Scooter in the Sticks

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

Canadian Riders

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On the way to work a couple weeks ago…

Crossed paths with two riders from Canada– John and Doug.  Had a nice chat about riding, their trip and the Can-am Spyder Touring machine.  Definitely an interesting ride.  John refers to it as “an open-air sportscar”.  After sitting on it a bit I could see his point.  His third Can-am I seem to remember and he’s loving them.  For those times he needs the motorcycle experience there’s a Suzuki VStrom in the stable.

Both rode down from Ontario and where making a big loop through New York and Pennsylvania.  When asked how they liked riding in Pennsylvania they indicated a love for the twisting, winding roads we have — a remarkable difference from the North-South-East-West road grids where they’re from.

I’m sure they’re home by now.  Hope they had a fine trip.

Surrendering to the Experts

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After some gentle but direct nudging from an bass fishing expert on the West coast I rode my Vespa to Kissell Motorsports in State College, Pennsylvania and surrendered it into the care of the capable service staff to replace the broken centerstand.

This bass fishing expert (who never posts here) sent me an email reminding me of the obvious — that I ride, not repair.  He’s right of course but I got the idea into my head that I wanted to do all the work.  I have no doubt I could do it but history indicates I would take my good old time getting around to it.  At the end of the day I’m more interested in riding.

So here’s the GTS leaning against a shed with a bungee cord holding up the center stand which now prefers to drag on the ground.

While there I had the chance to covet this yellow and black (a favorite combination) BMW R1200 GS parked outside of Kissell Motorsports.  The thought occurred to me that it would be nice to have two machines so that if one was in for repair I would still have something to ride.  I had some plans for this weekend but those are out the window now.  No Vespa, no ride.  My dog Junior will try and pencil something into my schedule.

Parts will have to be ordered but I should see the Vespa again next week.  In addition to all the other things outlined in the previous post I also suggested they do the valve lash adjustment.  So things should be in pretty good shape by next week.

Vespa Ugliness

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Ugly.

The toll of too many winters of salt and slush?  Whatever happened I need to replace the center stand on the Vespa GTS and there will be no further riding until I do. For now I’ll let WD40 perform its magic.

The scooter seemed a little wobbly when I pushed it off the center stand this morning but it wasn’t until I arrived at work and pulled the scooter onto the stand that I realized something was terribly wrong. A quick look and I saw the break.

Checked the damage more closely this evening with a flashlight — reminds me of some of the old copper pipes in the house when they break — rotten from the inside out. I’ll make a closer evaluation when I remove it.

Vespa maintenance suddenly has moved to the top of the to do list and it contains a lot of stuff.  Now is the chance to expand my mechanical prowess:

1. Replace center stand
2. Replace drivebelt, rollers and sliders
3. Service clutch assembly
4. Replace brake fluid
5. Replace coolant
6. Change engine oil, filter and screen
7. Replace hub oil

That should consume 30 minutes or so.

I’m hesitating to add one more thing — check the valve lash.  We’ll see…

I suppose if I want to be the complete rider I should have a little understanding of how the things works right?

Lesson in Acceptance

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7am.  Sitting in the driveway ready to ride a few miles down the road for breakfast.  The plan was for my daughter and I to take a Sunday morning ride — her on the Yamaha Vino and me on the steady Vespa. My friend Gordon inquired the previous evening about Sunday morning plans and I invited him along.

Three scooters on the road.  A good plan. And like all plans subject to change.

At around 4am I received a text message from Aleta that she would probably not make the launch. Another from Gordon indicating a short delay. An unforeseen opportunity to sort through the stuff under the seat of the Vespa.

Making our way through the scenic farmlands of Penns Valley, past a dozen or more Amish buggys, families on their way to Sunday services.

Acceptance.  At this point we’re riding towards our second choice of eating establishments — the Inglebean Coffee House in Millheim, Pennsylvania.  Our first breakfast target, The Whistle Stop in Centre Hall, was closed.

Arriving in Millheim only to find the Inglebean closed.  Not a problem; I know of a restaurant about 15 miles farther up the road near Hartleton.

No luck, the place had burned down.

Mifflinburg is only 8 miles away: We can have breakfast at the Scarlet D.

Closed.  As is the Carriage House restaurant.  Lewisburg is only 10 miles away where we finally find food.  Leave it to a college town (Bucknell University) to have a place open on Sunday.

Can’t remember the name of the place we ate but the food was good and the parking excellent. What started as a five mile ride to breakfast turned into a 50 mile journey.

Acceptance.

After a few pictures of the Vespas (scooter porn) it was time to head home.  One great thing about central Pennsylvania is the endless routes to get somewhere.  No north-south-east-west grids for us.

The two scooters with Gordon and I aboard wandered through the mountains and forests that consume most of this area.  For anyone wondering about how these scooters perform — a Vespa GTS250ie and a GTS300 Super — well, they move through these roads effortlessly up and down the mountains.  Speed is limited more by the skill of the rider than displacement.

Weather was perfect and traffic light to non-existent.  If only we had more time…

Not wanting to pass up an opportunity to utilize fuel fit for NASCAR and test performance we made the pit stop.  Can’t speak for Gordon but I sensed both increased power and respect from other drivers.

What kind of gas was that?  Sunoco maybe???

And that’s how things shook out.  Change in plans, more changes, etc.  Forgot to invite Paul Ruby who inquired about a ride.  Damn.  Wonder what else I forgot.  I think I fed Junior.  Washed behind my ears.  Forgot to shave.

Damn great fun regardless.  Just need a bit of acceptance…

The Common Sense of Morning

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Regardless of how hectic or chaotic an hour, day or week might be, a morning ride on the Vespa wipes away the noise.  Road, wind and motion, that quiet meditation where all the world seems exactly as it should be.  Or so it seems.

State College, Pennsylvania last Sunday morning, oddly empty, as if all the world was still asleep.

Why does the dawn come at such an inconvenient time of day?

Scooter in the Sticks

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

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