Episode 21 - Scooter Projects and the Toronto Moto Scooter Club

SHOWNOTES – I have had allot going on this week and in this Podcast I talk about that and The Toronto Moto Scooter Clubs Twisted Wheel Scooter Rally. I have noticed that the Podcast pickle player on the site has not been working. I will watch this for a few days and if it doesn't resolve, change players so you can get to the shows directly from the website. I added a few more blog sites and scooter clubs that I have talked about on the show and started to include links to a few shops and websites that I like either for repairs or for ordering part. Let me know what you think is missing and I will do my best to check them out. I have hoped since starting this Podcast, it would become more of a social network and a voice for a variety of scooter ideas. Some of last week's interviews from Amerivespa were just that, but tonight I have the first listener submitted report from the field. Errol Forster sent a brief clip from the rally. My 1966 Vespa Sprint has been screaming for some attention, refusing to idle unless it is choked to death and my 180ss is cutting out and running intermittently. Such is the life of a vintage bike. An inspection of the 180 showed that the gas tank has accumulated some rust, not a terrible amount, but I have had this happen before on another bike and the remedy was to replace the tank and valve. Next weekend I am planning on pulling the tank and seeing if it requires this or maybe a tack cleaning. I have used the POR-15 products before with good results. Now I could use your help on the Sprint, what do you think are the possibilities? I have already replaced the spark plug, started from scratch to adjust the idle and lean-rich setting and have had no success. Is it sometime more complex? What are your suggestions? Leave me a message on the website or email me. Piaggio SpA plans to launch a hybrid scooter for congested cities in the second half of next year (2008), powered by a traditional petrol engine and alternative electric power, said chairman Roberto Colaninno. The hybrid will be based on the three-wheel Piaggio-branded MP3 scooter, launched last year, and will have a price tag of less than 10,000 euro, against the 7,000 euro the solely petrol-powered scooter currently sells for, you can read the full artical here. The Scooter Scoop has another article about the new VespaS (LXS) which I have been drooling over since his first scoop a few weeks back. As his article says the LXS is reminiscent of the Vespa Special and Vespa Primavera that were design inspirations for other scoots. But I have to say that I was a little disapointet that the design doesn't include the trapezoid headligth. Rather it is a little bulkie looking square one. No doubt it will still turn heads. Make sure you go over to Dave Guzan's site to check it out the full story. The Toronto Motor Scooter Club which has a meet-up site on the web sends me emails every few days talking about another ride that is taking place in the Toronto area. The Twisted Wheel Rally was their first big Rally and from the posts and video clips available appears to have been quite successful. Look at their website. The club already has a well produced rally video that includes music up on YouTube.