Modern Vespa

Yup, that was a nice lunch. Thanks for your hospitality Doug and the new scoot is very nice. Great group ride into London, although A12 traffic was a bit mental.

That tongue pic is great

Bigger?

I think I may have worked out your real name.

Does it begin with a B ?

I do look a bit evil.

Bill X

Brian??? is that an evil name?

Not evil enough nya ha ha ha . Actually that tongue is a little disturbing.

Someone had to do it.

To finish off I left the scooter shop with Doug drooling over his LML then Alice and I went off in different directions. She went shopping in Bromley and I rode to Bluewater of a huge bucket of coffee and an even bigger slice of carrot cake.
Dropped in to see a friend for tea in Chatham then on to Sittingbourne to drink some more of that delicious beverage.

Nite all X

Dang - missed some action in Blighty - got tons of SUPERB roads in France covered this last five days. 1622 miles door-to-door, but Thursday was the best, ~360 miles of very fast twisties over 11 hours (St. Ettienne to Millau and back), kept up with the Hayabusas! Bill, you'd have loved it, but been left behind...

More of the story later - bed soon - ride-out in Leicestershire tomorrow (checks clock) - oops, that's today.

360 miles of twisties huh ? Cock cock cock ! I would have given a Double Decker or at least a Kit Kat to have been on that ride but Jim you are right I would have been left for dust.

Off to Tunbridge Wells for a huge fry up in Calverley Park with my buddy from Amsterdam.

Tasty.

Bill X

just making final preps for our departure to cornwall i don't own any i-things so won't be posting en route, though i might peek in if there is a handy terminal anywhere we're staying.

be good everyone, see you next saturday

Just be safe the pair of you.

Love and Rockets

Bill X

Just back from another 277 miles on today's ride-out - and another hose clamp gave way while filtering along Hanger Lane a few miles from home - clouds of steam from the front of the bike! Luckily had some water and tools, so got home just fine. It's due for a service anyway, so I'll get the clamp replaced under warranty and get a coolant flush to boot.

One set of pictures from the 'best ride ever':
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41273912@N07/?saved=1

A written record may be coming soon.

There's a man with his knob out having a piss in one of those pictures!

I see you did the Millau viaduct again!

I've just posted some routes for the Charity Run if anyones interested.

Doug where are the pictures of the LML ?

I'm still lusting at that half re-bulit Italjet Dragstar in the Scooter Shop.

Bill X

Cripes, with one that size, I wouldn't want my picture taken, and then spread on the Internet. How embarrassing.

I know size doesn't matter, BUT--------

Fab pix Jim, wish I was there.

Did you do the Millau thing on the the old N9, now the D911???
Have they raised the péage rate for the viaduc leg yet?? I know it was in the works when we were there last year.

BTW, I should have done this by PM, but since you don't answer PMs, I had to do it this way.

Besides, it will expand the the thread.

Only having Sunday as a day off I try to fit alot in. It has been a day of highs and lows. In the morning I took my wonderful missus and my two fantastic children to a military vehicle show. We had a ride on a tank, on a jeep, saw some fantastic air displays and my missus and my 3 year old girl went on a helicopter for 15 minute ride. They both loved it, Alfie and I stayed on the ground to ogle after the remote model tanks (which were about as big as my scooter)

In the afternoon we went to my inlaws were we all went swimming in their pool. I went someway to teaching both Alfie and Poppy how to swim.

In the evening I played with the kids, read them soem stories and they fell asleep early. (7pm)

Great SCOOTER TIME!! I have 2 projects, the installation of a 12V outlet for satnav and my headlight peak. Project one, took about 20 minutes. I am pleased as punch. Looks excellent.

Project 2 , took forever. Installation was easy, but I could not get the headset to go back on!! it was driving me crazy!!! Eventually all went well and I got it back on. Just as I was finishing (about 10pm) I bloody broke a wing mirror. As I was screwing it back on, it sheered off in my hand. I know I was tightening it, but bloomin' 'eck, I am not the HULK!!! Now I am left with the sheered off part stuck and a knackered mirror stem.

I ahve just ordered a new part, but I don't fancy riding to work with no right mirror. So its bus/train and walk for me.

Bollox.

You'll be alright with the left mirror only. Plenty of lifesavers to the right. It'll be fine! Obviously a grow-er and not a show-er....

[quote="dougl65"]You'll be alright with the left mirror only. Plenty of lifesavers to the right. It'll be fine!
quote]

Yeah I know, but I don't want to have to explain 100 times why The right one is missing

Don't know if you folks have Oscar Meyers over there or not, but they plump when you cook 'em.
C'est moi.

Ah, nuts, is it Monday already? Great weekend of scooters big and small, and also of gorgeous cats (Doug's Siamese, and an X9 Forum friend's Bengals yesterday).

Back from pub. Now on the whisky. Plastic welding being left until tomorrow - tiny split in coolant tank (GP800).

After a lovely lunch in Mendocino I coaxed the rv down highway 1 and am now sitting by the pool just north of napa. I'm getting used to driving the beast now - it no longer feels like driving a double decker bus with 10000 gallons of water sloshing about on the upper deck!

The scenery is breathtaking and the nights of BBQ and wine are suiting me well.
Hope you're all well in Blighty.

You can go off some people you know.

Glad to hear that you are having a great time. Nope not jealous at all.

Makes that clenched fist gesture that you don't see older people do anymore.

Bill X

Nice of you to drop in, Kam

Bill, the Old Kent Road is definitely the A2. Were you actually talking about an old road in Kent, whereas I meant the one on the Monopoly board?

(My route home on Saturday was nice and clear, BTW - by comparison with my weekday commute, anyway!)

Alice you are right and I was wrong. Please forgive me for getting it so wide of the mark.
I honestly thought that the A20 went straight through to the Elephant and Castle but I was mistaken it ends at New Cross and the A2 takes over.
Please accept the winners bounty (like that ) of a Double Decker that I believe was the agreed bet.
The next time I see you I'll hand over the prize.

On the subject of travel the 24 hour 2CV race at Spa Francorchamp is on the 17th and 18th of October and we will be staying either in Spa or Liege for two nights.

You are all welcome.

Bill X

That's the 17th and 18th of October for those who have noticed the edit.

Is anybody attending the parking charges thingy?
Will probably be riding in from the Ace...

Yes for sure. WestMonster has to be stopped!

Hey Alice. I'm a busy man!

I'm dying to ask all these rich californians for a peek inside their mega-rvs. Some are as big as national express coaches!

all I have to do now is persuade my wife to let me spend more time in california.

Off to tahoe in a couple of days where I'm hoping to share a beer with a few mvers.

I have been on two demos, but the last few have been out of reach, as I've not been in the country. Same as this time I'm afraid.

Well, what a nice ride in to work I had - a white van driver leaned out of his window and started laughing at my 'a little red bike and red glasses'.

Then he turned to the scooter rider behind me and went 'look at that! Little red bike and red glasses and a little green suit' (it's grey, dammit).

He was just jealous, obviously.

At least you put him in a good mood.

He was very merry. I did wonder if he was pissed.

I saw a RL pet carrier on my way to work today!

BMW C1 with the capacious boot modified to close with a metal grille. Inside, a King Charles Spaniel peeking out! Cutest thing ever.

Just got a text from the scooter shop saying that my recently crashed gts is repaired and ready for collection

that'll sweeten the blow of my holiday being over.

After my GP800 expansion tank saga I thought all was sweetness and light with it - no, the rear brake master cylinder has just given up the ghost.

Still, the bike's booked in for service next week, and Fowlers have got the part, so it'll get fixed under warranty.

I reckon Piaggio quality has hit an all time low. My 04 ET4 is fine. The 300 Super was not. I believe WM might concur. Hurrah! If it's in Islington it'll be good as new...

I have to agree on the build quality Doug. It is all the small things which add up.

Anyway, I had a wierd evening today. I had a phonecall from a customer I have not heard from for years. One of our old-school types, proper East End gangster. Can I deliver him a shirt and tie. I try to get out of it, tell him how busy I am etc. But these people have a way of making you agree to stuff. Anyway, I deliver the shirt to a used car dealership in Essex. When I walk in the office, there is a whole bunch of East London gangster types playing cards. A few of which I recognise from the old days (when my shop was frequented by such folk). They all look up, recognise me too and question me about everything. We start talking about the Vespa.
So if you happened to be somewhere near the A13 this evening , you may have caught a glimpse of me nervously showing some of the scariest men you have ever seen around my Vespa. It must have looked quite a scene.

------------------------
I could go for some real key lime piazza. 8)

When I write p i e it spells out cake when posted. Why is that?

Do keep up at the back...