MOPED ARMY

I'm still riding ... and several Decepticons in Kalamazoo are still out (well over a dozen). Probably through the winter (w/ the exception of whiteouts). Last night I rode in the mid to low 30s.

So we're still riding out there! Swarm and Destroy!

Still riding. Repairs are getting to be a pain in the ass though. Wish I knew someone with a heated garage. Probably won

Stop ? just cause it gets cold ?

You've gotta be kiddin !

Worst I've ever seen is about -30 with wind chill (not factoring the speed of the 'ped into that) and howling winds blowing big fat fluffy flakes the whole time, and that after hacking about 1/2 of ice off the controls to get the 'ped started.

Hail Tomos, it started, even then, within 3 kicks - I kid you not.

I've heard some of the 'peds with a battery in them don't do too well in subzero, but anything with a kickstart should be ok.

First off, you have to have a snowmobile suit, there really isn't any comparison, and it helps a lot, I wear a us army field jacket liner underneath, then the motorcross armor and then the suit.

(The armor is real small, got a heck of a discount on it cause they couldn't find anyone else that it would fit on, and the snowmobile suit is 2 sizes large to find the layers under.)

A full face helmet works, if you don't mind a blinding sinus headache when ya come inside, heh, but my pref is open-face with a (phonetic) bach-a-lava, or whatever the hell they call that thing, or a ski mask..

(Take if off before you go into 7-11 tho, or don't wonder why everyone screams and runs, hehehe)..and a set of goggles.

Sure, you look like a bug that way, but then so do paintball fanatics, you can use one of those masks too, if ya want.

Gloves are a must, but there are many lines of very good ones, so that's not a problem, and either thermal socks, or those nice ones they sell out of hunting catalogs that have a battery operated warming system (they still sell those ? I dunno, but they are real nice), and heavy boots with deep tread are reccommended.

As for tire chains, as someone mentioned, what's worked for me is hitting a garden store and buying a whole crapload of flat-linked ornamental brass chain, you can wrap it around the tires without chewing them up because it's soft brass, and hook it up with S-hooks.

(This may throw off wheel balance a little, after a while, mind)

If your insane enough to not back off the throttle, those chains, once you cut a couple pieces to size, only last about 2 days worth of riding, but if you take it easier they'll go 3-4.

Still, have some spare chain, some more S-hooks, and a cutter in your saddlebags just in case.

Riding a 'ped in 3 feet of ice, snow and slush is great fun, especially since due to it's lower ground pressure, you are unlikely to get bogged.

It's the one time you can ride around laughing at car owners, all of whom seem to be rather, umm, stuck. (oh and ain't THAT a pity..hahaha)

Word of warning tho, if you are going anywhere near one of those salt-thrower equipped trucks, stop and take cover as he passes, in case he decides not to turn the thrower off when he passes you - I've had my clock cleaned right off the 'ped that way once.

Happy motorin !

Ree

It's nice to read that you mopedheads aren't afraid of getting a little cold.

Reep, You sound just a little bit nuts, but I mean that in a nice way. Maybe that's why I'm chomping at the bit to get my butt on a moped. The problem right now is we are leaving the great white north for Myrtle Beach in 9 days and the campgrounds there don't allow 'peds on their roads. Next spring I'll be back home and I'll have one fer shur.

That's not nearly as nuts as the springtime runs from Baltimore to Annapolis every sunday I used to make, heh...you'll like this.

I put a pushbutton lock on the throttle of my Golden Bullet, with just enough tension that it would hold the throttle where it was, but just little enough that if you hit a bump, it would pop off..more or less cruise control for a moped.

Now springtime in MD is very nice mopedding weather, and Baltimore to Annapolis is a good long ride about 32-35 miles in reality, no matter what the map says.

Well, there's this wonderful stretch of Rte2/50 that's smooth and nearly straight for quite a while, and I used to eat lunch there, while in motion.

Buy a lunch combo from McDonalds, and wedge that little cardboard tray between the handlebars, flip on the boombox I had bungeed to the cargo rack and hit the throttle lock and just hold the bike on course with knees and balance while havin lunch on the road..at 35mph.

(Mind, don't try that at home kiddies, fun as it is, unless yer very, very good, it's none too safe)

Or, "The Manhood Run".

This is/was a game played by the few Moped folk in the south Baltimore area, started when I got stuck with a job interview in the far northeast corner of Baltimore, and living in the far southeast corner at the time.

The run was so brutal that we made it a challenge of Moped Manliness.

You have to make the run and return, and within as short a time as possible, and bravado points for nasty weather, and you cannot use 695, or any major highway where mopeds are not lawfully allowed - which means you have to do it right through the middle of Baltimore city, not a nice place, and vicious traffic as well.

Here's the suggested route (cutting through alleys to dodge the red lights is allowable under the rules, even encouraged).

Look this up on a mapping system, if ya want.

Start from the corner of 8th Street & Jeffrey St (21225) and zoom down 8th St to Patapsco Ave.

(The Brooklyn Ghetto, rolling stops encouraged)

Left on Patapsco, to Hanover St, then right on Hanover St, over the bridge (fun) and into the city proper.

(You pass through the Cherry Hill Ghetto area here, keep the throttle wide open)

Keep going till you hit East Fort Ave, and swing right, till you hit South Charles St, and turn left on that.

(Keep the hammer down, South B-more ain't no nice place)

Blast down that till you pass Eager St (home of the City Lockup), and any of the next three streets (Chase,Biddle,Preston) that looks good, turn right onto, for a couple blocks, till you hit Greenmount Ave, and turn left onto it going North.

Stay on it till it turns into York Rd, and you hit Cold Spring Lane, stop at that intersection and use the payphone to call in yer arrival, leg one complete.

Now, go back to 8th and Jeffrey St, only - You cannot return the way you came - thems the rules.

Extra points for rush hour, bad weather, unreliable 'ped (we had one that threw the drive chain constantly), etc.

It takes a set of big brass ones to pull that off, but if ya can accomplish it, you've definately got chest pounding rights, I've done it four times, in various inclement weather/traffic conditions, and once on the frankenbike.

I'd love to see a moped-mocker try that stunt, they'd never have an unkind word fer us again, that's fer damn sure.

Ree

i recently rode to work...

from springfield, mo to nixa, mo at 7am in dense fog at about 50

Yeah Ree... you do sound crazy.

You sound crazy enough to be the "monkey" on my ice racing sidecar that I race in the winter here in MI... I race against the big Harleys and it can get a little crazy.. but you sound like one of the few that could hack it.

I think I've got a guy all lined up.. but who knows?..I scared one off last year.. (its really not that bad.. seriously.. but the MX gear is not a bad idea)

I am not kidding.. but I do already have a 'for sure' and a 'maybe'..I am just saying you have to have an attitude like yours to do stuff like this.

Just in case it didn't occur, Wulf....the corner of 8th and Jeffrey ?

That was the startin point cause I happened to live there.

For thems that don't know much about B-more...that's 2 blocks diagonal from "Ground Zero" of the Forgotten Lands (The Brooklyn/Curtis Bay Ghetto, kinda like South Central LA without the Tourists) which'd be 10th and Stohl.

You do NOT wanna live there.

(Michiganders..compare to Cass Corridor, bout 5-6 years ago)

The 'ped is an ideal vehicle for the area, since 1 years car insurance would cost most of you younger guys up to $3,000.00, plus inspection, plus emissions, plus registration, title, tags, etc.

In that area, you think you will find employment that allows you to fork out $10,000.00 to drop a car on the road that's only worth about $500.00 ?

And I think I will leave riding the bus or the light rail (Loot Rail !, Loot Rail !), to yer imagination...<shudder>.

MD requires nothing for mopeds...a Law Test and a K-Permit, which is $15.00

The only problem with that, is keeping ones 'ped (and ones arse) in possession and intact, or more folks would have them.

But yeah, I rode those streets from 1987-1992 till the wreck, and on the trike, till 1997, so I've rode that area for a decade.

Being still here to bitch about it, I figure I got a maybe a little bit of right to snarl back at moped detractors, heh.

Ree.

i'm still to be found prowling the streets; will be as long as weather permits.