I realized that many of you have not yet met Destiny, our intern here at The Scoot Shop.  Destiny started a few months ago and has been working on a project to help us get our parts and other miscellaneous items organized back in the shop.  I asked Destiny, a student at The Met Sacramento, to write an entry for us and this is her first contribution to The Scoot Shop’s blog.  If you stop by on a Tuesday or Thursday, make sure to say hi to Destiny and tell her a neat fact about you and your scoot! 

“Before I came to intern at The Scoot Shop, I thought nothing more of scooters then them being “cute”.  I didn’t see them very often mostly because I didn’t know what I was looking for.  Having never been exposed to the Scooter world before, I didn’t know there was much else out there other than the traditional Vespas.

Thank goodness that all changed about 4 months ago, when I took my first steps into The Scoot Shop.  I am now fully aware that scooters come in all different colors, shapes, sizes, makes and models.  Plus, there are tons of accessories from gloves and jackets to cup holders and bungee nets! 

I love being here!  The people we meet are amazing, and the stories we hear are incredible.  I think the most important piece of info to pass on is always, always, ALWAYS wear a helmet!!!

I look forward to riding a scooter of my very own so I, too, can know what it’s like to scoot.  I can’t wait to be part of the scooter movment.

I wanna Ride!”

Destiny Marrison

On Wednesday we were excited to have the opportunity to visit the San Francisco headquarters of Ultra Motor, makers of the hottest electric bikes on the market. We get lots of requests at The Scoot Shop for alternative transportation options. Therefore, we did a bit of research and discovered Ultra Motor’s awesome lineup featuring the A2B Metro and Velociti models. These electric bicycles are designed and engineered in Berlin, Germany and manufactured in Taiwan. The bikes offer plenty of power and best of all, require no special registration or license! You can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by going with a zero-emission vehicle without sacrificing power and fun.

While in SF, we met with several members of the Ultra Motor team.
We are confident from our experiences with Ultra Motor that they offer the highest level of customer service as well as excellent dealer support. We got hands on technical demonstrations and, of course, tested out the different models. The Scoot Shop will start with 3 electric bikes, the Portia, A2B Velociti and A2B Metro. We have several colors in stock and can easily get anything we don’t have so you can get on the road fast. Once you try one of these A2B bikes, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one.

Offering another option for scooting around Sac, the A2B electric bikes also have optional accessories, making them the perfect commuter vehicle. You can load it up and go. With the ability to peddle or use the throttle it’s up to you how hard you want to work to get there. Heavy on the torque, the A2B can pull you up a hill if you get tired or just help you get where you’re going faster. We are very impressed with the build quality and fantastic modern design of the A2B products. We’re told by the folks at Ultra Motor that electric bikes are popular with couples looking for a fun activity to do together. With the holidays quickly approaching, consider a pair of A2B electric bikes. Come by The Scoot Shop and see them for yourself, they’re even better in person!

The seasons are changing, and The Scoot Shop is gearing up for our second winter in Midtown! As scooter riders in the Sacramento Valley, this time of year leaves us all with just two options for our scoots: winterize and store them so we can hunker down and wait for spring; or wrap up in layers and enjoy those brisk morning rides. Luckily, The Scoot Shop has you and your scooter covered whichever option you choose.

• Option #1: Pack it up and wait for warm weather!
  If you get ANYTHING out of what I’m writing to you today, please let it be this: DON’T just pull your scooter into the garage and park it for the winter! When scoots sit for more than a month or two without being ridden, things can start to go wrong. If you leave your scooter “as is” over winter, you may wake up in spring to find it unable to start, and in need of some repairs. These can be anything from a minor annoyance, such as needing a new battery, to a pretty major service, such as needing carburetor work, or even a new fuel tank! These issues happen because batteries self discharge, and require a “trickle charge” when not in use, and because components in oil and fuel break down and leave a goopy sludge that can seriously clog, or corrode parts in your bike. This news may worry you, and frankly, it should! Being proactive now will save you lots of headaches later. Winterization and proper storage of a scooter can be a real pain though, which is why The Scoot Shop has a plan to take all of the stress out of the process, to allow you to sip your cocoa by the fire in peace. We call it our Scooter Hibernation Package!
  This is the perfect option for those of you getting ready to call it a season. This awesome package offers it all:
  * Pick up of your scooter from your home or office within 5 miles of The Scoot Shop*
  * Full wash with Motul scooter cleaner and protectant. (Road grime and bugs lefts on the paint will deteriorate
  your finish before you can blink an eye)
  * Oil and filter change (4 stroke) or top off (2 stroke)
  * Transmission fluid change
  * Coolant flush and refill with anti-freeze (liquid cooled bikes)
  * Fuel stabilizer added to gas and run through engine / carb
  * Indoor storage in our secure building on an insulated storage pad
  * Safety check of major components in the spring.
  * Spring shower with Motul protective scooter wash
  * Delivery of your scooter back to you ready to hit the road in spring! *

        You get all of this, a $700 value, for the price of just $450. The Scoot Shop is proud to be the only shop in the region to offer such a package, and with limited spaces available, we’re sure to book up fast. If you’re not quite ready to leave summer behind, you can reserve your space now with a deposit, or pay in full if you want to start your package soon. As I said, these spaces WILL fill up, and with other area facilities charging up to $100 per MONTH for storage, you won’t want to be left out in the cold.

       Now then, for those of us planning to brave the elements and charge on through winter, let’s move on to option #2.

       Option #2: Gearing up for Winter Fun!
For some of us, it’s a calling- for others, just an intense disdain for riding public transit! We each have our own reasons for scooting all winter long, but there is one thing we have in common: a need to stay warm, dry and safe! I personally fall into this category of intrepid people who enjoy their scooters all year long, so I’ve compiled a list of things I plan to do to get ready for winter. The list is not all inclusive; there are certainly other things you can do, and more gear you can buy, but this will at least get you off to a good start. Here we go.
       1st things first: take care of the machine! Go and get your oil changed, and use 5W40 instead of 10W40 to make it easier on your scooter in the cold months. While you’re doing that, go ahead and be sure to get antifreeze into your coolant as well- you can’t be too safe around here. Also, PLEASE check that your tires have good tread, and that your brakes are in good shape to keep you safe on the wet roads. Now that the chores are done, let the fun begin! (Oh come on, you know you love to get new scooter gear!)
The number one thing you will be grateful for when it’s chilly: a full face helmet! Get yourself a nice comfortable full face or modular helmet which will keep you warmer and dry, and safer than a ½ or ¾ helmet will. Next, I strongly recommend a winter armored jacket. If you wear a mesh jacket (or no jacket at all) in summer, then you need a nice quality jacket to serve as a three season comfort. You know you’re going to need a jacket anyways to keep warm, so you might as well buy one that will make you more visible to drivers who stop looking for two-wheel vehicles during winter. Also, with wet roads and gusty winds, the armor can add a nice sense of security to your ride. I ride in a Corazzo 5.0 jacket, and I find it to be very comfortable in almost all weather conditions. Along with the jacket, I add in an underhoody by Corazzo. Which adds an extra layer of warmth, along with a hood that is designed to fit under a helmet to keep your neck and face warm without bunching up or blocking your vision.
       Now that our heads and torsos are covered, let’s move onto the legs! I’m going to be investing in a couple of pairs of Kevlar padded jeans for extra protection, as well as a Corazzo lap apron, Which keeps your legs warm AND dry, while also allowing you to put your foot down when you come to a stop; very essential, and surprisingly at a very reasonable price. Now, the last item on the menu is gloves. They serve the obvious purpose of keeping your hands warm, as well as protecting them in a crash and reducing fatigue and cramps on longer rides. I have not decided 100% on which ones to wear for winter, but I’ve narrowed it down to a pair either from Corazzo, or Racer, both of which are top of the line products at a very reasonable price. Along with the gloves, you can even go for heated grips, or a few hand/ toe warmers to keep under your seat in case you find yourself out on an especially brisk day.
       If you get yourself into these few essential items, you’re sure to be ready for almost anything Mother Nature can throw your way! So remember, whichever route you choose, be it pack and store, or suite up and ride, The Scoot Shop has everything to keep you and your scooter happy and road ready! Come on down and visit us at the shop, and get out there and Get Scootn’!

*Scooters will be driven to and from the shop to ensure proper functioning of all components prior to and after storage. If you prefer your bike to be trailered, or if you are outside of the 5 miles radius, extra charges will apply.