Modern Vespa

Normally in October/November we do the Mille, 1000km's over 2 days. But Covid happened and it was cancelled. Craig said let's do our own. So we did.

Plenty of help from the Vespa Club of Melbourne but was still plenty of work. Easing of lockdown happened at just about the right time, but a number of people had to drop out and in the end there were only 9 starters. Was actually a good number. We rode in 2's and 3's over these courses -

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1239811?units=km
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1226724?units=km

My favourite photo, taken by Craig -

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Part of the alpine area burnt earlier this year

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Amazing landscapes in Oz. I would love to go for a really long, scenic ride to blow the lockdown cobwebs away. Glad to see that you guys are using a proper Italian stovetop coffee pot !! Nice touch

and

I was a bit surprised to see the coffee maker I have to say. But the alpine areas are very pretty.

...


Ahem!

Looks like a grand time, Ginch. And those are some spiffy scoot-ridin’ duds you boys wear on your outings. Feeling a bit under-dressed in my jeans and long sleeve T shirt.

It looks like you guys had a fabulous ride. I'd love to ride through that countryside.

Back in the day (right out of High School), my sister and I went to Australia for 2 1/2 months backpacking. From Sydney to New Townsend and back, and spend some time in the Blue Mountains. All the eucalyptus trees in your pics brought back some of those excellent memories.

So - were there any breakdowns? any wipeouts? any mishaps? If there were any, hopefully they were minor and everyone had a grand time!

Thanks for posting the pictures and taking us along!

It seems that you have a great adventure. I am planning a trip of 700 miles in the upcoming Spring Season.

That's not the turn... we got that one. It was further back, plotaroute didn't pick it up and neither did I! It's this one at the bottom. Thanks SCG! I can't relax if I'm not wearing proper gear, and if I can't relax I can't push myself. And mostly the fun is in pushing your limits... imo. See guys riding in summer in shorts and singlets, no gloves and I think, even if all you do is lay down on the road a bit at 1km/h, you're going to at least burn your skin. I've come off a couple of times, nothing too drastic thanks to the gear. Hell, I was walking one day and tripped over, took skin off my palms that took a couple of weeks to stop hurting. At 100km/h.... well!! We are further south than the Blue Mountains of course. Our countryside is probably a tiny bit less spectacular than there. But yes, riding conditions can be fantastic in Eastern Victoria. It's the same range of mountains that go up into NSW and our tallest mountain.
If you ever head back, we'll find you a scooter to ride!

epic and amazing. makes me insanely jealous.

*looks outside longingly at the foothills*

*turns around and goes back in to fix some shitbox*

-g

Cheers. It's hard work getting it all to happen. It's hard work covering that last 150km at the end of the day. But most of us find it hugely rewarding.

Most Excellent! You never know what life brings....

And if you ever make it over this way and this far up north, I'll set you up for sure!

Hahaha. I guess the long sleeve linen I’m fond of is not much better.

Gents - Tho u opted not to use my more than brilliant Mille Lite (using Miller lite logo) T shirt graphics - the ride looked phenomenal none the less. Excellent effort. Loved every pic. What an awesome ride.

Officially on my bucket list.

1000%

my treat when i finish paying off the house is barnstorming.

this ride is number one with a bullet

then i'm gonna loop back around on the indo boys and tear it up there

cruise it back around to greece

then jump over to new york and bother some people there, maine, boston, make my way east and then south and then back out west.

the only question is... do i buy a bike there or do i ship one of mine?

(also i have a hot minute to build up a touring machine if i so desire)

but bombing a 2 lane in OZ on the tuna barge would be levels of epic.

-g

I was just thinking how awesome it would be to ride around Australia on a Vespa. That'd bring Epic to a whole new level!

wash your mouth out you disgusting philistine!

the tuna barge is part and parcel of the finest motorscooters ever made.

Lambretta

doubly epic, in modern parlance.

-g

Well - not that I’ve thought about it but...

Figure I can fit a motor in my carry on. If u try and ship it there are too many things that can go wrong. But a combo of charm/beg/plead/noise at customs would probably get it in.

Indo is the land of custom sidecars - so I might need to make that one of my first stops. 🙂

Pop my motor in so I’ve got reliability and ready to roll.

Of course - if down under - then we know some guys who know some guys. So that’s gotta be good for something!

Y’all have us thinking of reasons.
-CM

hey g, there’s an opening in the socal paint patio and I’ve more or less recovered from the fumes. Let me know when you want the tuna barge resprayed.

This is a brilliant idea. Of course, from what I can tell, they don't let you just stuff a random motor in a bike and roll down there like they do here, so maybe not a solid play in this case, but I love it in principle!

OHHH..... you tease!

PM or text me. i'm not in any rush, but let's talk for sure... there are a few ideas floating around in my head...

-g

Cheers!

Anyone wants to come visit, we can try to organise a ride for you. Bringing or sending a motor could work but would be easier if you just turned up, more notice the better.

We (Craig and I) picked out the best roads we could string together in a 1000km stretch, there are some roads that are a little less... exciting.

gah. now i have to bring a gas can too!??

jeeze louise...

-g

Yep. Just tell those guys at the airport it's beer. You'll be right.

Sir, you have two gas cans.

Correct.

One is premix and the other is standard.

I understand sir.

Well the standard is VB and that other is yellow fizzy beer.

The premix is the turbo juice!

Giggles delightedly while unpacking a bike...

Promptly arrested

-g

It might be cheaper to buy a scooter there, compared to shipping costs. In another life when I was in the Navy living in Japan, we would buy old crap cars and scooters. Ride them for a few years and pass them on to the next person relieving you on the ship.

If I do it, it’s gotta be on mine.

The utter ridiculousness of it is that kinda makes the entire endeavor.

Hello. Hi. I am a nonsense person from halfway around the world and this is my shit box shopping trolley.

Let’s fucking party.

Y’all wanna swap shirts?

~shot guns a beer~

Ssssss GO!

It'd be pretty damn cool.

Maybe I could even get to understand your language! Google translate can't handle it...


Sadly it reminds me of Vader. He and his wife had made the decision to come and visit. It was really exciting. A month later he was gone... Geez I miss him.

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Goat track

The long paddock

Ginch on the twisty bits

Mission central

Craig - it seams ur Speedo must be stuck...

Great shots.

Have a little windscreen envy.
Looks just the right height.
Gives something - but avoids full on ugly.
Somehow I shoulda known I’d have sorted such a solution.

How’d the minnow run and what did u decide for jetting ?

kindle mount is awesome! Especially at 120kph!

*u’d

If the minnow Speedo was pointing there all trip, the jetting is not so bad.
Thanks for sharing.

I guess Miller Lite is a lite beer?
Lite beer is for pussies! Real bros drink real beer!

I was as prepared as normal... ie. still trying to get Speedy ready the day before, but had "issues" with the lighting circuit (ohh, an no rear shock!), so luckily (with a mighty push from Ginchi) I took up a friends offer of borrowing his (exceptionally tidy, low km) PX200 for NTM...


About 2am on the morning of NTM

Some time at about stoopid-o-clock on the same morning!

Map preparation

Day 1 map, almost ready!

Later that morningThe Startlineup... pre-7am (& about 45min from home)

One of the stops along the way

Stunning lookout

Time for a pic

Leaving my mark on the finish line.

NOTE: for some reason the rear Mitas/Sava MC18 only lasted 1001km!

Lookout on the ride back to Melbourne (pretty much it took another full day of riding to get back!)
Noone else was game (or dumb) enough to get to the very top of the terrible track)

But ohh what a view!

My absolute favourite picture.
Love the colour of the sky in the mirrors

Beer and coffee should both be dark enough you can't see through them.

Some spectacular pictures there.
- Not sure which is my favorite.
- There is Speedy in the living room
- There are the maps - and a hammer? - also laid out in the living room.
- And then there is Craig preparing to attack the Death Star.
Tough call.

With all that paper mapping, you would benefit from a F2R rally roadbook and a Tripmaster thumb switch!