Ducati Monster Forum

I'm going to be helping a friend out this weekend as she looks to buy a scooter, likely a Vespa. She has taken and passed the MSF course but not gotten her M1 yet, so I might get to do some test rides, too. So, for you scooter-owning folk:

When looking at a prospective purchase, are there things I should watch out for? Any particular parts of pre-owned Vespas that might need a closer look or be prone to failure?

Riding tips? (I know I won't be at risk of inadvertent wheelies, but figured it couldn't hurt to ask, since I've never actually ridden one before)

I figure that full Power Ranger leathers shouldn't be necessary. Unless she requests them, of course.

Tip #1: Ride an Aprilia instead. Seriously. Big-wheeled scooters are far easier and less sketchy to ride. It'll provide a nice contrast.

But in general, remember that even though the thing doesn't jump off the line, some of those scooters get up to speed quickly. I find myself doing 60+mph on the streets sometimes while riding Anne's Scarabeo. They can be deceptively fast.

You will pay x2 for a Vespa what you'll pay for comparable Japanese or Tawainese scooters.  I'm not kidding.  It's all about branding.

Scooters are tippy as fack, particularly the ones with small wheels.  Luckily, they weigh about 7 lbs, so you can lean 'em over pretty far without them falling over.

+1 on trying out small wheels v. big wheels.

Pete, if you're riding the scooter, the brakes will feel like they don't work compared to a monster.  You gotta really whomp on 'em.  Remember that the rear brake is in your left hand where the clutch would usually be.  Use the rear.  You'll need it. 

FWIW, a 125 can get up any hill in SF two up at at least 20mph.  Any smaller engine size is too small for SF.  I wouldn't take the Blonder's 125 on the freeway though (besides being illegal).  Over 50 mph, it feels like it's gonna explode. 

BTW, with a scooter, you're more concerned about impact protection than abrasion resistance, so you can get lighter weight stuff, but still with some armor in it.  Boots & gloves are a must.  I see so many ankle injuries with scooters, particularly when they go down on wet railroad tracks or lose it on rough roads.   

Yeah, I always figured that was the case. I'll suggest that she find a few of those to look at too.

I think she has the bug, though. We know what that can do to otherwise sane people  [roll]

I bet they feel like the brakes do on my road bicycle - after being used to the monster, needing to wait before actually stopping was shocking.

Thanks for the tips, guys!

In addition to the 'priller, I think Kymco (at Scuderia) has big wheeled scooters. 

There are no comparable Japanese or Chinese scooters. It's metal body vs. plastic body, original vs. copy, junk vs. not-junk.


Hey, we ride Ducatis...


I'd never take my Vespa LX 150 on the interstate, but it'll go 70mph (OK, with a tailwind) and feel very stable.

And I passed an MV Augusta in the twisties on Anne's Scarabeo 200, plastic body and all [evil]

Scooters can be fun.

Whatever. (Edit: that came off much more dickish than I intended.  Sorry.)  It's just like with Ducatis.  You can get a better bike for cheaper (like Duc v. Gixxer).  Petie, your gf should recognize that if she specifically wants a Vespa, she might not be making the rational decision.  Hell, none of us did.   ;D

The Vespas and prillers I've ridden feel much more stable at speed than Japanese/Tawainese scooters, but they've also had larger engines.  That may be a byproduct of engine size.  Or not.  <shrug>

They do.

There's a fair selection of used Kymco and Aprilia scooters in the back room at Scuderia. It's worth a look.

I quite like my Vespa, but every time I see the prices on Asian scooters I wonder what I could have done with the price difference.

If one really wants a Vespa, other scooters (except perhaps some Aprilias) won't do. If what one really wants is a scooter and the Vespa part isn't very important, a Vespa is overkill.

The parallels with Ducati are pretty obvious.

Used modern Vespas can be very good values, and they never have tank dings.

I test rode every damn brand of scooter before settling on buying a Vespa 250 (for my wife)

The rest suck in comparison, and personally I think it was worth the extra dosh.

What Mr. Monkey said.

All in all the suspension and brakes were better than I expected, but still, you're not going to confuse it with a Ducati.

Bonus on the Vespa is how many perfect strangers will come up and tell you about how they rode one in the old country when they were a kid. Old country might be Italy, Spain, Vietnam or wherever. Well, it's a bonus unless you're not into that sort of thing.

Oh, and once it has been purchased, try to let your GF ride it once in a while. It's the gentlemanly thing to do.

A steal!

http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/mcy/1866485523.html (http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/mcy/1866485523.html)

You may laugh, but it's a well known fact that mid-80s Honda Elites can't be killed. They are immortal.

I was about to say, at 25 years old that Elite is just about done with its break-in period.

Yet another tip I got from MM on buying a scooter: Avoid the Chinese clone scooters (cheap copies of Hondas and Yamahas). They go by brand names such as Tank and Lance and are pieces of crap.

Vespas are nice but you're paying mostly for the name. Vespa and Aprilia are owned by Piaggio, so they're basically cousins. I can't tell you how much I LOVE my Aprilia Scarabeo! I ride it everywhere, including highways. I get such a kick out of passing luxury cars and thinking to myself, "You just got passed by a scooter, sucker!" Seriously, the Scarabeo's big wheels improved my cornering confidence dramatically, after riding my tiny Riva with donut tires for almost two years.

SAFETY: As a scooterista and former D Store employee I can say that "All The Gear All The Time" definitely applies to scooter riders. Every time I get on the highway I dress in full safety gear. I may look like a dork but it's reassuring to know there's something reasonably protective between me and the pavement. Around town, I always wear a leather moto jacket, leather moto gloves, full-face helmet (half-helmets are kind of a joke), and earplugs, which really help reduce noise from wind and sirens--especially when you're running from the [leo]. It scares me to see girls riding Vespas around the city wearing only thin jackets, high heels, and skirts. Road rash is a pregnant dog at any speed.

+1 I turn away whenever I see this.

There are different ways of viewing this. Vespas have monocoque metal bodies and a trailing link front suspension. Practically all other scooters use body panels (usually plastic) on frames and telescoping fork front suspensions. There advantages either way.

Aprilia scooters are very nice, but they have more design features in common with asian scooters than with Vespas. There's probably a reason that Vespa is pretty far down the sales list in Italy, where Japanese scooters rule.

Kinda OT (sorry, pete) but re AGATT, I can't tell you how many scooter cases I have.  They're all relatively low speed accidents (approx 25-30 mph) with the scooter rider hitting the deck.  And they all involve multiple ankle or knee or elbow surgeries that would have been prevented by even minimal gear over the affected area.  I have one case that is the poster child case for why you only wear a full-face helmet.  1/2 helmets just don't cut it.  Almost every single case has 30-100k in medical bills that could have been avoided with a coupla hundred bucks in gear.  

The motorcycle cases are different.  The motorcyclists are generally geared better, but tend to run into objects -- cars, poles, sidewalks, trees.    

Yeah. I can't look away - it's such a damn attractive look - but it's crazy unsafe. Someone needs to design an ejector seat so that hot skirted scooter girls can be launched to safety, parachute down, and emerge unscathed.

Anyway, a Vespa was purchased! She got a 2007 LX 150, vintage green, with crashbars and a rear rack. Delivery is today and excitement abounds. This turned out to be a good little general-discussion topic - thanks for all the contributions!

Pics please.  Of your girlfriend.  And the scoot, if ya must.   ;D

Pete, so she doesn't have to be all power-rangered out, Dainese has some cool-lookin' scooter gear.  Very limited abrasion resistance, but it looks cool and has internal armor.  For lower speed crashes, it'll get destroyed, but will provide impact protection.  Not cheap though.

Get her some boots. 

A scooter skirt is good for chilly weather. 

Yeah, Dainese has some nice scooter jackets that aren't too Power Ranger-ey. The armor is the same as they use in the moto wear. Ask for the "vertical line" when you go to the shop.

Congrats on the LX (sounds like an LXV though based on the color description) - now be sure to get off it once in a while so she can ride it, OK?

BTW, one thing I found in the Japanese vs. Vespa thing that hasn't been mentioned: the Honda 125 I rented in Italy would freewheel when you were coasting downhill, which meant you were on the brakes a lot more. The Vespa stays in 'gear' so you get some engine braking. I like the Vespa better on that score.

Which one is easier to get sideways?

I'll see if I can get a pic of my wife in the Dainese gear (motorcycle line) she wears on her Monster and the Vespa. It's pretty flattering, feminine cut. Of course, the bright pink helmet reduces overall butchness levels, too.

Here's one in some non-Dainese gear (and not wearing boots! She'd never consider that nowadays.) on the Vespa:

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_keb9Kczo6oU/RYV9luS_B6I/AAAAAAAAAhw/wEqnXjRv1Z4/s400/RECO0011.JPG)

Corazzo also makes some really nice scooter gear with CE armor, aramid fibers, etc. that somehow manages to look totally non-motorcycley.