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Topic: Calling all scooter owners  (Read 1060 times)

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Calling all scooter owners
« on: April 24, 2009, 06:29:11 PM »
Historyenne,
So tell me about your Vespa scooter?
How many cc?
How old?
Did you use it very much?
I'm thinking of buying something to beat the increasingly high price of gas. It has gone up 10 cents in a week. Anyway the Vespa is high on the list because I think they are more reliable than the Chinese scooters.
I also was considering an electric bike which is also made in China.
I would only buy the 50 cc Vespa which sells for $2000 new.
I really like the 3 wheel Vespa but they are almost the price of a new car.
Tell me more.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2009, 06:31:25 PM by Jim »


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2009, 07:44:30 PM »
Mine's a 2006 LX150.  150 cc engine, max speed of 70mph (though that's really pushing it) about 50-60 mpg.  I used him a lot, for about 6 months I had a 25 mile commute through hilly country, and it put quite a lot of stress on the engine (thats 25 miles each way, so 50 miles total per day).  After that, I had another year of commuting about 15 miles each way on smoother, flat roads.  So the poor thing is really quite run down, but he always did his best for me.  One thing I would say to anyone considering a Vespa (and I would definitely buy one again) is don't buy the Vespa brand tires. I had to replace the rear tire twice on mine, partly because I used him so often, but also because the original Vespa tire and the Vespa replacement tire were rubbish.  I got a Goodyear tire the second time I replaced it, and that one was much better.  Obviously, when you buy a new scooter, you get the Vespa tires, but if you ever have to replace them, get the Goodyear.  They're better, and actually cheaper too.
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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2009, 08:50:03 PM »
Anyone know what kind of license you need to drive one here?
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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2009, 09:14:16 PM »
I have got a 1964 125cc Vespa that I bought for £3 in 1973. It was in pieces and needed some new clutch parts. I assembled it and rode it for about a year then I gave it to my sister. It's in my Dad's garage. I last rode it in 1992. I will never part with it, nor will I part with the 1954 125cc BSA Bantam that is next to it.


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2009, 12:03:59 AM »

I have got a 1964 125cc Vespa that I bought for £3 in 1973. It was in pieces and needed some new clutch parts. I assembled it and rode it for about a year then I gave it to my sister. It's in my Dad's garage. I last rode it in 1992. I will never part with it, nor will I part with the 1954 125cc BSA Bantam that is next to it.

Contrex,
Man you have some valuable items there. I"m sure you know that if you have checked around.
Any photos available of them? They would bring back memories.
The reason you don't ride them today? Let me guess? Your age and creature comforts?
I'm probably wrong or it could be that and other issues.
I wish I had my Honda 125cc scooter. Unfortunately Honda is just about out of the scooter business, in the US, I think because they couldn't compete with the Chinese....
In my area, scooters are selling by leaps and bounds. There are significant numbers that seem to increase each day.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 12:06:20 AM by Jim »


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2009, 12:09:37 AM »
Anyone know what kind of license you need to drive one here?
Mort,
I think Vicki just told me if it is less than 124cc you don't need a drivers license. For that reason Vespa makes a 124cc instead of a 125cc.

"It's a 124cc.  They make them 124 instead of 125 because UK law states you don't need a motorbike licence if it is under 125." This is a quote from Vicki.

Sidenote. Does the US spell license differently? Apparently.

« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 12:15:38 AM by Jim »


Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2009, 12:23:08 AM »
Man you have some valuable items there. I"m sure you know that if you have checked around.

Yes, I know that. They'll never be monetized while I'm alive though.

Quote
The reason you don't ride them today? Let me guess? Your age and creature comforts?

My eyesight has always been poor, (I am nearly blind in one eye due to ROP) but when I was younger I was too stupid and reckless to care. Later I got wiser. Driving any motor vehicle is too dangerous for me.


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2009, 12:26:35 AM »
So to drive one that's less than 125cc you don't need a license at all, or just not a motorbike license?  Do you need a regular driving license?
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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2009, 12:30:18 AM »
So to drive one that's less than 125cc you don't need a license at all, or just not a motorbike license?  Do you need a regular driving license?
Thats my question also.
We will wait for an answer.


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2009, 05:23:42 AM »
You need a provisional drivers licence or a full car drivers licence, and you need to take a one day course, called Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) which is offerred quite widely.  I did mine through the shop who sold me the bike.

Vicky


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2009, 08:20:22 AM »
So to drive one that's less than 125cc you don't need a license at all, or just not a motorbike license?  Do you need a regular driving license?

It looks as if 125cc is OK: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547

I wondered about the 124cc thing, because all the Vespas I looked up were 125.
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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2009, 08:39:17 AM »
It looks as if 125cc is OK: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547

I wondered about the 124cc thing, because all the Vespas I looked up were 125.

Most nominally "125 cc" Vespas are actually 123 cc.

In general motorcycle moped and scooter engines are made 1 or 2 cc smaller than the 50/125/250/500/650/750/1000 cc [etc] "boundaries" set by legislation and insurance companies.

You also find it with car engines too.

« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 11:18:45 AM by contrex »


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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2009, 09:03:40 AM »
Most nominally "125 cc" Vespas are actually 123 cc.

In general motorcycle moped and scooter engines are made 1 or 2 cc smaller than the 50/125/250/750/1000 cc [etc] "boundaries" set by legislation and insurance companies.

Ah, I didn't know that. Thanks.
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Re: Calling all scooter owners
« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2009, 10:57:54 AM »
You need a provisional drivers licence or a full car drivers licence, and you need to take a one day course, called Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) which is offerred quite widely.  I did mine through the shop who sold me the bike.

Vicky

That's great to know, Vicky!  Thanks!
On s'envolera du même quai
Les yeux dans les mêmes reflets,
Pour cette vie et celle d'après
Tu seras mon unique projet.

Je t'aimais, je t'aime, et je t'aimerai.

--Francis Cabrel


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