TheScooterScoop

We got lots of qualified entries. The clues were:
1) It’s a two stroke. 2) It’s quick. 3) It’s about half the scooter my Helix was (physically).

So, we knew it was a quick 2-stroke and I know that last clue was a little hokey, but the Helix was almost a 250cc scooter (244 to be exact) and the replacement is 125cc… half of… two hundre… well you get it. It also feels a lot smaller going from something 350 lbs down to about 250 lbs and from 89″ x 29″ down to 69″x29″. The HP difference goes from a Helix generating 17hp at 7500 RPM down to 12hp at 6700 RPM on the replacement… but believe me, she’s quick!

So, now let’s look at the entries:
James was our first contestant, but we chatted about my decision briefly just a week or so earlier. I’m pretty sure he knew the answer. James gets a consolation prize of a “cold-one” at a local pub of my choosing and an official TheScooterScoop iron-on Jacket Patch.

Genwaylaid, a favorite here at the TSS offices, took a stab with “Lammy Ser. III”. I approve, but that’s not it.

Mike Castawave… please stand over here for a moment.

Crashtest took a smart route of considering actual scooters available in my hometown, but it wasn’t the VBB at ASC. (Thanks for sending the Dallas shots! Looks as though your Stella served you well that day, eh? Hope everything worked out with lots of wine and phone numbers that day.) PS> Shoulda looked closer at Craigslist. You may have guessed it then.

Good ‘ole Brent threw Vespa GS 150 in the hat. I love me a good VS1M! It’s not that. Getting close with the Vespa guess.

Aiko figured I would stick with a Japanese scooter. I did love my Helix, but finding a good Rabbit in town is impossible. Easier in California. Not a Rabbit.

Brad went with Vespa 125GT… Very close Brad! But your guess was just edged out by another. Thanks for giving it a shot.

Chris in Nawlins says a Lammy Luna. Oooooohhh… I saw that ’69 on Scoot.net and don’t think I wasn’t tempted. But that’s not it.

Kooky ole Jim at PtownScooters pegged me as a lover of oddities and future scooters suggesting I got a Bombardier Embrio. I DID get an oddity, but not the vaporware Embrio. That P125 you’ve got in the shop is CRAZY by the way.

Art went with the safe bet, a Stella. I think our Stella dealer got outta town though. It does have a 5 port head but it’s not a Stella.

Janine says a “1965 Vespa 180 Super Sport”. Is that your dream scooter Janine? I wonder what that white Scomo one went for? Probably outside my budget. Good try.

SO… What DID Steve get???
A mostly original (with aftermarket kickstand and pipe), 1985 (first year) Vespa 125cc T5 MK1 “Pole Position”! W00t! Let’s have a look at her:

The lego image from the contest post was a subliminal clue.
We don’t have a name yet. May have to run a contest for that.
She’s great fun! I got her up to 56 MPH (90kph) today with more to come.

I’m finding so many differences between the Helix and the Vespa that I’m thinking about posting them as they come… like… “Riding a 2-stroke Vespa is much more work than a Helix. No more eating or drinking while riding for me.”

Our contest winner is Mike Castawave! He guessed a “Vespa P125″ and while that’s not exactly what I got, it’s the closest guess. Mike you win the MadAss ball cap and official TSS jacket patches. I might throw a Pollini sticker in there too for good measure. Send over your mailing address and I’ll get it out to you as soon as I get back in town next week.

And so it begins. Steve finds himself in the land of the 2-strokes. I hope I didn’t break too many 4-stroke hearts out there. I know Suz out in NJ bent my ear with this comment:

Do let us know when you return to your senses. In the meanwhile, I offer up a
prayer for your return to sanity. Oh, the humanity……….Suz_NJ

Haha! I’ll do that Suz! I know you’ve been a diehard CN250 fan for a long while. Please come back and see how this drama unfolds.

Fred from the IDon’tGiveAShift crew in nearby Fredricksburg also gave me a ration on not being able to run his monthly long distance rides. Eh, maybe. We’ll see about that. I know it won’t be as cushy as it used to be, but I think the T5 could almost keep up. I’ll give it a shot one day.

Thanks to everyone who took a guess. You know what… For everyone who participated, I’m going to send them a TSS Jacket patch (like James’ consolation price minus the “cold-one”). Everyone listed above, send me your addresses. Thanks for playing AND thanks to all the readers out there for keeping the fire burning here at The Scooter Scoop. Thanks to Gary Fisher for supplying me with a great little scooter and thanks to Dan for helping me to get it home. Thanks to Casey for helping me to brainstorm on my NEXT project (to be announced later).

CHEERS!
steve