Oh, hey, I had a moped for a while too - only we called them mobylettes.  In
Niger.  I bought it to get around town, it was great.  I amused lots of
people, since I was the supposedly-high-powered United Nations consultant,
and only low-status people were expected to ride mobylettes.  But I really
liked it, except when I had to go down roads that were all sand and
washboard.

I sold it to a friend when I left there.  Alas, it was a fun vehicle!

A different friend did want to lend me his wife's motorcycle, but then it
stopped working properly - that's when I figured I'd just buy the mobylette.

Joy

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Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy

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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Max Wellhouse
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 6:54 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: NVC: What Motorcycles Do Vanagon Owners Have?

Just like the nerdy kid in American Graffitti, I used to own a Moped.  Does
that count? It was really cool until some young delinquent relieved me of
it while jogging at a local school track.  It was an Italian-made Garrelli
and had a 2 speed automatic tyranny.  Rode it to a river and back; a total
of 90 miles and it used a whopping .47 gal. of gas/oil mix.  Calculated to
187 miles/gallon approx.  Not the most comfy ride with the roller bearing
crank spinning at around 11k at its legal limit of 30mph, but it did run a
few river shuttles and fit inside the middle part of my old 71 bus.  I
think it sold new for about $700 back in the late 70's.

Reminiscing with people a sorta know

DM&FS