Magazine Release Party (Take 2)

Sorry for confusion but party in #604 moved to:

9/5/08 at 8pm.

Mis-information from editor now pushes release date back to 9/1/08. Hope you can still make it.

Matt

Magazine Release Party

I think I got an e-vite to everyone in the building but just in case:

8/8/08 at 8pm:

Party at Matt's (#604) to celebrate release of St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles Magazine featuring Matt's loft. Come by for a drink and to visit neighbors.

Hope to see you all there

Soulard Market

I know you know, but do you go? Looking for something for a good, quick dinner, but don't feel like running out to the supermarket? Why not give Soulard Market a try?

I takes a little bit of effort, but in less than 30 minutes you can have enough fresh fruit and vegetables to have a nice dinner.






Five dollars will get you a decent amount of food. The picture you see to the left is seven dollars worth of food. (The asparagus was an extra two dollars) I'm sure there are better bargains if you want to hunt, but for me, the experience is strolling up and down the market looking for what looks best. Be aware that not all of the fruit and vegetables are grown in the area, but there are local farmers selling local and organic produce.

Saturdays get crowded, but all the weekday afternoons I've gone, have been pleasant, and in no way hurried.

Take the scooter; it will give you a destination, and help save on gas.

Soulard Market is open Wed. - Fri. 8:00 - 5:00 and Sat. 6:00 - 5:00

Utility Closets

Just an FYI - be careful about storing large objects in your Utility/Laundry Closets... suitcases, etc. They can shift the pipes in the closet, creating leakage issues for the unit below.

Don't Forget

Condo Fees for July

Trying to do my Part as a Good Neighbor

When we were moving to the loft, I debated on what things I should bring.

Tools are one of those things that are great when you are using them, but then sit around and take up space in the meantime. I'm glad I have them - they've proven invaluable for the projects I've completed - but I often think I could get more utility out of them through sharing with the neighbors.

If you need a tool for one project, but don't feel like buying it and storing it, give me a call.

Some specific things I think my be beneficial to my neighbors here in the Motor Lofts community are:

• A dolly - (see photo) for carrying heavy objects to your loft. Add some ratchet straps to secure your cargo to the dolly and you can move mountains.
• An air compressor - Need to fill your tires on your car, scooter, or bike?
• Ladder
• Things you might use once in a blue moon - chisel, rubber mallet, hack saw

call @ 621-4028, email me through the info. on my profile

More Scooter Talk

I know, another scooter article, but let me just say that maintaining your scooter isn't as hard as you might think, and if anyone needs any help, feel free to ask.

This article is a step-by-step for basic maintenance of your Popcycle scooter.


My scooter hit 186 miles, so it was time for some routine maintenance.


Changing the Oil

Changing the Oil

1. (You might want to ride your scooter a bit to heat up the oil and make it flow a little better, but watch out for the hot engine and exhaust pipe!!!) Put your scooter on the double kickstand.

2. Remove the oil cap located on the right side of your bike (this is also how you check your oil level) and put it on some newspaper.

3. Put some sort of tub beneath your engine to catch the oil (at least 1 quart, but I used a 6 qt. that I got from the dollar store)

4. On the bottom of your engine ("oil out" in the picture) is an 11/16" bolt or plug. Unscrew the oil plug with a socket wrench. Oil will start to come out pretty fast, so have your pan ready! Remove the plug and let oil drain completely.

5. After a few minutes, replace the plug. (The plug has a spring, so it's a bit tricky)

6. Measure out 20.3 oz of 10w-30 motor oil (the manual recommends 10w-30 for 4-stroke engines, but the guy at the auto parts store says there is no difference). Put a funnel in the place where you removed your oil cap and pour in the oil. Replace your oil cap. It's just that easy!

.

Changing the Crankcase Fluid

This is a little harder to find. It is located on the left side of your scooter, towards the back. The drain is on the bottom (where my finger is) and the fill is two bolts up from the drain.

1. Put your drain pan under the crankcase and remove the bolt where you "fill" the fluid. (The bolt size is 10 mm) You'll know you have the right one if fluid starts to drain. Put the bolt aside and note how it looks, so you don't confuse it with the other bolt later.

2. Remove the drain plug for the crankcase and let the fluid run out.

3. Replace the drain plug, and measure out 5.03 oz. of #10 machine oil or GY gear oil.

4. Now here's where it gets a bit tricky. The "fill" hole is on the side, and you need to put fluid in a hole on the side of your scooter. I've been told there are funnels with flexible nozzles made for this purpose, but I got by on a paper funnel, a flexible drinking straw and some duct tape. : ) Slowly pour all 5.03 ounces into the crankcase.

5. When you have filled the crankcase, have your bolt ready. Quickly remove your funnel (fluid will start coming out!) and replace the bolt. You are done!


Cleaning Your Air Filter


This is easy. The air filter is located on the left side of your scooter.


1.Using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, remove the five or six screws holding the cover on the air filter. Inside you'll see a spongy thing (which is your air filter)

2. Take out the filter, and clean it with a solvent to remove any grease (there was none on mine, but the "solvent" the guy at the parts store recommended was gasoline) and later wash with soap and water to remove any dust or dirt.

3. Let it dry and put it back inside.


Adjusting Your Mirrors

If your mirrors aren't helping you out, and you have to lean to see, then they need adjusting. It can be as simple as twisting the mirror on the swivel, but if that does not work, you might need to take it one step further.


1. lift up the rubber cap that covers the nut for the mirrors.

2. Take an 9 / 16" wrench and unscrew the nut that holds the mirror on the handle.

3. Twist the mirrors until you can effortlessly see behind you.

4. Hold the mirror firmly in place and tighten with the wrench.

5. It might take a few adjustments because you might have a different posture riding the bike (I tend to lean forward a little bit) before you get it the way you want it.


Charging Your Battery

I haven't had to do it yet, but if you haven't been riding your scooter in a while, you might need to charge it. Look under your seat, there should be a black box with a cord. Plug one end into the jack under your seat (it almost looks like an RCA jack on the back of your TV), plug the other end into an electrical outlet. I think it only takes a few hours.

Checking Your Tires

This is an important part of keeping your Popcycle safe and efficient. Use a tire gauge to check your tire pressure. Both tires should be at 36 psi. If they're not, fill with air.

Fixing a Stuck Gas Gauge

I tried running the fuel down in my Popcycle over the winter, and my gas gauge was stuck on "E". All I did was stick a coat hanger in and loosened up the float, and it seems to be back to normal again.

And Finally...

I'm sure I'll add a few things later on. I hope this helps a few of you.

*Remember, your Popcycle scooter is pretty much a TN'G Venice LX 4-stroke, so if you need to find any parts or service for it, you might want to go in that direction.

Because I've reached the limits of what I can find out about this bike from the Internet, I've decided to purchase a Haynes Guide, which might help me to figure out the exact model of this scooter. I'll let you know if there is any valuable information in it, and if you're interested in looking at it, feel free to contact me.