Brexit, for once some facts.

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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This principle was patented in the early 1960's when the inventor modified a Vespa provided by Piaggio.
It worked very well, but at that time style was the main selling point and let's be frank the bike in the image above can't be fall pretty by any standard.
So Piaggio never made bikes in this style.
This one is my favourite Piaggio, the Piaggio P180 Avanti, twin P&W turboprop engines, 460 mph:

Piaggio P180 Avanti, twin P&W turboprop engines, 460 mph.jpg
 
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guerney

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How not to arrive at a climate summit
With a reputation that precedes you
There'll be a press release or somesuch about tree planting to offset the emissions of that journey, any moment...
 
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guerney

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I have a similar double quandary now.

I should have my usual flu jab asap, already overdue my usual time for one. And in 7 days time I reach the six months since my second Covid jab so should get a notification for a booster. But both can only be obtained at the main health centre where there's no car parking.

So for each it means a bus and a tram ride, meeting various people at stops and on board each. Then at the big health centre it means contact or proximity with any number of people, sometime queues etc. My masking only protects others, them not being masked is a big risk to me.

My risk of contracting Covid in my normal isolated life is virtually zero, but each of those two visits will multiply it enormously. So I'm seriously tempted to pass on both, especially since the evidence in my area is that the Covid vaccines efficacy has been greatly overrated anyway.
.
Horse and cart hire is cheaper where I live, maybe for next time...

 

oldgroaner

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This one is my favourite Piaggio, the Piaggio P180 Avanti, twin P&W turboprop engines, 460 mph:

View attachment 44503
Famously Piaggo who were aircraft manufacturers found themselve at the end of the Second World war with lots of aircraft tailwheels they needed to put to some use.
At that time personal transport was all but none existent in Italy and someone in the company put their inventing hat on, and using a
Aircraft construction techniques created the Vespa scooter (Because it sounded like a wasp)
This is what it looked like in 1946


Fortunately they soon improved the looks!
This was the model I bought second hand in 1960

The only weak point was the clutch , which was driven through a single tooth
Plate running in slots in a bell housing and in use cut slots into the metal at the side of the slots it was supposed to move up and down in.
This jammed the clutch completely and needed the engine out to fix, which I did twice in the 32,000 miles I drove it.
 
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guerney

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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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Famously Piaggo who were aircraft manufacturers found themselve at the end of the Second World war with lots of aircraft tailwheels they needed to put to some use.
At that time personal transport was all but none existent in Italy and someone in the company put their inventing hat on, and using a
Aircraft construction techniques created the Vespa scooter (Because it sounded like a wasp)
This is what it looked like in 1946


Fortunately they soon improved the looks!
This was the model I bought second hand in 1960

The only weak point was the clutch , which was driven through a single tooth
Plate running in slots in a bell housing and in use cut slots into the metal at the side of the slots it was supposed to move up and down in.
This jammed the clutch completely and needed the engine out to fix, which I did twice in the 32,000 miles I drove it.
I know the problems from when I was working n the Vespas in the 1950s. I would never have bought one, preferring the slighly later Lambretta. The only scooter I ever bought was a Rumi Formichino twin cylinder 125:

 

oldgroaner

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I know the problems from when I was working n the Vespas in the 1950s. I would never have bought one, preferring the slighly later Lambretta. The only scooter I ever bought was a Rumi Formichino twin cylinder 125:

Tell 'em what you could do with a threepeny bit and one of these Rumi's , flecc!

The scooter I lusted after was this one


The Heikel Tourist
 

jonathan.agnew

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Dec 27, 2018
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Famously Piaggo who were aircraft manufacturers found themselve at the end of the Second World war with lots of aircraft tailwheels they needed to put to some use.
At that time personal transport was all but none existent in Italy and someone in the company put their inventing hat on, and using a
Aircraft construction techniques created the Vespa scooter (Because it sounded like a wasp)
This is what it looked like in 1946


Fortunately they soon improved the looks!
This was the model I bought second hand in 1960

The only weak point was the clutch , which was driven through a single tooth
Plate running in slots in a bell housing and in use cut slots into the metal at the side of the slots it was supposed to move up and down in.
This jammed the clutch completely and needed the engine out to fix, which I did twice in the 32,000 miles I drove it.
Had a 200 at uni - frugal, but unstable past 60mph (I thought because of small wheels, but may just have been my battered example)
 

guerney

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My neighbour is resisting getting a road legal mobility scooter, though he really needs one - it's better than getting Cabin Fever. I'm sure he'd feel less depressed, if he could get out a bit. Are fully enclosed mobility scooters allowed inside hospitals? Mine could have it's own oxygen tank... I'd have briefly to exit my Covid-free, atmosphere-controlled, positive air pressure spaceship for blood pressure tests and injections (I always carry my own alcohol swabs, for a thorough clean), which is when I'd break out the full face scuba gear.

My uncle had the right idea:




I'd burn it after use - can't be too careful... or perhaps a light roasting with a flamethrower will suffice?

They let pretty much anyone use them, it seems. Drug dealers love the things. Tinted windows, dubstep and bling hubs give the game away...
 
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oldgroaner

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I hope everyone realises that the reason for polluting the rivers and sea with sewage is very simple

To prove that Raab was right and the Sea can indeed be SHUT
 
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daveboy

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Sep 19, 2012
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pontefract
Credit side: Better handling and braking
Debit side: Butt ugly and give a 50% bigger chance of suffering a puncture
You would think so but no...most punctures on a motorbike are on the rear because the front wheel throws the nail or screw into the rear tyre. Because my front and rear tyres are not in line this shouldn't happen.
.....hopefully.
 

daveboy

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Nice bike, they use them a lot on the Tour de France I guess they are not selling too well hence the massive discount on the price.
You're not wrong. The bike shop had sold 2 in a year....after discounting them they sold 3 in a week.
 
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