Big guy on a small scooter syndrome. Since April or so, I've been commuting on a '85 Honda Elite 250. I've enjoyed this little scoot very much. It's the perfect tool for my six mile commute.. But I have noticed an amusing reaction from some of the drivers I share the roads with. First, you should know that I'm not a small man. Picture John Goodman, and you'll have an idea. Second, if you're unfamiliar with the Elite 250, you should know that it isn't a large scooter. While it shares virtually the same driveline as the Honda Helix, its wheelbase is 14 inches shorter. It's considered a maxi, but physically it isn't any bigger than most 150's. It does have some zip, and it dispenses with the caging commuters with little effort. If I'm in a pack of cars at a red light, I'm often out front soon after the light turns green. I'm not making any aggressive effort, you understand- the big Elite just likes to get itself moving. But it seems the idea of a big guy on a little scooter being out front is simply more than some drivers can handle. Every day, somebody feels the urge to prove that they're not really slower than me. They floor their gas pedals in outrage and blow by me. As if I've emasculated them, threatened their manhood. As if the spectacle of me and my "little" scooter out-accelerating them from a standstill has them shouting, "THIS WILL NOT STAND! FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!" I don't notice this reaction when I ride the GF's Helix, although I feel I must look way more comical on that scooter. The seat is so low, I have to sit on the rear section to keep my knees from bumping into the grips. Kinda makes the front end a little light. While the typical affected driver is male, and often in a pickup or SUV, it's hardly limited to men only, or any type of vehicle. The most memorable so far has been a city bus that suddenly went WOT right after I passed it. Did the passengers egg the driver on? "C'mon, man, don't tell me this thing is slower than the fat guy on that little moped." All I can do is shake my head and smile. Who knew bruising egos was this much fun?
Nice If it's any comfort it's not just restricted to big guys on little scoots, I'm not exactly tiny, but neither is the burger & I still get more of the same.:dg The only difference is that they can't catch me unless I let 'em or they're driving a real sports car.
get that all the time where i live even if youre on a motorcycle or even in a car, people always have to "win"
Doesn't madder what it is people always do that to me to. Any scooter can win off the line faster then a car. Once bet a guy with a 63 Covet that I could out race him for the first 100 feet. He said if I could do that I could have his Vet. Yep I won but he never stopped to give me the his Vet even though I won fair and square. . .
Similar thing is happening on me, a small guy on a small scooter. There was a guy on a big SUV+Truck type thing at the light. I take off first, then he woosh by me with black smoke out of tail tail pipe. I, then, catch him waiting the light to change on the very next light. We did this three or four times till he made a turn. There was older man in his fancy sedan in front of me going slower than I wanted. So, I change the lane to pass him. As soon as I am side by side to him, he gas it up just enough so he is going at the same speed as I am. I need to make my turn later, so I need to get into his lane. But he was refusing me to to do so. At least that is what I felt. I slowed down and was able to make the turn. He went on his way. WTF
I might not be as big as you are, but my scooter is smaller than yours! The AN125 is slightly bigger than a Honda Elite 80! I'm 6'1" and weight 190... No one has told me I look ridiculous on it, but I know I do... Unfortunately with 125cc there is no much passing going on.
It isn't limited to big guys on small scooters, big guys on big scooters or any particular vehicle. I've had fun with guys on Harleys and Hondas that wouldn't even glace my way at a light blowing past them on my GTS. Usually after a few lights I'll get "that ain't no moped". Quite amusing to watch a very slim girl on a Buddy 170i blow past a group of guys on big cruisers since the Buddy is a small frame scooter with a lot of torque and on surface streets they aren't going to catch her. All the while she's getting double their gas mileage. Though I'll admit I cringe when I see a Met on a couple of our local streets with 45-50 mph speed limits and cars routinely going faster.
People speed up while being passed? It happens to me all the time, even if I'm driving my truck. I think part of the reason is this: The average American driver is terrified of curves. They tend to slow way down anytime there is anything remotely resembling a curve in the road. Then they speed up on the straights. Guess where it is usually safe to pass? That's right,the long straights. Then there is the inattentive drivers who can't hold a steady speed. When you pass, they suddenly realize how slow they are going and speed up. And of course, for some drivers it's an ego thing. I really don't notice much difference in drivers behavior whether I'm on a scooter, motorcycle or in a cage. As for big guy on a little scooter. I doubt it's that big of a deal in most of the world. The problem is the here in the USA, many riders are on really big, ginormous bikes. Relative to them, smaller scooters look really tiny.
Speed limit on that road was 45 mph. That guy was doing 35-40ish mph. Which is the speed my Riva doesn't run well. Had he kept on going to speed more than I could do or accelerate faster than I could do, it would have been OK. But this old f@@ maintained his speed with me. All I could say is that was intentional act. I know there are people like that regardless of what I am driving or riding. I was on a vulnerable scooter. I wished it had a power booster button.
Hey Kris. When I ride my wife's Reflex, I observe similar things. That scoot is pretty quick off of the line (and quicker with the K-Mod). I notice that no car will line up behind me, at a traffic signal. When the light turns green I'm gone with no extra effort. At the next light, there will be a few "converts" lined up behind me. I haven't experience outright "this will not stand" attitude but it's there. And klaviator is right, the average driver can't handle a corner at close to the posted speed but they can sure "hammer down" on the straights. I get more "attitude" when I'm on my VTR250. Everyone wants to race because they think it's a GSXR1000. Lately, my faves are a guy in the new GTO and another guy in a M3. I see both regularly, on my commute, and they're always riding my tail, cutting me off or otherwise trying to incite me to race. "No thanks, I did the racing thing a long time ago, but, thanks for playing!" Just be sure to exercise the DR now and then......
On the other side of this, as a big burly guy with a full grey beard riding a Symba, I seem to get a lot of great smiles form the woman folk. I figure I look ridiculous. That's alright, the damn thing puts a big grin on my face too.
I live in a place where scooters are rare. At 6ft 4 in and 235lbs on a Big Ruckus people don't get it. I don't give a shit till they do something stupid around me. But that is not limited to the scooter.
Amen there..I can't count the number of people who seem to be all mad that they can't get ahead of me on a curvy road. Doesn't matter if I'm on a bike or in the eternally sporty & curve hugging Scion XB I have when I need four wheels. Four lanes, two lanes, so many folks have no idea how to handle a curve in even the most basic way.:eek1
I see it all the time. Where I'm at, the major thoroughfare is a limited-access highway with stoplights, set for "traffic calming" - which means most people hit all the lights as they drop red on you. Government at work.... But anyway. On my Burgman 650, I just blow them off; and sometimes make it to the next light before it drops. Probably enrages other drivers. But on my Big Ruckus...people don't expect me to hold traffic speed (50) so they get right on my @ss preparing to be angry and self-righteous. And basically I pull away from the lane alongside me; often with the tailgater still riding me. Takes him a while to realize he's doing 10 over the speed limit and riding into the most well-known speed trap in two counties... People just don't THINK when they drive!
Nothing like a little justice! I prefer a bigger ride, but when I rode my friend's Vespa 300gts in NYC, it was soooo much fun. Accelerates quickly because its so light and handling it is like a toy. I think people really don't understand how much greater a scooter is for congested cities.
While I have other bikes, including an '85 Goldwing, I also ride a couple of small scooters, a Genuine Stella 2 stroke, and a Yamaha Vino 125. I'm also big, 6' 220, 34" inseam, and probably look like a circus clown on the scooters. But I don't care. The Vino is slow off the line, the Stella is way faster, and more than a match for city traffic. You can easily do a wheelie off the line, because all the weight is in the back, both rider and engine. I have no desire for a maxi scooter, to me scooters are supposed to be small. If I want bigger, I want a motorcycle.
I am still triyng to understand what goes through people's minds when they see a scooter. When I ride my FZ1 slowly on a single lane road, all drivers stay calmly behind me, but if I am riding the girlfriends scooter, they try to force me to pull to the left, even if I am going above speed limit! Maybe they are jeallous about not having one! Gasoline costs 8 USD/gallon here...
All these stories make me cringe. I can relate to just about all of them. For some reason scooters do get people all worked up.