I got a Vespa motorscooter in December of 2000 while living in Norfolk. It soon became my primary mode of transport, and I eventually sold my car. Here's a rough overview of my scooter and I during these past few years...it started off as a respectable, trustworthy machine, I swear!

Click on the photos to see larger versions.

Tal and I when I first got the scooter, 1/01. Blue '79 Vespa P125 from OTR (and Chelsea) in Richmond, $1,700.	Most of our scooter gang before departing to the 2001 Chain of Fools rally. Joe, Damon, Tal and me.	Jean and I took a road trip into rural VA, 9/01. The bike was reliable in those days and I didn't fear taking long trips.

After I'd just touched-up the paint in spots. The cowls were black when I bought it. I took great pride in the bike then.	In front of Tal's house in Ghent, about to give Masami a ride during her visit, 8/01.	Jesus and Damon helped me fix a seized piston (Malossi 166 kit w/ bad circlip) and had the bike all torn apart.

I rode with Tal, Damon, Ken, Jesus and Wayne for about a year and a half before moving to Chicago, where I was fortunate enough to land a job at Scooterworks USA, the premier retailer and mailorder parts house for all things Vespa-related. I miss my good friends in VA but have grown to love the Chicago scooter action just as well, in different ways. People here are always helpful and have taught me a lot, though I still have much to learn.

This shows my bike around 2/03. I've converted to a "euro" taillight and added saddle seats, front rack, Sito Plus exhaust, Sebac shocks, and a cold-weather "bib."	Just about to depart on a spring ride, 2003. Chad (foreground) is a prominent figure in local scootering and his ratty bikes have been an inspiration to me.	Kathy and Silent Ron near Navy Pier (Lake Michigan), looking west towards the Hancock Center ("The Cock.") As Ron illustrates, there is no compulsory helmet law in IL.

On a trip home to MI, April '03. Some lonely stretch of road in SW nowheresville, too close to Indiana.	At some point I got bored with the normality and blandness of my scooter and decided that it needed to become a "rat," to have more character. Thus the slow transformation started, experimenting with new cowls, a chopper seat (no), and more.

Of course Rat Bikes have to be black, so black it is. Rattle-can really is the only way to go, though the dollar-a-can crap that I bought doesn't last over time. Notice though that when I first painted the sonofabitch, it looked pretty good! Added crashbars and stoneguard on light, removed horncast, etc.		Shortly thereafter I switched out the taillight to a "tombstone" style Harley deal, complete w/ blue dot. Illegal...but far from stock!

I decided my old engine wasn't good enough, so I got a brand new one. This is the old one, nice and dirty.	This is the brand-new engine, and LML 150 5-port reed-valve deal. The bastard took a whole day (and more) to install.	I'm working in this photo, but 99% of the credit for the new engine install goes to Glen, who did all the hard work.

Group ride, spring of '03. Lake Michigan at Belmont Harbor or somewhere. Thanks to Big Rye.	Chad, Quinton and I rode out to Woodstock for the Walnecks Swap Meet. Nice.

9/03 In front of Scooterworks, about to depart for the Defilers' rally in Wisconsin. Hodge's Stella, my bike, Silent Ron, Matt's rat, Chad's cycle, and Ben's Allstate.	Coming back from the Scoots of Hazzard Rally in Indiana, waiting for a train to pass. About an hour later we got fiercely rained on...Gary and south Chicago in the rain.	Ben sold this gorgeous matt-black Allstate and is pursuing vintage motorcycle ridership (Puch). A fine man, good DJ and snappy dresser, Ben is.

Me posing with Death Dealer at the Rockford rally. That's the scooter's name now.	Quinton and I during the Delilah's "Mod Chicago" ride. Thanks to Remey for the pic.	Silent Ron, a very good gentleman and devout scooterist, pauses on his kitted TS at Defilers '03.

An old photo showing me in the process of repairing a broken sight glass for oil. I kind of hate working on scooters, so time-consuming, but fun if you manage to fix it. I'm a terrible mechanic.	A "point of view" shot riding down the road in rural Illinois during the Rockford rally. It's dangerous taking a hand off the grips to snap photos, but there's nothing like a good country ride in nice weather.	Goddamn Death Dealer seized another piston on a trip back to Chicago from Milwaukee. I was stranded in Waukegan but got myself and the scooter home thanks to Liz and Forrest. 9/03

My cousins Johnny and Jake posing on the scooter, 9/03. This was my second ride to MI on the scooter, 3.5 hours, 2.2 gallons and 140 miles or so. To hell with Indiana.	A semi-current photo of the Death Dealer with new Ancilotti-style racing seat. Nicer looking and quite comfortable, though not springy like the saddles.	Fuck winter and riding in cold weather. I still ride to work every day, but it's ridiculous and dangerous (if something goes wrong and you have to try to fix in cold). Ugggh.

More scooter-related photos:

JKSC "Scoots of Hazzard" Rally
(Moron, Indiana 6/03)