Modern Vespa

Yesterday I put a deposit down on a matte silver bv. The dealer said they are expecting them at the end of April or the beginning of May. I have been thinking of something to replace my p and this is the first bike that has me intrigued enough to to do it. Has anyone seen one in the U.S. in person yet? I hope it looks as good in person as it does in the pictures. (33hp isn't too shabby either)

keep us posted....I dont know of anyone else who has taken the plunge yet.
Exciting!

Congrats! Make sure you come back and post photos of your new BV when you pick it up. I just read that Canada will be getting the BV 350 in the fourth quarter of this year.

The BV350 sounds like just the ticket! Although the BV250 does very well, sometimes I wish for just a bit more power and the 350 seems the answer. And, the 350 looks pretty sharp, to boot.

The fouth quarter? Just in time for winter I guess. The new BV is the only scooter I would consider trading my GTS for.

Yes, I've seen and test riden it, it's remarkable! and might I say you made a wise choice with the silver color. the red seat is gorgeous!

Let me start by congratulating the OP on his new scooter.

Admittedly I am not a tech guy or well versed in the machinery of things. So my question is simply whats better about the BV 350 that one wouldn't get the current 500?

1) The rear wheel horsepower is 33....an improvement from "less" engine.

2)The clutch is a wet clutch, the driveline service intervals have been extended
and the consumables are stated to last 15,000 miles

3) Fuel economy stated at up to 78 mpg

4) lighter

5) WooHoo! ( I want one....)

6) This is Piaggio's newest and most efficient engine family....probably the jumping off point for their next several years of scooter products

Awesome and second the pics please. GORDY don't the other "wives" get jealous when you bring new ones into the garage?

Judy....check under my avatar....I'm a practicing PTW Polygamist.

I know but they have to get jealous don't they?

Judy...there's enough of me to go around!

(they ALL get ridden, fluids attended to, and their batteries kept excited...what more can a fella do?)

Spreading the love 12 scooters at a time. I love it. I guessing with the 12 tho.

You may be the first one on the block (at least in the forum) to actually made the plunge!

Congratulations and post some pics when you get it!

I will definitely post some pics when it arrives. The wait is killing me. Its hard to wait when there was a bv300 available now. I just keep telling myself that the 350 will be worlds better. I would like to take some longer rides and not have to keep the throttle pinned wide open to keep up with traffic and this seems like it will do that nicely. it looks like i'm gonna be one of the first to get one!

RICK yes you are and congrats.

Congrats on the new scoot. Eagerly awaiting pictures.

I ride the interstates around here and don't have the throttle pinned wide open to keep up with traffic. Not trying to change your mind about your choice in bikes. This is just an observation from my personal experience.

Of course hills are few and far between around here unless you're on a bridge going over a river.

Here in UK I also put a deposit on a silver Beverly 350 on March 2nd. I'm hoping to get mine by the end of this month (fingers crossed). I'm upgrading/downgrading from a traditional touring motorcycle - a Honda Deauville NT650V (precursor to the NT700V that you guys have Stateside). From all I've read about it, and having seen it up close at last November's bike show in Birmingham England I KNOW I'm going to love it. The waiting is getting increasingly hard!

John W (aka Kruella DV)

Well Done!

I've been watching the news about the BV350, and it may very well hit the sweet spot for a lot of people's needs.

I even toyed with selling my BMW and just going with the BV (and my old P200).

Anxious to see the pictures and read your first ride report!

and sl less $ than a GTS.

Congrats and great choice! I can't wait to see one in person. I was out riding all day. So happy we are having summer time in Ohio at the end of winter.

Hope it comes in soon. Enjoy!!

Bob

He has the throttle pinned on an '82 P Series.

Sorry Paige,

I didn't mean it in quite that way. I meant that since I don't have to on my 250 his 350 should be no problem. Guess I need to put my thoughts on the computer screen better.

100mph and 70mph you'll never be home, congrats!

Grats on a beautiful new bike. I wonder if the North American version has ABS and traction control as shown on the European reviews. The Piaggio US sight doesn't go deep into the specs, but I'm saving for one either way.

I don't think the US can expect to get either ABS or traction control. IIRC Alexbv200 mentioned that previously, and he's on the dealer side.

Yup, unfortunately we are not getting either the ABS or Traction control.
It costs too much for it too pass DOT considering the small amount of sales they will get out of it.
If the bike was only available with it in Europe, it may have been a different story, but since there is a version without it, they are bringing it over.
Price would have jumped another $1k most likely if it had been available.

What or who are the DOT trying to protect - their own scooter manufacturers?

Trade with the US is sometimes a one-way valve.

Nice!

If I rode farther or convinced the wife to go with me, I'd consider a BV350. The tech specs on it look like just too darn much fun!

Next Friday I could probably post some "Spy" photo's of the first one in the US. It was in Florida last week. I know what corner stand on when it goes by. LOL

I'm very surprised nobody post about the new cool stuff from Piaggio last week.

US trade deficit as of 5 days ago is $124.1 billion...

p.s the BV350 is my favourite scoot of the moment. Congratulations to the OP.

I want that engine in a Vespa GTS!

Hard to really take that statement seriously, since we don't actually make anything except crappy TV shows.

Yes, apart from aircraft, construction and agriculture equipment, tools and dies, steel etc. etc
Basically the cheap consumable stuff is made abroad. Industrial mfg is made here.

Now your talking. I still like the GTS's looks over the BV, but DAMN that BV350 looks sweet too. Both awesome scooters. Congrats to the OP. Now who on the forum will get one first?

Stopped in at my local dealers today to get a price, just under $6500 OTD. I really was going to pop for one but now not so sure. That's a little rich for this fixed income retiree. Anyone know if the 300's are still avaliable? Might settle for one of those.

Not that it will do you much good but there is a blue 2012 300 at the vespa dealer here in new orleans. So I would imagine that they are still available.

Only if a dealer has one in stock.
The warehouse has been empty of BV 250/ 300 for a long time!!

It's very frustrating that we're not getting ABS and traction control over here. When I started reading this thread, I was seriously considering this scooter. But not without those two safety features when I know they're available in Europe.

As to US regulations, I'd be interested in hearing from someone with real knowledge of what the problem is. I'm guessing there is substantial paperwork and possibly testing necessary to get US certification. The projected low sales volume makes it not worth certifying all models for US sales. The Japanese in particular have cut down on the number of scooter models they import to the US; there are no mid sized (200-350cc) Japanese scooters available at all.

The problem, as was stated, is not economic protectionism; there are no US made scooters. But there may be a we're better than anybody attitude which permeates even these type of regulations. I have no problem with US only, more restrictive emissions laws. For many years, the US was ahead of Europe in that area although perhaps no longer. I remember renting cars in Europe into the early 1990s that still had manual chokes and few if any emissions controls.

I'm really curious as to what the actual costs are, above and beyond the list price of those options, to a manufacturer to be able to sell the scooter with ABS and traction control. It's hard to imagine that paperwork could cost a manufacturer that much to comply.

Does anyone know how much more the model with ABS and traction control sells for in Europe than the one without those features? The Brit Piaggio website doesn't seem to have the price with and without.

I see the Italian website has both and the price difference is 500 euro. Seems worth it to me.

Kayemtee, My dealer tells me that Piaggio are only selling the ABS/ASR version in UK. The linked brake version may be introduced later. There's an article about the BV350 in the December 2011 issue of Scootering Magazine that speaks about a 300 GBP price difference. My dealer (QB Motorcycles) is quoting £4389.00 for the ABS/ASR version.
You can pick up a pdf file of the scootering article at http://www.jbw.org.uk/pdf/bv350scootering.pdf.