Winter '07/08: The snow-asaki

But when fall gets a little wintry, and spring arrives late, winter seems to last forever.

This has been one of those years. Taken just two weeks ago by Rick, the picture at left, featuring a Kawasaki encased in snow and ice, pretty much sums it up.

Now, snow in the city and in lower elevations is on the way out, and if wheels (like on scooters, of course) is your thing, it's great news. Forecast highs for this coming week range into the mid-40's, most of the major roadways are clear and dry, and we're beginning to gear up for the 2008 riding season.

A little Prima-Vespa therapy

We've seen those YouTube™ videos - the ones with gonzo types having traded front wheels for skis, careening down narrow European roads. Not us. (Not yet, anyway.)

No, today we'll admire one restoration project going on nearby, and look forward to seeing it in person. It may not be a Minion project - it's Bombastic Rob's handiwork - but it's a ground-up small-frame Primavera rebuild, and it's really nice.

Check out the before and after photos below. Found in North Idaho awhile back (saved from a 2% fate, ha!), Rob has been working on it as a new main ride for his wife, Tammy. The frame was plenty beat-up, motor DOA, broken headset, there was even standing water in the chassis. Now, it's pristine, its motor given new life including a zippy 130cc Polini kit and pipe. That's Volkswagen Beetle orange by the way - an homage to the orignal color - and looks great.

Snow time? Garage therapy time.

Primavera resto (Flash™ images)