Modern Vespa

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/794629231537520/

A true barn find at a bargain price.

Do people seriously like two tone? Cause there sure as shit is a lot of this butt ugly crap out in the world.

That assumes that you know enough to know where there *should* be seams along with all the other telltales, like a P brake pedal where it should be on a peg, etc.

Yes. Yes they do.

There is always the exception to every rule

I really dislike two-tone scoots.

their paint motto is kinda like that shitty diner in town: the food's not real great, but they give you a lot of it.

they look good because it's mostly photos, up close you can see how crap everything is. just bondo layers and slathered in thick heavy coats of paint that crack off.

people see them and just go: ohhh! shiny! pretty! and throw down a few grand without knowing jack shit.

and the best part is these are the same people that would stab somebody to save $25 on a 72" television at black Friday sale after waiting hours in the cold and dark for the store to open.

Handlebar scooters stopped around 1958, and didn't have a glove box on leg shield. Also brake pedal setup is what's on my 2007 Stella.

May not be a bodge, could be perfectly sound and person liked the looks of a handle bar bike and built one. You can get a conversion setup from SIP.

anytime I see a "garage" decked out with all the appurtenances such as this all I can think is that person is a gargantuan poser.

that room + Bentley in the driveway + nose of what I assume is a 308 Ferrari + that ad copy

(does math in head)

I paid way to much for this, now I found out it's a piece of shit and I'm over it and trying to squeeze every last dime out and get my money back while trying to save face after bragging about what an amazing bike it is and being exposed.

at least it's in 4th gear and ready to roll!

they've been putting P floorboard & brake set ups on bodges for at least 10 years-- [redacted] (rhymes with sploot R us) was one of the first to market big batches of them here.

but this is 100% bodge- that metallic cable sheathing I've only seen on handle bar bodges, key on the glovebox, SS floor, leg shield trim and that front rack. the tank cap is a give away in that it's a twist style instead of a flap top.

I don't dispute that SIP does sell some of that stuff, and some people do like that look. and those people are sick in the head. but on this one, it's bodgetastic.

That is one scary listing.

Does it come with that Haynes manual?
No signs of grease on it, so it'll pair well with that ornament.

A real bike doesn't need a sales pitch, for any Vespa-curious out there.

Hopefully a proper contribution. This one on Facebook messenger in Indiana. Supposedly a 1968 150.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/740776806999807/

Armed with my new Technica books:

-Completely wrong cowls more like an early 60s 150

-Earlier (1950s?) horncast

-Late 50s headset with a telltail light

-No idea where that tail light came from

- shouldn't there be fasteners on rear of the leg shields above the center floor mat?

- floor mat wrong

- legshield trim look super thick

- really shiny paint for an "older restoration"

- why in 300 miles ridden

- should have flat rear fender license plate area

Did I miss something or am I completely wrong?

^^^

this. exactly this. any time copy starts reading: this beautiful... vespa means wasp... made in Italy... iconic classic... or lists any history lesson; you know it's bullshit.

like if I was going to sell my T5:

1987 T5, original paint Italian market bike, non injected. malossi 172 with MMW head, SIP crank, new 26G carb with BGM fast flow V2 tap, JL stainless LH pipe. motor freshened up XXX miles ago with German/japanese bearings, MB viton seals, BGM super strong with uprated springs and fresh plates. AC electrical, freshly rewired stator all lighting works properly. Newer S1's with BGM tubes and SIP brakes. Bitubo front and rear. Rust in pictures is only minor surface and has been treated and sealed. Tagged, titled and ready to go. more pictures upon request. $X,XXX

a listing along those lines is beneficial to both parties. if you're a buyer and in the know, then you know what's up here. this is a niche market bike, so that's how it's listed. if you don't know anything or a tire kicker, you're just gonna cruise right on by. as a seller, if somebody read that and contacted you, then they know what's up and they're more than likely not a nickel dick time waster.

Hear, hear!

Two current local examples of both ways:
probably repainted, but otherwise looks original.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/mcy/d/sammamish-beautiful-1962-classic/7522324467.html

vs
Ugh, and $3400, strong aroma of buyer's remorse.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/d/seattle-restored-like-new-vespa-vbb/7519486832.html

Silver one has a roundtail so it's probably Indo, Indian or Pakistani. Definitely better than a nammer but still lots of wrongs on it…

Would be fitting for an India bike to be sold in Indiana.

Howdy All,

Here is my first contribution to Bodge Spotting. Found this on the Omaha, NE craigslist site.



Does it qualify as a Bodge?

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/d/eudora-1965-vespa-piaggio/7524223485.html

That's bodgerrific! They must have spent DAYS getting the pitted and rusty chrome to shine.

"I believe it is a 250cc."

Translated to NSM:

"I know nothing about these things"

I'm surprised it has 700 kilometers on it, and the owner swapped out the "original"seat. So he put a few miles on it….and he's asking $5000 for it. Here's hoping nobody buys it.

It even has yellow boots!

...but no fuel tap lever...

Those are some nasty yellow boots, I had to look three times to even pick them out.

they look like clear boots that have turned yellow with time and too many cigarettes!
Bodges are like the email spam of the scooter world

The original scooter is trying to break through its Bondo shell in a few places here.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/612101513858830/

" This model has been lovingly garage-kept with no miles since restoration and import. There is a small patch of paint that has flaked off on the back/inside front fender."

Flaked right off the pitted, rusty metal just sitting in the garage. I imagine the entire surface of this bike is the same under the paint.

OK, so the paint and bodywork is a bit rough, but it DOES come with the very desirable updated footbrake and glovebox upgrades plus easy to clean all aluminum floor trim!


Why do so many of these convert the brake pedal? It seems like it would be a lot more work than fixing the original.

My guess is a stuck pin. And it's quicker to just cut the whole peg off rather than fiddling with that! I'd imagine. Not that I know anything about cutting off a foot pedal because the damn pin would not come out under any circumstances. Heat. Penetrating oil. Coca Cola etc etc. ended up just cutting the dang thing off. But I had a spare pedal so it wasn't much of a maniac thing to do…

[img][/img]

Saw on FB that an acquaintance bought this? Did he join the list of bodge-buyers?

That looks like a GL to me, not too many of those became bodges, it does have the slick two tone paint job, but other than that it looks legit to me.

At least the seller is honest about it.

"I bought this scooter from a gentleman many years ago & was told that this scooter...... " Read: "I got burned the same way the PO got burned and now I want to pass the burn along!"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155169361696?hash=item2420d08f20:g:lqsAAOSwoXZjJ9CU&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAkDp1cyRlYcYtFRFheg4pia2%2FVb9jf%2FZT%2Bv9XL4L9TDy4enhXoEmkb5fxyCDpxZU3mB1BPqLZ%2FWExpLxOjaRxUm6yvoITeMPNa4xENn2xvKCkgGJfSxuo1EdfvQfXwVcZmYlY%2BN3zbDvKfdpbaX8VnM1xunuGd8yI%2BX149Od%2FA5CZWdlt39ZX8TjNKYDG1XTT1A%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8iLr5_sYA

At least they didn't use electrical whip for the handlebar cables?

That's...a lotto bondo...

" If you are handy with Vespas or looking for a project for a vintage Vespa, this is the one." lol.

that's a real typical cable sheath on those "handle bar" type bikes, I've seen it a ton and it sucks every bit as much as you can imagine.

They didn't convert 'em!
Those are LML frames.

Whoa. This is a 1950s bike. It looks all out of proportion, but maybe it's the 10 inch conversion and later engine.

The legshield1 seems more curvy than it would have been.

I don't know what this is. but that engine bolt is in the wrong place. it should be several inches in front of the end of the floorboard.

the leg shield appears to be all the bondo that they used to "shape" it.

motor appears to be super/sprint/vbb variant

front fender is totally wrong.

this *may* have some 50's parts of body left on/grafted on it somewhere but it is nothing that it purports to be.

It's so bizarre!

the Allstate that's sitting here has that same seam around the frame horn, but obviously the motor bolt and cowl latch are what they're supposed to be not *waves hands* whatever that is supposed to be.

this thing is all hopes, dreams and paper mâché

a stinking turd inside of a dumpster fire.

Award winning bodge it is

Yes it is and at the time of this post, it has 13 bids by 7 bidders and is at $1,575!😳

Hec

well this popped up! seems bodgy and the description is funny "These scooters now are very rare. The excellent original condition examples are worth up to $10,000 now. " and the color!
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/7536336937.html