Scooter in the Sticks

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

Riding in the Dark

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Vespa GTS scooter at night in the snowJust typed “Vespa GTS scooter at night in the snow” as the alt tag for the above image and thought “What the hell are you doing riding in the dark?”.  After some thought the best I can come up with is a line from the the old Florida Citrus Commission campaign (remember Anita Bryant) “A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”

Substitute “a scooter ride” with “orange juice”.  I just needed a little ride and it was dark outside so what do you do?  Sit inside on the couch? Even a 20 minute ride will change the way you look at the world.

Besides, it wasn’t cold — temperature hovering at the freezing mark.  A the roads were mostly clear of snow and ice and not much traffic around.  The Vespa has a bright high beam headlight that illuminates the roadway making scanning for obstacles simple.

Vespa GTS scooter on Church Street in Boalsburg, PAMost of the holiday lighting is gone save for some twinkle lights wrapped around light poles in Boalsburg and a shrinking collection of lights on homes.  Doesn’t dull the thrill of riding.

An aside related to the photos.  Made them with a Canon G15 point and shoot camera.  I continue to be amazed at what it can do.  This one is a handheld shot at ISO 1600 with the zoom at a medium range setting. You can shoot pictures in the dark. I realize it’s another matter entirely to be riding in the dark.  Some might say a fools errand and on the surface I might agree.  Looking deeper it’s not so simple. It may seem risky but it only seems that way.

At home now drinking juice and gnawing on French bread.  I am absolutely certain it tastes better because of the little ride I took earlier.  Isn’t that your experience as well?

Winter Vespa

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Vespa GTS 250 scooter on snowy farm laneThis morning under a dazzling sky and frigid 12F atmosphere the Vespa scooter returned to the road — mostly, just a few side jaunts to re-familiarize myself with the newly mounted winter tires.  The winter Vespa has slightly different handling characteristics that take a few moments to program into muscle memory.

There’s still a bit of snow and ice to contend with but the main roads are mostly clear and dry though the stray patch of ice or packed snow still lurk in the shadows demanding winter grade attention to detail.  I can sense the autonomic responses at work and seem to have a level of hyperawareness that’s not present in warm weather.  All the usual suspects remain — other drivers and such, but now the road surface has far more pitfalls.  Crossing through a residential neighborhood I found myself riding at 15mph on packed snow where I would normally be navigating at 35mph.

Winter riding means slow riding.

Paul Ruby and in his big blue truckPaul Ruby provided transportation from my home to Kissell Motorsports where the scooter with it’s new fuel pump and winter tires waited.  In exchange I took him to breakfast at the State College Diner.  The temperature rose sharply from 0F when I was walking Junior to almost 10F at breakfast.  Add a little sunshine and your brain can convince you it isn’t all that cold.

Ice water in Pepsi-Cola glass at State College DinorNo matter how cold it is there’s always ice water being served in restaurants.  Seems to make sense that the ice would be dropped in the winter.  Lukewarm tap water being served…

Vespa GTS 250 scooter at Kissell MotorsportsThe scooter had been sitting in unheated storage for a few days and nights of really cold weather and took a bit longer to start than normal.  Once it fired up it ran like a champ.  I let it run a bit while I paid the repair bill and took a look at the motorcycles and scooters.

The technician let me know that come spring when I remove the snow tires I should change the rear wheel bearing.  Not surprising that some water and salt grime have gotten into the bearing.  He cleaned it out and regreased the bearing but it’s time for a shiny new version.

Self-portrait at Kissell MotorsportsKissell Motorsports has a lot of motorcycles and scooters to look at.  The new Vespa Sprint 150s are really cool looking.

Update on the FirstGear Kilimanjaro jacket in the cold — fantastic.  Riding at 13F I was able to do so with a long-sleeved undershirt, a sweater, and the jacket.  It appears impervious to cold.  No leaks, not cold penetration.  The zippers are big and easy to operate and the velcro closures seem perfectly placed and easy to use.  Really happy with this jacket.

Departing Kissell Motorsports on the Vespa GTS 250 scooter(Photo by Paul Ruby)

Off on a few errands and then onward towards home.  First order of business was to not dump the scooter in the parking lot.  Slow is the order of the day.  Heated grips worked really well and warmed my hands nicely through a thick pair of Tourmaster winter gloves that I’ve had for years.  The Tucano Urbano muffs also do a great job keeping the wind and cold at bay.  The combination of heated grips and muffs is the best winter Vespa hand protection that I’ve found.  A far cry better than heated gloves alone.  At some point I’ll test the heated gloves with the muffs in place of the heated grips.

Steaming cup of Earl Grey tea at the Pump Station in Boalsburg, PAThe only weak link left in terms of me getting cold are my feet.  After about 45 minutes my feet started to get cold.  No spare power on the scooter for electric socks or insoles.  Thinking it might be time to just get some heavy boots — perhaps a Sorel winter boot though the rubber bottoms worry me a bit in terms of wear.

The tried and true method of managing freezing body parts is to stop riding and seek shelter.  The Pump Station in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania provided shelter today along with some steaming hot Earl Grey tea.  Sitting inside with the sun pouring in the windows kept the place warm and I was ready for a nap.

snow on the road with a Vespa scooterWhile not perfect winter riding weather because of the lingering snow and ice it is possible to still ride if you’ve winterized yourself and your scooter or motorcycle.  Riding on neighborhood roads and streets is a mixed bag of snow, ice, and dry pavement.  Don’t get over confident on the dry stuff only to suddenly find yourself having to navigate the slippery stuff while going much too fast.  It’s a perfect way to try out your protective riding gear.

I still find a puzzling level of satisfaction riding the winter Vespa.  There’s a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing I endured the cold.  And of course the fun of riding which has not diminished much regardless of the weather.

Wonder what’s next this winter?

Vespa GTS 250 Fuel Pump

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Fuel pump from Vespa GTS

Received a call today that Kissell Motorsports put a new fuel pump in my scooter.  While the pressure test was ok it was making unusual noises.  And on the road it would intermittently fail and no longer make any noise.  The technician showed me the old one and it looked pretty grimy.  A new fuel pump seems like the best course of action.

Old Vespa GTS fuel pump

The Vespa GTS 250 fuel pump is a known issue and was subject to a recall for a great many scooters.  Unfortunately mine was not among them.

I had the scooter die three times on the road due to this problem.  They all had the following in common that seemed consistent with fuel pump failure:

  • Fuel pump motor did not spin — the usual pressurization when the ignition is switched on was absent.
  • The fuel level was low each time the pump failed — from what I’ve read the pumps overheat and the impeller binds causing the motor to quit spinning.  After the engine cools the pump began working again but it would only be a matter of time before it would not come back to life.

Vespa GTS 250 in for repair at Kissell Motorsports

So the scooter is close to being back on the road.  I dropped off my Heidenau K66 LT Snow Tex tires to be mounted which should have me all ready for the rest of the winter riding season.  For anyone considering year round riding I can’t stress how nice these tires are for rain, snow, gravel, slush, and plain dry frozen roads.  Noticeably better traction in all cases.  The only negative is that you lose a bit of responsiveness — the flickable nature of the Vespa is impaired a bit.  You get used to it quickly though.

With the fuel pump replaced I’m good for another 25,000 miles or so…

Courage or Insanity

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icy road surface with tire tracksThe morning brought central Pennsylvania’s dreaded “wintry mix” — a combination of rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain in a constantly changing mix.  During my walk with Junior the road surface changed from dry to wet to the amalgam in the above photo.  Definitely not the kind of weather I venture out into on the Vespa and certainly not on Aleta’s relatively pristine Yamaha Vino.

Running errands had the tires continually spinning on the Honda Fit with the traction control and ABS lights flashing repeatedly.  Traffic was light to non-existent as those not wishing to succumb to any Darwinian adjustments stayed home by the fire.

My last errand brought me to Rite-Aid Pharmacy and to my surprise there was a dripping, Bintelli Sprint 49cc scooter parked on the sidewalk.  “Cool” was my first thought while wondering who inside would claim ownership.  A closer look revealed a handicapped license plate which led second thoughts of courage or insanity.

Inside the owner was approaching, bright red 3/4 helmet on and one of those frightening, demonic skull masks covering the lower part of the face.  An eclectic combination of a big, hooded parka, blaze orange vest, camouflage gloves, jeans, and black boots hinted that the rider used their scooter for utilitarian transport with little thought about the style and convention of the riding fashionista companies that consume a lot of us.  The jury was still out on courage or insanity.

After an initial comment, “Quite a day to be on a scooter,” a conversation ensued that was both intriguing and frightening.  Allow me to begin…

It was a dark and icy day.  All the riders were home snug in their caves.  But one rider was on the road, using his scooter to retrieve required medications,  and take care of a friend’s dog.  He had already ridden twelve miles in the icy mess and had displayed the soaking wet pants from knees down due to the constant out-rigging of his boots to stay upright.  I know the technique and it’s tedious and tiring.  At this point I was leaning towards the courageous side of courage or insanity.

But there was the matter of the handicapped plate.  The rider shared his conversion from four-wheels to two which hinted at financial need.  The scooter was his daily transportation.  He also related the incredulity he faces when people try and balance a handicap with a two-wheeled scooter.  Listening I was saying to myself “emotional or mental handicap of some sort,” though the conversation did not reveal any hints of this.  Then the facts emerged.

Nerve damage affecting both arms to the point they could not reliably be used unless a surgical intervention took place.  Current status has several vertebrate fused and a titanium plate and rod keeping the neck together.  “Nerves are like bare wires,” made me cringe as he discussed how sudden jerks and movements could impair movement or cause permanent damage.  I’m now moving towards the insanity side of the courage or insanity balance.

And then he becomes quiet for a moment and says, “I want to live my life.”

The statement hangs in the air like a slowly fading smoke ring until I reply, “I understand.”

And then he went outside and was gone.  When I left a few minutes later I could see his single track across the parking lot with his boot marks dragging along side.

And I’m still wondering now if it’s courage or insanity.

 

Doom of the Warm-Skinned

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Yamaha Vino scooter in Rothrock State Forest

No matter what lies I tell myself, how well I prepare, or how much gear I put on, I feel the burn of cold and ice, the doom of the warm-skinned man.  Another cold morning ride with the thermometer just below the freezing mark.  Without heated gear my behavior changes with each action weighed against the potential exposure to the elements, a tedious ritual at times but essential to keep doom at bay.

By the time I was wandering in Rothrock State Forest I felt the slow chill of my right thumb as the frigid air relentlessly attacked my Black Diamond Expedition mittens.  A little patience when I stop would allow my hands to regain heat organically but I made the mistake of taking pictures, a decidedly mitten-free activity.  The Canon G15 body gets cold on bare fingers, even for a few moments.

I tell myself something warm awaits down the road and depart before hands rewarm. The rest of my body is warm, toasty, making the beginning-to-ache hands emerge as a loud complaint.

Yamaha Vino 125 scooter on the road

More miles on the Yamaha Vino 125 reveals a solid machine.  Nothing fancy, just “little engine that could” performance.  Just stay away from busy freeways or pavement full of maniacal road warriors.

Yamaha Vino 125 scooter sightseeing

I was mainly a sightseer this morning, wandering familiar territory exploring the changes brought by time and season.  An unexpected advantage of the Vino came to me while making this picture — the kick starter.  The Vespa GTS 250ie electric start has failed a couple times due to battery issues leaving me waiting for another vehicle for a jump.  Those rare experiences have left an indelible mark on my brain, especially in cold weather when batteries are stressed.  No cares at all with the Vino — the little kickstarter really works.

Open road and Yamaha Vino 125 scooterThe Vino can ply the same open road as the larger Vespa requiring just a few more pullovers to let traffic flow by — traffic that remains rare most of the time.  This time of year attention is focused more on scanning the road surface than the rear-view mirrors.  And managing body heat reserves and flesh exposures to avoid the doom of the warm-skinned.

Yamaha Vino 125 scooter with icy road sign“Watch for Ice” — a visual warning that cannot be overlooked when you’re on two wheels.  Those signs are not randomly placed as I once thought — little polite reminders for the motoring public.  They are deliberate placements because of known issues.  Not far from this sign is a place where water routinely runs across the road in wet weather and continues for awhile in dry.  When it freezes, well, you can imagine.

No ice today but I have seen it here many times and conduct myself accordingly.  I recall one trip where I had to come to a complete stop and gingerly footpad my way across a six foot span of shiny, slippery nastiness.

All in a day’s work for winter riders north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Just a few miles ahead I found food and hot chocolate and the chance to reflect on the cold.  I’ve begun adjusting to it, my resistance to exposure has diminished and it’s easier to venture out.  And I have to say I love the feeling of coming in from the cold — invigorating, exhilarating.

It’s great to be alive and walking (and riding) on the earth.