Scoot Scoot

This past weekend and today I took a small step forward in reducing my carbon footprint. As of this morning I am an officially licensed motorcycle licensed scooter driver.

How does this reduce my carbon footprint? Well so far whenever I had to get somewhere quick or without the time or the convenience of jumping on my bike I would pull out my keys and jump into that gigantic SUV I bought back in 2000 to travel across town. I keep the beast because (1) it is paid for and (2) I have a 125 lb pup along with tons of gear that I need to carry between Denver and Vail whenever I get a chance to enjoy the mountains.

But except for those periodic mountain adventures I would prefer to travel as light and environmentally friendly as possible. So with the addition of a scooter to replace an auto for the 99% of my life spent here in Denver I just went from a measly 13 mpg to a wonderful 60 or more mpg. I may rarely, if ever, drive. But now at least I feel better about it.

Now let me tell you a little bit more about the process to get yourself zipping around on a scooter, just in case you are thinking about it.

PART I – Bike and Class

First of all, you need to decide if you want a smaller engine such as a 50cc engine or something larger like a 150 cc. There is a big distinction between the two. With a 50 cc engine you can just buy and go, parking wherever you want on curbs and other spots. It is looked at more like a bicycle as far as rules and licensing are concerned. No special license required or endorsement on your license. But it has a little less pep, so if you need or want to be able to accelerate when you need to (this can be a bonus for safety to get out of someone’s way or in traffic) this might not be the best choice.

Now with the bigger engine you will have the zip to power on Speer if some loser doesn’t see you and starts to weave into your lane, but it also means the process to get you legally zipping around takes a few more steps.

But that is the cool part, there is no difference between you and a motorcycle as far as the law is concerned. You need to go pass both a written and driving test on your scooter before the great state of Colorado will give you permission to zip around. Now to be clear, you need a license to legally drive a larger engine scooter but you don’t need one to buy one.

Guess what that means… alot of people buy a larger scooter and drive around without their endorsement or at least until they get around to taking the test. Or you have another alternative. You can do what I did and sign up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation two day class which runs you through all the safety, training, and other knowledge you need to be safe on the road information and prepares you to pass the test at the end of the two days.

Did I mention it will also shorten your wait at the DMV? More about that later. Plus your MSF safety card usually, with most carriers, gets you some preferred insurance rates.

Anyway, back to the class and the story I have about that.

The class costs about $240 and states that it goes from 7 am to 5 pm for two days straight. I signed up for the this past weekend and followed all the rules which are to (1) make sure to pick up your homework book at one of the local scooter spots and get it done before class (easy), (2) Wear long pants, over ankle boots or shoes, long sleeve shirt, and gloves, and (3) don’t be late.

The being late part is really important. If they start class without you then you cannot jump in. Say good by to your class cost and if it is for day two you just lost that one day you spent already. It has something to do with the insurance of joining the class if you miss even a little bit of the instruction. So don’t be late. Even if you stay up late at a birthday party the night before.
The class was held at the Denver Coliseum. You know this spot, a beat up old parking lot located off of I-70 filled with leftover carnival cars and junked up trailers with the trains running by and the overpass hanging overhead. Very pretty and cheerful, but perfect for having a safe wide open spot to practice.

Our road instructor was a great seasoned ex police motorcycle officer. He had a great sense of humor, dry and quick, and could do about anything on his bike. He was fondly referred to by his younger cohort and fellow instructor as yoda, the wise teacher. Yoda, it turns out, could ride tight circles on his hog while balancing with his knees on the seat, which we witnessed as they tested out a bike during an out of class break.

In a class of 12, I was the only scooter among a pack of motorcycles. They had road bikes, dual bikes, Yamahas, Kawasakis, and more. I, however was on the “cute bike”. That’s okay, the younger instructor confessed he had never ridden a scooter until the class and loved them. They were, as he described it, “just fun”. No need to shift or worry about maneuvers… you just zip and go.

The first day we spent half the day on the course testing one drill to the next. Part of it was a bit dull for me when the drills called for learning to shift (Scooters like mine don’t shift). But that just meant I zipped the loop having fun. The weather was humid, like walking around with the dense weight of the water pressing on you. But it was overcast and the sun stayed hidden so we got spared a bit.

You spend your first day first learning how to power walk your bike, then progress to drills taking you back and forth, shifting, doing turns. It’s fun and fairly easy. Just getting a feel for your bike (or scooter). By about 1 pm you get a quick break for lunch and then are asked to meet at Sun Honda for the written part of the class. For those of you who hate tests, this is one you shouldn’t stress about.

We get there and get a two part video watching and discussion section that covers the basics of bike safety and common sense. I mean, really, you will not have to stress about the test. The instructor said they gave it to a group of nuns who never took or read any classwork about motorcycle safety and they all passed.

He also said he stopped telling that story after he told it and someone didn’t pass. And of course he told our class, so anyone who didn’t pass must really have felt great about hearing that comment. I do think we may have had one person who did not pass. But some people just hate tests (or really should not be out there on the road).

I forgot to mention. The price tag for us to have the class at Sun appears to be in the form of advertising. We all first went on a 25 minute tour of the building, the showrooms, the bikes, the accessories and the service department. Our guide cut to the chase and let us know he was available if we want to buy anything and would give a discount to the class.

I can’t really complain. They provide a space to do the class and I am sure a number of those newly trained motorcycle consumers loved seeing the big classic Harleys. Some of them might even buy something. They also have a cool room upstairs with vintage bikes that was fun to see. And the crowds checking out the bikes were almost as interesting as the bikes themselves.

After a few hours of watching, listening, and quite a bit of yawning its a quick written test, immediate feedback on your score, and out the door. By now it is after 6 pm. Plan to run over the first day with the goal of getting out early the next.

Intermission: I want out for a friends birthday party that night and we had both Saki and beer. I will pay for this later

Sunday morning we all arrive at 7 am. I am feeling less than perfect from the birthday party before and guess what the weather decides to do to help me out. It decides to be 100% sunshine, humidity, and scorching heat. The black asphalt acts as an amplifier to the heat sending it up through our boots and the bikes are radiating more heat as they chug through the day. Ouch.

There is a series of 7 drills on day two that include….

• Quick stops demonstrating the ability to, well, stop quick
• Tight U turns to demonstrate your ability to maneuver in close places
• Corner turns to demonstrate going on an on or off ramp
• Wider turns to demonstrate curves of a road
• Swerving to dodge obstacles
• Riding over something in the road (a 2X4 in this case)
• Doing lane changes
• Stopping in a curve

The drills were fun, and the only time that we got a break from the heat with some nice wind. That and hiding out under the overpass. They also prepared us for the test which included the U turn first, the quick stop second, and finally the curves.

The good news is that these tests are items that we already did many many times. When you did it wrong you did it again. If you thought you did it right but missed something, they tell you. It really does mean that you learn something for road safety that is needed. It also prepares you for the test.

I couldn’t imagine, if you never rode a scooter or a bike, that these tests wouldn’t be a little tricky. But with the two days sweating on that parking lot you get it dialed in perfectly. And hopefully you don’t get to nervous and forget it when the actual test arrives. Two people did have a bit of a freak out during the test and after completing the u turn (the test that gave everyone the most trouble) and then forgot to cruised right through the easy stop. Ouch again.

So that was it. Test is passed, class is wrapped up, and it’s only 2:30 pm. We take our wonderful Motorcycle Safety Cards (which are not your license) and our stinky, sweaty selves and cruise out of there as fast as we can for cool showers at home.

PART II – The DMV

This deserves it’s own heading because if you do this wrong you will sit in line for a long, long, long, long time.

Your card means you don’t have to wait in the super long line at the DMV, or take the test there. For those who don’t know, the DMV can be the single longest line in the city of Denver. That and the Social Security Department. So just trust me on this advice on how to handle it. Go to te office before they open at 8 am. Some say to go at 7, I went at 20 till. There was already a long line in front of me waiting to get in the door but most of these folks will need to do the long process of the test. You, with your handy motorcycle endorsement card, will be going to the expedited line. After the first 30 people ahead of me walked in and got numbers I just told them what I needed and was sent, instead, to the head of the line for quick stuff (or something like that). A quick show of the card, a punch of my old license, and my $2 fee and I was all set. Done. The time was 8:15 am. I was there for 35 minutes. Behind me in the “short line” by the time I was done were about 40 people. The difference of showing up 20 minutes before they opened and arriving after may have saved me 2 hours. Think about it.
I almost forgot my last experience before I got to go scooting around Denver testing out my new scooter and my new license… it was the moment of getting my new photo taken at the DMV.

Without giving me a heads up the DMV representative snapped a photo and said I was all wrapped up.

“How did the photo turn out then? Does it look okay?” I asked

He paused for a second, looked down at his screen and replied “Well, it looks like you”

I don’t think I want to see this license.