OP
@pistol_pete avatar
UTC

Hooked
Vintage Big Wheel, Razor push scooter, Honda 3 wheel Gyro, Segway turbo 300i
Joined: UTC
Posts: 133
Location: Live under a bridge
 
Hooked
@pistol_pete avatar
Vintage Big Wheel, Razor push scooter, Honda 3 wheel Gyro, Segway turbo 300i
Joined: UTC
Posts: 133
Location: Live under a bridge
UTC quote
Well at one month till departure the reality of this incredible journey is starting to kick in! I will extend this trip from the end to South Carolina to New Orleans, Texas then Salt Lake City where I will start this voyage.

I will post daily reports and photos on my bog
http://cannonball08.blogspot.com/

I hope'n the other Cannonballers will have a blog where I will link to them from this blog.

Last Cannonball saw thrills, spills, breakdowns and a lot of exhausted smiles!

This years ride from Vancouver, BC to Portland, Maine will surely have it's share of stories....
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@sic avatar
UTC

Addicted
2007 Vespa GTS 250ie 2003 Aprilia Atlantic 500 1966 VBC (under construction)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 971
Location: Nor Cal
 
Addicted
@sic avatar
2007 Vespa GTS 250ie 2003 Aprilia Atlantic 500 1966 VBC (under construction)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 971
Location: Nor Cal
UTC quote
Sounds like a blast! Maybe I'll try and save for 2012! 8)
@masala avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@masala avatar
946
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6165
Location: Acworth, GA
UTC quote
UGH! So jealous of those who have jobs flexible enough to afford them the time (and money) to do this kind of trip, and envious of those who don't yet do it anyway. I really hope to make it some year!
@firej avatar
UTC

Hooked
over 60 scooter spanning 75 years
Joined: UTC
Posts: 357
 
Hooked
@firej avatar
over 60 scooter spanning 75 years
Joined: UTC
Posts: 357
UTC quote
wait your not going to stop and visit us in Pensacola WTF ...
OP
@pistol_pete avatar
UTC

Hooked
Vintage Big Wheel, Razor push scooter, Honda 3 wheel Gyro, Segway turbo 300i
Joined: UTC
Posts: 133
Location: Live under a bridge
 
Hooked
@pistol_pete avatar
Vintage Big Wheel, Razor push scooter, Honda 3 wheel Gyro, Segway turbo 300i
Joined: UTC
Posts: 133
Location: Live under a bridge
UTC quote
Hummnnn now that I know about it, and the NOLA boys will be there...Hell Ya!
@whiteknuckler avatar
UTC

Hooked
1953 Vespa ACMA 125 / 2007 Burgman 650
Joined: UTC
Posts: 363
Location: Redding, Ca.
 
Hooked
@whiteknuckler avatar
1953 Vespa ACMA 125 / 2007 Burgman 650
Joined: UTC
Posts: 363
Location: Redding, Ca.
UTC quote
Will be watching you

Have a SAFE trip
@ericalm avatar
UTC

Wiki Moderator
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
 
Wiki Moderator
@ericalm avatar
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
UTC quote
Awesome. I'm a big fan of the Cannonball and follow the blog posts and updates like some of my friends follow March Madness.

Safe travels and godspeed, Pete!
Masala wrote:
UGH! So jealous of those who have jobs flexible enough to afford them the time (and money) to do this kind of trip, and envious of those who don't yet do it anyway. I really hope to make it some year!
Indeed. Two years ago, I said 2010 was going to be my year. A few financial setbacks kind of ruined that for me. 2012 it is, I guess. Maybe.
@oopsclunkthud avatar
UTC

Banned
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
 
Banned
@oopsclunkthud avatar
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
UTC quote
ericalm wrote:
2012 it is, I guess. Maybe. :)
I think 2012 will be very different ;)
@ericalm avatar
UTC

Wiki Moderator
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
 
Wiki Moderator
@ericalm avatar
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
UTC quote
Scooter Connonball: The Movie! HEard about this a couple weeks ago, but now it's sort of official:
http://scootercannonball.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9074
oopsclunkthud wrote:
ericalm wrote:
2012 it is, I guess. Maybe.
I think 2012 will be very different
Hmmm... !
@old_as_dirt avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@old_as_dirt avatar
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
UTC quote
oopsclunkthud wrote:
ericalm wrote:
2012 it is, I guess. Maybe.
I think 2012 will be very different
we can only hope
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
old as dirt wrote:
oopsclunkthud wrote:
ericalm wrote:
2012 it is, I guess. Maybe.
I think 2012 will be very different
we can only hope
I dunno. I kinda like the existing format.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
jess wrote:
old as dirt wrote:
oopsclunkthud wrote:
ericalm wrote:
2012 it is, I guess. Maybe.
I think 2012 will be very different
we can only hope
I dunno. I kinda like the existing format.
'bout the only thing I'd change is lower the stock auto displacement limit to something like 210. The GTS' have already shown over all dominance in auto, and the general concept of what kinds of mod are safe (more gas) and which aren't (everything else) is reasonably well understood.

This would let GTs in which can still have problems at altitude (my GT was a freak) and if you let auto kitted up to 250 then you can mod your GT to stupid levels and watch it explode in Wyoming.

The GTS platform already won and that's probably not going to change ever at this point. No point in beating a dead horse.
@ericalm avatar
UTC

Wiki Moderator
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
 
Wiki Moderator
@ericalm avatar
LX 190, Aurora Blue + Stella FOUR STROKE FURY! + '87 Helix
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6916
Location: Los Angeles
UTC quote
Then I might have a hope in hell on a kitted 150 with 30K on the odometer. Guess I better start stocking up parts and looking for a replacement engine now...
@oopsclunkthud avatar
UTC

Banned
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
 
Banned
@oopsclunkthud avatar
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
UTC quote
Just ideas at this point, and these are just my ideas.

1. Change the classes to be strictly based on cc and include more lower cc classes. The classes used in AMA and FIM are:
a. 75cc
b. 100cc
c. 125cc
d. 175cc (this seems like the logical limit)
e. 250cc?
f. 350cc??

2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast in 50hr event. San Diego to Jacksonville FL.

3. Do an OddScoot Cannonball. '80 and older scooters, non-Vespa/Lambretta/Cushman.
@oopsclunkthud avatar
UTC

Banned
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
 
Banned
@oopsclunkthud avatar
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
UTC quote
Or it could be a combination of these three.

Route: San Diego to Jacksonville FL, 2400 miles in 8 days.

Classes: 75, 100, 125, 175, OddScoot, CC50

CC50 (Coast to coast in 50hr) would leave on the 4th day to meet in the middle, or 6th day to finish the same day.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
I do like the possibility of multiple classes. However, based on what we've seen so far, it would be tough to have any kind of real competition within a class. Patrick, you know better than anyone what it's like to be winning a class with no actual competition.

If there were a whole bunch of people interested in each class, I could see it.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
TheO.Z. wrote:
The GTS platform already won and that's probably not going to change ever at this point. No point in beating a dead horse.
That's a red herring. The point isn't to determine which brand of scooter is fastest, so the fact that the GTS dominated in 2008 is meaningless. We know the GTS is a good platform, that's all it tells us.

Besides, there are going to be some larger big-wheel scooters this year, and it will be interesting to see how well they compete. They might even dominate.
@mesmer avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1208
 
Molto Verboso
@mesmer avatar
GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1208
UTC quote
oopsclunkthud wrote:
2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast in 50hr event. San Diego to Jacksonville FL.
I've had my eye on this for years. Now you've got my attention.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38093
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
Mesmer wrote:
oopsclunkthud wrote:
2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast in 50hr event. San Diego to Jacksonville FL.
I've had my eye on this for years. Now you've got my attention.
Me too. Dunno if I've got the intestinal fortitude to actually do it, but I'm very interested.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
jess wrote:
Mesmer wrote:
oopsclunkthud wrote:
2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast in 50hr event. San Diego to Jacksonville FL.
I've had my eye on this for years. Now you've got my attention.
Me too. Dunno if I've got the intestinal fortitude to actually do it, but I'm very interested.
One of these days when I decide I can get my MP3 500 running well. Which will be never. But that's the bike I'd choose.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
holy crap, isn't that like a 70mph average speed?!?!?
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
jess wrote:
TheO.Z. wrote:
The GTS platform already won and that's probably not going to change ever at this point. No point in beating a dead horse.
That's a red herring. The point isn't to determine which brand of scooter is fastest, so the fact that the GTS dominated in 2008 is meaningless. We know the GTS is a good platform, that's all it tells us.

Besides, there are going to be some larger big-wheel scooters this year, and it will be interesting to see how well they compete. They might even dominate.
Meh. I think the only big-ish wheeled scoot that could compete would be the SportCity. RV250? Dog. People 250 already proved to be mediocre.

Given equally skilled riders and a spectrum of bikes, not to sound all fanboi, but the GTS is just all in all best suited for the range of environments you find on SCBR. I dunno. just my 2c.
@oopsclunkthud avatar
UTC

Banned
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
 
Banned
@oopsclunkthud avatar
3:5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 9052
Location: San Francisco
UTC quote
TheO.Z. wrote:
holy crap, isn't that like a 70mph average speed?!?!?
2400 miles / 50 hours = 48mph (with no sleep)
2400 miles / 42 hours = 57mph (with 8hr of sleep)
...

You have to get a fuel receipt every 350 miles so that sets the range of the tank.
@lostboater avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Vespa LX150 GTS250ie GTS300x2 sold 'em
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2380
Location: St. Pete, Fla
 
Ossessionato
@lostboater avatar
Vespa LX150 GTS250ie GTS300x2 sold 'em
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2380
Location: St. Pete, Fla
UTC quote
Since my schedule did not allow met join the race this year, I had the "race for one" from FLA to Calif on the LX150...and back. Then I went crazy and bought the GTS250 and rode it from Calif to FLA.

In my opinion there was no real challenge riding the 250. It was great, but nothing like riding the LX150. Riding the LX was challenging to man and machine and there was not even schedule to keep.

That said, I admire all of those, no matter what they ride, who enter the race. The real hero and winner in the Cannonballrace are Bagel and the others who put it togather. That is a moumental task and deserves a great round of applause.
@fuzzy avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
. . 2008 Blue MP3 400. . di Peluria Orso .... 1993 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 ....... 2013 Honda NC700XD; 2017 Versys X300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6252
Location: South Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fuzzy avatar
. . 2008 Blue MP3 400. . di Peluria Orso .... 1993 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 ....... 2013 Honda NC700XD; 2017 Versys X300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6252
Location: South Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee
UTC quote
This is on my bucket list too. Hopefully retirement before health drops or the series ends.

Of course there are things I would prefer to be different, but unless someone else steps up to the plate to do the organization the current organizers will make the decision. Kind of like whoever complains about the meal cooks the next one.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
oopsclunkthud wrote:
TheO.Z. wrote:
holy crap, isn't that like a 70mph average speed?!?!?
2400 miles / 50 hours = 48mph (with no sleep)
2400 miles / 42 hours = 57mph (with 8hr of sleep)
...

You have to get a fuel receipt every 350 miles so that sets the range of the tank.
For whatever reason I was thinking 3500 mi, cannonball miles roughly, forgetting that we do not even pretend to take the most efficient C2C route.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
lostboater wrote:
Since my schedule did not allow met join the race this year, I had the "race for one" from FLA to Calif on the LX150...and back. Then I went crazy and bought the GTS250 and rode it from Calif to FLA.

In my opinion there was no real challenge riding the 250. It was great, but nothing like riding the LX150. Riding the LX was challenging to man and machine and there was not even schedule to keep.

That said, I admire all of those, no matter what they ride, who enter the race. The real hero and winner in the Cannonballrace are Bagel and the others who put it togather. That is a moumental task and deserves a great round of applause.
Mmmn. This is a conversation that's been rehashed about a million times, but I'll say a few words anyway:

Yes, the GTS is a much more capable machine. It's faster, more substantial, etc. It's a lot "easier" to handle expressways, long stretches of highway, etc.

The thing that kept the "real challenge" is precisely what you were missing in your "race of 1" - the schedule mixed with the other riders. The competition kept it MUCH harder to just "ride". Ignoring the wide open road states (e.g., Indiana, Kansas, where I actually swear I fell asleep on the road once or twice for at least 20-30 mins out of exhaustion), you should have seen the pack. Colorado, Utah, California, etc. We'd start out at the beginning of the day, Joel Jess Patrick Rich and myself, and it'd be tight tight quarters. Each of us would be gunning for first position, and either someone's bike was able to push harder, someone's riding was able to push harder, someone physically had to give (e.g., "shit I need to pee so bad [or shit]"), etc. It became largely about the rider against other riders than the rider against the machine. But at the pace we kept, we also tested the machine. Belts snapped, variators chewed threw oil pans, exhausts blew, exhaust studs snapped, etc. The competition kept it a challenge. Without it, it'd be no different than just cruising to a friend's house that just happens to be 3500 mi away.

Jester prepared the best, in those regards, to any of us. Joel manned through in unfathomable ways. I had a habit of leading leg 1 then succumbing to everything from gas, pee, hunger, to my bad knees and back. Rich fought a bike that fought him harder than we challenged, I believe, and kept up so well it's ridiculous (and he and I were VERY narrowly grouped for 4th & 5th place, with him taking a slight lead on the last day where my transmission shit itself).

I dont' think anyone would argue that the GTS isn't more than capable of doing the trip, and that at your own pace it's a relatively easy endeavor. That was not the case with us, though, and we clawed and bit at each other so much that we pushed each other to do things we didn't think us or our bikes could.

That's what I took away, and that's the biggest thing I can offer those who say the GTS is too easy. And it is too easy... as long as you don't have other skilled riders keepin' as much of an eye on the clock as you are

That said, I'm more than cool with ditching it. Hell, this year, the Ruckus will show people what it's capable of.
@feb31st avatar
UTC

Addicted
GTS 250, Sprint 150 & HPE Tech
Joined: UTC
Posts: 634
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
 
Addicted
@feb31st avatar
GTS 250, Sprint 150 & HPE Tech
Joined: UTC
Posts: 634
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
UTC quote
The 250 class this year could end up being more competitive between all riders than previous years? Unless I missed something... no is wearing a catheter, no joel... Oz is on the ruckus. No Rich.

Bagel & Maroy are excellent riders.

In 08' is was clear by day 4 it was between Joel & Jess. 100 point difference between them and 3rd place and 140pts from 3rd to 4th. The rest of the pack relatively close, without Patrick's spreadsheet couldnt see how the field would work out had those 3 not "been there". If there are no clear dominate riders early on... could end up with a good 10 day points competition in that class?
UTC

Hooked
Joined: UTC
Posts: 146
Location: BayArea
 
Hooked
Joined: UTC
Posts: 146
Location: BayArea
UTC quote
oopsclunkthud wrote:
2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast
I like this as well. But one thing that would make it a REAL challenge would be to have a cap at 150cc. Riding a 101cc 4k miles to the Arctic Cirlce in 10 days felt like a piece of cake. Think making it Coast to Coast in 5 days would be challenging too.

One of these days when I find the cannonball to be challenging I'll do it.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
DaBinChe wrote:
oopsclunkthud wrote:
2. Forget the classes, route, hotels... and just make it a coast to coast
I like this as well. But one thing that would make it a REAL challenge would be to have a cap at 150cc. Riding a 101cc 4k miles to the Arctic Cirlce in 10 days felt like a piece of cake. Think making it Coast to Coast in 5 days would be challenging too.

One of these days when I find the cannonball to be challenging I'll do it.
But you are a superhuman, Bin. So you don't count
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
Oh and jump on your met with me dude. Then we will have some fun
@old_as_dirt avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@old_as_dirt avatar
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
UTC quote
It should not matter what size scoot you ride as the size of the scoots will determine what classes and each class only competes with in itself and not other classes. So if you wnat to ride a 400 or 500 well that would be a class then say 200-300 , 100-200, 0-100.

Now if you want to make a vintage class , The years would have to be older than say 1975 and then you could have a small cc and large cc classes like 0-200 and 200 +

So far I see 6 classes pretty simple.

I would like to see no electronics just a printed map and a point to point location where you have to have a verification thru a photo of your scoot at a sign of the town or something to distingish that spot in the road kinda like you currently do. The daily locations would be secret till that morning and then handed out to each rider say 10 min prior to them starting off. This way your not using google maps and searching and preplanning each and every mile, and putting coordinates in to GPS's telling you each and every turn. Make it so you have to think and do it on the fly.
@steve avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
'06 Vespa LX150, '07 Suzuki Burgman 400, '05 Honda Metropolitan
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3150
Location: Avon, Ohio (25 miles west of Cleveland)
 
Ossessionato
@steve avatar
'06 Vespa LX150, '07 Suzuki Burgman 400, '05 Honda Metropolitan
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3150
Location: Avon, Ohio (25 miles west of Cleveland)
UTC quote
Local rider, MSF instructor, and SCB10 participant Bill Murar did the Iron Butt 50CC last fall on his BMW. Here was his description from our local forum: (Max is his little Yorkshire)
Quote:
I just finished the Iron Butt Assn. 50CC ride. That's 50 hours coast to coast. I started Wed. at 0416 from Jacksonville, Fla. and rode to San Diego, Ca. and pulled in at 0026 on Fri. AM. 2322 miles in 44 hours and 11 minutes. Used the BMW R1200GS for the ride and boy am I beat. Max rode in the tank bag all the way!

<from>

I rode from Cleveland to Jacksonville on Mon. and Tues. last week to begin the 50CC on Wed. morning. Once again, the 50CC stands for 50 hours CROSS COUNTRY, (nothing to do with 50 CUBIC CENTIMETERS).

There's no magic to doing this ride, just the tenacity to ride, without any real breaks for rest, for about 18-19 hours at a stretch at a solid 70-80 mph. I can get about 180-200 miles per tank on the BMW, so the routine was; fill up, pee, ride at about 70+ mph for three hours, repeat until you've done about 1200 miles, check into a hotel, repeat for one more day.

To add to the insanity, the Iron Butt Assn. has a ride called the 100 C2C2C, which is the ride I did, plus a return ride to Jacksonville! I was remotely thinking of doing that, but my body absolutely rejected the idea.

I left at 4:15 Wed. morning and got into San Diego about 20 after midnight on Fri. AM. It's a bit insane, but if you google the Iron Butt Assn. website, you'll see it's a bit tame compared to some of their rides.
Bill's riding a 150cc California Scooter Company Classic in the CBR this year, a Chinese copy of the old Mustang. It looks uncomfortable as Hell, but he just rode it on the 650 mile Lake Erie Loop this summer. We'll be watching how he does.
oopsclunkthud wrote:
TheO.Z. wrote:
holy crap, isn't that like a 70mph average speed?!?!?
2400 miles / 50 hours = 48mph (with no sleep)
2400 miles / 42 hours = 57mph (with 8hr of sleep)

You have to get a fuel receipt every 350 miles so that sets the range of the tank.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
Smorris wrote:
Bill's riding a 150cc California Scooter Company Classic in the CBR this year, a Chinese copy of the old Mustang. It looks uncomfortable as Hell, but he just rode it on the 650 mile Lake Erie Loop this summer. We'll be watching how he does.
Wait, in scooter cannonball? I don't think it meets any of the qualifications. It's very clearly a motorcycle. The Mustang was only referred to as a "scooter" in the parlance that most harley riders used to call their bikes "scooters" in the middle half of the 20th century.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
old as dirt wrote:
It should not matter what size scoot you ride as the size of the scoots will determine what classes and each class only competes with in itself and not other classes. So if you wnat to ride a 400 or 500 well that would be a class then say 200-300 , 100-200, 0-100.
Completely, completely disagree.

The original scooter cannonball run was started under the idea that someone wanted to go cross country on a scooter because it was a machine that no only wasn't necessarily intended to handle such a long-distance ride in the specified time frame (mechanically speaking), it was also understood that most vehicles that were participating weren't exactly the type of thing you'd get in trouble with the law on due to all day 90mph speeding.

The GTS actually frankly falls out of that camp at this point, as proven in '08. It's reliable enough for a reasonably paced, non-competitive trip cross country (even just the 10 days that the ride has become), and can absolutely get you damned well in trouble day in and day out.

Granted those aren't the tenants of SCBR, but the general idea is small displacement vehicle to do something challenging on a vehicle not intended to take the challenge.

Sorry, dude, but an MP3 500 is not in that category in any way shape or form. I know you want to do it, but all said it's not just a cross country trip but intended to be a test of a rider on a small displacement vehicle.

I think you'd find that, classes or not, you'll end up losing a lot of people who would have otherwise be interested in such a ride were you to include maxi scooters like the MP3 500 that could literally do 95mph all day long with little issue. Different experience, different aesthetic, and different intent than what this cannonball really is supposed to be about. At that point, you might as well just let in whatever vehicle you want, regardless. Got a Honda CB500? Why shouldn't that be allowed?

There's no reason to not create your own, maxi-scooter oriented Cannonball-style event. But at the end of the day, what you're asking about isn't really the Cannonball that's been talked about and done all of these years, even through all of SCBR's past iterations. And when that happens, that's when it's over.

I love my MP3 500, and dearly miss it (it's in the shop at the moment). One of my favorite rides - I bought the first in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'd never, ever consider taking it on the Scooter Cannonball Run. If someone made a different, similar event, maybe. But it's not a ride for that bike.
@joel_hamilton avatar
UTC

Addicted
'07 GTS (RIP) '09 GTS Ducati M750
Joined: UTC
Posts: 636
Location: Brooklyn/NYC
 
Addicted
@joel_hamilton avatar
'07 GTS (RIP) '09 GTS Ducati M750
Joined: UTC
Posts: 636
Location: Brooklyn/NYC
UTC quote
Is there no competition in motoGP races because they all ride the same displacement?
Anyone want to race me?

I need to get out to the West cooast and go for a ride with some real riders.
Nobody wants to go fast on a scooter with me out here, so I have been riding alone.
@theoz avatar
UTC

Sir Frets-A-Lot
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
 
Sir Frets-A-Lot
@theoz avatar
Vespa GT250ie/L, Honda Ruckus 50, Honda NT700V, Honda CB125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11197
Location: Bee eff eee.
UTC quote
Joel Hamilton wrote:
Is there no competition in motoGP races because they all ride the same displacement?
Anyone want to race me?

I need to get out to the West cooast and go for a ride with some real riders.
Nobody wants to go fast on a scooter with me out here, so I have been riding alone.
Dude, if you were out here for 3 Peaks, you would have had a GOOD time.

Remember day one of '08? That first mountain? Do that, then add 2 others.

So much fun. You need to come out here, and we will lend you a bike.
@old_as_dirt avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@old_as_dirt avatar
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
UTC quote
TheO.Z. wrote:
old as dirt wrote:
It should not matter what size scoot you ride as the size of the scoots will determine what classes and each class only competes with in itself and not other classes. So if you wnat to ride a 400 or 500 well that would be a class then say 200-300 , 100-200, 0-100.
Completely, completely disagree.

The original scooter cannonball run was started under the idea that someone wanted to go cross country on a scooter because it was a machine that no only wasn't necessarily intended to handle such a long-distance ride in the specified time frame (mechanically speaking), it was also understood that most vehicles that were participating weren't exactly the type of thing you'd get in trouble with the law on due to all day 90mph speeding.

The GTS actually frankly falls out of that camp at this point, as proven in '08. It's reliable enough for a reasonably paced, non-competitive trip cross country (even just the 10 days that the ride has become), and can absolutely get you damned well in trouble day in and day out.

Granted those aren't the tenants of SCBR, but the general idea is small displacement vehicle to do something challenging on a vehicle not intended to take the challenge.

Sorry, dude, but an MP3 500 is not in that category in any way shape or form. I know you want to do it, but all said it's not just a cross country trip but intended to be a test of a rider on a small displacement vehicle.

I think you'd find that, classes or not, you'll end up losing a lot of people who would have otherwise be interested in such a ride were you to include maxi scooters like the MP3 500 that could literally do 95mph all day long with little issue. Different experience, different aesthetic, and different intent than what this cannonball really is supposed to be about. At that point, you might as well just let in whatever vehicle you want, regardless. Got a Honda CB500? Why shouldn't that be allowed?

There's no reason to not create your own, maxi-scooter oriented Cannonball-style event. But at the end of the day, what you're asking about isn't really the Cannonball that's been talked about and done all of these years, even through all of SCBR's past iterations. And when that happens, that's when it's over.

I love my MP3 500, and dearly miss it (it's in the shop at the moment). One of my favorite rides - I bought the first in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'd never, ever consider taking it on the Scooter Cannonball Run. If someone made a different, similar event, maybe. But it's not a ride for that bike.
you may disagree but what does it matter if the same size machines are only competeing against same sized machines.
As far as loosing people cause of the bigger cc scoots I would diagree you might actually add more entrants than what you think. There are alot of folks who can only afford 1 scoot and have limited funding , but would still like to give it a go, and your shutting the doors on them period. DIFFERENT CLASSES the same as you have it now. scoots are in different classes only compete in that class.

So if you think the 250's are still to easy for this why not just limit it to 1 size machine a 50cc and what ever is a 50cc powered machine can go at it for 10 days. 1 and only class no vintage nothing just requirement 50cc. no wheel sixe no step thru a 50 is a 50 period.
@steve avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
'06 Vespa LX150, '07 Suzuki Burgman 400, '05 Honda Metropolitan
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3150
Location: Avon, Ohio (25 miles west of Cleveland)
 
Ossessionato
@steve avatar
'06 Vespa LX150, '07 Suzuki Burgman 400, '05 Honda Metropolitan
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3150
Location: Avon, Ohio (25 miles west of Cleveland)
UTC quote
TheO.Z. wrote:
Smorris wrote:
Bill's riding a 150cc California Scooter Company Classic in the CBR this year, a Chinese copy of the old Mustang. It looks uncomfortable as Hell, but he just rode it on the 650 mile Lake Erie Loop this summer. We'll be watching how he does.
Wait, in scooter cannonball? I don't think it meets any of the qualifications. It's very clearly a motorcycle. The Mustang was only referred to as a "scooter" in the parlance that most harley riders used to call their bikes "scooters" in the middle half of the 20th century.
That's what he's saying. Taking his restored antique travel trailer as support vehicle. Maybe just for exhibition or not official? Not sure, as he was talking about in on the CBR forum, too. I thought it was not a qualified vehicle, either, but then I haven't talked to him about it, so I don't know what arrangements he's made, if any.


OAD; what you are missing is that any large modern scooter would be completely out of the spirit of the intent of the CBR. Sure, they could include other classes, but they don't want to. They also don't want a large participation from what I gather reading of the last three races. Hell, they didn't even want modern scooters to participate at all! It is supposed to be hard and challenging. That's the whole point!

Steve
@old_as_dirt avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@old_as_dirt avatar
2007 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22815
Location: Harriman, Tennessee, Tn
UTC quote
edited.
DoubleGood Design banner

Modern Vespa is the premier site for modern Vespa and Piaggio scooters. Vespa GTS300, GTS250, GTV, GT200, LX150, LXS, ET4, ET2, MP3, Fuoco, Elettrica and more.

Buy Me A Coffee
 

Shop on Amazon with Modern Vespa

Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com


All Content Copyright 2005-2025 by Modern Vespa.
All Rights Reserved.


[ Time: 0.0362s ][ Queries: 4 (0.0121s) ][ live ][ 323 ][ ThingOne ]