Modern Vespa

Regards from Minneapolis, I just picked up my "new" 1965 Vespa 150 this morning, very nice restoration, with the new VBB (VDD) (???) engine with electronic ignition, new paint, brakes, wiring, all done at the local scooter store.... The VIN starts with v462 so the shell must have been Indian but everything else is new. Love the little thing but taking it easy since it only has 130 kilometers on the new engine. Photos will be posted in a few days

Question for you experts:

Before shut-off do you close the gas valve and let it run until it runs out of gas to prevent the gas from sitting in the carb.

I appreciate the replies and wish all a happy scootering!!!

No, it's okay for gas to sit in the carb, just not for months+. When riding season is over, that's when you run it dry before you pack it up for the winter.

I'd love to see some pics!

I have been running bikes dry if it's going to be more then a couple days before I fire them back up, the additives in the gas now leave behind some nasty residue if evaporates. I've had float needles get stuck up in the needle seat, and have had to clean carbs that only sat for 2 weeks with gas in them.

Welcome!

Whereabouts in Minneapolis are you? I'm in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood.

There are a few group rides that happen pretty consistently. I get to join them occasionally.

www.minnescoota.com first and third Sunday of the month. Pizza Luce on 32nd and Lyndale ave s. They leave for a ride at 3pm

google groups - Tuesday Night Ride leaves from the parking lot on East River Parkway & Summit Ave at 7pm (I'm actually going to make it this coming up Tuesday, the 15th, I took the night off of work)

www.meetups.com Hecks Angels Scooter Club

BIG rally coming up August 14-16! www.rattlemybones.com Lots of fun! Get some mileage on that new engine! The Saturday Big Ride will be about 75 miles long.

Post some pics! I'd love to see a 1965 Vespa. That's the year I was born.

Sorry for the delay and thank you all for the welcoming words, I live in St. Anthony West in Minneapolis, Hennepin and University. I bought the Vespa from The Blue Cat Scooters in Minneapolis and just wanted to say thanks to everyone there for their help. I have done about 130km since I got her last week and I love it!!!

I will definitely try to meet up for the group rides, I have a friend with the newer 200cc Vespa and I'll bring him along.

Anyway, here are the photos.

Igor

Sweet looking scoot.

It's an indian bajaj that somebody put vespa badges on. The taillight is a cast repop of a GS150 taillight ( that's interesting ). (I just want you to be aware of this because the title should read BAJAJ Chetak and not Vespa anywhere on it. You title a scooter based off of the Frame VIN, and this frame is NOT an italian made vespa. Just saying ... if you should sell the thing, please make sure you disclose the fact that it's a rebadged indian bike and not an italian vespa, even if the engine is stamped VBB. Bikes are not titled off of the engine. )

Looks nice. They didn't make roundtail frames in italy past 1961, so yours could be as late as into the 70's when they stopped making them look VBB style and started making them look like Sprints / Supers.

Does the original VBB engine have matching engine cases? If you get down at the tail end of the scooter get real close to the ground, near the oil drain plug facing backwards you'll see a 3 digit number stamped in each side of the engine. Do they both read the same number?

Rover Eric,

I read some of your posts and I must say that you know everything about these things!!! Amazing, anyway I knew that it was a Bajaj frame, maybe you could help me by decoding the vin and finding out what year it was. I think it's a 1965. Here is the vin # V462 12T 68582

I also looked under the engine and found two stamps with characters LML and L2 and I outlined them in the photos - sorry about the bad quality, they are off my phone.

If you can edit the photos and outline where I should be looking that would be great too. I am very eager to find out more about this bike and what it actually is.

All I can say is that it runs amazing and I'm having a blast riding it and I think that's all that matters. Thanks again for all your help and I look forward to conversing with you

Best regards,

Igor
Minneapolis

Your scooter was built in India - not at a local shop. I hope these guys are being honest with you.

I sell these scooters, also. Here at Sportique we call them "Classico" models. They are fine - there's nothing wrong with them - I just hope you know what you bought.

Yeah ..that's not an italian engine either. It's indian as well - made recently at the LML factory.

Again, not a bad thing, per se, but a lot of people ( particularly on ebay ) will take an Indian / Bajaj bike and put vespa badges on it with the intent of defrauding the consumer into paying italian-prices for non italian-made merchandise.

Kinda like if someone had a pair of chinese made Doc Martens boots but sewed a tag on them that said "made in england" so people would be more likely to buy them and pay an inflated cost.

Does it mean the shoes are bad? Not necessarily ... just that there are dubious practices like this that people do.

I hope the bike works out for you. Basically anything related to the VNB / VBB will apply for this bike, accessories, engine parts, etc. Let us know if you have questions.

-Eric

Eric,
I am looking at a 1967 125 gt that a friend of mine has owned for 6 years, she has papers from england with the VMSC ( vintage motor scooter club stamps and stickers with frame , engine numbers etc.)

we have papers tracing its ownership all the way.

we went on a ride today and the scoot goes real well, a little tricky with the clutch shifter grip but it is cool.

original paint and trim, new seat
question what should I offer my friend, I understand that value is based on what any person would pay on any given day, but I want to be fair but still have a friend at day's end... any advice?

One thing I would like to do is get a single long seat. Is this possible and does anyone have a link to where it can be bought. Also, photos of your older Vespa with the long seat are welcome

The regular Sprint seat fits perfectly. Available from most shops for around $120

Igor,

Here is a picture of my '64 VBB with a repo GS160 seat.
You can find this seat for around $300 through www.scooterworks.com.

Hope that helps with your decision making and welcome to MV.

Cameron

So, i have a GS160 and HAVE to buy that grey bench seat ...but you dont have to spend 300 for one for a sprint or VBB style bike. Don't get me wrong - it will fit .. but it's kinda money wasted.

Remember that the GS / SS / Rally all had raised up gas tanks that required special seats that could accomodate the tall tank. Sprints / P-series / all else did not. Just get your regular old sprint seat with the white piping and you'll be fine.


Cameron - the VBB w/10" wheels, p-series front fork, likely a big engine ( p200? ) ... aluminum flashing and grey GS160 seat ... is this a mock-up GS160? One who didn't know any better would confuse it for one... looks cool in that tangerine color.

Eric,
I am looking at a 1967 125 gt that a friend of mine has owned for 6 years, she has papers from england with the VMSC ( vintage motor scooter club stamps and stickers with frame , engine numbers etc.)

we have papers tracing its ownership all the way.

we went on a ride today and the scoot goes real well, a little tricky with the clutch shifter grip but it is cool.

original paint and trim, new seat
question what should I offer my friend, I understand that value is based on what any person would pay on any given day, but I want to be fair but still have a friend at day's end... any advice?

Alright ...a 125 GT ... nice bike, they weren't really imported here so there's not many of them in the states. Yours must have come over from canada, maybe? Everything on this bike is identical to a Sprint, except the gearing and top end. What's an original paint sprint worth? I dunno ...2000, maybe? 2500 tops? Less if the engine needs a lot of work.

I would offer 1750-2000 for this bike depending on condition, but understanding that you're probably going to want to throw a bigger top end on there.

If you have the impression he wants less ...offer less. 1500 ..etc.

-Eric

Eric,
We have a recipt where someone bought 9 scooters in 2001 and shipped them to US. ( for short money I may add)
The horn dosen't work, the key only locks the fender storage box, no key to start or lock the steering, it comes with a new chrome rim for the front ( to replace some rust, the body has some surface rust but is otherwise solid) there is another new part having to do with the accuracy of the hand grip shifting???
all in all I would consider these things easy fixes I think...
My estimate is pretty much in line with yours I was thinking 1,500.
My wife says 1200 , I saw a nicer one on scoot net for 2,000 obo

Thanks so much and I will keep you posted < or continue bugging you , whichever is more accurate
Thanks ,
Murray

Yes, Eric is right. Spending $300 on a seat for a VBB is counter-productive. My repo GS 160 seat just happened to make it onto my VBB because it was a deal I could not pass up.

My VBB is lovingly called "Franken-scoot" because of the all the mish mash of parts that have been integrated into it. It wish it had a P200 engine (it currently has an LML-150). I guess with the P fork and seat it does come across as a GS model. It definitely gets some double takes at rallies.

You would have really enjoyed the Monterey region this past week. It is a combination Moto Giro and Moto GP festivities. Our local club "tagged along" with the vintage Ducati's, Bellini's etc through days 1 and 2. We were even lucky enough to get 2 laps around Laguna Seca Raceway!

Cameron

Sorry to break into the "Ask Eric Show" but, European. I work near Hennempin and Stinson, (for a few more days at least) not far from you.

Nice looking scooter. I'd love to see you buzz up Stinson (my office window looks down on it.)

Thanks bud, I do zip around Hennepin a lot and I know where Stinson is so keep your eyes open me