Transport

[MartyNeilan]

Since last June a Honda PCX 150 scooter has been my primary transportation day in/day out - 12 degrees F, raining, bass trombone or small tuba, even with one kid. Everything except for big tuba, the whole family, or ice on the road. A couple months ago I was promoted to Infrastructure Services Manager at my dayjob. The first three letters of manager are M-A-N and we all know that men don’t ride scooters. Scooters are for college kids and women in Capri pants.

Last month I traded the scooter for a 2005 Honda VTX 1300R. It is powered by a 1312cc (80 cubic inch) water cooled V-Twin fed by a single constant velocity carburetor that is heated by engine coolant for cold weather. It has a five speed transmission (with heel and toe shifter) and rear shaft drive instead of a belt or chain, with single front and rear discs on slotted cast-alloy wheels. The bike had a little under 20,000 miles when I picked it up and included the windshield, saddlebags, and passenger seat with sissybar. I have put on about another 1,000 since then, part commuting and part recreation. Yesterday my wife and I did a 150 mile ride with the local CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association.) She rode her Honda, a 2006 Shadow VLX which now seems like a small bike in comparison.

I needed to have the steering bearings replaced (common on those models) and went with a heavier tapered All Balls bearing. I added a sheepskin pad on the seat to prevent excessive sweating "down under" for the trip to and from work. I also installed fork deflectors to keep the wind from coming up from below the windshield, although I have been riding it naked (the bike, not me) the past week due to the high heat and humidity. After a few more tweaks and minor repairs that were within my scope, I now feel the bike has become a part of me.

Based on the color combination and large single headlight, I have Christened it the “One-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater.”

[bearphonium]

Nice machine! Let me know if you figure out how to transport your tuba. I have not yet mastered that!

[Donn]

For me, the essential feature is a large rear rack, which I guess is part of the picture with luggage racks and seat. Luckily, my Moto Guzzi came from the factory well equipped with all that, so it's just a matter of padding the rack up with a little scrap foam and strapping stuff on with bicycle inner tubes (far better for this purpose than bungies.) I haven't tried my King 1240-or-whatever, but have frequently carried a big Pan American Eb "Giant Bass", tenor sax, baritone sax, probably other stuff.

That's another shaft drive, by the way. Nice bike there. I had a kind of double take, looking for pegs or floorboards - good grief! those things are way out front. Good luck, I think I'd be wasted after few hours like that, but it depends on leg length etc.

A lot of guys you'd think would be old enough to know better, meet their end riding a big motorcycle like that right off the road, over a guard rail or whatever, on their own with no obvious reason. Well, alcohol. But what's missing is they don't have your previous experience and skills from riding all the time, so when they misjudge a curve or something they don't have any reserve to draw on.

[bort]

Congrats on the promotion, Marty! For all the crazy stuff you've posted over the years, I'm happy for you that things are going well, and MANly for you.

[MartyNeilan]

Nice machine! Let me know if you figure out how to transport your tuba. I have not yet mastered that!

Below is a picture of my 6/4 tuba on the 150cc scooter. Both backpack straps and the shoulder strap were tight under the seat. My wife wouldn't let me take it farther than around the block. There was barely room on the seat for me, and the bag would have acted like a huge sail at highway speeds. I did take the bass trombone on the scooter regularly, and several times took my son's 3/4 Conn strapped to the back in similar fashion.

Tonight after I brought the kids home, my wife and I rode around two-up on the bike for over an hour - we even picked up a few things from Walmart. Being married to a full 4/4 sized woman, that would have not been feasible on the scooter. The scooter was rated over 100 MPG, but the big bike is superior in every other way and I am still averaging around 45 MPG (when riding solo and near the speed limit.)

[Three Valves]

Might I suggest a sidecar??

[Donn]

Sidecars are the worst of both worlds - doesn't ride like a motorcycle, isn't as useful as a car. In my state you need a special endorsement for them (or any 3-wheeler), mostly because cornering can be very tricky. If it's about open air motor vehicles, a convertible makes a lot more sense. For extended cargo capacity, trailers are an option, though not usually a very good one.

[Three Valves]

OK.

My I suggest putting the scooter and the horn in that Caprice/Roadmaster wagon/sled??