Hi From Australia!

[mbikeboy]

We just had a public holiday long-weekend, so my gf and I headed to the countryside for a spot of camping and looking around at properties to buy in the area. We were passing through a small town which I had passed through a couple of years ago when I had a front tyre blowout on my old BMW bike, and thought we'd pop into a small antique shop and see what vinyl records they had as we're building a collection. One thing led to another chatting to the owner of the store about vinyl and a few other cool retro things, and he mentions that he has a Vespa.

The conversation progressed and it turns out he was thinking of selling it, so silly me starts asking questions about it! A 2010 LML 150 2T, 2100klm's, grey, mint condition, new Dunlop tyres, de-registered due to him losing his licence, etc...then he hits me with the price, $700! I did my best poker-face and said that it "sounds interesting", and next thing we're at his place giving it a proper going-over. My gf immediately and quietly tells me she wants it for herself and to see if I can get the price down further, but before I can do that, he says for $600 we can have it, as it's impossible to sell out in the middle of nowhere! Unless you're in a capital city, scooters are useless here in Australia. As she said, it was one of those rare "barn finds" that you'd kick yourself hard later if you didn't go for it (I love how she thinks just like me ).

We had zero inclination of looking for a scooter, nor my gf intending to ride, but it's funny how things work out eh?! I'm heading all the way back there tomorrow with a trailer to collect it (a decent ol' road-trip haha!), and we're pretty excited!! The pics are from when we saw it, so it's a bit dirty and dusty, but with a good detail it will come up looking brand new. I'll give it a full service and start doing a few mods to it like crash bars, a few chrome touches, heated grips, etc and get her a new helmet and some riding gear so she's ready to go for her Learners Permit.

[rob h]

Hi from sunny Lincolnshire uk. Notice it has the vespa px spoked front wheel, nice scoot. Have fun mate, bet you will be using it within weeks never mind the other half!!!! Rob.

[Shaunbond]

Looks like an LML hub to me Rob.

Lovely scooter

[mbikeboy]

bet you will be using it within weeks never mind the other half!!!! Rob.

I have a sneaking suspicion I might be riding it a bit!! I'm already compiling a list of parts to buy...the bug has bitten already hahaha!

[mikey 69]

Howdy doody dude and welcome along
Heated grips in your clime !?!?? Isnt that overkill or do you not wear gloves?
Looks like a neat find/bargain bit jealous
Mikey

[Philos]

Hi mate and welcome... great find on the scooter!

I'm in Aus too - from Melbourne. What part are you from?

Phil

[mbikeboy]

Heated grips in your clime !?!?? Isnt that overkill or do you not wear gloves?

They're definitely needed because it gets mighty cold in winter here...not everyone lives on a sunny beach here in Aus!

[mbikeboy]

Hi mate and welcome... great find on the scooter!

I'm in Aus too - from Melbourne. What part are you from?

Phil

Hey Phil! Yeah we reckon it was a great find too...such a random thing to come across in the middle of nowhere, especially at that price! I'm just about to head off and pick it up now actually, and whilst I'm dreading the drive, I'm pretty excited. I live in Ashburton in Melbourne, small world eh?!

[NICK]

Bonjour from Cornwall! My brother is in N.S.W. Even smaller world! Cheers

[mbikeboy]

I drove a total of 860klm's yesterday, picking up the scooter and bring it back to Melbourne, then immediately drive all the way to pick up my motorbike and bring that home also...I was exhausted!!! My girlfriend joined me on the motorbike trip and did half the drive which was an awesome help.

Despite being a very, very late finish and feeling like a zombie, I got up at 5:30am same time as her, had a coffee and got stuck into cleaning the scooter! The weather is terrible this morning and it's hot n sticky, raining and storms are expected later on, so that's put a bit of a halt to a few plans I had today. Please excuse the lack of amazing pics...they really don't do the scooter justice to how amazing it looks, but these will have to do for the time being until the weather and lighting is better (and and it's not jammed under the back verandah).

[Philos]

It looks great. Looks in great condition, plus it's really only just run in...Well it's nice to see some rain to settle the dust, but I guess not if you're itching to take this baby for a spin.

I'm over in St Andrews - (about 45 kms NE of city).

All the best

[mbikeboy]

Well it's nice to see some rain to settle the dust, but I guess not if you're itching to take this baby for a spin.

I'm itching to take this bad-boy for a spin more, hahaha!! I've got to finish rebuilding it and get it back on the road after I was rear-ended at 60 a while ago. There's so much work still to do, and the dodgy fitment of chinese-crap ebay fairings is only adding to the workload...extensive modifications just to make even basic things fit. It's taken me all morning just to get the rear-end on it, and the side fairings are just hanging there atm, I have to fabricate brackets galore d'oh!

[Philos]

Haha yeah.. I could see why you're itching to jump on the Suzuki (?). I wouldn't trust myself on a beast like that though - probably wrap myself around tree trying something a little stoopid. That's part of the reason why I go for the lower powered machines.

Fabricating brackets and modifying parts takes so much time hey. I made a simple looking bracket to mount the horn on the LML and it ended up taking a good couple of hours - but still, it's not like I could walk into a shop and buy one - they don't exist. I had no choice but to make it with my primitive tools and workspace.

I don't know if you've got a parts supplier you've found already, but I thought I might mention a place I've been getting parts from for the LML. It's called GPS Imports and they're based in Collingwood - got tons of vespa parts and plenty of LML parts too. I've bought quite a few bits and pieces off these guys and they seem pretty good with availability of parts, prices and postage etc. Worth a look at if you've got the time.

Cheers

[mbikeboy]

Hahahaha Philos! I absolutely love my Suzuki and can assure you that it's not as scary as it looks to ride...easy to say I suppose! It's been on the back-burner ages and not got around to fixing up and back on the road until just now, so I'm chomping at the bit to get back to using it as my daily-rider again, oh and going for a fang with my mates (I've sworn not to do trackdays btw!). Discovering that I have to fabricate so many brackets infuriated me (so much for precision fitment eh), and yep you're correct in saying that is a time-consuming job. The fitment of he Chinese fairings is so poor quality, but the shocker was how bad quality the paint is...it's already wearing off just while handling them to fit simple stuff like grommets on, so I'll have to get busy sanding and do it properly myself, and yep that defeats the purpose of buying new ones. I've also run into a few other random dramas with the bike today which has been a kick in the balls to say the very least, and has added to the dreaded "list of things to do". Noooooooo!!!! Suddenly getting it back on the road in a couple of weeks is going to take a LOT longer than expected.

I must say that I'm incredibly impressed with the little scooter!!! I've given it a full detail and full service today, and the only issues I could find is the left rear indicator isn't working (dodgy earth I suspect and will delve further tomorrow), could do with a new spark plug due to a bit of carbon build-up, the parker bulb is blown, the battery is cactus, and the battery strap was non-existent (an RWC issue). After draining all fluids, it's had a gut-full of Motul 510 and BP Ultimate (runs silky smooth), new brake fluid, etc and it's like a brand new scooter! The grips are dreadful things and will definitely be changing them over asap...I have some new Domino motorbike race grips which I'd like to fit but don't reckon they will. Asides from that, it's ready to go straight through for a RWC and registration!

We were discussing lastnight whether it's worth putting the scooter on the road sooner than later and I reckon we will. I sold my Jag so we would run one car and I use the Suzuki, but that plan has been shot to pieces...I'd rather get everything sorted perfectly on the Suzuki than do a rush-job on it. The scooter is in tip-top condition and basically ready to go, hehehe!

Thanks HEAPS for the recommendation of where to get parts from btw mate, I really appreciate that!!! I was going to ask you but you were too quick! I'm going to scour their online store now hahahaha!!!

[Philos]

Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. It is always nicer when you can take your time on a project (such as the Suzuki) and do a good job. It's so much easier when you don't have to revisit things huh? I'm like that too. Sometimes too much like that.. and projects end up taking years!! haha. Finding that balance is the key!!

Yeah you get a lot of scooter for the money. You couldn't buy a half decent pushbike for $600. Parts seem to be very reasonably priced as well. I recently changed the front brake pads and rear brake shoes with a better quality parts. Cost $12.50 for front and $15 for rear. Not bad eh?

That's good news scoot starts up ok and runs well. It looks to be in great condish too.. bonus!

Yeah you're right about the grips.. bloody awful bits of hard plastic crap. I did replace mine but I can't remember what type they are. I walked into the GPS shop and looked at a whole lot before I made up my mind, and even then I'm not entirely happy with them - a little too hard I think, so I want to replace mine again someday. Knowing the diameter and length of the grips helps a lot when browsing online for them. Often they'll quote size and length of bars they fit.

Anyway... enjoy the nice weather we're having!!

Cheers

Phil

[mbikeboy]

I had to laugh at your comment about not being able to buy a half decent pushy for $600, it's soooooo true! The scooter was a genuine bargain for that money and we honestly couldn't be happier with it...it's in awesome condition!! It just goes to show the value of how taking a few extra moments to chat to someone can lead to amazing and unexpected things eh? We had bought our 3 vinyl records, my gf walked outside to fetch the car from a few blocks away, and rather than do the usual thing of "thanks, have a great day" and leaving, I complimented the guy of having some awesome things in his shop, what happened when I was last in this tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and then the conversation kicked off...without doing that, we'd never have known about the scooter.

We're planning to head to GPS this weekend and have a look around, so at the same time I might as well get some new grips, brake pads & shoes, a battery, etc, and see what else tickles our fancy for it. I'm on a mission atm to get the car, bike and scooter in perfect order atm, so it would be great to tick one vehicle off the to-do list! I have started to vinyl-wrap the Suzuki fairings, and omg it's a slow and frustrating activity! I spent all of yesterday doing the front mudguard which was an absolute nightmare...convex and concave curves, plus some angles thrown in for good measure. I'm not 100% happy with it, but my gf said it looks amazing, and it was the perfectionist in me (with a dash of OCD) thinking that way. The tips of fingers are incredibly sore from it also. I'll have a crack at the duck-tail today and see how that goes...fingers and toes crossed!!



So where abouts do you go riding your scooter? I'm fairly new to Melbourne and particularly the scooter scene, so am keen to suss it out. Are there group rides, etc like is the norm for motorbikes?

[Philos]

Yeah it's amazing where a little chat can lead... That's happened quite a few times to me too.

Well, the vinyl covering looks great on the guard. I'm guessing you'll be able to speed up the process as you continue. I get what you mean about doing it once and doing it properly. I spent most of my life working with aircraft and that mentality was drummed into me since day one. There's a fine line between OCD and being pedantic they say. To be honest, all the best aircraft engineers I ever worked with could all be diagnosed with some type of OCD (myself included at times).. I don't really care what others say any more. If I'm enjoying something and getting good results, I'm happy as Larry!

In regards to where do I ride and are there any clubs around?? I mostly use the scoot now as a run-about (when the weather's good) to get places I'd otherwise normally drive. It's still nice to jump on and hit the country roads around where I live, but I find I'm not doing that so much since I've run in the engine. I did it by the books and covered about 2,000kms without too much hard work or full throttle - so that was a lot of 1 or 2 hour trips over the summer!

She's (LML) off the road atm.. I accidentally pulled out the speedo cable at the hub end when making some slack in the cable to lift up the headset when changing gear cables. I discovered the bracket/plate which presses down on the rubber grommet (in the hub) is totally at the wrong angle and wasn't holding the cable correctly and in fact pushing the cable off centre - the plate has completely the wrong angle on it!!! So I ordered a new vespa grommet and plate (which looks quite different) hoping that'll do the job properly. As you've probably seen already, tons of people have problems with breaking speedo cables at the hub end. I'm thinking the wrong angle of the plate which squashes down on the grommet might be the culprit - plus of course the alignment of the plate when tightening it all up- that's critical. Sort of hard to explain without photos... I'll see how I go and maybe make a new topic about it if I feel on the right track...

I searched for a club and the only one I came with was the Melbourne Vespa Scooter Club, so I shot them an email asking if I could join. The answer was a big NO! They don't allow LML's in the club.. SNOBS!! I really wish there was another club around but I just can't find any. I rode a Vespa then a Bajaj in the 80's and it was so cool to ride with my mates who also had Vespas. We were punks on scooters and were quite well known in the Melb Mod/scooter scene - for some reason they tolerated us and didn't feel the need to bash us!! lol. So we took a few rides with them as well which was fun.

If you find any clubs that cater for LML riders let me know. I'd love to go for a group ride - it's a nice feeling being around like minded people and disappearing in a cloud of 2 stroke!

It might be worth ringing GPS before you head off. I'm not sure if they're open on weekends? Just down the road from GPS Imports is Vespa House. That's the original vespa shop/mechanics workshop in Melb. Good bunch of guys - but they're not really into LML's - strictly Vespas, being Italian and all. Though I found if you sweet talk them enough they'll help you out if need be.. So far I've done any mechanical work needed myself, so I've been able to avoid paying the price for their expertise, though I have had to ask a few questions. If you need any parts they'll just send you up the road to GPS anyway... Vespa House is a great place to stop in and look at though. It's ancient and has some great old bikes in there!

There's another scooter mechanics workshop around the corner from Johnson street Collingwood. I haven't been there but probably worth checking out if you need mechanical work done.. here's a link. There's some good info on their website -suppliers, projects etc. They've got a fb page as well..

http://scooterlabs.net

Cheers

Phil

[mbikeboy]

I searched for a club and the only one I came with was the Melbourne Vespa Scooter Club, so I shot them an email asking if I could join. The answer was a big NO! They don't allow LML's in the club.. SNOBS!! I really wish there was another club around but I just can't find any.

Wow what absolute wankers!!! Over the years it has never ceased to amaze me how "precious" some people and clubs can be, and the amount of politics and bitchiness that can exist...oh well that's their loss eh mate?! Perhaps we look at starting up one that's inclusive and welcoming to all scooter riders, I mean it's not exactly like the city is swarming with them to begin with, and they're gaining slow popularity. I'm predominantly a sportsbike rider, but have done some pretty gnarly adventure bike rides (even a BMW Safari Enduro!), so I blur the lines on which camp I sit in. If anything I found I got more respect from both communities for being able to do each discipline well because they're completely different styles and skills of riding. I'm sad to learn that the scooter community here cannot get past petty little things like which brand you ride.

Ahhh so now I know what bracket you're referring to having to redesign...I took one look at it and thought it was a bit of a crap design and something to keep an eye on funnily enough, so I'm glad to see it's not just me who thought that! I'll add that to the "to-do list" in that case.

I do all my own work, and like yourself I used to be a mechanic (I was a car tech though), so why not use your own expertise and save some coin along the way eh? It also has the added benefit of you knowing it's done properly the first time. So long as I have a workshop manual, let me at it, hahaha!!

Anyway I must keep this brief, as I'm about to go for an interview for a very awesome position at a well known motorcycle specialist...wish me luck!!

[mbikeboy]

It's been a while since my last update...life has been flat-out and got in the way!

The poor scooter has sat idle undercover for ages and nothing has happened since the last update. With a new job and the daily-driver/project Honda Civic VTi-R to need all of my attention on my one day off, I've simply been too busy to spend any time on it. Fortunately, my new job happens to be at a highly respected custom motorcycle shop, and once things quieten down over winter, the scooter and bike are going in and getting some epic TLC. I feel awful for putting my gf's scooter at the bottom of my priority list. I've just ordered a swag of new chrome bling for the scooter, and some accessories which she has mentioned would look amazing, so expect some actual progress to start happening in the next couple of weeks now that things are going quieter with the seasonal changes.

[mbikeboy]

Well some new parts started arriving today. As much of the chrome fitments were looking pretty tired and dull, these have been a priority...stupid me showed my gf some pics of vintage Vespa's we're restoring at work!

I've gone a little bit silly, but that's understandable wanting it to be perfect for my gf. I've ordered new clutch and brake cables, battery, new battery tray, rubber grommet/sleeving kit, air filter, spark plug, chrome mirrors, chrome carby box cover, chrome horn grille, chrome selector box cover, chrome front fender crest, chrome levers, chrome helmet holder, chrome fuel tap lever, chrome flywheel cover, Vespa leg-shield badge, Vespa dash/speedo, Brembo front disc pads, PM tuning billet front brake caliper, and 2 chrome wheel rims.

I'm wanting to pull the trigger on the Carbone front sport shocker...sooooo tempting!! I'm figuring seeing as I get tyres so cheap at work, I'll get premium, so why not match them with some upgraded suspension. I tally up what I've spent and what nice parts could have been added to my car or bike...d'oh! It's for a great cause though!!!