Modern Vespa

Pictures or it didn't hapen ..

This is all I got. Rides like a dream and was dirt cheap.

Drove 10 miles this morning. I really like it. The sound of the 4 stroke engine is awesome. I'm not sure about the exhaust though. The Tecnigas exhausts look a bit cheap. I'm leaning towards a Turbokit exhaust at the moment. But they are EUR 100 more expensive so I'm still not sure. I'll think I'll enjoy the stock engine for the time being. 8)

Congratulations on the arrival of your first Vespa

Before my mate bought a (triked) Fuoco 500, he went everywhere on a Yam Neo's 50cc. The furthest he went was to the national scooter rally at Woolacombe, 9 hour 220 mile trip on A and B roads

if i was planning your little trip ( ) i'd budget for no more than 200 miles per day..?

Welcome bro. Awesome trip!

I think we will stick with 200 miles per day if I'm riding with my girlfriend. When I return from my trip to lake Garda I'm going to try to ride 1100 kilometers in two days. That would make for around 10 hour drives a day. Ambitious I know.

I would stick with the stock exhaust and invest in a CDI upgrade and maybe another vario and stuff like that.
Only changing out the exhaust on a otherwise stock 4 stroke will not change much in the speed and torque, it will just make it noisier.

Oh end get some long lasting tires for a trip like that, otherwise you will need to change them half way through your trip.
And get a tire repair kit so you can plug it up and drive on.

I'm absolutely changing the tires before I leave. I would like an exhaust upgrade just for the noise and the looks. Making it faster is impossible in Holland. The cops do rolling road tests here and if your scooter goes faster than 65 kilometers an hour you get a ticket. If it goes beyond 75 kilometers an hour it get's impounded.

Drove another 5 miles. It is so great to be back on two wheels. I love it!

I was in Amsterdam last February. I was on the tram on my way to the Rijksmuseum and saw a ton of Vespas covered in snow parked on the street. It was damn cold and wet. Keep warm and have fun!

I know abouth the law (I am also in the Netherlands) but your trip is mostly outside our fine Dutch borders..
So make it run like hell..

In Germany your 50cc scooter get's impounded when it can exceed 70 kilometers an hour. The point of the trip just isn't to make is go as fast as possible. It is the experience. The journey.

Just ordered two of these. To mask the nasty scratches on the side.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vespa-Mod-Target-Italian-Sticker-Decal-Vespa-Lambretta-200mm-x-140mm-/261344963147?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3cd95faa4b

Lake Garda is a great area, if you need a base in that area this hotel is good, bike friendly with a parking garage, pool is paddling only but is 2 mins from monte baldo cable car and 5 mins from town centre.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g194807-d662306-Reviews-Hotel_Meridiana-Malcesine_Province_of_Verona_Veneto.html

Thanks for the kind replies and advice!

My Vespa just went from this:

Untitled by Petrolhead Tom, on Flickr

To this:


Untitled by Petrolhead Tom, on Flickr

So. Making plans for the Vespa during my ownership (of which I assume it will be very long lasting).

As said before I'm planning on traveling to Italy this summer. Twice. The first time will be with a rally and the second time will be with my girlfriend. I just love the fact that you go on such a long journey with only a mere 50cc engine to propel you to heights of beyond 2000 meters. By doing so I think it is absolutely necessary that both man and machine are both in a 100% condition. So I will be training on my road bike to be as fit as I can be and my Vespa will have to undergo some maintenance work.

I'm planning on a "Iron Butt" rid of about 15 to 20 hours in one day. In my experience are machines that are put to work for extreme periods of time more likely to show any flaws of downsides. By doing so i expect that i can make a list of the things I have to upgrade or repair to make the most out of my journey without sacrificing reliability of my Vespa.

To be continued.

Had contact with a exhaust builder yesterday. Maybe i'm going the custom route to get a stainless steel exhaust. Otherwise i'll take the Turbokit exhaust.

A forum member of a dutch car forum is going to post to exhaust front pipe's to me to experiment with.

I think I'm going to order one of these mufflers to make a custom exhaust. 8)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-short-commando-peashooter-reverse-cone-silencer-/330992352911?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4d10ae7e8f

Hit the top speed this morning. On flat it will do 43 MPH with a strong back wind. With a strong head wind it will go only 30 MPH. The plan for the summer is to make it a bit quicker. I'm planning on installing a Mallossi variator. Will this affect the top speed and torque of my scooter by much?

Ordered one of these. Will get it fit in the next weeks or so. 8)

Is there a reason you don't want your motorcycle license. I have rented 50cc scooters and they don't have much get and go on long hills, and I am a small woman. My husband and I have both traveled on A and B roads on 125cc Vespas in France, and we could carry luggage as well. He is very tall and he still got good power for the roads.

I completely understand your question. The main reason for travelling to Italy on the 50cc LX is because of the rally i'm entering. It is only prohibited for vehicles with a 50cc engine. The second reason is: I wouldn't want to do it any other way. The journey on the 50cc scooter is the main attraction. If I wanted to go as fast as possible to Italy I would hop in a plane or grab the keys to my Honda S2000 and drive flat out to Italy but that is something I can do any day of the year. Driving on a 50cc scooter is nuts. And that is the fun part.

Petrolhead Tom, I freakin' love you bro. Keep living the scooter dream. Best of luck mate!

Thanks Dave! That is nice to hear. I just love riding my scoot. Today it was freezing outside but I went out anyway to fill up with petrol. What an awesome thing that little Rotax engine. 8)

This week my exhaust will be in. Let's make it roar!

I love riding mine too. I tried fixing the left-hand mirror today, but after I epically failed on the 5th attempt, I said screw it and went for a chilly ride instead. It was -4c this morning. Brrrrrr!

My mirrors are keep getting lose. I'm thinking of a couple of sidebar mirrors to resolve the problem.

Took the long way to the office this morning, again! 8)

There he is, just waiting to go on a another adventure.

Wow, those little PTW covers are pretty sweet looking. Now why can't we have those here?

They are and they are probably the most expensive bike shelters available. I'm working on the most sustainable company "park" in the Netherlands. Some pretty awesome technique is brought into these towers.

Sounds like you have a great adventure ahead of you.

Enjoy every minute of it.

Wow i'm rockin those covers as well. You guys really have it going on over there in the Netherlands. Things are thought out and properly done. We should learn form you guys but alas we don't. Envious of your adventure and why not a 50cc. It'll be more fun IMHO.

Thanks for the kind replies. The bike shelters are pretty neat but not an ideal fit for a Vespa with both mirrors on.

It appears that all the exhaust parts are in. This week I'm over my head in finishing my last tests and final paper for law school but after I finish it I will be having the exhaust fixed.

What a nice parking facility with that glass igloo. Yet I wonder what they are for in a corporate yard. Anti-theft? Anti-snow or counter-drizzle? Or just for the select few?

In Finland, I'm afraid, they would never allow scooter parking in bicycle designated areas. Well, maybe a 50cc class scooter would go, a bigger one (even in a small frame, like the LX) would be a big no-no.

The segragation is mind bugling here. In my home town (population some 200 000+), we only have three motorcycle parks (free parking). They insist on treating PTW's like cars. This is not the way to make scootering appealing to the masses. In the Netherlands, it's all for the little fellow -- pedestrians and two-wheelers. What a great mind set that I would like to see spreading to the North.

Exhaust parts are in!


Vespa by Petrolhead Tom, on Flickr


Vespa by Petrolhead Tom, on Flickr

@ Petrolhead

The removable silencer looks nice. It certainly facilitates rear tyre change on the road. It should come like this from the factory.

May I ask about the price you paid?

of course. I paid around EUR 96 including postage to the Netherlands. You can find it in the link below. They got other awesome mufflers as well but I chose this one because of it's small length.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Classic-Bike-Shop?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

i am really impress with the see thru cover.

They are quite awesome I have to say.

Yesterday I had to turn in my final paper. I couldn't have done it without my Vespa. I had to get it bonded at a local shop than I had to get in to school in time. Traffic was a bitch. As always but with the Vespa I can split lanes and race through the city.

It is very could though. riding with one degree Celsius on the scooter. I'm trying to have my exhaust fitted this Wednesday.