The ride so far has been great. Besides the obvious advantages of scooters (e.g. storage, leg protection against rain, no gears to change means no ruining of leather shoes), the Vespa LX150 feels zippy despite its small 150CC engine. I have tried going up to 110km/l on the speedometer but I doubt it can go much faster than that. Anyhow, the speed is more than adequate for city riding. The Vespa also attracts a fair bit of attention. Friends remarked about its cuteness and uncles at parking lots struck up conversations and reminisced their racing days on manual Vespas.

If there is something I do not like about the bike, it’s the compartments. Don’t get me wrong, the Vespa LX150 offers plenty of useful storage spaces which is almost non-existent in other motorcycles. However, the under-seat storage and box could be a tad bigger to accommodate full-sized helmets. My Zeus flip-up is a tight fit but my MFizz Evolution II open-face helmet just could not fit. Many other helmets do not fit as well. An extra 1-2 centimeters in height would make all the difference. Well, no biggies. I would just stick to my Zeus for the time being. Saves me some dollars.  

That’s all for the quick review. As always, here are more photos to share:

But to make things easier for the new traveler, I have written a short packing guide. As you can see from the article, I do not carry a lot of specialty traveler items. I carry a small backpack (34 litre Osprey Stratos) but I did squeeze (too) many items in it.

Please note that these photos were taken when I was half-way through my East Asia trip (China, South Korea and Japan), a 6 weeks long trip.

For this trip, besides the clothings I am wearing, I brought along another 2 pairs of convertible pants, 3 tshirts, 1 small towel, 1 light jacket, 3 pairs of underwears and 2 pairs of socks.

Roll the clothings into a pack-it bag.

Maps, name cards, brochures and magazines I have collected during the trip. A good hiding place for money is between the pages of the magazines.

Adding the clothings and papers packs into my backpack.

A small pack of poncho, elastic hooks and trash bag. They are mainly for my riding use.

A pair of slippers.

Adding them to the sides of the backpack.

Showering and medical pouch. It contains the usual suspects – facial wash, tooth brush, toothpaste, face towel, shower foam, shampoo, deodorant, sunblock, nail clippers, scrub, thermometer, paracetamol, charcoal pills, flu pills and plasters. Note that the liquids are stored in 100ml transparent bottles. This is required by some airports.

Zipped up to a compact pouch.

My electronics pack. Included are my chargers, power adapters, converters, mouse, cables, batteries, torch light, spare spectacles, external hard disk, stationery and souvenirs I have picked up along the way.

Adding the new packs into my backpack. It might look full but there is actually space for more.

My laptop and thick Japan Lonely Planet Guide into a helmet bag.

Adding the final pack inside the Osprey.

Some items I keep inside the front pouch of the backpack. Tissue papers, bike lock and plastic bags are kept here for quick access.

You never know when you are going to find water again. I try to keep at least 1 litre in my backpack.

My stuffed Osprey. But there’s more.

Besides a main backpack, I carry a sling bag for frequently used items. These includes food, more water, camera, mini tripod, travel guide, notepad, pen, umbrella and a small pouch containing money, mobile phone, spare batteries and camera lens.

I use a bike helmet sling bag for the purpose.

A money belt to keep cash, license and passport.

My packs.

If you are packing for a riding trip, you might find the motorcycle trip packing checklist useful.