Hello from the Chicago area

I just bought my first Silver Wing in January. I am fairly new to the world of scooters. In July 2013 I bought a PCX 150 and I've put on almost 5000 miles on it. Although it is a good little scooter I quickly found out that I needed a bigger scoot. While it was great around town, it was severely lacking when I would go on long rides with my husband (who rides a Kawasaki 1700 Vaquero).

Last year while recovering from an injury sustained from an accident I started looking at all my options for a larger scoot. I looked at the Forza, all three Burgmans and the Silver Wing. I ended liking the Silver Wing the best. All I had to do was get the money together. I really wasn't a fan of the current color on the scooters. My options where white, grey or black. Opportunities came and went and the money from my accident still hadn't been resolved. Then in December a used 2009 Red Silver Wing with 2160 miles came up during my search. I hoped that when I finally had the settlement it would still be available. It was possible because there really aren't huge motorcycle/scooter sales in the Chicagoland area. Finally in Mid January I got news that all was settled with my accident. Even though I was waiting on the check I put a down payment on it just in case. Good thing I did because right after that they sold a couple of scooters the dealership had.

I don't have it yet because it is still at the dealership in storage until March 30th (day of my accident last year) or it warms up with no snow on the ground. I have to say I am feeling a bit antsy to ride it. Right now if we get a warm day I do have the PCX in the mean time. I did take the PCX out in December when we had almost 50 degree weather and my husband drove it a couple of times in January. It will be a fight between my husband and I who will pick up who vehicle first from storage.

Kat

Kat,

Congrats on your new SWing and glad you are healed so you can ride. The SWing is a great bike and very smooth and will take you anywhere you want to go. In case you haven't ridden a big scooter before please be careful. It is much more powerful than the PCX and you will have no problem keeping up with your husband on the interstate. I had my SWing up to 104 mph on my gps so it will 'scoot' along just fine.

Post a pic when you get it and there are plenty of people here to help you out with questions and plenty of 'maintenance' material here to do some of your own maintenance. Again..welcome.

Kat,

I too am from the area, Northwest Side of Chicago. I also, have a 2009 Silverwing Dark Candy Red. I picked mine up in September of 2010 with 3700 miles on it. It now has over 48,000 miles on it now. My husband rides BMW R1200GS. I too needed to be able to keep up. I have been in 26 states so far. Great scooter. I am having loads of fun on it.

Planning a couple of long trips next summer. Virginia and Montana for the BMW Rally. I got sidelined last summer when I had an accident. Didn't get to ride as much as planned. You will find lots of good info on this forum and good helpful people. Just use the search function.

There is a local group here Scoot Jockeys Chicago check it out. They do local rides, etc.

What dealer did you buy your Silverwing from? Maybe we can meet up when riding season gets underway. My husband has a good friend that lives in Geneva. He rides too.

As Jeff mentioned be careful when you take it out for the first time it is powerful and much heavier than the PCX. Have fun and let's hope for an early spring. Just not this week.

Cathy

  Y'll gonna have to figure out how to mount a snowplow on your S'wings.        

Lewis, you put a smile on my face when I read your posts.

We are getting ready for another cold week. Spring can't come soon enough.

Cathy

Thanks Cathy and Jeff. I know that I have to start out slow on the Silverwing. I loved the curves with the PCX and I know that although the Silverwing is more maneuverable then my husband's bike, it won't be as nibble as the PCX. I took the MSF course to get my license and we plan on taking another course this spring with our own bikes and I will be riding around a lot of parking lots learning the new scooter.

My husband and I are a part of a motorcycle group that meets in Hanover Park, IL called the Chicagoland Cruisers. Last year I went on two group rides with them and I was able to keep up with them. I just couldn't play catch up if we got separated. It was funny seeing this little red PCX riding with the big cruisers. There is another Sliverwing that is part of the group that had no problems at all. The only thing I get is why I don't buy a real bike instead of a scooter. Me, I like the looks, the way you sit and the storage.  

Cathy, I bought it from Suzuki of Carol Stream on North Ave. I looked at the DuPage Honda but they sold their last one during the summer. I will probably have it serviced where my husband bought his bike in Elgin.

I would love to meet up with you once it warms up no more accidents for you or me this year. Right now I'm one week post op for a hernia repair. So I should be all healed for riding season. I have a feeling that spring is a long ways away. It seems like forever since it was warm.

I've tried to post a pic but for some reason it won't let me but of course it looks like this

:lol!: I love the snow plow idea.

We ride out your direction often. I bought my Swing from a private owner 350 miles south of Chicago. I too get, why not just get a motorcycle. I don't like the shifting and the clutch. I like the twist and go and all the storage. Easier to get on too.

Hope you heal quickly. I have had two surgeries in the last 7 months. Last one was 6 weeks ago. Everything went well and am anxious to get back on the bike and do some serious riding.
PM me with your info. If you like. Stay warm.

Kat welcome to the best Silverwing forum on the web.

Kat, you've just found the greatest SWing forum. It's a great place to hang out while you are waiting for the snow to melt. In New Brunswick, Canada, we are getting a fresh dump of 50 cm, a foot and a half this Sunday. Don't know when the stuff will melt, but I bet it won't let me ride on March 12 like 3 years ago.
Welcome to the forum.

Hi, Kat -

Like you, I sized up from a smaller Honda. In my case, it was a 2010 SH150. Other than 200 extra pounds heavier and way more power, the biggest difference I noticed came from the smaller tires on the Swing. Notice bumps, cracks, etc. much more. But the extra weight isn't that noticible when starting, stopping, just when pushing the bike around for parking. You'll get the hang of it quickly, and then, you'll surprise your husband pulling away from stops!
Enjoy!
Rick

Thanks Rick. The place where I bought my Swing at, has a used SHO. I think it's been there for a year now. My tires on the PCX at 14" on both the front and rear I noticed that th. Swing 14" on the front and a 13" on the back. So hopefully it won't be that much of a difference. Like you, it will be about 200 lbs heavier. Have some place w s in the area where I can practice the twisties and turns at. So I'm planing on taking it slow.

No snow for us except some flurries on Tuesday but it's not supposed to warm up out of the twenties for the next 10 days. Still to cold for me to ride.

CathyN I will definitely IM you. I would love meet some people in our area.

Kat,

You should get a ride up with Cathy and Rick...and if you have an hour to spare you should ride around Lake Michigan.

Jeff
With an hour to spare, could probably make it around Calumet Lake in Chicago's south suburban rust belt. Grew up just North and then South of that area. Riding around Lake Michigan? Maybe, but it will take some long rides first, like down to Indianapolis for Amerivespa. That sounds doable.

I was just kidding. I grew up in Antioch until I was about 9 and we would go to the Lake since it was so close. That is one ride I would love to do one day though. I know it would probably take about 3 days but would be nice. Ride up to Macinac (sp) island and stay in that hotel that was in the movie "Somewhere in Time". That would be a good ride but I'm not sure if cars/bike are allowed on that island now.

No cars on Mac Island, bicycles allowed. I think it was the "Grand Hotel" in the movie, cool place. Stayed in the 'Gerald Ford Suite' once. Knew it was going to be an experience never to be forgotten when I noticed there wasn't a right angle on the doorframe. The rooms in the suite were even worse. The abundant availability of delicious fudge more than made up for everything, bat infestations included!

That would be an awesome ride up to Mac island. I went close to there as a kid in high school but never made it to the island itself. Last year I finally made it down to Starved Rock and it was beautiful. I've been there before even though I've lived in Illinois most of my life. I wanted to go down there when I first bought my PCX but I was glad I waited a because it really isn't a place for beginners. I plan on getting the feel for the Swing first before I head back down there. My husband and I are planing on taking a vacation on the two wheelers this summer but we aren't sure yet where we are going.

Bob and I went around the lake in 2011. Great trip. Went up the WI side to Door County. Continued up to Copper Harbor in the UP. Went east from there on towards the Mackinaw Bridge. I found that intense went over it a total of 3 times. Didn't go on the island. Only bicycles and horses allowed. No motorized vehicles. We rode down the western side of Lake Huron and then cut across MI to Traverse City then down the eastern side of Lake Michigan and home. On that trip we got to see Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

We plan on going to The Claw of the Dragon near Wytheville, VA and a trip to Billings MT for. The BMW Rally. Want to ride the Beartooth Hwy, see Yellowstone NP along with central Idaho.

Rick, the meetup.com group Scoot Jockeys Chicago are planning to go to Amerivespa in Indianapolis this June.