Modern Vespa

No more running out of gas on the next ride 😉 I might be asking you for some.

Looks pro John! Clean, simple, functional... the best kinda mod!

Got to ride phase 1 & 2 together on the P200 for performance improvement. Nice changes so far.

1. increased compression / decreased squish by lapping large amounts off head
2. added gearing by 90/90 tire swap from 3.5x10

Phases 3 and 4 up next
3. lightened flywheel
4. 24.24 carb

Fun to do them 1 by 1 and see the relative value of each.

SDJohn do you have the carb already? I think I may have an extra one collecting dust on the shelf. Let me know.

Tierny I do, thanks for the offer. I ordered the DRT version with opened passages and a float chamber spacer. That way it's good even if I go to the Pinasco kit I have.

Watch this bid on how to change your tires:

Let me try that again: I watched this video on changing a tire.

I should really stop posting from my phone. Autocorrect is killing me.

:face palm:

Changed the front brake shoes on the GS today. The old ones had a nasty habit of grabbing uncontrollably and would do it even worse when it was wet or even humid.

Noticed the old shoes were Bajaj, replaced them with Newfren AntiAQUA and all is right with the world.

Installed my lightened flywheel and tweaked the jetting on the P, was getting some trace knock at high RPM. The bigger carb is next anyway, and it will probably be better at those higher fuel flows, but I don't have time to swap the carb boxes and carbs this weekend.

Today I changed the clutch cable.
I read the instructions on scooter help about a hundred times, and the task went easy.
When I saw the pinch bolt was 7mm and the nipple was 8mm, I thought, "how ingenious, the job can be done with a single set of wrenches!" But, when I went to adjust the cable - it needs two 8s. Off to Home Depot to but a cheap wrench, and I have to go in a car!
The job is done, and now off, on my scooter, to buy tacos.
http://www.scooterhelp.com/genmaintain/vespa.clutch.cable.html

Today I learned, or rather, relearned a couple things when working on a P200. 1) check the simple things first. The scoot was brought to me in non running condition, that is, no spark. The owner said it never really ran that good when it was running and maybe needed a rebuild. He suspected the cdi or stator or both were bad. He left, I checked compression (good) ,so I moved on to electrical, starting at the plug - when I went to check the wire, the cap seemed loose. Yep, loose and torn up enough not to give a decent spark. Cut it back, screwed on the cap, new plug, good to go.
2) Follow instructions.The owner mentioned that he timed it using the bikes battery. I checked the TDC, set a mark at 23* (factory marks were off about 2*) and using the scoots battery with my timing light, it seemed close. But when using my truck battery showed it about 5* off - 7* from the factory marks. In the instruction for the light, it mentioned using a battery not hooked to the source you were timing. This never seemed to matter when working on a car, but I an only guess Vespas are different. So I set it according to the second reading, set the mix screw at the carb (it was way too rich) and the owner came back and said it had never run this well.
A good way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Fuc* I hat the lack of space in the carb area on a small frame.

... that's it.. vent over..

... trying to find the humor in it:

Took newly-built yellow scoot out for a little test ride...forgot I only had about a cup of gas in the tank and ran out at the bottom of the hill. Ended up pushing it 3 blocks in 90 degree heat to a gas station.

On the bright side, engine sounds and feels good...

Yea, yellow lives!!

Sounds like you need a Jerry can

Mike, can't wait to see some pics of that yellow Super. Put 'em up!

I've been riding every day.
My daughter has been in summer camps for two weeks.
And my wife and I have been going to the beach with some adult beverages every day... And eating at lobster shacks...

Nice pics! Looks like you are making the most of your time.

Good looking bike October.. The bule is nice.

Led a scenic ride through North County San Diego. Made a few wrong turns but so far so good. Gotta finish the last 20 miles in the dark....

Thanks!

I did all welding and bodywork myself... Replaced the floor pan... Painted it in my backyard!

changed my first tire today

whats your morning scoot search ritual? aka...waste first half hour at work...


Mine....

Scoot.net
MV
Craigslist

sometimes I get cheeky and flip the order around....

and how many times a day do you click into MV...probably not countable.

well done on the welding .... i realised im not a goos stick welder but i can burn out holes real easy ..... still managed to put a plate in n fill this great hole

my wife always asks me, "why do you keep looking at craigslist since you've gotten your scooter?"

for other scooters!

Worked for most of the morning building an ice cream cart...





Then I couldn't take anymore of the heat... Went for a 35 mile ride with my wife, and ate at another seafood shack... BYOB gin & tonics in the Moxie box... Speaking of Moxie... Anyone here ever drank a Moxie?

October,

Is your bike a sprint or a rally? It's lovely. I have finally gotten my P150x running real nice and am really tempted to get a 70's bike to restore.

V.

1966 sprint... P200 engine.
Came to me in boxes!

Here's what the floor looked like...

Finished Mcweber12s smallframe rebuild. Came as a box of parts. V90 motor, 100 sport top end, 125 frame. Fun little project.

That looks nice

Woah!!!

Sweet lil thang, that is.

We're gonna have a smallframe contingent going here, awesome mcweber!

gang o' supers and smallies in S-D !

Nice job MJ and nice bike Mc. lets do group ride soon...

Can't wait to try out the smallie. Very forunate and appreciative to have knowledgeable vespaholics around. Big thanks to MJ and thanks for hooking up the switch SoCal.

And/or parts..

Bought the last bits needed to complete my bike table on wheels so I can work comfortably on my new Rally. Rally's with a pro paperwork person to get registered in my name.

@lroussouw --- post up a pic of your worktable please. My scoots are about to have a garage again and I will need a workbench, preferably on wheels. I like the stand-up height like MJ Rally's, but also could do with sit down lower level working.

any of youse other mugs...please post up too so I (we) can compare.

You've seen my 3-piece bike bench. Features easy assembly/disassembly.

Today I ... Wish the posts started at the END of the page of the last page of the post, not the START of the page!

& what changed with Apple products? used to be able to stay logged in, now I get logged out whenever I 'open in new tab' or refresh screen or wait more than 30min between looking at the page... however on real computers (ie my work ones) it stays logged in (forever).
BTW: this 'change' only happened about 6 weeks ago.

Also, very happy there is no computer on a Vespa!