April 15, 2008

“Join the Club”

by Chris Anderson

I recently decided to “put my money where my mouth is” and buy a scooter. I’ve always wanted one and when this little beastie came along I couldn’t say no. So, now I’m the proud owner of a 2006 blue BWs scooter. Now what?

I remember reading Max Burns in a Cycle Canada article, where he laments the song of the sidewalk commando. I’m sure you’ve heard it….”I used to have a bike, but I had no-one to ride with…..so I sold it. Gee, I really miss it”.

Now, that’s never been my style, but I know the fun quotient goes way up the more people you ride with. So I got on the internet and surfed some websites particular to the type of club I needed. It’s amazing how much information there is. I chose a scooter club in Toronto and “signed-up”. Then I bookmarked the page and every couple of days, I check messages and events to see what’s coming up.

The best thing about a club is the knowledge the other members have. Even though I’m a motorcycle / powersports technician, my experience with scooters is limited. There’s other mechanics who are members as well as people from all walks of life. I can definitely see the advantage of associating with one’s own kind, especially if you’re trying something new. At the first Meet-Up, I got to shake hands with a few of the organizers and some very cool members. We chatted about insurance, performance issues, traffic, and a bunch of stuff.

If I had purchased a Yamaha Star cruiser bike, I could have joined the Star Riders. Or if I had an ATV, maybe this club in Haliburton where I sometimes ride. The possibilities are endless. So, if you think you’re alone out there, think again. Fun and events maybe just a click away. Why not join the club? I did. cheers CA

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2 Responses to ““Join the Club””

1. Guy Levesque says:
   

   I have a 1600cc of 1999 and would like to change the oil and filter.

   Bonjour Guy,
   Your owners manual should tell you what kind of oil and how often you should change it. If you don’t have one, your local dealer can tell you what filter, oil and interval to change them. regular maintenance is VERY inportant, and your bike needs motorcycle oil…not car oil. don’t forget about your air filter too! If you are not sure about all the points of servicing your Yamaha, it’s worth getting a professional to go over the unit to make sure everything is safe and properly adjusted. Yamaha technicians are among the best in the business and can actually save you money.
   hope this helps.
   Salut!
   chris

   April 21st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
2. gabe says:
   

   Congratulations! The way gas prices are going, before long, there will be a lot more people riding scoots ! (like Canada and England where gas has been high priced for years.) There’s a forum you may enjoy zumaforums.net A bunch of really nice, and knowledgable people. Gabe

   Gabe, thanks for the pointer on zumaforums.com, i will definetly check it out. Our club just had their 2nd annual “twisted wheel” rally. What a hoot!! There were probably 150 scooters of all makes and sizes. We went in groups of 15 or so on a large loop around Toronto. The weather was perfect. I made quite a few new friends and even won a raffle prize. As for the washer in the drive pulley, I knew about that, but have never tried it before.
   keep on scootering!!
   chris

   July 16th, 2008 at 6:53 pm

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