Perceptions of Scooters
When I dream of riding, it’s always off-road. The Vespa GTS scooter in the garage seems diametrically opposed to common cultural beliefs of what is necessary to ride away from the pavement and civilization. The Vespa scooter off-road seldom (if ever) graces the pages of motorcycle magazines that depict far flung adventures through desert and jungle, over mountains and across rivers, and always on motorcycles bristling with gear carried on frighteningly aggressive tires with weather worn riders grinning astride.
But no Vespa scooter off-road in those stories. There are exceptions. Markus Andre Mayer is on his way around the world on a vintage Vespa scooter. Alone. And there have been others. A French team participated in the grueling Dakar Rally in the 1980s and were among 81 riders to cross the finish line, having ridden their Vespa PX 200s from Paris to Dakar, across 7 countries and 10 thousand kilometers of brutal terrain.
You can ride a Vespa scooter off-road. And recently, I had the chance to test my scooter again away from the smooth comfort of pavement.
Invitation to Ride
My friend Paul invited me to join himself and another rider (Robert) on a ride along what I thought was a typical gravel road in our area. It didn’t take long for the dirt bikes to leave the pavement, then the gravel road and down into the woods on what seemed like a single track for a log skidded or ATV.
Into the Woods
Paul and Robert paused long enough for me to tell them to continue on. I’d follow as long as I could and then turn back. None of us had been this way before and weren’t sure what to expect or where the trail would lead.
The route was rough on the scooter. Without the ability to downshift to a lower gear to slow progress on downward sloping sections braking became a touchy process of rear braking and only the occasional touch of the front one. And all the time bouncing along with the scooter sighing, “I don’t belong here.”
Maybe that was me.
What Lurks in the Tall Grass
At one point the trail evaporated into a meadow of tall grass. As I twisted the throttle for more speed to make sure I didn’t lose the dirt bikes my front wheel lurched over a hidden rock. There are times I dream of bigger wheels and more suspension travel.
At the bottom of a long downgrade I caught up to the motorcycles and we stopped for something to drink and wonder aloud where we were going. No maps. No cell coverage. Just some old tracks through the woods.
It was here I became aware of the difference between dirt riding and whatever I do. As we prepared to continue, Robert said, “Let’s go a little faster.”
A little faster. Not something I generally think of or pursue. But off we went with Paul in the lead. Before long we started up an old path, completely covered in tall grass, with Paul and Robert rising onto the pegs while throttling up. I was going 25mph. Paul was pulling away and Robert was disappearing over the hill. Riding at a brisk pace on uncertain ground demands focus and attention. The landscape was sweeping by and I couldn’t look at it because I was doing something I normally don’t do — ride faster than I can take in my surroundings.
So I stopped.
Dirt Roads and Worse
Paul and Robert were somewhere ahead as I stopped to look around and take a few pictures. They would either continue on without me, wait, or come back. As I got underway again I met Paul doubling back to see if the Vespa exploded or if I hit an elk.
My brain was processing data — riding for me is a means to look around. It’s not the goal. And if you want to ride fast, you pretty much have to be a full time rider and forego the scenery. Even if I was riding a dirt bike, I wouldn’t be riding with them. Too much to look at.
Different strokes.
Poppawheelie
Robert is a serious rider in general and specifically away from the pavement. Poppawheelie is the handle he uses on the Adventure Rider Forum. He was riding the Suzuki DR650 he used to ride around the world a couple years ago. From London he rode East 17,500 miles eventually arriving in the eastern reaches of Siberia at Magadan. From there the bike was shipped to North America where he would ride it home to Pennsylvania.
Robert is experienced and I could learn a lot from him.
Lessons on Riding Off-Road
When we stopped to admire the view Robert said, ”I never expected to see you on your Vespa out here.” Judging by the beating the Vespa took to get to this point I could understand why.
A couple hours earlier in the parking lot of the Pump Station Robert went over the setup of his bike and the preparations he makes for riding off-road. Not much of the bike setup applied to my scooter but it was interesting to make sense of how various decisions affected how and what you might do. And his discussion of tools and repairs along the road sparked renewed thinking and decisions on my part. When he suggested considering the most common and likely complaints my scooter would offer up that I could fix — flat tire, blown exhaust gasket, broken drive belt, bad spark plug, and a dead battery — I was formulating a new tool kit in my head. Always a good thing to listen to more experienced riders.
And with the exception of a replacement drive belt, I have everything I need. Even if I’m not riding around the world.
Riding Lessons
Robert schooled Paul on techniques to jump rocks and ride over logs. I kept waiting for the fall but it didn’t come. The Vespa remained silent during this craziness.
I think Paul was having more fun than he was entitled to have.
On Toward Home
Eventually we rolled down off the mountain toward a late lunch. It was getting hot and all of us were hungry. Paul and I parked in the sun while Robert pulled into the shade next to the building. Another lesson from someone who had ridden long distances in the desert and understood the blessing of shade.
Lunch at the Family Chill and Grill was filling and offered a chance to rehydrate. And relax. I’m all about relaxing it seems.
After lunch I headed home while the dirt bikes went another direction to work on some steep and rocky hill climbs.
Reflections on the Scooter Off-Road
The ride home on nice paved roads felt luxurious after lurching along in the woods. Even detouring onto a farm lane felt decadent compared to the earlier routes. Even in the afternoon heat making it feel a bit like a desert.
Can the Vespa go off-road? Sure. Do I want to? Not often. And when I do, it is a sightseeing trip and not an event to perfect my mastery of the machine. Slow, slower, stop. My riding mantra.
One that will likely keep me from ever doing any long distance riding. Around the world adventure will have to be experienced through the stories of others.
Hi Steve;
Thanks for today’s post, another common-sense entry in support of the ‘let’s stop and smell the roses’ school of riding. Couldn’t have said it better if I had a week of Sundays.
Oh, while I now it’s not a Vespa, let’s not forget Thomas Martin Smith, the Canadian from the Niagara Falls area who rode his trusty 1985 Honda 250 Elite ‘Melawend’ around the world in 2003 – 2005. Look it up… an interesting story for sure.
Well, it’s the style I appreciate. But it’s certainly not the only one. I see a lot of riders with big smiles riding all different rides — routes, machines and styles. Whatever floats your boat. Mine likes the slow ride.
Wow. How did I miss (or forget) Thomas Martin Smith. I just read some things on his website and I need to buy his book. Thanks for the head’s up on that.
Scooters off road? Adventure touring? Yes to both! Several of my scooter friends and I are working on this; Scooter Overland Adventure Route here in Tennessee. Still a work in progress. Find us on Facebook.
Checked out your Facebook site. Interesting route. A lot of work on your part to bring it to life. Great collection of photos made during your mapping expeditions on your Facebook page. Wish I could be riding there now.
Did you put knobby tires on it.? I worry about traction.
Not yet. Someday I’ll mount some aggressive tires on the Vespa just to see how they affect performance. Someday…
What a fine way to start my day, Steve. Thank you.
I like your mantra. It meshes well with mine which is… ride your own ride.
Your mantra underlies my own. Ride your own ride. I need a t-shirt.
All my offs on my scooters have been after the end of the pavement. I often think what is down that road but I will stick with the paved ones on my scoot.
I generally explore those roads. But this was the first time I’ve been down rattling trails trying (and failing) to keep up with others. The scooter just wasn’t built to travel safely, or reliably at that pace. But I eventually fell back to my own pace. It was an enjoyable ride and I learned a lot. Can’t beat that.
And all the time bouncing along with the scooter sighing, “I don’t belong here.” – sighing or screaming? 🙂
Thanks for the link about the scooter doing the Dakar….that’s my next stop to read. URAL should enter it some time, the Dakar….failure to make it would be the expected, managing to finish and cross the finish line…..that’d be good publicity.
I liked the angles in the last pic.
As for dirt riding, I think I might be too old to learn those lessons now. Still, it’d be fun to have a small dirtbike along, instead of the tub, on the Ural sidecar rig….sort of like a lifeboat.
I wasn’t sighing all the time. Just went a sudden jolt threatened to take me to the ground or when I thought the Vespa might finally break on a rock. Most of the time I was just having childish fun. The good kind of fun!
Are you trying to say you want to take your URAL to the Dakar Rally? Just waiting for URAL to call with a sponsorship offer??
I love the view in the last picture. I’ve stood in that place countless times with a camera. Long before I had a scooter. And with more varieties of cameras than I can recall at the moment. Everything from an 8×10 view camera to an iPhone with which this picture was made.
You could probably get a kid’s motorcycle in the tub. Or a folding bicycle. If you broke down far from civilization, riding a bike for help would beat walking!
Good grief, you gave me more praise than I’m worth. On the other hand, what is the world coming to? First you banging about the brush on a scooter. Then Mike Wilks riding a street bike with slick road tires off-road in the rocks of the Durty Dabbers Dual Sport event! Run what ya brung, eh?
Robert, it’s pretty obvious to those of us who have a chance to talk to you, or ride with you, that’s you’re operating at a different level. I saw you and Paul riding side by side up the winding grassy path, both of you standing on the pegs, and then you just raced out ahead as Paul tried, in vain, to keep up. And I saw you racing up the highway a couple weeks ago on your Boss Hogg trike. That was not the normal acceleration that one sees with that sort of vehicle.
Ride what you brung… That’s me. I only have one thing to bring so I try and make the most of it. Even with my new, slick, Continental Zippy street tires. On our little ride, had I stopped at all the places I wanted to look around, you and Paul would have been a bit frustrated.
It was fun though and I appreciate you putting up with me for awhile!
Even on a fairly capable, albeit heavy, dual sport bike (KLR650), I have no desire to ride fast off road. I never have, even when I was a teenager on my relatively lightweight Hodaka Wombat 125. Like you Steve, I just enjoy the scenery.
I rode with a buddy not long ago at an adventure park, on a rented Honda CRF230…my riding buddy’s desire was to go as fast as possible…so everything was always a blur. I just didn’t get the appeal, really.
As has been said, different strokes…
I suppose somewhere in my head I see everything going dramatically wrong in a sudden, terrible manner when riding off-road. If I got a thrill from the speed it might be different. But I’ve never liked going fast — on two or four wheels. Probably why I don’t like roller coasters much. Or as Paul might suggest — I want to pretend I have some control.
Riding fast, anywhere, requires faith. Faith that I won’t screw up. And faith that the terrain, other vehicles, animals, or something won’t interfere with my progress. I just don’t have that kind of faith. So by default I’m moving slowly. Add to that I enjoy looking around and voila, I am a slow traveler…
Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Hodaka. A guy I used to work with had a Super Rat. Wonder if he still has that…
When I picked up my GTS / S last year, I laughed out loud at the idea of it having traction control . A few days later I was making a spirited exit from a gravel parking lot and determined that without that nanny device, I would likely have been picking chunks of stone out of one arm. Seems to do a nice job for me on those massive patches of wet paint you can encounter at intersections on a rainy day. Dirt… haven’t been down that road on this scoot. Must try this summer.
At those times I consider replacing my GTS with another Vespa I eventually have a mental discussion weighing the wisdom of an older, slightly used GTS at a low price versus a more expensive newer one with ABS and traction control (called ASR by Piaggio — automated spin regulation). Not sure which I’ll choose.
I’m completely sold on ABS though I wish you could turn it off on the GTS. You can turn the ASR off but for some reason not the ABS. At least as far as I can tell. I’ve experienced the benefits of ABS in my two four-wheeled vehicles and was impressed by what I saw on a motorcycle test of ABS vs non-ABS.
Dirt and gravel is pretty simple if you’re not riding in a “spirited” manner. And more aggressive tires help a lot too. But I’m good to wander along.
slow, slower, stop
Steve, that says it all, thanks!
For you and I at least!
Three words on off roading on a scooter Steve. Bill Leutold’s Leg. This year’s Cannonball was won by a three wheeled MP3 and 16 inch wheeled BV 250.
Off-road with 12 inch tires is definitely it’s own art form. Saw pictures of Bill’s leg — ouch. The MP3s piloted by experienced adventure riders won the day on this year’s Cannonball Run!
I have ridden off road many times. I prefer pavement.
On this year’s Scooter Cannonball Run, the route had hundreds of miles of dirt, gravel and rocky, unpaved roads. They included the Burr Trail and Moki Dugway in Utah.
Unfortunately for me, I got eight miles into the first one, sped up on a rare smooth section, went over a rise and found a large patch of soft dusty sand. Down I went.
The innocent looking scrape on my right shin swelled quickly.
I had to abandon the run early.
I may have has enough off road riding for a while.
One word of advice. Protect your shins.
Speed is a dangerous commodity on two wheels — scooter or motorcycle. Those sudden appearances of the unexpected can cause problems. Hope you’re healing well. Perhaps riding accidents are like child birth — after some time passes the grief and agony fade into the background. Otherwise, who would ever have a second child…
SW: Some really nice photos. That sure was peaceful back in the woods like that. That was my favorite part, the part I will look forward to most when I go in the woods again. Also I have to say its really fun riding over logs and rocks and up the banks. It’s something I always wanted to do. I sure got the right motorcycle this time. Thanks RE for helping me learn how to do that and being patient with me. SW: I know I said control is most often an illusion and that is true. The universe has supreme control. On the other hand on a motorcycle we can influence the rate in which we crash … until we can’t.
Influence — that’s what we with our riding styles and skills to affect an outcome.
Some beautiful places we rode that day Paul. I’ll have to return.
Love this! I was afraid of taking my vespa as I’m moving to the sticks haha. It can be done!
Unless your “sticks” is composed of muddy roads and lots of deep water crossings you should have no trouble at all. In fact, you may even appreciate the scooter even more in a more quiet and gentle landscape.
Man that was a good day that was fun I want to go in the woods again. Paul
That ride was pretty rough on the scooter. Maybe we can find something a little less taxing on the Vespa suspension.