I
n the last issue I outlined the 2019 VCB
Regional Rider Competition I wanted to
take part in. Here’s a quick re-cap: there
are 18 Vespa regions throughout the UK,
including for this year the Islands region.
Each region has 100 landmarks and the idea
is to ride your Vespa (manual or auto) to the
landmarks, take a photograph to prove your
visit and the person who visits the most
landmarks is the winner. Easy huh?
Well, no it’s not! Those who read the
previous article will know that my choice of
rides (given I usually ride an Imola-kitted
Lambretta 186 Li) will know that I was faced
with the choice of a 1980 Vespa 100 (manual
geared small frame) or a 2008 Vespa LX 125
(auto engine). The Vespa 100 was going to
be my choice of ride as I was used to riding a
manual geared scooter, plus I also didn’t fancy
the automatic LX.
How wrong was my thought process! The
Vespa needed more than a wash and an
MOT; it needed a rebuild as the carb slide
sticks open – not good. All the cables needed
checking and replacing; the petrol tank
needed checking (possibly a small leak due to
a perished seal) and that’s time that I didn’t
have, as time equals landmarks!!This left the LX I didn’t want to use.
I’ve explained my lack of auto exposure,
but more importantly, I know how autos
are viewed by some. I was hesitant about
using it, especially for an article inClassic
Scooterist. While I pondered whether to use
it or not, I read a small article in the back of
a 1960s scooter mag about a vintage run
the LCGB held in 1965; it mentioned that
the oldest machine dated from 1954, which
made it 11 years old – not really vintage. So,
this had me thinking; the LX is vintage given
that it’s 11 years old as well. Yeah, I know,
that’s stretching the meaning of the word
‘vintage’. Before you ask, no I don’t consider
the LX to be vintage I’m just drawing a
suitable comparison!GETTING UNDERWAY
Going for the MOT would be the first time I’d
ride the LX. Okay, so a few false footdowns
for the rear brake and the LX passed. The
MOT tester, a biker, even admitted he used to
own an LX. It wasn’t a bad ride to be honest;
comfortable seat, no handlebar vibration, plus
the added luxury of mirrors and indicators.
I’m wasn’t converted, but the idea grew on
me as to just how easy it is to ride compared
with my regular rally mount. The Scarborough
National saw me use the Li 186, but by a
bizarre stroke of fate I had four days booked
in Bridlington the following week – meaning
a Bank Holiday Monday ride back to East
Yorkshire. This time I was going to test the
LX on the 143 mile ride and hopefully take in
some landmarks. Great idea, badly executed.The LX, whilst being comfortable, doesn’t
have the strength to rip the skin off of a rice
pudding. It tops out at 60mph... and that’s
it. As for hills – forget it, the top speed drops
and at various points it’s down to 45-50 as
the little Italian stallion (or should I say, pony)
struggles with inclines. Mind you, car drivers
don’t give a stuff and seem intent on shaving
inches off the scooter.
Despite being stuck in Bank Holiday traffic
outside Newark, it didn’t cross my mind to go
and knock off Newark Castle or the Newark Air
Museum. Instead, once I’d got past Newark, I
stopped outside the Lincolnshire Showground- photograph taken and on I went. I hadn’t
planned to do any other landmarks (distinctly
poor planning on my part), so it was 143 miles
and one landmark (or so I thought!).
The next few days saw me hunting for
landmarks in East Yorkshire; I ventured
down to Fort Paull near Hull, the Withernsea
Lighthouse Museum, the end of the Trans
Pennine Trail, Burton Agnes Hall and
Bridlington Priory – all visited and photos duly
taken. The following day was an early start as
I wanted to get Flamborough Lighthouse in.
I’m not sure what the dog walker at 6.30am
thought of me photographing the LX by the
towering lighthouse, but he said ‘morning’
none the less.
The next day I headed home with an
ambitious plan to visit a number of landmarks;
so it was the Seaways Café at Fridaythorpe,
followed by the William Bradley statue in
Market Weighton, the East Riding Treasure
House in Beverley (not the easiest place
to locate), the Humber Bridge and then
Doddington Hall. I’d planned on pulling in at
Normanby Hall, but missed the turn-off as I
rode past, having just crossed a very windy
Humber Bridge with a mandatory 30mph limit.
By the time I’d reached home it was almost
seven hours of riding into strong headwinds
which slowed my top speed. But, I was buoyed
by the fact I’d grabbed some more landmarks.
How wrong was I to be! On checking the
photograph album that I have for the
competition, I was advised the one taken at
the Lincolnshire Showground wasn’t valid. The
rules state you have to include the landmark,
date, scooter with your entrant card and the
registration plate. So, on this occasion, no
points, as the registration plate wasn’t visible.
On checking my week’s-worth of riding, I found
I could only count Flamborough Lighthouse,
Burton Agnes Hall (if you zoomed in on the
image), Fort Paull and possibly Withernsea
Lighthouse Museum. Crestfallen yes, but my
fault for not reading the rules.
The week taught me that the LX is truly
underpowered, but getting the landmarks
starts to become like an itch you can’t scratch - you just want to keep going to get more (now
I understand the rules that is!). It also made
me think that if there was anyone completing
this competition on a low cc Vespa (just think
50, 80, 90, 100 or 125cc models) then I tip
my hat to you. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t
respect anyone riding anything larger in cc
terms, but I just know how difficult it is to ride
a machine that’s minus the oomph required!
By the time you read this I’ll have notched
up a few more landmarks and a fair few more
kilometres on the clock!
Colonel Mustard