Yes, sadly and tragically electrocuted – but it was in Bankok Thailand not India.

Yep, that’s how it is with me.

The right riding partner would be a nice addition to a ride but there are sometimes I just need to be alone. For me they are two completely different experiences, each with their own unique gifts.

Bill,

I remember being where you are when trying to wrap my head around that 3kg maximum load for the rear rack and topcase. I don’t know how that number was identified. I’ll bet the manufacturers and dealers need to cover their liability exposure so they give that very conservative estimate. I can share my experience though with the loads I’ve carried.

I’ve hauled a gallon of milk along with six cans of vegetables and other groceries in the topcase without incident. Total weight would be near twenty pounds. I’ve not detected any adverse effects to the handling of the Vespa or failures in the rear rack. I will say when I have a big load on the scooter, when camping for instance, having the front rack allows for some balancing of the load. The same loading restrictions were in place there but I’ve hauled two watermelons on the front rack without a problem and I can only guess that the total weight had to be more than thirty pounds.

I remember seeing a Vespa photo from southeast Asia with a washing machine on a rack on the back of the scooter. If they can haul that and still ride anything I am going to put into the topcase short of a block of gold isn’t going to be a problem.

I’m the sort of rider that figures, “What’s the worst that can happen?” Rack breaks, something falls on the road…

I would suggest you experiment a bit and see for yourself whether you can detect any issues when you begin to increase the load. Just go slow and be careful until you fully understand how the scooter is responding.

I had to add that disclaimer — I’ve always feared what might happen if I saw the light….

Mike,

Thank you so much! Sometimes when your in the proverbial eye of the hurricane its hard to gain perspective. Peace back!