Comments on: Mechanical Lessons

By: Bill Sommers

Bill Sommers — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 03:55:00 +0000

Good job, Steve. A lot of folks would not have worn "Essence of Unleaded" to impress their spouse.

At least you took it to the "When all else fails" point before turning the Vespa over to the tech guy. Good job, man.
Bill

By: hrw115

hrw115 — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:37:00 +0000

I am not sure I understand why you feel the need to fix everything on this little scooter yourself? Is the fixing supposed to be part of the experience? It certainly doesn’t sound like fun – and it is hardly glamorous from what I am gathering.

As food for thought……
Every Christmas I order a fruitcake from the Gethsmani Monks – and I bring it to our holiday festivities to share with my mother and stepfather. This Christmas, my mother tells me how she could eat a fruitcake quarterly as opposed to yearly at just Christmas. My stepfather replies that we should learn how to make fruitcakes so that we can eat them whenever we want. Sure – it could be done – we could make fruitcakes so that we could eat them whenever we wanted, but I would much rather buy the from the Monks and let them do the work. The fruitcake just tastes much better when I pay for someone else to make it for me.

By: Biker Betty

Biker Betty — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:10:00 +0000

That's great that you have such great resources to work with. I would love to wrench on my motorcycle, as needed. My husband and I argue over this.

I was an aircraft pneudraulic mechanic, with two years as an assistance crew chief in Panama, for the first three years I was in the Air Force. My husband was a helicopter mechanic for 20 years and wants to do the rare wrenching required. I keep telling him that I need to learn how my bike works and he huffs, lol.

All I've done so far is change the headlight and put on the sissy bar, all under his ever-critical and helicopter mom watchful eyes, lol.

Hopefully it doesn't take much longer to get your Vespa running.
Betty

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:36:00 +0000

I feel your discontent at being offroad so to speak. As a middling aged two wheeled conscript, I have the requisite backup scooter. Heck with the warmest winter on record, here in the East, being among the unridden would be a severe hardship. Your posts, site and Zen musings are very much appreciated. I suffered some general withdrawl with the recent dearth of progress posts. Godspeed! Rick, Queens, NY

By: harleyghost

harleyghost — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:38:00 +0000

look at it this way … at least it’s keeping you off the streets … oh, yeah thats a bad thing. keep pluggin’

HG —

By: Dale

Dale — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:26:00 +0000

That truly sucks. When my bike isn't running, I go NUTS. Thinking about the problem occupies at least 98% of my time.

I hope you get it up and running again soon (and that the repair isn't too expensive)!

By: DaveT

DaveT — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:57:00 +0000

Steve, I have enjoyed your blog for many reasons. Your photography is inspiring (I too am a photo addict) and your journey down the mechanical road is interesting as well.

As for your ignition problems, if you've managed to diagnose it to the CDI box, you might as well put it in. Not too hard to do and would make a nice wrap up to the story. :)

BTW, I love the deer story movie. That one strikes a little close to home as a nightmare though.

Dave T.

By: gary

gary — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:35:00 +0000

Sorry to hear that the gremlin afflicting your scooter has survived. They are tough to track down and kill when they hide in the microchips. It certainly looks as though you have exhausted all of your DIY options.

I hope you don't get abused too badly by the Service Department.

Ride well,
=gc=

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:42:00 +0000

irondad: Along the path was a sign --- Get a Second Scooter. That's left over from someone else's journey right? Dan Vader.... does this mean you're my father???

mick: Feel free to link the two articles to your blog and add me to your blog roll. I took a look at your Travel Net United Kingdom Blog. The posts are great and just made me wish my wife and I could rent a couple scooters and travel through the English and Scottish countryside. The Travel Net looks like quite an enterprise and any riders wanting to plan some trips would do well to explore your site!

By: Mick Gordon

Mick Gordon — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:57:00 +0000

Interesting blog, I run a travel site (http://www.thetravelnet.org)and would like to repost one or two of your posts. We would link to you and blog roll you, are you interested? Please let us know. Mick