Scooter in the Sticks

A Return to OZ

January 9, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 12 Comments

Nine years ago, the first winter on the Vespa LX150, seems like another life, another world. The protection scheme was different from top to bottom. No winter riding jacket yet, just my summer vented one along with a Mountain Hardware windbreaker underneath. And the black gloves were good to about 4oF but hardly useful below freezing.

Saturday morning I’ll be retrieving the Vespa GTS 250 from Kissell Motorsports. The sun should be out so the 0F temperature won’t seem so cold. The scooter will have a new fuel pump and Heidenau snow tires so I should be in good shape. And the frigid weather will give me an opportunity to really test the heated grip/Tucano Urbano mitt combination.

So tomorrow will be a return to Oz of sorts, a chance to pretend I’m younger, more organized, and ready for anything…

Vespa GTS 250 Fuel Pump

January 4, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 18 Comments

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.

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.

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

January 3, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 14 Comments

The 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

January 2, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

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.

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.

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.

The 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.

“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.

Cold Scooter Ride

January 1, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 8 Comments

Riding a scooter or motorcycle in cold weather is, for me, an acquired taste, one that evaporates quickly when too much time passes between frigid experiences. Bright sunshine goes a long way towards easing the transition from a warm home to a cold garage but habit is far more powerful in making a cold scooter ride an easy choice.

Examining my shadow I felt more astronaut than rider clad in heavy gear and bulky mittens just to ride the Yamaha Vino scooter. It doesn’t take long though for resistance to give way to the familiar satisfaction of surmounting the cold and drift in the wash of accomplishment. For lack of a more poetic description a cold ride leaves me feeling alive.

The roads were bare and dry though the risk of ice is ever present when the world is frozen. Thankfully, the only chunks of ice I saw were in town, remnants of the First Night State College celebrations.

Even though I saw no other ice it’s essential that anyone riding below the freezing mark adjust their attention to the road surface to account for unexpected ice — usually from careless motorists tossing liquids from their vehicles, meltwater that has frozen, or a dozen other situations that could trip up an inattentive rider.

Just saying…

The Yamaha Vino 125 scooter is indifferent to the temperature or the ice. It starts easily and runs flawlessly. While I miss the heated options on the Vespa GTS 250 I’m pleased to know that I can still function without heated gear. At least at 28F.

I’m reminded of a talk by a guide from one of the big motorcycle touring companies in Alaska where he insisted no heated gear is permitted — they don’t want people freezing when the technology fails. On the Vino I am geared up to passively resist the cold. And right now as I think about it I have a hard time remembering how I braved sub-zero rides without heated gloves.

Ice sculptures on Allen Street in State College, Pennsylvania is a traditional part of First Night. The cold weather kept things sparkling as opposed to previous years where it rained with the temperatures in the 40s.

A cold scooter ride requires a machine that functions — the Yamaha Vino handles the task well, gear that protects the body from the cold — my new First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket is a big improvement over the old one, boots, mittens, full face helmet, and Tourmaster Overpants complete the arctic ensemble. For summer only riders I’m sure it seems oppressive, but for those venturing out in the winter it’s part of the drill.

A nice, cold, New Year’s Day ride in the sticks.

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