This is the story of my '64 Vespa 150 - how it became mine and how it has given me a new vespatude. I'll be recording the neat places I visit, the different things I do to make the Vespa my own, and - oh yeah - those reactions I get from both friends and strangers.




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Friday, September 08, 2006
Two things
First, to answer the questions of those people who have asked why I didn't just roll start the Vespa.

There are a couple of reasons. One, the Vespa is down in my basement garage where I am working on it. I actually have to roll the bike down stairs to get it down there and obviously up stairs to get it out. I'm not very interested in doing that very many times. Two, I wasn't wanting to run it. I only wanted to get some spark and test out some things with the electrical. Once I had that done, then I would get it running and begin adjusting the gears.

Second, GOOD NEWS!

The kick start did come yesterday and before I headed out to a meeting I had last night, I was able to put it on. I opened the garage door and aimed the tail pipe that direction. I kicked to test the spark. It was there. I kicked a couple more times and it turned over slightly. I kicked again and fired up! I didn't let it run long at all, but it did run!

Tonight I actually have a free night and I plan to see if I can get the headlight to work. The taillight and brake light work, but the headlight doesn't. That leads me to believe I have a connection problem somewhere. It is probably in the switch.

Then I'll pull it up out of the garage and start working on adjusting the gear cables. Wow! I am so close, I can smell the 2 stroke oil!
posted by Jonathan Pait  # 6:48 AM  

Comments:

Sweeeeeeeet!

# posted by Chelsea @ SCOMO : 12:04 PM  

headlight might be on a diff. circuit than the lights you have got working. Never can tell with a vietnamese bike... can't recall if I read that you swapped the harness out already? but guessing not having seen those photos you posted the other day. You ought to verify all this with an ohm meter while none of the connections are connected.

# posted by Stephen : 5:12 PM  

First, the wiring is not indochinaasia. It is a nice, new harness from Scooterworks.com. The switch is new. The headlight base, lens and molding is brand new as well. Shoot, nothing is left of the indonesian stuff but the frame! I don't even think you can call is an "asian" bike at this point.

Second, I think it is probably the switch. I had a problem with a squirrely connection when I first installed it. One of the metal connectors did not properly engage when I moved the switch.

# posted by Jonathan Pait : 6:05 PM  

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