It’s a Tuner Scooter!



This bike has plenty of room for tools and vac under the seat and goes 110 mph for those times when I run late!

It’s motorcycle weather in Florida for the next 6 months!

Nice...though I wouldn't go 110 MPH on it. My tech rides a Buell of some kind with a large case on the rear in nice weather.

I'm still in the break in period, 55 max right now.....I won't be testing 110 mph, but I need it to do 70 mph with ease, and it will. I'll probably get a case on the back and maybe saddlebags as well. It will be a nice gas saver at 45 mpg or better.

Oh, I see. Enjoy it!

Hey that's a nice bike. Good idea, tools under the seat. Be careful on that baby. One object on the freeway can spell disaster. Have you guys checked out the Aptera? Not a car and not a motorcycle but something in between.

I rode a Kawasaki Vulcan for a year or two servicing pianos. Had leathers, saddle bags, special tool kit and supplies. I found some downsides. It was a riot to drive but in the summer I'd come in a home looking like a drowned rat. Road tar, bugs, and then it would rain. Plus I found it hard on the back. But I drove the bike 35K miles in a couple of years. After 10 years off the bike I STILL have customers ask "did you driver your Harley today??"

I've been watching the Aptera now for over a year. www.aptera.com
I hope they can get it to market, and not just in California, if at all. I would buy one in a heartbeat, but it would definitely be the hybrid.

Here is a good forum on the Aptera that is not connected to the Aptera company. http://www.apteraforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2

I had a Kawasaki 1500 Vulcan for 5 years when I was in law school.More reliable than any Harley I've owned though it didn't sound like one.

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/woodpianos009.jpg

I put about 50 miles on it this morning, tuning two pianos. I used velcro to mount my GPS to the fairing. Now I'm switching to my truck for my 4pm stop.

Kawasaki is a remarkable machine. Drive the interstate at 75 and the trucks blow by, you get pummled but the bike is straight as an arrow and steady as a rock. Remarkable engineering. Need to pass, just twist up a bit and HOLD ON. After a long day I cranked up to 100 on a straight stretch. Scared me to pieces but the bike still had plenty left.

What does ot do to your hearing? VROOM!!

Love that I WILL post a pic of my vehicle. Hint = it's a bicycle. AND I fit the case behind me. Stay tuned

What is this - a new *phase* or something?

I've been wearing earplugs due to wind noise more than anything. I've ordered a taller windscreen which should deflect the wind and noise over the top of my helmet. The Vulcan was on my short list, with a mustang seat - nice bike.

Meh ... I'm done with motorcycles. Too dangerous. I carry too much stuff with me anyway (and, I never know when I'll pull an action and take it with me), and I enjoy listening to music as I drive.

Also, riding will get you dirty. A full day of riding and by the last appointment of the day, you're ready for a shower and a change of clothes. Your clients may not be so impressed at that point.

Sorry to be such a buzz kill. But I've known people that were killed riding on two wheels.

I'm sticking with four wheels from now on.

Tis true on a motorcycle the world is your "airbag" but bikes are actually quite safe, if you avoid doing a 100 on a straight stretch The motorcycle has an incredible power/weight ratio in favor of power. There be trouble ahead or the side it is vamoose in a second. The low weight means going from highway speed to stop happens in many less feet than a car. The bike will stop safely on a dime. After a bit of tweaking in the supply box I found few instances that merited a car. Action needs a trip to the shop, schedule another visit.

Stop and go traffic in any weather is a bummer. Not for bikes. GOOD rain gear, watertight saddlebags are a must. In summer you may start out with sweats over shorts and a button down shirt a bit too chilly then in a few hours be down to shorts and shirt and sweating. Dehyration is a problem as the sweat is instantly dried at highway speed. By evening you're back to sweatsuit and then the rain suit as a windbreaker freezing on a normal summer evening. You could be tooling along and get hit by a thundershower, duck under cover and rainsuit and have the sun come out again and bake your brains.

All in all for a person on the road daily a bike can be a lot of fun and adventure, especially if you live in an area with hills and curvy roads. A BLAST! However for a tooner it can pose more problems than solutions.

In general, I agree. However, a lot of the people killed on bikes are doing dumb stuff...like doin' 110 (or faster). Of course, the biggest hazard for motorcyclists is idiot drivers who pull out in front of them. I know a guy who ended up with a pretty badly busted up shoulder after having to ditch his bike to avoid hitting someone who suddenly pulled out.

I've been driving along at normal highway speeds in my van and hit objects before I was able to avoid them. Once I hit a ladder that fell out of someones truck. I was on top of it WHAM! before I could swerve to avoid it. Destroyed my front shocks. Had I been on two wheels when that happened it would have been cirque du soleil for me.

Tuning four pianos a day ..good. Being lunched from a cannon on the way to a tuning...bad.

...Yeah, flying debris does not bode well for the motorcyclist!

Nice wheels Bob, enjoy the ride…..and the sense of freedom it brings……..

I had no idea that so many hanging around here were fond of motorcycles…….. I used to do restorations back before the piano tuning thing got started……way back………… I mean early 70’s………….…here is an album that might contain memories for some of you then……….I hardly ever look at this stuff any longer…….Although I would like to have taken that track board racer for a spin. Paul Brodie is an absolute genius to have built the famous “ X” from 5 old pictures…………………
There is some text below each photo that contains information about each machine if you care to do some reading…….

http://picasaweb.google.com/silverwoodpianos/VintageMotorcycles?authkey=Gv1sRgCLbRh7Wjo_rrOA#

Nice pics, Dan. State of the art for the time period!

"lunched" or "launched"? Typo? Maybe not!

Meant to type "launched".