Lambretta OOPS!

I have been enjoying getting on the Lambretta and riding it around the neighborhood.  On Thursday, I decided to start work on the project that is the payment for buying the scooter.  That is to design a back porch on the house of the previous (40 years) owners.  So I sent Arjeta, my summer intern to the house to measure and photograph the house.  Then I rode over to show them the running Lambretta.  While there, I picked up the title, so I can get it registered and get the 1975 Louisiana license plate removed.  Finally, legal.

On the ride back to the office, actually in the driveway, I was trying to get the gear selector into neutral for the stop.  It has balked at this every time since running, but I was trying anyway.  I got distracted and found myself running towards an old stump just off the driveway.  I hit it with the front wheel, then it came down on the midsection of the scooter with a big bump.  Then it went over, spilling me onto the concrete.  It immediately started to be very loud with a clearly damaged exhaust.  RATS!  Only the third time I have fallen off one of these things, all luckily while at very low speeds.

It still runs fine, actually felt a little more powerful than usual, but the noise clearly meant repairs were in order. 

I took it to Boris on Saturday, leaving it for him to check out.  He said that the jolt loosened one of the studs that connect the exhaust to the engine.  He tightened it and felt that it would be fine.  I am not sure yet if he tested it but I am hopeful.  While he had it, he also connected the choke switch to the choke so I can now activate it without having to remove the left cowl.

I am considering changing the exhaust for something that might allow a bit more performance.

I will try to get it licensed this week, then ride the heck out of it next weekend, and possibly display it at the Riding into History, Motorcycle Concours, coming up in two weeks.

The approach.

The stump, maybe more of an old root.

I left my mark.