Modern Vespa

Hi. I am new to the forum. I've had my 1974 rally for 15 years and now it's time for my son to start riding it. I want to put crash guards or some cowl protection on the rears in case he does what I did on my first scooter and lets it get away from him.

I live in the US and don't seem to see any crash bars for sale here that are designed for my ride. Ideally they would not require drilling since I view this as more of a temporary thing.

Are there alternatives to use? Cowl bras? I mostly worry about road rash along the rears... Would prefer not to repaint any part of the bike... I see they are for sale in UK but that's $130 in shipping!!

Thanks for the advice -- mark


https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyberdoggie/14077406263/

Hello.

First off, buy a different bike for him to ride, you can hardly replace the cowls my man! Put out a WTB on scoot.net and scootlist. I just picked up a decent set of cowls guards on scoot.net for my rally. They wouldn't do much if I laid it down, crash bars will help there, but they'll keep the cowls safer from scratching on a daily basis.

Nice looking bike, don't think it's a Rally though.

It's some kinda bodge. It has a trap headset with the leg shield toolbox. Keys at the helmet hook too.

Yep. Actually the P.O. liked the trap headlamp and added that to the bike as a custom. And yes the key is in the wrong place. But not sure what's the issue with the leg shield toolbox? The other 200's I've seen have it in the same place. What's wrong there?

I was thinking I might need to get him a summer scooter. and sell in the fall. Didn't realize the implications of a crash on such an old bike. Maybe I convince my wife to lend her ET4 to the cause!

Yep, for the Rally it is standard equipment. But also for Viet-Bodges too.

The title + serial number indicate it was first sold in 1975. Didn't know that a bodge was a vietnam copy bike... Don't think it's anything other than a modified rally 200 but could be wrong. Definitely more of a rider than a hobbyist. SF Scootercenter just added vespatronic (amazing upgrade) and some other mods and thought it was pretty clean for a '74.

-- mark

I'm not saying your bike is crap. I'm just noting the few odd things I could see from my comfortable seat in the WWW.

Finding crash bars for our model specifically is not going to happen. You are gonna have to be happy with drilling holes or ugly non-fitting P series set ups.

Dwight - Thx for scoot.net reference. what about these?

http://scoot.net/classifieds/forsale.html?id=48100

seems there are also some for the Rally available new .. in Germany.

http://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/products/crash+bar+sidepanel+_25064000

crash bars are just for looks, and in my view look bad on a Rally. However, they (crash bars) do not do anything to prevent damage from a crash, they just help the metal bend in a different way.

speaking from experience, I own a 1974 Rally 200, and I have crashed vespas before. Little crashes and big crashes.... btw most of them when I was a teenager or younger person....

I am not sure why they are calling your bike a bodge, the key under the seat is pretty standard for the 74 US Rally.

The headlight is weird, but the bike looks authentic to me.... what do I know.

I am not sure why a parent would want their child to ride a scooter or motorcycle, unless they were just hoping to get out of paying for college...

Oh wait, Now I get it, you are from California, that explains it...

ha ha ha

What are you talking about? and thanks for your parenting advice but let's stick to opinions on crashbars.

Good point about bending the metal in a different way. Didn't know the key there was standard. good to know.

I too rode a PX200 when I was a teenager and in college. I was thinking we'd ride on the weekends together around SF. Maybe under parental supervision he'd be less likely to be hell on wheels?

I think the comments about the bike being a bodge were much more off topic - but in any case you are right.

A vintage vespa cruise around SF is a beautiful thing, and I am jealous- sorry for the dumb joke.

Also the legshield toolbox is standard on the 74 Rally as well.

I think those cowl guards are going to look great, thanks. I bought those!

The SIP ones would work as well, they look decent.

Dwight - Did you just buy the ones that I shared the link to on Scoot.net?

I bought them yesterday.

I mentioned buying them in my first reply.

Ah ok! I didn't realize they were the same ones!

Make him ride round a grass field all day until he feels confident. No risk of scratches on the cowls. Job done.

That is how I test drove my LD when I had it. That thing was a blast.

Get him a beat up P, if you can afford it.

Looks like a pretty typical "custom" Rally to me. I'm betting it's actually a '74 unless someone moved the key switch to the frame when they changed the headset. Lots of "incorrect" stuff, but nothing really that screams import bodge, just '90s "custom." It has the USA vin plate even.

More on topic, as you might imagine, we see a lot of accident damaged bikes coming in here. The fact is that I have NEVER seen a crash-bar equipped, wrecked scooter that wouldn't have been less damaged if it did not have crash bars on it. Sure, they protect your cowl paint (sometimes), but they bend your frame and floorboards. Legshield ones do even more damage.

Thanks. That nailed it. I don't like the styling and they don't protect the bike so that just provided the answer.

Now I just need to find a large lawn area that no one will mind my son riding the scooter on for a day!