Welcome to my stream of consciousness. First, after thinking about comments by ‘stefan’ in my last post about trends in the scooter world I thought about a blank canvas scooter that could be customized as wanted. Second, I noticed a photo to the right of the 2sb page that had a close up of some leg shield and thought it was a picture of an accessory so I thought of the currently absent from the 2sb advert rotation Gen-U-Bin. This Gen-U-Bin is pretty cool and even if it’s not your cup of tea, it should illustrate the kind of product that could be bolted on to a chassis that can change the look and character. It’s a bit different than a universal top case from the fine folks at GIVI (who I’ll get to in another post). It’s specific to a model to change function. Third, I was reminded of the stuff from SX Appeal that changes the shape and functional attributes of the scooter like the Pack Rest and saddle bags.
My question for the readers is to point to how they or others have transformed their scooter from one thing to another by adding something. Taking off bodywork was around long before the Ruckus, but how will folks add back from the blank canvas? I’m not talking about a fuzzy seat cover, a top case, chrome crash bars or other embellishment. But stuff that has taken a regular scooter and turned into the scooter that the owner really wish had been built for them. When you wanted it all and got it, where did you put it?
Posting links directly to photos of your creations will probably not show up but I’ll try to check often and approve them.
Training wheels on an MP3.
I was just thinking of that yesterday. A 5 wheel scooter! I wonder if you’d lock the front end lean on a bike in that configuration.
I’m going to get POC and EZ Ride working on a 5-wheel MP3, pronto.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/fuck-everything-were-doing-five-blades,11056/
@Brooke – Here’s your 5 wheel MP3: http://smrfcop.com/IMG_0249.JPG
his story: http://smrfmobile.2ya.com/
That is odd. They’ve turned it into a street legal ATV sort of thing. But they did make it the vehicle they wanted rather than what was available.
i’m sure part of my inspiration for “changing panels” came from the smart car, coupled with just how easy it could be done if the manufacturer set it up right. i can’t speak directly to the buddy as i’ve never torn into ours, but pulling plastics off my vino is super simple. fender, cowls, floorboard, legshield, etc… all come off with a few simple phillips heads.
if distributors offered a variety of affordable, interchangeable panels in styles and colors, i think there is great potential after market for self customizing d.i.y.ers.
Someone could make a good deal of money setting up a stand a block away from scooter dealerships, to sell newbies headlight bezels when they drop the scooter on their way home.
Speaking of the Vino (and the TMax for that matter) Yamaha seems to be on the right track of offering customized panels, sadly they manufacture the bikes that way, and their designers are a decade behind on trends. The “tribal” T-Max and Tiki/Checkerboard Vino panels would have been great aftermarket add-ons, but it was weird to offer them as actual models.
Stella/Chetak panels get swapped a lot, and it’s been happening a little with Buddies. But I’d like to see custom-option panels taken to the next level: http://twitpic.com/2nwbqs.