Like you, I moved to Portland in 2006. Moved to Olympia in 2016. I used to bicycle commute on Vancouver and Williams and am amazed at the growth. I ride a 2020 GTS and have similar concerns about parking it in downtown Olympia. But no problems so far. Great videos! Subscribed.

@bugscooters

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the sub! Yeah, lots going on down there. Thankfully they've made it reasonably bike friendly.

I just found your channel thanks to Scooter ‘Zine. When I joined a scooter club I had a GTS250ie. It was a great scooter until it wasn’t. Scooter peeps are usually cool. Every vehicle in the last 100 years uses clockwise for ON and counterclockwise for OFF. When I saw you leaving the scooter you recorded yourself turning it clockwise and walking away. Don’t blame the fob. One of my bikes has a push button to turn it on. Push it again to turn off. If you turn it on and walk away there is a good chance someone will steal it.

I have a '22 GTS and am so glad it has a key and not that new-fangled fob/push button thing.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

I'm really growing to dislike it. But I guess that's the way things are going in the rest of the auto industry...

Have a happy new year Bug, stay safe and can't wait for those new videos in 2024 🥳

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Thanks Josee! Happy New Year!!!

Pointless and aimless journeys are why we ride. Yes…? Rode safe m8. Cheers! (I missed “the intestinal fortitude” part. I get it now.)

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Yup. Pointless and Aimless is my middle name(s)?

@Dr.ModNut

6 ай бұрын

@@bugscooters just hyphenate it, then it becomes one word.

Originally bought my 2020 Vespa Sprint as a back up to my SUV that was getting older. The thought being, If I drive it enough, it will pay for itself in gas. Fast forward one year and the SUV blows a head gasket and now I'm on the scooter full time. I live in Lake Oswego and 99% of my driving is in a 10 mile radius of home. Have no plans of buying another car at the moment. It's like a challenge to myself how long I can keep this going. The fun and money savings out weigh the minor inconveniences of wearing rain gear etc...

@bugscooters

4 ай бұрын

Yup. Every time I get in my truck now I feel like I've forgotten how to drive. I like it that way.

ABUS U or D locks are great as security. Kryptonite also makes excellent rotor locks. Sometimes I used a Kryptonite heavy link chain through a ULock in wheel and attach to a pole if it's sitting outside my apartment. So far so good

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Yeah that's my plan, I gotta get one of those heavy link chains.

about the whole pedestrian thing, I agree that people who jay-walk tend to be a bit careless about it, if they weren't I wouldn't give half a damn. The car-centricity of North America is baffling.. and walking an extra 4 minutes to get to a stop-sign or stop-light and then walking an extra 4 minutes back when all you needed to do was cross a 50 ft street is insanity.

@bugscooters

4 ай бұрын

Agreed. If folks would just think before they did things, I'd have zero complaints about what anyone does. Drives me crazy though when folks do dumb things because they're distracted by phones, or whatever.

"Tesla Motorcycle Target Mode!" 😅🤣😂. And "I don't know what the hell I'm doing." 🤩🤣😁 Your insurance is out of sight. I have two cars, two motorcycles, and two scooters insured for less than $1000 a year. Things are a lot calmer here in terms of drivers and parking. So far no knock downs, no thefts. And I suppose in the suburbs and rural areas it may be low because of the abundance of gun owners. I tell people who tend to road rage to calm their ass down. You never know what that driver might be carrying! After watching the video I had to add something to my Bucket List: "Never live in a city." Another fine video. 🥰😇🤪🤣

@bugscooters

5 ай бұрын

I don’t think I have a whole lot of time left in me for city life. At some point I need to get out to a more rural setting…

hey, Bug! Drop that Sena-crap and get yourself a pair of bluetooth airbuds. You get ear-protection (noise cancellation) and great sound in one. Just get some small ones that doesnt fall off when you take the helmet on. I promise you, its a gamechanger. Cardo and Sena is stuck with old tech and ruining your ears with speakers that sound bad AND that has to overpower the roadnoise. As long as your not riding with others, theres no use in using this overpriced, dinosaur-solution. Jabra 85t`s are cheap and will totally demolish what you are using now. AND you conveniently already have your phone available at your handlebars/mirror. Keep up the good work! Greetings (again) from Norwegian scooterist. AND yeah, it works with phonecalls, too. The microphone on the bud actually have no problem picking up my voice, even though its in my ear, padded by the helmet. Both sony AND jabra works this way. You can thank me later.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

I have the ear pod pros. I wonder if I could get those to stay in my ears while putting the helmet on. That'd be fantastic. I've never tried. The only reason really that I keep the Sena around is that some folks in my local scooter clubs use them, and it's a hoot being able to chat while riding.

my brother, I live in the city as well actually New York City I ride a a scooter as well. Do you want to talk about challenges try riding in the heart of Manhattan be safe

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

I'd last 30 seconds. But it'd be a fun 30 seconds!

Hey Bug! Great video! Could you share what your bag on your back rack is? Nice looking!!!

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Yup it's the Saddlemen bag: amzn.to/3rNA41F - It does the job and is pretty nice. The zipper is a bit thin and cheap but it hasn't failed me yet. I showed it a bit in a previous video here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y62Mzq9qZ9qscrQ.html

Dont have a Vespa, never will get one (have a Helix and Burgman 650) but I do enjoy your videos. BTW, whats your jacket and glove setup?

LOL, dude you were all over the place. :) That vehicle that "pulled" in front of you was no where near you. There was about 5 or 6 car length ahead of you. I was not sure what you were taking about. And that dude crossing the side walk ...he did nothing wrong. He was waiting to cross the street and when the light changed, he did just that. So again, I was not sure what you were talking about. Calm down and just enjoy the ride. Jeez! :)

*I think Bug means he's **_asocial._* Anti-social would have him kicking mirrors and giving pedestrians the bird.

Hi bug ....i had a few cx500s over the years and really loved them .regrading city driving ,i worked in Dublin city as a motorcycle courier for 6 years so ive seem it all .need eyes all over the place, car driver's in cities are total idiots. Security is always a problem with bike and scooter parking .The dedicated bike parking zones are always great . Ohh man, car drivers and texting/talking on the phone drives me crazy .stay safe mate 👍..Harry

I tried a disc brake lock on mine but it wouldn't fit, still on the lookout

Hi Bug. 15:48, Dubuque, Iowa.

Have you ever faced problem at the junction where the scooter doesn't activate the underground sensor and it won't ever turn the traffic light to green 😂? Those are designed for cars, and bikes and motorcycles usually don't activate them.

@sgtshak2806

6 ай бұрын

I know that pisses me off all the time here in NY. Becomes dangerous sometimes.

@NoFrictionZone

6 ай бұрын

In CA if it is safe, you can go on red.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Yup that happens from time to time. Truth be told, I go through red lights quite often, as I am willing to risk a ticket rather than risk getting rear-ended. Somehow I think a cop would understand if I explained it. Or I'd end up in jail, and I'd have a good video. Win/win.

@astaregod

3 ай бұрын

Oregon law allows bicyclists and motorcyclists to go through a red light if it uses vehicle detection, the light goes through a full cycle, and the bicyclist or motorcyclist's light does not turn green. I've had to go through red lights a few times, even though I'm sitting right on the optimal spot on the detector.

RIP REI

I went from a $2k chinese dual sport to a 2023 klr 650S over this year. I bought a Moni-Moto tracker and installed it in the seat of the bikes. If something even shakes the bike and you're not around it will call you on the phone. Along with gps location that links to your phone. It killed 90% of my worries about my bikes getting stolen. I still use a Kryptonite chain on the rear tire if i'm going inside for extended periods. Do not put it on the front tier, those can be much easier to remove compared to the back tire.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

I wish my Vespa would call me on the phone just to say hi...

@alexmoissiy9471

Ай бұрын

@@bugscooters Hi from San Francisco I enjoy your channel

What did you do wrong? You went shopping at an REI store instead of ordering online.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Sorta. I actually ordered online and just went to REI to pick it up. Because I'm TERRIBLE at last-minute christmas shopping.

@blazer859

6 ай бұрын

REI is one of the few "bricks and mortar" businesses worth going into to actually check out their products. I'm afraid they'll go away if not supported. Either way though, I get the dividend. Good on you for supporting this brick and mortar brand. Long live REI!

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Agreed. I love REI more than most places on earth. It's like an adult Toys 'R Us for me.

"...'I Dig a Pygmy' by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids'..." But for years I've wondered what happened AFTER Doris got her oats?

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

She bought a Vespa and put her oats in the pet carrier?

One issue with the steering lock is that thieves will kick the handlebars (at least they do here in DC) to break it--but once it's broken, it's now an enormous safety issue to the point the entire front end of the scooter basically needs to be replaced. it *CAN* be welded back into place but still isn't safe enough to where it's trustworthy to ride. a brake lever lock, disc brake lock, or just an enormously heavy-duty chain through the rear wheel spokes is a much better alternative. ultimately if someone *REALLY* wants it they're going to have a truck or van and just pick it up and put it in.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

Yeah I've considered not locking it for that very reason. I've been considering a brake lever lock. I wonder if long-term use of one of those would cause any issues with the brake lines or whatever? Maybe I'm just obsessive?

@armedferret

6 ай бұрын

@@bugscooters i doubt it engages enough pressure to do any damage, the lines are reinforced and brake lever locks are fairly common for scoots and cycles. See loads of them in Rome and Florence every year.

@InterstellarTaco

2 ай бұрын

Most thieves have the muscle mass of a stick of celery. The GTS bikes aren't light either. If you chain or U lock the tire, this thing would be a complete bitch to just toss in a truck.

@armedferret

2 ай бұрын

@@InterstellarTaco most thieves stealing transportation don't work alone.

Go for a Cardo, far superior than Sena.

@bugscooters

6 ай бұрын

It sure is. I have a Cardo in my other helmet. It's just better in about every way (except sound quality, as the Cardo I have is a lower model, and the Sena actually sounds pretty good for music, but I bet a more expensive Cardo would sound just as good or better...)

@NoFrictionZone

6 ай бұрын

@@bugscooters the JBL speaker version is awesome 👍