Click on images to enlarge
(Caution: Seek medical assistance if you experience anenlargement lasting more than four hours)
Last Update: 11 March 2010
In early July 2007 I (Dan Martin) sold my 900 pound, 1800cc 6-cylinder Gold Wing and bought a 500 pound, 600cc 2-cylinder 2004 Honda Silver Wing (eBay special).
I had to drive from Longmont, Colorado, to Wassau, Wisconsin, to pick it up. My hope was that the loss of 400 pounds and a broad range of seating and foot positions would alleviate my severe knee pain. The biggest concern for me was if I would suffer any loss in the Fun Factor of riding on two smaller wheels (and four fewer cylinders)... The answer is a definite NO !!
My wife's 350 pound, 250cc 1-cylinder red Reflex scooter is absolutely as much fun as my purple Silver Wing (just not quite so fast)! Top left, below, you see our two scoots shamelessly cohabiting in the same garage.
The BMW K1200GT rider in the pix above, David Solomon, wrote these words describing our first outing on July 02 2007:
"The other day my buddy Dan Martin and I spent the day and 350 miles trying to stay cool by bagging passes. Dan recently sold his Goldwing and got a Silverwing, and this was the first outing on his new scoot. Dan is 67 and the wing was really bothering his knees, thus he thought he'd give the 'little wing' a shot.
First of all, any concerns I had about him keeping up were for naught, proving the point that it's the rider and not the bike. Secondly, and the reason for this note, is that I have had a glimpse into the future: old guys on big comfortable scooters zooming around and still pissing off the cagers. Dan took particular delight passing everything in sight (except me), really laying it over in the turns, and generally riding like the hooligan that he is at heart. The numerous double takes that he received from bikes and cages alike were a hoot, and would have been doubly so had they known his (physical) age. Just goes to show that it's never too late to f[**]k w/ peoples heads and defy expectations. A good day was had by all.
No need to worry about getting too old and sore to ride, just another mutation/adaptation coming down the pike. Brings to mind the old Satchel Page saw: 'Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't pay it no mind, it don't matter.' ."
**[bleep]
On Saturday July 14th 2007, some members of the Denver Maxi Scooter Group (which includes myself) took a ride from Morrison to Mt Evans and then on to Central City, Blackhawk, and points beyond. Below are some of the pix that I took of the activities. Too bad that the batteries in my camera were about drained, but at least we got a few. Being around Scooters (and their Scooter Trash drivers) must be so much fun that DMS members Kim and Cheryle Beres rode with us (at least part way) on their spiffy modern Triumphs, even though they had to endure shifting gears, pulling clutches, and performing bizarre gymnastic displays during their mounts and dismounts. - Dan
At the beginning of August 2007, I took my 600cc twin-cylinder Honda Silver Wing "scooter," which I call Knice (because it is), on a 3-day 1,200 mile (2,000km) road trip through Colorado. The route was clockwise from Boulder to Canon City to Gunnison to Granby to Lyons. Both Skyline Drive and Bishop's Castle are near Canon City, and both are rare entries in the logbooks of most travelers.We rode some 10-hour days, and even so the multiple seating and leg positions on the SW always left me feeling refreshed and pain-free, especially considering I was the Lone Geezer in the group. I traveled with two riding buds, both on BMW 1200cc Sport Touring cycles. My Silver Wing has only 50 hp, while the awesome BMW K1200GT has 152 - all three weigh about 500 pounds (230kg). Knice was able to keep up with the German bikes quite (forgive me) nicely on both hills and straightaways.
As you see below, 90mph (145kph) is well below redline on the sweet little twin and makes a nice (there I go again) cruising speed (the Valentine One never lets me down). Even at 90, the Silver Wing feels stable and well-planted. Zooming around fast curves that have heaves and scallops produces a little waggle/wobble in the SW, but these excursions are self-damping, never giving a hint that they might develop into oscillation. I think some aftermarket fork springs and rear shocks will clear up most of her bad manners.
We encountered both deer and cattle frequently - too frequently. After getting past the last group, for 10 miles we had to dodge dozens of patches of fresh cow dung that had been deposited on the road - very slippery as well as difficult (and unpleasant) to clean from our windshields.
You are invited to visit these past two-wheeled tours I have taken:
2003:
Monument Valley "Checkerboard" Tour.
2004:
The "Left Coast" Tour.
In early 2008 I
sold the Silver Wing and
returned to the "Dark Side"... the 2005 ST1300 you see me on below:
2008:
1,083 Miles in Colorado.
2009:
Devils Tower & Yellowstone Park
1945-2008:
The Ones I Rode.
Always:
Share this Motorcycle Wisdom.