What
This event is for members who own a classic Vespa including the latest models in the PX range. It coincides with our club’s monthly Breakfast Meet. If you own a classic scooter that’s been “hotted up”, then bring it along to this special breakfast event. Even if your classic Vespa is factory stock we are sure you consider it to be a ’hottie’ so come and join in the fun and discussions anyway.
Theme
It’s amazing that there are so many older Vespas still putt-putting around all over the world. It’s testament to their simple but rugged design and the affection for which they are regarded. Such a large body of machines and enthusiasts has meant that brand new parts are still available for most models, even the older girls. What’s more, there are many modern technology enhancements available that promise to increase the performance of your classic scooter from the modestly mild to the hair raising wild.
From those who already own a hot classic Vespa to those who are simply curious, let’s jam about ways to get a little bit more out of our classic scooters that might help us keep up with modern traffic. Who knows, some members may even be willing to let you take their kitted scooter for a ‘burn’ around the block.
We’ll talk about the pros and cons and share personal preferences for cylinder kits, reed valves, fuel pumps, exhaust pipes, jets, motorcycle style carburettors, CDI units, variable ignition timing, long crankshafts, reinforced clutches, sporty port timing, suspension, brighter lights, better brakes.
Pssst, keep it under your hat but even the President and Secretary of our club own kitted classic scooters. Shhh!
When and Where
8:30 - 10:30 am, Sunday 9 October
Studley Grounds Cafe, 121 Studley Park Road, Kew
< click here for a map >
A Bit of Waffle
We often think of classic scooters as being inherently slow. But just like a modern contemporary Vespa, those old models were able to keep up with the traffic of the day. I happily rode my three gear 1958 VB1 Vespa far and wide all over Victoria, changing gears going uphill, afterall that's what they are for, and almost being blown to a stop by a strong headwind because of its extra wide legshield. When I upgraded to a brand new 1966 Vespa Super (considered a very ordinary model), I remember what an exhilarating difference there was in performance. Both were 150cc machines and yet the newer model had far more torque and punched out an extra two horsepower thanks to its rotary valve engine design. At the traffic lights my Super could easily drag off most cars of the era especially if I started off in 2nd gear and did a bit of clutch work. Returning home from Sydney in 1968 I remember winding out my Super on the Hume Highway. Sitting on a steady 90 kms/hr and a bit more down hill, I was passing cars and trucks all the time. Of course in those days cars from the 1930s and 40s were still common place.
I have kits on both of my Vespas oriented towards touring and hauling around a heavily loaded scooter. The difference a kit made to my Super was dramatic while the kit I put on my P200E was pleasantly useful. I now enjoy buzzing up hills in top gear without the need to change down. In fact I’ve often played a game of seeing if I can get all the way up a steep hill in top gear by keeping the motor working in its happy spot. I’ve ridden from Omeo up to Mount Hotham fully loaded with camping gear and only had to change down once for a sharp corner. Likewise I’ve stayed in top gear during the climb out of Whitfield up to Tolmie and down to Mansfield. Funny thing is, with the increase in performance I get lower fuel consumption than with the standard motor. Although I always choose backroads, its nice to be better able to keep up with today’s traffic. It also feels safer. Although I can pop the original cylinder and piston back on anytime, I don’t think I could go back. David
If you are at all curious about what an upgrade can do for your classic Vespa, then this is the event for you.
Comments
Vespa with funny nickname will be there also. Go "Gonzo" vrooom vroooom :)
Faded blue jeans are always hot. A little torn in places makes them even hotter.
While our group of 4 PX200E may not be really old classics with liitle mods and kitting (Clinton's scoot is kitted!) we've had heaps of fun and serious adventures and we're absolutely still learning. We met because we had PX's and wanted to create a like minded touring group for a week worth of adventure, once a year (standard stuff) and having 4 of the same scooters not only matched well with on road speed and also simplified the spare parts list and tyres and wheels. Basically we could interchange anything to keep the 4 scooters running, were that needed. Never eventuated as we did our pre-tour service and preparations. In summary, we filmed where we travalled and to David's point, that the Vespa is a robust and trusty scooter and can go many places where adventure moto would never dare get a spoke muddy! Here's a link to the YouTube video's we have had so much fun making. Cheers and keep scooting. Roy for Luke, Phil and Clinton
<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4V-mKwprWe307Io1I9at4Q/videos>
or go to YouTube and search Roy Wiedemeyer
Hi Rolf, thanks for your post and the great photo of your VB1, surely the most beautiful 8" wheel classic scooter Piaggio ever made. Your faith that this 65 year old machine will complete the 1,200 km Tasmania Mille should inspire others classic scooter owners to get their's out of the garage and onto the pretty back roads of Victoria. See you on Sunday, David
I'll be coming along, most likely on my 1957 8" Vespa VB1 Mille machine that's will (hopefully) be doing at least 1200km around Tassie later this month.
Thanks for this contribution John.
I smiled about your experience working in the back of VH but you’ve left me curious about FT’s taste in music.
There’s no right or wrong in mucking around with upgrades. There is no reason to do it at all of course. We can just learn to enjoy the character of an old scooter the way it was designed to be. If I’m riding by myself, I’ll slow right down. I’m happy just buzzing along at 75 km/hr watching the world drift by. The value of our “Hot Classics” event will be in exchanging experiences especially about going down paths which weren’t successful and by highlighting the solutions for those upgrades that were.
The article about fitting a new motor into an old frame was an interesting read. I liked his honesty. I scold myself for having to drill one new hole in my frame even though its out of sight. I also get a bit upset if I accidentally loose one of the original factory bolts or nuts. As you said its a personal choice but I couldn’t hack into a classic frame just to install a more powerful motor let alone do an 8 to 10 inch wheel conversion. I love my 8” wheels and reckon I can corner faster than I can on my tens. Perhaps we should form an 8” wheel group within the club.
Nothing wrong with a 3 speed Vespa. Most family cars of the day only had three gears plus reverse. Four, five and even six gears were unheard of. As you say, doing a 3 to 4 speed conversion is a tricky thing. So many variables to get each 5 mm wide tip of the cruciform to align exactly with the slots in each gear. The shape of the bat-wing and its notches, the throw of the cam lever, the length of the push rod, the correct cruciform shape for the model, the shims used to take up wear in the gear train and finally the thickness of the shim washer that connects the cam lever to the push rod. It all has to be just right as you don’t want only 2 mm of cruciform metal hauling you around. Trouble is you can't see what's going on inside the engine cases.
Having a clutch on the end of a crankshaft spinning around at 6,500 rpm is a crazy idea but it facilitated a very compact Vespa motor design. Motorcycles, Lambrettas and even small frame Vespas have the clutch further back in the transmission chain where the rpms are lower. For this reason most motorcycles can be started in gear by hauling in the clutch. No wonder then that an increase in power can overload the small 3 plate clutch of an older classic Vespa. As the power of stock Vespas increased over the years, more clutch springs were added and finally an increase in size that engineers managed to squeeze into the same housing but which needed a bigger clutch cover. Now there are reinforced clutch bells that can handle up to 20 hp.
Its fascinating to see how slowly the classic Vespa 2-stoke motor evolved. Leaving aside the 3 part cases of the wide mount motor, there was never a dramatic change in the overall design except arguably the change from piston ported to rotary valve induction. This meant many parts were interchangeable across the decades. What a remarkable machine.
Thanks Julie. I'm sure Gonzo and I will hit it off.
Will have to get Gonzo out and burn off a bit of old fuel before I rock up to this event David. And yes you can take him for a spin finally. :)