[Pete]

I got into scooterism when I was a Navy brat stationed in Naples Italy back in the early 70s (I was about 11). I thought that Vespas and Piaggio Ciaos where THE BOMB! And, in retrospect, they still hold a warm spot in my heart, along with MotoGuzzis, Lambrettas, Fiats (Cinquecentos!), Bennellis, Alfas, Citroens, Peugeots, etc. etc.

With alla dat being said however, even though i have over 40 ponies at the crankshaft, without a clutch to goof around with, I find that I could probably have more fun on a 1979 Vespa 150. I just remember twisting that gear selector into 1st, revvin it up and going for broke!

My Burgman 650 isn't a Vespa Rally. It's a whole different ball-o-wax. In my case, I will be going on a 1100 mile trip this spring, and prolly dig almost all of it. I don't thinnk I could do that on some old cobbled up Lambretta....

So... what should this mean? I guess it means that I am a carb and points guy way down, and being able to select my own ratio is something that is viseral and also something I dig. Yeah the CVT does it's job with the typical Japanese perfection, but like so many cages nowadays, it's lost in its perfection and vanilla-ism.

It bums me out (in some ways) to not be able and "see" where my oil level is and what my plug wires look like....(unless I stand on my head!) But, I've been lucky enough to be able to get to the point where I can get younger wiser people to do that sort of stuff for me.

But I'll never forget that ride (from an Italian mechanic who worked down the alley from our apartment) on his jet black Laverda 750.

Sigh... I'll just twist the grip knowing that exclusivity is pretty cool, and grin when I'm in power mode making all others grow small in the rearviews.

Just a reflection...

Be safe. Ride safe.

 

[Evelyn]

Hi, I know what you mean by nostalgia. My first was a Lambretta 150 back in 1970. I loved the color plus the simplicity of being able to remove the covers to the engine easily. I loved doing the simple things of cleaning the spark plugs and whatever I could do to keep it running. However the reliability of the dang thing is something I will never forget. As a result I will never buy another Italian scoot again.

But then again, ain't that Vespa cute! :lol:

 

[Pete]

Absolutely correct Evelyn.

We couldn't find parts for our 66 Rambler when we were in Italy either! All of our repairs parts were done through a JC Whitney Order catalog for that beast!

Pop decided to hang onto it though, and it became my first car back in 76. My sisters boyfriend called it the "Ramblow" because it was so goofed and banged up after 4 years on Neopolitan streets! But hey!...Even though my three older sisters beat the hell out of the clutch, and it wasnt as straight as it was when we got it, it still had a fresh set of michelins and a set of triple air horns when I got ahold of it! :wink:

 

[Evelyn]

Them tires and air horns will get you anytime! :lol: You have had quite the experience :lol: But weren't you lucky to have something you could call your own and dream about what could be? And didn't you think you were hot stuff with your "Rambler" ?:wink:

God bless you and I hope all your future engines bode you well!

 

[Pete]

oooh yeah. hot stuff! :?

Howabout "big dork"! :lol:

The ol ramblo is a thing of the past. it was cool to be "lucky enough" to get a car when i was 16. but man, whatta piece! oh well. at least it was a two door, and, well, if you went around a corner after the clutch stopped slipping, you might be able to put down 4 feet of rubber with that ol continental six beating on the pressure plate!

I dig scooters. Went so far as to hook up last fall with a toys for tots "ride" that was local. It was no surprise to me that nobody noticed the big burg I was on, cept when they walked up to it and asked me questions about it. I just enjoyed the afternoon thanking myself (in my own mind) that I didnt get a fake harley!

peace out yo.
pedz

 

[pauljo]

The best feature of the old Ramblers was that the front seat backs folded down into a bed. You know, just in case you needed to take a nap or something... :wink:

 

[JKerstinJ]

As kids, my brothers and I called our Rambler the Trash Nambler. I'm pretty sure it was suppoesed to be a Nash Rambler.

I guess we are showing our age, not that it's a bad thing.

Janine

 

[Pete]

No such luck. No reclining seat.
It was a 66 Ramblo American 2 door post 6 cylinder w/a 3 on da tree! But to me - it was a rolls royce baby!!! No more ridin the bus to high school! uh, that is if it would start in the morning! :roll:

 

[Bossman]

I also learned to drive on a Rambler 3 on the tree. Then we got one with the push button tranny on the dash. Ah the good ol days really weren't that good after all sometimes.

Alan

 

[swstiles]

Rambler

The best feature of the old Ramblers was that the front seat backs folded down into a bed. You know, just in case you needed to take a nap or something... :wink:

Yea, I remember laying down in mine, you know to take a nap. :wink:
And I had the wagon :roll:

 

[docta]

The best feature of the old Ramblers was that the front seat backs folded down into a bed. You know, just in case you needed to take a nap or something... :wink:

 

[ronniern]

my first car was a 65 rambler american convertable, it was as the suzuki dealer told me about the burgman "bullet proof",unfortunally i developed a oil leak and like a stupid kid i ran it in the ground,i have looked for ebay for a similar car on ebay for sentimental reasons, unfortunally for a restored version the price tags are pretty high, took the burgie for a spin sunday(after checking the oil) ran into a few other bikers,including 3 on vespa like scooters and whereever i went ,i get the same question "what is that?", "it is so cool!" ,who says we have to grow up!

 

[gruntled]

The one I had was the convertable Metro. Not much room in that for much of anything but I did like the car.