The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

I didn't.

Actually member OldGrinner had me thinking about this. His example was in one of his recent posts showing a video revealing that Mr. HondaMan picked bike colors for a reason... And that his favorite color was "Red!"
What! Wow. Really?

So why not start a thread that brings that reaction. I'm sure there's a tidbit or more to be shared.

Dad would always say, "learn one thing each and everyday." His lesson usually took place at the kitchen table. Early morning (best time right?) via a magazine (founded in 1920) called "Reader's Digest."
Some of you can relate to that mag, I'm sure. Vocabulary test, etc.
What we do with all that collected information...Time Will Tell

I'm kicking this off....

Bikers are Good Doobies (o;

And you thought Jaguar started out as an automobile manufacturer? Well look again . . ..



And a slightly older version of history. The side car thing doesn't get much attention.

This is a Kawasaki, photographed in 1934: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... a_1934.jpg

A 1930's style HD made in Japan by the Rikuo Company under license until WWII. Then production of Rikuo Harleys continued up until around 1960.



Harleys made somewhere else other than the U.S. is old news. . ..

Piaggio bits 'n pieces. I'm wondering gn2, did you know All of this? I'm thinking Yes
(Below was taken from Motorcycle News Online - 2016

70 years of Vespa:
10 things you didn't know
Published: 02 September 2016



1 of 4
To this day a scooter is about the easiest, cheapest, and most convenient mode of powered transport there is, certainly for town riding. You can nip through the tightest of gaps in traffic, park them in the smallest of spaces, they’re mega efficient on fuel, boast decent storage space so you can leave your helmet with the bike, they’re clean (because the Vespa bodywork encloses all the dirty stuff) and they’re the easiest things in the world to ride; no gears, no clutch, just twist and go. Oh, and they’re fun, too.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Vespa 98cc rolling off the production line – and here are 10 more things you should know about the world’s most famous scooter brand.

What does Vespa mean?
It’s Italian for ‘wasp.’ Enrico Piaggio (the son of the founder of Piaggio, which owns Vespa) came up with the name after first seeing the MP6 prototype for the first time. He thought the wide back end, joined to the front end by a narrow waist, looked like the body of a wasp, with the steering column resembling antennae. 

When did Vespas become cool?
Although Vespa were selling 60,000 scooters a year by 1950, they only really started being viewed as cool in 1953 when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn zipped around on a Vespa in Roman Holiday. The movie led to 100,000 units being sold the following year and when James Dean, John Wayne, Marlon Brando and Charlton Heston were pictured on Vespas, there was no turning back. 

How different are modern Vespas to classics?
The biggest change in modern Vespas is that they all use four-stroke engines now so the classic sound and smell has been lost. Engine capacity has also grown in many modern models (at 300cc, the latest GTS is twice the size of the 1960 GT150) and it goes without saying that modern brakes and suspension components are far superior to those used in the early years. The latest GTS even has ABS! But the one constant is the styling – modern Vespas retain a respect for their heritage and all bear a family resemblance that’s totally distinct to the brand. 

Who designed the Vespa?
It’s all down to former aeronautical engineer Corradino D’Ascanio who found motorcycles dirty, uncomfortable and bulky. He also found it hard to change wheels on them after a puncture. He solved all of these problems with his design for Vespa, using direct mesh to negate the need for a chain, enclosed bodywork to keep riders away from working parts (as well as providing weather protection), and even designing a supporting arm instead of front forks to make wheel changes easier. 

Where are Vespas made?
The factory is at Pontedera, near Pisa in Northern Italy, and it’s more like a small town than a scooter factory. Seven brands of two-wheelers are made there, all owned by Piaggio. As well as Vespa, these include Piaggio, Aprilia, Scarabeo, Derbi, Gilera, and Moto Guzzi. In 2014 alone, Pontedera churned out almost half-a-million bikes and scooters. The facility includes a test track and even a direct railway link. All Vespas sold in the European market are made at Pontedera while models for the Asian market are made in Vietnam and the Baramati plant in India. 

Why should I buy a Vespa and not a far cheaper scooter from the Far East?
Cheap scooters from the Far East may do a similar job to more expensive machines but they have none of the class, style, or heritage of a Vespa. When you buy a Vespa, you’re also buying into the brand and lifestyle in the same way that Harley-Davidson and Ducati owners do.


There are plenty of brilliant, fast and reliable Japanese scooters but they can never hope to offer 70 years of brand-defining cool and heritage. You simply cannot manufacture that.

How many different models of Vespa are there?
There have been 34 different versions since 1946. Today there are five model lines – the classic PX with manual-transmission, and the more modern twist ’n’go S, LX, GT and GTS ranges. 

Is the UK a big market for Vespas?
Outside of Italy, the UK is the biggest market for Vespa and at the height of the Mod sub-culture in the 1960s – as immortalised in the Who’s Quadrophenia – the UK was the biggest market in the world for the Italian manufacturer.  Is there a big difference between Vespa owners and Lambretta owners?
Even during the height of the Mod movement in the 1960s, both makes were considered equally cool. Some prefer Lambrettas because their engines are centrally situated (whereas the Vespa engine is on the right-hand side of the bike) so they feel they handle better, but Vespas have a reputation for being more reliable. It’s more a case of friendly banter between owners, rather than rivalry. Lambretta closed shop in 1972 and, although production continued in India under the SIL name, production ceased in 1997. SIL now makes three-wheeler Vikrams powered by Lambretta engines as well as spares for certain Lambretta two-wheeled models. 

What’s the most famous Vespa in the world?
Probably the 1962 150S that was modified by surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The bike belonged to a student but Dali painted it up with the name of his muse and partner, Gala, and added his own very distinct signature. It’s on display in the Vespa museum in Pontedera and is considered to be the most valuable Vespa in the world. By Stuart Barker

Well, I definitely learned more about Piaggio today!
Here's a few pics taken from that article too:

Interesting article about Vespas, pity about one of the images but hey-ho I've blocked it.

Irish Scooterist Egg Run . . .. Who would have ever thought. April 22 of 2017.

Dig the paint jobs on some of these machines. Really cool.

^^ A cloudy day but who cares! All the better to see "where yer going" and in a BIG Group like that one must pay attention (should pay attention).

I Saw FUN! I'm so glad We were able to ride along pillion, thanks to the Rider of that lovely 2 stroke Green PX (?) ah the sound, the gas/oil mix in the air. Some hates it, some loves it. I loved it especially while riding through the Keys ... full throttle smokin' Thems were the days me friends

A Wee bit of humor
But still,
Who Knew?



That takes Pop Goes the Weasel to another level! Where's the Booze?

Where producers got the idea for "Ben-Hur"
You can't make This Stuff up! Motorcycle Chariot Races - That's Right!
Who Knew That? Who Did That? Any member(s) in your family?
https://www.unbelievable-facts.com/2016 ... g.html?amp

Where have all the Cushmans gone . . . long time passing?

Maybe the folks in Lincoln, Nebraska may know.

Were motor scooters in the U.S. a victim of Madison Ave. and a push for bigger is better conspicuous consumption?

Did the joy of less is more become overtaken by "Keep up with the Jones"?

Here's a nice stroll down memory lane . . ..



Oh . . . and about the motorcycle chariots . . . what, no dust masks?

And what do we have here?

Something from the U.K. in the '50s . . ..

Can anybody elaborate on this scooter?

I like that side panel access for the rear wheel. The panel for the engine must be for priming the carb or something. I remember the old Amal carbs had buttons to tickle the gas. Access to the plug wire and fuel tank when you lift the seat looks handy.

Note: Audio not available on video.

Google is your friend:

"Dayton Albatross scooters were made by the Dayton Cycle Company Ltd. from 1956 to 1960. The first Albatross had an air cooled Villiers 225cc engine with a engine cooling tunnel between the rider’s legs. In 1957 a second model was introduced with the new Villiers 250cc twin cylinder engine, a little later the scooters were given new front legshields and mudguard and called the Dayton Continental. In 1958 the maroon and black Continental Twin cost £230."

Google is your friend:

"Dayton Albatross scooters were made by the Dayton Cycle Company Ltd. from 1956 to 1960. The first Albatross had an air cooled Villiers 225cc engine with a engine cooling tunnel between the rider’s legs. In 1957 a second model was introduced with the new Villiers 250cc twin cylinder engine, a little later the scooters were given new front legshields and mudguard and called the Dayton Continental. In 1958 the maroon and black Continental Twin cost £230."

They were nice looking machines indeed!

I remember when things were changing in the British motorcycle world and there was the emergence of "Norton/Villiers/Triumph". I guess they hoped government loans would help the ailing industry. That said NVT had it's internal struggles and the rest is history.

First powered two wheeler I ever rode was a friend's NVT Easy Rider.

It was a yellow one, looked just like this:

First powered two wheeler I ever rode was a friend's NVT Easy Rider.

It was a yellow one, looked just like this:

The good 'ol days eh? Fuel tank in frame?

Looks like a fun ride and great for getting around stress free. . ..

On a similar note, they were selling TOMOS MOPEDs here in the U.S. right up until 2016. You could get them out of the box for around $1,300. Then all of a sudden they just seemed to disappear from dealer showroom floors. Upon further investigation it seems that through changes of ownership and loss of postal service contracts in Slovenia they shut down a plant and went bankrupt earlier this year. I seriously considered buying one before I got the Genuine Roughhouse but when I found out there was a sudden change in the market I decided not to. I'm not sure what will be going on moving forward. TOMOS sold in the Netherlands and they were trying to expand into the U.K. market at one time. Being 2-strokes maybe they lost favor with the environmental minded consumers.

Here's a vid of the Slovenia plant two years ago. They didn't know they'd be shut down by now . . ..

Tomos used to be sold here mail order and in high street retailers like Halfords.
They still have a UK web presence: https://www.tomosgb.com/

Some cool Ducati bikes from days of yore . . ..

The 1960 Manx Norton . . .