I am considering purchasing this TV175

More information to follow.

Repro panels. Not original light. Fires up and runs. Did not check lights, but supposedly they all work correctly. Seat cover not original. Bodge job on front fender. Owner used lacquer to remove rattle can black spray paint to stock white color. Was found in a salvage yard. No title.

It started 2nd kick and I rode it around in 1st gear. Getting into 2nd was tricky. Needs a cable adjustment.

The asking price is $3000. It was listed at $3500 earlier on, but was not purchased. My mentors say that $3000 is asking too much for a project scooter. When you add up the cost of the scoot and what it will take to restore it versus what it will be worth the value doesn't even out. If it were a TV200 or SX200 I would be more likely to buy it on the spot, but I am not married to this bike, since I already have one in my garage in pieces and I paid a lot less. One mentor told me he'd pay no more than $800 for it without the title. It seems a fair offer and smart offer is $1,000. And I need to remember the bottom line and the value of the scoot when all is said and done. $3000 is too high for this specific scoot. Not a smart investment, especially if I would ever need to sell in the future.

Lojas e oficinas

OldScooter - nos dias calmos...Para os mais atentos, já não é novidade a inauguração em Agosto passado da OldScooter. O "Manel das Vespas" evoluiu, saiu de Caneças e veio para a Rua Vale Formoso de Cima, em Lisboa.Epá, Caneças é longe... Queria uma oficina na zona de Lisboa – leia-se, mesmo à minha porta... Acabaram-se as desculpas!Originalvespa - querem uma LML? A côr não é problema!Juntem ao

Removing the silent blocks / engine mounts

Happy Thanksgiving!

I got some garage time with my 3-year-old son this morning and removed four silent blocks from my two TV175 cases.

I heated the case (not the blocks) with propane first and then applied the "SB removal tool" and it came off easily.

Using a ratchet allowed me the strength to turn it out without much of hassle.
I repeated the process for my spare TV175 engine.
And away I put the cases.

Thanx to local club member Mike C., who loaned me is SB removal tool. I have one as well, but it needs three cuts in the pipe and then it is done.

If you're interested in making one it doesn't take much and will cost no more than $10.

I have plans right HERE to make your own SB Removal Tool. It's really easy. I designed this before I saw Mike C.'s. And they are basically the exact same concept, except mine was made of scrap and cost me no more than $2.50.

Clutch needle bearings "okay"

Got some garage time this morning and checked the needle bearings in my clutch. Yesterday, I bought a 1" pipe to hacksaw and Dremel into a tool to open the reverse thread nut to expose the needle bearings. After a few minutes with the saw and seeing that I had only scratched the surface I thought of a creative way to loosen the nut without a punch.
And the best part is the needle nose pliers worked. My only concern is I wonder if the nut should have been on tight enough so that I could not loosen it this way? Could this of caused the "grabbing" I experienced?
All forty needle bearings were there and appear to be in great condition. I need to oil them back up as I wiped them down with a micro fiber cloth to avoid any dust particles getting on them.
There is a small amount of space between the needle bearings, but it's fairly tight overall as you can see.

I need to continue down the trouble shooting list I compiled.

Happy Thanksgiving!

5 Dez. temos Matineé Dançante!

Num regresso ás matineés dançantes, um bastante hábito saudável e social, há muito perdido na tradição lisboeta.
Voltamos a reunir o gangue, num local cheio de história(s), o Clube Rua (antigo 3 Pastorinhos e ex-Naperon) que vai abrir a tarde especialmente para receber-nos. Quem for de Vespa, pode e deve estacionar facilmente na rua em frente ao bar.
Fica bem no coração do Bairro Alto.

A abrilhantar esta matineé, estará DJ Veruschka, uma estreia absoluta com o gangue. Trata-se uma jovem adepta dos sons 60's e cheia de estilo, que acaba de chegar de Carnaby Street... London city.
E ainda Professor X com os clássicos de Northern Soul, Mod revival e outros nuggets!
Vai ser de arromba! ...a entrada é 2 Vespas! E haverá cocktails, bebidas frescas e tapas espanholas! Para os vegetarianos também se arranja uns "tapinhas" brasileiros! Festa internacional e cheia de estilo!...

Clutch shifter purchased

I bought two items last week from Paul S. at his superstore. I bought a brass gear pulley (pre-mod) and the clutch shifter. I didn't realize that this is the second gear pulley I bought since Scooter Parts Direct sold me a "mislabeled" throttle pulley on clearance. So now I have two gear pulleys and this one is true Innocenti stock. I paid $25 for the gear pulley and $35 for the clutch perch. I believe that it is Series III and it is the later type since it uses the fatter levers (see Stickey's Manual for reference). It matches the TV switch perch shape I bought and they both use the fatter levers.

The lever hole is not oval'd out at all. It's in good shape. I need to use a razor blade and check the metal beneath the grip -- per Stickey.

I also need to confirm that this is a Series III perch from someone more experienced. It is a Series III perch, but it is "post mod" and I learned so is my switch side perch. I need pre-mod. I learned from my Mentor Mike A. that there are three types for the Series III:

Yeah that's a S3 clutch perch. Keep in mind there are 3 styles. Early, late and Indian. The Early ones have a raised point around the lever pin hole and run the flat blade type shifter rod with a splined end, later ones have the plastic pully rod and do not interchange. and Indian GP are wider at the alloy end to match the headset. From the photo your looks like an early one which would be correct for the TV.

I cut the grip off to identify it. Mike A. also taught me:

If it has a thin slot (1/8" or less) it's early, if it's 1/4" or more it's late. Another identifier for pre-mod is there is a "raised" area where the lever screw goes through (on the bottom side).

Unfortunately, both the clutch and switch perch I have do NOT have the raised area at the lever pin and are therefore post-mod and will not work with the brass pulleys I intend to use. I believe post-mod uses the plastic pulleys, but do NOT quote on that. I will try to trade or sell my perches. They are in great condition with no ovaling in the lever pin hole. The tube is clean of rust and there are no dents in it.

Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody

Best thing I have ever seen on Youtube.

Litro 2009 parte dois... a parte húmida...

Pois claro que tinha de haver uns xonés que decidiram não bazar por causa da chuva. Os suspeitos do costume (SC) que estavam presentes...Havia um festival da sardinha escorchada e havia a loja do Serra para visitar.Acabou o almoço e um dos SC lembrou-se de ir ver a praia que não conhecia.Ainda com bastante pessoal fomos ver a praia.Depois o mesmo SC lembrou-se de ir do Carvalhal para a Comporta

Um litro ou zero vírgula trinta e três?

Foi no dia 14 de Novembro de 2009, quase à uma semana, que não quis falhar a prova do litro, mais uma organizada pelo nosso Vespa Clube de Lisboa. Mais um ano também, como quase já manda a tradição, na zona de Tróia e compreende-se: a estrada com pouco movimento e mais ou menos recta tem poucas alternativas, na área da grande Lisboa.A maioria da malta juntou-se no ferry. Este ano conseguiu-se que

More new scooter pics

....SUMMER SCOOTER PICS...

I just can't get enough of this new scooter.

I had a great summer cruising the South West in the sunshine and thankfully we had a good long scooter season which just ended on the 22nd April. My scooter season 'guage' here in the SW is when the day temps drop to around 15-16 and the rains start. (Which is a shock from the mid 20's-mid 30's we had been used to for the previous few months)

BRIDGEWATER BEACH.....Another of our 'best kept secrets'...sshhhh!!

BRIDEWATER LAKES & DUNES IN THE BACKGROUND

One of our "best kept secrets" Shhhhh!!!

PORTLAND South West Victoria.

Victoria's Birthplace! ;)

THE LONG AND....well,...STRAIGHT ROAD TO NOWHERE

The clutch saga

Tonight, I am re-soaking the clutch plates in SAE30 non-detergent oil. After the engine was rebuilt it sat for nearly two years before being run so I was encouraged to soak the plates again over night. I will soak for a couple days for good measure.

This evening I searched to see if I had the original gear oil we filled the engine with and guess what I found? Yamalube Utility Performance four stroke SAE 5W-30!

I know, "what the what!" as Liz Lemon says on 30 Rock. I know for sure I asked my very experienced motorcycle buddy to buy SAE30 non-detergent oil from his motorcycle store of choice and I see that the red bottle cap and the top of the Yamalube Utility Performance four stroke SAE 5W-30 was pictured in the time we filled the gear box.

Next step is to immediately drain the gear box and refill it. The engine has gone no more than 10 miles since the rebuild.

I asked Paul S. & Tom G. if the wrong oil could be an issue and the answer was it's not my issue.

Paul S. said, "having modern detergent oil would not be the cause of your problem. The reason why non-detergent oil is recommended for scooters is that they don't have oil filters. Detergent oils will tend to push particulates to the top of the oil, but on scooters, we want the junk to fall to the bottom of the oil - so it will drop out of the drain plug. Anything on top of the oil will get flung from the gears onto the clutch.

So basically, it is better to have straight up SAE 30 in there, but it isn't really going to hurt to have 5W-30. It certainly isn't going to have any effect on your clutch action at this point."

Vespa Gang Mod Club #Novembro 09

Atenção a todos, marquem nas vossas agendas! A próxima sessão Vespa Gang Mod Club, vai ter lugar no próximo sábado, dia 21, no aconchegante Europa - Cais do Sodré. A partir da meia-noite...Professor X e Dj Milkshake (Groovie Records) vão oferecer uma viagem pelo mundo moderno... esperamos por ti!

Front Dampener Choice

Originally I planned to build a performance TV175 with a stock-ish look, but being a High School English Teacher my wallet is just not that big and now after restoring my wife's Vespa SS180 I have develop a serious appreciation of nearly bare-bones stock -- the upgrades are only for reliability, such as a electric ignition and stainless steel hardware and such -- all mild mods.

The three shock brands I looked at were the Italian repros, Sebac, & Escorts. I posted for buying advice on the LCUSA forum (you need to be a member to read this). I learned from a mentor who owns a TV200 that the Italian repro shocks not only did not perform as well as the stock ones, but they also leaked. I heard this from at least one other person. They cost $50 per shock. The Sebacs are $45 per shock and look stock and perform much better, but for $22 per shock you can buy Escorts which are a slight performance improvement over the Sebacs at the sacrifice of not looking stock, because the shocks are fatter in diameter. This is a big no-no for those anoraks out there. In a pinch, you may be able to squeeze gators over the Escorts and trick the eye into believing they are stock.

Without a doubt, I would like NOS or to rebuild some original ones, but I am not sure how quick and easy those would be to find.

The recommendation from LUCSA is to buy the Escorts if I plan to enjoy riding my bike as opposed to looking at it as being 100% correct.

R1/R6 Shock

My most recent purchase was a 2002-2003 R1 rear shock from Craigslist. I paid $30, but hope to sell the linking arm for $7.50. The seller went down on his bike and was parting it. He says the shock had 8,000 miles on it and was in great condition. He asked $40 and offered $30 and he bit. On eBay, with shipping, you are looking at $35 and can buy the shocks for just under $20. You can also find the shocks for under $20 locally on Craigslist if you keep your eyes open. I watched the Bay Area Craigslist and never saw it for less than $30 and I also posted I was I wanted to buy one.

A fair price for a R1/R6 shock is $20-40 and you can usually find it locally and avoid paying shipping. Most of my fellow Lammy owners seem to have R6 shocks and I wrote them for advice on the shock, which you can read here (if you are a LCUSA member). I think if I waited a while longer I could have trimmed $10 off the price I paid. Part of me wishes I waited a little longer, but I have been looking on and off for a year now and the price was fair so I went for it.

I already own the spring and had it powder coated in black. You can see it here.

I had purchased the spring and brass bushings first. Photo is here.

It is important that you buy a 2005 or older shock to ensure it fits and follow these directions.

Note: I sold my left over swing arm for $10 in less than 24 hours on Craigslist. That brought my R1 shock cost down to $20. Though, I have seen the swing arms sell for $15-35 online and the buyer of mine said people are paying $131 at a local used parts store. So if you can sell your's for $20 and you buy the shock at $20 you will get a free shock.

Next steps with my clutch

Here's my plan for next steps in trouble shooting the clutch problem, which I compiled from speaking from a few different people:

1. Disassemble the brass retaining ring, and inspect and count the needler rollers. I suspect the problem is here, but even if it is not, you need to eliminate the possibility.

2. Test assemble the corks and circlip, to confirm that with the eared cork plate in place, the other corks slide freely in the basket slots.

3. Reassemble the clutch fully, after oiling the corks. Before installing, use your clutch compressor tool to compress the clutch slightly, and confirm that the plates are slipping smoothly as they should.

4. Reassemble the clutch on the bike.

5. If the lurching symptom is not solved, (only after the above tests) consider using "clip the ears" theory. I'm only suggesting this as a diagnostic, not as a permanent fix. I think you want to avoid riding long and hard on clipped ears, but for test purposes, I don't think you'll get into trouble. If the clipping solves the problem when nothing else did, well then I'd suggest we brainstorm some more to figure out how to keep the ears intact (substituting a new back plate of course), and still solving the problem. But at least if the clipping works, you can rule out some of the possible causes, and try to zero in on the real culprit.

Also, it occurs to me that it is just possible that your problem could be caused by insufficent oil on the clutch corks. Didn't you let the motor sit for quite a time before getting the bike on the road? If so, it is just possible that the corks are not saturated enough with oil, and thus don't disengage correctly at first. I'm not putting alot of stock in this theory, but do me a favor, and make sure you soak your corks in SAE30 overnight, just to make sure.

And while you have the clutch open, check to confirm that there is no play in the rivets that secure the large gear (which engages the inner diameter of the internediate steel clutch places) to the back steel plate.

Continuation of clutch trouble shooting update

At this point, the next step is to open up the needle bearings and examine and replace them.

Here is where we started from . . . an email from Paul S.:

Gentlemen,

I fear that the problem lies with the cush drive. The clutch does not engage smoothly, but snatches and grabs. The clutch basket is perfect, and the plates and corks are new. I have not taken apart an SS clutch, so perhaps there is something I'm missing. I have three areas of concern.

1) no matter how I line up the base plate with the basket, the springs are not 100% lined up with the base plate. I'm not sure if this is how the SS clutch is supposed to work, as opposed to the later style clutches where the springs are in perfect alignment.

2) inspecting the needle bearings on the backplate/gear plate, it appears that there may be some bearings missing. I'm not sure how these are supposed to look. However, my experience with needle bearings in general tells me that there should be no gaps between the needles, and they should cover the whole circumference of the bearing area. This is not the case here. I have not taken off the brass cover to look inside. It appears that there is a special tool required to remove the brass nut. I don't want to whack on it with a punch.

3) if none of the above, then the problem is must be in the cush drive. That would be unfortunate.

Here is what I have learned from Tom G.:

Check that the gear ring is firmly riveted to the back plate of the clutch. Also check the sides of the slots in the clutch basket. In order to properly disengage, the tabs of the plates have to slide freely in the basket slots.

Also, make sure the spring washer that goes on the crank before the clutch is properly installed. The small end of the cone goes towards the crank.

The basket and back plate are not supposed to line up perfectly. The spring depressions in the back plate and the spring cups in the basket are supposed to be slightly offset. If I recall correctly, there is a small hole in both. Align the small holes. Send me pics so I can be sure I'm remembering this correctly.

The needle rollers should take up almost all of the space. Make sure you have the right amount. There is a total of 40 needle rollers.

The brass ring collar, I believe, is reverse thread. There is a special tool that allows you to remove it, but in practice, most people use a small punch (carefully). But you can also find a pipe or socket the right diameter, and grind away enough of the perimeter to just leave two protrusions to fit into the slots on the ring collar. That would be the best way to open the clutch, if you have the time and the patience.

If the clutch is out, you can see some of the cush gear. Rotate it in place, inspecting the rivets for any movement. Push and pull, tap, whatever. If you see any movement of the rivets, or the plates that the rivets hold together, it is safe to say that your cush gear is the problem. If not, continue to focus on the clutch.

I'm slightly concerned about the rust pits in that surface (the rust is gone, but the pits remain) on the plate. They could be creating too much friction against the bottom cork. However, I've run similar plates without problem, so that "probably" is not your problem. Still, if you could find a better plate you might want to use it.


Gene M. posted on the "Vespa Super-Sports Yahoo Group":

Did you install p200 corks with the external tabs on the outer plate? That lurching is common on scooters where the clutch basket is warped and not allowing the corks to slide freely in the cutouts. You can test this by cutting the tabs off the outer plate so they look more like original plates than P2 type.

We've had many many Vespas with "jumpy" clutch. Normally a new basket fixes the problem - but GS/SS baskets are not available new, so the next best thing is to take the pressure off the basket by removing the tabs. the tabs should have no pressure on them to install - they should slide into the basket freely.

**** BUT I have also learned ****

There is a reason that Piaggio started to use back plates with ears. With 125 and 150cc motors, plates without ears was fine, but with the advent of the GS150, the standard baskets could not take the stress, and started to "flower" out under high rpms. The initial cure for this was to put a steel band around the clutch. However,this intervention did not last long. I suspect it cut down on oil flow to the clutch plates, and possibly the bands started to fail anyway. (This is just my speculation). And so, the Piaggio engineers decided to put the ears on the clutch plates to keep the clutch basket from expanding. And it worked. The SS180 has plenty of power -- enough to cause the clutch basket to expand -- which you want to avoid. Keep the ears.

By the way, it is possible that it is correct that cutting off the ears might help solve the clutch grab -- even though it might not be the BEST way. Think about this -- On a lot of after market clutch plates, the ears are not perfectly stamped, and they do bind up when you try to install the plate in the basket. If there is a really bad fit, the force of installing the last plate can make the clutch basket flex slighly. It is possible that this flexing can cause the slots that the other clutch plate tabs slide into become too narrow, possibly causing the tabs to bind up. (Or the problem could be caused by aftermarket clutch plates with tabs too big on the first two plates -- or even that on an aftermarket basket, the slots for the tabs are too narrow). Frankly, there isn't much chance that this is the problem, but it is still worth checking on. One way to check is to fit all of the clutch plates, in order, into the basket (no need to assembel the basket onto the rest of the clutch assembly). Install the back clutch cork, with the ears, and then fit the circlip. Make sure the back plate is pressed up against the circlip. The two intermediate cork plates should be free to slide back and forth, and their tabs should not bind up on the basket slot anywhere along the route of travel. If they do bind up, that's a no-no, and could be your problem.

**** I just got off the phone with Steve B. from MotorSport Scooters and he said ****

#1 - Bench test the clutch with the compression tool. Tighten it till you feel the compression. Give one full rotation by grabbing/spinning the drive gear. It should spin freely.

#2 - Look for wear of the brass bushing in the clutch cover. If the bushing is loose it will cause "jumping".

#3 -- Make sure that the tension washer is facing the correct direction. The "cone" needs to be facing out.

Steve is against cutting the ears off the cork plate, because of the power of centrifical force. It could be very dangerous. He went into a long and detailed reason why it is dangerous and I could not remember all the details when I got off the phone.

He also said, I may be missing some needle bearings, but that would not be the cause of the problem.

Why won't my clutch work?

My clutch is the last big snag in my restoration. One a limited inspection, the cush gear appears to be okay. When in neutral going to first gear the clutch both grinds a terrible sound and grabs pulling the bike into a wheelie. I need help.

Here is a photo of my entire clutch:

And the hardware:

The cork plates are brand new:


The video below gives you the low-down to the two potential problems that have been identified:


This video shows a glimpse of the needle bearing, which appears to be missing needles:

As stated in the video, as you spin the gear you can see it rolls around a needle bearing, but there are some spaces that appear as if they should not be there -- maybe this bearing needs to be replaced -- and the needles should be complete around the 360 degree bearing. Also, when you spin the plate there is some friction/snags at points. But if you spin the gear it turns freely, easily, and quickly.

The small holes in the basket and the plate should line up and the basket should fit the plate correctly. There are two possible settings and neither lines up for me. Note where my fingers are pointing:

When you line up the holes on both plates (in either of the two settings) you can see that clutch springs do not line up and furthermore neither does the basket. See the video with both possible settings and you will see how "off" it is.

Não se fala de outra coisa: LML a 4T

Quando fui à Old Scooter, o Manel confidenciou que em breve teriam uma LML a 4 tempos por lá, exclusivamente para testes e feedback do fabricante. É claro que achei a noticia muito interessante, mas pensei que era só mais um passo no desenvolvimento do protótipo.

Como sou ingénuo. Nos últimos dias, os forums e a blogosfera fervilham de actividade sobre a eminente saída para o mercado das novas scooters LML. Serão apresentadas no salão das motas de Milão, o EICMA, que já está a decorrer, e prevê-se a sua comercialização para muito breve, talvez ainda este ano.

Só o futuro poderá dizer o que vai significar este modelo, mas para já baralhou a cabeça aos interessados numa LML Star a dois tempos: já tinham o livro de cheques na mão e agora ficaram indecisos. Eu também ficaria.

Imagens das scooters aqui. Um dos primeiros protótipos conhecidos aqui. Ficha técnica aqui. Vídeo de motor 4 tempos a funcionar aqui.

Clutch Still Broken

CRAP!!!!

Spoke with Paul S. this evening and the thrust washer was added. It appears that the clutch plates are brand new - no scribe marks. It did not work. I am frustrated. Will take pictures and video of it this week and ask others to look at it and help me determine what the issue is.

Please comment with ideas and what needs to be seen in pictures and video to help trouble shoot. My plan is to see it on Wednesday.

Carros Voadores II

Juro que não percebo.

Diariamente utilizo um troço de menos de 10 km da estrada marginal Lisboa-Cascais. Nos tempos mais recentes parece que não há dia que eu não presencie um acidente, ou veja as sequelas de um, neste pequeno troço. Não estou a falar de toques no para-arranca das horas de ponta. Nem vale a pena contabilizar esses. Estou a falar de carros a voar, carros destruídos, pessoas feridas, mortos.

A N6 é uma estrada sinuosa, mas de bom piso e com limites de velocidade entre os 50 e os 70 km/h. Esses limites são policiados em vários locais por semáforos com controlo de velocidade. Estas restrições existem por bons motivos. A estrada marginal tem muitas curvas apertadas, inúmeras rotundas, acessos a parques de estacionamento, a restaurantes, acessos a residências privadas, entradas e saídas. A estrada é também relativamente estreita e não tem bermas.

Apesar destas condições, o cenário habitual na Marginal faz lembrar o PTCC. Toda a gente rola o mais depressa que pode, muda de faixa continuamente, tentando ganhar posições. É claro que os automobilistas-pilotos também passam muito tempo parados nos semáforos, uma vez que a maioria das pessoas não cumpre, nem de perto nem de longe, os limites de velocidade. Também passam muito tempo simplesmente parados, porque os engarrafamentos são habituais. Mas assim que arrancam, a salvageria regressa ao asfalto, enquanto os condutores vão também pondo a conversa em dia com telefonemas infindáveis, tomam pequenos almoços tardios e brincam com os inumeros gadgets do enlatado moderno.

Hoje voltei a ver um carro, um Opel Vectra, completamente destruido. Atrás dele, um choque em cadeia de mais 4 viaturas imobilizou completamente esta fatidica N6 no sentido Lisboa-Cascais na hora de ponta da tarde. Os envolvidos certamente terão explicações para mais este "accidente". Têm sempre.

Pneus há muitos

E a julgar pelos números da OMS, cada vez mais. Mas eu queria era falar de borracha. Como sabem os meus leitores mais atentos, troquei de pneus recentemente. Os originais MRF Nylogrip Zapper, compatriotas da Indiana, foram substituídos por uns teutónicos, mais consensuais, Continental Conti Twist.

Agora que já rodei alguns quilómetros com estes novos pneumáticos, posso tirar algumas conclusões. Primeiro, as diferenças de dimensões são notórias. Os MRF são pneus de perfil mais alto e são um pouco mais estreitos que os Continental. Talvez por isso eu tivesse aquela sensação desagradável de que a scooter ia cair para o lado. Um controlo apertado da pressão minorou o problema, mas nunca o resolveu. Agora não me posso queixar de nada disso. A scooter vai mais estável, mais controlada. Terminaram também as pequenas derrapagens em piso menos aderente. Quando fazia reduções um pouco mais bruscas (e nunca sou realmente brusco com a Indiana) os pneus de origem por vezes patinavam, algo que sempre me pareceu estranho. Afinal, a Indiana tem muito poucos cavalos disponiveis...

Agora tudo acontece com muita suavidade. A condução em molhado então melhorou muito, talvez a diferença maior entre as duas borrachas se encontre nessas condições difíceis. Acho que não teria saído de scooter nos últimos dias se não tivesse os pneus novos.

Infelizmente não tenho mais experiência com outros pneus nesta medida. Andei com os Michelin S83 durante um dia e gostei. Os Conti Twist estão uns furos acima, na minha opinião, mas não muitos. Falta experimentar os pneus de scooter mais badalados das últimas décadas. Elevados à categoria de mito da aderência por muitos, os Continental Zippy 1 são actualmente difíceis de localizar e correu mesmo o rumor que o seu fabrico teria sido descontinuado. No entanto, eles continuam a figurar na pagina Web da marca Alemã e algumas pessoas têm adquirido alguns exemplares recentemente. Provavelmente, o meu próximo investimento neste capitulo.

Resta explicar como resolvi o problema do perno moido. Na verdade não resolvi. Levei a Indiana à Old Scooter e o Manel tratou de tudo. E eu não pagei nada. E esta hem, senhores da Honda??

More Proof that Vespas have Class

A couple weeks ago, the New York Times ran a story about Tom Boissonnault, a technology teacher at Eastchester Middle School in Eastchester, N.Y.Mr. Boissonault, it seems struck upon the brilliant idea of teaching kids about design and engineering through the hands-on project of restoring a 1966 Vespa Allstate. Not just any barn find, this classic Vespa had been dredged from the bottom of a lake!

Carros Voadores

Já perto das onze horas, a marginal apresentava-se com pouco transito. O que dava jeito, por que estava a chover intensamente e não me estava a apetecer ter de fazer o slalom do costume. Os enlatados circulam em excesso de velocidade, como sempre fazem, absolutamente indiferentes às condições meteorológicas.

Ia concentrado na condução. Os pneus Continental melhoram a tracção em piso molhado e sinto-me um bocado mais estável na scooter. Mas é uma mudança do terror absoluto para um medo intenso: ainda vou em alerta total quando conduzo a Indiana à chuva. O capacete estava a embaciar um bocadinho, coisa que não costuma acontecer. Estou a meditar sobre a necessidade de levantar um pouco a viseira quando um movimento anormal uns metros à frente capta a minha atenção.

Na curva seguinte, nas faixas contrarias, dois automóveis colidem, enviando um deles contra o separador de um palmo de altura, que não o detém. Ele salta para cima dos carros à minha frente, atingindo um e continuando o seu voo até embater com muita violência no muro do Centro Náutico.

Nos momentos seguintes parece que o mundo parou. Só a chuva continua a cair.

O condutor de um carro atingido à minha frente saí da viatura danificada, visivelmente combalido, e vai para o passeio. Na faixa contraria, outro condutor tenta retirar o seu Mitsubishi do meio da estrada, sem grande sucesso. Parece não saber que tem o eixo da frente partido. Em cima do passeio, levantado contra o muro, com todos os airbags insuflados, os passageiros de um Opel muito deformado permanecem dentro do carro. Surgem inúmeras pessoas, a maioria vindos do centro náutico. Algumas correm para o carro mais maltratado, procurando ajudar as pessoas. O transito começa a acumular e ouvem-se as primeiras buzinadelas, impacientes.

A chuva não abranda. Concluo que não estou ali a fazer nada a não ser expor-me a mais perigos. Arranco, contornando aquela carnificina. No caminho que me resta, sou ultrapassado por inúmeros carros a alta velocidade, provavelmente tentando compensar o tempo que perderam lá atrás. Ninguém parece tirar nenhuma lição do que acabou de testemunhar, os excessos continuam. Até à próxima vez.

New Blogging Duties

So I rarely have the time to devote to this blog these days, and it looks like that is only going to be increasingly true over the next few months.HOWEVER, I will be blogging all sorts of Power Sports goodness at the new Branchville Motors & Vespa Ridgefield blog.Check it out!This way I can blog about cool scooter and motorcycle stuff during the down times at work, without violating my old-school

Culpa da «hom'idade»

Desde há muito tempo que a minha Vespa não gosta(va) de piscar. Muito mesmo. Ora era o pisca do lado esquerdo que parava, resolvia-se per si, passava o da direita a ficar com problemas, sem nunca ter conseguido perceber os porquês: quer da avaria quer da sua resolução espontânea.Ultimamente era o pisca do lado direito. Menos mal, porque considero que, nas mudanças de direcção, o do lado esquerdo

5 dias e 5 noites

Ao contrario do que acontece na formula 1, esta foi uma mudança de pneus que levou algum tempo. Vários dias na verdade.



E ainda não acabou...



Tinha previsto que na quarta feira (passada) chegassem os meus pneus novos, mas por alguma razão que a razão desconhece, chegou apenas um. Os amigos espanhóis a quem comprei a borracha resolveram prontamente o problema, mas isso implicou que só sexta feira tive cá em casa os dois Continental Conti Twist, para juntar às câmaras de ar continental que também iria colocar.


Certo. Passada a ressaca do jantar de sexta, sábado a meio da manhã toca a meter mãos à obra. As primeiras dificuldades surgiram logo no momento de colocar o pneu Continental na jante. É que os Conti Twist, como quase todos hoje em dia, são pneus tubless. Podem na mesma ser utilizados nas LML e vespas, em jantes convencionais com a câmara de ar, só que dão algum trabalho. As laterais do pneu são feitas para segurar o ar, por isso são grossas e muito mais apertadas do que as de um pneu de câmara. Unir as duas metades da jante exige bastante energia.


Superada esta primeira dificuldade, imaginei que dentro de minutos tudo estaria concluído. No entanto, passadas algumas horas ainda estava na garagem, incrédulo, a olhar para uma porca. Já com o pneu dianteiro montado, e o traseiro instalado na roda suplente, faltava-me só fazer a troca deste pela roda traseira. Mas e retira-la? Uma das porcas recusava-se a sair. Recusava-se mesmo a sair. Tentei lubrificar, martelar e puxar a porca renitente, mas sem sucesso. A Indiana passou o fim de semana sem sair da garagem.


Consultados os peritos e depois de muitas tentativas, hoje consegui desalojar a malvada porca, não com o uso de nenhuma ferramenta especial (que cheguei a tentar adquirir), mas recorrendo a uma boa e velha arma de família: a teimosia.

As possibilidades aqui eram duas ou, vá, três: ou a porca estava moída, ou o perno estava moído, ou ambos estavam feitos num oito. A primeira era a menos má, mas verificou-se o pior: o perno é que estava todo comido. Esta questão coloca novos problemas, mas por agora nem quero pensar nisso. Coloquei a roda com o pneu novo no sítio e voltei a apertar tudo, incluindo a porca massacrada no seu perno moído. Siga. Amanhã já vejo o que faço.


Antes de ir ligar a televisão, esclareço que as ferramentas fornecidas de série permitem realizar todos os trabalhos que tenho feito até agora, menos martelar porcas teimosas. As câmaras de ar que vinham de série, e eu troquei, tinham também um aspecto razoável. Lamento no entanto esta situação, que levanta algumas dúvidas em relação à qualidade do material utilizado nas LML. Eu realmente queria viver a experiência da scooter clássica, mas se calhar estou a chegar às coisas más muito depressa e a vive-las demasiado intensamente.

Entretanto, se vieram aqui parar na procura de uma descrição detalhada sobre como mudar pneus numa vespa, ou coisa no género, vejam antes isto.

Vespa Tricycle

My wife and I bought my son the Radio Flyer Vespa Tricycle. He likes to have his own "scooter".

No update on the SS180 at this time. Paul S. received the clutch tension/thrust washer and the clutch will need to be removed a second time to install it.