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Messages - bleys

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16
General Discussion / Re: Well it finally happened.
« on: July 23, 2016, 09:37:07 PM »
By the way, if you live in the Groton, CT. area, the scooter is for sale from the dealer for $2299.   It's mechanically excellent, with only a couple of cosmetic blemishes.  I would guess you could get them down to $2000 as they had to do nothing to the bike.  I finished the trade around 1 p.m. and they posted it online by 5 p.m.  LOL!
Thanks for the kind words Karl, and I will stay in touch...just not as often.

17
General Discussion / Well it finally happened.
« on: July 23, 2016, 06:34:01 PM »
I've been feeling the bug for a couple of years now and this week I finally saw a motorcycle at a price I could not pass up.  So I took the old Xciting 85 miles to Connecticut and traded it in for a 2014 Honda CTX 700N.  The test drive sealed the deal.  They only wanted $2995 for the motorcycle.  Admittedly, I would have liked a little more for my scooter, but I do think I more than made up for it with the price I got the bike for. 
What was really funny was that while we were working out the deal, I saw 4 different people sit on my scooter.  One guy was asking about it and I heard the sales manager say that they hadn't completed the deal yet, and someone had already put an offer on it. 
Anyway, just wanted to say I've enjoyed my time on the forum and appreciate how welcome I have always felt here.  Unless you all kick me out, I will continue to pop in on occasion.
Remember, it's not what you ride, it's that you ride that matters.  ATGATT and stay safe my friends.

Bill

18
General Discussion / Re: Had a bad accident
« on: July 05, 2016, 10:07:04 PM »
Always hate to hear about a Man Down situation.  Hope the pain stays manageable and the nurses get cuter!  Take care of yourself and good luck with the recovery.  Hopefully you are up and riding again soon.  Best wishes and prayers, Forbes

Bill

19
General Discussion / Re: Nice guy....
« on: July 03, 2016, 12:14:54 PM »
Stig,

I applaud your self-control.  I would have probably made a comment like, "Yeah, I hear the life expectancy of bad comedians is pretty short as well."   My wife notes I have trouble keeping my mouth closed...LOL!!

20
Xciting 250 / Re: Does anyone knows if this tyre would suit the xciting 250?
« on: June 30, 2016, 09:45:37 PM »
Glad it worked out for you.  Ride Safe!

21
General Discussion / Re: Retired at last!!
« on: June 13, 2016, 11:07:45 PM »
Congrats on the retirement.  Looking forward to my own.  Only another 13 years to go!  Spend your days doing what you enjoy and I hope that includes a lot of 2 wheel fun.

22
General Discussion / Re: Scooter VS Motorcycle prices
« on: June 07, 2016, 09:46:01 PM »
The whole scooter vs motorcycle debate is fun to talk about, but kind of like talking about which kind of car is best - a sports car, family sedan, or SUV.  You can spend 200k on a supercar that gives you performance and looks, but has no room for luggage, can't handle a gravel road (Ouch!), and has a stiff, unforgiving suspension.  Someone who lives on a farm in Kansas with 3 kids would find this car totally frivolous and would opt for the SUV.  Better to just ride what you like and like what you ride.  For myself, I like everything on 2 wheels, even the little push Razor scooters - LOL.

23
Xciting 250 / Re: Best tires for long life.
« on: May 29, 2016, 02:06:20 PM »
Tromper,

I just replaced my original Kenda tire at 4200 miles.  Probably could have gone another year, but the front needed to be replaced as well, so bit the bullet.   


24
Xciting 250 / Re: Need input on Xciting 250
« on: May 16, 2016, 10:49:39 PM »
A couple of things to consider about the Helix and Reflex.  If you are planning to do highway riding, both of these scooters are lighter than the Xciting 250.  Both are also faster that the Xciting.  However the Reflex has a dead zone for acceleration between about 25 to 40 mph.  The Helix is way more comfortable than the Reflex on a long ride.
Both the Reflex and Helix have significantly smaller wheels than the Xciting as well.  In the Helix's case this means that the Helix goes through rear tires like they are donuts.  In the end, all 3 are nice bikes and you should buy what you like - they will all reward you with a fun ride.  The Reflex is the sportiest, but can get tiring on the highway.  The Helix is the most comfortable, but least maneuverable due to it's long wheelbase.  I feel the Xciting is the compromise between the two Hondas.

25
Xciting 250 / Re: Clutch/Variator noise
« on: May 10, 2016, 10:22:38 PM »
Ditto...my scoot also makes this noise.  It is more noticeable after a highway run, but is always present.  I've noticed that it has become more noticeable over the years and suspect this is due to roller and belt wear.  Just had it in for the valve adjustment and the mechanic stated belt and rollers were good for at least another couple thousand miles.

26
General Discussion / Re: Downtown gone!
« on: May 07, 2016, 04:52:05 PM »
Karl,

Sorry to hear about your scoot.  I sometimes worry about mine being stolen when I'm out and about.  At home I have no worries.  I have a 115 lb german shepard that protects our property.  Someone tried to break into my daughter's car a couple of years ago.  The dog heard the glass break and went right through a window after the guy.  He gladly surrendered to the police when they arrive, as our dog had cornered him in our back yard.  Hell, I would have been scared of her.   
And that wasn't the first time she protected our property.  Hope you get your scoot back and I would gladly lend you our dog to spend a few minutes with the guy if they do capture him.

27
General Discussion / Re: Untapped Market
« on: April 27, 2016, 10:27:54 PM »
At the end of last season, I almost traded my Xciting 250 in for a used Suzuki S50.  I liked the idea of a bigger bike and my wife has trouble getting over the idea of me riding a "scooter" despite the size of it.  When making the final analysis, I realized that the 800 cc motorcycle had no storage, no faring or windshield for weather protection, poorer gas mileage, and was noisier.  The Suzuki had a better suspension, more comfortable seat, and my wife liked the look better.  Fun factor was equal.  I realized that it didn't make sense to spend more money on the trade and then have to spend even more money on saddle bags, a windscreen, and gas.  I decided to not make the trade.  The salesman asked why I changed my mind and I told him I was having just as much fun on the scooter.  He then told me that he had already been planning to buy my scooter as he had never ridden one before and was shocked at how much fun it was.  I saw him riding a Downtown about 10 days later...:).  People need to get over the image thing and just ride what works for them.

28
General Discussion / Re: My windshield is de-laminating
« on: April 19, 2016, 05:16:33 PM »
Only water and elbow grease.  The manual recommended to not use any kind of cleaner so I have avoided doing so, but my wife washed the scooter once as a surprise for me, and I suspect that she used some sort of soap-based car wash.  Even so, the de-laminating didn't start until several months later.
What I'm looking for is a way to remove the rest of what I suspect is a scratch-resistant coating...any ideas?

Thanks.

29
General Discussion / My windshield is de-laminating
« on: April 19, 2016, 01:08:21 PM »
Hi all.

Last spring when I started prepping my scooter for riding, I noted some flaking of the outer layer of my windscreen for my scooter (2009 Xciting 250).  This spring it was even worse.  It appears that the scratch resistance is flaking off.  It looks horrible, but has not compromised the integrity of the screen at all.  Any suggestions how to clean the rest of this layer off of the windshield?  Thanks and remember, it don't matter what you ride as as long as you ride.


30
General Discussion / Almost traded the scoot in for a motorcycle...
« on: August 18, 2015, 11:14:19 PM »
So I have had my XC250 for 4 years now and have had the itch to get something a little bigger, but did not want anything heavy.  I checked out the local shops and found a Suzuki S50 and a Hyosung GV650.  Test drove both....weight was within 50 lbs of the scoot and handling was okay.  Liked them both, but then the shop could not get the GV650 ready within 2 weeks - apparently a lot of repairs needed.  As for the Suzuki, they were low-balling me on my scooter.  By the time I added a windscreen, I would still had a bike less capable than my scoot for commuting (i.e. storage, weather protection, and gas savings).  I would have gained better speed for the highway, but that was about the only positive.  In the end, I decided to stay with the scoot.  Now two weeks later, I'm not regretting it a bit.

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