Today, I'm taking a diversion from my normal discourse to talk about a few things sorta scooter related. One, which is the title of todays post is to another web forum that truly get what my riding is all about. They call themselves the "Rounder's". These are folks that ride year round, and while the majority of them are more 'adventure' type riders, the description of the Marshmallow Butt ride so completely covers how I feel about riding in general, that I simply cannot sum it up any better. There is alot to be said for riding on the shoulders of those that came before us when it comes to avoiding some harsh lessons.
You see, riding all year really boils down to preparation. Making sure that you have the right gear, and mindset to be ready to ride when it's 100+ or -2 with a -40 windchill. Here in the US, the number of riders that ride all year is much lower than in areas where motorcycles make up a larger percentage of the daily commuters. Here in the states, the vast majority of motorcycles are used for recreation or hobby, not as an every day conveyance.
What this means for those of us that do ride everyday is that we have to do some digging, and sometimes some importing to find the gear we want and need. Of particular note is an italian company that sells excellent commuter gear, but also a device known as a TermoScud that is like a mitten for your legs and lower body that does two things, it buffers the heat from the bike inside a thermal layer, while buffering the legs from the airflow of the ride. It's a great idea, and there are several variations on the idea, including the 'ScooterSkirt'.
But, when it comes to finding this stuff, you have to find a community of riders, like the "Rounders" or the crew at Modern Vespa to find folks that have the knowledge that you local dealerships frequently don't.