Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

Merry Christmas!

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Some part of me expects to find the landscape covered in snow on December 24rd. It’s hard to listen to Dean Martin on the radio singing “Let it Snow” or Johnny Mathis doing “Sleigh Ride” when it was 50 degrees and sunny yesterday. I didn’t grow up on “Christmas in Dixie”. The little kid in me wakes up and won’t go to sleep during the holidays. I rent all the classics at the video store. My daughter and her boyfriend invited me to go with them to see “A Christmas Story” on the big screen at a new theater in town. It’s still a thrill to bring home and trim a Christmas tree. Family and friends will gather this evening to spend time together in the best spirit of the holiday. It’s from this place I want to extend my best wishes to all of you for a Merry Christmas!

Over the past year I’ve watched the number of visitors to Scooter in the Sticks grow and I am grateful for the network of riders who share their experience where and on their own sites. It’s been a positive experience, a gift from all of you who read and post here. Thank you!

It’s Christmas Eve and the Vespa is sitting quietly in the garage after carrying me yesterday on last minute errands before Santa arrives. Other than a brisk wind the riding conditions were perfect. I stopped along the Linden Hall road to make a photograph of the rural area I enjoy riding through.


Again, I wish all of you the best for you and your families.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Spirit vs. Riding Safety

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Two days until Christmas. Everywhere I see bright faces and smiles, people shopping, families with children looking at decorations. Consumed by the magic of the season. Maybe the commercial part but I’m sure there are some more spiritual experiences too. Either way people are rushing, working, laughing, planning, buying, wrapping, talking, singing, and driving. Yes driving. After riding into town today I have to believe the heightened Christmas spirit and driving don’t mix too well with riding safety. Or maybe I am merely experiencing what is normal everyday life for those of you in more urban settings.

I left the house around 9AM this morning. The temperature was about 40° F and it was raining. Not hard but enough to keep the roads wet, generate a small bit of fog and mist to paint the world from a grey template. A fine day for a ride and an excellent chance to test the waterproof characteristics of the rain cover for the MotoFIZZ bag I now have on the rear rack. Riding down the road from my house I see a car coming down a side street to my left that ends at a stop sign. I have the right-of-way, I see the driver looking at me but the car is not slowing down. I ease off the throttle and cover the brakes as he rolls through the stop sign at 15 MPH and onto the road in front of me. I follow him down to the traffic light where he pulls up behind a truck waiting to turn left. I glide by him on the right and make a right turn onto the highway going towards town. I see in my rear view mirrors that the car turns right instead of left. I’m riding on a four-lane road with many connecting roads, lanes, and driveways and I always pay careful attention to everything on this stretch. Two miles down the road the car catches up to me as traffic slows for a series of lights. He is in the left lane and I in the right. Another half mile up the road he decides he wants to be in the right lane so he can make a right turn. I am presented with my first spiritual decision of the day. I can continue on the course I am on and effectively block his attempt to turn right. None of the cars are inclined to let him in. Or I can slow almost to a stop to let him in. I can tell you that in the past, in the pre-scooter days, I would not have let him in. Especially after the stunt he pulled earlier. I slow and let him in, he turns right and I follow him along up the hill. We continue on for about two more miles until he signals that he is going to make a right turn into an office complex. I have to go to the same place. I’m thinking he is worried now that some big mean scooter rider is going to pummel him in the parking lot. I smile to myself and go about my business without any further interaction or notice of the offending car.


Later as I am riding in town I feel as if I am dodging people and vehicles constantly. Everyone is talking and laughing and not paying a whole lot of attention to the road. I see a young driver in a white Ford Explorer chattering away on a cell phone as they pull across my path from an alley. They really looked happy, eyes all aglow, full of the Christmas spirit. Near disaster later as I am leaving town and a Jeep Grand Cherokee runs a stop sign at 35 MPH on a really busy street and me only 20 yards from the intersection. It was a surprise seeing that Jeep rush past in front of me, driver’s left hand holding the phone to their ear talking I’m sure about whether to buy the heating pad for Uncle Owen or just get him a pound of fudge. I’d take the fudge.

The real news here is not that drivers, pedestrians, and dare I suggest riders don’t always pay attention to the road. The more important news is that I don’t get angry anymore about these things. And not so long ago I could really generate some grudge and rage fuel from these sorts of things. While riding I have become more accepting of the inconsistencies on the road, and that generally it’s not personal. I have some expectations of drivers and riders but if they aren’t met, well, that’s OK. And I accept what those shortcomings could mean to my own wellbeing. I don’t really know if all those people are full of the Christmas spirit or not. But I know that I’m feeling it and it makes it pretty easy to be generous on the road.

The waterproof rain cover kept everything dry. I had a bit of difficulty at first figuring out the best way to cinch it over the pack. I left it sloppy in the back but by the end of the day I figured out how to have it nice and snug. I did worry a bit about leaving the scooter parked in the parking garage wondering if some enterprising thief would grab it for a present for some rider thief. After a few moment of consideration I decided that it’s only a bag and if it is going to be useful I will have to leave it on the scooter. When I returned it was still there. It was a good day.

5000 Mile 2006 Vespa LX150 Review

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Vespa LX150 scooter reviewConsidering a Vespa LX150 Scooter

This is going to be a long post, but it is 5000 miles worth of reflections after all…

Last week marked one year of Vespa ownership. I also saw the odometer turn 5000 miles and I thought it would be an appropriate time for a Vespa LX150 review. I’ll discuss the following:

Mechanical Reliability
Performance
The Ride

Mechanical Reliability

The LX150 is solidly built and 5000 miles of use has only seemed to improve it. With the exception of a clogged carburetor almost right out of the showroom (a small fleck of rubber from the fuel line dislodged during assembly and clogged the float valve) it has started every time I pushed the starter button. I’ve ridden the scooter in temperatures close to 0 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees. Rain, snow, fog, ice, humidity—whatever Mother Nature dished out the Vespa took it in stride.

Fuel economy has been consistent at around 68 miles per gallon in my town/suburb/rural commute. On the open road with steady throttle I have achieved as high as 90 miles per gallon.

Maintenance costs have been predictable and reasonable. I’ve had the oil changed at the 600 mile break-in period and then again (too early) at around 3000 miles. The maintenance schedule is a bit hard to pin down with Piaggio’s Warranty Book differing from their Owners Manual and both differ from the Vespa Shop Manual. I looked at everything and chose my own schedule that is in the happy middle of the three.

If there is an unexpected element in the scooter it has been tires. I am on my third rear tire now with each needed to be replaced with 2400 miles on them. The front tire still seems almost new. Granted the smaller tires turn more than bigger ones but I was surprised at how fast they wear. Replacing the rear tire is more complicated than the front so the cost to have it done is greater as well. The tire and tech time cost me $99.34. At the rate I ride that’s at least a hundred dollars a year for tires. More the years I have to change the front. I’ll pay for that out of fuel savings.

I have run the same tire—a Pirelli SL38 120/70-10. These tires are sticky and have excellent traction in all weather. The only dicey performance is off road on gravel roads but I suspect my skill is more suspect than the tires. I’ve heard of longer lasting tires but the feel of the Pirelli’s are fantastic.

I plan to start doing my own maintenance, not out of a concern for cost but more because I want to understand how the thing works. The engine and related systems are simple and straightforward and I don’t expect any problems. If I do there is a wealth of support out there in the Modern Vespa forum. Worst case I’ll have to drag my partially dismantled scooter to the dealer so that they can have a good laugh.

Performance

The LX150 is a solid performer within my expectations. On a flat smooth road it will easily haul my 190 body along at 60 MPH as long as I care to travel at that speed. It has gone faster in cool air and tucked down low I have seen the speedometer indicate 70.

Acceleration is smooth through the entire speed range though I slight slowdown in acceleration between 45 and 55 MPH. Hardly noticeable unless you’re racing a car away from a traffic light. From zero to 35MH it is quick!

I had some apprehension about tire size and how that would affect the quality and safety of the ride. I can say with confidence that it does not seem to matter at all. The ride is surprisingly smooth and the little tires allow the Vespa to corner well and provide excellent swerving ability. At the speeds the scooter travels it is an extremely nimble and agile machine. I am wary of potholes and rough roads and gratefully there are not a lot of scooter eating holes in Central Pennsylvania. I have hit a few and the scooter has not dropped into oblivion or high-sided me onto the pavement. The small tires have handled sudden gravel filled absences at 45 MPH without incident. Respecting the size of the tires and what they can handle is important. I have consistently underestimated their ability.

Another performance advantage for me of the LX150 is the two hand brakes instead of the hand and foot brake configuration on a motorcycle. I can get both hands on the brakes fast and really control stopping power better than I could with the foot brake. The Vespa simply stops fast.

One last performance feature that you never hear much about is the ability to haul groceries and other kinds of “stuff”. I can now easily haul 8 bags of groceries on the scooter using the built in bag hooks, under seat compartment, and rear rack with bungee cords. If I set my mind to it I bet I could increase that number by 50 percent. The Vespa performs reliably as transportation and as a utility vehicle. This is not just another pretty machine for sunny day use followed by diaper rubs.

The Ride

This is the real reason I bought this thing. What began as pure fun has transformed into a minor miracle of personal peace. Regardless of riding conditions, no matter how hot or cold a smile always comes to my face when I ride. I find the attention required to ride safely strips away the concerns of the day—things melt from my consciousness and I am left living in the moment. The ride is a contemplation of machine, body, and mind. I find a serene place.

Riding also provides an opportunity to pursue mastery. Not the simple definition of getting good at something but rather the definition of mastery outlined in George Leonard’s book “Mastery”. Leonard describes mastery

“It resists definition yet can be instantly recognized. It comes in many varieties, yet follows certain unchanging laws. It brings rich rewards, yet is not really a goal or a destination but rather a process, a journey. We call this journey mastery, and tend to assume that it requires a special ticket available only to those born with exceptional abilities. But mastery isn’t reserved for the super talented or even for those who are fortunate enough to have gotten an early start. It’s available to anyone who is willing to get on the path and stay on it—regardless of age, sex, or previous experience.”

The Vespa offers a chance to pursue this path and it reaches far beyond simple definitions of riding. It is a challenge personally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am grateful to have stumbled upon it….

I’ll post my next review at 10,000 miles.