Motorcycles in Tainan - Old Vespa

The second motorcycle I ever owned was a Allstate 125 which was a Vespa knockoff. This must have been in 1968 or 1969.  It was 5 years old when I got it, but it was a rugged machine and even though I beat the machine regularly it kept on coming. I took it apart several times, best mechanics class I ever took.


My buddies and I went dirt biking once, the scooter's low center of gravity proved to be an advantage in hill climbing. Getting to the top of one hill, I found out there was a cliff on the other side. Me and the scooter went off the cliff together down a 30 foot embankment. Time really does slow down when you are flying. I went over the handle bars and the scooter came after me. The scooter landed on top of me and broke my collarbone, the ambulance driver said I was lucky. Anyway that summer, I learned how to use an acetylene torch to straighten out the steering column of that scooter. Up and running again, the young never learn.  (If "The good die young" and you are old, then it's logical that you are not good.)

The streets of Tainan have Vespas and Knockoffs that look just like my old scooter. Maybe Vespas don't change much but that makes some of the running scooters in Tainan more than 50 years old! Dam that's old!

This scooter looks pretty close. My scooter didn't have mirrors(mirrors are for sissies). And mine was blue because I painted it with a brush with some left over house paint. Aesthetics was never my strong point.

This is the the object of my acetylene lessons. No axle and fork, just a hub on one side of the wheel.

This one is also close.

 Notice how the owner has removed the engine cover for easy access. They don't run forever, or maybe they do.