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I've done a couple of day rides with friends this year.  Both rides were around 200 miles amnd both were on my motorcycles, not my scooters.

The first was a street ride.



The second was a dual sport ride.

December ended up being a good month for riding as I rode around 900 miles.  My total for the year was just over 13,000 miles. 

Here's the breakdown:

Honda ADV 150:  4109
Vespa GTS:   3751
Kawasaki Versys 650:  3597
Kawasaki KLX250:  1618

I also put a few miles on various demo bikes.

It was a pretty good year considering I missed a lot of riding due to my hip replacement.  I'm hoping to ride a lot more next year.

"Too cool"?!  In CAL?  Whatever happened to global warming?  It's been lovely, even here in the UK!

I lived in San Diego for 3 1/2 years in the late 80s.  My Fiancee (Now wife) came out to visit a couple of months after I moved there.  She was shocked that I had no air conditioning and she was coming out in June.  She ended up wearing a sweater most of the time.  San Diego had nearly perfect riding weather.  Typical summer highs were in the high 70 or low 80s as long as you lived reasonably close to the coast.  On a typical ride It would be nice and cool leaving my place.  Going inland it would get warmer but before long I would be in the mountains where it was nice and cool again.  Some of the roads in San Diego county got over 6000 feet in elevation.  Sometimes we would continue through the mountains into the desert.  In the summer that meant 100+ degrees but at least it was a dry heat!  We generally didn't do that but in the winter when it would be cold and sometimes snowed in the mountains it would be warmer in the desert. 

Last year I rode Northern California and Oregon in August.  Along the coast the temperatures were in the 50s and 60s.  Inland the temperatures varied from the 40s to the 90s on our ride. 

As for scenery, California is one of the most beautiful states in the USA.  Of course there are some ugly parts as well.

I'm not a fan of tall screens.  I generally just keep whatever came on the bike.  My Vespa came with no screen and over a year later I still haven't put one on.  I really don't feel I need a screen at under 60 MPH and short blasts at 70+ aren't a problem.  If I do get one it will just be a short one.

with a slip on exhaust and some upgraded rubber that thing could be awesome! ..but seriously, a new hip is a big deal. Hope you recover quickly and get back to feeling like your old self (pre hip problems).

Any estimate on when you'll be able to get back on 2 motorized wheels?

I feel like I could ride today but the Doc said 8 weeks.  It take 6-8 weeks for the bones to fuse with the implants.  Doing too much too soon could delay recovery. 

This happens with some owners of all brands of scooters and motorcycles.  Most of the Vespa owners I know aren't like this.  The only mods on my Vespa are to make it more functional.  I added a Tail Box, floor rack and phone mount.  I have a friend who likes to add stickers to his Vespa.  He has  GT200 with well over 100,000 miles on it. 

I bought my Vespa new last February and have put over 8,000 miles on it.  Overall it is the best scooter I have owned.

Did you use the reply or quote button?

How about this...scooter for short errands and being the ultimate grocery getter but a motorcycle for longer trips and faster riding and just for the sheer pleasure of riding.

Scooters are much better than motorcycles for short errands but they are also great for longer trips and the sheer pleasure of riding.  Not all motorcycles are suitable for long trips.  I have a KLX250 which is a blast to ride but I have never gone touring on it.  I have done some 300 mile days on it but never an overnight trip.



My longest trip last year was on my Vespa, not my Versys.  If I really want to ride a lot of miles the Versys is better but my idea of touring these days is to enjoy the ride and also stop and enjoy the scenery.  For that my Vespa is a one of the best touring bikes I have owned.  I did a 2000 mile loop through California, Oregon and Washington on it last year.