Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

Riding at the End of Summer

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Kawasaki W650 motorcycle parked in front of a municipal building.
Signs of the end of summer — paying property taxes.

Motorcycle Utility

On this day it was the Kawasaki W650‘s turn for a ride. With five machines in the garage I have had to set up a rotation to keep them all working, the fuel fresh, and the moisture driven out of the oil. Fifteen to twenty miles is usually enough to do the trick. And it helps me keep my head on straight.

Paying property taxes is an annual August event. Pay the total by the end of the month and you save a few dollars. So that’s what I do. Any excuse to go for a ride at the end of summer.

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Vespa GTS Scooter — A Chore Runner

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Vespa GTS scooter parked in the shade in a bank parking lot.
Successful chore running means finding the shady parking spot.

The Right Choice for Errands

Of the scooters and motorcycles in my garage, the Vespa GTS scooter is my first choice for running errands. Why? Because it is utterly simple to use and it has more than enough power for any situation I will encounter. And among all the things it is good at, it is the perfect chore running machine. And on this day I had four chores to accomplish.

By the time I arrived at the bank to deposit a check I was already appreciating why the Vespa GTS scooter was the right choice.

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Into the Mountains With the Honda Trail 125

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Scenic view of Bear Meadows Natural Area.
Bear Meadows Natural Area as seen from a Honda Trail 125.

You See the Nicest Things on a Honda

After wrestling with the idea of needing a lighter motorcycle to ride in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania I purchased a 2023 Honda Trail 125. Based mostly on reviews, reputation, and a gut reaction to its appearance. How bad could it be? Besides, I can adjust to anything. So the first ride off the pavement provided a glimpse of whether I would be smiling or growling when I got home.

Just seven miles from home is the Bear Meadows Natural Area. A destination that seemed a good first stop for my friend Paul and I to test our newly acquired machines — the Honda Trail 125.

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Royal Enfield Himalayan or a Honda 125 Trail?

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan
Is it time to downsize?

Surprised at How Fast They Get Heavy.

It was only a couple years ago that I felt the BMW K75C was getting too heavy to handle. Plus I wanted something to ride in the mountains. Not on rough trails or single track. Just the many dirt and gravel forest roads. And the Royal Enfield Himalayan was a good choice for me. And I have to add, I love that motorcycle.

But…. There’s always a but. Especially when I get older. I don’t feel the same kind of “heavy” I did with the BMW but I definitely have become more aware of the weight of the Himalayan. On a good day I’m not sure if I could pick it up after a drop. And definitely not on a bad back day. And if it fell on my my aging bones might be more prone to fracture. Just what I need as I ride on the path towards age 70 this year.

So I’ve been doing some thinking and scheming and prowling of the internet.

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Thinking and Riding

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Vespa GTS scooter parked at a quarry.
Overhaul the scooter or just ride it?

Pondering Maintenance

The GTS is running great. But I’m doing a lot of thinking and riding. Thinking I should do some serious service on the scooter yet riding it gives no clue that it needs much of anything. And with 45 thousand miles on the clock and on the road since January of 2007 I wonder if it’s worth doing much of anything to it.

What have I been pondering? Well, a valve check for one. It’s never had one. Ever. It starts fine. Runs fine. Why bother even though it is suggested to check them every 6000 miles or so.

New front shock maybe. New steering bearings. New rear brake caliper. The list goes on and on as my logical mind runs down an engineering checklist.

My free spirit brain says ride it until it explodes and then buy another.

Thinking and riding is what I do. I would like to do less thinking about service and maintenance.

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