Modern Vespa

embrace the weirdness doug, it's the only way.

Actually, I like the weirdness 8)

I spent five hours at Alice's place last night. Loaded the SHitty with all the tools I thought I needed to change the belt on her ET. Unfortunately one blasted bolt was seized solid on the transmission cover and I had to return back home to get a drill to remove the head. Ended up a marathon with a halogen light in the road until 10pm. The neighbours must've been really pleased

Her belt was like candy floss, what a mess....

Doug is an absolute HERO. He was wrestling with my belt until gone 10PM with only a couple of swears. I'll take a pic later of the remains of my belt, wrapped round the gudgeon pin.

I think I mentioned my desire for a Piaggio Ape on the Belgium trip. I could bring up the rear, all nice and dry, and serve coffee at the rest stops.

Oh, also, I've just passed my driving test

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!

Well done well done welldonewelldonedonewellwellwellwell

Hurrah. Don't know how I managed to keep my big gob shut about your test!!!!

Congratulations!

Just spent the whole morning replacing the belt and the sump gasket. Original variator has gone back in.

Hope the oil leak is sorted. Had to buy a mini torque wrench to sort out the sump bolts as they are critcal.

Lovely weather, so out for a blast around the North Circular to Halfords to see if I can colour match the paint myself as Vespa seem unable to supply a touch up stick. Will have to take off the horncast cover and take it in with me!

well done alice!! and to doug too, for going above and beyond the call of duty to fix alice's belt. i'm still waiting of the picture of you getting covered in kisses

you should've called me, I'd have been up for a ride today, especially if the destination was a halford's that actually has useful items in stock (unlike our local one which stocks car stereos and air fresheners).

ah well ... back to my reading on risk analysis, globalization, and ecocriticism

Well done! I trust the examiner complimented you on your observation.

Make a note of the colour code - Halfords can match it (in their 'book' under Vespa-Piaggio).

Hey Alice, well done...

He asked me what sort of bike I had, and I thought he must have noticed my biker observation skills...but it turned out he'd seen it on my licence. Oh well.

Ha ha!

Kisses: only one

Halfords: mine is shit too. I have bought a Fiat touch up, looks the same, will see

Ecocriticism: I read eroticism and wondered what you were reading/ watching They couldn't as they didn't have my code listed

congratulations alice!

Thanks y'all!

In response to the question everybody has been asking me: no, I'm not planning to get a car any time soon. My mum may let me drive hers occasionally, however.

Congratulations here, too!

Suggestions:
* Donkei's Paradise
* Vespardino (vespa - giardino)
* Ortaggi
* Crema di verdure
* 't Hofke (pronounced: tofke - meaning 'small garden')

well done alice!

did I miss anything about meeting at the Pilot on the 18th?

We are meeting at the Pilot on the 18th at a time that has yet to be agreed.

Regards

Bill X

dessa i didn't get you any cigarettes

i thought we'd have a chance to stop at a shop somewhere in france before boarding the ferry back but the only shopping we did was at the chocolate factory in ostende where i somehow overlooked the large display of fags, booze, and porn in the back of the shop. sorry.

think of it as my gift to your health

Genie, next time we mention the 'Chocolate Factory' you will recognise the significance.

I'm sorry that when we were held up in Adinkerke I couldn't afford the detour to the 'places that sell stuff cheap'.

I find I have three more bookings for the Bikers loft this year. My wallet is slapping me...

So what is everyone doing for Easter? I'm meeting a friend for a ride tomorrow morning, ending up near Guildford, whence I will travel southwest to meet my boyfriend for a weekend of motorcycling[1], more motorcycling, and the Dr Who Special.

[1] I would have put 'riding' but it's too open to misinterpretation

boyf and i are riding to Farnham tomorrow morning to spend an internet-free weekend with my aunt and uncle.

'meet my boyfriend for a weekend of riding' = sounds dodgy
'meeting a friend for a ride' = doesn't sound dodgy

Except to you obviously

so i'll have to smoke rollies till someone else makes it to Europe or anywhere cheaper and back?
shocking!
don't worry, I'd forgotten about them!

I'm not doing much this Easter weekend, doing some work on a free lance project, chatting to Velma (since Alex and George will be working), waiting for the Easter bunny, watching Wolverine again for the 5th time, etc...

Let me go over to the events page and check out the Pilot meet up...

I'm camping in Lechlade for the w/e. Seven pubs in Lechlade, I expect I'll make a fool of myself.

Ah, I know it from my trips to RIAT. Nice part of the world.

i'll be just down the road from jim in cirencester visiting my wife's relatives.

mrs kam's grandfather used to be an engineer at the air force base near there and rode to work on his vespa douglas.

then up to my country retreat in lincolnshire, followed by a trip to sheffield.

Tomorrow visiting new friends in Brugge for the afternoon and evening, Saturday going to a demonstration at the Council Tip on how to 'do' a compost heap in a heavily-subsidised compost bin which I shall buy when I'm there, Sunday not sure yet but, as it is Easter Day, I shall go to church in Brugge at 6.00. in the English Chapel.
Monday isn't a holiday here.

Friday reading a book. Saturday cleaning and polishing the Fox and the Hornet. Sunday reading the newspapers and eating chocolate possible trip to the movies. Monday lay in then polishing the Hornet again and maybe taking it out for a ride later in the day.

Much Love

Billy-no-scoot

hang on hang on hang on ... back up .... so you're going to polish the hornet on saturday, then put it back in the garage, then take it out again on monday, polish it again, and then maybe ride it?

you need more scooters to polish. can i bring the interloper down one day? you can be the doug of polishing

By all means you can visit and I'll give the Interloper a bit of a buff with my special compounds.

And yes the above thread was correct.

Regards

Bill XX

I bet I have more polishes in my arsenal. (menzerna, 3m, meguiars, poorboys etc) I have an American DA Porter Cable buffer with loads of various grades and sizes of foam pads.... Actually I am a sad fuck.

Beat that Village.

I am having a little visit from a kind gentleman from Norwich who is delivering a little something on his way to visit his sister in Ealing Broadway.

if that's what i think it is, tell him to bring it straight to ealing broadway so that i can have a go

You're quite welcome to pop over and have a go - but aren't you in Lincoln?.... I'll be waiting to July. I can do a Bill though and get polishing.

i'm in cirencester tomorrow and lincoln & sheffield next week. i'll give you a call and fix a time to come and have a gander.

I'm in Belfast next week. You can ride it up to High Beech and annoy the Goldwingers. I can follow on the SHitty.

ooh may i join you on the interloper? i want to sit on the mana at least... i might run it to the end of your driveway and back

For what it's worth, my now negative "karma" is telling me that I have indeed gone way over the line on MV, and it appears the majority of my transgressions have occurred in THIS thread in particular. And, while no negative (neutral) karma votes against other members occurred on this thread before my appearance, several have SINCE, indicating that not only am I a gutter-minded slob but also possibly a not-so-great influence. Kudos, Beth!

So, I really WILL cease posting here and will be editing myself heavily elsewhere on MV. My sincerest apologies to those whom I have obviously offended. That was absolutely not my intent. I am a very open, out-spoken person IRL, and I tend to simply write how I speak. Clearly, I should do my best to amend that.

Best wishes to you all! XO

(Oh, and don't respond to this. It's just a PSA. Over and out! )

Negative karma? You Beth? I've been neglecting the possible abuse of Moderator 'extra points' to boost you up, apols. You are definitely a probationary Sköker, and most welcome in this attempt to become the most viewed thread (why is this being attempted? - the lack of any point is the whole point).

Now to get back On-Topic.

Ah. Hmm...

OK:

"It was 40 years ago today":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_7965000/7965597.stm

(Concorde's first UK test-flight)