[Miss Mercedes]

As I'm closing out my first year of motorcycling I have decided to start chasing my bucket list. No more shotgunning my money off into random sellers' hands on bikes I'll only keep for a few months. My stable as it currently stands is very nearly perfect. I have my CBR F3 for my "speed demon" days, my GL1100 as my road warrior and head turner, a U7E for that "motorbike" itch, The GS 850 G as a vintage all rounder, and now I have a scooter that I've been drooling about ever since I first saw one:

This is a 2005 Genuine Stella! I drove 3 hours south to pick it up for $700. It's almost perfect. Has a title (important thing for me nowadays), only 3k on the odometer, came with some extras, and just needs a carb clean before it can be a daily. Only damage to it is some light scratching on the right panel (touchup paint can fix that), a broken badge on that same side (cheap replacement), and the front mudguard definitely needs to be cleaned up.

Oh oh, and it's a 150cc two stroke with a FULL MANUAL transmission! Seriously, it has a manual clutch and a gear shifter!

The previous owner loved this little scoot, but it had to go. She's happy it's going to someone who considers it a dream scoot instead of someone who will just part it out. Because of this, I decided to retain her name for it and the little scoot shall be called "Marmalade".

For those not in the know about these scooters, the Genuine Stella is actually a license built Vespa. An Indian company called Lohia Machinery Limited and Piaggio had a joint venture to produce a slightly updated Vespa PX. In 2002 Genuine Scooter Company decided to stop selling mail order Vespas and set their eyes on having their own bikes. Genuine got into a relationship with LML, the fruits of which are the Stella! So yep...this thing is basically an old Italian escooter that was revised and built in India, then further revised, imported, and sold by a company in Chicago. :grin:

After surviving a weekend of partying with me (where my car got tagged with Gambler 500 Rally branding) it's now home safe. I can't wait to start riding this thing!

Unfortunately this does mean my DT175 is on the chopping block. As much as I liked the little DT175, I kinda felt it wouldn't be a forever bike. It was merely my first foray into highway legal two strokes. Looks like I'll make back about what I spent on it though!

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Thanks all! I'm already just so in love with the thing. The DT175 should be sold within the hour. I'm happy to be rid of legally sketchy bikes and definitely happy to be rid of the Chinese ones.

It took me until I was nearly retired before I began owning multiple bikes. Guessing from your pic, you're WAY ahead of me on collecting them. Good on ya and keep it up.

One thing: I look back and have some regrets about different bikes that I sold off over the years. It's difficult to keep everything, but before you get rid of one, think long and hard about whether or not you'll wish you had it down the road. Whatever you do, keep them running! Bikes serve no purpose, sitting in the shop and collecting dust. (Which reminds me...I need to go tend to that shovelhead...)

Funny enough, there are two bikes I regret selling. The first was my first bike (a Buell Blast). Selling it was completely the right call. The engines and transmissions on Blasts aren't the best things in the world and mine was happily starting to rip its own gearbox apart. But despite that, I've never seen any Blast like it. The previous owner had it absolutely gorgeous. If it weren't for that dumb gearbox I'd probably still have it. Besides, selling it got me my GL1100 and I love that even more than I did the Blast.

The other is actually my first scooter. It was a ten year old 150cc Chinese scooter with 3 miles on the odometer. The previous owner (the first owner) rode it home, put it in his garage, and it sat there ever since. The plastic wasn't even taken off. It was a bizarre time capsule from 2008. I got it and intended to revive it. Then I got silly with it and destroyed it trying to make it into something out of Mad Max. I then sold it because I wasn't well versed enough in motorcycle repair at the time to fix it. If I ever get a second chance to buy a brand new motorcycle that's a decade-plus old, I want to give it the good life it never got to have under whatever owner shoved it into a garage and forgot about it.

 

[Miss Mercedes]

If you ever come across an unmolested Harley FXRT Sport Glide, complete with top case and saddlebags, one of those you seem to come across all the time that are pristine time capsules, contact me immediately. It's mine. No, you can't have it.

It's mine mine mine.

BTW...I love your latest find. You lucky thing you.:grin:

Thanks so much! And deal!

If I ever come across any Harley in my price range that isn't an AMF two stroke without a title I think I'll faint. The last $1,000 or cheaper Harley I've seen that wasn't an AMF was an early 2000s Sportster that sold before I could finish having my mind blown!

You find the most unusual bikes and get great deals on them. What's your secret?

One of my MSF instructors said she's never paid more than $1,500 for a bike in her long riding career. I took that to heart and decided to see what I could get with a similar budget.

Since I have a desk job with a lot of freedom and downtime, I just have a window to Craigslist and a window to Facebook Marketplace open at all times. So when a cool find comes up I'm one of the first to message and I try to be the first one out to see the bike.

Of course, like with that K75 sometimes I don't beat someone else to the punch.