Modern Vespa

In early June I laid down my bike when a woman pulled in front of me and I was forced to slam on the brakes. My LX laid on its side for several minutes as I got up and dealt with the shock of the incident. After that moment, my LX wasn't running right. It initially blew a lot of white smoke and then stalled, sputtered and just wouldn't run properly. I took matters into my own hands and tried to fix the problem. I removed the air filter (which was filled with oil) and cleaned it. I then removed the Evap system (something I have been meaning to do for a while) thinking it was sucking air since the accident but the issue only got worse. I topped off the oil, change the fuel filter and checked the pump. No issues, still, it ran like crap. Finally, at my wits end I took it to Blue Planet Scooters here in Salt Lake. Travis (the owner) took delivery in early June. Being without a scooter was painful. I always peruse the classifieds online here in Utah looking for a vintage bike and I knew that my LX would be in the shop for a couple weeks at a minimum. If I could find another scooter, then I would have something to ride while my LX was in the shop and I would enter the vintage world. I found the '68 Sprint and bought it. Well, a long story short, Travis had a hell of a time finding the issue with LX and even now isn't certain how he fixed it. He just disassembled everything, performed the equivalent of a tune-up plus kept the battery disconnected and finally got it working. The point is, I have been on a vintage bike for close to a month and after getting my LX back, I am stunned at the HUGE difference in riding experience.

The vintage bike as taken a lot of learning. How to handle the shifty clutch, braking with my foot and investing time in the technical operation of a two stroke engine have been fun and challenging. I have scratched the hell out my back calf trying to learn how to kick start from the seated position (which is stupid) and I have had to push the bike twice when I ran out of gas. The ride of my Sprint is stiff, loud and a little crazy. It's similar to riding an old wooden roller coaster in that you know you are safe but at the same time, you feel like you are going to lose it any moment. Still, I love it and am having a lot of fun riding it. I am finally comfortable with the clutch and shifting, braking with the foot and the riding position.

I got on the LX this morning for the first time since early June and my brain had been retrained to ride the vintage. It was actually a little worrisome at first. Getting on the LX, controlling and riding was SO different. The acceleration, braking and feel are softer and easier. The Modern bike is almost effortless. I have turn signals again but I forgot to use them. My foot kept tapping the floor as I approached turns and stop signs. It felt alien which is weird as I have put on close to 5000 miles on the LX. I am not favoring one or the other right now. I love both bikes and I can tell you that I feel like a complete Vespa owner.

Where I need your help is trying to decide how and when I should ride either bike. I have thought about rotating every other day. I know that for short rides and around town, the Sprint will be a fun choice. If I plan longer rides or going to places where having a fuel gauge is critical, I will definitely go back to the LX. However, I would love to hear what other people do who have multiple bikes. Do you alternate every day? Do you keep one for just the weekends?

Great read. I've been thinking of going vintage also and give my GT60 a break once and a while.

Looking for a late year P200 in the bay area. I'll just have to take a ride on one.

Thanks for the nice note. It really is a learning experience but a good one.

The scoots don't have to be ridden everyday. Just give them a little love every once in a while and they'll be happy. It's ok to spend more time on one than another. It'll make you appreciate the differences! My decision is based off of which scoot I haven't ridden in a while. With 7 scoots I have a lot to choose from but at least once a month I'll get everything turning and up to temp.

Yeah, that's not quite what Piaggio had in mind, we all figure that out sooner or later. I only kick from seated if I stall the scoot at an intersection, otherwise my start and hop on routine looks weird, in that I walk side to side around the scoot (based on my preferences).

Yeah...I am persistent as hell and it's taken about five scabs to get it through my thick skull that getting off the bike makes it easier, painless and actually work.

As you put so perfectly: Riding the LX is so effortless. Much like driving an auto car. However, for some, it borders on boring. Again, much like driving an auto car. Having to shift connects you to the scooter and road. You have to be thinking all the time. Not that it won't start to be a little more "automatic" after awhile, it will, but there is the satisfaction of controlling the machine to do its best under all circumstances. They both have there place. Having both at your disposal , well, you can't get much better than that. I'm sorry to here about your accident - you ok now?

Thanks for asking! Yes, I am fine. I have been in accidents twice before and each time I am shaken up. But I get back on and go. I have a good scar from the road rash and I watch that corner much closer now. But it's all good.

I ride both modern and vintage

modern for commuting vintage for fun

I'm in aggreement, it sounds to me you've got the best of 'both worlds' now....

In my experience, you might as well have asked for the meaning of life

I just go with the bike that I 'feel' like riding I suppose?

I do tend to keep the T5 (vintage) for occasions when I've got nowhere to go and really want to enjoy the feeling of going nowhere on a Vespa if that makes sense? Especially if the sun is shining and there's cider involved 8)

And perhaps a camp site and some live music?

It gets better.

At one point I had my ET4 (twist 'n go), my motorcycle (manual), my bicycle, (front and rear brake levers reversed, I eventually switched the cables), my car (manual), and my wife's car (not).

There were times when my reactions took over and I made some irritating mistakes such as hitting the brakes in my wife's car while trying to operate the clutch that wasn't there, almost dumping my bicycle during a quick stop, and hard breaking my scooter while trying to shift gears it didn't have.

It wasn't a long term problem, it only takes a few surprises before the lessons sink in.

I just make it a point now to take a moment before I turn the key to remind myself what I'm driving/riding/pedaling. A quick mental post-it note to myself. No problems since.

It has gotten better even after a day I am already falling back into the Modern feel of things. I do still feel my foot pushing on the floorboards. Both are great to ride but I am thinking I like the "modern for commute, vintage for fun" approach.

You gave me a good chuckle there. The actual function of the evap system is to suck air (into the fuel tank).

About autos and manuals. I agree with your observation that riding one or the other gives you a set of muscle memories. After I got into auto scoots,
I reluctantly gave up on manual motorcycles. Just too many conflicting instincts for me.

Sweet Sprint.

Thanks. Got the lights working tonight but still struggling with the speedo.

Whats wrong with the speedo? Not working? Incorrect?

Not working. I replaced the cable and it seems to be connected properly. I just replaced the speedo with a new one since the original had fogging and a crack in the plastic. Also to eliminate the additional item not working. Still not moving after both pieces replaced. I have the screws tight at the speedo and the wheel. I am lost on this.

The only thing left to check is the drive gear down where the cable meets the fork. The inner cable goes into the gear and that is turned by the front axle in the hub. Take a peek at yours and make sure all the teeth are intact and that the cable inner seats firmly.

I will pull that apart tonight and see if it's that. Thanks!!!

I enjoy the challenge of owning a vintage. I like the people that I meet that ride vintage. People that ride modern are typically cool too, I just seem to click with the folks that ride vintage. It's like everyone seems to understand each other because they are all having or have had the same troubles along the way. A sense of kinship.

I have found that as I get older that it gets more difficult to make friends. Once I finally got my scooter and got out to some rides I began to make friends.

I like to see people ride scooters, regardless of the timeframe the scooter is from, I just personally prefer vintage.

I'm only (jealously) speculating, but maybe ride the LX when you want to think about the scenery and not the bike, and the Sprint when you want to think about the bike itself -- or at least that's sort of how my brain works: sometimes I'm out to look at the scenery and other times I'm out to ride the Vespa, and then I truly miss being able to shift and engage with my ride more deeply, if that makes sense.

You definitely have to "think" when riding the Sprint. I have to make certain the clutch is in the right place, listen to the engine and watch the road with a lot more care. It's a definitely an engaging ride where the Modern is easy. I like your line of thinking.