Toosmoky's Website

I have to congratulate you on your website Toosmoky. The early pics of you
and your machine remind me of my early years on bikes. I did a lot of my
biking in the States but I wish I could redo those years and do them in Oz.
Your pics really call to me. I would love to have done the traveling in OZ
(by bike) that you've done. I've done them by car but it's just not the
same.

 

Ta. I'll get around to finishing it eventually...

Only trip I never got to do before I sold the Hogly was Cape York. Family
and kids an' all that...

One of your brethren beat me to it though. http://www.davebarr.com/

He's a good mate of a bloke I work with so I'm hoping to meet him next time
he's out here.

 

You live, in Townsville? That's not too far from Cape York. I've been to the
Cape by car (many years ago). The furthest I've been by motorcycle is Cape
Tribulation. I'm Pommy originally but lived some 11 years Stateside. I
traveled quite extensively by motorcycle over there. The best ride I ever
did was the "Going to the Sun" Road in Glacier National Park in Montana -
now THAT"S a beautiful ride. I also did Calgary to Vancouver in Canada in
'97, through the Rockies - beautiful! I never thought to capture the trip by
camera as you have with your trips.

 

Pity my current bike isn't suited to the trip. Always figured if I bought
another Hogly I'd have to do all the states/territories over again.

I haven't carried a camera for some time now, ants took over my Pentax but
digital cameras are coming down to reasonable prices these days.

I only manage to get away every few years now but the kids will be off my
hands in about eight years so I hope to make up for lost time then...

 

My kids are off my hands, but I now ride a maxi-scoot - Piaggio X9 500 cc -
(hardly ever take the Kwakka out as it's not so much fun). But the X9 just
doesn't like the dirt, so it's a sacrifice I make - sealed roads only.

When your kids are older I'd love to see more of your travels posted. I like
the style of photography too - very panoramic rather than the normal
aspect/ratio of the 5x7 or 4x6 pics. Sort of like widescreen TV!!

 

What do you think of the X9, especially on the open road? These
maxi-scooters are starting to sound quite interesting...

-Ross

cc -

 

I have ridden all types of motorcycles and all sizes. I love the X9 more
than any of the other bikes. I have a Kwakka 1300cc and recently (to just
knock around on the Gold Coast where I live) I decided to get a little 150
cc scooter. I enjoyed it so much that I was spending far more time on my
little scoot that I ever was on my Kwakka.

Now I've been riding for some 39 years. I ride up to Brisbane to see my
daughter who lives there and I take the motorway when I don't have the time
to go via the sugar cane fields. The absolute top speed on my Kymco 150 was
112 kph with a tailwind and going downhill. The traffic travel at that speed
and more. That left me with no headroom to get out of trouble. I decided to
trade the Kymco in on a 'serious' scooter and bought the X9. It's
fuel-injected and moves pretty quickly. Granted, it's a little slow off the
mark until it gets to 15 kph and then it just takes off. I have had mine up
to 172 indicated and 163 GPS-checked. It travels very securely and quietly
up to around 150. I can listen to the radio (granted, only FM) and can also
talk with my pillion and also, answer my mobile. Whenever I talk or answer
the phone, the radio automatically turns right down.

I will be selling my Kwakka and using only the X9. I have had 39 years of
gear-changing and I'm sick of it. I have an auto car, why not an auto bike?
The only thing that really suffers is your image, but I couldn't give a
stuff about that. I'm 57 years old and accept the fact that I'm an old fart
(who loves riding fast as long as it's safe). I find the X9 a little wide
but I never split lanes anyhow (death alley), so it doesn't bother me too
much.

The only fault with the machine is its side stand. It sits the scoot too
upright so you really need to select carefully where you use the it. It does
have an electric centre stand and it's cool not to have to use physical
strength to put it onto the centre stand. It turns heads too. Young punks
look at me alongside them at light and they thing they can drag me off -
silly fools. I just want to get into my comfort zone - no-one next to me or
up my arse.

 

~
Was that you heading north on Bowen-Bridge Rd at Windsor (Brisbane) about
5:30pm a few days ago? (Black X9)
If so; I was the young punk.........
Clem

 

No Knobdoodle, mine is blue.

--
Tropicalrider

 

Mine gets "blue" occasionally too but was that you heading north on
Bowen-Bridge Rd about 5:30pm a few days ago..........
Obtuse-Clem
~

 

I went over Storey Bridge last week and through the tunnel to get to
Teneriffe where my daughter lives - I think that was last Sunday week. At
around 5:30 I did the return to get back home.

 

How far did you get?

 

X9s are _that_ good?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

I don't know, but I sure am getting tired