Modern Vespa

Stopped at Konan today and decided to have a look at what 2 stroke oils they have. Plenty of semi-synthetics and economical too. So what if I want full synthetic? Mind you, this took quite a bit of translating. Turns out they only have 2 full synthetic oils Castrol Power 1 and Power 1 racing, 1250yen and 1500 yen, respectively... for 500ml. Way to much for me.

Go over to Rider's Stand. The semi-synthetics are quite a bit more than Konan, expected that, but the full synthetics... Motul 710 is 4500 yen a liter (a little over $40), Motul 800 was 5400. Cheapest full synthetic they had was 2400 yen/liter, about $20. All the full synthetics were labeled as race oils, no just plain Jane synthetic.

Well Amazon.co.jp to the rescue. http://www.amazon.co.jp/AZ-%E3%82%A8%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BC%E3%83%83%E3%83%88-2%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AB%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AA%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB-SYNTHETIC-%E5%88%86%E9%9B%A2%E3%83%BB%E6%B7%B7%E5%90%88%E7%B5%A6%E6%B2%B9%E5%85%BC%E7%94%A8%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%97EG024/dp/B00V45L658?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=AN1VRQENFRJN5 Same brand as I've been using in the Cub, highly rated.

Very nice!

What lathe are you using? I have a small sherline that I use to make parts for antique clocks.

Today i finally got sick of answering the same questions from newbies over & over again ... Please help us all & use the damn search function!

If you have a 125-150cc & want to fit a 177cc kit, then do some damn research BEFORE asking questions...

Check this link, im pretty sure you answer is in there... READ IT! Spend many hours doing your research... LEARN something... Then & only then if you are still stuck start asking the questions.
This site has been running for enough years & there are enough experience here to make a Vespa do whatever it is that you want it to, however the experienced beings have a life to live, & likely a bunch of scooters to fix, so let us do that, rather than informing you which carb/jet/kit/port timing/gearing you need to make your Vespa do whatever it is that you want it to do.

You never know, you may actually learn something new.

Check this out...
https://modernvespa.com/forum/search.php?mode=results

Regards, someone who has a handful of scooters to fix.

now breath .....

noticed something today .... after a month of occasionally crossing paths with a 'scooterist' wearing pisspot lid round sunglasses parka on an orange lml with yorkshire roses on n nodding at em with no response i gave up ..... was riding home n passed em today n they waved .... realised i wasnt on the ratty bull ..... dint the penile tip see i was in the same lid n waterproofs as its still winter here

Or, because the search is a bit sucky sometimes - https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=002062842835991193856:x9ciqqhb8r0

one for vader ..... 5mins of scraping got this ......3hrs later I was so filthy n me gloves had popped I couldnt get me phone out ...... ill get a photy on monday

Where the fuck you been riding? Around a tire incinerator?

Watching Good Wood festival of speed on the tv at a local izakaya (pub). Normally I'm not a huge fan of racing (in the US, aka NASCAR), but this is pretty good. It's races of vintage cars and bikes. Great part was during the 60s bike race, one bike passed so close to the barricades that his vacuum ripped part of the vinyl off and it stuck to his bike. He had to shake it off with his foot, doing over 100mph.

Also:
UK: mehzda
US: mahzda
Japan: mah-tsu-da

The founder of Mazda's name is Matsuda, but he named the car company after a Hindu God named Mazda.

So who the fuck knows how it should be pronounced, other than the Indians.

there might be part burn in there but its all uk road shite ..... yes the roads are crap

I thought old American cars and Harleys leaked oil bad, don't think I ever want to own anything British now. My Dad had a MG Midget, loved and hated that car till it rusted away.

Sort of related, I've been very surprised how non oil rotted the lanes up to Japanese intersections are. Used to in the US the middle of the lane to a hundred feet back was oil rotted. In Japan, nothing. Could be Japanese cars don't leak oil or they are constantly tearing up the roads for some reason... actually both. The way Japanese laws work, owning a car past 5 years is cost prohibitive and I swear they tear up the roads every few months for some sort of utility work. But Japanese cars don't leak oil, in my experience, unless they're poorly maintained.

You forgot Canada... MAAA ... (as in JAAAM BAAAND)... ZDA

there are no british cars now as to speak of ...... only bespoke money pits

My engine does be the same bits. It's the rain. Any bit of wet gets slung up with all the road grime. Carb spit running out the back of the box too doesn't help

That's how it's pronounced here too... the Canadian one. A for Apple not Ahpple.

potato, patahto
tomato, tomahto
garAGE, GAIRage

who knows?

Today I heard a funny scooter story which I trust gets posted somewhere here soon. I wanna try doing this myself when I get a good opportunity ....

So I'm new. I just got my first Vespa and I'd been searching online for possible causes of this 2T oil leak. It was so annoying because it leaked about a tablespoon of oil every time I rode it. I complained about it for like, two months. I started getting paranoid that the engine was gonna seize. My supportive spouse says, 'It's old. Old things leak.' There's no shops within 3 ½ hours of here that can work on it, so I decided to try to fix it myself. My spouse is like, 'It runs fine, you're gonna break it.' So confident in my mechanical abilities, sheesh.

This past Sunday I replaced the carb/air box gaskets: 2 stroke oil leak '74 super - carb/airbox gaskets? It totally stopped leaking! I was so happy.

Then I go out to the garage on Tuesday and I see the little plastic container I stuck under it (just in case) with at least a tablespoon of oil in it (see pic below). I was freaking out. I pull off the cowl and I'm on the floor in the garage, I can't figure out where it's coming from. Then I notice my spouse is having trouble keeping a straight face . . . he thinks he is so funny

He has an '89 Jeep CJ7 that he just loves . . . I wonder how I can get back at him?

Is there any gas smell to it or just oil?

omg did he fool you, too?? He poured just enough oil into the container to look suspiciously leak-ish.

funny.

Disconnect the lead that goes to the ignition coil on his Jeep .



I think my mind is rotting staying home eating healthy and listening to music all day everyday. 8) I've forgotten about work now.

Bought an 58 puch Alpine a few days ago it's in the lounge room so I can clean it up a bit . the bloke I bought it of had it in shed for 20yrs. Last time it was ridden was in a hill climb event.

Tank smells like laquer and I'm not sure it disconnects. Might Chuck some turps in ?

Nice. When I was about 18 or 19 and living in a Bedsit I used to bring the scooter into the room. Place was so small you have to get dressed standing on the bed. And sit on the scooter stirring the saucepan of beans. Good times

"Today i finally got sick of answering the same questions from newbies over & over again "
Sub dude, you know you are under no obligation what so ever. You don't even have to read their posts.

Not sure if I'd use oven cleaner on a motor. It can pit and discolour aluminum and anything rubber might not last so long. Beware.

I pulled the old hydraulic brake hose out of my lml last night because the bits I could see were were looking rough. I'm glad I did. The braiding was worn through just below the head set, just waiting to spew brake fluid down the frame. Today's job is getting the new one in.

Now you tell me!

Seriously though, we've sprayed both our engines with the dollar store stuff and they look great. It's been months and no pitting, no discoloration... didn't hurt any rubber either. Either we have some super tough cases or the ultra cheap Rinso we used doesn't have enough sodium hydroxide in to hurt a fly, let alone the alloy cases. I'd say it cleaned em faster and more thoroughly than regular degreaser. But yeah, if you're worried use something else.

Hey, if it's working for you, then no worries. I just remember what it did to some aluminum bits of my bbq. But maybe that's because I left it soaking overnight.

I find oven-cleaner is the BEST for a really really dirty shower... except, its hard on the feet if you happen to stand in there to wash it off.

when you put it back can you post some pix of the routing ...... I dont think i ever put mine back right ....... much appreciated

It's all back in now after a struggle. The lml routing didn't match the pictures in the Haynes manual but I put it back the way it came out.

From the right hand of headset it went down the left hand frame channel. It was clamped under a bracket just above the left hand side of the lower bearing race, then a tight bend forward, down, then back. Another bracket to clamp it at the left hand side of the fork, resting on top of the mud guard, then back over the back of the guard, through the hole in guard, through the ring on inside of guard, and to the caliper.

I can take the horn cover off tomorrow if you like but I'm not sure if this lml routing is actually the best.

its ok mate ...... you leave the cover on ill do it like I did before

Its not today, more like the week as this week i celebrate my 34th birthday in good health and i can make my mom happy by took her to the mountain on tuesday, not only that 3 daya ago my sister auccesly gave birth to my new nephew so i will have 2 nephew to accompany me working on my bikes
Not only that, while i am working in Palembang, i saw a vespa party that i long await, yes its the riot party with so so many mad max vespa i have to be honest, its the best party so far as they didnt charge any money for the enterance and parking.. so its a great gratis party
Here's a few pics i gather using a friend phone, hope you all enjoy it and cheer

Yee Haw! Congrats all around, Ebeth - it's been too long.
I like that orange 5(?) wheeler thing, you don't have any more pics of that I suppose?

Happy birthday Ebeth.

Me too.. Happy Birthday E... and Cheer!

Happy Birthday and 3 cheer(s) Ebeth!

I think you figured it out already....In the states, if you can keep it running, leaks be damned, keep driving. In Japan they have laws requiring engine replacement after a certain number of miles, or at least they used to. This is part of what lead to the JDM market for used parts in the US when the whole import performance scene broke out in the late 90's and early 2000's.

Outside the rust belt, it isn't completely unusual to see 50 year old cars lumbering down the road.

happy birthday to you happy birthday to you happy birthday to ebeth happy birthday to you ............ and cheer

And many more!

Making a gasket or three.