Since I’ve posted Pyke’s then impending repainting , I feel that an update is in order for readers of this blog. Here are some pics taken by photographer, Carlo Cecilio of Imagine Nation Photography one afternoon before the adidas House Party in Manila.
close up of Vespa Pilipinas’ legshield
Pyke’s rear and the reflective Vespa Club flag
Now see Pyke in full view after the jump. Read the rest of this entry ?
It’s been almost three years since I acquired PYKE and I feel that it’s time to sport a new look especially with the rust and corrosion that’s starting to show at the floorboard and glovebox. I had fun with my black & white theme but it’s time to try something new.
The design that I thought of was inspired by the numerous Vespa Italia and Vespa Union Jack paintjobs I’ve seen online. But my particular color scheme was of course based on the Philippine tri-color (red, white & blue) with the three stars & the sun.
Here’s the left perspective.
(click image to enlarge)
I did the design in photoshop using three identical press photos of three Vespa PXs in while, blue and red. I just added the racing stripes, the sun and the stars.
The right side would look like this. Read the rest of this entry ?
Pyke & I finally got to the ‘Highest Point’
This post is sort of a follow-up to two of my previous entries: Q & A: Installing HID to a Vespa PX and Conquering the ‘Highest Point’.
A little rewind to last week: As I was preparing my scoot for the long ride to the Highest Point / Mt. Data, I noticed that I find it hard to electro-start my scoot, so I had to resort to that good ol’ fashion kickin’. Upon checking, my mechanic noticed that the battery isn’t charging. Had the battery charged and with just a short ride, I lost my horn and my headlamps. It was then diagnosed that my regulator’s busted. I had a new regulator installed just to make sure I’ll be ready for the ride as we’re leaving at dawn.
On the day of our takeoff, just a few kilometers and still in Manila, it happened again. Horn gone and my headlamp (halogen lowbeam) is weaker than my parklight. The HID / high beam doesn’t work anymore. Then I suspect the HID kit is causing all that electrical problems I never had before. I’m writing this to serve as a caution to all those considering installing an HID kit on their PX. I’m still willing to give it another shot but I’m definitely switching back to the more reliable halogen for long rides.
Having said that, I ridden the entire stretch of the trip with no horn and a very weak headlamp. But upon heading home, I also lost two of my side mirrors. How come? Well, I crashed. 
Read the rest of this entry ?
my wife Benz, my daughter Kite, me and Pyke
(photo by: Jayson Arquiza)
From our family to yours,
here’s greeting you the most wonderful Christmas
and even more blessings for 2008!
Cheers!
~John, Benz & Kite
www.weddingsatwork.com
whoridesavespa.com
When WeddingsAtWork.com (W@W) held its early Christmas Party at the Fernwood Gardens last November 23, we had 25 professional photographers and photo-hobbyists who conducted some prenup pictorials (e-sessions as it is known in the States) for free to soon-to-wed members of our online community. Though Fernwoods is a big place with different spots ideal for pictorial, some pictures may inevitably look the same since we were taking about 25 different photographers all in one day utilizing the same backdrop.
So my wife and Clarice (the W@W party’s tireless event coordinator) decided that some photographers use props to differentiate their shots from the others. My friend Norman Lleses of the Sexy Times Crew then requested me to bring my Vespa as one of their props. Of course, I liked the idea. Any proud Vespa owner would gladly ‘pimp’ their scoots for a chance like this.
Norman, in tandem with Chris Tabungar, make up the Sexy Times Crew. Though both are night owls mostly covering nocturnal events among Manila’s party set, they willingly agreed to participate in our daytime pictorial. 
Here are more images of some W@Wies (that’s how our members fondly call themselves) posing with my beloved, PYKE: 
Read the rest of this entry ?
October 11 marked the grand opening of the Levi’s Philippines flagship store in newly opened Trinoma mall. It opened with a bang by staging a very unique fashion show. When the event organizers got in touch with me looking for six Vespa scooters and riders, I didn’t had a hard time finding volunteers — I, being one of them! 
Who wouldn’t? It’s a rare chance to parade a scoot in a show, the rider gets to have a gorgeous babe as his backride and he even gets paid for it! Franky, I would’ve agreed even if it was for free!
Here’s the complete lineup of the Vespa boys who took part in the show:
And here are the Brazillian babes who modeled for the brand:
Check out how these models backride on a Vespa. No two poses are alike, I tell you. Read the rest of this entry ?
I wanted to get into Lomo a little after I got my Vespa. I’ve always felt the two fits the same carefree and hip lifestyle. As I did a little research about Lomography through LomoManila, I’ve realized that — although I love the texture of images it creates — I’m not up for the arduous footwork involved with the hobby by having films processed and developed before seeing the images I took. I thought it was as easy as digicam. From then on, I gave up on the idea. Below is a mock ad about the “don’t think, just shoot” attitude involved in the art of Lomo lovin’.
Recently, J-Mag got into the lomo craze and I’ve never seen him without his new ‘toy’ since. When hanged-out in the Threelogy office last week, he took several shots of me as I arrive on my Vespa. Here are the resulting lomographs. Read the rest of this entry ?
The podcast interview I was talking about last week is finally out. It’s pretty cool to see my riding pic accompanying the episode once it got loaded in my wife’s iPod. I just had to take a screenshot for posterity. 
But the coolness stops there! Don’t get me wrong. Dave did a pretty amazing job with how he edited our conversation. If you know me and if, after hearing it, you’d say it’s obvious that I was a nervous wreck the entire time; try to imagine how that could’ve sounded raw.
But despite that, I think the interview is still pretty interesting. You can actually listen to it three times. First, to count my how many times I said “actually.” Next, count the times I went “uhmm.” And finally, listen to the actual conversation and stop being so critical! hahaha!
iCringe,
-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA
john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com
Bonding… It used to be malling for us. Just me and my daughter. But since we had bathroom issues (she refuse to go inside the men’s room with me at the early age of three when either of us had to go), that became no longer an option; at least not without my wife. Now, we hardly go malling by our lonesome. My being overly protective (never realized she’ll be okay to go to the girl’s bathroom alone, until my wife told me) and kuripot makes me a very un-ideal malling companion. Besides, female species tend to bond more when we talk of malling which is practically akin to shopping.
So how does a poor father create special moments with his daughter? Well, we do fly a kite whenever we get the chance. In fact, I only learned the pleasure in flying one only when I became a dad. That’s the requisite pressure I put on myself the moment I decided to name my daughter, Kite! Good thing I easily learned it and enjoy the highs in flying one… maybe just a little too much that my daughter hardly gets to hold the string… I’m kidding, of course!
Aside from that, scootering is our other bonding option. It’s readily available and we can do it at the moment we feel like it! I wanted to share a picture of us while riding a scoot to best describe how fun it is to ride with a kid. But I just realized we haven’t got any. So here’s the next best thing…
submitted photo by Mike McWilliams via genuinescooters.com
(thanks Adiran/rastaman for the leads!)
Doesn’t that picture capture a great ‘Kodak moment?’ Just looking at it makes me want to drag a photographer, head to the great outdoors, and have my daughter & I ride PYKE just to have a photograph just as cool as that.
So where does my wife figure in all these scooter talk? Read the rest of this entry ?
Josh, my seven year old nephew handed me this doodle over the holidays last year. When I saw it, I knew it was my Vespa alright because of the rear rack and the flag. I was actually quite impressed with his attention to details being observant enough to notice and include the foot break. Others could’ve totally missed it. When I told him that he should sign his artwork for me, he went to one corner and drew his name out of smoke for the pipe. Now that’s very imaginative!
Like his sister, Josh is used to giving drawings on special occasions; but I have to admit, this was the first time that I was truly pleased. In fact, the drawing has been in my wallet since.
Art is cool!
-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA
john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com
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