errantember

So after getting my license plate for the scooter, now dubbed Phaedron, it was finally time to experience the "going-downtown-to-go-clubbing-without-having-to-deal-with-The-Parking-Nightmare" scenario. I got all dolled up, hopped on Phaedron, and rolled for Elysium. Downtown is about six miles from my house, so I figured even in cold weather, the round-trip should be do-able without recharging. I noted the odometer before I left (410.8) and kept an eye on it as I drove, since I was cutting it fairly close. I also didn't take the charger, which was muevo-stupido.
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I tested and passed for my Class M license today with a score of 88%.

If someone wants to give me a motorcycle now, I will gladly post pictures of myself licking it.

EVTAMERICA finally sent me an e-mail about my no-paperwork-to-register-the-fucking-bike problem. They *claim* that they will finally mail out all the paperwork by the end of this week.

Having a license plate would round things out nicely. I could even take it downtown, a major part of The Plan. No more parking problems for me!

I also got a cheap electric blanket to throw on my scooter, which looses about half it's range in cold weather. We'll see if it helps as soon as it stops raining. (And yes, scooter and blanket are *under* the carport.)

My R-20 has arrived!

I've spent most of the afternoon figuring out how to put the handle bars, mirrors, and cargo container on. I took a spin on it over to kitty_smack's house, but she wasn't home.

So far the impressions are mostly good. I've had it up to 42 MPH on a straightaway with me on it. Considering I'm 30 lbs heavier than their test pilot, that's pretty damn close to the claimed 45 MPH speed. It's faster than I thought it would go. They claimed it would come "ready to ride", which wasn't strictly true. Evidently I was supposed to have gotten an e-mail pointing me toward a video on how to re-attach the handlebars (6 screws.) There were no instructions on how to use the charger, attach the mirrors, or attach the optional cargo box. Once those were on, though, it was fairly easy to fire it up and get it moving.

So far the only majorly confusing part is that if you really goose the engine, it shuts off. You then have to throttle back down and up again to re-gain power. I'm assuming this is a "feature" to prevent the engine from getting over-torqued or something, and not some kind of technical problem. It was little disconcerting to discover in the middle of a crowded intersection right after the light turned green.

Although it read 100% when I got it, and I only rode it about (not even) 4 miles, the meter now says only slightly more than half full. It's supposed to go a minimum of 30 miles on one charge, so I'm not sure what to think. When I plug the charger in, the charge/not charged light says "charged", and the fan doesn't come on. Not sure exactly what that means, either.

More as I get experience riding it. Possibly legally.

I've gotten my final invoice from EVT America regarding my R20. Although they haven't come out and said it yet, I believe this means they're about ready to ship me my scooter. It's probably time to figure out what I need in terms of licensing, insurance, clothing, etc. It's also time to figure out how I'm going to temporarily chrome-and-goth it out on the cheap for the next biker festival that comes through town.

Time to start hunting for a tiny little gay biker outfit for Loki...

...putting down a deposit on an EVT R-20, a 45 MPH electric scooter with a 30-45 mile range.


Ever since I got my 23 MPG CR-V to help with home improvement tasks, I've been looking for an electric commuting solution that was able and legal to drive on most in-town roads. This vehicle, currently retailing at $2k plus between $400-$600 for shipping, looks like it might be just the thing. Recharge costs at current electric rates have been quoted at under 50 cents, which even at the lower end of 30 miles is an excellent value. Furthermore, if I eventually get a solar array for the house, I'd be nearly independent in terms of transportation.

There's a waiting list, which you can linejump to a certain degree by offering a non-refundable deposit. I think I'm going to go down to Alien Scooters tomorrow and try out one of their lesser models (Alien doesn't carry this one yet) to see if I like the fit and finish.