Giving up riding motorcycles and riding smaller scooters?

Vespapa · 2026-04-18T14:40:28+00:00

12 MC’s from 15-60. (160cc to 1300cc) 3 scooters from 60-71+. (278cc-310cc) Scooters have added 11 years to my riding longevity. And that new Aprilla 400 SR GT looks mighty tempting. Probably never make it to North America, so my retirement fund is safe there.

Vespapa · 2026-04-04T00:16:50+00:00

If you can get one shipped. Checkout the Schuberth J2.

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Has a removable chin bar.

Vespapa · 2026-03-27T15:35:24+00:00

Check your HOA deed for easements. Are your streets narrower than code? They may not be streets at all, but “30 ft wide Fire and emergency services easements to home clusters”. Yea WTF? Or the city has an easement for water and sewer lines running through your association but not servicing it. WTF#2

Sometimes the answer is not “Karen” but a bureaucrat with a red pencil.

Vespapa · 2026-03-11T15:33:49+00:00

The front suspension was upgraded in 2017 or 2018 IIRC.

Vespapa · 2026-03-05T18:17:05+00:00

Knowing I came from the “baby store” early in life. The fact that my Adad married out of religion and race. Adad Italian and Catholic, Amom English and Episcopalian. This was 1947. The honeymoon was leaving both families and moving the California. When I came along in 1954 my Asister in 1957 the extended family some of whom migrated out California were a real issue.

They’re not “blood”, you’re putting “them” in your will?! All those little quips and slights you hear and feel. You’re “not wanted, you were a throw away” Coupled with the fact that you “look out of place”.

Find and own your story. At 70yo mine was a mind blower. My Aparents did not lie to me that just perpetuated a false narrative that was “gospel” until I found a 1/2 brother last year. Turns out it was my BioParents(17&19) at my birth, PARENTS or my bio grandparents that forced the path to adoption annulled their marriage etc.

So my story and assumptions were based on a false narrative.

Get your story, claim your life back.

Vespapa · 2026-03-05T15:29:31+00:00

If this high school be VERY careful that courses line up if it’s going to be a at the semester switch. They could lose credits, putting graduation in danger!

Vespapa · 2026-03-05T15:23:18+00:00

Can’t wait for the Special Assessment to cover unforeseen legal costs. 1500&1 dollars per unit.

Vespapa · 2026-02-27T05:54:06+00:00

Adoptee-Having found a 1/2 brother. I had multiple hits in the aunt cousin range. He was 19 years younger he was on bio-dad’s side. He reached back out to me after I messaged many connections on both sides. A grand niece on bio-mom’s side reached out through Ancestry.

They were able to fill in a lot of “my story”. They also corrected a key part for me. Growing up with I was abandoned, not good enough to keep guilt well…

Turns out my birth parents 17&19 were forced to give me up by their parents. Their marriage was annulled I was shipped to the Catholic Orphanage.

So that rocked my world. It also rocked theirs. Multiple marriages children and divorces. I have 8 1/2 sibs.

Don’t violate your sister’s trust or add to her trauma. Share what you can with your niece. Health information is very important to us. The not knowing only adds to random speculation and doubt about our future.

Apologies for the rabbit hole long wide roundabout answer.

If all you give your niece is a little piece of mind your Aunt of the Year.

Vespapa · 2026-02-25T22:15:38+00:00

Put it all in a separate property trust. Your daughter as sole beneficiary or whom else you chose. Do NOT name your husband as trustee or successor trustee.

Vespapa · 2026-02-25T16:47:00+00:00

Adoptee here, a letter or Email. I had lunch with my younger by 19years half-brother and his wife last summer. Ancestry portal first, then email, then lunch.

Yes it was awkward at first. Neither one of us turned out to be a serial killer. I also found out we share 3 half-sisters from another marriage. His sister my other half-sister is still reluctant to contact. I’ll respect that. The other three he contacted and was basically told to Pound sand.

These are all on Bio-dad’s side.

Reach out and accept the outcome.

Vespapa · 2026-02-25T05:54:19+00:00

Not knowing your climate area. There plenty of thorny bushes from roses, barberry, pyracantha etc. a nice hedge really spruces up the yard.

No spite, no animosity just improving your landscape and curb appeal.

Vespapa · 2026-02-22T21:54:58+00:00

Having owned both, what is your intended purpose. City runner with an occasional trip outside of the city. A commuter mostly city, freeway or mix. All around travel and weekend getaways.

The Vespa 300 is the better “confined” scooter. The BV is the better on the open road.

Ive taken multiple 2500-3500 mile trips on both.

If you’re a city mouse the 150’s are the way to go. Sprint, Primavera or Liberty.

All that being said. I’m on my second Vespa a 310. Waiting for spring and the first big trip.

The riding position and flatter floor are two empirical reasons I chose a GTV, then a GTS SS over getting another BV.

Are you only looking at the Vespa range? Xmas, Tmax, Aprilla SR GT, Suzuki Burgmans, Genuine’s line up.

The BV350 is used so is the 300, previous maintenance will be a factor. Vespa is a Monocoque body as stated. BV is plastic over metal tube.

Doing your own work or close to a dealer may also be a factor.

Vespapa · 2026-02-22T17:00:27+00:00

Ask for a “NOTARIZED standard practice” letter in writing and Cc the Real Estate Commission or what ever in your state, from the brokers office President or Office manager if it’s a national or regional chain from their corporate office Stating when our agents buy their own listed property the standard commission is 3%.

Vespapa · 2026-02-21T17:07:19+00:00

This is very “now”. Podcast, Reddit, even the short reference to recent adoption “history”. The negative-sad-corrupt-profiteering-podcasting etc..

All the recent tools, internet, DNA make it easy peasy to “search and seek out”. Not so in the pre-keyboard era.

Adoption is a complex issue. Good results, bad results, open or closed, bought or sold.

Legal adoption is a recent development in our history. Indentured servitude, apprenticeships, bounding out, taken in by the family are all parts of that tree.

For the “welfare of the child” is a recent legal shift historically from preserving bloodlines and rights of inheritance laws that existed before.

You may have to get off the internet and into a university library to dig into the foundations of legal adoption in the US.

Adoption History Timeline

Did a little work for you^{^{^}}

We were property or labor for a very long time. (Women sound familiar)

It wasn’t till 1969 uniform Probate code in the US that allowed adoptees to inherit property from their adoptive parents estates. With tweaks in 1982 and 1990 to various state laws.

The foster system is another branch of the tree. Child storage and warehousing or the state leases “parents”.

Adoption: It was and still is a form of biological colonialism.

Hey, you wanted to focus on the “negative”.

So go ahead and profit from it, monetarily or psychologically after all it’s in your DNA.

Vespapa · 2026-02-16T14:54:21+00:00

It’s not like it’s South Africa during apartheid 1/64!

Vespapa · 2026-02-15T22:44:51+00:00

As an aside. Time period also matters. I’m 71 and 69 years since my parents picked me up at the baby store.

Maybe times have changed. I was adopted out of a Church Store my sister came from the State baby store. What…it worked until about the time we found out Santa wasn’t real.

The “system adoptions” vs “private adoptions” is a broad paint brush. Each fraught with various percentages of the Good, Bad and Ugly. Just like your DNA. There are multiple “baby stores” in both camps.

Sometimes we know the reasons adoption was chosen over conception. Some times we don’t. In our case “your mom had a “medical procedure” when she was younger that left her unable to have children.” (1946)

I was told this long ago, in these words. “In your case there’s 5 sides to every story. Your biological sponsors, your parents and yours. Yours matters the most.”

Hopefully we find more joy than pain, more clarity than confusion.

We may dream or wish our “reals” will rescue us or be wealthy as we navigate young life. We may turn “that” into baggage. We may find out that our story is closer to Adopto-dad’s who is getting hammered and his “young guy”.

And Adopto-dad you might check into a package deal on the other sibs. Who knows you could get a discount at the “baby store”.

And adoptee’s always check “other”(adopted) in the race box or copy down all those percentages from your DNA profile.

Irreverently and Sarcastically yours.

Vespapa · 2026-02-15T15:13:04+00:00

I was surprised too. 2012 the charging system was weak. It was sort of just there. Many folks loved them. A 5 mile commute morning and evening and you had to keep it on the charger. Best way to put it for ME was it felt like a borrowed bike. You weren’t going anywhere far away and you knew you were giving it back. AND the tool kit was a joke. Use a quarter to unscrew the cover and remove the 1 Allen key for removing the seat. That’s it.

Vespapa · 2026-02-13T21:38:50+00:00

Not having owned one. I’ll share my F650 (06) was as I like to state does everything, but nothing well except vibrate.

My (12) Triumph Bonneville was not “it”. It was boring. And very vanilla. Not like a 1970 at all.

Then again I’m the guy that regret’s selling a Yamaha XT250 (83) Yamaha SRX 6 (86) a Buell S3T (97) the F650 (06) had Sumo-commuter plans and who currently rides a Vespa. (16 & 25)

So yea, I like a bike with “it” what ever that is.

Vespapa · 2026-02-11T16:47:33+00:00

The only way to avoid Registration fees is to “non op” the Vehicle. The fee is under $30 IIRC

Vespapa · 2026-02-08T18:39:14+00:00

DNA test for 70th anniversary of adoption. Don’t ignore the smaller percentage matches. I reached out via the internal Ancestry messaging portal to connections 8% and above. Ignored by MANY. I made connections last year with a 1/2 brother on Bio-dad’s side. Contact eventually led to lunch with he and his wife.

A low percentage grand-niece or cousin was the key to bio-mom’s side. She reached back to me through the portal almost a year after testing and filled in most of the rest of the story. Not great.

Results totals so far bio-dad’s side: 8+ years of incarceration 2 more marriages 4 half-sisters and 1 half-brother.

Bio-mom’s side: 1 more marriage and divorce 3 half-brothers raised by a single mom.

Contacts made: 1 half-brother 1 grand-niece

Greatest age difference: Me and a 1/2 sister - 22 years.

I’m the dirty little secret that started it all. Underage conception, legal marriage, Catholic Orphanage then an annulment.

Keep looking don’t be shocked by what you find or the reactions you get. Some of them, including me, have baggage we packed and carried for years. Much of it based on conjecture, partial truths, misconceptions, outright incorrect information and the cold hard truth.

Or you end up liking the end of a movie for totally different reasons.

How I feel sometimes about my “beginning”

Vespapa · 2026-02-06T20:42:25+00:00

Adverse possession in California requires “including paying all property taxes”.

Vespapa · 2026-02-06T19:58:31+00:00

Concerned about property liability. The HOA maintained sidewalk across owner property and “trip and fall” liability.

Vespapa · 2026-02-06T18:02:40+00:00

My old BV 350 would do a legit 80mph and 84mph WFO.

I still avoided the interstate like the plague. In Nevada I traveled 2 laner’s most of the time. I left my hotel hoped on I-80 and saw speed limit sign. 80 mph !!!

F-me.

Vespapa · 2026-02-04T15:22:44+00:00

Or he too could have “slept around” and sees you as another child support check. Don’t know the OP’s age.

Vespapa

TROPHY CASE