Modern Vespa

Trial & error . . only YOU can determine what works.

flyguy2 on the 2015 Smax 155 had the seat re-sculptured.

One of the least expensive things to try is a silicone pot holder.

Work up to it.
Airhawk or other comfortable seating surface.
Move your feet around (GTS has room even for me to stretch or have knees bent 90 degrees).
Get off the scooter every once in a while (for me, it's about every 100 miles).
Work on your posture. I tend to slouch, in part due to sheer laziness but also to keep my head below the wind better. OK, it's laziness. But sometimes I sit bolt upright and it helps stretch things out.
I made my wife a back rest for her MP3 250 based on a thread on here, basically made from PVC pipe and fittings and a padded large bicycle seat. Let me know if you are interested and I can post pics and perhaps find that thread.
Other than position, in general I'd say stay hydrated, and at a comfortable temperature as much as possible, sunglasses. Really any irritation or distraction can cause everything to sort of fall apart on a long ride.

Where's Bill? I'm guessing he forgot to cut on his tracker.

was wondering the same...

If my math is right... Classic Rider dominated the elevation changes!

Wonder where Tromper is going?

Think tromper is trying to avoid the steep elevations ?

I think you're right about Tromper. That scoot is only a 163cc and has trouble doing 55 on a straight surface at sea-level. He probably had a fit with it yesterday.

how is your mileages different?

Well that makes sense but there will be a lot of backtracking to hit the checkpoint. What is the penalty for missing one?

Airhawk and make sure that your seat fits your leg length. Many folks use back rests or a rollbag strapped to seat to function as one aka Biker's Friend. A few use the back support belts you see at Lowes and Home Depot. That plus plenty of position changes and preferably a good stretch every hour or two. I've spent too much time tucked with the winds so I'm really looking forward to a good massage in Seattle.

Bill did forget to turn on his Spot. It spent the day in his glovebox.

I thought I might end up on the trailer today. Had a problem that felt like hitting the rev limiter as I came down from the peak on 14a (id you stayed on 14 there was less elevation change and probably no 10% grades like there was on 14a - the official route). Thought it might be bad gas so I added gas from my spare can and it seemed to fix the problem. 150ish miles later it reoccurred just 18 miles from the hotel. Eased up on the throttle, I was on I-90 and symptoms went away only to reappear causing the scooter to die 12 miles from the hotel. It did start right up and I made it back to the hotel and even hit 70 without problems. I didn't try to push it above that since I really just wanted to make it to the final checkpoint ASAP.

Talked to Dave and to my mechanic. My mechanic said it was either bad gas and recommened draining the tank then putting fresh oil in. Well that isn't happening so he said to get a bottle of yellow HEET and use that for the next fill-ups. If it isn't bad gas then my fuel pump is likely on its way out. That's thought had already occurred to me. Mark said his MP3 did the same thing coming down from the pass but he didn't have the problem reoccur. So that gives me hope that it was bad fuel combined with rapid elevation change. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

7.4 Missing a known control will result in a maximum deduction for time on the segments involved.
ie If you miss a control both the segment before and after the missed control will receive the maximum time
deduction of 1/2 the mileage.

I am using the SPOT/FollowRide GPS Check-Ins for time and lat/lng. I use the check-in that is closest to the entry/exit "gates" for the segment and then plug the lat/lng into Google Maps to get the road/drive mileages between the points.

that explains it.

psst, the password is:

modern vespa

The longest and but greatest ride.

http://scb2016.blogspot.com/p/day-7.html

But on day 7


Thank you Big Red!!!!

You have taken on more the 50,000 miles of great joy on the road. I hope we have many more together.

Mine has more...

What a spectacular ride. Even the last 50 miles into a 20 mph headwind on the interstate highway didn't dampen the fun.
I saw several fellow riders today.

Nice pictures boys and girls.

Nice to see a Downtown in the mix.

Good to know that I'm not the only one - apart from my Girlfrond.*

Spelt correctly.

Bill xxx

You guys rock! Thanks for all the pics, blogs and follow ride. I look forward to reading your updates over dinner each evening. Keep up the great work!

Not just scooters can show this symptom! My old VW camper can do the same thing after a long down-grade.

Being fuel injected, when going down hill no fuel is injected at all while the throttle is off (and very little even if the throttle is on a bit). The vacuum however is high - and if there's any way that oil mist can get into the cylinders - it will. That'd be due to a faulty oil sump breather valve on my van (now replaced) - but on the scoots oil mist gets in there via the open crankcase breather and air filter.

A bit of coughing and spluttering (or even almost or actually dying) may be experienced when putting on the throttle at the end of the down-grade.

BTDTGTTS, van and scoot.

And the totals are in!

Can anyone ask the Downtown rider at what mileage he intends to change his belt ?

I killed mine at 2500 miles doing something similar .

Bill xxx

I don't think he was planning on changing his belt...

From personal experience I'd suggest that he does.

Mine failed after I did 1000 miles in one hit and then another 1500 in day and a half a week later.

It totally de-laminated a few days afterwards while carrying a pillion.

I'm not saying that it will fail, I'm just saying that mine did.

Bill xxx

I don't see riders hauling a lot of gear. Just extra gas cans and such. Did the previous Cannonballs have the riders hauling their own gear? How light are all you traveling? What is essential for a Cannonballer to carry? (Besides a good sense of humor).

Gotta say the technology is making it easier and easier to follow you all, via blogs, facebook and such. Really making this Cannonball a fun trip.(well for us at home!)

Continue to Ride Safe Everyone!

Going downhill on 14a particularly bother me but when it happened again on I-90 when I was riding at 70mph maybe 85-90% throttle and actually died that's when I got concerned. Most of the riders have support and pretty much anything you don't expect to use during the day will be on that. For instance I rode from Houston to the start carrying everything I thought I might need except my spare tire. That was shipped and a gas can I picked up at Wal-Mart after I arrived. Before leaving the start I put the roll bag and waterproof bag along with the top case liner bag in the SUV Capt'n Gary's driving. That lets me put my gas can under the seat where my spare parts had been, my rain gear, change of clothes/shoes for when I get to the hotel- especially important after riding in the humid south and a few other bits and bobs in the top case. The guys who rode from California on the Helixes and the two guys from Jacksonville, FL (Burgman 200 & Kymco Downtown) are the only ones carrying everything every day.

You're correct in that, Belk. Technology has made it so easy to live vicariously through these intrepid riders and join them from the comforts of our couches.
I'd sure like to join the ride in person some day. I can call myself 'Team COM' (Cranky Old Man)
As for their gear, I'll presume all but the absolute essentials is being carried aboard the 'support vehicles'.

No idea why he said get the yellow HEET, the RED one is the dispersant which is what you want so the gas absorbs the water instead of separating the water from the gas, causing the throttle body to get instances of getting gulps of just water.

[quote] I can call myself 'Team COM' (Cranky Old Man)

Or maybe the grumpier old men team (GOMT)

Thank you.

Yellow HEET, is methanol. The red HEET is isopropanol. I would've thought using red HEET myself. I've used it my boat before .

Recompiled the PDF into something readable!

Nice work - Thanks

http://cheryldwise.com/?p=1514 **Really Day 8!
http://billleuthold.blogspot.com/2016/07/scr-day-9-mountain-ride-for-ages.html
https://2016classicrider.wordpress.com/2016/07/12/day-8/

http://scootercannonball2016.blogspot.com/2016/07/cannonball-day-7.html < Day 7 Recap, posted on Day 8
http://scootercannonball2016.blogspot.com/2016/07/cannonball-day-8.html < Day 8 Recap

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/2016-scooter-cannonball-on-a-30-year-old-helix.1153574/page-3#post-29882060

https://www.facebook.com/waltrides4thebay/
https://www.facebook.com/highwaytohealride/

LostBoater
Days 1-3: http://scb2016.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_16.html
Days 4-6: http://scb2016.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Days 7-8: http://scb2016.blogspot.com/p/day-7.html

Top 5 Riders: Today is 100 miles shorter than yesterday (280 mi) and the weather forecast throughout the route calls for temperatures 50s-60s with winds 5-15 MPH. Elevation profile is a fun one but not the last of the climbs and dives - days 10 & 11 both have 3000 to 4000 foot ascent and decents.

There is one optional dirt section today that starts immediately after checkpoint 1. It is 4 miles shorter than the paved road but it follows the Ruby River ( http://bit.ly/29NBzCX / https://goo.gl/maps/spRFhfu2xGk ) and from Google Earth looks like an amazing scenic short cut and the road very rideable.

Scores... 3 more days left! Anything can happen! All things equal and given past performance on roads similar to what remain - I think Bill/Wleuthold can move into 2nd and unless BigKart encounters some misfortune, he has 1st locked up. According to Bill's blog he is not going to change his belt. Given the way he is riding I think it is a risky decision... especially when you have a parking lot of very experienced wrenchers who (lets be honest) are realistically going to do the entire thing while you & Lostboater sip on martinis. Just say'n!

Bill turned on his tracker! These last three days should be neck and neck between these top three. Flyguy2 and Wleuthold are definitely in a "race" for second.

Most people can't relate to this, but this reminds me of this year's Indy 500. Alexander Rossi won it on fumes. It was the call of the lifetime to leave him out and forgo the last pit stop. Carlos Munoz came in a very close second with fresher tires and fuel to spare. Bill's call to forgo a last minute belt change may be a "game changer". If he does change belts, at least the "time in the pits" would not be counted against him. Seems like there would be very little risk in changing belts and taking on a little insurance.

Excellent!

Curious about absurd ruse 58 not showing any day 8 points. Facebook page indicates Gonzo got going again . . talk about TENACITY!

He most likely arrived after scorecards were turned in for the day. From the Facebook riders page Matt did scores around 4/5PM... and from FollowRide Gonzo was still on the road at 8PM. It will post tonight probably.

Yes gonzo absurd ruse didn't get To the hotel until late. He stopped to fill his gas tank from the cans he carries and the wind was so strong it blew the scooter over! Cracked the headset where the front brake lever attaches....
He did a oil change and some other maintenance this morning and is back on the road. Clutch isn't slipping much but we have some spares that will be waiting for him at tonight's hotel.
He is very happy to be riding again he won 3 of the 4 legs yesterday.
He is still having to downshift with 2 hands hopefully the new clutch we sent him will fix that problem.
Go gonzo go green fairy!!!

The fix