Swearworthy Cold

Magda - The 24hrs before D-day held no promises-it was icy cold and sleeting.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Jerome - Magda and I wanted an early start as we were only halfway to Underburg but the two Posers as they were now called, Paulo and Martin wanted to have a lazy start with a good breakfast before they head back to Johannesburg. This is where the Bar One story was born as I said to them that just a Bar One chocolate bar would suffice as breakfast.

Jerome - The cold was setting in fast and through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park we came across a horrific accident due to black ice that we decided to contact the Support Team and meet them rather at Harrismith. Read my account here on Black Ice and Death

Thinus and Martin loading Magda and my Vespas onto the support trailers in Harrismith as sleet begins to fall.

Marlene and Magda supervise the loading of our Vespas

Magda - That night we trudged from eatery to eatery in the rain in Underberg looking for a place willing to feed 18 souls. Once inside the “The Grind Cafe” with its pub “The Woolly Bugger”, things started looking up and with good food, attentive staff and a few drinks to warm the vital organs and keep the cold at bay we all enjoyed a lovely evening.

Charlie

Colette showing us how to make 12 cups of coffee out of 1 liter kettle water

Dudley

Gys

Magda

Marlene

Matthew

Petro and Angie

Thinus

Tiffany

Magda - Climbing into bed that night at the backpackers lodge the admonishing warnings of family and friends ---don’t do it---crazy---dangerous---ran in ever faster circles inside my head, biting each others’ tails like serpents rolling down a hill. I pulled my buff up against them and the smoke filled room, popped a sleeping tablet and bunked down uncertain as to what the day would bring.

What Happens in Clarens?

Jerome - What happens in Clarens stays in Clarens as Day 1 of The Great Sani Pass Adventure begins with a long ride down to Clarens. Magda and I decided to ride down to Sani Pass while the others would leave the next day with the support vehicles. The plan was that we would meet up along the way to Underburg somewhere either at Escort or somewhere there abouts. You can read my full account of the day here.

Jerome, Paulo, Magda, Martin

Jerome - It is after this first leg that the name Posers was born. Paulo and Martin decided to join us for the down leg to Underburg but that night in Clarens they changed their minds and decided to turn back earlier. Now I wonder if it was the cold or the lack of balls, uhmmm.

Paulo with a device to measure uhmmm... 

Magda - The big balls story actually started off in Clarens on the way to Sani, but Paulo, myself, Martin and Jerome made a pact that what happens in Clarens stays in Clarens. All I can say is that Jerome nearly ended up with Elsa, the owner of the pub in Clarens, Paulo was laughing so much he was continually crying with tears streaming down his face and Martin had us all in stitches again as soon as we recovered and caught breath again.

The all new Vespa GTS 300 Super

Vespa launches the queen of the Vespa and it is beautiful, the latest scooter from Vespa, theGTS 300 and GTS 300 Super. The princess is now grownup with ABS brakes, ASR (traction control or anti-slip electronics), and an all-new ESS suspension. Along with the new multimedia platform to link your smart phone to your Vespa.

Breaming with the cutting edge technology brought in with the Vespa Primavera and Sprint models, this grownup Vespa will sure make a mark in South Africa although I am not sure when this Vespa will reach our shores, maybe towards the end of 2014 or even early 2015.

Vespa 2014

With the eTolls implemented in Gauteng, and majority of the Highways becoming Payways, the daily commuters have to either tighten their belts or take to the side roads. Commuters in other cities won't be spared either as this corrupted eToll system will be implemented in Cape Town and Durban too.

With the clogged side roads, will 2014 be the year we see a shift to the motorcycle mode of transport? In preparation, this year we saw Vespa SA bring in the new 3 valve 150cc motor and the eye candy Quarantasei 946.

So what does Vespa's 2014 line up look like? Although only the 125cc Vespa 946 landed on our sunny shores, will we see the 946 with the 150cc 3 valve motor purring inside or even the all new Primavera?

Vespa GTS 300 se Super Sport and Vespa GTS 300 ie

Vespa GTV 300 ie

Vespa 946

Vespa Primavera

Vespa PX 150

Vespa LXV 150 ie

Vespa LX 150 ie

Vespa S150 se Sport and Vespa S 150 ie

The Road to Happiness

Johannesburg winters are perfect for rides into the country. Although the Posers are scattered for now I did my best to hold up the flag when riding with the VLV and the Vesparados. Here are some photographs from a ride during one of the winter weekends. First was with the VLV with the modern Vespas on a Saturday and then on Sunday with the Vesparados.

Vespa 2012

With 2011 coming to an end, Vespa did well with the re-introduction of its iconic PX 150, bringing back the classic Vespa shape packed with up to date technology. Even though it has a 2 stroke motor, the 2 smoker meets all the European emission standards.

With Italy reeling from the current economic crash and Piaggio's stock exchange figures are falling so fast that we can only wonder if Vespa can survive. But Vespa has been here before and have managed to turn it all around. And now the news is coming out that Piaggio will be re-entering the Indian market which hopefully may help.

So what does Vespa's 2012 line up look like? As you can notice no 250's and I am not sure if the rumours of a 350cc Vespa is true but I will keep my ears peeled. Please note that not all these models will be brought in by Vespa South Africa.

Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport and Vespa GTS 125 Super Sport

Vespa GTS 300 IE

Vespa GTS 300 Touring

Vespa GTV 300 Vie della Moda and Vespa GTV 125 Vie della Moda

Vespa LXV 300 Vie della Moda and Vespa LXV 125 Vie della Moda

Vespa Quarantasei 150 and Vespa Quarantasei 125

Vespa PX 150

Vespa S 150, Vespa S 125, Vespa S 50 4V and Vespa S 50 2V

Vespa LX 150 Touring, Vespa LX 125 Touring and Vespa LX 50 Touring