Signs of the Christmas Season
Passing through town on the way home I noticed a flock of flamingos. Evidence of the coming yuletide holiday season. Had to stop for a picture though I’m not certain why exactly. Perhaps it’s the color. I have a mountain bike that’s the same color as those birds.
Salmon. Not pink…
Not sure how much riding I’ll get in before the holidays. At the end of the week I supposed to drop the Vespa off at a local body shop to have the rust and corrosion from many winters of salty riding taken care of. They say that will take two weeks. Could be the next time I’m on the road I may run into Santa Claus.
Ho ho ho…
So funny that in the cold north one might decorate for Christmas so tropically! Down here in the swampland we get out fake snow and pretend icicles!
Happy Holidays from South Florida
We have a love affair with flamingos in Pennsylvania. They show up in a lot of places…
You know what Steve? I’ve thought long and hard about this. While the Vespa is having the rust fixed you should look at Piagio BV 350’s. They have bigger wheels, a larger engine and a tube frame like a motorcycle. You will be better off on the fire roads you frequent, have better highway handling and less concerns about corrosion. The Piaggio is a more modern vehicle and still has the heart of a Vespa. It would be like having a scooter and a motorcycle all in one.
I don’t know about Steve’s opinion, but not only do I find the look of that piaggio inferior to Steve’s great looking GTS, but it’s alot heavier, cumbersome, and probably cannot go into tiny paths like the Vesap can.
Many of the people at ModernVespa.com praise the stability and highway manners of the BV 350 in addition to its bigger engine. While yes, 12″ wheels are excellent at low speeds and Urban environments Steve’s use of a scooter on dirt roads demands larger wheels and the stability and durability required off road. As a Retiree a BV 350 is faster and better able to handle the stress of Interstate travel he may choose to do. As a commuter the Vespa is a fine machine. As a do all, ADV bike it has its limitations.
Limitations? A Vespa? Only water crossings…
Nothing looks as good as a Vespa GTS. Nothing.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Steve. I come from the school of “Beauty is as Beauty does”. The Vespa is a fine looking machine but I cringe when I see the places you take it. A 12″ wheel is no match for a good size hole on a fire trail and is in deep trouble in loose dirt. After decades of off road riding and racing I appreciate the increased gyro-metric attributes of larger wheels. I won’t even go into the off set weight distribution of a scooter. You might consider these factors when you consider your next machine. Maybe an NC-700X with DCT.
Jim,
The Vespa is more capable than people think. While dirt, gravel and holes on trails are a challenge, they are negotiable. The big difference I see between the scooter and a dirt bike is the speed in which you can travel. That’s where the big wheels make a difference. But for my riding style — speed isn’t an issue. And the weight distribution, well, it hasn’t reared it’s head either to any great degree. I wouldn’t mind a stronger suspension system to smooth out some of the bumps and bangs but even that isn’t a great issue.
I’ve put a lot of off road, or bad road miles on the Vespa and have found it functional. But I’m not racing, in a hurry, or looking for the smoothest ride. I am looking for light weight and utility in almost all situations. The only ones I’ve found to be problematic are water and mud…
I’ve looked at the BV 350s but the riding position feels a bit too cramped for me. And it isn’t the nimble handling machine that the Vespa is. If I need to navigate fire roads more easily I can run different tires. The more aggressive winter tires make a HUGE difference.
Or I can get a dirt bike!
My dealer is moving to another town about 30 minutes away. That is a bit unsettling. I like having a dealer close by. That leaves the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki dealer three miles away…
Love it (the picture)! : ) Boalsburg? At first I thought it was your house.
Not my house. It’s the Portfolio salon in Boalsburg!
The birds in that photo are Canada geese (or gooses if you prefer), painted pink by some erstwhile tagger
One may only hope.
Hah!
Flamingoes and palm trees. That just feels odd to me…
Do they have to disassemble, media blast and repaint?
Not sure. I think they use magic.
When the BV350 was introduced, I and a lot of other people thought that it would be the perfect scooter. That is until I rode one. While it does have more power, it is heavier and feels much larger. It does not have the nimbleness that the GTS has. We never see them in Atlanta; they just did not catch on here. I also owned an Aprilia 500. Same issues, only worse. If you feel the need to get a bit more power, the GTS 300 is an excellent improvement on the GTS 250. I’ve owned both, and the 300 is definitely the more capable motor.
I think I’ve had too much Vespa Kool-Aid to switch now. Maybe a 300 but always a Vespa. At least until two wheels don’t make sense.
Then maybe an MP3. God help me if it has to be a sidecar rig…
Here’s an idea….scooter/flamingos and snow….
I’ll put it on the list.