Modern Vespa

It was actually Jack Daniels. But I lost my father last week so I'm harier than normal. My apolopies to Dessa and Genie. I've been on a bender since last week and still am. Scooters just don't seem so important at the momoent.

Madbadger, very sorry to hear of your loss - as much as that means over the intermong, I know what it is to deal with a parent's death.

Quite understood Badger, have a few more on me. Sorry about your Dad. Bummer when that happens, especially if 'before time'.

Thank you for your thoughts. He had mesotheliona, basically exposure to asbestos from his job many years ago. He was only 67. I know I've been a bit difficult over the last few months but my dad had been ill since around January 2007, so I hope you'll allow me the 'curmudgeons' (spelling ? !). Like the spelling matters. Thank you again for your thoughts.

Jim C and Wonder.and anyone else reading. I didn't mean to post this as to put people off. I think my dad would have loved folks to carrry on and I know I do. Carry on....................................................

Oh I think it will go back to its regular schedule of scooter bollocks fairly quickly....

You make a fine Curmudgeon Badger. A small self-selecting tribe.

Back to the bollocks, what happened to Dessa's ET2? Last I heard it seemed to have a stuck throttle or somesuch, easily fixed.

Huh ? this was locked 2 minutes ago.

IBT2ndL

It got a little sweary but its all back to tea and biscuits now....harsh words were exchanged, but then there were apologies, hopefully we all shook on it and the skok are back.

If i knew what that meant i might be a lot happier........ anyway I'm off, up early going to kent tomorrow to sack one of my lazy arsed employees.....
Adious campers.

Thanks for that Kate thought I was loosing my marbles.... hey i looked at your site--- cool toons

Thanks Border! Doing some toons for the skok...

so yeah, they checked the throttle cable, wasn't that, checked the carb, wasn't that, looked at the engine and bam
as I said, engine has been fragile for a while now, we all had it coming...
she would start, move, etc, but out of control. there was no idle, her idle speed was all over the place and I couldn't reverse anymore with her on. (it got very bad in the last few days) basically had to ride holding down both brakes as she was throttling like crazy

I got my eye on a few babies around the area and genie is sorting me out with a nice move. new year, new ride. I'm also going to get my full license as promised (I failed the theory car test in december, so shall do the whole shabang this year, car, bike, you name it!)
we can go on real roads next time

Over-revving is never a basic problem with the engine itself, only with fuelling/throttle stuff.

I suspect the carb needs a good talking-to - frankly a normal service should sort it out, given good mechanics.

you think I should get a second opinion?

but she was Jim, wery wery dodgy for a while
the engine sort of blew last year, it has a horrid dry screws sound since and it was inside the engine after much searching

who do you recommend?
I want to upgrade her anyway...
genie's mechanic will take a look at it probably as well as he's interested in her head-turning body, so who knows, a heart transplant and she may be back on the road!
but I will part with my baby regardless

You are due to upgrade in CCs, granted. But the bike engine should be basically sound. Duff engines tend not to rev at all...

I trust them a lot over there and fixing it seemed like would probably cost me more than selling it for spares, but we'll see

watch this space, should have updates fairly quickly as I am not enjoying usage of my Oyster card..

8)

So sorry about Shirley Mary - I got a lump in my throat reading that. It's always hard when they go, and much worse when they go to the knacker's yard rather than off to bring a new owner joy. Brought back all the memories of my first scoot, Bernadette - a loyal little 80cc Suzuki whose engine went terminally bang back in 1999.

I am CROSS AS TWO STICKS today because I have a non-starting ET4 in the shop and a month-old GP800 with a rear puncture. Got the train to work because I'm utterly fed up with bikes and didn't feel like getting up an hour early to piddle around with puncture repair kits in zero degrees. Grrrrrrrr.

egh how annoying. I've got a starting ET4 whilst the 'Loper is being fixed, but I can't ride it any distance because she's not got heated grips installed and my hands will freeze before i get to the end of the street.

so I braved public transport today as well. An ipod makes it much, much better

I can't ride either. My 300 has had its second REAR tyre puncture (bollox), such a FUCKING pain, so I've been tubing it all week. Mind you, it really wasn't a bad week to be on public transport. Except that the general masses will probably have sneezed all over me and I will have caught the 'flu. Que sera I s'pose.

Tyre is now properly plugged so it will be going on Saturday morning and I will be back to balmy scootering on Monday!

OMG where in the world have you been? so much has happened since we last spoke, i don't even know where to start???!!! Wonder is getting a new scooter!! Dessa is getting a new scooter!! Husky got a new scooter!!! i got a new scooter and crashed it 10 days later and Bill wore some leather trousers at the weekend

Let's not talk about where I have been.

Anyway I know all the above.... And I am back. Sorry for the long absence! I promise I will make up for it!

Damn punctures.....

I just danced in front of my dog to 'seven days is too long' and he just looked at me. What's all that about?

welcome back Doug!!!!

Did you hear? Me! a 125cc! Imagine!

with a lot of positive thinking all of us will be riding again on Monday
I wasn't much bothered about being on the bus mind this week as Doug said. I took naps on it in the warmth of my only non-armoured normal wear coat (topshop faux fur circa 2005, much like Pat's from Eastenders)
but I'm fed up now. and the money I spent on public transport would have fueled me for a month now.

Alice, don't be angry at the ET4, just think how tough her night had been out in the freeze....
And Doug, two punctures, a month's absence...?? you have some explaining to do!

So I guess the reunion I was meant to organize will be a meet up to introduce the new scooters to one another and go through the nostalgia of our old ones (showing photos of when they were babies, etc)

date is tbc until we all sort ourselves out.

i just found out that the bloke who bought my Wilma is a complete muppet. not only did he ring up Kelvin the day after buying it, complaining that the kick start didn't work (um, it's got an electric start ), but he managed to get it impounded about a week after buying it!

i know this because the DVLA still hadn't changed the registration and the impound notice came to me. I'm torn between trying to get in touch with him and letting him know where his bike is, or ignoring the notice and letting little Wilma go to a police auction where hopefully she'll be bought by somebody who will love her properly ... I don't have high hopes that buddy will be a very responsible owner

Dessa should go and rescue Wilma - everybody's happy that way.

Good to have you back on board doug.

Welcome home, doug. I'm really missing everybody. It's a busy time at the moment but would be lovely to meet prior to our European jaunt (yipee!).

Yeah Doug's back. I've missed you mate.
Are you going to come along to either of out trips into Europe ?

I'll have full internet access by the weekend yipee !

Billy-no-scoot XX

I wore some leather trousers at the weekend and you missed it.
Billy-no-scoot

*DOUG HUGS!*

I have an ET4 back with the carb cleaned out. Hopefully starting will improve - anyway, the weather is warming up and I won't be leaving it for a week again like I did over New Year. I will stop cruising eBay for potential replacements now, promise.

I was hoping for a ride on the GP800 on Sunday, when it will be a balmy eight degrees!, but I'll see what the puncture does when I try to plug it tomorrow.

Badger, I used to sing and dance with my cats, to their great disgust. Nothing does contempt like a Burmese can

The kickstart doesn't work on the ET4 huh ? I'd like to find an ET4 with a kickstart that does work. Anyone ?
Billy-no-scoot

er-hem.... my (now in heaven), ET2 (no ET4 but close)'s kickstart worked

proud mum

Sorry it has to be an ET4. That means next week it's a rollover.
The clue was ET4.
Love Bill X

Current ET4 kickstart doesn't work. I can't remember if I used it or not on either of my previous ones.

ET4 is back, and back to its old ways of starting on about the third go-round of switching on and off and hitting Start and cursing.

My old ET4 could be started on the kickstart (but it was a beatch ) and it was a pre Leader so i dont know if that helps?
so yeah I had and ET4 with a working kickstart

oh,.... get lost!

I'm off Vespa shopping, including ringing the bell at a house on the Finchley Rd and showing her the money asking if she wants to sell that beauty I've watched for about a year

wish me luck everyone, I may be back in the evening in my new ride!!!!!

xx 8)
(ps: if my new kickstart works, does that count? )

oooo, shopping

how did it go?? anything to show???

i got some new tights this morning and a jacket that looks a good deal like those awful tucano puffas that came out last fall. what can i say, the look grew on me.

i've just looked at kate's gallery. though i take great delight in imagining barack obama in his underpants i'm afraid the vision of boris sans shirt and sporting a pierced tit is going to have me rummaging for the chopsticks to put my eyeballs out. and that horrible yellow hair. there's something all deviant-easter-bunny about it. [*wrings hands*]