Modern Vespa

Buffing on a level you'd never believe but that's where I have to leave the conversation because you know where it's going and that's into the ditch.

Good night all.

Bill XX

Additional instructions; tie a bit of thread to the clip while you are fitting it. You don't want to lose it down the legshield like I did

Noted!!

Did you get it back?

No... didn't even try, means removing the glovebox and the floorboard. No doubt I'll find it next time I have to go in there, which could be years down the line...

I've lost count of the number of bits and bobs I've dropped into my scooters. I'm probably carrying round several unnecessary ounces of scrap metal.

A chicken farmer went to a local bar.... Sat next to a woman and ordered a glass of champagne....

The woman perks up and says, 'How about that? I just ordered a glass of champagne, too!'

'What a coincidence' the farmer says. 'This is a special day for me.... I am celebrating'

'This is a special day for me too, I am also celebrating!' says the woman.

'What a coincidence!' says the farmer! As they clinked glasses the man asked, 'What are you celebrating?'

'My husband and I have been trying to have a child and today my gynaecologist told me that I am pregnant!'

'What a coincidence,' says the man. 'I'm a chicken farmer and for years all of my hens were infertile, but today they are all laying fertilized eggs.'

'That's great!' says the woman. 'How did your chickens become fertile?'

'I used a different cock,' he replied.

The woman smiled and said, 'What a coincidence.'

I really can't follow that Maver but I'm going to give it a try.

Maybe later.

Bill XX

The totally barking Bill and I have an agreement. Mark Ewe, I can't remember ever disagreeing with him. Except about waxes and stuff like that...

How much do you charge for a hands-on polish Bill? Your deft skills may be called upon in the future.

I wouldn't have the front to charge for a major polish just as long as it's not a speed boat or furniture.

Yes Jim and I are agreed on the future of the Hornet just as long as this 250 is all in order on Saturday and it will probably get yet another polish before it goes to a good home.

I'm already trying to decide which tyres it deserves.

Watch this space.

Bill XX

Let me assist.

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/505346/Tyres/Road-tyres/Pirelli/GTS23-GTS24

Hooray! Welcome to fuel injection, Bill.

I like the Pirellis myself.

Pirellis, everytime.

Well the owner called today and yes it has the original Savas so the mileage should be correct (2000 miles) and yes he
has the red spare key and that's it basically.
Price is agreed so all I have to do is view and stroke my chin for a few moments.

So Pirelli's then.

I can see the attraction having had a blast on Doug's.

They do encourage you to lean which for me could be a bad thing.

Strokes chin a little bit more.

Bill XX

Bill - don't let a rotten exhaust put you off... most of this era will have an exhaust that looks shit. Mine looked shit after two months. There are always new ones on ebay for around £50, or you can paint my old one, which would do.

Maybe if you do get this one, it is time to go down the modding route - ie exhaust and front shock.

Indeed I have an exhaust which is not in bad condition. It spent the winter in a cardboard box if you want it.

I was wondering just how the exhaust was looking on this one and maybe if it is a bit rotten I'll have your old one with a new coat of paint on it.

If all goes well I'm going to tear those tyres off it as soon as possible and as for mods......mmm I'm not sure about that because I like things a bit standard.

I honestly didn't feel that much difference when I rode your 250 with the bitubo on the front.

I felt more difference when you wound up the rear shocks on the Hornet but hey that's just me..... being weird.

Thank you for all your support on this one.

I have two names in mind.

Bill XX

Now that is VERY odd. You're sensitive to how the scoot feels and I'm not. And I noticed a huge difference with the bitubo. Boy i hated the standard shock.

I can't believe it but I seem to be setting myself up in the Lounge for the Italian trip.. 8) I've even checked out the airfares... tomorrow will be decision time. Pricey though, but why not. Just pity the aussie bloke that has to share with me...

On another note I have been riding the Malossified ET4 around town the past week. Strangely low down acceleration is phenomenal and most things don't keep up (at least until 20 mph). The sportbike riders usually have their brains disengaged as well as their gearboxes. I have now got used to the momentary wheelie every time I set off and it certainly doesn't bother me now. I just make sure that I am pointing where I want to go before I hit the throttle.

Yes it does feel a bit more planted with the biturbo but the difference isn't staggering like a decent pair of tyres made to the Hornet.

I'm pretty confident that I can ride the nuts off a standard scooter without encouraging me to push it even further with lots of bits so I guess what I'm saying is I don't think I need to modify it.

A good example is that corner on the A12 that we rode round the other day.

Standard it will stay at least for the time being.

Let's face it even a decent pipe doesn't make alot of difference to it's performance except a bit more bottom end but a whole lot more noise.

I think a good condition standard exhaust looks as good as an LV and I wouldn't have a Scorpion if you paid me.

Bill xx

I was talking PM. I actually like the standard pipe too. The PM looks glorious though. I actually enjoy modulating the noise it makes and the way the noise can be modulated.

Anyway, if I want quiet and stealthy the ET4 can do that.

And that's my point Doug I don't feel the need to advertise the fact that I'm travelling at speed.

Stealth is good.

got word back the other day that me crank in me t5 was cracked and slightly bent scratching up the inside of the casings and buggering the bearings ... in laymans terms the engine is fucked

put up wanteds on 2 uk scooter sites and the amount of people that want to helpis unreal ... now have a newly rebuilt t5 engine nearly the same spec as mine from someone who was saving his gold dust engine for a rainy day ... goes to show scooterboys are not the scarey shaven headed moped riding idiots some people mark them as and hens teeth do exist




*one happy chappy who will sleep alot better tonight*

There are still some good 'uns out there...

Excellent news - and all biker folk, of whatever sort, are closer as a family than many actual families.

Agreed, just wait until you breakdown and see how many riders will pull over to the side of the road and ask if there's anything they can do.

Never seems to work that way with a car.

If anyone fancies a ride to Southampton with me to view the GT I'll either be riding from Maidstone to Lewes via Tunbridge Wells and along the A27/M27 or the along the M20/M26/M25/M3 on Saturday morning to arrive there around mid to late morning then I'll be making my way to East London.

Love and Rockets

Bill XX

I'm home!

just had a long shower, charged the battery on the gts and about to go for a ride

Welcome back, and thanks for bringing the weather!

Yes isn't it gorgeous today - I'm on leave, the music is loud, the garden is sunny, there's jazz cigs on the breeze and wine in the fridge.... lovely.

Glad to have you back Kam.

I've learned to ride a bollocking big motorbike this week, which has been interesting. A bit easier to corner them than a scooter, but riding a scooter for 5 years has meant that you've become squirrelly when it comes to going around corners. It's harder to do. Give me wheels bigger than 12 inches and its easy!

Thanks for the welcome Alice & Kate. Bill kept me updated on travel news by text and I managed to get my family on the second plane to leave Bombay.

What bike have you been riding, Kate?

Kawasaki ER 6, Suzuki GS 500. I liked the Kawasaki.

Welcome Home Kam. So glad you finally got there.

Kate it's alot easier to go from bikes to scoots than it is the other way around so well done on putting your legs over the big stuff.

Well the bad news is I've got an infected wisdom tooth which is quite painful and has annoyed me a little bit today.

The good news is that tomorrow I'm going to test ride the GT250 after a nice long ride down south in the morning.

I have a fear that it's not going to be as good as the Hornet and therefore I'm going to lose interest.

Boy I'm so hard to please. Fingers crossed it isn't.

Bill XX

i fully expect bill to go all the way to southampton, discover a minor flaw in the paintwork or perhaps the fact that the exhaust note is slightly off key, and return empty-handed

i've been writing all day, which means that i took about two hours out this afternoon to do some hard landscaping in the garden.

kam, it's good to have you back. when i get my brompton lets have a posh coffee-bicycle meet-up. perhaps doug can join us on his pashley

had an interesting post count a moment ago, which i've recorded for posterity:

Glad to hear you are finally home Kam.

Its been a beautiful day and I have just been out for an evening ride, which was stunning. I have been out around the twisty roads, trying to improve my technique, its getting better but I am not yet at Bills standard.

Bill, Keep the Hornet. You have invested more money and effort in polishing that scoot than most people spend buying one.

Genie I'm starting to think that you know me very well and I can't think why.

Seriously though there's a real possibility that I come home without it or at least not agreeing to buy it.

It has to be at least as good if not better than mine and I have to like the bloke I'm buying it off or lady for that matter.

Yes I know that's a pretty tall order but much as I love the Hornet I'm getting itchy feet and I want a little bit more. Not much just a little bit.

If it all goes well this could be one of the last major rides I have with it and eventhough I've only had it a year it's taken me to so many places and introduced me to so many people.
Most of them in here.

All of you are more than welcome to come out for a nice long ride with me on major A roads and see how you could be making the best of the apexes.
I'd love to play Mother Goose.

The road to Hastings is brilliant to learn on because it's got a great mix of fast straights and gentle flowing bends.....plus some more challenging ones.

There is a stretch just before Staplehurst which used to be brilliant due to the cambers being perfect and the apexes inviting you to go in as fast as possible because they all blended together beautifully but now the many pot holes make the route through really narrow.
The ones on the left have made the edge of the road crumble and the ones in the centre have broken up the white lines and cats eyes.
The front wheel gets a little lively on that and it's best avoided.
What I meant was it really shit me up and I was a dumb ass for thinking everything was fine after all of the ice damage.

Bill X

Welcome back, Kam - bet you're relieved the ordeal is over. I hope you managed to take at least some advantage of your wee holiday extension.

And Bill, as long as this 250 runs well I'm sure you'd take great pride in making it look as good as your GT.

I'm just back from a 70ish mile jaunt on the motorway through annoyingly smirry rain. Terribly boring journey but in the middle I got to sail a magnificent (by my standards) yacht around two of Scotlands most famous landmarks: the Forth Bridges. I say I sailed it - really I just tugged on the ropes I was told to but it was great fun nonetheless. I was put in charge of the engine but maybe the less said about that the better.

Also got to put my silly new Lidl rain gear (big daft mitts and those waterproof gaiter things) to the test en route, and it actually did a surprisingly good job. The mitts pretty much elimiated the wind sting and the feety things kept my ankles from getting cold. I'm seriously considering getting a pair of those bar muff things, but they'll have to wait until the cash flow returns to a more positive state.

Worst thing about the mitt things is that your hands are good for bugger-all once you get off the bike. When we set off for the marina I realised I couldn't remember what I'd done with the key to my bike and once we returned hours later we spent a good half an hour tearing my brother's house to bits trying to find them. Eventually, with the aid of a torch, I was able to retrieve them from the safe place I'd left them. Where? Oh, just under a pile of leaves on the driveway... So the mitts are no use for the simultaneous carrying of keys and operation of garden gates. But don't tell my insurers. They probably wouldn't have much love for me if they heard that story. Still, no harm done so I suppose it's none of their business!

thanks for the welcomes, everyone. i miss being in india but it's also great to have got home so quickly.



bill, your scooter swap shop is bothering me. maybe a slight enhancement to the gt200, aka the hornet, is in order.


maybe new tyres, new shocks, new rollers???



...or what about a nice new summer jacket?

Kam, the rollers were changed a little while ago and I'll probably get more grunt with a bigger engine rather than enhance the transmission etc.

The Michelin Pilot Sports really suit me so I don't need better/different tyres.

I don't like the look of the Bitubo shock because it's bright red and unless the scoot is red it looks out of place.
I like the crome /silver look of the standard even though it's not as good as the aforementioned.

No I like things being standard because in some childish way I'm actually not cheating by adding better stuff.

Much as I'll miss it it's for sale for a reason.

Oh yeah I nearly forgot. Mavers 300 has arrived and it has a flaw in the paint work.

Nuff said.

Right I'm off for a ride.

Bill XX

show off

Your lump still gubbed, Bitsa?

worse than that its dead jim..... gotta new one on its way so with a bit of swappy it should be a mikuni pumping polini kitted 28mm delly breathing beast if it all fits together

Good stuff. Hope it slots in smoothly enough. You salvaging much from the old one?