Modern Vespa

Aloha Scooter People,

My wife and I brought a new 2006 GT200 home last month. Dark blue and beautiful. I tripped into MV around the same time, lurked, and want to say thanks for all the great advice. I've followed leads on several subjects - resolving the evap problem, adding a windscreen, getting ready to install a FIAMM horn, preparaing to do basic maintenance, etc. Mostly though, sharing the stoke of the ride. Its a great community.

We love the scooter. I've been using it for the work commute - 9 miles through town. Easy and exhilarating. It clears my head at the start of the day. After hours and weekends we've been scooting for errands, visits, and surf checks (modified Carver surf racks are on the long-range project list). I can't say I miss the car at all.

Unfortunately, nearly 20 years of street bike riding didn't translate to the scooter in skill what it did in confidence. I laid the scoot down last Thursday night coming home from work in a light rain. Coming into a through-intersection, I braked in response to a car that was speeding up to the cross-street stop-sign. I went down in a blink. S**t happens.

Minor, cosmetic damage to the left side of the scooter. The local dealer should have it back to new in a few weeks. Unfortunately, I took more damage than 25 mph should be able to deliver and will be typing one-handed for six weeks. My cosmetics will take a while longer. Fortunately, we have the technology, we can rebuild..etc., and both bike and body are insured.

I'm firmly of the ride free philosophy and respect free will and individual choice on the issues of helmets and gear and hoisting pints during pit stops. So no sermonizing is intended here. I will say I'm glad I was wearing a helmet (Scorpion EXO-100), padded leather gloves, a mesh First Gear motorcycle jacket, and leather boots. My wife and I are switching to full-face helmets before saddling up again.

In the meantime, I'll have to satisfy my scooter fix online. It will be good typing practice.

Ride safe everybody.

Welcome JimBo.

Tough way to christen a fine machine. Glad you survived relatively unscathed.

Good luck with your list of mods. Post a picture when you strap on a board!

As we say here in Minnesota: Uff da! Don't do that anymore.

Welcome aboard, anyone with a Bill the Cat avatar is OK by me.

We are glad to hear you will be ok. I get razzed by co-workers because I do not ride in the rain. The traffic is allready bad enought here in LA CA and adding rain to the mix just is not worth the extra risk I choose take.

Before you know it, the time will come to ride again. Have fun, ride safely.

Didn't you feel like punching the nearest stationary object - be it a tree, lamppost, wall (or the driver of the car who tried to beat the light) - when you laid the scoot down? Or perhaps you did, what with your hand unusable for the next 6 weeks. Sure, go ahead and blame it on the crash.

Welcome to the board! Heal well, heal fast and scoot often.

Sorry to hear of your spill JimBo. Glad you're OK and still loving the GT200. - Now they're no longer in production we own the latest in a long line of Classic Vespas

Thanks for the welcome and well wishes. I had to head out after my post this morning to a day of doctor's consultations. Looks like I'll have a mod wrist to go with my modern, soon to be classic GT. I can't wait to bring her home.

Six weeks. The countdown begins. In the meantime I look forward to adding my few wits to the MV brain stew.

Thanks again for the cheer.