$10K Vespa!?!
- Thread starter AZ Tee Jay
- Start date
Oldscoot
New member
What's really funny is that the folks on the Vespa forum gasp at the price of the BMW scoots.
SteveADV
Active member
Many Vespa owners and other "real" scooter folks (most of us being from more of a motorcycle background) have their own viewpoint as to what is cool. It actually is a hoot (I mean that in a really good way). I can easily see the limited edition Vespa 946 selling out. BMW could learn a thing or two about marketing from Piaggio.
Take a look at this blog. Talk about a serious two-wheeler.....
Scooter in the Sticks
Take a look at this blog. Talk about a serious two-wheeler.....
Scooter in the Sticks
Edumakated
New member
That Vespa is beautiful, but $10k for it is a bit rich imho. It is supposed to be more of a limited production art piece. Not a scooter for just anyone to deliver pizza's on, etc. I do find it funny though because Vespa's aren't cheap relative to other scooters either. I had a few folks say my c600 was expensive, but it was only a couple of grand more than my Vespa GTS, yet I get 3x's the horsepower, heated grips/seats, BMW badge, ABS, better lights, more space, features, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love my Vespa, but compared to the BMW, my GTS was a rip off in the price/value department.
I do think BMW could cut into Vespa's market if they came out with a C300-400cc scoot and put a serious retro design on it. The urban/yuppie would eat that up for the BMW brand. They'd pay Vespa prices for it.
I do think BMW could cut into Vespa's market if they came out with a C300-400cc scoot and put a serious retro design on it. The urban/yuppie would eat that up for the BMW brand. They'd pay Vespa prices for it.
JaimeC
New member
That would put them head-to-head with the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans in a very crowded market. The competition for the Maxi Scooter market is a lot smaller.
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SteveADV
Active member
I have thought about adding a Vespa. When do ride yours rather than your C600? Is the Vespa still a blast to ride?
Edumakated
New member
Yes, the GTS is still fun to ride, but honestly, the c600 does everything I need it to do so I'm looking to get rid of the Vespa as I am not going to be riding it much. The GTS would be fine if I wanted to just run into my local town real quick during the summer, but I can also do the same thing on my c600. The Vespa just feels more toy like after being on the c600. It has its place, but for me and the riding I do, the c600 covers everything. The Vespa is a luxury at this point and not really as practical. If I just like to have multiple styles of scoots/motorcycles I could see keeping it, but one is enough. I'm primarily a commuter and don't really have any interest in collecting different styles of bikes.
Our family has a home on Martha's Vineyard and if I happen to keep it, I'm thinking of shipping it out there because it would be a blast on the island since most of the roads are well kept and the fastest road is a two lane road with a 45 mph speed limit. We have an Vespa 50 there and while it is fun and adequate 80% of the time, I think the power of the 300 would be better, particularly two up. It would make long rides around the island much more fun.
Edumakated
New member
True, but those aren't BMWs. The BMW name has a cache that those brands will likely never have and thus I think there is an opportunity for a company like BMW. When I bought my GTS, I wanted a Vespa. Period. None of the other brands were even considered. The BMW was the only maxi-scoot that I really gave any serious thought to and the BMW brand really stood out for me to be honest. While a burgman may be just as practical, it ain't a BMW. I could see BMW competing against Vespa in that space as a premium commuter scoot targeted at urban riders. The look and the brand are just as important.
SteveADV
Active member
I agree that the BMW brand would be a plus. Just not sure a BMW anything (motorcycle or scooter) that size is what BMW wants to put on the market.
Then again, they did come out with the 1 series cars. I might have tried a smaller scooter if it was available.
SteveADV
Active member
Here's the one we all need...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...=/watch?v=tgWI7CcDiNU&feature=player_embedded
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...=/watch?v=tgWI7CcDiNU&feature=player_embedded
Oldscoot
New member
I've missed my Vespa for the times I ride with my scooter club. We've got an active group and we ride at least once a month and we attend rallies in other cities. My Sport does everything I functionally need and then some - but it doesn't have the "funk" (whatever that means?) of a smaller, lighter scooter. So what I've done is ordered a Stella for scooter events. I think of it as the opposite of a BMW.
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/...Y9vgwrygdFMOht4kvZzawaYknnxwGfZzKFnc4_oY9ou5q
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/...Y9vgwrygdFMOht4kvZzawaYknnxwGfZzKFnc4_oY9ou5q
Skutorr
Active member
Here is what I started with, my tricked-out Aprilia Mojito 150! (SAME drive train as a Vespa 150...)
Commuted to school on it when I was teaching, all back/side roads. Was a blast for what it was...but, essentially still a toy. A 45 mph T-bone on it can kill you as DEAD as a 45mph spill on a Maxi-scoot, but the mindset is more bicycle-like, with a 3/4 helmet, shorts and a sweatshirt. I'll stick with a Big Boy Bike...
Commuted to school on it when I was teaching, all back/side roads. Was a blast for what it was...but, essentially still a toy. A 45 mph T-bone on it can kill you as DEAD as a 45mph spill on a Maxi-scoot, but the mindset is more bicycle-like, with a 3/4 helmet, shorts and a sweatshirt. I'll stick with a Big Boy Bike...
Xian Forbes
New member
Youse guys are correct in recognizing that the 946 is more of an art piece than a "value for money" scoot. My dealer has already sold one here in California. I never even got a chance to see it before it was loaded on a truck and sent on its merry way.
SteveADV
Active member
We too have an active scooter group in my area so I also may get a real scooter to participate in activities (not that I could not ride my GT, but it is a little bit of overkill). No CVT on the Stella is kinda fun, but now that I am so used to it I might miss the twist and go. For that reason, I'm going to include a Buddy 170 in my comparison shopping.
I'm also hoping that by having another easy to ride bike, I might get someone else in the household to hop on her own bike.
Oldscoot
New member
SteveADV - I hate the hand shift on the Stella so I ordered the new AUTOMATIC (CVT) version that has just arrived in the U.S. According to the tests I've read it is faster than the 2t and 4T.
Xian Forbes
New member
The hand shift on the classic scoots is brilliant in my opinion. But I started out on a Vespa 150 sprint Veloce and currently am finishing up my 240cc maniac Lambretta project so I'm biased for sure. There is something about rolling through the rev range and feeling the power build as the revs climb that is very exciting. The thing that annoys most classic guys when they get on cvt bikes is that one finds themselves starting off with a handful of throttle and then backing off as the cvt engages and the rollers put more torques down on the road. Shifting a geared bike is just so classic motorcycle.
Take a look at a P200 if you are interested in a classic bike. Everyone who has owned classics has had one. Its the go to standard for scootering.
Take a look at a P200 if you are interested in a classic bike. Everyone who has owned classics has had one. Its the go to standard for scootering.
