A warm morning provided a perfect backdrop to begin roughing the pristine surface of the Vespa’s new Kenda K413 tires. Never an aggressive rider myself I feel it prudent to go easy on cornering and braking for the first 50 to 100 miles to make sure I don’t have any unfortunate relationships with the ground. The tire pictured above has less than one mile of wear. Not a problem normally considering how I ride (three speeds; slow, slower, stop) but there are times when I circumstance dictates a friskier approach and broken in tires really become important.
So off I went.
Many riders would probably find my pace and routes boring. Passing through the agricultural landscapes I couldn’t help but think how different riding styles are. Not long ago I saw the moto-documentary “Why We Ride” and how bored I was getting with the racing sequences. Racing, speed, and power are important and exciting to lots of riders. And a good bit of attention was focused on the social aspects of riding (or not riding) characterized by clubs, group rides, and events both small and large. Looking at the scenes from Daytona Beach and Sturgis I could see the attraction as a kind of carnival but the riding part was a bit more difficult to comprehend. The film focused only briefly on another kind of riding, one I find myself more attracted to, that focused on being in the world on two wheels, alone, no schedule or destination, just moving through space and time. It doesn’t make for good cinema since most of the thrill occurs between your ears.
I’m wandering now.
So I’m riding alone, thinking about tires, taking in the spring air (an pollen) and enjoying having nowhere to go or be, stopping when I please to root through roadside debris for treasure or just appreciate the Podophyllum peltatum (May Apples for URAL riders), little biological umbrellas gracing the landscape that are sure signs of spring.
Dandelions are in full bloom and add a swath of color to the world that would make me grin save for the guilt I feel from childhood as my father conscripted me into manual destruction of thousands of these little creatures, wandering the lawn every Saturday morning with weed tool and bucket, a youthful endeavor displaced by the advent of ChemLawn and video games.
I learned something about my childhood yesterday related to my parents letting me roam the neighborhood on weekends and summer vacation. Today their parenting style would be referred to as “free range parenting”. I must be the mature incarnation of a free range child…
The Vespa runs flawlessly. Hate typing that for fear it will cause some untimely failure, but it really is running great. Smooth, quiet, powerful, just like it was when I bought it. Parked along Spring Creek with the sun in my eyes I could almost pretend it was physically pristine as well. Alas, it does show some wear and tear on the body. Just like a well used camera or hand tool.
The road never ends but rides always do. This one after only 50 miles of tire scrubbing but with the promise of food, family and the chance to rub a dog’s belly. Maybe later I’ll work on those tires some more…
Please explain “May Apples to Ural Riders”…..
I trust that pristine looking tire is a bit more “worn in” now? 🙂
Charlie6: I try to keep things simple for URAL riders….*grin*
The tire still looks pretty much the same. The Kenda rubber seems to be harder than the Pirelli, Michelin and Continental tires. Less sticky, more miles….
Just a little “dig” to the Ural riders. I had a similar reaction when watching that movie. The racing and cruising in packs didn’t appeal but some of the touring sections and dirt riding seemed fun.
So good to see a “riding” post from you again, Steve! I actually think about you from time to time when speeding through the Dallas area and just wish I could afford to go slower like you do in rural PA. Just not possible around here. As a matter of fact, I exchanged my 150 Vespa for a 300 for that very reason – faster feels safer around here… Hope you know how lucky you are, but something tells me that you do 🙂
Yep, I am a “wanderer” myself.
Glad you are once again out on the back roads!
Steve:
Your less traveled roads make it easier to wander and stop more safely than here, where we have few roads saturated with many cars.
The dandelions add some nice colour to your photos but I too am obsessed with getting rid of them from the lawn and garden. Chemicals take too long, the fastest way to remove them is to dig them out by hand
bob
A weekend photographer or Riding the Wet Coast
RichardM: URAL riders are just popping up everywhere. A fellow I know from work has a Vespa GTV. Ran into him today and he shows me a picture on his phone — his new URAL.
What’s wrong with the world???
Another friendly dig at my URAL riding friends!
Schnarpsel: It’s been too long since I’ve gone for a ride. Even longer for a good ride. That’s still ahead.
Riding in heavy, fast traffic has to be a drag. The 300 will definitely propel you along at faster speeds than the 150. Be careful!
I’m grateful for the diversity of riding available to me not far from my front door. Central Pennsylvania really is a great place to ride.
Deb: Nothing like a good wandering ride!
bob skoot: Roads saturated with cars… that’s a picture.
Kim has taught me to embrace the dandelion along with moss, lichens, liverworts, plantain, and a host of other “weeds”. The only one that causes her to see red is Poison Ivy.
The only plant I keep my eye on is my Phyllostachys aureosulcata. If you don’t pay close attention with a shovel is can take over your world. Someday I fear, when I am old and feeble, I’m going to have to have a backhoe come in and rip it all out.
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Steve, I am wondering how many miles a Vespa will have, assuming no drops/crashes/etc., before it starts to look a bit tired? I’m sure a lot depends on how long one’s riding season is, and how many miles one puts on it in the course of a season, but can you suggest a ballpark lifespan for a typical Vespa?
maestro: Cosmetically I would think they could persist indefinitely with attention to washing and waxing. The Vespa is well built and the steel body construction is exceptional. The body will still be going strong when the engine requires it’s first rebuild. I’ve read of members of the ModernVespa.com forum with mileage from 50K to over 100K and their machines still look great.
My own scooter takes a beating from the salt and winter grime in a way most don’t. That will speed the cosmetic and structural aging. Even so my Vespa really shines up nicely when I put the effort in.
Lifespan is long for one of these machines.