@sledge avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
GTS 300 HPE
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Ossessionato
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UTC quote
Once you're saturated, you can't get any wetter.
@attila avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
In garage: Yamaha Tricity 155 Urban 2019 - MV Agusta 125 RS 1956
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UTC quote
More saturated than that ...
Next time he's gonna rent a boat.
OP
@mayorofnow avatar
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
It's funny how your brain doesn't work when you're stressed.

I made a friend in Matera and asked him where I might be able to find a replacement for the broken plastic piece on the strap. He took me to a hardware store, where nothing quite fit the bill.

On my walk back, I realized I could just tie the strap to the broken end. I only ever adjust the rear side, so this should work fine.

The girl at the shop sold me a carabiner and a generic strap. I doubt I'll use either, but I guess now I have a backup solution.
I really can't believe a little piece of plastic that spends all day in the sun is the linchpin on an adventure touring bag.
I really can't believe a little piece of plastic that spends all day in the sun is the linchpin on an adventure touring bag.
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@attila avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
Plastic, fragile and polluting. How I miss the good old chrome steel clasps ...
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UTC quote
Great write ups, Mayor.
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Molto Verboso
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
I'll endeavor to write more trip tales later, and maybe a trip summary.

I just returned the Beverly. The slip cost 400EUR, so I didn't lose my total deposit. (Apparently the black plastic cap on the handlebar cover was slightly misaligned. They tried to charge me an additional 130EUR to replace the whole handlebar cover, but relented when I protested.) The rate was only 420EUR though - 820EUR over 21 days is 39EUR per day, which is still cheaper than I spent for the GTS in Verona.

Between the two, I spent 2620EUR (plus gas) for 61 days of riding. (I think I spent another 90EUR for the 4 days on the Yamaha in Ischia.) During those 61 days, I rode 6750km (4200mi), sleeping in 31 places. I only paid for parking twice - in Atrani and in Pompei.

Those are my estimates anyway. Maybe later I'll do a more detailed analysis.
muffler shield, right leg shield, right footrest, luggage rack, bar-end weight, and right brake lever
muffler shield, right leg shield, right footrest, luggage rack, bar-end weight, and right brake lever
@jimc avatar
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The Hornet (GT200, aka Love Bug) and 'Dimples' - a GTS 300
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UTC quote
I bet there was diesel residue on the road - bends, especially S-bends are very prone to have spillages from local traffic that no longer have fuel caps etc, etc. Then even when you can't see the rainbows or can't smell it, the diesel will have left the tarmac surface very, very slippery.
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2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
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UTC quote
Funny, before clicking here I was wondering what the damages of the crash were..... Nerd emoticon

Nice breakdown of the costs of the trip!
⬆️    About 1 month elapsed    ⬇️
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@mayorofnow avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
Picked up my Vespa from my friend's garage today, after 4 months of being parked. He said it only took 3 minutes on the charger to get the battery to full, so it sounds like it didn't even need a charge.

It crossed the 2 year mark during that time, so one of these days I need to call my dealer and get the fluids changed.

Holy crap it's cold outside! I tried to buy some heated gloves last year, but DHL rejected the shipment. Definitely need to try again! 🥶

Maybe I'll go on a ride tomorrow. After spending a month as a pedestrian in another country, I feel a bit out of practice.
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
jimc wrote:
I bet there was diesel residue on the road - bends, especially S-bends are very prone to have spillages from local traffic that no longer have fuel caps etc, etc. Then even when you can't see the rainbows or can't smell it, the diesel will have left the tarmac surface very, very slippery.
Yes, it happens often.
@adri avatar
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Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
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Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
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UTC quote
mayorofnow did they have some kind of "no fault" insurance option or is that not even something that is offered?
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
adri wrote:
mayorofnow did they have some kind of "no fault" insurance option or is that not even something that is offered?
Depends on the shop.

In the north, no. In fact, they give you a price list when you rent that says how much damage to each part costs, as well as the replacement cost of the vehicle.

In the south, there was insurance. I didn't think to ask about it covering the slide, but I think the 500€ deposit was the deductible, so maybe that's why it didn't come up.
@attila avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
It is called "kasko".
The kasko policy is an ancillary guarantee that covers damage suffered by your vehicle while on the road. ... full kasko: covers all damages regardless of the responsibility of the insured; minikasko: only intervenes for those damages caused by accidents where at least two vehicles are involved.
⬆️    About 3 months elapsed    ⬇️
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Molto Verboso
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
Thursday was an a day. Got into my first (hopefully only) vehicle-on-vehicle collision. I had filtered mostly to the front of a red light, but was cautious about passing the woman ahead of me (who was clearly staring at the phone in her lap). While I was waiting for her, someone in a black SUV came rushing past my left, and hit my mirror with his. But that's a story for another post.

When I got home, I found this gift from the Bologna PD waiting for me. Apparently my hotel was on a street that was one way (except for buses), and I had ridden through the bus lane. I just looked it up on street view - the warning sign was in the opposite direction, so of course I had no idea. 🙃

With all the speed cameras and whatnot in Italy and Switzerland, I was nervous I might have crossed one, and the one that got me was a camera I didn't know about for something I didn't know I was violating. Add $100 to the cost of the ride.
Foreign ticket, payable by wire transfer only
Foreign ticket, payable by wire transfer only
Traffic cam photo
Traffic cam photo
⚠️ Last edited by mayorofnow on UTC; edited 1 time
@sledge avatar
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Ossessionato
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UTC quote
mayorofnow wrote:
the one that got me was a camera I didn't know about for something I didn't know I was violating.
There's your new avatar.
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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UTC quote
Sledge wrote:
There's your new avatar.
Hi, I'm here from the Tony Scott timeline.
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
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UTC quote
Sledge wrote:
There's your new avatar.
One of the pricier ones.

I feel your pain. Some years ago I wound up the wrong way on a one way in Mexico City and launched into 3 lanes of lateral traffic....somehow missed whatever one way sign there may have been, if any. Totalled my SILs car but have a great story of how Mexico deals with crashes....

Anyway, congrats of sort on your belated souvenir of Italy. Razz emoticon
@adri avatar
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Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
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Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
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UTC quote
Every time this thread pops back up again it brings me joy to see it.

But not the ticket part. Although, nice name! haha
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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UTC quote
Sledge wrote:
There's your new avatar.
Who owns the copyright on that photo?
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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UTC quote
adri wrote:
Every time this thread pops back up again it brings me joy to see it.

But not the ticket part. Although, nice name! haha
In retrospect, I should have gone full Italian and started the last name with Of.
Quote:
Of Now, The Mayor
⬆️    About 1 year elapsed    ⬇️
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
Salento (the south-east-most corner of Italy) was the place I most wanted to get to but couldn't on this trip.

I think I'm going to fly to Bari tomorrow, and spend the 4th of July long weekend making up for the bit I missed.

[edit 1h later] booked a flight to Bari. Spent most of the time on the phone with Capital One trying to use their price match program to get a slightly better deal. 🙃

Same day flight on Air Dolomiti gets you free business class (or a really expensive coach ticket, depending on how you look at it).
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2006 250ie
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UTC quote
Mayor of NOW knows his carpe diem. Good on ya—go man go!
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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UTC quote
Ci vediamo presto, Puglia!
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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UTC quote
It's insane that Italy is a place that exists. At any time, you can get on an airplane and spend the next day in the land of white marble, labyrinthine alleyways, abundant pizza+coffee, and people chilling in the piazza at all hours of the night.

I've taken advantage of this more than most - I don't bother keeping track of how many times I've been here. I don't even know how many birthdays I've spent here. I realize that most people's obligations at home mean they need a stronger reason to travel than "well, I have to sleep somewhere!" Lifestyles all have tradeoffs, but since mine continues to be unencumbered with such personal commitments, I'm really glad I decided to be here now.

I happen to be the first person to stay in this Airbnb, so it's on me to point out the little touches it's missing. It's mildly amusing to notice the quintessentially Italian ones like bidet soap and a laundry drying rack. (I've always thought of this as "butt soap," but while pulling up the link I discovered it's primarily marketed towards our female friends.)

I need to start getting my ducks in a row to go exploring this weekend. I've asked around. The only 300s I've found in this region are GTSs for 100EUR per day, or a Honda SH for 80. I don't know the vintage of the GTSs. The SH looks like something I'd see in Vietnam, except it does have ABS on both wheels. Hertz has a Honda 750 in that same price range. I've never ridden a big bike, but I'm sure I could figure it out (esp. if it has a DCT).

There are some smaller shops in the neighboring villages that have 125s for rent for 40EUR per day. Looks like they're mostly very old Vespas, although one has a 2015 Liberty with ABS.

I need to get in touch with the GTS shop and see if it's a better/newer option. I don't know much about the older models. I usually go for the newest/safest one available to minimize the margin for problems. I also don't know if 125 is enough for this region, but I was surprised at how competent the 150s felt in Thailand + Vietnam. I also recall 90kph felt plenty fast when I was in the Dolomiti (even though I did WOT for some 130kph freeways in Emilia-Romagna).

The other wrinkle is that this wasn't meant to be a moto trip, so I didn't bring much in the way of gear. I bought an Alpinestars Halo jacket for Asia. It's excellent for all-climate touring, but it can be exhausting to walk around in. (It's something like 15lbs, on top of your backpack.) A riding buddy with a similar jacket convinced me to bring a helmet to Europe (since it fits my head and has speakers installed) but to leave the Halo behind.

I do have some gear I bought in Japan, but it's more fashionable than safe. Probably not fun to wear in the heat, and not all that useful in a slide. Otherwise, I need to find something to buy (and lug around)/rent, or YOLO and hope I have as good of luck as all the others (apparently) who ride naked around here.
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@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
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Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
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UTC quote
You touched on a good point re: lifestyle.

All my friends with kids and car payments: "you went to Italy for 25 days? omg you're so lucky!"

Am I lucky, or did I just make choices that lead to this life?
Did I choose not to create dependents that I would need to serve?
Did I choose not to buy a depreciating asset I couldn't afford to buy outright in cash so now I need to enslave myself to an employer so I can afford my monthly payments? etc.

Have I been lucky in life? Absolutely. 100%. But not for the reasons I (and you) did a trip that they can't. We just made different choices that lead to different lifestyles.

Re: gear - yeah, I knew I was in Naples when I was doing 75 km/hr in a 60 km/hr, and got passed by a guy in t-shirt, shorts, flip flops, who must have been doing 90 km/hr on a scooter, while texting with his left hand lol

Also, I just want to say...















butt soap ROFL emoticon
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Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
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UTC quote
Salento remains an elusive mistress.

Spending two nights trying to sleep in an ER isn't the kind of adventure I had in mind.

I'm leaning hard towards coming home.
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@znomit avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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UTC quote

How's the bike though?
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UTC quote
Hopefully you are ok, what happened.

And you do know thats not the right way to use crutches dont you.
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Petty Tyrant
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UTC quote
mayorofnow wrote:
I need to start getting my ducks in a row to go exploring this weekend. I've asked around. The only 300s I've found in this region are GTSs for 100EUR per day, or a Honda SH for 80. I don't know the vintage of the GTSs.
I think you are overthinking this. I think any GTS 250 or 300 in reasonably good condition would be splendid, going all the way back to a 2006 model. They are simply wonderful bikes if maintained reasonably.
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Molto Verboso
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Matchlessman wrote:
And you do know thats not the right way to use crutches dont you.
They said to keep the leg elevated. 🤷‍♂️
@adri avatar
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Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
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UTC quote
Ugh, you're living my nightmare scenario. So sorry man

Get well soon! Hopefully it's not tooo bad Facepalm emoticon
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UTC quote
mayorofnow wrote:
Salento remains an elusive mistress.

Spending two nights trying to sleep in an ER isn't the kind of adventure I had in mind.

I'm leaning hard towards coming home.
Ooof.
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
I haven't been looking forward to writing this post. I'm not even entirely sure what I'm going to write, but I feel like this story needs an ending.

As I mentioned in my last post, this wasn't meant to be a motorbiking trip. I brought the helmet just-in-case, but left all my other gear behind. (I've been intending to replace my 2-year old Icon Stormhawk boots for a while now, so I brought those too, intending to replace them at some point.)

I gave up my apartment at the end of last year to tour Asia. I've had mixed feelings about San Francisco for the dozen years I lived there. Since I didn't have a home to go back to, I thought I'd try my hand at digital nomadding. The intention was to spend a weekend in Munich where my riding buddy happened to be visiting, and then maybe check out Portugal for the summer. I was exhausted from constantly changing places for the first half of the year, so I intended to spend more time in fewer places. Then as my riding buddy and his wife left Munich, an idea popped in my head: I could spend the long weekend riding through Puglia! It was the spot everyone told me to go on my first ride through Italy, and the one that was just-far-enough out of the way that I couldn't pull it off.

On my previous trip to Italy, I had fallen in love with a barista in a Venetian bakery. The typical pasty all over Italy is the brioche, which though distinct in flavor and texture, shares its ancestry with the croissant. However, this bakery specialized in treats from Salento, the southern half of Puglia. My plan for this babytour was to spend the first day exploring the beach towns of Polignano and Monopoli, and then spend the next three doing daytrips from the Salentine town of Lecce, sampling all the local delicacies.

I got up-and-at-em early on Saturday morning to make it to the rental shop before they closed for the weekend at noon. I took one of those ridiculous electric kickscooters that charge you by the minute to not be able to keep up with traffic.

My first stop was a moto gear shop where neither the jackets nor the pants were exciting, but I found a great pair of gloves: the Held Fresco Air. Held is a German brand that is believed to be the OEM for the excellent BMW gloves I've worn until now. They're not typically sold in the US because their products are made from kangaroo leather, which is not legal in California. One of the things I love about their gloves is that they fit my long-and-slender hands well in a size 10. The other is that they have Superfabric palm sliders, which are supposed to keep your wrist safe in a wreck by sliding along asphalt (rather than catching and snapping your wrist).

With my digital wallet now 80 EUR lighter, I was enjoying the feeling of the kangaroo leather on my fingertips and the breeze filtering through its perforations. At the kickscooter's top speed of 12mph, I felt plenty vulnerable riding across town to the rental shop, where I sat on a Primavera and a GTS, both recent vintages. The GTS seemed more comfortable for longer rides, so I splurged on the 90 EUR per day rental, even though I was quite sure I didn't want to use the extra power without proper gear on.

I made a quick stop at the Airbnb to install my phone mount, and made my way towards a restaurant 40 minutes away in Monopoli that sounded like the perfect place for my first real meal of the day (not counting the cappuccino and brioche I grabbed en route to the glove shop). My strategy was to stay along the water as much as I could on what I expected to be a chill beach road. I passed the traffic light where Google suggests to turn right towards the inland highway; instead, continuing along the waterfront where the speed limit modulated between 30 and 50 (19 and 31 MPH).

The road design was one of the most bizarre I've encountered. There was enough space between the sidewalk and the median for two lanes, but the paint seemingly-arbitrarily closed one lane, forcing all traffic to merge right. Then a short while later, through traffic was forced to the left while the right lane was closed.

(Revisiting the road on Street View, I can see that the designers tried to carve out turn lanes on a road that couldn't accomodate them by forcing through traffic to meander away from upcoming turns.)

I was in the right lane, following the arrow to change to the left. All of a sudden, I realize that a car behind me had decided to use the closed lane to try to pass me. All I thought was "OH SHIT!" We were about shoulder-to-shoulder when the side of her car met my handlebar. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, watching the bars of the Vespa skid into the asphalt in front of me.

I got up, grabbed my phone off the handlebars, and ran over to take a photo of her license plate. She was screaming things at me that I didn't understand. A good samaritan rolls up on a big bike, dressed in full leathers. He points out that I'm bleeding badly and need to go to a hospital. A few people rinse my bloody arms off with their water bottles. I hadn't even realized how banged up I was; my new helmet did its job so well that I forgot I was naked. He asks where the rental contract is, and I tell him its under the seat. He calls the rental company and an ambulance. I saw a park bench across the street and went to go sit on it. There are condom wrappers scattered about, but I'm in no position to give a shit. I video call the friend who suggested I leave my jacket behind and start to get woozy, wondering about my own mortality.

I hear sirens approaching and presume they're for me. The good samaritan had stood the Vespa up. I stagger towards the ambulance like a drunk in a movie, having the foresight to grab my belongings out from under the seat, but not sure what to do with the keys. The ambulance is yelling at me to get inside, so I leave the keys with the bike and let them take me away.



Almost nobody in Italy wears gear on a Vespa. As I pondered joining them without it, I remember thinking "if I go down, I can use the sliders on the gloves to take the punishment, keeping my exposed skin away from the road."

In the moment, I didn't think to do that. I didn't think to do anything, really. As soon as I realized she was next to me, everything else felt inevitable.

The gloves did a remarkable job. Aside from being covered in blood, they still look brand new.
The last photo of me, intact
The last photo of me, intact
17 minutes later…
17 minutes later…
Scroll no further if you're squeamish
Scroll no further if you're squeamish
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
My gear on the floor of the ER.

The helmet did a great job.  As much as the loudness bothers me, I'll definitely consider getting another one.
My gear on the floor of the ER. The helmet did a great job. As much as the loudness bothers me, I'll definitely consider getting another one.
This road is so poorly designed that someone's pulling the same bullshit maneuver on the Street View car!
This road is so poorly designed that someone's pulling the same bullshit maneuver on the Street View car!
@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2319
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2319
Location: Toronto, Canada
UTC quote
Ugh, not the conclusion we were hoping for. Hope you're on the mend?

Kangaroo leather is just awesome for comfort, safety, and dexterity. They also really last. I got my first pair in 2011, only this year are they finally looking like they're due for an upgrade.

A scratched Arai makes my heart sink

I was riding my Vespa in my bathing suit today, pretty sure that's how we're supposed to do it. I come from a beach people!

Lastly, hindsight is 20/20, but never let people wash open wounds from the same bottle they put their mouth too. All kinds of cooties can go from saliva to open wounds. In your position I wouldn't have thought of it either.

Hope you're getting better and this didn't spoil the south for you.

What ended up happening with the Vespa?
@giallo avatar
UTC

Addicted
GTS 300 hpe
Joined: UTC
Posts: 816
Location: NYC
 
Addicted
@giallo avatar
GTS 300 hpe
Joined: UTC
Posts: 816
Location: NYC
UTC quote
mayorofnow wrote:
The road design was one of the most bizarre I've encountered. There was enough space between the sidewalk and the median for two lanes, but the paint seemingly-arbitrarily closed one lane, forcing all traffic to merge right. Then a short while later, through traffic was forced to the left while the right lane was closed.

That road design has become rather common in Europe. I have encountered it in several countries. It serves to calm traffic. At least that is the purpose.

Obviously it won't prevent cagers from being oblivious of what's going on around them.
@rrider avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Triumph Bonneville 2022, Triumph Street Scrambler 2018 (sold), Suzuki VanVan200 (sold), 2015 Sprint 125 (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3208
Location: Finland
 
Ossessionato
@rrider avatar
Triumph Bonneville 2022, Triumph Street Scrambler 2018 (sold), Suzuki VanVan200 (sold), 2015 Sprint 125 (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3208
Location: Finland
UTC quote
Bummer🙁

I hope you'll heal well & fast - and get back to write us the great travel logs.
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12432
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12432
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
UTC quote
Oh, damn. That was a bad way to finish the day. Hope you heal well and quickly. How's the leg?

I guess you get to sort out all the intricacies of a foreign insurance/legal culture.
@armedferret avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
'23 300 Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1266
Location: Maryland
 
Molto Verboso
@armedferret avatar
'23 300 Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1266
Location: Maryland
UTC quote
Never good to see someone down. Here's to a speedy recovery and as few issues as possible navigating the claim.
OP
@mayorofnow avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2020 GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1389
Location: NYC
 
Molto Verboso
@mayorofnow avatar
2020 GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1389
Location: NYC
UTC quote
adri wrote:
What ended up happening with the Vespa?
I'm not really sure. I presume the rental shop came and got it.

I found their disc lock in my possessions after the hospital. I asked if they'd exchange it for my phone mount and they said "yes," which makes me think they got it back. (They never did arrange that meeting, which makes that the second phone mount I've lost in a month. 🙃)

I don't see the $1000 rental deposit on my credit card statement either.
adri wrote:
A scratched Arai makes my heart sink
I need to inspect my gear more, just for curiosity's sake. I left my left boot in Italy. Didn't even notice the scuffs on the BOA dial until I looked at this photo just now. (The dial was brand new; I replaced it last month.)

The helmet didn't get dinged much, but it does feel compromised in the places it did. The shell feels thinner there. You can tell just by touching it.

Took some quick photos of these gloves to send to a riding buddy the other day. You can see that the Superfabric did its job. You can also see that the left thumb (right photo) is a bit raw. I have some mystery knicks on my left thumb. I wonder if I got scraped through the perforations there.

I picked an unexpected shard of glass out of my leg today. Still have stitches, so it's hard to get a good read on that part of my arm, but the scabs have mostly fallen off where my limbs got skinned. The one on my leg is still healing, but that's for a future installment.
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@pammieellen avatar
UTC

Hooked
2020 GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 146
Location: San Diego, CA
 
Hooked
@pammieellen avatar
2020 GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 146
Location: San Diego, CA
UTC quote
I'm glad you are healing and so sorry to hear about your accident. You're right no one wears anything in Italy mostly (except the Americans). I am following your recovery and fingers crossed for a fast one.

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