Modern Vespa

I am always saying what a great thing the tilt lock is, and todays ride showed another example.
We were off in the country, when the road turned to a good dirt road, and we kept on exploring. My buddy was on a Silverwing.
So we go up a hill, and at the top of the hill, we spy a turn in the road, and the turn is full of sand and gravel. Even if we get UP, coming back is not going to be much fun, so we decide to turn around.
But now we are facing uphill on an incline, on a fairly narrow gravel road and need to do a 180.
I don't even think about it twice, I lock the wheels, get off, and CAREFULLY back it around to 90 degrees, take the lock off, start it and get it turned back down the hill-took maybe 1 minute, and no sweat really.
Now it's his turn. He is trying to walk it while on the seat, and his feet are sliding on the gravel and the incline. Get off, and lets push it around together, I say, seemed liked the best idea.
So we start wrestling the bike around. It feels like it weighs a freakin ton, and our feet are slipping on the gravel, and we are cussing and I feel my back about to go out from the effort. I almost dropped it on my side, but was determined not to let it go. More cussing, mostly from me, and then we had it about. Whew!!
Did I mention how much I love that tilt lock?? Ends up later, I ask him what his bike weighs? I am prepared to hear that it weighs about 800 lbs,from the feel of it, but no, it is actually a wee bit lighter than the 500!
Just another reason to love this bike!

+1 All that!!

good job Rob. now sell him your spare 500.

Oh, he derogatorily calls my 500, "my little Italian lawnmower", but he can't keep up in the twisties ( but I can't keep up with him on a straight run!).
He's a good guy though.

anybody can ride fast in a straight line

+1 on turning around
+2 helping buddy and Not breaking your back
+3 on MP3

I'm sorry but if a guy I rode with called my bike the little Italian lawnmower and was then trying to maneuver his bike thru gravel, my butt woulda been at the bottom of the hill the whole time making lawnmower sounds .

oh, I needed a laugh. Thanks for giving me one!

My brother's Ninja 650 is about 90 pounds lighter than my MP3 400, but I definitely push the MP3 around easier than he can push his Ninja. Plus it is really no comparison when we trailer them.

Its much easier to get my 500 out of the garage than it is my wife's Vespa 250 ie super. Love the tilt lock!

It may make the normal turning radius wider, but I agree that the tilt lock is more than worthwhile!

Mark

It's not too bad - PapaBear & I found the lot where they conduct the MSF course and I "practiced" on the various parts. I managed to do the box several times and only once went into the "extended" area where they have the dotted line. I always wondered how well the MP3 would handle the box. I plan on going there regular to practice on the maneuverability sections like the box, the sweeper turns and the radiused 90 degree turns I have to say that without the low speed control afforded by the Dr Pulley Sliders and the Fuzzy Washer I might not have been able to do the box.

True. It's not as good as my Vino 125 was, but it's a whole lot better than the Harley could do. But since I don't have to balance as well as push, it works easier...

Mark

Sorry, I meant while the engine wasn't running, movements like what was said by the OP, turning around in a sense the ground operations not the actual riding. In that, yeah he could probably kick my butt in just about all aspects except one, storage.

He just got his motorcycle license this year by taking the MSF class so this is his first full year riding. He is trying to get as much saddle time as possible but he also knows his limitations.

I think it is a 650R but I am not sure. It is his first motorcycle so he is still trying to learn the best way of doing different things.

Larry, I think we are talking about pushing the MP3 around with the tilt lock on. That is pretty much on the level of pushing a shopping cart, as far as effort goes. No doubt easier than pushing almost anything two wheeled but a Metropolitan maybe. So he is comparing pushing the 650 and the MP3. In our situation, there was no good way to ride the bikes to turn around, with the incline and gravel and narrow road taken into consideration. The only option was pushing them backwards and around till we could ride them down. In that situation, the MP3 just shined. The silverwing was a real drag to deal with in comparison.

Kinda reminds me of the first time we went to visit Rob Roy's grave which is in a wee church yard with the driveway of loose wet gravel and the tarmac car park full of the god fearing bible bashers cars, YES it was Sunday morning, yes the church was in full song praising the lord and yes as usual it was pissing down and here were 5 bikers trying to turn on loose grush me with the ZZR1200 complete with "legal" cans and worse still my mate MadJohn was on Old Sparky his 1100 Virago blowing into fresh air!

God might have known what the feck was going on outside that wee kirk that morning but the congregation must have thought Auldnick and them fukin horsemen were at the door 'cos the singing stopped but nobody came out while we went to pay respects to the theivin git sheep shagger Mr Roy.

I doubt the Fuoco would have the same result

Watch it now - he's kin & clansman. Don't want to have to get all medieval on you.

Are you from Aberdeen or Wales?

If I ever get to Scotland I hope I get to meet you Auldnick, sounds like it would be an experience!

Dunalastair - Perthshire
Not sure where I read he was kin - I read so much about that whole thing - probably part of the DNA testing. Hell after a half dozen generations half the planet is related!

Yeah, we are all related if you go back far enough.

Aagh, I just thought of who some of my relatives could be.

To the point of the OP, +1 - tilt lock pretty much the best feature resulting from the twin front wheels, in my ever-so-humble opinion. I've no desire to rassle a bike in and out of the garage, or a parking lot for that matter, but I'm ever so comfy with handling Loretta.

You are welcome here anytime Rob, just bring a bottle (or 2) of Cardhu