maintenance Archives - Scooter in the Sticks Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle. Thu, 22 May 2025 16:56:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 71084491 Notes from the Sticks https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/05/motorcycle-maintenance/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/05/motorcycle-maintenance/#comments Thu, 22 May 2025 16:55:36 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11343 Daily Rituals and Riding Our dogs are demanding of food, attention, and walks. They express those needs in various ways, usually quietly and patiently, but they do not forget. At times I wish I was more like them. Diligent in focus and caring for my needs. Spring brings with it a raft of extra duties […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/05/motorcycle-maintenance/feed/ 8 11343 Rotating Through Scooters and Motorcycles https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/rotating-through-scooters-and-motorcycles/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/rotating-through-scooters-and-motorcycles/#comments Tue, 22 Oct 2024 13:42:35 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11152 Too Many Scooters and Motorcycles? How did I come to have five two-wheeled machines in my little one-bay garage? For fourteen years I was content with a single scooter for all my riding. At least that’s what I told myself, an unconscious dishonesty masking my true feelings and desires — a machine for every riding […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/rotating-through-scooters-and-motorcycles/feed/ 16 11152 UPDATE: A New Year, New Challenges https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/01/update-a-new-year-new-challenges/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/01/update-a-new-year-new-challenges/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2024 05:06:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10985 Aging and Riding This metal sign was delivered to my home. From who I don’t know. But I have to think it relates to a video I posted recently on YouTube that explores the question — When is it time to stop riding? That video seemed to touch a nerve as thousands watched it and hundreds commented. I’ll […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/01/update-a-new-year-new-challenges/feed/ 20 10985 Fixing My Vespa GTS Scooter https://scooterinthesticks.com/2023/12/fixing-my-vespa-gts-scooter/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2023/12/fixing-my-vespa-gts-scooter/#comments Sat, 16 Dec 2023 14:18:06 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10972 A Decision Made After months of trying to decide whether to repair or replace my Vespa GTS 250 scooter I made the decision to just have Tim Papinchak of Windber Cycle Works repair everything. Fixing my Vespa GTS scooter just seemed the right thing to do. A long list of services and updates: Time will tell […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2023/12/fixing-my-vespa-gts-scooter/feed/ 23 10972 Installing GIVI Engine Guards on 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/installing-givi-engine-guards-on-2022-royal-enfield-himalayan/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/installing-givi-engine-guards-on-2022-royal-enfield-himalayan/#comments Fri, 04 Feb 2022 05:05:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10587 Three Bolts — How hard could it be? I learned a few things today while installing a pair of GIVI Engine Guards on my shiny new, 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan. First, I’m no mechanic. I may improve with practice, but whatever skills I had at 17 rebuilding car engines and transmissions has evaporated over the […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/installing-givi-engine-guards-on-2022-royal-enfield-himalayan/feed/ 24 10587 Wrenching on Scooters and Motorcycles https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/08/wrenching-on-scooters-and-motorcycles/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/08/wrenching-on-scooters-and-motorcycles/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2021 04:05:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10425 “If you’re going to repair a motorcycle, an adequate supply of gumption is the first and most important tool. If you haven’t got that you might as well gather up all the other tools and put them away, because they won’t do you any good.” Zen an the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance I have no […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/08/wrenching-on-scooters-and-motorcycles/feed/ 46 10425 Mid-Winter Moto Maintenance https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/02/mid-winter-moto-maintenance/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/02/mid-winter-moto-maintenance/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2021 05:05:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10064 Moto Maintenance Laws Minimalism is the term I most often associate with my approach to moto maintenance. I conduct my riding life with two-wheeled machines in the belief that there are four laws of maintenance. They are: Proscribed maintenance schedule items by the manufacturer (fluids, belt, sparkplugs, etc) Maintenance of use (don’t let it sit […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2021/02/mid-winter-moto-maintenance/feed/ 16 10064 Spring Vespa Tune-Up https://scooterinthesticks.com/2020/05/spring-vespa-tune-up/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2020/05/spring-vespa-tune-up/#comments Fri, 01 May 2020 04:40:29 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=9595 Sing the Vespa Mechanic Blues It was time to remove the Tucano Urbano apron and bar muffs and prepare for the spring riding season. The one with warm rains, flowers, blossoming trees, and no need for the heavy winter riding gear. But before that happens I need to do a little spring Vespa tune-up. I […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2020/05/spring-vespa-tune-up/feed/ 6 9595 Smooth and Silent Riding Partner https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/05/smooth-and-silent-riding-partner/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/05/smooth-and-silent-riding-partner/#comments Sat, 12 May 2018 15:22:34 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=8424 Morning Glow It’s difficult to identify the exact moment when my mistrust of a machine is born. It’s certain though to prey on the mind and from there the brain wanders toward thoughts of failure and catastrophe. And from that nervous vantage point I can see the purchase of something new. I missed my smooth […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/05/smooth-and-silent-riding-partner/feed/ 34 8424 Vespa Exhaust Union Gasket https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/03/vespa-exhaust-union-gasket/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2018/03/vespa-exhaust-union-gasket/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2018 16:23:09 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=8311 Quieting in the Noise Tools on the floor of the garage isn’t my idea of a good time. Perhaps in time it will be. The scooter was getting louder and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Noise chips away at the serene nature of a ride. One of the aspects of riding the Vespa GTS […]

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