Any of you duders ride?

I'm just getting into riding motorcycles and loving it! I've wanted to at least learn how to ride for a few years now, but doing the safety course got me hooked, even on those little Honda Groms. Last weekend I got my restricted licence (going to have full in a few weeks). Now I'm looking to get a good beginner bike but something that has legs, I've decided to get a used 2001 Suzuki GS500, which I'm going to buy next weekend.

On the 10th I went to a Honda demo day which are the coolest things ever. All you have to do is show up to the dealership and you can ride a bunch or different motorcycles for free and you get free hotdogs and pop for lunch! I was able to try out the new 2015 CB500F, CBR500R and the CB500X.

Gallery

They also had 300s and 750s but I was too chicken to try the 750. They also had Goldwings (Civics on 2 wheels) and the badass 6-cylinder Valkyrie to try if you are an experienced driver.

I also chatted to the other bikers who were all really nice and fun to talk to. I am loving this new community I've found myself in and I would encourage anyone who is thinking about it to sign up for a safety course and see how you like riding!

For those of you that do ride, tell me about your experience and how you got into it.

The MSF courses use Honda Groms nowadays? That's wild, man.

I'd love to but I value my spine and collarbone too much. Had an awesome moment walking home on Friday. 30 bikes riding (mostly) in convoy. I love being on a biker road.

No way, too dangerous.

I appreciate bike culture from afar, but you'll never see me on one. I know how accident-prone I am, and I've seen enough red streaks and various pieces to never want to do that. (not that I haven't seen cars do the same thing, but still...)

Plus you can't really listen to music on a bike, so fuck that. :P

On the other hand, I'm no gearhead, but I catch myself drooling over bikes far more often than cars. Some gorgeous machines right there.

@shindig:Don't let fear hold you back, duder. I've been riding 7 years with no accidents. I bet a lot of those old biker guys you saw have been riding longer than I've been alive. You just have to assume every car on the road is blind/stupid/crazy and always be aware of your surroundings. The courses teach a lot about safety and defensive riding.

Sure I ride. Over 120,000 miles or so over the last 30 years.

Here I am cruising in along in Baja Mexico

here is the bike I currently ride. A Moto Guzzi V7 Stone. 750cc air cooled twin. Not fast but simple and fun. I think your first bike choice appears to be a good one, get some time in on the smaller bikes before deciding if you want to go faster/bigger.

Nah, I've seen too many accidents in the last 2 years on the road leading to mine. The first being a biker getting sideswiped by a guy leaving a petrol station. He and his bike were in separate post codes. I count three other incidents and a hit and run.

Yeah, I walk to work.

I had a late 70's Harley Softail for 10 years or so. It was metallic blue with a hand painted Indian design on the tank. I wouldn't call myself a "biker" but I had fun when it ran well.

Oh, I ride alright. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

@otterchaos:Awesome bike! You seem like you'd get some good use out of an Adventure Touring bike, have you ever considered getting one?

Yeah I've done a lot of reading and the GS500 is supposed to be great to learn on. The bike gives a lot of feedback so you learn when you're pushing the limits long before you get yourself in an uncontrollable situation. It also has a pretty flat torque curve so you get good power at most RPMs.

@shagge: Yeah I see where you're coming from, I was pretty nervous about it myself but I feel really confident after taking the safety course, enough to believe I have full control over the small-mid range bikes.

They really are incredible especially considering you can get the performance of a $100K sports car for $5K.

No, but I could tell from your username that there's something dude-ish about you.

Sure I looked at them but for the riding I want to do I need simple. When you ride south of the border you will not be traveling fast, or at least not for long as the roads and traffic are not the same as the U.S. and you need to pay even stricter attention to what is around you. So while there are very nice adventure bikes here is why I chose the V7. It is relatively light at about 400 pounds so easier to maneuver into and out of hotel safe parking areas that you look for in Mexico and places south. It is air cooled so no radiator to get damaged. Shaft drive so no chain and sprockets to look after. The V-twin engine mounting makes valve adjustments a snap with no disassembly required other than the valve covers. Moto Guzzi has made a version of this bike mostly unchanged for the last 20 years at least so reliability is known and is good. Parts won't be easy to come by but in fact very few dealers stock parts other than normal wear and tear items so you will probably be waiting even if you are riding a Triumph or BMW (Harley Davidson is probably the best dealer network in the US but not so much to the south). Biggest thing is that the 750cc motor will go fast enough anywhere you care to go even on the interstate highways but highways are places I try to avoid if I can while riding.

I'd say the biggest short coming of my bike is the suspension, it isn't the best for adventure riding but it gets the job done a bit slower and a bit more uncomfortably than say a BMW F800GS or a Tiger 800XC.

Here is Mexico highway 5 in Baja, There is about 35 miles of unpaved washboard road, my bike handled it just fine.

y first bike was a used GS500, it's a great starter bike and fun to work on. I learned a lot on that thing before moving up to a Honda 600 F4i. Sadly that was stolen but I hope to get another in the next year or so. Keep the bike somewhere safe, your head on a swivel while riding, don't be a dick (GB/life rule #1!) and have fun out there!

Not for me. Living in a metropolitan area with "good" public transport means that I'll pay more in taxes than gas, and that I would be that guy who revs his engine every goddamn Sunday morning just 'cause.

Also, I fancy myself still too young to have a midlife crisis.

I've thought about it. Mostly because cutting through all the traffic on freeways in Los Angeles would be rad. But there are too many times when I would want to have a car. Like grabbing groceries or going out of town with my cat.

I really want to ride a motorcycle sometime, but honestly, I'm too afraid I'd crash and die haha. It's always been something I've wanted to do. Maybe someday...

Congrats! I love seeing people act on their curiosities and give motorcycles a try.

I've ridden street bikes for about 10 years now, starting on a Kawasaki 600 Eliminator and owning various new and vintage bikes since then. Right now I have a Buell X1 Lightning that I love.

I'm always glad to see people starting out sensibly and getting a proper motorcycle to start with. I understand the "grow into it" argument to an extent, but seeing guys still on their permit in shorts and flip-flops on thrice-dropped GSXs just makes me cringe.

If you'll permit me to make a reading/purchasing suggestion, one of my friends told me he got a lot of great info and advice from this book. It seemed geared towards a fairly beginner level, and I'm not sure exactly where you are, but it may be worth a look.

Just remember, the more you ride, the better you get!

@locovoco: Thanks! I love vintage bikes, I definitely am more interested in the classic style of bike than the look of the sports bikes. That book looks to be super useful. I've been reading up on the most common accidents and how to avoid them. My priority is definitely more on safety than thrill seeking, just driving around the back roads at 50kph is fast and enjoyable enough for me. I actually don't enjoy going really fast, you can't hear the engine after 100kph.

I bought the CBR500R last year to see if I liked to ride. As it turns out it is a long of fun. Going to be selling the CBR soon to get something a little bit more comfortable to rise two-up with my wife.

Yes, I ride vintage Enduros! I also ride scootah's when traveling abroad and plan on getting a motorcycle when I move to a city. I love the 2012 era ZX6-R but I also love adventure bikes like the Moto Guzzi Stelvio and BMW RT-1200 GS. At first I'll probably get a lighter bike to get better at like the Ninja 300 or Suzuki V-Strom 650.

Here is my 1978 Suzuki PE 175. Also, here is my 1986 Husqvarna WR 250 that I rescued.

I've been on a few, but that's just not for me. I much prefer a cabriolet

The GS series are great beginner bikes.

My only advice is don't ride unless you're in full gear, all the time, period. That means no jeans and t-shirt, and no cheap ass helmet or "Joe Rocket" jacket either. Get a sturdy leather jacket and some pants with armor in them designed to withstand road rash. Leather boots designed for riding that go over your ankle. Leather gloves that go over your wrists. And most important of all, a quality full faced helmet that fits properly. Go to a real motorcycle shop and have someone help fit you for a helmet; you probably don't know what a properly fitting helmet feels like yet.

All too often I see people buy their first bike and then spend a grand total of $100 on safety gear, which usually consists of a cheap ass helmet they got from Wal-Mart or something like that. Please don't do that. This applies to any passengers you may carry, too - which you shouldn't be doing for awhile anyway. It's sickening to see guys decked out in full leathers and a $1,000 custom helmet with a woman on the back wearing shorts, a tank top, and high heels.

Anyway, I had a motorcycle license before I even had a license to drive a car and I rode for over 15 years before I gave it up. I've owned probably 20 different motorcycles, ranging from a Ninja 250 to giant BMW and KTM adventure bikes and 180 horsepower superbikes that ripped the hats off of old ladies as I screamed past them on the street. I've taken trips all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. I've camped on bikes and practically lived off of my bike and whatever I was carrying for weeks at a time. During the course of that time, I got in two severe accidents - neither of which were my fault, nor were they preventable - and I lost several good friends in motorcycle accidents. I still have a little bit of chronic pain in one of my wrists due to damage I sustained in one of my accidents, but I was lucky. The final straw was about a few years ago when one of my best friends getting rear ended on his bike while his girlfriend was a passenger on the back. The truck ran them over; he was in a coma and died a few days later. She lost her right leg because it was mangled so badly they just couldn't save it. I sold my bikes and all my gear after that. After seeing what happened to them and looking back at all the tragedy that people I love have suffered related to motorcycling, I just couldn't continue riding.

I sold my bikes after that and never looked back. My problem with motorcycling wasn't me, or my skills on a bike, or my equipment. It was all the other millions of dumb ass drivers out there who are completely blind to motorcyclists and wipe them out on a daily basis just because they're too busy texting, putting on makeup, drinking, screwing around, sleeping, or just plain not paying attention. It's that tiny bit of loose sand at the apex of a curve on your favorite twisty that is impossible to see; it's the blowout you suffer at 70 MPH on the freeway in traffic; and on and on and on. I'm done for now, it's simply too dangerous and I have too many things and too many other people to live for to risk throwing it all away on something I have no control over.

"...I feel really confident after taking the safety course, enough to believe I have full control over the small-mid range bikes."

You absolutely do not have full control over ANY class of motorcycle after spending a few hours on a tiny bike doing 5 MPH in a parking lot at a safety course over the course of a weekend. Owning and riding a motorcycle is something that demands humility and respect - you won't attain "full control" over a bike for years. Being confident in abilities you don't have yet is dangerous in some circumstances; on a bike, that misplaced confidence can and will kill you in an instant.

If you do decide to buy a bike and start riding, please take an advanced safety course and join a local motorcycling club that centers around safety and group activities. You'll learn more from experienced riders and have more fun if you have friends that also ride. Beyond that, make sure you have plenty of budget for proper safety equipment - and again, that "Joe Rocket" or "eXtREmE Racing Gear" mesh jacket or mesh pants are not proper safety gear. That stuff is garbage. A $79 mesh jacket with "armor" is not good enough. Your tennis shoes are not good enough. Do some research on different brands of leather gear, boots, and helmets and see which are the current best buys that also afford a good level of protection. If I was helping a friend to budget for a 2001 GS 500 and all of the gear he needed to start riding, I would probably end up spending as much or more on gear than on the bike itself. If you're planning on spending $1000-$1500 on the bike and maybe $200 on just a cheap helmet and a mesh jacket...well, I wish you all the luck in the world, duder.

Riding a bike is more dangerous than riding a car. Having said that, I know a lot of people who have had bikes for a long time and they aren't dead. The odds of being in an accident aren't, statistically speaking (at least here in Australia) higher than being in an accident if you drive a car, but if you're in a motorcycle and you hit a car, it's commonsense to figure out who is going to come of much worse.

I could never ride a motorcycle - especially on the highway, where you can just imagine the damage if you were hit by a car going at 100kph or if you came off your bike while on a highway going at 100kph. I mean.... can you imagine how awful that would be? You've got only a flimsy helmet and a jacket to protect your body as you hit the hard asphalt at speed, and you'll likely end up under the wheels of another car that can't stop in time - I get the shudders just thinking about it.

I suppose I am a bit biased. I've been in ED as a medical student, and I can tell you.... motorcycle accidents aren't pretty. No ED doctor I've worked with or talked to rides a motorcycle. Sure, car accidents can get pretty awful, but motorcycle accidents.... yeesh. It's a little inappropriate, but you know what Aussie ED docs call motorcycles? Donorcycles.

All I know about riding a motorcycle is from The Motorcycle Diaries and the Vietnam special of Top Gear so any thrill I feel toward motorcycles is predicated on riding cheap old bikes through developing nations.

Got a licence 6 years ago - do not even remember why. And bought a old beemer while I was still driving the licence (friend drove the bike to my place). And looking back this might've been the best decision I have ever done. Going out of the house and for a drive after work on the country side is the best way to forget your worries. How you focus on the single act of riding really helps to clear your head. I suppose you could do the same by getting a really good workout but gyms are not for me.

The old beemer I got and still have is a 1993 R1100RS. And it got chosen for same reasons as @otterchaos chose his Guzzi. Simple design with no extra frills that could break. The bike had 75 000km on it when I got it and now it has over 152 000km on the clock. On the second season I went for a road trip across the Alps with a friend and that sparked something and ever since its been a yearly tradition to go for a two or a three week journey.

About the safety that peeps seem to be afraid (and this is something my relatives also always remember to comment): If the safety is what keeps you off the bike then why you even leave your home? You never know if some idiot will drive over you. I heartily recommend at least trying motorbiking - safely of course!

I used to ride. Started out on a 1978 Honda 550. Rebuilt the engine with my dad. Rode it for a few years then I got a car. Been wanting another bike since then just haven't had the time/money for it.

Also I don't want to die and bikes are dangerous as fuck people will just hit you without even noticing. Every one I know who rides has had at least one bad crash. I guess I stopped before I had mine. If I ever get a bike again I have to first accept that ill probably die on it.

No, primarily because of their unrelenting ability to transform anyone who rides one into a complete douchebag. I've come across maybe 2 people that ride a bike of any kind that weren't worthless idiots. I hope you're the 3rd, but these things and the people who drive them, piss me off to no end. Don't take this personally. I'm hoping you're one of the few exceptions, like I said before, but unfortunately, I fear it's just a matter of time before you're transformed into an irreconcilable douchebag as well. The only thing worse than motorcycles are jeeps. Those fucking people...

Anyway, I had kind of a long day and needed to vent.

I used to. When I was 12, I had a 1984 Honda 100XL.

My family owned 46 acres of fields and forest adjacent to an obsolete railroad track they'd taken the rails off, so it was hundreds of kilometers of flat, straight dirt. The only problem was the periodic lakes and gaps over which they'd also removed the bridges.

I then gave it up for 10-15 years until I moved to Korea where I rode a string of cheapo used bikes and scooters until I gave it up entirely in favor of not dying in horrible Korean traffic and this:

Which I realize looks a bit ridiculous, but I love it. I spent a lot of my teens and twenties on a kickbike during school and university, so it's like coming home again. And I'm in much better shape.

@mb: I guess I should have been more clear. I feel like I can control a bike well enough to not do something stupid and preventable that would lay the bike down (like locking the front wheel). I'm under no delusion that bikes aren't dangerous. It's a very risky hobby to be certain. I have a DOT approved helmet and will be getting another shortly and am currently researching the best gear to get.

The simple fact is that motorcycles are the most fun I've had in a long time. I feel better and more alive during and after riding them. Contrasting that with games which make me feel cooped up and sometimes even depressed afterward just because I've been inside by myself for too long.

@rollingzeppelin

Motorcycling is a thrill and I completely understand your enthusiasm. I've ridden off and on for most of my life. Dirt bikes in the beginning for quite a while before riding street. It saved me several times btw...those off road survival skills I mean. But just listen to veteran riders like MB and others. The danger is very real, and sometimes completely out of your control. That's the really scary part for us veteran bikers.

If you are down to deal w/that, then really be prepared with the proper gear first, and imo more importantly, the mindset you need every time you ride. Don't ride when you're tired or under the influence obviously. And just get into that hyper aware state of knowing where everything is around you at all times. Create space around you constantly. Assume everyone's not paying attention and be ready to react at all times. Always right in the moment, no place for other worries(sorta great tbh, one facet of riding I really like).Go for lots of rides w/others and gain experience. Don't commute on your bike if you can avoid it.

Not trying to dim your excitement, but I had friends go down a few times, had my own close calls, and I've heard so many sad tales. Be careful duder and and show that hobby the utmost respect. It is a ton of fun, just really be super mindful and gain experience with other experienced riders for a while if you can. Your choice of starter bike is great though. :)

I have a couple of my uncle's old leather jackets from his riding days that don't fit him anymore, but I don't think I'll ever get on a motorcycle myself. I barely trust myself on a bicycle.

So much this. I primarily rode on dirt and loose sand my entire life. I was riding my ex's bike in the rain and talk about white knuckle. Sand is pretty much the only way to prepare you for front tire wash out. which typically leads to a high side.

Protips:

If you are peeing blood from hitting a tree in the woods, "Manning up" isn't the best way to deal with it, go to a doctor.

If riding on washboards, buy a kidney belt! Fox racing makes some good cheap ones.

ECE-22.05 is a better helmet rating than SNELL in the US. DOT approval is not enough... ECE testing has dynamic head weight, so smaller helmets and larger helmets offer better impact protection. I like my Old Man Nolan, but I'm it's so LOUD.

Hypothermia is possible when riding even on a sunny day.

Haven't ridden for quite a few years now, but when I left for college I ended up getting a motorcycle license since the university wouldn't allow freshmen or sophomores have cars. Rode an '84 Honda Silverwing (before they turned them into scooters). It was a great 500cc bike that had enough comfort that I could ride for hours. Took a couple trips with my dad down Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to L.A. a couple times and back. Good times.

I keep my eye on the used market for a decent Suzuki GSX-R. If I ever bother to get licensed, that'd be my track day bike. Or alternatively, I'd ask the guy that works at Subway if I can have a go on his Honda that has the Repsol bodykit.

Being a true Texan, the only thing I really ride are tornadoes.

I used to ride and still own a Kawasaki Vulcan 500 / EN500. It's basically a small cruiser motorcycle with the engine of the Kawasaki Ninja 500R, just tuned differently. I have not ridden it in years though because I can no longer afford to keep it on the road and I do everything by bicycle. If I ever go back to riding motorcycles I'm going to have to take a refresher course for sure.

(Motorcycle pictured here is not mine but it looks mostly the same, sans the passenger back rest.)

@cbyrne: @pweidman: Thanks for the tips guys, you're tempting me to get a dirt bike but I'm pretty set on the GS500. It would be pretty awesome to get a dual purpose here since the trails are amazing and very extensive.

A lot to think about here for sure. I am definitely going to start off only riding during the day and I'll never ride after drinking. Slow in, fast out of the twisties keeping an eye for oncoming traffic and loose gravel on the curve. I already give lots of space and stay the hell away from blind spots when I'm driving a car, I'll be extra cautious on my bike.

When you say washboards do you mean the position that some sport bikes have the rider in?

Edit: I see its a condition that some gravel roads get into. I think I'll be driving on gravel very rarely, probably only to get to a lake shore for a km or two. I've never seen gravel roads here get into this washboard state though.

Edit #2: I was looking up ECE certified helmets and found this thing that looks like something the Helljumpers from Halo would wear!

I have my motorcycle endorsement on my license but don't actually own a motorcycle, I occasionally ride my friend's though. The bike I want to get isn't made anymore, and one of my other friends has one, the Yamaha Midnight Warrior, specifically the '06 like my friend has.

@rollingzeppelin: The problem with dual purpose bikes (In my mind the KLR 650) is they suck at on road and sometimes off road. Mostly the gearing is really torquey so riding in traffic is difficult and they are squirrelly at freeway speeds or your reving the motor extensively at freeway speeds. Unless most of the roads you want to explore are dirt and bike should work good if you ease your speed and stand a little on the pegs if it gets rough.

I wasn't suggesting that everyone should start off on dirt/gravel, I'm just saying I found the loose no grippy surfaces and high center of gravity bikes always kept me in check with where my skill level actually is. Keep your self in check. Corners are fun and it's really easy to start riding out of your comfort level.

Along with that, if you start riding with a group know your limits and don't let peer pressure dictate your actions. I'm susceptible to peer pressure a lot and break many laws... Don't be lame like me. So if they Zoom away don't feel obligated to do so as well. Typically, I'll drop a gear and rev up, perhaps speed a little, but I don't start riding out of my element. For example... Here is me with some people I knew going to a Kawasaki demo event. The reasons why this was a bad idea, not my bike, maybe have road it for 15 minutes up to this point, I'm still not a good rider, don't know the guy in front of me, he might of just took is permit class yesterday, I don't know the road, I exceed the speed limit by 2x, and I only did it because everyone else did. Luckily it worked out, but after it I thought about it and it was real dumb.

If your super bored, here is a clip of what I grew up learning to ride on. Typically a Zuma 125 scooter isn't a off road beast and it was a HANDFUL during that short ride. The road harshness causes a ton of Go Pro rattle.

Caution about that Helmet, it's a enduro style helmet, that visor on top might catch a lot of air at higher speeds. Look for reviews on neck strain from that. Otherwise it's about comfort and style.

By washboard I mean roads that end up like this. I ride primary in rural/forest northern Michigan. These become real common.

Been riding about 6 years. First in LA, then in New Jersey/NYC area (commuting into manhattan on a motorcycle is pretty interesting), and back in LA now. Got started when my brother convinced me and my wife to take the MSF course and we had a blast.

First bike was a Honda Shadow 500 which I did a bunch of work on, like rebuilding the carburetor, not fun stuff. Current bike is a Street Triple R which is an awesome ride but I am glad it was not my first. Everybody knows stories of people who end up hurt/dead from riding, so I think about giving it up pretty regularly but it makes my commute so much nicer. A guaranteed 20 minute commute vs the whims of LA traffic...

Also, as has been mentioned: good gear is essential. I had a guy low-side in front of me at the track, skid a good 30 feet and be completely fine. It's not a guarantee obviously, but not having it would have left him short an awful lot of skin. The track can be a really great learning experience BTW. Racing is not allowed, and they often have classes about turning and vision that help quite a bit in real world circumstances.

Have fun! Do drills. Then do more drills. Afterward, maybe do some more drills :-)

@cbyrne: Oh yeah, I was only commenting about how cool it looks ha ha. I'm actually going to get the Icon Airmada to replace my current DOT half helm. Going to fit some armor into my current leather jacket which is really thick leather, I think it's up to snuff for riding other than the lack of armour. Other than that I'm going to get some kevlar reinforced denim pants and better gloves, aiming to get some with padding on the palms but don't restrict movement too much.

That first video reminded me of the Honda Demo day but we kept it within 20 kph of the limit.

I really want to get a motorcycle but I know nothing about them. I have friends that ride and it sounds super nice. What's a cafe rider? They said I'd like something like that.

Nice, duder! It sounds like you'll love it.

I'm riding an 07 GSX-R 600 right now. It's super common around here but it's a nice bike and I have a lot of fun on it. I keep thinking about getting a second one. Something a little more Steve McQueen feeling.

@mechakirby: A cafe rider or cafe racer is a bike that touches on the era of the first "super sport" riding position bikes. Typically, just a chopped up/tuned version of a standard bike to allow it to go faster to get to the next cafe faster. It has very British routes that the Japanese kind of stole and improved upon in the 80's.

In the Modern era we have Super Sport bikes that are built for speed/racing. We also have "throwback" Cafe racers that are inspired from the past, but have modern things like fuel injection and suspension that works. Most of the common examples are the current Triumph Thruxton and Moto Guzzi V7

Interesting topic. I've been interested for some time but not sure. When I was a kid my dad had a touring bike and I rode on it with him a few times. Before I even consider getting one though I'd want to know as much as possible about safety and proper gear.

I rode for years on the LA freeways and my biggest enemy was myself. Riding fast and dangerously is a helluva rush. The last time I rode, I got caught in the rain and hit a flooded out section of the freeway, before I could react, my handlebars were completely sideways and I was hydroplaning at about 75MPH. Somehow I didn't die and yeah, that was the last time I rode.

It's a lot of fun but anybody who tells you it isn't dangerous is wrong. The most dangerous thing the average person does is drive/ride in a car. This is only because the average person does not ride a motorcycle.

I've always wanted to ride but I'm currently living in between two coutnries (one of which riding is only possible in the summer) and a possible third in a few months. I know my normal license can be transferred on the spot but as far as a motorbike license I can't get one from my home country cuz' I'm not there and since I don't have the proper documentation to get even a permit here - I'm screwed.

I could ride a Faggio - I mean scooter, but those aren't cool, duder.

Scooters are cool. Actually, they are much harder to ride than motorcycles because of the weird center of gravity and they are HEAVY and awkward on those small tires.

My compliant about scooters is that no one give you "the wave," lol. Also, a 125cc scooter will get up 60 mph (depending on weight) crashing at say 40 mph on a scooter and a proper motorcycle will result the same. Seeing kids on scooters in shorts, t shirts, and a dome helmet is so cringe worthy. I have about 2,000 miles on my Dad's Zuma 125. It's pretty rad.