Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650
Last weekend I took a ride to deliver a Father’s Day card, an excuse to ride 125 miles on a fine Sunday morning, leaving behind Happy Valley as my friend Paul and I took a wandering route to Altoona, Pennsylvania. It’s not often the air is this clear or the view this good from Jo Hays Overlook.Continue Reading
The rear tire came off last but I’m showing it first because it’s a better picture. Not a whisper in me wants to employ the Harbor Freight Tire Changer to swap these tires. I’ll drop them off at the neighborhood service station to be mounted and balanced. My rims are so beat up that I have no fear of what might happen on those big hydraulic changing machines.
The new tire is a Kenda K413. Inexpensive, wears well, and performs well for me. I’ll pull the front tire on another evening.
The exhaust comes off first. One bolt to loosen on the header pipe and three bolts holding the muffler to the scooter. In slightly less than five minutes I’ve wiggled the muffler free and determined the filthy beast has a few appointments with a wire brush.
Wish I had a sandblaster. Am grateful for a little progress…
With the arrival of warm weather comes the spring Vespa service event made more noxious by the corrosive effects of winter riding coupled with a reckless disregard for all things mechanical. The garage is a disaster, toolbox a jumble, and the Vespa resembles some of the heaps I used to covet as a teenager with dreams of the Baja 1000 spinning in my head.
Those dreams have faded into distant memory along with the youthful thrills of wrench turning and trips to the parts store. The Vespa service list is a torture of task and lack of riding.
1. Remove snow tires, mount new set of warm weather tires.
2. Remove exhaust system, remove rust from muffler, repaint with high temperature black paint.
3. Repair seat latch system.
4. Remove seat, clean rusty hinge, repaint.
5. Repair rust on front body panel joint.
6. Replace battery.
7. Wash, clean and wax scooter.
9. Replace air filter.
10. Replace front left reflector.
Looking at my work schedule it will be snowing again before I get this done…
Rode into town this morning to talk about photography with Paul Ruby. The single cup of tea tastes different when it comes after a ride. Took time to savor that hot brew…
As the days warm the world begins to grow green as does my desire to ride. Better planning would have finished spring service sooner but my distaste for working in an unheated garage slowed things down.
Hoped to actually get some work finished today but instead kept wandering and postponing the mechanical activity for another day. Part of me wishes I had the love of tinkering I see in other scooter and motorcycle riders. Most of me doesn’t. So strong is my distaste for fixing things that I almost pulled the trigger on a new scooter. A sort of Vespa equivalent of trading a car in because the ashtray is full.
A quick stop after exiting the expressway and I was reminded of how versatile the Vespa GTS 250ie really is. It goes fast, goes far, and functions fine in town and on the road. Every time I think about buying a bigger motorcycle or scooter I end up asking the same question, “Why?”.
Can’t seem to come up with a good answer EXCEPT it would be nice to have something to ride while the scooter is under repair. But then upon further evaluation I would probably choose another Vespa. And it would probably be silver — for photographic reasons.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll pull the exhaust and the tires…
Nothing like parking the Vespa on an open field with the world before you. Add to that a dash of springtime warmth and everything feels like a miracle. That’s exactly how it all felt on the way home today.
An absolute joy to be able to ride under a blue sky and not be freezing. But with the warm weather and the prospect of more riding comes a long list of things to do, fix or at least consider to be truly ready for the normal riding season.
A good washing of the Vespa is in order. There is so much baked on salt and road grime that I suspect it will never come off. I picture myself sitting on the driveway, toothbrush in hand, radio blaring, scrubbing away to transform this nasty scene into something more civilized.
And what can I say about the exhaust…. It has to come off, be attacked with the wirebrush at least and probably better a sandblaster. And then many coats of high temperature paint to hide the fact that it’s ready to turn into dust. This is what winter looks like for a year round rider.
And remove the Heidenau winter scooter tires.
It’s not summer yet. This morning there was frost on the car window as I rolled out of the driveway. With the sun out I was able to ignore the cold. Bright sun sent the temperature up quickly.
The light in the morning is more dramatic now. Or maybe I just imagine it so since the sun hasn’t been available much for the past four months. Surprisingly, State College, Pennsylvania remains quiet in the morning. Good for me — no competition for the coveted motorcycle parking spaces.
Clear skies and long beams of hot sunlight make even a simple breakfast of bagel and juice seem spectacular at Saint’s Cafe. Not quite food porn mostly because my culinary inclinations are so simplistic. Even so things look nice in this light.
The snow is pretty much gone though if you look in the shadows of places where snow was piled after cleared from streets you can still find some ice piles. The thaw is creating some monster mud puddles in some places. When you ride a Vespa you absolutely do not ride through water that you can’t seen to the bottom. Sucking water into the engine intake can quickly downgrade you to a bus or cab.
The Far Corners Asian Market in State College has just reopened in this location. Last time I was in this building it was home to Kissell Motorsports. I also purchased my first Vespa inside this building. Springtime — for rides down memory lane…
Ride, ride, ride. It’s what I want to do right now. Kim says the birds are twitterpated right now. I must be scooterpated. Unfortunately the need to continue to pay the light bill and put food in the freezer is getting in the way of my grand plans. Some have said I should retire. Others advise getting rid of the scooter.
I just keep my head down and ride when I can.
On my way home from work today, big sky for central Pennsylvania, dry roads for me though the gates where chained shut just down the road so I had to double back onto the pavement to make my way home.
Lot’s to get ready for spring riding. The machine for reasons already outlined, myself in terms of shedding a few pounds of winter weight so my riding clothes are comfortable, and my mind so I remain fully aware of the thundering danger never too far away.
More riding tomorrow…
Snow on the driveway in the morning, a reminder of what can happen when you aren’t looking, a dusting of icy slippiness that can make life exciting in a decidedly unwelcome manner. It can happen at night when you’re sleeping or during the day when you’re at work and not necessarily paying attention. It’s the food that can be part of a winter rider’s menu.
The weather report had little suns with some clouds and no mention of precipitation. I calculated that the main roads would be dry or have a patch of snow here or there. Turn off those main routes onto anything not salted and it would be a different story. Like here at the Pennsylvania Military Museum where the landscape resembled the Ardennes in 1944.
Side streets in State College were dusted and slippery in places but easily managed with the right winter riding attitude consisting mainly of slow travel, careful braking, quick surface assessment and informed decision making. I was in town to meet someone for breakfast at the Corner Room and hoped conditions would improve by the time I rode on to work.
One thing I failed to consider was the motorcycle parking at my office — the only place you are allowed to park a motorcycle on campus, was not cleared. I suppose they don’t expect any motorcycles this time of year. Luckily the snow piles were still soft and I could kick an area open to park.
The situation was far worse in the parking lot than on the road. By the time I rode home conditions were much improved with dry roads and warming temperatures.
On a scale of one to ten with ten being glare ice and sub-zero temperatures and one being sub-freezing and dry this particular ride was a four.
Maybe I should develop a Scooter in the Sticks winter riding score…