A busy week has past since the last ride I did kick it over during the week, once for five minutes, but have decided I want to get it reliable before I start riding it to work, last thing I want is to be out on the footpath trying to kick it over at 530pm...suppose I could just leave it there inside, anyway.
The conditions were the same, sunny and a warm 30 degrees C, She went on the second kick and off I went, it went well I ended up doing 70kms around town and other than some sloppy gear changes, most likely me, it went well, through the gears up and down, at one point I was up to 80 on the clock and wasn't even at 1/2 throttle, I didn't push my luck though, as it was shaking, vibrating badly, there was a rattle that I just couldn't pin point. I took her up some long slow hills and lots of long, 2-3km long straight flat roads speeding up to about 70 kmph and slowing down to vary the revs. I stalled out twice, the first time I pushed across the intersection, bear in mind this is in a smallish country town not inner city Melbourne, checked the plug, kicked it a few times with the plug out to make sure I hadn't flooded it trying to start it, just gave the idle screw a slight 1/8 turn and back together started on the third kick, I reminded myself to find some shade next time or at least take the jacket off. The second time I did find some shade and went through the same things after I tried 6-7 kicks, this time I pulled the idle jet to check it wasn't blocked, I noticed on the inside top of the air filter quite a few small black bits of something, not sure where they would be from, the fuel tank is in good condition, it is a new tap with a fine gauze filter on it, the fuel hose is new and a proper reinforced fuel hose not a standard clear rubber Vespa hose. One source could be the springs under the seat upholstery, they have been painted and the more use they get the more the paint comes off in flecks, I always have to wipe a few off the top of the tank when I fuel, some of these may have ended up in there.
When I was checking the jet a man in his 80s walked by, he stopped and mumbled a few things, some I did understand, some not.
"I remember them from after the second world war, something, mumble, something France"
" No, They were made in Italy, Vespa"
"Oh I've heard of them, you know a bit about them then?"
" A little, you need to because they break down occasionally"
" That happens to everyone though"
" Yeah but you can generally get these going again"
"Good luck" and he wandered off
I got it going and decided it was getting too hot to do this a third time and I made a B line for home on the way something fell off or I ran over something that I didn't see.....beginning to think about a comment K made about the bearings.
Total 100kms into run in.
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