[Catbird]

... Looking at headlight peaks online and wondering if the cheap ones on E-bay are going to be a pain after awhile? Thinking I may have to just buy a more pricey version later on. Any thoughts?...

I took a chance and bought a chromed plastic peak for my Vespa scooter.  It has held up perfectly and looks just as good (to me) as the expensive metal versions.  It comes ready to install with its own 3M double-sided adhesive tape.  I'm probably going to get one just like it for my 2013 Royal Enfield Military and paint it either black or OD green.

[mattsz]

Made a mess!

I've got one just like that in my basement!

However, like I mentioned in another thread: it's 31℉ today - but sunny, and I'm off work today - so I've un-winterized my bike, just so I can say I'm on the road by April, which is my arbitrary ultimatum.  Installed the battery, added a dribble of oil to the cylinder and cycled the engine with the kick-start lever a bunch of times to try to get some oil circulating, installed the plug and it fired right up second kick... after sitting since December 1st.  A little smoke for a minute, but ran great.

Each tire was down exactly 2 psi.

I had brought my new-last-year AGM battery into the heated basement for storage - I didn't leave it on the trickle-charger, as I didn't see the point.  Once a month I plugged it in, and each time it went from charging to almost charged to "maintenance mode" in less than 5 minutes...

[mattsz]

ps: I forgot... pics or it didn't happen, right?

[retrolynn]

Mattsz: Very nice! Looks like Montana,but it was 50degrees here today.

[Blairio]

Those shots look great.  There is nothing better than a run on a cold and bright winter day to blow away a few cobwebs.

My hands used to get chilly though - even with decent gloves.  Then a skiing friend suggested to me I try silk under-gloves, and they work a treat.  They are incredibly thin, but somehow trap enough air to make a huge difference to the coziness of my gauntlet-style leather gloves.

[mattsz]

That's the local public golf course!  It was chilly, but no wind (other than riding speed!) and the sun was strong.  I've got a pair of Olympia cold-weather riding gloves I really like.  They're warm and seem custom-fit to my hands - I've got long fingers, and in most gloves they bottom out hard against the ends of the gloves... the insulation gets compressed and my fingers get cold, fast.  Not with the Olympias, though.

[cstorckiii]

I got the case open and found the offending bearing.

[cstorckiii]

The culprit.

[suitcasejefferson]

I took a chance and bought a chromed plastic peak for my Vespa scooter.  It has held up perfectly and looks just as good (to me) as the expensive metal versions.  It comes ready to install with its own 3M double-sided adhesive tape.  I'm probably going to get one just like it for my 2013 Royal Enfield Military and paint it either black or OD green.

What year is that Vespa? I bought a brand new
'09 Genuine Stella, an Indian made copy of the Vespa P series, and the last year for the 2 stroke, and have has no issues at all with it at just past 10,000 miles, other than a top end seizure at under 300 miles, probably trying to ride too lean during beak in during 120 degree Phoenix weather.

Over 4 years ago, I found real Deltran Battery Tender Jr.s on sale from Dennis Kirk, free shipping, and bought 5. I connected the leads directly to the battery, then stuck thm out from under a sidecover or some other place they would fit through. My Stella battery died, but it was a cheap flooded lead acid battery, and I threw away the Enfield battery for the same reason. Every time I park a bike, I plug the tender into it. When I go for a ride, I unplug it, when I get back I plug it back in. I have the connectors laying right where I park the bikes. They work fine on any flooded battery, or any SLA AGM battery. I see the AGM batteries as being the best thing out there right now. You used to could buy a quality flooded battery, back in the '80s, Yuasa made great ones. Now all you can get are junk. Some people had acid damage from them, I never did on a new bike. But they had to be kept filled (and not overfilled or underfilled, and you had to use an acid catch tank on the vent hose. The AGM battery is just a better way. but they work well enough, and last long enough that I see no need to try using something like a lithium battery. Just heard about to many problems. The battery on my one year old laptop is already down to 73% of new capacity. And I constantly unplug it and let it drain, then plug it back in and charge it up, just the way my computer guy says.

[Catbird]

What year is that Vespa? ...

Answer: 2011

[lemming]

Better pics of my new side cases:








Continued with my pre-season prep and tinkering...Found a local guy who had a rear fender and taillight assembly for a Triumph Scrambler kicking around, so I pulled off the doghouse and set about modifying the Scrambler tail assembly to mount it to my fender (the Scrambler fender is wider and flat on top). One tack-welded stud and one drilled hole in the fender later, I got this:



Once I finish sorting out the wiring harness, and add the extra wires to go to the lights in the side cases (single-filament lamps, so I will wire them up as brake-only), I will put the cases back on and post up pics of the finished project. I put the case/rack assembly on briefly last night to make sure the new tail light didn't interfere....and I think it looks fantastic. Stoked to have that buttoned up, hopefully this week. Oh, and also installed a headlight peak visor.

[mattsz]

Stoked to have that buttoned up, hopefully this week. Oh, and also installed a headlight peak visor.

Lemming - I thought you were selling that bike?

[lemming]

Chuckle....that is the "plan", mattsz. I do have listed it for sale on the interwebz. Whether it SELLS or not, well, that remains to be seen. 

In the meantime, I shall continue to proceed as I otherwise would, and awesome-ize it to my preference.  And, if I just happen to end up riding it for another season, or five, well...so be it!

[mattsz]

[Craig McClure]

Still working on my 2002 Ural Tourist & enjoying the results. I have to roll it out of my overloaded garage to work on/around it. I have found that my G5 Deluxe slides back & forth sideways on its center stand very easily, on my smooth concrete garage floor, allowing me room to maneuver the "hanger queen" outdoors.

Craig in North Port FL