Endurance Rider - A brief history

[Endurance Rider]

Hello to all. Now, how and where to start ? OK, I'll do the short version.

I've been posting on the Modern Vespa Forum for about 8 years now but in the last 3 I've switched my brand of choice from Vespa/Paiggio to Kymco as I had some reliability issues with the aforementioned brand.

A misfiring GTS300 and a BV350 with the same ailment ended the love affair and I've never looked back.

The trouble is I won't shut up about just how good my Downtown 300i is and I've kind of annoyed a few died in the wool Vespa owners in the process.

It was suggested to me that I find a more suitable forum to broadcast my enthusiasm and so I find myself here and I'm hoping you will accept me as a newbie starting at the bottom rung of the ladder.

I "specialise" in Ironbutt Rides in which you complete over 1000 miles within 24 hours using witnesses and fuel receipts to prove your start and finish points as well as the route ridden.

So far I've completed 8 rides in various guises mostly in the UK, Europe as well as a few in the USA.

When I get to 10 I'll stop and find another misguided thing to do on two wheels.

Many of these rides have been written up and published in Twist and Go Magazine, Kymco UK's Official Website and The Vespa Owners Club News letter plus ScooterLab UK's site.

However if any of you are interested in reading any of these write up's just ask and I'll email them to you.

Having used the Downtown for the last 3 endurance rides -

UK 1020 miles in 20 hours

Europe 1509 miles in 32 hours

Europe 1214 miles in 21 hours and 15 minutes

I can say with confidence that the Downtown 300 is easily the most comfortable scooter/motorcycle that I ever owned and ridden.

It's only let me down once and that was when it turned a drive belt into candy floss after two endurance rides in two consecutive weekends.

The belts really do need time to cool but sadly these kind of non stop distances don't give them chance and they de laminate.

More coming.


 

[Snorvey]

It was suggested to me that I find a more suitable forum to broadcast my enthusiasm

I'll bet they didn't use as many words as that 

[tortoise]

Modern Vespa Forum . . I won't shut up about just how good my Downtown 300i is and I've kind of annoyed a few died in the wool Vespa owners in the process

That can probably be attributed to 10% genetics . . somewhat typical for the restroom stall "wide stancers" to become easily annoyed (not that there is anything wrong with that).

[Endurance Rider]

Thank you both for your kind words.

Where rides 9 and 10 are going to be I don't know yet but I'm thinking about linking 2 Ironbutts together while attempting to complete 2000 miles in 48 hours before the end of 2017.

There are also plans a foot to attempt a coast to coast across the USA next year on a Kymco product but within 5 days or less.

Less if i can help it.

[Endurance Rider]

To be fair to the members of the Modern Vespa Forum they are all really nice but my inability to stop banging on about just how good the Kymco product is was starting to get on a few people's tits so I took a hint and have taken a prolonged sabbatical.

If this USA ride comes off I may well be asking some of your advice on dealers quality of service and routes.

To be fair the route and date has already been decided, it's just the securing of the scooter that has to be finalised.

Oh yeah, and paying for it of course :-)

[tortoise]

Be vigilant for the gremlins.

[Endurance Rider]

Thanks.

While I'm here I may as well ask do you think that an OEM drive belt last 3000 miles of highway riding ?

The reason I ask is because I killed mine at 2500 miles at around 80 mph.

If anyone wants to see the provisional route for next year just ask.

ER.

[SteveADV]

I am also an Iron Butt member. Mine done on a Triumph Tiger Explorer. Your's on a Downtown 300i? Any custom seat work?

[ScooterWolf]

Hey! Welcome to the forum. I began as a Vespa fan with my eye on the ET4 in the early 2000's. When I had a change to purchase on I saw that the company had priced themselves out of my business. I soon discovered the Kymco line and have been happy ever since.

I'm actually about to start a long journey myself -- Philadelphia to Ottawa, Canada. Nothing that equals an Ironbutt jaunt (about 500+ miles), but I will be documenting the journey on my Downtown with three mounted cameras (two GoPros and a Drift Ghost S helmet cam). I just recently finished The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing, By Melissa Holbrook Peirson. Great read, one that introduced me to the LD culture and personalities.

I'm leaving on the 20th. I have 7 thousand miles on my bike, but my longest trips have been only about a hour or longer.  Just replaced my tires, changed the oil and had a complete tune-up. Is there anything I should also be concerned about?

- Wolf

[CROSSBOLT]

I test rode a Vespa 300i about a year ago and was NOT impressed. We were considering one for the Missus for a little more highway cruising capability but fell short in my opinion. You see, I was comparing to my DT300i and it lost! Tell 'em that!

Karl

[Endurance Rider]

The Downtown seat was standard and I even shunned the use of an Airhawk as they disconnect you from the bike somewhat.

I usually keep the fuel stops to a maximum of 15 minutes which is enough to get the blood back into your ass or if it really gets too much I perch on cheek and then the other to relieve the discomfort.

You can push the fill ups to around 170 miles which equates to 2 to 2 1/2 hours per stint.

The most I've ever ridden it in one hit was 1215 miles from Calais to Berlin and back in just over 21 hours and it performed brilliantly.

My problem now is unless I'm actually riding " with a purpose" it feels a bit pointless.

My first 6 Ironbutts were on GTS 250's and 300's so they are quite capable of holding highway speeds all day long but my beef is more about their reliability and build quality.

They look great but my GTS300 kept cutting out so after 4 attempts to fix it I gave it back to the dealership only to replace it with a BV350.

After 2500 miles it did exactly the same thing but for different reasons. I got the fault fixed and traded it against the Downtown.

It's spent at least 75% of it's life at 75 mph plus and has only eaten 1 drive belt which says a lot to me.

To be fair the GTS300 that I used for the Scooter Cannonball was bullet proof but will I buy another one ? No.

My advice for long distance riding is -

Always have a plan B route wise.

Question yourself how tired am I at each fuel stop.

Always carry your phone.

Don't drink energy drinks.

Walk around at each stop.

Don't listen to music.

Check your tyres/coolant/oil more often.

Take a manual map in case the nav can't get a signal.

Focus on the road and not on the landscape.

[ScooterWolf]

Thanks, and good advice. I'm not attempting to make any timing runs with my trip. I'm more interested in just getting there, and getting some good footage (especially through Upstate NY, and the Thousand Islands) over how long it takes. I will take breaks when I need to, and especially at fuel stops. My goal is to leave around 6:30 am, and arrive around, or after 3:00 pm, when my room will be available at the hotel I'm staying.

Will have a phone with me, and I've never had an energy drink (other than coffee), so that won't be a problem. Good point on the B route. I will look into that. No access to music when I ride. I'll be making narrative commentary through my camera, so that will keep me focused on the road. I won't be using any GPS unit (don't have one, and not my style). I'll have a manual map. I've been driving the students from the university where I teach to Ottawa every years since 1998, so I'm very familiar with the route (plus I'm from Up-state NY).

How did you enter the Scooter Cannonball Run with a Maxi scoot? I had inquired and pushed for Maxi scoots to be allowed to enter last summer, but was told it was a hard 'No'.

- Wolf

[Endurance Rider]

I entered the 2012 Scooter Cannonball with a Vespa GTS300 kindly provided to me by Vespa Sherman Oaks of California and finished around 15th or 16th out of 50 riders.

That year Maxi Scoots were allowed to enter but someone who couldn't ride went straight off into a road sign and wrote off his Burgman.

He also put 72 stitches in his foot.

The organisers wanted to cut the speeds so they put a 250cc limit on the 2014 event which was sensible.

I think that this year you could enter a Maxi Scoot above 300cc but would run unclassified as a "Tourist".

pm me for more details about that.

[de dee]

  when I did my 550 mile trip I did squats 15 to 20 times every gas fill up,.  good for the butt.,,

[Endurance Rider]

I spent my stops walking around casually trying to look like I could have done this for a living.

Fail.