I went out for my usual weekly meeting of "Club 53" last night - Club 53 is where I go out for a 'blast' with a mate of mine who has just got onto two wheels and has a Vespa 125. 53mph being the top speed of said scrot. He says he likes to go out with me because I let him go first, dont push him to go fast and try to make positive comments about his riding. For my part its a nice relaxed (if not a little tame) ride out with a very gentle pace and a chance to feel the wind in my face, albeit a very gentle breeze. My mate says he feels intimidated by big nasty bikes coming up fast behind him so i tend to play 'rear guard'. The only ill effect I get from all this is a sore throat - I cant see a scooter without starting to sing Quadrophenia songs (does anybody else sing whilst riding? great fun but you get odd looks throught town)
We decided that, as it was such a nice evening we would ditch the bikes andfind our respective wives who were in the local doing a quiz - he lives by the pub so we decied to ditch the TDM at mine and I would ride his Vespa to his house and onwards to the pub with him on the back) OH MY DAYS!! I know that scooters arent meant to carry large weights (I'm approx 14stone and he is 12) but this thing was about a stable as a boat, the slightest deviation from course turned into a weave and the slightest incline meant 2nd gear!!! Granted, I had just gotten off my TDM with 900cc and much larger wheels but, bloody hell! I dont remember these things being so bad!! I will no longer quietly snigger to myself when i see the local mods two up on the way to a rally - them guys deserve a medal!
