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mrmossyone · 08-19-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewster

From what I've seen in the Chinese scooters, most if not all are 2-cycle (a total PIA) and break with no parts available. They are cranking them out to meet the burgeoning world wide demand, and quality control is slipping badly.

I would look at the Honda or Yamaha lines from Japan, or the Kymco line from Taiwan and if course....Vespa and Piaggio (the BEST!) It all depends on ho much scooter you want and what you are willing to spend. Check out the respective web sites for good detailed information and pricing. A big bonus is the expansive dealer network for these......where you can always get parts and repairs.

As far as etiquette goes for riders, I personally don't care what you ride......just that you DO ride. Unfortunately, this is NOT the case with many people and unfortunately, many of the guilty parties ride the big American bikes that start with 'H' and end with 'N'. It's really an attitude problem, and I will have none of it.

The Honda's are every bit as good as the Vespas or Piaggio. Probably better, I'll guarantee they'll last longer with far less maintenance costs.

jrporter · 08-20-2008, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameront120

You should have bought a Triumph

When I said that I wanted the Road King to be my last motorcycle, I meant that I have a love/hate relationship with motorcycle almost like an alcoholic or drug addict. I really like the new classic Triumphs but was concerned about the meager dealer network coupled with nagging thoughts about the reliability of the real classic Triumphs.

Poprivet · 08-20-2008, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmossyone

The Honda's are every bit as good as the Vespas or Piaggio. Probably better, I'll guarantee they'll last longer with far less maintenance costs.

Do you have a new honda, vespa,and piaggio? What kind of guarantee are you offering? What specific features of the honda do you consider "probably better" than a vespa? What models of each brand are you compairing?

SARGE/AF · 08-20-2008, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfrodge

The good guys will end up finding each other in the end I guess.

I find it funny now. I went into a Harley store the other day and they were all impressed with the scooter, and were surprised at how big it was.

It would be nice to see pictures of everyone on their scoots and bikes - I'll see about posting one shortly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX
Here is pics of mine, side and dash, this bike has AM/FM/CD/MP3, GPS, Radar, Blue tooth to cell phone, lots of lights and chrome, custom gages, ETC.

Sarge

cameront120 · 08-20-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pop Rivet

Do you have a new honda, vespa,and piaggio? What kind of guarantee are you offering? What specific features of the honda do you consider "probably better" than a vespa? What models of each brand are you compairing?

I don't see many vintage Honda scooters on the road. On the other hand, on a daily basis I see 40+ year old Vespas and Lambrettas on the road performing beautifully.

Mackhopp · 08-20-2008, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SARGE/AF

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX
Here is pics of mine, side and dash, this bike has AM/FM/CD/MP3, GPS, Radar, Blue tooth to cell phone, lots of lights and chrome, custom gages, ETC.

Sarge

Wow! All the bells and whistles - nice looking bike.

**jcanavera** · 08-20-2008, 10:43 AM

One of the things to consider is the size of the engine that you pick for your scooter....also understand licensing issues relative to the areas you ride in. A good example is that in Missouri, you do not need to license a scooter that is less than 50cc's. The problem is that many municipalities, especially in the St. Louis area do not allow unlicensed motorized vehicles on their roads. With the patchwork of cities and towns in the metropolitan area, you can be legal and suddenly cross the boundaries into a municipality where you aren't. The quandary then goes all the way to the licensing offices where some in St. Louis will allow you to title and license a less than 50cc scooter, and others will.

Bottom line understand where you are going to ride, especially if you are using an unlicensed scooter. My recommendation is that you consider 125cc as a minimum engine size. This gives you plenty of power that you aren't a road hazard on most roads (not interstates though). It also puts you in a class of needing licensing and probably insurance (based on state laws). That gets you out of law enforcements eyes.

Take the motorcycle safety class if available, and wear proper riding gear. It is a pain sometimes but understand skin can come off at an alarming rate if you go down, and your head needs protection. Again state laws vary on what they consider required but keep your own physical safety in mind.

Jack

cameront120 · 08-20-2008, 10:54 AM

Jack makes some very good points that are applicable in the US and Canada. Another thing to keep in mind about engine displacement is that as soon as you get to 750cc or larger, your insurance sky-rockets. This is a huge peeve of mine, in light of smaller diplscement bikes having greater horsepower and the ability of driving a lot faster than my Triumph, but I'll not get into that here.

Mackhopp · 08-20-2008, 11:02 AM

I agree with Jack about the minimum engine size. Here in Ontario a 50cc scooter needs to be licensed, but it's in a different category (limited-speed) with a different colored license plate or tag.

I've got a 250cc, which is the largest size that Vespa makes over here on this side of the ocean (at this point in time), but people still have the impression that it's a sewing machine on wheels. Which is probably the reason why the goof who was following me the other day decided to pull up right beside me in the same lane at a 4 way stop, instead of staying behind me where he should have.

All the protection advice is excellent as well - I've got all the gear, but see many that eschew protection. Again, many people's perception is a bit skewed when it comes to scooters. Doesn't help that this is what people tend to think of when they think of a scooter:

cameront120 · 08-20-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfrodge

Doesn't help that this is what people tend to think of when they think of a scooter:

I tend to think this:

Poprivet · 08-20-2008, 12:57 PM

My Vespa is a 200cc 4 stroke. It will go over 70mph but it's really happy at 50 - 55mph. It gets about 65mpg. I'm, ah, fat and it carries my 240# without a whimper. Interesting, it weighs about the same as I do and I can load/unload it on the tilt carrier easily. To me, it's the perfect toad.

It's a 2006 model and approching 1000 miles. Trouble free to date.

pmclemore · 08-20-2008, 01:09 PM

I parted with my bike because there were just too many folks out to get me.

But if I were to buy one again, it would be used - a used beemer, that is.

Pat

Poprivet · 08-20-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

I parted with my bike because there were just too many folks out to get me.

But if I were to buy one again, it would be used - a used beemer, that is.

Pat

Well - yeah

Gene · 08-20-2008, 04:45 PM

Those 2 on the Vespa in # 149 gave me a good laugh. She's riding sidesaddle and apparently the only things keeping her from falling off is her arms around the guy. The only question is whether she take him with her when she falls off. I hope she doesn't break her heels.

Gene

dmreilly10000 · 08-21-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Those 2 on the Vespa in # 149 gave me a good laugh. She's riding sidesaddle and apparently the only things keeping her from falling off is her arms around the guy. The only question is whether she take him with her when she falls off. I hope she doesn't break her heels.

Gene

One good bump and she's road kill.

Mackhopp · 09-08-2008, 12:37 PM

Well, I just took my Motorcycle Safety course this past weekend.

I've had my Vespa for a couple months now, but haven't been really riding it much as I'm waiting for my custom seat to be sent from Corbin (I'm vertically challenged).

Anyhow, took the safety course and what an eye-opening experience that was!

We were all on motorcycles, no scooters. Which was good - I wanted to learn gears and shifting and whatnot.

Well, I had an absolute blast. It was intensive (not to mention wet as it rained all weekend long), informative, and super fun. I passed and am still psyched...

The problem is... while I still really like my Vespa, I'm sitting here thinking about when I can go out and get a motorcycle. I really enjoyed everything about it. Also got to take out a racing bike for a spin, and while that's not my cup of tea, it was alot of fun.

Guess we'll have to get a bigger garage...!

**jcanavera** · 09-08-2008, 01:01 PM

Very interesting is that I just got my MSF card on Thursday. Mentally and physically it was a tough course...especially in the fact as the course site was not level and last weeks hurricane passed through the Midwest. Thursday we were out riding in the pouring rain.

My anxiety level was at a full time high since I had to deal with learning how to ride and shift a motorcycle when for the last 6 weeks I've ridden a scooter. Then add to the mix the fact that you have 17 riding lessons to deal with, each with their own stress level, comprehending the cones and directives given by your coaches, an almost bald front tire and riding in the pouring rain.....all in all I was happy to be able to get in the car for the drive home.

As a matter of fact the testing in some cases was almost anti-climatic other than the fact that two test items had time limits and if you fell, you failed. Technically the Missouri DMV motorcycle driving test is easy compared to this.

Bottom line I passed and now appreciate even more the simplicity of my Vespa. Hopefully I'm a smarter and more skilled rider. Nothing felt better than my ride Saturday where I just put my feet flat on the floor of the scooter and twisted the throttle. No gears, no clutch....Yes that's my type of ridding.

We ordered a scooter for Patty the week previous. It's a Genuine Buddy Pamplona. It should be in in a week or two.

Genuine Scooter Co: Buddy International

Jack

lewster · 09-08-2008, 03:16 PM

Jack,

Even though you prefer the scooter, I'm certain that you learned valuable skills and insights from the MSF course. I know that I did, even though I 'knew how to ride'. I recommend this course to ANYONE, and IIRC, most crash statistics cite lack of rider training as a primary cause.

You're way ahead of the curve now!!!!!

Poprivet · 09-08-2008, 03:45 PM

Works for me

Mackhopp · 09-08-2008, 06:50 PM

Congrats Jack! It's all worth it!

So are you fully licensed now? I'm not sure how things work in Missouri. Different provinces here in Canada operate very differently - in New Brunswick if you pass the weekend-long MSC, you've got your M license. Here in Ontario, if you pass your MSC test, then you graduate from your M1 to your M2 which you hold for a minimum of 18 months (or 22 months if you didn't take the safety course), to a maximum of 5 years. Only after you've held the M2 for the specified length of time can you book your M test...

I don't know if I was high on my Wheaties this weekend, but I had so much fun during the course. So much so that I surprised myself entirely. The gears, emergency braking, countersteering, slow-speed maneuvers - the whole class content was fun. And I appreciated learrning in the rain as well - good to learn all these techniques in rotten conditions. It was all tiring, but fun. The testing at the end was nerve-wracking, as most testing can be of course. If you crashed you were automatically failed - there was one poor fellow who locked up his front brake during one part of the course and the bloody bike fell on top of him with everyone watching! I felt awful for him - all that work all weekend long only to end like that.

Anyhow, time to start working on DH to get himself a bike so I can borrow it - two different styles of riding that I can appreciate. And I like the Buddy that you've ordered - I should have gotten one of those for my shorter stature! Oh well - live and learn...

Be sure to post a picture of your new addition to your garage when it arrives.

Cheers!