Sunday, November 20, 2011

T'is the season to be modding...

With the 2011 riding season all but in the history books, what's left for a dedicated scooter commuter to do?

I think you know the answer!

Yup! It's nearly open season on Vespa modding!!

So here's my wish list (in no particular order) for this season of plotting, hunting, thinking, wrenching, browsing, drooling, ordering, waiting, thinking, planning, installing, testing, and project reporting:
  • Purchase a new Cuppini windshield (to be cut down just barely below eye level
  • Sew my 2010 ModernVespa patch on my BMW Airflow jacket
  • Purchase and install heated grips at last,  either Oxford or Hot Grips. If they work on Keith's Symba, they should do just fine on my Vespa, as long as I install an electronic control unit to manage the electrical consumption
  • Install some nice shiny bar ends to go with the heated grips (I'm hoping it's an option with the Vespa LX handlebars)
  • Purchase a GoPro HD video camera
  • Replace all the Velcro on my Corazzo 5.0 riding jacket
As I think of other cool winter projects I'll add to the list!

9 comments:

SonjaM said...

I guess that's what the winter is really for... It is pimp-your-scoot-time! You have some nice projects lined up.

Unknown said...

David:

winter gives me time to clean up all my previous projects. by projects I mean all the video I have shot that needs to be edited and completed into movies. Also all the RAW images I have to be printed & framed. I don't have any modding to do, and I am farkled out. I will be pouring over maps and checking mileages and planning trips for next year.

You may or may not have problems editing video so perhaps you should be recording some video now and get your software in place so that when you get your GoPro Hero2 you will already know how to process it.

bob
Riding the Wet Coast

Unknown said...

David,

Of your mods, I most encourage the heated grips. They changed my life. I am a clean convert, baptized and true to the path of electric heat. They saved me so many times on the road. I thought, "No, never..." And now, I'm sad the charging system on my old Honda is so poor that it can't accept them. Well, it could, but I'd invariably be left stranded thanks to a flat battery.

Brady
Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com

Keith - Circle Blue said...

I and my Symba feel famous! The heated grips are indeed wonderful. I second Brady's comment. There is so much to do during a Montreal winter I will not feel, too sorry for you. But, it would drive me crazy to not be able to ride. I think if I lived there I'd have to have a sidecar rig . . . or, a snowmobile :)

David Masse said...

Bob, I have done very, very little video editing. Right now our MAC's hard drive is maxed out, so before I can do anything I have to migrate all our photos and music to an external hard drive. Once that's done, I'll start some research into video editing software for dummies. I really like your GoPro videos, especially the captions. Don't be surprised if one day some very "bobskoot-looking" POV videos start showing up here.

David Masse said...

Question for Keith and Brady: I'm really concerned about maxing out the LX150's electrical system and depleting my battery during my morning + afternoon commute. I know that the Vespa GTs can handle the load, but the LX150 might be borderline. I don't want to invest time and money in the LX if the solution won't really work. I'd prefer to put the money into a GTS instead. I'd really appreciate your insights. It's a bit much for the comment space on the blog, if you're up for providing the advice I'd appreciate an e-mail at david@masse.org.

Thanks for your comments.

Unknown said...

David,

I sent you an email. Hope it helps, and best of luck!

Brady
Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life

Keith - Circle Blue said...

David,
Sent you an email. Good luck.
~k

Unknown said...

David:

as to generator capacity on your scooter . . .

This is what i think, Your scooter most likely, has minimal overcapacity. It has enough to run the scooter and the charging system only charges when you are over 3,000 rpm's. What I did on my old Suzuki GS was to turn on the heated grips when I was going over 3K rpms and when I encountered urban traffic, I would switch it off. Perhaps you should look into a "heat troller" rather than a rheostat type.

bob
Riding the Wet Coast

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