Modern Vespa

We just got dumped on last night. Snow and ice everywhere. I drive by a local school, in my suv with heated seats turned on…then see this. Wow!!

Kids. They just don't know what they just don't know.

Actually, the schools were cancelled today. Must have been one of the adults. Brave soul.

I would do that on that scooter. Fun.

Looks like a Zuma. I had to ride home 14 miles in pretty heavy snow on a Zuma once. Thankfully only once. As long as I stayed in the fresh fall snow I was okay, but if I went into a tire track or behind the snowplow I slid all over. Truly a booty pucker moment! As I passed the snowplow the driver and his passenger were filming me on their phones. Stupid work let us out AFTER the snow came down. This is Virginia Beach. We don't know how to drive on snow.

Another day that my work was stupid is when they didn't update their No Work phone call in number during snow. I rode my wifes Can-Am Spyder because the car was in the shop. Get to work and there was only 15 people, out of about 1000 employees, in the whole building. We were so mad! All of us went into HR, when THEY finally opened, and complained. I think they fired the person "responsible" for updating the call in info line for our work.

Is it uphill?

I ride year round in Canada and have been since 2007. Please, enlighten me with your brilliance, as your wisdom clearly outshines us all.

I can't judge, it never snows here ...

For the last few years I have had a sidecar on my scooter it was fun but alas no more so when we get some snow I reckons I will still try or take out the electric bmx I built with a sidehack on.

Snow is fun until you hit black ice or some other charming thing under the pretty white stuff. Thens its all bent frames and bruised limbs.

Then in the spring you clean up the wreck of what was once a nice bike and see what all that damn road salt does to your chrome and alloy bits.

I too rode through a Toronto area winter... not worth it.

I'm on my 14th or 15th winter riding in Toronto I've not had any "bent frames" lol.

Tonight around 10 pm I had my Vespa out for a nice quiet ride. Spent about $72 US (about $90 CAD) on some thermal gear from Uniqlo and a cheap heated vest from Amazon and was very toasty.

The salt is gross for the bikes, I'll give you that much, but that's why I'm not riding Harley, my BMW, or my Triumph. I picked up my Vespa S for $1,500 CAD (about $1,150 USD). It's my neighborhood errand runner and winter beater. I spray some key parts with oil in the fall and it still looks good by spring.

Once COVID stuff is lifted and international travel is easier I will be out of Canada with a bike in the winters, but until then I will continue making the most of my time. Life is too short not to ride year round. Year round fun is totally worth it. Have some fun guys! We're not dead yet! lol

PS:



I also recommend fat biking in the winter. The trails are nearly empty. It's absolutely beautiful. Everything feels clean. Arguably the best winter workout you can get with your clothes on!

Somewhat related, my last video was about winter tires for motorcycles and scooters.

When I was working for a dealership in Toronto, we used to sell a lot of Heidenau winter scooter tires. I had no idea that since then, other companies have started offering winter tires for two-wheelers. Most notable is a company called ANLAS, who's motorcycle winter tires are actually Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified. That's the certification winter tires for cars need in North America.

I'm not talking about studded tires here, but tires for motorcycles and scooters with tread patterns, sipes, and specific chemical compounds all designed around winter-specific use.

Personally, I have never used a winter specific tire. When things get a little gnarly I just put both feet out and now I've got four points of contact. It's the cheap man's extra traction lol. But I sold quite a few sets of those Heidenaus before going off to work for Goodyear/Dunlop later on down the road.

For those who are interested in winter riding but are maybe just a little afraid, winter oriented tires are something to consider. If you want to learn more or just want to see some guy (not me) riding in the snow on those Anlas tires: