Modern Vespa

was it a pain to put on? any weird gaskets or sensors or anything i need to worry about? my present exhaust i fear is compromised, it is sounding like an angry walrus. i hope i don't get a dirty clutch before the new pipe goes on or the scooter is going to sound like mating season at Sea World.

I'm with Benelli on this one. Rarely do I modify anything beyond the standard.
Alright if the exhaust rots I won't put an original part on it but as for engine mods I leave that side of it well alone.
To think how much time these engine builders take to ensure that the stuff that they design and build work for many thousands of miles only for us to come along and decide that we can do it better.
How much money has been spent trying to make something that was never intended to go fast go faster when it would have been easier just to by something a bit faster?

Regards
Billy-no-scoot

No it was dead easy. I am sure yours will be too, except that yours will probably fix straight on to the head (those two brass nuts ).

Other than that easy.

Still worth it, if you're looking for a new exhaust, I suppose. Mine won't last forever, so the thought of a new one comes up more often. Saw and heard Spider's on his 300 and it looked and sounded great (although the old man part of me thinks: "Would I like this in my ears for a 2 week holiday?")

I've just tried to amend my Eurotunnel booking so my sister can come through the tunnel pillion and they say to do that I'll have to change it to a car. Seriously I'm not making this up.
I'll post the email if you don't believe me.
I've got the hump daggnabbit.
I'm going to turn into an elderly person now and do that fist shaking thing that you don't see anymore.
Dawwww.
Bill X

That is completely daft. It sounds like the person the other end thought you were going to take a trailer or sidecar. Did you use the word 'pillion'? If you had just said 'passenger' then it might have been less surreal...

pm me your email address and I'll forward it to you.

Any news on Spider these days ?

Bill X

the way the prices work, it's probably cheaper to book a car than a bike and two passengers.

Unless things have changed recently, one pays for the vehicle, not the people in/on it so we've effectively not paid for a pillion passenger on the bikes.
Ed's been over a few times with Alex on the back of the BM and just paid the fare 'on the list'.

Any extra cost is the administration fee for changing the booking.

When I went to the Isle of Wight on the ferry a couple of years ago we discovered that a pillion on a bike cost more than a foot passenger! So, next time, dismount, helmets off, and walk on to the boat...

Rye was a spontaneous decision, but we should definitely do an MV ride down there some time and annoy all the big boys.

Just got off the phone from the nice people at Eurotunnel and it's all cool now.
This customer services guy was very very helpful and not from India.
Just a delight.
Happy now
Billy-no-scoot

god i hate downtown meetings where i've got to turn up looking all skirty-and-shoesy .... without a handy office changing out of scooterwear is a big pain so i'm forced to use public transport.

today's joy was a bus with the heating on at about 30C, a heap of old fried chicken occupying one of the seats, and a group of people at the back who were 'feeling sick' and decided that the best remedy was shutting all the windows at the rear of the bus. i moved to the front of the bus and settled down in a nice gentle breeze, only to be rudely disturbed three seconds later when a gentleman got up and slammed shut the only remaining window, explaining that he too was 'feeling sick'. he didn't react positively to my suggestion that he should go and join the people at the back of the bus who were also feeling sick, in fact he started shouting at me in some incomprehensible language.

i walked the remaining 2 miles home

Bill, glad to hear all is sweetness and light. Why are you expected to look all 'girly'? Can't you turn up looking 'rufty-tufty biker'? I bet some of the blokes would appreciate some tight leather trousers and boots.

I understand how you feel Genie.
Two things that prevent me from ever getting on a bus again and that's

1 The 1000 yard stare of the people sitting on the bus who obviously don't want to be there and

2 A coach trip to Austria that I went on with an ex-girlfriend. Hell.
Worse than Argos on Christmas Eve. Never again.

Sorry you had a bad bay Genie.
Bill

I'd like to put my name down for tight leather trousers and boots please.

Yes Jim happy that the Eurotunnel guy couldn't have been more helpful and what's more there was no charge.

Chich-ching.

Bill X

whilst i would normally jump at an excuse to own a set of beautifully cut leather trews (saw some in Bond street that made me go 'ooooooo'....) the objective is not to cause frothing at the mouth and lustful befuddlement amongst a group of middle-aged academics (and believe me, it doesn't take much - i have a pair of 'nun shoes' especially for meetings of the sort i attended today )

For me there is something very attractive about a women standing with her hips slightly to one side wearing leather trousers, a white T shirt and a soft leather cropped leather bikers jacket with a botton collar.
Possibly with zip up ankle boots.
Bill X

bill, i must never introduce you to my shoe collection

That is a really bad idea. What I mean is that is a very good idea.
Bill X

Oh for goodness sake you two, just stop it!

Genie, the pain of changing in awkward places does not mean public transport. There has got to be another way. I have the same problem, but academics usually seem impressed by biker jacket, armoured trousers and helmet being placed on table during meetings.

I thought you proper Westminster guyz would get away with that. We do at University of London. Damnit, the BL Med School guyz get away with looking as if they have been dragged through a bush backwards and then some.

you're just jealous because bill's flirting with me this evening instead of you

you know, it's worth a thought .... today's meeting was a 'funding meeting' attended by a gaggle of stuffed shirts, and i reckoned it was best not to appear too much of a renegade when i'm tasked (hopefully) with spending a large chunk of their dosh.

i've become very adept at swapping my boots for shoes kept under the seat and my armoured jacket of a suit jacket folded in the top box. carry the lid in and all's dandy.

takes me less than 2 minutes at the roadside including locking up the scoot.

try that approach with a skirt some time and let me know how you get on

Haven't you heard of slacks?

You don't think you could have worked them in your favour with your power dressing ?
It worked for a certain P Galore.
Bill X

gaaaaahhhhhh!!!! i don't own any 'slacks'!!!!! i own funky designer trews in oddball lengths, colours, and shapes, or figure-hugging jeans, or shabby old things that i wear in the garden. when did dressing conservatively become so bloody difficult????

When we get to a certain age. Didn't you read that article about flat shoes and high heels and the cut off point....

Me flirt ? When have you ever found me doing that to someone who has attractive qualities ? I could never be that shallow and superficial.
But on the other hand.
Bill X

I have to ask does anybody like my new Avatar ? I thought it was time to change.
There was another one that was a little erm revealing but I kind of warmed to this one.
I think it looks like me.
Bill X

certain age my bum talk to the shoe collection (and these are just a couple of the 'comfy' ones....)

Oh Jesus Christ. You are doing it on purpose.
Bill X

I ain't never seen you in no heels.

OK, now I'm definitely going to bed....

hmmm i dunno bill, i've not yet seen you in a collar and lead. next meet up?

Collar and cuffs? Isn't that someone's user name? Now the cat's out of the bag....

sorry Bill, just had to do it....

Doug has finally outed me.
Bugger.
Bill x

i'll wear some to the next pub meet then we may have to blindfold bill and tie him to the chair ... um, i mean ... to prevent him from seeing the shoes and lunging at them. not for any other purpose, indeed not.

Yeah because I wouldn't enjoy that at all would I ?
Who is teasing now ?
Oh I'm going to regret this in the morning.
Or on Saturday morning whichever.
Bill X

sorry, sorry .... after a day of acting all conservative and wishing i owned some slacks, i'm feeling a tad punchy this evening. my normal schoolmarm-ish demeanor to resume at once [*prim*]

I think I actually prefer the Dark Genie as opposed to the Milk Chocolate Genie.
Sometimes you just have to make other people suffer for the bad day that you've just had.
It kind of re-dresses the balance or at least diverts it somewhere else.
I hope that tomorrow brings you better things.

March 7th I might ride to Bethune for lunch then home again.

Bill X