Help Restore A Beloved Scooter

Dear friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I have to fund raise again to help cover the cost for repair and/or replacement of my beloved scooter, Hot Lips.

It has been 6+ years since my hit and run fundraiser (I was hit by a car and left for dead), but life continues to happen and this year I have had some major scooter repairs that I have had to put on my only credit card and I've been in an even worse financial situation due to the ongoing pandemic and greed-flation with groceries.

On October 10th, 2024, my beloved 2003 Honda Ruckus died on me while driving it to the north side of town to try to get pictures of the northern lights. I had to abandon it and have the shop pick it up on the 15th of October. I picked it up from the shop on Saturday, November 16th.

I was originally told that it needed a new alternator. It also needed a new exhaust because the original muffler got a hole in it while they worked on multiple issues last spring. I was also told that the brain of the scooter (ECM or voltage modulator) also needed replacement, but since they knew I am poor, they would try to troubleshoot that another way. They jerry-rigged it and said it was all good.

$800+ dollars on magic plastic and the scooter is louder now and even though I got it home from the shop on Saturday, the next day it didn't start. I am crushed and desperate to try to figure out how to proceed.

I spent around $700 on the scooter last spring.

I just spent another $800 more and it still doesn't work.

It needs the new ECM and it's going to be another big chunk of money to repair that. I would love to fix what I have because I don't like being wasteful.

A new Honda Ruckus would cost $2900 + $300 for shipping plus tax. With the possible tariffs coming this will likely go way up. I like the Ruckus because it's the most practical since I can haul my groceries on it. Honda makes scooters that last. Hot Lips is 21 years old with over 21,550 miles on it. Have you ever had a car last that long? I know I haven't.

I have set my fundraiser amount to be $5000. I actually have more debt than that, but that is the amount that I'm comfortable fundraising for at this time. It will be enough to get me to a more comfortable place and get me back on 2 wheels.

This is such a vulnerable situation for me. Many of you know that I have a really hard time "receiving," but the universe seems to be screaming at me to allow my community to help me out financially.

I will be forever grateful for any assistance others are able to give.

With so much love,

DJ Haugen