Modern Vespa

Yep, exactly that, or at approximately what speed (since the LX hasn't got a tach) the clutch engages completely ? I need to know since where I live (the other Batavia) traffic often slows down to a snail's pace (literally). Would it be better to keep up with the snails and keep throttling just slightly (at 10-20km/hour, thus risking the clutch being only half-engaged for longer than is good for my LX) or just let go of the throttle when the traffic comes to a complete stop then wait for (some) space to open up and hit the throttle hard(er) (so the LX has time to hit higher rpm and the clutch engages completely) ?

Ta.

I don't know about the clutch thing... i always lane split on my lx150 in bad traffic...

but, i noticed your forum name, aunt sophie!

my wife is half indonesian, and we often talk to her 'tante dewi' in jakarta on the phone... i really want to go check indonesia out! any places to rent a vespa?

not to totally derail the thread... a good friend of ours was just there hanging out and had a great time. my wife hasn't been back since she was like 18.

john

The open space that I was talking about is often not even big enough to lane split ! Hehe.

I took the name 'Tante Sophie' from the classic Indies novel/memoir 'Faded Portraits' by the Indo (half-Dutch, half-Indonesian) Breton de Nijs/Rob Niewenhuys. Tante Sophie was an Indo herself (she also had some French blood in her, her maiden name was de Pauly), a great matriarch who tried hard to keep herself and her family as purely Dutch as possible. And failing miserably of course. My LX (and me by extension) is a bit like that perhaps, I try to keep it as pristine and as original(e)ly Italian as possible in Jakarta's insane traffic but it's just not possible. That's why I named her Tante Sophie !

Renting a modern Vespa might be a bit difficult but one can always hook you up with someone in this land of opportunities. Or you can just buy a second-hand P at the same cost (and which will outrun an LX in traffic) and dump it when you're done - if you've just gotta have a Vespa. Otherwise, there are millions of bike-rentals where you can get 110cc Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki scoots that are less comfortable but more reliable and which any roadside mechanic can fix.

bump. still need answers.

For a short spell of slow-speed riding get the clutch just engaged and control speed with the rear brake. This provides very good very-slow speed control. However, it does heat up the rear brake a fair bit. When traffic is so slow there's often a few seconds where you can just come to a stop - that is sufficient to let the brake cool off. It also helps keep the clutch cooler than it would by using the clutch alone, and so helps prevent the onset of the 'strangled sealion' noise of a hot clutch.

I also use rear-brake speed control when doing tight corners even at faster speeds, it helps prevent any jerkiness that using the throttle alone might cause.

thanks jimc ! i think ive already got a strangled sealion in my lx tho. little baby sealion perhaps but strangled nevertheless. is there anything mechanical/drastic i shd do, or shd i just try yr go-slow rear brake tactics for a while first ? (all this while ive been using both the rear and front brake to go slow in traffic.)

thx a lot, mikael.

Personally I've never done anything about the 'strangled sealion' - as it always comes back if you ride in such a way to induce it.

Rear-brake speed control is a good 'extra technique' to learn and practice. You'll soon find you will use front brake only for speed scrub-off in a straight, combined on a gentle curve, and rear-only in a tight curve or when coming to a stop.

thanks again jimc. tried yr braking tactics otw home from work today. just realized that i rarely brake when turning/on curves !

+1, these are the skills that will help you ride at slow speed and in tight spaces like parking lots or when you're doing a tight U turn.