Sunday Morning Outing

Yesterday, I woke up early thinking about taking a ride on the Vespa ET4. I have only had it for a few days, so don't know the handling or speed limitations yet. I dressed quietly so as not to wake my girlfriend. Outside, the air was cool and moist with a light hazey fog. San Diego mornings close to the beach often start with a light haze that quickly lifts and burns off. It was quiet with very little traffic.. perfect time and conditions to try out the Et4 on I5.

Visor flipped up to feel cool salt air on my face, I twisted the throttle and scootered down Newport Avenue along the Ocean Beach pier, and stopped for a moment. A few tourists walked barefoot in the cold sand, jeans rolled up to their knees. A child carried a yellow toy bucket, likely filled with shell fragments and smooth rocks. The morning sun already burned through the remaining marine haze, only a few gatherings of cotton ball cummulous clouds remained in the sky, framing the OB pier above while waves crashed below. Another beautiful morning, a twist of the wrist, and I was off.

I love the low gurgling growl of the 4-stroke Et4 motor; subtle, yet characteristically Italian. So far, it seems to have plenty of torque for a majority of roads.

Crossing the San Diego River early on a quiet Sunday morning is almost mystical. The blue-gray sky reflected off the sweet smelling river water while long-legged cranes fished along the marshy banks. In the evening, just before the sun goes down, you can see fish jumping out of the water catching bugs. This morning, the river surface was lightly rippled as a gentle breeze of salty air moved from sea to shore. I don't know why I don't do this more often. Like most people, I get preoccupied with work, relationships, life... perhaps the Vespa will carry me away from all the stresses in life... if only for a little while.

The I5 on-ramp approached and I felt a tinge of apprehension. Riding across the overpass, I saw few cars. Even better, they seemed to be moving at a reasonable rate. Speeding down the ramp, my right wrist rolls on everything the Vespa has to offer. Indicated speed increases quickly to 55mph and continues up to 60.

The Vespa feels solid. I expected the small tires to dance around in the rain grooves but I don't feel any of that. My speed increases to an indicated 65mph or so. I stay in the right lane, finding that I need to slow down a bit to accommodate slower moving traffic in front of me. The ET4 motor carries me at a respectable 65mph for several miles before the highway grade increases slightly and I slow to about 60mph. I can see that a long, steep grade would likely cause me to slow quite a bit more. Fortunately, my commute consits of a relatively flat stretch of highway for about 6 miles.

The Vespa Et4 is adaquate for short highway stretches, but I wouldn't feel comfortable traveling long distances on the interstate highways. As read in many other forums, the rider becomes a "sail", catching wind and reducing top speed. I'm sure that with an average sized windscreen, the Vespa will pick up another 5mph or so. But with throttle wide open, there isn't anything left. In spite of that, for my purposes the ET4 is suitable for the short on-off highway stretches that I need to travel.

I've read several blogs and forum posting about upgrading the motor and exhaust, tuning the carb, etc. Results seem spotty. Some folks boast of huge increases in speed and/or acceleration. Others make, what I think, are more honest evaluations; increase of maybe 5mph top end, a bit more acceleration, louder pipes... all at the cost of cylinder kits and pipes and the sacrifice of reliability. Perhaps it is worth it for the garage mechanic who has the expertise, patience, tools, and space to work in. But I'm an urban guy in a moderately sized city who would rather pay someone else to maintain my vehicles.. I haven't the tools, expertise, or even a garage to work in.

I'm happy with my Vespa ET4 performance. It takes me where I want to go at a reasonable speed and in superior style. It's a gorgeous machine, outclassing the bulky, heavy, lumbering motorcycles of my youth. If I want speed, I'll buy that Triumph Bonneville T100 or the latest and greatest Japanese super bike.

2-wheeled Life before the Vespa ET4

Some years ago, a friend horse traded an old BMW R80 for an even older Lambretta scooter. At the time, I was riding a Suzuki 650 thumper. It was called the "Savage" but was quite civilized, really. Still in production, the Savage 650 exemplifies simplicity, reliability, and efficiency... though lacks passion. We swapped bikes for a short ride and I became enthralled with the feel of the scooter. The old Lambretta possessed many qualities of the Suzuki, but inspired passion as well. Fast forward many years and a handful of motorcycles into the future. After a long break from bikes, I began hitting the local shops, looking at Ducati, Motoguzzi, and others. I loved the classic lines of the European bikes, especially the new Triumph T100 bonnevilles. And while perusing the San Diego Reader classifieds read an ad for... you guessed it... a 1960's Lambretta 125.

I answered the ad and visited the Lambretta to check it out. It rested for years at Montgomery Airport in old old hangar, a naked frame and engine, rusted and layered in cobwebs, dirty and molded, seat cracked and paint faded. Restoration was far beyond my capability and the price was far too high. I thanked the gentleman, a retired attorney and hobby pilot, but left unsatisfied. The search ensued.

About a year ago, a Derbi Red Bullet showed up in the classified ads. Curious, I investigated online, digging into the sites I was becoming somewhat familiar with: Modern Vespa, Scooterville, Scooterwest, girlbike, 2 stroke buzz, and provoscooter. Provoscooter forum even has a forum for Derbi bikes. Apparantly, Piaggio bought Derbi, a smaller Spanish company, some time ago. Derbi now puts piaggio motors in its scooters, and the Red Bullet (a red Atlantis), possessed a 50cc ET2 motor. The price was right so I took it home. Mechanically, it was solid. Derbi makes a quality product and the 50cc motor is bulletproof. My respect and yearning for Vespa continued to grow throughout the year, especially as the Derbi struggled to get up the steep hills (really not a hill like in the midwest or east coast, but a mesa). Most of San Diego is built on top of and around its many mesas and canyons, and consequently, many steep hills are encountered. I made the Derbi work for me, using it to go to work on occasion and for short trips to get movies or groceries. It never once let me down. But it really only went about 45 mph, and substantial hills often forced me into the bike lane. In Kansas, Oklahoma, any other flat land the Derbi would prove to be a competent and utilitarian second vehicle... but not in the Mesa and canyon strewn landscape of Southern California. After a year, I sold a the Derbi to a young man moving to the midwest... somewhere in north Texas I think. His intention was to use it for transportation as he completed bible college. An interesting fellow, he had served with US Marines for one hitch and wound up in Iraq, "a little west of Bagdad". All he was interested in now was finding a little piece.

That brings me to the ET4. Memorial day. My girlfriend was working and I was bored. What to do? Go look at motorcycles... only one shop open today, though. Ironically, the same shop I bought the Suzuki savage from so many years before. I arrived in the late afternoon and made my way through the used bikes.. and there it was. A Royal Blue ET4 parked inbetween an old burgman and an older Yamaha Riva. The Vespa was dirty and the sun's light produced a purplish effect on the paint. Several young men wandered about the lot, sitting astride powerful sport bikes and cruisers. The Vespa looked small and weak, almost feminine. I sat on it and thought, "this might be it". The salesmen largely ignored me. Perhaps it was the little effeminate Vespa in the middle of so many testosterone inspiring behemeths. When asked about it, the salesmen knew nothing about the Vespa, or even how much they were asking for it. I made an offer of 2700.00, which I felt a fair offer. I asked to ride it, but they wouldn't let me. Apparantly, it had just arrived as a trade in and they hadn't yet checked it out. They wanted it overnight, so I resolved to wait another day. Two days later, (I couldn't get away from work before they closed), I picked up the Vespa. The mechanic who did the service check met me at the door, "This thing has a lot of poop to it and its beautiful cleaned up". He was quite impressed as were the sales staff. They asked me how fast it would go, gas milage, etc. Funny, they had sold me the bike but I was "the expert". I'll get it in for service at motorsport scooters as soon as they can accomodate it, and in the meantime just enjoy.