Whether you are chased by a dog, or you encounter a deer while scooting the mountains, if you don’t know what to do, these encounters can result in serious collisions.  Many experts say that the best approach to survive such a collision is to safely avoid hitting the animal. The California Motorcycle Handbook adds: “If you are in traffic, however, remain in your lane. Hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting something big—like a car.”

Here are some basic tips you might find useful.

Tips to avoid hitting a deer

• If you encounter a deer on the road, be extremely cautious passing it. Slow down and be prepared to stop.
• Watch for deer crossing signs. If it is a deer inhabited area, slow down, cover your brakes and watch the sides of the road. Slowing down will decrease your braking distance and will give you more time to react.
• Deer are most active at dusk and dawn, so be extra cautious at those times.

• Deer travel in groups, so if you see one, probably there are more, slow down and be prepared.

• If a deer freezes seeing your headlight, flashing your headlight may break the spell.
• Note that, if you swerve to avoid the deer, you might hit something else instead, such as an incoming vehicle or a tree.

What to do if you are chased by a  dog

If you are chased by a dog, start by slowing down and approach the animal slowly. As you approach it, accelerate away and leave the animal behind.

The post Tips on animal encounters first appeared on scootcats.

Vespa scooter

So, you have decided to own a scooter, congratulations!

Scooters are fun, they are stylish, they come in different shapes and colors, some have retro looks, some look modern and futuristic, each of them has its own character. No matter which one you pick, at the end of the day, they are all environmentally friendly and a cheap alternative to a car, especially with today’s rising gas prices.

Do you know how to ride? If not, don’t worry, operating a motor scooter is easy, operating it safely is NOT.

Compared to a car, a scooter operation requires more skill and coordination. You have to keep an eye out for cars all the time. You need to make sure you remain visible to the drivers and anticipate what might happen at all times. For example, you need to anticipate that drivers making left turns may not see you and be prepared to make defensive maneuvers. Many crashes occur from other motorists not seeing the scooter and turning into its path. You need to be cautious when riding in bad weather conditions, on slippery surfaces and when encountering obstacles. Ejection from the scooter is the most common injury path. There are no airbags and seat belts to protect you, when you are ejected, be ready to hit the ground. So, it is very important to wear protective gear, such as a helmet and protective clothing at all times. For more information, please read about the anatomy of a motorcycle crash at the NHTSA website.

In many states, you are not required to obtain a motorcycle license in order to operate scooters up to 50cc. You can easily find out about the requirements of your state through your regional DMV’s website.

If you are not required to get a motorcycle license, the best way to learn is to attend MSF’s half day Introduction to Scooters (IS) class, the alternate way is to have someone teach you. If you don’t know anyone who can teach you, you can attend a training course offered by another provider.

This is a repost of the article “…where to start” posted on 02/22/2011 under our Technicalities section.

The post Scooters 101 – Where to Start… first appeared on scootcats.

With the arrival of spring and the great weather, we welcomed the riding season one more time. This means more riders hitting the roads, unfortunately it also means more accidents.

Here are some safety tips to consider:

• Choose your position in traffic so that you remain visible to drivers
• Anticipate what might happen at all times
• Use your turn signals
• Wear a helmet and protective gear if possible
• At night use reflective clothing or stickers to remain visible
• Do not hesitate to use your horn as a warning
• Always check the vehicles behind you prior to braking

Also read the article …where to start.

The post Safety Tips first appeared on scootcats.

Full face helmet

Whether to pick a half face or a full face helmet is a tough decision, especially for the new rider. Besides concerns about safety, protection and comfort, one major factor influencing the rider’s choice is usually aesthetics. We’ve been brainwashed by media that the cool kids are the ones, riding either without helmet or with half face helmets. Especially when it comes to scooters, you never see scooter riders wearing full face helmets on TV, unless they are delivering pizza. But, let’s leave that aside.

The major difference between a half face and full face is, that the full face covers the complete head. It comes with an extra section on the front, covering the chin and with an extension on the rear covering the base of the skull. When it comes to safety, both helmets will protect the top of your skull during a collision, but only the full face one will protect your chin, jaws and teeth. Research shows a high possibility of impact on the chin during a crash. So, for better protection, it is obviously better to pick the full face helmet. In addition to providing extra coverage during a crash, its visor will provide your eyes protection against sunlight, rain, dust and bugs.

But are there any disadvantages to a full face?

If you are concerned about comfort, in means of  restrictiveness and air ventilation, a full face won’t be able to provide you as much comfort as a half face. Also, most likely, for a full face helmet, you will end up paying much more money.

If safety is priority, which it should be, one doesn’t have to be a genius to figure out that it is better to pick a full face helmet. It is only one life to live, so why risk it? But if you insist on not wearing a helmet, than it is obviously better to wear a half face helmet rather than no helmet.

The post Half face or a full face helmet? first appeared on scootcats.

So, you want to use your scooter to commute to work, but there are no dedicated motorcycle parking spaces?

Don’t accept it as it is, first find out why. American Motorcycle Association (AMA) suggests that you contact the facility manager and find out why. You can always argue with them. If your reasoning is right, they can’t say NO!

Show them the positive aspects of having dedicated motorcycle parking spots. Obviously, if there is a dedicated spot, motorcycles will stop occupying large vehicle parking spaces, so there will be more parking available for cars. Given the fact that accommodating every single car is often a big problem in companies, this will get you some points towards your goal.

Besides, there are often small areas, which 4 wheeled vehicles won’t fit, you can get these areas marked as motorcycle/scooter only parking. This will again help, since it will prevent motorcycles and scooters from parking on car spots.

To get more detailed tips on getting motorcycle parking, read this article by AMA.

The post Fight for your right to have parking for your scooter at work! first appeared on scootcats.

No one wants their scooter to be stolen. You can lower the risks by taking preventative measures, such as locking up your scooter each time it is parked.

Here are some tips on how to and how not to lock your scooter…

First of all, always make sure you activate the steering lock, this will prevent the thieves from simply rolling your scooter away. Using a disc lock or a grip lock or putting a chain around your wheel without looping it around an anchored object will still make your ride vulnerable to lift-away theft. Secure your bike to an immovable object that is fixed to the ground, such as a lamp post. This will protect it against being lifted into a truck, known as lift-away theft. Note that, if you just chain it to a sign post, the sign can be removed and the bike can still be lifted. Same applies if you just chain it to a short pole as seen in the below picture.

Not the best way to lock up your scoot

One of the best ways to lock your scoot is to use a chain and a u-lock. Cables on the other hand are generally less secure, since they are often easier to cut through. Some scooters, such as the Genuine Buddy, have by default a u-frame welded underneath the frame, you can pass a chain through the frame and then attach it to another object. Draping the chain through the wheel won’t be as effective, because of the wheel being easily removable.

locking the wheel only

welded u-frame underneath the scoot

Use quality locks that can not be removed with simple tools. Thieves will usually go after easier targets. After you lock it, if possible keep your scooter out of sight; instead of parking in front of your front door, park it in your backyard. If they don’t see it, they can’t steel it.

Covering it, will avoid thieves from knowing what kind of scooter you have, if the brand and condition are not obvious, they will be less interested in steeling it.

If you are riding in groups, securing the scooters to each other will make it difficult to roll away the scooters.

securing two scooters to each other

The post Tips for locking up your scooter first appeared on scootcats.

Spring getting close, weather getting better, time to start enjoying nice scoot rides…

Want to meet new people who share your love for scooters and bring some action into your life? Start by joining one of the many local scooter clubs and meet new friends while going out for sunny weekend rides. Start by locating a club in your area at scootcats.

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