Modern Vespa

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I grew up in a family of bicycle/motorcycle enthusiasts and my happiest memories of childhood were on the back of my Dad's Heinkel scooter when I was still in elementary school. My dad would have me on the back, my younger brother in front, and our german shepherd on the floorboards. I am sure if there was youtube back then he would have gone to jail for the video evidence. To be honest we were never on the scooter all at the same time as far as I can remember but I definitely remember going to the county fair on the scooter with both my brother and me at the same time, and my Dad and our dog on the scooter many times. Definitely not legal now and probably not back then either.
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A couple years ago I found a really good deal on a Liberty 50 that one of my neighbors here in Reno was selling on craigslist and I thought it would be perfect to introduce my kids to my lifelong passion but alas they did not take to it.
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No helmets even, wow!

It reminds me of this iconic picture that was made probably in 1969 in Milano, Italia.
The whole family on the scooter.
Today you'd go to jail but back then no problem at all.

Hey Garthhh, I live in NW Reno just outside of the McCarron loop in one of the tract houses and there is nothing in my neighborhood. I have heard about a private track at KE Motorsports out by Stead but I have not been there yet.

While my family moved here in 2016 I did not get here until 2019. I had to stay back in the Midwest working and only got to visit my family here a few times until early in 2019. So I am relatively new here and while I did have relatives here and visited as a kid it has changed a bunch. I know they used to have speedway races here in Reno but can't remember where they were located. Might have been where they have the rodeo's now but that was in the early 70's. It would be awesome to connect with some old timers who actually remember that stuff I haven't been able to find out anything about it.

The flat track bike is a 99 sportster sport with the Phil Little steering head and some other parts. I am still trying to put together the wheels for it and while it runs it has been a back burner project while I am working on the house and a couple other things. Yet once again my alligator mouth has bitten off more than my sparrow butt can carry although I do like to be busy! Since I got the original offset steering head bracket from Phil he has come out with another one that works with a Davey Durelle triple tree setup that is wider to better accommodate the wider Mitas tires so I am considering heading in that direction.

How long have you been in Reno? Did you grow up here? In checking the threads I see we have similar fond experiences with Lucas equipped bikes! At least the Ducati didn't have the shakes that exacerbate the problem. I like your posts, and am hoping we can be friends! Are there any other Renoites in here?

Thanks for the understanding Peter. I would think growing up in Belgium where they actually have a huge two wheeled culture it be more natural to be drawn to it. To each their own I guess.

I think perhaps there are still plenty of parts of rural Italy where this would still be considered a normal way of getting around the local neighbourhood.

I have never been to Europe and only know about it from what I read. I thought all of Europe was extremely bicycle, motorcycle, scooter-centric.
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Bicycle racing is a very popular sport all over Europe. Number 2 after football (I mean the real football what you call soccer).
The first races are held from beginning of February and it goes on week after week, race after race until end of October.

I think cycle racing is in the DNA of most Belgians. It's all encompassing in the national psyche. Not just road racing, but cyclo-cross and track racing too.

I absolutely love the Cobbled Classics from the 'Omloop' to 'La Doyenne' they all test the riders ability, not just their fitness and endurance, but also their bike handling abilities. On a wet day, watching the riders tackling the many sections of often steep cobbled 'pave', trying just to simply remain upright is awe-inspiring.