Mirrors

[nat]

Getting Vespa Sprint without mirrors. Have only been used to PX with the 'antenna' type. Is it that much different/dangerous without them? If I were get mirrors for the Sprint are there any type that come recommended? Also are the leg shield type any cop?

[Spence]

Riding a scooter without mirrors when you're used to having some is always very nerve-wracking at first. You just have to remember to keep your wits well about you and be prepared to crane your neck round before you carry out any manouevres whatsoever.

I have a legshield mirror on my Sprint, and I wouldn't be without it. The advantage of the old scooters is the chrome legshield trim - the legshield mirrors are made to fit on these, not on the soft trim on modern scooters. Once you've fiddled with it for ages and got it in the right place and at the right angle they're brilliant.

You can get brackets that bolt onto the underside of your handlebars to attach mirrors to, but I think they look a bit stoopid on old scooters.

[nat]

Cheers for that Spence. In a similar vein, how do you find riding without indicators? My girlfriend has expressed her displeasure at the prospect of me riding without them (not that I'm henpecked or anything)!!!

[Spence]

Well mate, I was trained not to indicate unless there's someone there to indicate to. It makes you much more observant and takes you out of that autopilot mode that ordinary driving instructors brainwash you into. that tends to reduce the amount of indicating I do.

Apart from that, as long as you passed your cycling proficiency test at school, you shouldn't find hand signals difficult at all. In fact if you have a seasoned pillion passenger, they should be doing it for you.

You should also find that your Sprint won't have a return spring on the throttle. This allows you to indicate with your right hand without a sudden loss of power.

If you haven't got some already, I recommend some decent bike gloves with a reflective strip on the back of the hands to make your signals more visible at night.

[Smallframe]

"You should also find that your Sprint won't have a return spring on the throttle. This allows you to indicate with your right hand without a sudden loss of power. "

Some mot staions will fail you for not having a self returning throttle, the carb spring should allow the throttle to fully return by itself. If not then you have a dried out or poorly routed cable, or merely an ungreased throttle tube.

kind regards

One miserable picky b*st**d on a smallframe and a few lammies ;D