Monthly Archive for April, 2009

This is a great perspective on Scooting

Published
by
Tom
on April 27, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Check out this article:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Save-gas-save-parking-charges-and-have-fun-on-a-/

I’ve reprinted part of it here:

One of the most fun things you can do to reduce your fuel consumption is ride a scooter instead of taking a car.
Motorcycles are also great, but harder to learn to ride, and less maneuverable in congested urban areas. (Motorcycles typically are standard, so you have to shift gears, whereas most scooters have continuous variable transmission i.e. automatic)

Consider:
Most new scooters have very high mileage — 100 MPG is not uncommon, and some are even better. I found a link here to a source of more detailed data: http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/scoot.php

In some cities (like mine, Toronto), scooters park free on city street parking. Even the cheapest vehicle parking costs me about $15 just to get in and out of one client meeting; if I park underground, it quickly rises to $25. There are lots of convenient places to park the scoot. Last summer I estimated that I saved about $300 on parking, which is a pretty good rate of return on the investment, considering I only ride it 6 months of the year.

Newer scooters have low emissions. Those built to European standards are very low, as they only permit 4-stroke engines. A newspaper here reported this startling statistic:
If Americans used scooters for just 35 per cent of their weekly driving, they could, in aggregate, reduce fuel consumption by 53 million litres a day, ICR found, citing U.S. Department of Energy data. They could also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 147.2 million kg a day.

Plus it’s fun to scoot, you meet a lot of nice people, and if you want, you can join a scooter group and attend rallies and go on group rides.

This is really barely an instructable, but I wanted to add this perspective to the green contest.

SO YOU BOUGHT A SCOOTER ON-LINE. CONGRATULATIONS! NOW WHAT?

Published
by
Tom
on April 22, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Internet scooters may seem inexpensive and attractive, but the idea that they can be taken out of the box and be ready to go is just not true. There is a considerable amount of set up to be done if you expect to enjoy the long life and desired performance that you anticipated when you purchased your scooter.

The fact is that many scooters made in China (or any other place for that matter) are never tested at the factory resulting in a scooter that is potentially unsafe and not road worthy. With Internet scooters, proper adjustment and fine-tuning are a performance and safety concern that must not be ignored. To do these adjustments and preparations correctly takes a considerable amount of mechanical ability and experience.

Here’s the NOW WHAT:
•    All the fluids including gas, engine oil, gear oil and if present, coolant must be removed and replaced with high quality products. The factory uses fluids that are intended only for shipping, to prevent the engine and various parts from rusting on their long ocean voyage. These shipping fluids will not lubricate the engine properly and if used even a short amount of time after the scooter is uncrated can cause irreparable damage or at the minimum poor performance and a shortened engine lifespan.
•    The gas filter must be replaced and the lines and tank flushed since they have been exposed to the inferior gas from the factory.
•    The spark plug must be replaced and gapped properly.
•    The valves must be adjusted. This is a complex procedure that requires removing the head cover and making some delicate adjustments. Proper adjustment is necessary for easy starting and maximum fuel efficiency and power.
•    Changing the gear oil in the transmission will prevent premature failure.
•    The scooters brakes must be bled and adjusted.
•    The air filter must be inspected.
•    The tires must be inspected and the pressure adjusted.
•    Than all of the nuts, bolts and screws must be checked and properly tightened using a torque wrench where necessary. Missing parts must be replaced. We have had customers bring us scooters with loose front axel bolts. You would not want the front wheel of your new scooter coming off while you are enjoying the rush of the wind in your face and the exhilaration of your first ride.

If you are not a competent mechanic yourself with all the proper tools then Metro Scooters full service preparation and regular service plan will give you the confidence you need for years of scootering.

We do all of the things I mentioned above to every scooter we sell. It’s included in the price so you can ride with confidence. However, if you bought a scooter on-line or used Metro Scooters can help. We perform all of the steps outlined here for the very reasonable price of $149.95.

So what are you waiting for, summer is approaching FAST and you have a Sooter worth riding!

Call today to schedule an appointment 404-816-7433 or email tom@metroscootersusa.com

*Does not cover damaged or missing parts. Some restrictions may apply.

Atlanta Motor Scooters: The hook-up for motor scooter shoppers and riders in Atlanta, Georgia

Published
by
admin
on April 5, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Ah, Atlanta, no city is quite like it, the culture, the food, the people, it’s a unique and beautiful place. Atlanta, Georgia combines the verdant openness of the South with Metropolitan flavor of mega cities like NY and LA. In other words, Atlanta is the perfect town for motor scooters.

When I come zipping around the the corner of Piedmont and 10th Street, and I see Continue reading ‘Atlanta Motor Scooters: The hook-up for motor scooter shoppers and riders in Atlanta, Georgia’