Modern Vespa

Result!

I wish I could take my scooter apart indoors (especially on those cold winter days). Unfortunately the stairs are a bit steep...

Everyone was trying to kill me on my way to work this morning. EVERYONE.

My insurance company finally read the redone engineer's report to me this morning. It went something like:

The inspection has been carried out prior to stripping the bike. Given the cost of stripping the bike to carry out a full examination, and the suspicions about damage to the frame, I consider the bike to be beyond economic repair

V5 etc went off in the post to them this morning, so I shall be getting a new one at some point thereafter. Given it took three and a half weeks for them to arrange a report and read it, I'm not holding my breath.

In related news, the chase to see if the driver's insurance company will agree liability continues.

Alice: very one is trying to kill me too; I've never had the use the horn so much as in the last week.

Finally, there is definitely a parking issue around here. Someone has reversed into the hire bike, doing cosmetic damage to the (plastic) crankcase cover.

I had a brilliant run in to work this morning. Just as I was opening the garden gate, my neighbour flashed past on his wee chinese 50 and I managed to catch up with him after some good luck with traffic lights, roundabouts, and whatnot. Managed to pull alongside at a set and say hello so he knew I was there and we rode in to the city in formation.

I tell thee, though - that wee thing is fast. At the first set of lights I decided to avoid being a prick (since he was there first) and didn't race him off the line, just held off a fraction to fall back into formation. I thought about it on the way to the next lights and realised he'd never really seen my scoot in motion so he'd probably want to see what it could do. So at the next set we lined up and I gave it full beanage but we were pretty much level up to cruising speed. I'm sure I saw an indicated 50mph at one point!

Anyway, in summary, great morning's commute!
(It does of course help that the"morning" commute took place just after noon)

i know this is a silly question ..
but are you guys still popping over my house sunday .. hope you are been looking forward to it .. tea and cake will be offered .. lol

Oh yes.

Alarm clocks willing, that is.

And everyone was trying to kill me this evening. Including bikers.

The Mile End Road in rush hour is one to be avoided. Bendy buses, cyclists, the works.

Good news, at last David. The procedure after they have decided the write off is usually very quick. Less than a week in my case. Hassle them now.

Vespa In A Focus???? This will eventually go in the projects thread.

Yes it will fit!

Yes I will be coming along Spider. Should be with you by mid morning if that's OK.

For those of you riding down after I leave Aylesham I'm off to meet an artist friend of mine in Dungerness so I won't be returning the same way.

Anymore for anymore ?

Bill XX

You are a king among men, Doug.

Jess was talking about sarcasm being a major facet of the British sense of humour the other day.

Aye he's right enough but that was genuine admiration that time!

Ok! Flattery accepted with pleasure. 8)

Project thread has started. I'm afraid the final colour remains a closely garde secret. Which means I haven't made my mind up. Took Genie about five minutes to decide on the colour she wanted. I have exactly twelve hours to decide. And no. It ain't gonna be goose shit green.

[quote="DougL"] ... because i am a decisive person with a vision no seriously i knew i wanted 'bronze persan' the second i saw it. i just knew it would look good on the scooter. and doug, i have the same feeling about one of the colours we discussed - i think you know which one don't worry if it looks like baby sick in the shade.

Oh I am so fucking hopeless. Which one was that. My mind is all a blur. I have no vision.

PM me THE one. (Was it TF???)

Oh. And Missy. Your links are all up the spout. Sort it out!

Doug go for the Ford Blue. What else do you want me to decide for you ?

Talking of Fords I collect mine on Saturday.

Bill XX

I know. In white. I want to have a go to compare it to the 3 Fiat 500s I have driven. Fiat have apparently used Ford's suspension tweaks for the 2010 model 500s. Interesting. And Jeremy Clarkson remains a twat, whichever way you look at it.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article5574385.ece

Heh. Good read.

(had to jump through a couple of hoops to get there, mark ewe.)

Will do; they should receive my V5, spare keys etc. today.

Graet news. Have you decided what you're going to get as your next scoot (Mr Wonder)?

Exactly the same, in the same colour: a Honda SH300A in black. My old one was only a week old, so I know they're still available. My insurance is such that the insurers will order and deliver the new one to me. Presumably that lets them save some money over paying me out the new price in cash.

Have thought about it extensively, I think it's the best scooter I can get on an A2 licence, especially as I'm happy to trade storage space, looks and some comfort for the better handling and power over a GTS 300, which was the other contender.

Besides, I can always ride WM's 300 if I want to look cool. 8)

I suppose there's not much choice at the top end of the A2 power restriction, as you say. None of the (few available) 400s did anything for me when I was on the restriction.

In fact, the only 500 that tempts me is the TMax, but that has to many drawbacks to make me rush out and buy one (even though I periodically look up the prices and see who has one for sale).

It's a shame there's not something else which is as good as the SH for you (purely from the POV that it's nice to have some variety, especially if someone else is paying )

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8260521.stm

8)

I am tempted to get a big bike and restrict it, but I think I'll wait until I'm finding an SH300 too slow (which might be quite some time), or I decide that I do want to ride to Greece next May.

On that note, has anyone used any of the mainland Motorail services? Loading the scooter up and taking the train to the Cote d'Azur or Italy is rather tempting...

Yes, Motorail for us lazy riders is a winner!

I'm planning to be there - anyone else or is it just the Three Musketeers?

I went off the idea of Motorail when I read this article, though perhaps the hack in question was just unlucky.

Thanks Alice. From that article it seems German motorail is superior. You can use it in the Netherlands too.

Potentially, you can catch the ferry to Rotterdam, have a night's festivies, catch the train the next day through to Italy for riding to Verona and Venice.

Look like the train is far safer than the road in Germany (or Sweden)...

"Trucker prangs rig while cracking one off"
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/25/german_trucker/

That story reminded me of the one handed Fiat Panda driver who used to follow the girl's school bus on the way home.

It looks like the Fun Girl/Boy Three so far but you are all welcome to join us after all Spider did make pate of his pelvis so the least we could do is ride down and show him just how much we care about him.

Maidstone Services at 10am on Sunday for hot tasty beverages and then a gentle ride to Spider's place in Aylesham.

Gentle being a subjective term.

Bill xx

It beats Church.

We can make it to Spider's now - lunch changed to tomorrow rather than Sunday.

Please bear in mind that the Yamaha 250 is a pig and doesn't go so fast, so we may be playing catch up.

Wonder me and you are going to race. I've always wanted to pit a 300 against a 200 through the twisties.

So glad you are both coming.

So that's 5. Anymore for anymore ?

Bill

I'm going to underinflate my tyres, as I don't care about knackering them. I will take both of you. At least I'll be a challenge on the tractor. Can I manage two crashes in two rideouts? Stay tuned to find out.

Bill, I don't fancy my chances against you! I'm in awe of the way you get bloody petrol, let alone taking a corner.

But I make a GRRRRRRREAT noise since the LV was installed. Love it much.

I might be on the X9 250 with a trailer attached. So I would be the slow-coach this time!

M20 J8?

me and tracy are soooooooo looking forward to you guys coming tomorrow .. love to see you all again ... its a shame we cant get to see you more often .. great great great mates ... im all welling up again .. lol lol ... god im looking forward to getting on my 300 again .. fitted a rev counter to her yesterday .. yippee ..

sat in my car today .. can push the clutch pedal down now .. i recon a week or two am i will be back on the road again .. double yippee with spinkles on ..

That's great news! Being mobile again will make a huge difference! Looking for an update in a couple of weeks.

Yep.

sorry i won't be able to come down with you tomorrow - i'm in Durham at a conference. hugs all round especially to spider and tracy

Wonder you were right about the food in Durham.... it's a lovely place but they can't even make a proper coffee i've been eating lots of salad.