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The Vespa is Ready for Winter Riding

November 24, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

Braving the cold in an unheated garage, tools strewn across the concrete floor, the scooter is now ready for winter.  Tires, oil, antifreeze, all changed and checked.  Surveying the mess I am reminded of how disorganized I can be.  I’ll never have one of those workshops that appear in The Garage Journal.

A quick ride to make sure the wheels don’t fall off and the oil stays in the engine.  The Heidenau K66 SnowTex tire’s aggressive tread pattern and extra sticky grip provide a little more security on cold, wet and snowy roads. They feel weird at first, like riding on big balloons.  That feeling quickly disappears.

The weather forecast calls for 19F in the morning with snow showers.  I’ll look in the mirror tomorrow morning and ask that guy if he wants to ride.

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Filed Under: cold, maintenance, Vespa, winter riding

Comments

  1. Coop a.k.a. Coopdway says

    November 24, 2013 at 10:36 am

    Wow, those tires ARE for snow!

    +2 degrees here this morning….so I guess I’ll be satisfied with your sharing of a ride.

    Use care.

    Reply
  2. David Masse says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    Steve, did you change the tires yourself? I really have to be come a little more self-sufficient.

    Reply
  3. Canajun says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:39 pm

    You’re a braver man than I. Snow tires or not there’s no way you’ll find me on two wheels on icy, snowy roads – I’ve managed to slide 4 wheels off the road on more than one occasion.
    Also, pardon my lack of scooter knowledge, but … antifreeze?

    Reply
  4. Charlie6 says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    I like the siping on the snow tires!

    When you talk to that guy in the mirror in the morning….I am sure he’ll answer back in the affirmative.

    Reply
  5. Angelo says

    November 24, 2013 at 2:54 pm

    Steve: I’m sure others have suggested/asked this same question; why not go sidecar rig for the 4 months?

    Reply
  6. Steve Williams says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:07 am

    Coop: I hope I don’t need those tires. I try and avoid the white stuff.

    Reply
  7. Steve Williams says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:11 am

    David: Pulled the exhaust and the wheels but let the local service station change the tires. I was too busy to do that little chore. Have done it before with my little Harbor Freight tire changer but it’s a lot of work. And I have to go to the service station anyway because I don’t have an air compressor to fill the tires.

    I’m a half-assed mechanic…

    Reply
  8. Steve Williams says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:13 am

    Canajun: I seldom am on icy, snowy roads. The winter tires just give better traction on cold pavement. And help for those rare times when I misjudge the weather…

    The Vespa GTS is water-cooled hence the antifreeze need.

    Reply
  9. Steve Williams says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:13 am

    Charlie6: The guy in the mirror said, “Ride dummy”.

    Reply
  10. Steve Williams says

    November 26, 2013 at 3:14 am

    Angelo: I like the free feeling of two-wheels. That all goes away with a sidecar rig.

    That said, I was looking at a brand new URAL Gear Up rig today. $14K. 2WD. Looked pretty. Maybe in my old age…

    Reply

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