Shrinky Dink II

    Welcome to the 2nd annual Shrinky Dink Ride. This is just a simple bit of fun to keep the hardy/ foolhardy riders enthused through the cold months of the year, and provide some fun to the others who want to watch the rest of us freeze. The rules are pretty simple and loosely followed at best.

1) BE SAFE! You all know your limits, but don't risk life and limb, too much, for a good result. This is supposed to be fun.

2.) The ride will start on December 25th and run through March 21st.

3.) The ride will have two classes. Motorcycles and Scooters; if you have one of those wierd in between bikes we will make it up as we go. DON'T WORRY! We have this covered; just ride SOMETHING!

4.) This pretty simple, the coldest temperature wins, sort of. TRY to take a pic in front of a temperature sign somewhere. We realize this isn't always possible, so you CAN use your phone in a pinch. NO CHEATING! We are putting you on your honour to be fair.

5.) The ride has to be 10 miles or longer to count (total length). The longer the ride the more points it gets. We have a formula worked out for this. It's math stuff, don't worry we have that under control. So, if you do 11 miles in -2 and some nut does 80 miles in 3 degrees. He/she MIGHT just beat you. There are extra points for stupidity (just remember rule#1)

6.) This contest is open to residents of the U.S. only.

7.)If you think it is too warm where you live? Do it anyway, remember points are awarded for originality, stupidity, and bravery. This is supposed to be fun. Last year the first shirinky dink ride was won by a southern rider who got lucky on a cold snap in the south.

     That's it for the rules we think. Ride. email your pics to us atcarlislecycleandscooter@gmail.com. We will post a few for fun, but will save the results till the end. There will be a chat about the rides here on our Facebook page during the event. Also feel free to post comments here.

Yes, there will be prizes. They may or may not be amazing. Ride now. ride often.

   There will be an open house at Carlisle Cycle and Scooter on Saturday January 31st.  It is part of our winter riding contest. There will be some snacks and lots of warm beverages to keep you toasty. IF the weather is decent some folks will ride in. If you want to arrive on 4 wheels that is just fine,too. Stop by and enjoy the people riding in. There will be lots of shenanigans, and some short rides around the block as well. The sidecar rig will be out and running no matter what the weather (we have snow tires). The shop will be staying open late; stop by, laugh, ask questions, talk bikes and scooters. There will be movies later in the evening on the projector if you would like to stay.

    The weather looks like it is ready. Remember, BE SAFE out there, and have fun.Remember, you don't have to win for this to be fun. It is all about the ride!

 

 

     

Ballistic Backpack

    Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Now, what is it?

 

    Only the BEST gadget you have ever seen in the modern world of electronics. It is a small handheld power pack for electronic devices. You can use it to run a laptop, recharge a cell phone, or just about any other electronic device. It comes with adaptors for almost every device used today.

                                     

 

The power this thing stores is amazing. Did you notice the jumper cables? Think it will jumpstart your motorcycle or scooter? That's cute. Our Rep jump started a CAR with this thing. To say we were impressed was an understatement. Did we mention it was handheld?

 

Yes, it is that small.

 

The specs on this little guy are impressive. It weighs less than one pound and can generate up to 400 amps of current for a jump start (5 seconds max.) and can put out 200 amps. Its USB output is a solid 2 amps. In other words, when you need to power a laptop or recharge your phone for using the GPS all weekend. This guy will do the job. It also has a built in high output LED flashlight as well as emergency flashers and a signaling feature. It can be put under your seat, in a saddlebag or even a coat pocket for when you need it.

 

 

 If you are looking for a good gift for a two-wheeled traveler this is it. It is handy to have and does the job amazingly well.

 

 

 

 

Cheeky Seats

     Every so often we feel a need to talk about one of our vendors and just how much we like their products. This time it is Cheeky seats.  This dynamic duo from a small town in Pennsylvania makes a great line of products, gear and generally great stuff. They build everything from fantastic slip-on seat covers, and tire covers, to capes for keeping you warm in the cold.

      Is your bike seat a little dull and boring in its lifeless black cover? Do you need a little style for your ride? Then you need to check out the amazing choice of styles and fabrics you have to choose from. Cheeky seats has so many options to choose from that it can be hard to make up your mind. That's the great thing about their seats covers. They really are custom fitted covers that can installed and removed in about 15 seconds. Feel like having the tiger fur on your stella? You can stretch the fitted cover (made just for your seat pattern) over your stock seat in about 30 seconds. Its a rainy night and you want to run the checked pattern one instead of the fur? Easy, strip the old cover off in 10 seconds and install the waterproof checked one for a rainy night. It really is that easy; here we can show you.

See how easy? Did we mention that you can own more than one? OH YES, if you need a good practical waterproof cover for daily driving with a little style. They have you covered (see what we did there?)

Think you are headed to a rally this weekend and want something a little more  eye-catching for your ride? They might just be able to help.

Their newest addition to the line is the Scooter cape, a great idea to keep you warm and dry on these cool days, and this one has great style

 There is even some safety built into this guy for riding at night, check out the reflective piping under light. We have been testing the prototype here at Scoot Carlisle for quite some time and have had several comments on just how bright this stuff is in the dark.

If you want to check one of these scooter capes out in person we have them IN STOCK at the shop ready to go home with you. We have several of their seat covers in stock and even some on our bikes. Be sure to click on some of the links and check out some of what they have to offer. If you are local to us, we are a dealer for all they sell and you can get it from us. If you read our blog from afar be sure to send them your business. You will be supporting a small business, and some great folks who are part of the scooter community. This is all they do at Cheeky seats; make us look good with quality made products and great customer service.

Holiday specials

      It is the Holiday season, and whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or even Festivus. We have something for you at Carlisle Cycle and Scooter.

     This is our first December open in the new place and we are going to start a tradition. We are going to do a sale on a different item EVERY day we are open in the month. The sale will be posted on Our Facebook page before we close each day. As the customer, you will need to call or stop before Christmas to get the sale goody. We are going to try and make them better each day; so it should get pretty good towards the end of the month.

     There is still plenty of good riding for those hardy fools who enjoy the cold.

 

                                                                

 

We have lots of ideas for gifts from inexpensive all the way to a new scooter. So, if you aren't riding till spring, or need something to put under the tree for your riding friends; keep an eye on the daily specials.

First one of the year

   We have snow today, earlier than we would like, but we are ready none the less.

                  

The snow has started, but if you are of the same mindset as we are. It won't last forever and there are plenty more good days to ride. The snow won't stay, at least not yet.

Remember, don't leave your bike out in the cold. We have motorcycle AND scooter covers in stock. If you are one of our customers that tucks your ride away for winter; we have you covered as well. Make sure you remember to put fuel stabilizer in the tank and run it through the fuel system, and come see us for a maintenance battery tender as well. If you spend a few dollars now; you will be riding in the spring instead of bringing your ride to us in the spring to get it running again.

 

As for us? We have the fire on, the coffee is hot and we have winter projects to get finished for our customers. If you feel like stopping by, we are open and usually working on something interesting this time of year.

 

It must be fall

    The temperature drops and the weather gets cold, but if you shop here and watch our blog you know we can keep you comfortable on two wheels this time of year. The days are often sunny and well dressed riders can enjoy an extended season. The leaves change and provide for some beautiful sights and you should try to ride out to enjoy them.

 

     Here in the shop things begin to look a little different as well. The heat is on ( as well as the coffee )

                                                                              

 

So feel free to stop by and have a cup of joe and talk about your latest adventure, or ask us about ours.

 

The shop is slowly evolving, getting new gear and starting to get the finishing touches we didn't have time for in the spring.

 

The other thing you may notice; if you walk around to the shop side, is a full workshop this time of year.

 

This is the time of year to talk to us about those long term projects and dreams you have in the spring. We are far too busy in the warm months to tackle those long projects, but if you ever wanted a big bore kit on your buddy 125...now may be the time. We have to schedule them carefully, as we only have so much space. At the moment we have 2 engines apart on our bench; so make sure you schedule in advance.

 

The snow (eeeek) isn't on the ground yet, we have the gear to keep you and your ride going this fall. There is still PLENTY of good riding days, and besides, for the local Three Mile Island Scooter Club its parade time.

 

So we will see you there!

Boot sale

     We have received some boots in a buy out from another store. SO, we are having a boot sale. EVERY boot you see is HALF PRICE. If you ever needed boots,  stop by and see if we have something for you in stock.

         Till Christmas, if we do not have a boot in stock for you, we will give you 15% off of any boots we order in for you. Now is the time to get some new shoes for the holidays.

Winter prep

    There are lots of new things to take into account when storing a bike for the winter these days. We know what to expect and how to help prevent problems in the future. We carry scooter and motorcycle covers in stock.

      The problems of E10 fuel can be dealt with by using the correct fuel stabilizers. We carry Star-tron for day to day use, and K100 fuel stabilizer for storage. The K100 is the best stuff we have seen so far, far outperforming the other stabilizers under long term storage conditions. A few ounces of K100 will prevent a carb clean or stale fuel problems in the spring.

     If you bike has to live outside and doesn't have a warm cozy garage or shed; we can sell you a good cover to help keep the elements at bay.

      Whatever your storage solution, make sure you come see us to save yourself some headaches and money in the spring.

     

                                                                             

Buy a buddy

 

It is the "sell a buddy" sale. We have 3 buddy 125's left in stock this fall; buy one of these now and get $100 off the purchase price and FREE installation of any accessories you buy with the bike. This is the time of the year to get the good deals, and there is still time to ride before it gets too cold.

 

This is the bike we lovingly refer to around the shop as " the appliance". They are  so reliable; we will only see you for new tires , oil changes, or accessories.

 

KEEP RIDING

   Don't put them away yet. We have the gear to extend your riding season; and allow you to ride in the fall and spring in comfort. The silk glove liners, cold weather  gloves, and balaclavas are IN STOCK.

     Electric gear has always been an option on bigger bikes with ample charging systems, but on small displacement motorcycles or scooters the charging system just wasn't up to the task. The problem has finally been solved with battery power. There is now no reason you can't be warm on your vintage small frame vespa in a parade or even your dirt ride in the woods. The mobile electric warming gear is not just good for two-wheeled use, but soccer games, hunting or any outdoor adventure that might make you cold.
    There are several styles to choose from, vests, thin under gear, even gloves, but what we keep in stock is a thin jacket that can be worn under your riding gear or as a stand alone jacket that can be worn as everyday apparel.
                                                                 

    The battery is a small unit concealed in one of the front pockets. The jacket will provide full power for about 3 hours on one charge, and will run 6 hours on a 50% setting. The battery is available as a separate item for $39.95 ( so you can easily carry more than one). The jacket comes with one battery and a charger included.

     Courtney decided to do a simple demonstration of just how easy it is to stay warm.

   And just look at her face once we turn the heat on; does this lady look warm or what?!
                                                                             

                                                                     
     We plan on using  several batteries this winter for skiing  and hunting as well as riding. The recharge time is less than 2 hours, and there are car chargers as well. So, you can always have a fully charged battery on hand.

Demo's are on sale!

   We had two demo bikes this year, and now it is time to find them a good home. Both of them only have a few hundred miles, and will come complete with their first service completed free of charge. There are serious discounts on both the green Hooligan
                                                                         

And the white Stellauto.

If you are seriously interested in either of these rides, stop by and see us, or give us a ring.  The bikes come with warranties, just like new.

Sparrow Trek, Dirt, the Final Frontier

    Just a quick little ride this weekend with some TMISC and Dlist riders on some beautiful country roads. As usual with this crowd there was a wide variety of bikes and scooters in the mix. We had a KLR250, a pair of Genuine Stellas, a Genuine buddy 50, a Kymco 150, and a SYM symba. This seems to be the norm for a Carlisle Cycle and Scooter sponsored ride. This ride was actually put together by Adam Danger for some dirt road fun.

                                                             

It was really nice to have so many different bikes on one ride, Its an odd trip when a Kaw. KLR250 is the "fastest" bike on the ride, though the Kymco may have given it a run for its money. The group of people was just as diverse, but the smiles seem to be spread all around ( and some strange gang sign or something)

After a late start we did manage to find a few dirt roads in the wilds of Pennsyltucky.

This ride is a GREAT proof that you can have fun on whatever bike you happen to bring, it was awesome to see 3 two-strokes on one ride ( and for a change I wasn't even on one). The weather was nice, and warm enough if you were dressed properly for it. One of our riders was even testing out the new battery powered  .mobile warming gear  we sell for a toasty ride ( test coming here soon ).

As most rides do; it all ended to soon, and it was time to head home, but there was still time for one more cup of joe. (Thanks to our hosts)

Would you like to join us on one of our rides? Then you need to keep an eye here, or on our Facebook page, the blog page for one of the Symba riders, or the TMISC FB page. There are many groups and rides for scooters/motorcycles in the Carlisle/ Harrisburg area, and we know about most of them. 

YES!, finally

WE are grateful for all of your patience. We can now sell you a bike, all your gear and parts, AND inspect it, too.

Buzz in the Country

 Another great weekend and another scooter rally. The Buzz in the Country rally put on by the Flood City Scooter club is one we look forward to all year, and this year did not disappoint. It is a small rally in its third year,  the location is nestled in historic Johnstown, PA. The area is old town America with lots of back roads and mountains to climb.
     My mount this year was my trusty kitted Stella 150 ( Okay, the guys figured out it wasn't a 150 anymore when we were climbing the hills at 50 MPH ), and a friend brought his new SYM symba100 along for the ride. Both bikes were quite loaded down for the trip and were hauling 250 lb+ riders.

                                                               

Were they slow up the mountains? YES, was the ride great? you BETCHA!. Both bikes ran without a hitch and offered no problems the whole way. The Stella can be a very reliable bike once its bugs are sorted out, and the Symba seems to be quite the tough little mount so far. You can keep up with the Symba on its very own blog here. We feel it has quite the adventure list coming, and it has no issues with its small size.
                                   
                                                         

Look closely, there IS a Symba in there.

The weather and the views were nothing short of outstanding.

We often search out small "Mom and Pop" local places to eat, and this trip was no different, If you are ever in Newburg, Pa. and would like a good sub or pizza, give Otters Pizza Den a try.

Once we arrived at our destination, the Flood city crew was ready with a warm fire and even a welcoming cheer ( how often do YOU get cheered in upon arrival?)

The next day the ride left out for a cool tour of Historic Johnstown by our rally host. The parking for lunch was JUST for the tough crowd that we are.

 There was a tour of Johnstown and then our hosts even sponsored a ride down the Steepest incline plane in America. There was even a wedding in town, and OF COURSE the ladies wanted to pose with the scooters, and we just wouldn't want to disappoint..

Overall, one of our favorite rides to sponsor for the year, great roads, great people , and the food is good , too. We are already looking forward to next year.

If you liked this blog, feel free to follow us here, on Facebook, Youtube, or on our Instagram. Or you can always stop by the shop to visit.

The new SYM's have arrived

Stop by and check out the new bikes from SYM

We have the HD200

The Symba

and the Wolf 150

    ALL on the floor, waiting to be adopted to a new home...especially the Symba ( it looks just like a puppy)

Corazzo gear

   We have sold our first piece of Corazzo gear, well, pieces anyway. Svend came by for a  Ventata jacket
                                                       

   and ended up leaving with rain gear as well.

                                                                         

    We like the quality and style of Corazzo gear. It adds a bit of fashion to common sense riding apparel.

The new Corazzo dealer in town.

   We have had several requests. Carlisle Cycle and Scooter is the now the place to buy your Corazzo gear. Come try it here; then buy it here. We offer the same price as online with no shipping charges.

    Their  website is here; find what you like, and come by to get the right size, if we don't have it in stock; we can get it for you in a few days.

2014 Meltdown

    The TMISC Meltdown was a again a great success. Our shop supports the club as a sponsor, but we are also club members and go to the event to have fun ourselves. To catch up on the shenanigans you may have missed, click here. It was a weekend of perfect weather, great friends, and good times.

     If you have an interest in seeing the trophy for the 2014 Atomic drag race ( made by Regal metal works ), it is sitting in our shop right next to the 2013 trophy for the slow race.

                       

If all this interested you, make sure to sign up early next year as the rally was a sold out event this year. If you need a scooter, or just need ANOTHER scooter for the rally; WE would be glad to help you with that! 

Are they REALLY Vintage???

    Everyone is asking. Which IS better? The SYM symba or the new Genuine Stellauto. Well since we sell both, we may just have the answer for you, then again, more testing just may be required.

     

The new Stellauto was found hiding behind a lamp post on a nice bright sunny day ( just outside the 100 acre woods). I believe it heard the SYM calling it to go for a ride. 

We approached carefully, but once it realized we had a helmet and riding gear it let us come a bit closer. Next thing you know we were off riding.

     The Genuine Stella automatic ( or as we refer to it, the Stellauto) fires up nicely and settles into a decent idle. The pilot, having owned several shifties isn't sure about this whole CVT transmission thing at first, but after about 5 miles you  tend to forget if you need to shift gears or not and just begin to enjoy the ride. The motor is quick out of stops, but softens at about 45 M.P.H. If coerced the top speed of 55 can be achieved and held on most inclines. As with the rest of the Stella line, the ride always garners good looks and attention; even a thumbs up or two from passersby. The stellauto was a bit slow feeling at first ( still no speed demon), but after 100 miles of break-in it is starting to loosen up and run nicely. A buyer would need to keep this in mind as those first 100 miles are a bit cantankerous. The brakes work well, the CVT  does its job nicely and the quality of this Stella is definitely a step up from the ones in the past. Don't worry though, this Stella still looks JUST like the one you fell in love with in Roman Holiday, despite being a modern machine underneath.

     After a bit of a ride, along comes our second test pilot on our new SYM symba. Yes, it looks JUST like a 60's Honda that we all know ( the Nicest people one), but it too has some modern add-ons beneath its skin. There is a 4 speed semi-automatic transmission ( you still shift but there is no clutch) and the symba now packs over 100 cc's of engine displacement.

The Symba even has its own blog site here

The rain had started so, of course, in true rider style it was time to find a good place to eat to try and wait out the storm.

We highly recommend if you are a lover of authentic Mexican food that if you are in the area you look up Tres Hermanos in Harrisburg. ( shameless plug for a great place to eat ).

The two bikes ( and their owners) enjoyed quite the nice ride after dinner. There was some of it accomplished in the rain and THEN.

Overall, two great bikes if you are not in a hurry and are just looking to enjoy a great ride. Both rides have a top speed somewhere around 55M.P.H. if you need it, but are most happy cruising along at any speed you like. The Symba may have the Stellauto just a tad on top speed ( with proper drafting techniques ), but the stellauto gets it away from the light every time. A GREAT day for a ride, if you haven't smiled and laughed on your own two-wheeled adventure lately; I believe we just might be able to help you with that.