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The Vespa at 80

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Re: The Vespa at 80

#91

Post by rconti »

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.

It takes a certain kind of arrogance to assume that another person's direct experience must be wrong, and your take, based on a 14 word description of the scenario, must be right.

Two people who actually live the same experience may have different opinions on "right" and "wrong", and the law may differ from those opinions.

But man, assuming bad faith on the part of others is a hell of a way to go through life.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#92

Post by rconti »

bborud wrote: post #85

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 roa…

I'm surprised the small diameter wheels allow for such a good ride.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#93

Post by convolvatron »

dnemmers wrote: post #41
derefr wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The trade-off being (I'm guessing) that those threads would be pretty easy to re-tap by hand?

I think the usual move once threads are gone, is to move to a steel threaded insert (helicoil, time-sert, etc) https://www.mcmaster.com/products/thread-repair-inserts/thre...

or go up a diameter if that's feasible.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#94

Post by mulmen »

anal_reactor wrote: post #64
weberer wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like you're describing a 2-stroke engine, which older Vespas did use. But modern ones use a 4-stroke engine and should have the same emissions profile as any other motorcycle.

I live next to a road and combustion-engine mopeds vary from "holy fuck this is loud" to "I can't wait to move out". I used to live close to an airport and that was much better. The specific noise that mopeds make drills into your head. Funnily, I'm never bothered by nails on chalkboard or cutlery on plate, but mopeds, holy fuck, if hell exists, it's full of mopeds.

Vespas aren’t mopeds.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#95

Post by mulmen »

I love Vespas. I have a bunch of old Hondas that are amazing for different reasons but they’re all motorcycles so people will randomly try to kill me to prove a point. But on a Vespa you can do anything and people will just smile and wave. Literally everyone loves them. I went on a day ride with some friends and while they were refilling their motorcycles I just rode circles around them in the gas station because I could. Then I passed everyone on the highway because I could do that too. They’re hilarious.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#96

Post by toast0 »

bananamogul wrote: post #75
boomskats wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a couple of Vespas - a '98 T5 and a 2011 PX Unità d'Italia - and honestly my favourite safety feature is the noise they _can_ make. Modern Vespas don’t sound like the old ones from the factory anymore, but the retro scene is strong, so a lot of tuning kits bring back that classic buzz. In town, filtering, weaving through traffic, getting to the front at lights etc., being able to make a sound which is so ubiqu…

Solving the safety problem by making it loud does not seem like a great solution. Fast forward and everyone is driving nearly silent electric vehicles. I wouldn’t want loud Vespas then. Cutting city noise pollution is one of the benefits of electric vehicles.

Should license movement noises from Hanna-Barbera. Jetsons or Flintstones are good, but there's probably other options.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#97

Post by bborud »

rconti wrote: post #92
bborud wrote: post #85

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 roa…

I'm surprised the small diameter wheels allow for such a good ride.

You're thinking about the stability? That's all down to very low center of gravity.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#98

Post by odiroot »

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…

They're noisy, underpowered and way too expensive (also in maintenance). No wonder most of developing world rides Hondas.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#99

Post by odiroot »

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…

TBQH from my experience people in Vienna are quite oblivious to single-track vehicles. No idea why but even cycling here is often scary.

Re: The Vespa at 80

#100

Post by mulmen »

bborud wrote: post #85

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 roa…

The 300GTS is amazing. It can do anything.

Split traffic on the way to the farmers market while getting waves from random people? Easy.

80mph up a hill on the way to the park? Also yes.

Ride through the park to set up a picnic? Not only yes but it literally has a built in cooler.

Just a total zero compromise vehicle.

And you can buy one for what five grand? All other motorcycles (which I have many of) are stupid.

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