 The Northwest Scooter Enthusiasts
Where Plastic is Fantastic
 Motorcycles
are a nice alternative to cars, but scooting in the city and through the
countryside is popular with many as
well. Founded in 1998, the Northwest Scooter Enthusiasts gives riders of big and
small scooters a chance to be social, and take long rides together.
Riders meet once each month from March through October, usually at The
Maggie Bluffs restaurant in Seattle near Elliot Bay for breakfast and then a ride. The group has toured
places as nearby as Bainbridge, or as far away as Port
Townsend, Whidbey Island and Mt. Rainier. Their annual rally is held each
summer in the Columbia River Gorge. During Daylight Savings months the
group also holds 'city cruises' through Seattle for all sizes of scooters.
"If our ride includes a ferry hop, you know we're
going on a great adventure that day" says rider Robert Lomax of Mercer
Island. Lomax has been riding with the group since it's inception. Each year the group
does a
few overnights on off weekends setting their sights on places Victoria, the Cascade
Loop and Neah Bay as destinations. "The city cruises are for everyone and the
weekend and overnighters are for the people with bigger scooters" comments Tom
Mehren, one of the founding riders of the club.
NWSE
has no limits on who may ride with the group "Typically vintage Vespa's and other
euro scooterists don't ride with us because we wake up too early and ride too
far" says Kevin McDonald, a Boeing Customer Services rep who rides
regularly and has been riding with the group since it's very first meeting in
1998. "This is not a unit that attracts the pub hopping types,
it's more about getting out and riding and seeing the state" states another
rider.
 NWSE has proven to be a haven for plastic scooterists where often the group
brings together multiple Helix', Reflex', Silverwings, Bergmans, Beverlys,
Atlantics and and other plastic shrouded modern day scooters all in one place, a rare site indeed. Even if you
don't own a scooter you are welcome to ride, or just dine with the group
"because the inkling will probably infect you and you'll end up buying one
anyway" jokes another rider.
Photo: Along the poker run route near Glenwood during
the 2005 rally in the Columbia River Gorge. Mt. Adams in the
background.
There is also a monthly meeting, held the last Wednesday
of each month during which plans are finalized for upcoming rides and scooter
stories are swapped over grub and grog at Maggie Bluffs. The December meeting is moved to a fine dining location and serves as
a holiday party instead of the usual agenda.
Some riders have full on motorcycles too "but my Helix is still my
favorite machine" says McDonald who also owns a rotating plethora of other
motorcycles.
There is no fee to ride with NWSE since it's expenses are
covered via dealer sponsorships. As is the case with anyone owning a scooter
over 49 cc's, riders are required to have a valid Washington State
drivers license to operate a motorcycle. You can visit their website
or e
mail them for more info.
Patrick Thomas/1999 - Revised Spring 2006
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