bikes had more sense than I did.

I'm feeling the call of the road and think that a few trips are in order. I've just re-connected with a cousin I hadn't heard from in a very long time. It seems that her life has taken her into the "earth" sciences. She is a musician, artist, ran a company which implemented earth-friendly erosion control. Small world. She's getting married in July which will be fun. It seems that many friends are going to converge on this event. College Station to Austin should be a great ride.

It's also going to be fun to watch the shire (the 15 acres which I'm lusting after) wake up. I have a feeling that the undergrowth is going to be amazingly thick.

Think I'll make a run down to Hempstead tomorrow and see what's going on at the Blackwood Educational Land Institute. Check out their site.

I'll try to do a ride report later.

Another Ride to Washington

Givi-small Did a repeat of my ride to Washington, Texas earlier this winter, only this time, it was 45 degrees instead of 28 degrees. I had my new battery heated gloved - nice and toasty fingers. I also had a new Givi windshield on my scoot. The new windshield is amazing . It is about 6 inches taller, and 3 inches wider on each side. The wind noise and buffetting is practically gone from my helmet. It was a much more relaxing ride. I was also able to hear the engine more clearly than I ever had. It was neat to hear it ticking away like a fine watch.

Driving down was great, light traffic, low wind, nice and cool. Gone was the discomfort of below freezing weather.

Got to Washington, actually the Navasota airport, and my friend and I headed off to pick up his Cessna 172 in Brenham. We had a great flight. Took some great pictures of some property we're listing and got to see the giant generator being trucked through Brazos county. Also got a picture of a new lot that I've sold. A new house is going in there as soon as my clients current house is sold. The wind had picked up a lot since we left and I was very glad that George had so much experience as a pilot. He was going to fly back to Navasota, and I was going to drive his car back, but with the wind, he decided to wait until a calmer day. Smart, very smart.

Coming back 45 miles was a little different. The wind, cutting across the road, was effecting me as well and I was having to make constant adjustments to the bike. One thing though, I should have pulled the liners from my riding gear. I was pretty warm by the time I got home. I was thinking about my friends up north who are still snowed in.

More Articles...