Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Must be able to pick up PXs and LMLs for fuck all these days?
I'm never selling my Primmy.

I had a batavus for a year and then a Honda Camino

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Wow ye never sell that. You can get lml stars and pxs relatively cheap but they don't really do it/ break down enough for me. I've got my eye on a few auctions on ebay.

Also might see how much I could get off this as its been advertised for donkeys, what do you guys reckon? the paint job has clearly just had a rattle can thrown at it hasnt it
https://www.gumtree.com/p/piaggio-motorbikes/vespa-vba-150/1218240294

I am always suspicious of repainted VBBs and the like. Too many of them are total bodge jobs imported from Vietnam. Plus 8 inch wheels are impossible to get decent tyres for and have tiny brakes.

Ye I do agree with you on that, I get a very strong feeling of dodge from the pics/ mileage.
Didn't know that issue regarding 8 inch wheels as I've never had a scooter with them before, Ill give it a miss I reckon, cheers.

Trying to fit Gaiters back on the bike and seem to have fallen at the first hurdle...

Brake caliper bolts won't budge.

The step-down adapter on my socket wrench is bent and with just a spanner I don't seem to move it. The nuts don't seem that tight a fit with the spanner - normal variance?

Any other ideas on what to do?

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Carefully spray a bit of wd40 on the bolt with a cloth wrapped around the caliper?

Pop down to halfords and get the right tools. You just need a 3/8 ratchet with the short extension so you can cup your palm on the drive end for leverage. Caliper bolts shouldn't be too tight but they're steel into Alu so can get a little sticky. Don't over torque it when you do them back up.

Ha! Literally just got back from halfords (new adapter? set), but didn't think to get an extension. Sort of understand why people have braker bars.

I'm going to give it another careful squirt of WD40 and then pour hot water on it. If the bolts are steel and the casting is alu then hopefully that should give a bit of space.

No idea why they're so tight on a 2yr old bike.

.... and there goes the 12mm socket.

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Probably just a little sticky mate. Put some copper slip on the threads when you reassemble and it'll be easier next time.

Well at least nothing else on the bike uses a 12mm.

Think I'm going to see if I can take back the spanners and extension bits and get one of their sets, as I think I need a couple of deep sockets anyway.

Feels like a metaphor for my whole weekend and my luck with bike related stuff recently.

Just debating whether to get the 150, 170, or 200 peice set.

The only real differences seem to be the spanners I think.

As long as you get the professional ones - you don't need all the deep sockets and impact stuff to start. (Or most of the imperial tools too come to mention.)

Yeh the advanced stuff is half price at the mo - should have done it a bit earlier when the had the extra discounts.

I'm think the same re the sizes. I'm going for the 150 / £125 kit as I don't think I need a full set of individual ratchet spanners.

In reality I don't think I need any racket spanners, but they are a bit nicer.

The ratchet spanners are ace. I have this set: http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-200-piece-socket-and-ratchet-spanner-set but in hipster matt black.

Well worth the money and replaced 75% of my other tools in my toolbox.

Dunno what there is where you are but there's a tool shop in Glasgow where £175 would buy you about 5 times as many spanners and sockets as that, and they'd last about 5 times as long too.

I have a 2001 PX which seems to break down enough for me. Maybe for you?

I'm taking it off the road this year. Might be up for selling it.

As in they're nicked?

A set of decent 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 ratchets like Teng would be closing on £100 and likewise set of ratchet spanners seems to be around £100.

Awww yeahhhhh

Nah pretty sure they're legit though the shop is in the Barras (the Glaswegians will know).

They sell lots of ex mod tools n stuff.

Halfords advanced / pro stuff used to be very good. I've got snap on and Matco stuff too and the basic hand tools aren't any better.

Fair enough, can't say as I have personal experience of much of it, I just know that when I worked there it was rare to see a Halfords branded tool in the car mechs tool chests.

After all my whinging I realised I never posted photos of the final result.

See next posts.

I think it looks better. Personally I prefer either an all black look to the forks, or bare shafts(?) and headlight mounts which expose the shaft. It was also pointed out to me that without gaiters or guards I risked having a stone chip the forks and in turn potentially damage the seals.

It’s also the first time I had a proper look at my gloves ( Weise Vortex ) after my little slide, and hadn’t noticed the damage to the palm / scaphoid sliders. There was a small amount of damage to the knuckle. Surprised considering; 1) low speed, 2) didn’t realise I put my hand out. It does make me inclined to agree with all those forum posts I’d read about the benefit of scaphoid sliders. I’m going to see if I can get them repaired / do it myself with Kevlar thread.

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Without fork gaiters:

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