Chicago city stickers expire today
It’s Chicago “Vehicle Sticker” day! If you live in the city, your old car stickers and motorcycle medallions expire on June 30, and must be updated today. All motorcycles and scooters are required to display the tag. Despite commonly being called “parking medallions,” they’re required whether or not you park on the street. Remember that motorcycle tags do allow you to park in any “neighborhood” parking zone. Generally, hardcore enforcement starts at the end of July, so if you haven’t yet, send Miguel Del Valle your $45. This year, the medallion has been redesigned, it’s smaller and looks more like a dog tag, tastefully anodized in orange to match Blurs, Buddys, and Stellas. Good call, Miguel.
More MPG math:
The New York Times’ always-great “Wheels” blog points out that “miles per gallon” perhaps isn’t the best metric, or at least shouldn’t be the only metric, of fuel savings. A higher MPG figure gives the false impression that the savings are proportional to the mileage. Obviously, a higher MPG rating is better, but as the mileage increases, the savings decrease (per mile). Their example is that replacing a low-mileage SUV with an average-mileage car will save you more money than trading an average-mileage car for a hybrid car. Let’s do some math and see what that means for scooters.
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Mods vs Rockers 2008 Photos
A few photos from Mods and Rockers at The Globe and Delilah’s. UPDATE: Here are Jordan’s and Ron’s photos
Archive: Slaughterhouse 4 soccer
Thats Norm and me and I’m embarassed to admit I can’t remember the other dude’s name right now, “playing soccer” at Lane Tech High School after Slaughterhouse 4 (1998), as originally seen on our original website in 2000. Rally Soccer was sort of a tradition back then, with the various options and rules outlined here.
Ask Dr. Buzz
#15: Throw a kit on that… whatever it is.
Today’s question for Dr. Buzz and his panel of experts comes from From Art E. of Fresno, CA:
Please help, I am stuck with a torn apart “Vino!” From what can tell the engine is a Linhai/Yamaha 49.5cc 2-stroke. I checked the engine number to verify it. I ordered an Athena 70cc big-bore kit and the “big-bore” piston has about 2-3mm of clearance in the stock cylinder! Also the Athena cylinder is about a half inch shorter than the stocker. The clutch variator has splines too small to fit on the crankshaft. Primary gears are wrong (the gear on the shaft has a nub on the end where the stocker does not). I have not measured the stock bore yet. What could be wrong? This is the “Minerelli”-style horizontal engine. Please help!
Scooter News
Consumer Reports’ scooter tipsConsumer Reports goes against the overwhelming tide of “scooters are great” stories to publish a concise list of things people should think about before being swept up in the hype. The only thing missing is a...
Unspeakable Xingyue love“Local man loves his Chinese-made scooter.” Despite the headline, the video was totally disappointing. Just wipe up your mess when you, uh, “finish,” Mumford. For the record, that’s a Xingyue...
Where retribution gets you…“Arkansas linebacker faces felony charge”. It’s hard not to get angry when a cager endangers you or your scooter, but it rarely pays off to fight back. I’ve had a gun waved at me for flipping off a...
Auto-Rickshaw Mud FlapsIf you’re riding a Bajaj, you need these, stat. (And here are more.)
Virginia enacts new licensing todayStarting today (July 1, 2008) the Commonwealth of Virginia requires riders to obtain a motorcycle license to operate any two-wheeled vehicle capable of more than 35mph. We now go live to Chelsea in Richmond to tell you all...
Chicago city stickers expire todayIt’s Chicago “Vehicle Sticker” day! If you live in the city, your old car stickers and motorcycle medallions expire on June 30, and must be updated today. All motorcycles and scooters are required to display...
New Florida law requires MSF classA new Florida law takes effect tomorrow: New motorcyclists and scooterists are required to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course before being granted a motorcycle license. Bravo. In Utah, also starting in July, riders...
“A city built for cars”An editorial from urban planning site Planetizen: “Scooting in a City Built for Cars.” )Thanks, Drew) I’m looking forward to some interesting comments on this one. I’ll start off negative by reiterating...
New Peugeot Vivacity 50Peugeot has redesigned their Vivacity 50, I’m not in love with it, a little too “executive” for me, but it’s very distinctive and clean-looking. As reporter earlier, Peugeots will be sold in Canada...
Former scooter racer Scott Smallwood still riding 2-strokes at breakneck speedRoadracingworld.com reports that former scooter racing ace Scott Smallwood crashed at Virginia International Raceway and fractured several vertebrae. Apparently he’s doing ok (as he was healthy enough to write to...
Ripped from yesteryears’ headlines…Modernmechanix has a nice set of photos from a 1939 Popular Mechanics piece on scooters. It mentions a scooter company in Chicago, parking on sidewalks, over 100 mpg and scooters surviving a fad stage. Some think the...
More MPG math:The New York Times’ always-great “Wheels” blog points out that “miles per gallon” perhaps isn’t the best metric, or at least shouldn’t be the only metric, of fuel savings. A higher...
I’ME: the next Genuine scooter?PGO’s new fuel-injected I’ME 125 won a 2008 Taiwan Excellence Award and got some press coverage (videos below) in Taiwan, but there’s a strange lack of information about it on the internet. The Republic...
#15: Throw a kit on that… whatever it is.Today’s question for Dr. Buzz and his panel of experts comes from From Art E. of Fresno, CA: Please help, I am stuck with a torn apart “Vino!” From what can tell the engine is a Linhai/Yamaha 49.5cc 2-stroke....
El Coucho, el video!With PVSC’s “Band Camp” rally days away, it’s the perfect time to share this must-see time-lapse video of Alex Tasi constructing the famous “El Coucho” scooter: (Thanks for the link, Mike...
