I'm a 46 year old overweight guy with bad knees. Biking is something I'd have to work up to although I can walk 6 miles on a walking/running track and am working my way up to trying a 5K/10K walk/run sometime this summer, I get really sweaty doing it and I can go to work sweaty. They kind of frown upon that when they pay a person what they pay me. Plus I'd like to keep the trip under 20 minutes.

Yeah, i love cycling, but I don't do it as often as I'd like cause I sweat like a pig. If I'm all gross, I find it hard to work, not to mention it being rather rude to other people in the lab.

I *can't* go to work sweaty. Small typo. And, as abge points out, it's not nice to your coworkers. And, as a consultant, my clients don't like it either when they come in for a training class or a project kickoff meeting.

If you have a bit of extra cash and want to be the coolest guy around, go with the Segway.

And if you get the electric model , you could ride it around your office too.

@Nike

I'm liking this idea more and more.

there is very little or no impact involved in cycling (unlike running) so you'd have less to worry about from your knees.

Also it's far more energy efficient than walking/running. (and if you do it everyday then you'll get to the point where you don't over heat your body and sweat as a response because it's soo easy...)

I've never really found this to be a problem, but i know some people who shower when they get to work, because they can... and 5 miles seems like it is do-able in 40 minutes...

Yeah, you totally want to be that guy that goes around Harvard Square in his little Segway, weaving through the pedestrians :) (I actually saw a couple people do this one day)

@Nike - That would be great if everywhere I went had sidewalks... Alas, they don't and putting a segway on the road is dangerous. Not to mention, I do have to go 5 miles each way.

@acmac - I really am trying to get it to 20 minutes. Currnetly, it takes about 15 in a car as there are lots of lights getting to and from the highway . Work is 1 mile off I-275 and the house is another mile off on the other side of the 3 mile highway stretch. So as I can only go 35 for 2 of the 5 miles, I figure I should be able to do it and include the one road that runs parallel to the highway in 20, 25 at most, as all three main roads I would travel are 35 MPH.

@ora - No showers here at work, but lots of hills between here and home. This is greater Cinci- home of the Seven Hills (and a lot more littler ones).

So, back to the question at hand... What *motorized* form of transportation that can be driven/ridden on a *street* would you all recommend?

I'm consdiering this one...

http://powersports.honda.com/2011/pcx/innovations.aspx

Speaking as someone who's had ACL surgery, biking is absolutely a problem with bad knees. The repetetive motion is a killer. I've worked at places (actually, quite a few) that had showers at the worksite, but no one used them, so there's that. Around here in Ann Arbor, scooters are rather en vogue with Vespa seeming to be the most popular one I see about, but I have no personal experience.

@draug: fairy 'nuff

SD: Ann Arbor is a whore.

I agree, having gone to Michigan State.

Good.

As an alternate to a smaller vehicle, have you considered carpooling? That's becoming a big thing and wouldn't require you to purchase another vehicle (which is ultimately one of the most fuel-inefficient things you can do).

Get a 1970 Buick Gran Sport 455. It's not very efficient, but it wouldn't take you very long to get to work

@Gun

lol yeah, I'm sure it all evens out.

@Gun - Well, I coudl probably cut down the hgihway time with it, but the time to and from would run the same cause of the lights unless I wanted to really risk my life running them, especially the left turn I have to make to get on the highway. :-)

@abge - Nobody I know here at work drives close enough to my place. I could park at one of the malls (one on each side of the highway run) but that sort of negates the purpose.

OK, so *I want* to ride a scooter/motorcycle. How about that? Now help me pick something efficient and fun that won't break the bank at 15 or 20K.

I'm not sure if it's funny or pathetic that there are 20 posts in this thread before anyone gives you advice re a scooter, which is what you asked for.

I used to have a Yamaha Riva 185 and really liked it. This was in the 1990s, and I don't think they make them anymore. At the time, the primary competition was Honda Elite 150 and 250. I really enjoyed having a scooter and intend some day to get one again.

I've looked at Vespas and they just don't really do it for me. Lots of Vespa owners swear by them, though. When last I looked a couple years ago, I thought that if I were to pick out a scooter today it would probably be a Yamaha Zuma 125. The reviews are good and I like the look. I don't have firsthand riding/ownership experience, other than having had a Yamaha scooter before. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/608/home.aspx

Thanks, Hanged Man. That's what I was looking for. I'll look into the new Yamaha models.

I think I'm more partial to this one (or the 2010 version of it).

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/415/0/home.aspx

Make sure that you get a nice matching ballerina tutu to go with it, Fagnaur.

jk Fagnaur ...jk lol.
I think that getting a motor scooter is a fairy nice idea.

Don't get a scooter with small wheels. I made that mistake and even though its got a 250cc engine, on a rough road its hard going. If your roads have a 45mph limit they aren't going to be very good ones.

@Speaker - there is a serious flaw to that logic. I live in a densely populated area. The roads are fine and well maintained, but when cars back out onto them from their driveways, they *must* have a speed limit less than 45 MPH. I don't know if you are assuming that the speed limit is so low because the roads are bad, or if the roads aren't maintained because the speed limit is so low, but neither is the case. It's a matter of houses built 40-50 years ago or more and the roads and areas aroudn them becoming more urban and less suburban.

In fact, the first main road (that isn't my cul-de-sac) has a hospital on it at one end and the fire department at the other. I guarantee it is maintained. The next one goes right by a once major mall (competition has killed it) and is the primary access tot he itnerstate for said firetrucks and ambulances, so it is well maintained. The third that runs parallel to the interstate is a mjor road that crosses the entire county (Kemper road) and just happens to be a lot of houses on the stretch from Fairfield to Springdale. And the fourth and final road is a major shopping district with lots of lights and 6 lanes wide.

But I hear you on the small wheels which is why I haven't been considering much of anything that didn't have something close to standard motorcycle size on it.

@Draugnar: Ok, your roads are better than mine. The roads I ride on used to be smooth too, but they've had 2 bad winters and no repairs at all. The pot-holes, which you hardly notice in a car, are getting really bad round here. I need to get a proper bike again.

"P.S. The Honda PCX only has 14 inch wheels (like mine). They are nowhere near the size of a standard motorcycle wheel.

I hadn't noticed that, Speaker. Thanks for catching it. But a quick glance at both Honda and Yamaha indicates all of them are 14s. It seems the key is to get as much suspension travel as possible (4+ inches).

Would you consider renting for a month? It might be just an itch you need to scratch.

@fiedler - No. I don't rent and cover someone else's car/house/motorcycle payment. Besides, who rents motorcycles/scooters anyhow? No one in Cincinnati that I have seen. And I still have to get the motorcycle rider on my license to drive it (even for a scooter) in Ohio.

@Draug: The problem is that the edges of potholes are rarely straight or going in your direction. When the wheel is in one and gets to the edge the sharp curvature of the small wheel makes it try to follow the edge sideways rather than just climbing out of it as a larger wheel does. That makes the steering kick to the side, which can throw you around or even off completely if you're not ready for it. Long suspension travel wont help with that. Your roads are good, so you shouldn't have that problem.

I hope you enjoy being on a motorbike as much as I do.

Scooters are very good, but it depends on the weather. In cold weather, you need to wear extra layers of clothing. They are very good, though, most have a compartment under the seat to store bags and such, and the one my gf had got a cool 90 mpg at least.

I have my Jeep Liberty (which will get upgraded to a Grand Cherokee next summer when it is paid for) too, kingdroid. This is just for fair weather to enjoy the trip to work. When the wife is along, the trip lengthy, I need to haul something from the grocery or hardware stores (or Sears/Penney's/Dillard's etc), or the weather is juts bad (snow or rain), then I'll hop in the Jeep.

Thanks for the heads-up on what to look out for when I'm out on one this summer, Speaker.

Ahh, then go ahead and grab one. They're fantastically efficient, and pretty comfortable rides.