Scooter in the Sticks

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

Smooth and Silent Riding Partner

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Vespa GTS scooter on early morning wet roadMorning Glow

It’s difficult to identify the exact moment when my mistrust of a machine is born. It’s certain though to prey on the mind and from there the brain wanders toward thoughts of failure and catastrophe. And from that nervous vantage point I can see the purchase of something new. I missed my smooth and silent riding partner.

This has happened numerous times with cars and trucks. And a few times with computers and cameras. But it was something new regarding my Vespa scooter, the vehicle that transcended transportation to serve as a smooth and silent tool to see the world more clearly.

On a misty morning ride I could feel the machine interrupting, the road rumbling through the hand grips, the transmission rattling, the normally smooth and silent ride displaced by thoughts that something isn’t right. As the odometer approaches 38 thousand miles and the departure of the local Piaggio dealer I found myself thinking of machinery rather than the morning glow to which I was witness.Continue Reading

Slippery Scooter Tires

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Vespa is back on the road.  Muffler resurrected, winter tires in storage, battery rejuvenated, and a brand new pair of Kenda tires mounted for warm weather.  As all riders should know there is nothing quite as useless in terms of traction as a new pair of tires.  Combine that with wet roads and it’s just a slippery mess.  You always want to watch for slippery scooter tires.

Breaking the tires in will wait for dry pavement.  Instead just a quick trip down the street to the Pump Station to pick up a brownie.

That’s scooter riding adventure.