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The Vespa at 80

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Re: The Vespa at 80

#81

Post by bborud »

esperent wrote: post #4

I like Vespas, they're very stylish, but damn they are noisy, and not a nice rumble either but more like a very loud chainsaw. They give off a terrible amount of smoke compared more modern scooters too. I do often wonder why so few other new small motorcycles or scooters have similarly beautiful designs though. However, for me, having lived in a country with a motorbike culture for the last decade, the coolest thing…

This is a really weird take that does not resemble any modern Vespa. Are you sure you looked at a modern Vespa and not some old 2 stroke thing?

Also, the range is pretty good. About 160 miles on a full tank, which no electric motorcycle or scooter I've tried can match. Drive it carefully and you can extend that range to probably 180 miles. You'll be lucky to get 80-100 miles out of an electrical motorcycle.

As for torque, sure the smaller Vespas could use more torque, but the 300cc has more than you will ever need in a city. And to be frank, it doesn't do too badly on longer trips either. It is certainly more comfortable than my Ducati.

Update: As for "modern". Note that my 300cc Vespa is about 10 years old now. So it isn't all that new either.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#82

Post by jcims »

esperent wrote: post #66
MomsAVoxell wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Switched from Vespa (combustion) to Unu (electric) and Black Tea (electric) .. and the one feature I yearn for, from the Vespa era, is its noise factor. Electric is damn quiet, damn smooth, and damn fast. (And damn comfy.) And that can be a problem. Especially in a city like, say, Vienna, where people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. I became a much more alert and guarding rider…

> people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. Yes, you're supposed to be the one checking that you don't hit pedestrians. Cities are for humans first, machines second. Drive slower. If you want to drive fast, take a road trip.

What a goofy comment.

Pedestrians are *also* subject to right-of-way rules, just like everyone else on the road. Many examples of people running between parked/stopped cars and getting smoked when they hit an open lane with a vehicle they did not expect to be there.

Not the driver's fault.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#83

Post by FinnKuhn »

esperent wrote: post #67
realo wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but still terrible, pollution wise. Electric Vespa anyone?

They did make one for a while but it's terrible. €5000 with similar specs to a €1000 bike from other companies.

They still make some models in an electric variant.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#84

Post by kstrauser »

MomsAVoxell wrote: post #65
esperent wrote: post #4

I like Vespas, they're very stylish, but damn they are noisy, and not a nice rumble either but more like a very loud chainsaw. They give off a terrible amount of smoke compared more modern scooters too. I do often wonder why so few other new small motorcycles or scooters have similarly beautiful designs though. However, for me, having lived in a country with a motorbike culture for the last decade, the coolest thing…

Switched from Vespa (combustion) to Unu (electric) and Black Tea (electric) .. and the one feature I yearn for, from the Vespa era, is its noise factor. Electric is damn quiet, damn smooth, and damn fast. (And damn comfy.) And that can be a problem. Especially in a city like, say, Vienna, where people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. I became a much more alert and guarding rider…

The motorcycle version of that is "if cars can't here me from a mile away, then I'm not safe enough" or "broken exhausts save lives" or such, and that makes me hate those particular motorcyclists, too.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#85

Post by bborud »

Reading through the comments I somehow doubt that many have owned or ridden a Vespa that was built in the last 10 years or so.

I've had a 300cc Vespa GTS for a decade now (alongside a few motorcycles) and the thing that is the most striking about it is how relaxing it is to drive. Despite being somewhat heavy, they are very manoeuvrable due to the low center of gravity. The suspension is very good and despite the roads here being awful it just glides over any bumps and smooths them out. The 300cc engine is fairly quiet and provides more torque than you need. When the lights turn green you'll be over the intersection before the motorcyclists have had time to release the clutch and get going.

It does well on the open road too. It isn't a race machine, but it'll do 120km/h (75 mph) which is good enough. And you won't feel stiff and bent when you arrive if you decide to take it on a 6 hour ride.

I didn't get it for the looks/style. Yes, I did think it was a bit of a gimmick. And then I tried it. I thought I was doing 60/kmh when I was doing 80km/h. And it just glided over bumps.

(And yes, I have a motorcycle as well, but I'm European so it means I don't ride a motorcycle to get into road rage incidents. We actually try to get along here)

Re: The Vespa at 80

#86

Post by bee_rider »

esperent wrote: post #66
MomsAVoxell wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Switched from Vespa (combustion) to Unu (electric) and Black Tea (electric) .. and the one feature I yearn for, from the Vespa era, is its noise factor. Electric is damn quiet, damn smooth, and damn fast. (And damn comfy.) And that can be a problem. Especially in a city like, say, Vienna, where people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. I became a much more alert and guarding rider…

> people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. Yes, you're supposed to be the one checking that you don't hit pedestrians. Cities are for humans first, machines second. Drive slower. If you want to drive fast, take a road trip.

This is true. But unfortunately it is correct advice being given to the person who isn’t causing the problem.

It would be interesting to see what an intentionally and well designed city could look like. I’d probably have a walkable city center, no cars, and maybe scooters could be allowed but required to have some automatic wireless-controlled limiter that keeps them below 10mph or something.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#87

Post by amarcheschi »

esperent wrote: post #66
MomsAVoxell wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Switched from Vespa (combustion) to Unu (electric) and Black Tea (electric) .. and the one feature I yearn for, from the Vespa era, is its noise factor. Electric is damn quiet, damn smooth, and damn fast. (And damn comfy.) And that can be a problem. Especially in a city like, say, Vienna, where people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. I became a much more alert and guarding rider…

> people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. Yes, you're supposed to be the one checking that you don't hit pedestrians. Cities are for humans first, machines second. Drive slower. If you want to drive fast, take a road trip.

i drove for a few years both a moped that makes noise (the electric angel weeping sound) and one completely silent. Not making noise made many people cross the road without watching and putting me and them both in serious danger, and i'm kinda glad i'm not driving the silent one anymore

Re: The Vespa at 80

#88

Post by bobthepanda »

esperent wrote: post #4

I like Vespas, they're very stylish, but damn they are noisy, and not a nice rumble either but more like a very loud chainsaw. They give off a terrible amount of smoke compared more modern scooters too. I do often wonder why so few other new small motorcycles or scooters have similarly beautiful designs though. However, for me, having lived in a country with a motorbike culture for the last decade, the coolest thing…

admittedly i have not used a vespa myself, only seen. but an e bike is a pretty good mode of motor transport.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#89

Post by dghlsakjg »

ex-aws-dude wrote: post #50
GenerWork wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you thinking of older Vespas? There's a few modern ones near me and they've never struck me as overly noisy.

Yeah I have no idea what they are talking about I have a 150 4-stroke that is fuel injected and it’s way quieter than any motorcycle and has very little exhaust smell

The older ones or modified ones.

My parents have a newer 50cc and even at full speed it doesn’t make more noise than any car.

I had an old p200e 2-stroke Vespa and it was indeed smoky and loud. And also way more fun and useful.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#90

Post by esperent »

tuan wrote: post #72
MomsAVoxell wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Switched from Vespa (combustion) to Unu (electric) and Black Tea (electric) .. and the one feature I yearn for, from the Vespa era, is its noise factor. Electric is damn quiet, damn smooth, and damn fast. (And damn comfy.) And that can be a problem. Especially in a city like, say, Vienna, where people just do not check before they cross some of these little cosy streets. I became a much more alert and guarding rider…

Or honk. Does your Vespa have a honk? In Vietnam, we honk our bikes to alert others especially around a curve. Foreign visitors complain about all the honking, and they are indeed annoying sometimes, but there is a reason why people do it.

I also live in Vietnam and that's utter bs, sorry. People in Vietnam are generally chill and lovely, until they get onto the road where they become selfish, entitled, noisy assholes. They honk to avoid having to look, wait, or slow down. Trying to be a pedestrian in Vietnam is extremely stressful, nobody will ever give you right of way even on a sidewalk, instead they'll just drive directly at you while honking until you get out of the way.
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