SHOW NOTES: This has been a busy scooter week. In the past week we have had an automatic scooter workshop at Scootrichmond, I spent time rebuilding the 50cc motor for my 1965 Ducati and on top of all that, I was trying to keep up with the Cannonball scooter run, which wrapped up this past Saturday.
The workshop was an all day affair last weekend, with the two scooter techs from Scootrichmond. The content was similar to last year’s Modern Vespa workshop done by the west coast gang, but with more explanation about how automatic scooters work.
This past weekend I spent whole day on Saturday reassembling an engine I took apart over a year ago. You have probably heard the recommendation, document everything as you take it apart. For once I had followed the recommendation. I found a parts catalogue on eBay and along with digital pictures of the disassembly and the carefully labeled bags of parts it went smoothly. Next comes the start test, which I will get to that in the next few weeks. I need to build an engine stand, so that will put me a little behind in getting on to the next task which is reassembling the frame and suspension.
We have the big Indian Summer Rally coming up here in Richmond on October 24 – 26. Our friend Dave Munn has a video up condensing last year’s activities into a four minute scootergasm. Hope this will convince you to make your way to Richmond. You can register online at the Seven Hills Scooter Club site.
Show Notes: Last night Rob Taylor gave me an update on the Cannonball ride from somewhere in eastern Kansas. There have been some beautiful rides, but also several crashes and a few tickets. The riders are midway through the ride and have experienced a few break-downs and one serious injury. JimT is out with a broken collar bone along with several broken ribs and Bobo has headed home to take care of some family business. Listen to the podcast for all the details.
The Scooter Cannonball Run is a coast to coast endurance event for scooters up to 252cc. The start was yesterday in San Fransisco and it will finsh next Saturday in Ocean City Maryland. It is a test of both rider and machine that covers over 3000 miles and takes in some of the best motorcycle roads in the country. It is run as a time/distance/regularity rally where points are awarded based on miles completed and the ability to maintain the standard pace.
(Patrick’s modified gas tank on his SYM HD200)
Rob Taylor contacted me several weeks ago to arrange an interview with him and a few of his fellow riders. The ride is an endurance test for both rider and scooter. Listen to the Podcast for details from Rob, Patrick Owens and Bobo. They represent the veteran riders, newbys and everyone facing the ten day trial. Keep up with the ride at the Cannonball website and follow the riders at thier websites.
SHOW NOTES: There have been a ton of books written about Italian scooters maybe because they are, at the same time, both practical and nostalgic. The Piaggio company was founded in 1884 by Rinaldo Piaggio just outside of Genoa, Italy. The company started as a woodworking shop, making interiors for ships, but branched out by the turn of the century in to building rail carriage cars and engines. They entered the airplane business shortly before WWI and by 1923, were making some of the best planes built in Europe. As you might expect, WWII was devastating to Italy as well as the Piaggio company. As a weapons maker, the factories were prime targets for the allies and were bombed heavily towards the end of the war. In addition, as the Germans retreated from areas they occupied in Italy, like Pontedera, they either blew-up or heavily mind the Piaggio factories.
Enrico Piaggio challenged an engineer named Corradino D’Ascanio to come up with a vehicle that would be comfortable, easy to ride and with an engine that could not be seen from the outside. He was not a motorcycle fan and was motivated to come up with something different. Solutions came from the companies extensive background in aeronautics and borrowed both from the designs and the technical aspects of airplanes. As a result, the scooter’s front suspension was a single fork design, similar to what was used in landing gear. They used a load-bearing sheet metal design instead of a frame and a horizontal single cylinder engine that would pivot on the frame, eliminating the need for a swing arm. The same basic design factors, although modified, continues to exist today in the modern Vespas produced today.
If I was disappointed, and I should say I wasn’t disappointed in much, I know that the museum is showing just a fraction of it’s collection. Also, since the collection focuses on the Italian market, it means that many of the variations we have come to know and love are no where to be seen. I am not even sure how much time we spent at the museum,(it was hours) but it proved to be both a pleasure and an education for me and surprisingly for Marcel, who endured the whole time without a cappuccino break. For more information on how to contact the Piaggio Museum or how to get there check here for directions.
