Following last week’s pod mod, it’s time for mod number two – adding some “go faster stripes” to my new scoot. The thinking here is three-fold:

One, adding something that’s going to increase my visibility particularly at night. Second, adding an element of individuality to my bike. Third, and maybe I’m just speaking to myself here, but customizing the scooter away from its stock form in an attempt to deter theft.

I have no evidence to support this last point but parking a brand new stock Vespa on the streets of New York City for the past few weeks has felt like an invitation for theft. At least this way (assuming the stripes stay) I could pick the bike out of a crowd.

Close up of the leg shield.

The job took all of 15 minutes, with two rolls of tape ordered from identi-tape.com who promptly shipped to me from their broad selection of reflective, hazard and colored tapes. I only added two short lengths to the front leg shield being a fan of more restrained embellishment than some of the more decorated scoots out there. A quick flick of a scalpel allowed me to cut to fit.

The tape rolls.

I bought both tapes in one inch widths. The checkered tape is pure decoration, but the silver tape is reflective and meets federal specifications for safety, reflectivity and resistance to wearing.

Together, the tapes cost me less than $15 plus a small shipping charge.

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