Scoot2TX Ride - Day 3

Mobile, AL to Baton Rouge, LA

The third day of our Scoot2TX trip was a rain day. It wasn’t a nuisance rain, but a multi-hour downpour that soaked us all and caused flooding in many of the low laying areas here in southern Louisiana.

The inclement weather was Mother Nature’s fault of course, but Robert, Justin and Guido were a bit at fault, too. You see, this morning they caused a delay when they decided to visit Mobile’s Battleship Memorial Park to tour the USS Alabama battleship, USS Drum submarine and dozens of decommissioned airplanes, helicopters and tanks. They brought back some great pictures, though!

The entire group ultimately hit the road at around 10:30 am, followed by two and a half hours riding stoplight to stoplight on the coast road leading from Mobile to where we had lunch beachside in Biloxi. Twenty minutes after lunch, in Gulfport, the rain started … and didn’t let up for four hours (or until we were on the outskirts of Baton Rouge).

Guido Ebert rode the 2011 Downtown 300i today and here's his impression of the new bike: "I rode the bike once before – six months ago during KYMCO USA’s 2010 product introduction at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Climbing aboard the Downtown today, I immediately recalled what I liked about this bike on my first jaunt: it’s light and quick, which equates to responsive. In fact, so responsive, I had no problem smoking Justin’s more powerful - but 106-lb. heavier - Xciting 500Ri from stoplights.

"Sure the 500Ri is faster at the top end, trumping the 300’s top speed by about 30 mph, and its weight makes it a bit more stable at highway speeds, but for real-world, legal speed use, the Downtown would be my bike of choice for urban commuting that takes a rider through busy metropolitan areas, on surface streets and freeways." An added bonus: the bike’s a fuel miser, too, delivering approximately 75 mpg during today’s 220-mile trip that saw speeds up to 70 mph.

Sold in Europe for the past six months, the Downtown 300i is expected to become available in the U.S. late this summer. Going to be at Amerivespa? Stop by the KYMCO demo truck and take a look at the bike for yourself.

2011 KYMCO Downtown 300i

Engine: 298.9cc single cylinder liquid-cooled 4-valve SOHC

Bore x Stroke: 72.7mm x 72mm

Compression Ratio: 10.8:1

Output: 28 hp @ 8,500 rpm; 18 ft. lbs. @ 6,500 rpm

Drive: CVT

Brakes: 260mm single-disc front with two-piston caliper; 240mm single disc rear

Suspension: Telescopic fork front; swingarm with preload-adjustable dual shocks rear

Tires/Wheels: 120/80-14 (front); 150/70-13 (rear)

Wheelbase: 60.8 inches

Seat Height: 30.5 inches

Fuel Capacity: 3.3 gallons

Wet Weight: 416 lbs.

See pictures from our third day on the trip on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KYMCO.Scooters?v=photos#!/album.php?aid=173271&id=74250042688

And watch our progress LIVE: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0ljKjFrjDZjIbCBy24hLH6Fba89HErDTN