Pics of the new scoot

As promised here are some photos of my new (to me) 2005 Piaggio BV200. Not a lot of modifications to this beauty yet. Lucked out, and we had OEM side-cases, a wind-screen, and a top-box in stock.
The windscreen can be adjusted to two different heights, and has two parts to the shield, so that buffeting is reduced. The screen was pulled off a crashed bike, and required some sanding to remove scratches on the clear portion.
The BV didn't have any mirrors, so I ended up using some stock Moto Guzzi mirrors (currently found on Brevas and Norges) along with some SW-Motech mirror wideners.

The side-cases we had in stock were Royal Blue, while the scoot itself is Imperial Blue. The two shades are pretty close... good enough for now. The top case was Platinum, but we actually had some Royal Blue touch up paint in stock, so I painted it. I used three tiny one ounce bottles, and didn't quite get the full tone match. It is still a little lighter than any of the other pieces. Oh, well it fits the ten-foot rule, and is a good excuse for a custom paint job at some point in the future. I dipped into the collection of stickers I have been building for several years to personalize the top case a bit.
One more serious mod I did do was adding LED running / brake / indicator lights to the side cases. The lights turned out really well, and really increase the visibility of the scoot.

New Scooter!

Here's to my new-to-me scooter, a full dress 2005 Piaggio BV200 I picked up for next to a song and some sweat equity. It's deep blue with sidecases, a topcase, and windscreen. 16" wheels, front and back disc brakes, and a liquid-cooled, carbed, 200cc single cylinder four-stroke engine. Power outlet and light in the underseat compartment.

Straight Eurotrash pimpin, y'all!

While I was troubleshooting and reassembling the BV, I made a few minor upgrades. As you probably assumed from the previous paragraph, I painted the topcase. I added Add-More lighting LED running lights-brake lights-turn signals to the sidecases. After losing two scooters to being rearended, I prefer to take some extra precautions.

Though I have owned more powerful motorcycles, I think this is the most badass scooter I have ever owned. I had the P200, but what it may have had an edge in power, the BV makes up for in advanced engine design, brakes, wheel size, and suspension.

I'm currently trying to come up with a name for the it.

A scooter with a history like this one, deserves a name.

It had basically been given up on and left to be a donorcycle at the shop I work at. Turns out all it needed was a new radiator fan... well and few parts which had been gleaned off of it, like a fuel pump.
Luckily we also had near-color matched sidecases, a top case ( in another color), three bottles of touch up paint, and a take off adjustable windscreen. From my studying of piaggio color codes, I have three different parts in two different paint codes. But in certain light, it looks to me like three different shades of blue, not two. Ultimately, this will be my excuse for airbrushing the bike. I'm already making sketches for potential themes, even though I know that wouldn't happen until late next winter.
Still, a name might give the paint theme focus.
But knowing me, I won't come up with a name until I've painted it.

The themes I'm currently most seriously considering are either a Doctor Strange theme, or a blue fox theme. Though I am still open to inspiration. Any custom paint wouldn't begin until next winter, in any case, so I have plenty of time to brainstorm.

Regardless, with the new Italian scooter, I'm going to make a concerted effort to be more active in local scootering. So stay tuned here or the Branchville Motors blog for info on scooter rides and meetups in the Fairfield and Westchester County area.

Oh yeah, and photos of the new scoot are coming soon.

Mike Meyer RIP

I worked with Micheal Meyer for several years at Art Outfitters in Little Rock Arkansas.
Mike and I were instant, and irrefutable friends. He was an old school punk guy, I was an old school punk guy, we work together,, we had many friends and acquaintences together, we went to the same art openings, we shared an easy an instanteous friendship, which I for one took too much for granted.
And now he is gone, on his 40th birthday.
I just don't have words for my grief and loss.

Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody

Best thing I have ever seen on Youtube.

More Proof that Vespas have Class

A couple weeks ago, the New York Times ran a story about Tom Boissonnault, a technology teacher at Eastchester Middle School in Eastchester, N.Y.
Mr. Boissonault, it seems struck upon the brilliant idea of teaching kids about design and engineering through the hands-on project of restoring a 1966 Vespa Allstate. Not just any barn find, this classic Vespa had been dredged from the bottom of a lake!

The article is a worthwhile read.

New Blogging Duties

So I rarely have the time to devote to this blog these days, and it looks like that is only going to be increasingly true over the next few months.

HOWEVER, I will be blogging all sorts of Power Sports goodness at the new Branchville Motors & Vespa Ridgefield blog.

Check it out!

This way I can blog about cool scooter and motorcycle stuff during the down times at work, without violating my old-school work ethic.

See you over there!

The Devil is Real

I was watching "Walk the Line" with Zoe the other day... and the scene where Johnny is talking about playing Folsom, and the record execs are telling him his church going audience won't approve... And the man in black says, "Well then they ain't real Christians." I've been thinking about that, and about how my Mama has always claimed religion would be alright if more Christians were religious the way the Man in Black was...

Mulling all that over, and then I find this awesome song, by probably the country's most under appreciated songwriter, Kevin Kerby... vocalizing thoughts that passed through my stoned teenage mind loitering in this exact same church parking lot twenty years ago...

Damn, Kevin, we don't deserve ya...