vespa/scooter ownership?

i want one so bad! i was wondering if there was anyone who could school me on vespas and other scooters, like pricing and pains of ownership and stuff like that. i see a 100 or 150 cc scooter as a nice break from driving a car around in the summer.

I don't really have anything to add, but the manual Vespas are pretty cool.

I remember someone said that classic Vespa have doubled in value over the last few years.

Yeah, Vespa and scooter prices have shot up just like small, light hatchback prices

My roommate in college had a Yamaha Vino 125. Looked just like the 50cc version except his did 60/65 mph off the showroom floor. He looked at Vespas and the Honda Ruckus but ultimately the 125cc was cheaper and faster than the both of them. He still has it, probably has a few thousand miles on it now.

MitchellC wrote: I don't really have anything to add, but the manual Vespas are pretty cool.

(in shocked voice) THEY HAVE THOSE!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!
i realized they had shot up in price, but i still want some 2 wheel transportation that is a little offbeat and not silly fast like a motorcycle. if i get a motorcycle i will hurt myself so im leaning toward scooters/mopeds, but i have no knowladge of these things. wikipedia didn't tell me much and searches for it turned up less so i figured some one here would have answers for me.

tuffburn wrote: i still want some 2 wheel transportation that is a little offbeat and not silly fast like a motorcycle.

I hear you. 65mph is too fast for a really short wheelbased, really steep steering angle like you get with a scooter. Many times a quick bump in the road almost took me out riding my roommate's, especially at night.

In that case check out the Honda Ruckus, on road, off road, through your neighbors lawn, it knows no boundaries.

I bought a Kymco People 150 for my wife a few years back. We didn't own it for more than a couple years, but it was a great little scooter. The 150cc 4-stroke was good for 70+ mph with my fat 250-lb ass on it, and it was pretty well engineered for being a cheapy Korean scooter. I had one drop shipped in a crate to a campground where I was staying. All I had to do was put the front wheel on and it was ready to go. Nicely balanced, comfy, and nice styling. I would buy one again in a heartbeat. One of my favorite parts about it was that they used big 15 and 16" wheels on them; not the little 8" donuts on many scooters.

And it was cheaper than buying a Vespa.

http://www.strmotorsports.com/showroom/scooters/people150/index.html

Carson wrote: In that case check out the Honda Ruckus, on road, off road, through your neighbors lawn, it knows no boundaries.

I bought an 09 Ruckus this summer. I wanted a cool pit bike that I could ride on the road legally if needed. It's only 49cc so it doesn't need to be registered or insured.

It's fun for the pits, but on the street, it is really, really slow. You have to be even more aware of the cars around you than you would have to be on a motorcycle.

Aftermarket support for the Ruckus is really good (see Battlescooter.com or Bowlsla.com).

Scooters in general have held their value very well with the higher gas prices, and because of their popularity with customizers, the Ruckus is near the top of the list. There was a long wait for the 09's this summer and most dealers sold out before the first one arrived. In California, used ones were selling for more than the MSRP of the 09's.

Check out TotalRuckus.com but switch on your BS filter first. There are a few 15 year old engineers on there. For the most part, they are good guys. They are not very tolerant of noob questions, either. They will suggest that you use the "Search" button. You have been warned. The story of Wan's trip around the country makes it all worth it though.

First off, in most states, anything over 50cc requires an M endorsement, registration, and insurance. So, for that vintage Vespa, you'll need to take the same classes, tests, etc as for a full-size motorcycle. And the Vespa's are not cheap - barn finds are few and far between and good runners easily fetch several thousand on Ebay. Add in helmet, jacket, gloves, etc and you can buy a lot of gasoline.

For less money, you can get a modern 50cc scoot. Most will easily do 35mph, which gets you around the 'hood, but maybe not across town (unless you're in a true urban area). Some can be hopped up to go even faster (especially the two-strokes).

For similar money as the vintage, you can get a modern 100-200cc scoot with classic looks. Vino, Metropolitan, etc. Possibly even enough to get into a mid-sized Kymco or one of the other Korean scoots (many have good reps, do your research).

And, lastly, you can also get into a small or mid-sized motorcycle for the same money. New 250cc dual-sports start around $4000. Same for the Ninja 250. Used, they can be found for around $2000 (which also gets you on a whole variety of 80s and 90s bikes).

All that said, vintage scoots are like any other vintage vehicle. Fun to keep running, if you enjoy some wrenching. Good club support, lots of events, etc. You just have to decide if it's your thing.

I recently bought a 78 Vespa Grande Moped for $500:

It's slow as hell (it does about 20mph) but it gets 120-140mpg. In Ohio you don't need insurance or a motorcycle endorsement, just tags as long as it's under 50cc's and on their list of approved mopeds. Around here scooters need insurance and you've gotta have the motorcycle endorsement.

It's also crazy simple to work on, if i had to i could probably have the whole thing disassembled in a couple of hours. I've had it since June and ride it every day it doesn't rain and it's been pretty dead reliable so far.

You do have to deal with a bunch of mouth breathers yelling things at you while you're riding though.

enjoy,

Jacques

I've got a '78 Puch (Austrian built, pedal-to-start job) and while it's fun and all, it's utterly unreliable. I spend more time working on it to get it running that I actually do riding it.

If you're really after transportation, go with something modern and more reliable. If you want a toy to tinker with and ride occasionally (but not rely on) then a vintage scooter could be a good option.

Edit: I'd much rather have a proper (though small) motorcycle than a scooter. Scooters are fun, but I'm always paranoid about not being able to keep up with traffic. A 150-300cc motorcycle would be plenty to get me around.

Clem

I bought a 2009 Yamaha Zuma 125 this fall... It's perfect for what I need. It's gotten me about 90mpg, does a solid 60mph bone stock, and is practical for my commute to work and to run errands around town. I like Vespas, but I'm always shocked to see how expensive they are. What I paid for a brand new Zuma 125 wouldn't get you very much Vespa.

Or you could look at a Stella, a knock off from the old Vespa. Indian-made I think, just like many Vespas.

The Stella isn't a knock-off - it's a classic Vespa PX built and sold under license to LML (the factory) and Genuine (the US retail brand).

Very similar to how classic Royal Enfield motorcycles are still made in India. Except in the Enfield case, the Indian factory actually bought the naming rights.

Oh, finally a thread that forced me to stop lurking.

Forget the super small-displacement scooters. Unless you are perfectly happy not keeping up with traffic, buy at least a 125. Laws vary state to state regarding which license you need for what displacement.

Kymco makes a great scooter. Although, the company is not Korean as stated above; the scoots are Taiwanese. They have a two-year warranty, and one won the scooter version of the Cannonball Run two years ago.

Genuine makes fantastic scooters. LML in India makes the Stella for Genuine; it's a modern version of a 70s Vespa with a 5-port reed-valve engine and disc brake. The Buddy and Black Cat scoots are made in Taiwan, both of which seem to hold up well. I have a 2005 Stella that has taken a beating and still is a strong runner. It's my backup bike for when I can't one of my vintage scoots running or when I need to loan a bike to a friend. Plus, bone stock it'll do a hair over 60 when the weather is right.

Modern Vespas are nice, but they are pricey. Vintage prices are on the rise; beware of Asian restorations. By beware of them, I mean DO NOT buy one. Bodies are mostly Bondo and the engines rarely have anything worth salvaging.

Stick with real brand names and you should be fine: Vespa, Piaggio, Genuine, Honda, Kymco, Yamaha, Suzuki, TNG, and TGB. Most Chinese bikes are crap.

Check out scoot.net for classifieds and scooterbbs.com for a bunch of searchable forums and classifieds.

Timely post, I've been looking at getting a scooter now that I've got a buyer for the kart. While there is a free shuttle to and from campus from my apartment, I'd like to have more flexibility other than a bike ride or walking in case I miss the bus. Parking is simply awful on campus and at my apartments, so I'd rather not move my truck unless I have to.

Is there anything newer and decent that will be under $1000? Looking for a 50cc scoot.

modernvespa.com & modernbuddy.com are good sources for modern scoot info.

CrackMonkey wrote: Very similar to how classic Royal Enfield motorcycles are still made in India. Except in the Enfield case, the Indian factory actually bought the naming rights.

Indian Enfields. Not to be confused with Enfield Indians. I think.

http://www.cycletownusa.com/post1953.html

I think one of these would be fun for short-range use http://www.spookytoothcycles.com/content/view/148/1/

But then a four-stroke like the Whizzer might be good, too. http://www.whizzermotorbike.com/Specifications.html

I rode a buddies Bajaj this past weekend - it's an Indian vespa. It was a lot of fun. Not something I'd want in traffic, but for a neighborhood scooter it would be cool.

Woody wrote: Indian Enfields. Not to be confused with Enfield Indians. I think. http://www.cycletownusa.com/post1953.html

I'm talking about Royal Enfields, like the Bullet, that continue to be produced in India (the country, not the bike brand). Until very recently, you could essentially buy a brand-new 50 year old bike, as they hadn't changed much. They did recently engineer a new motor, in order to meet emissions limits.

In the late-50s, Royal Enfields that were built in the UK were imported to the US without tank badges and sold as Indians (the bike brand, not the country).

Confused?

You might also want to consider these, although they're relatively pricey:

http://www.sikkmx.com/sikk-trailbike.htm

http://www.fxbikes.com/fxproducts.html