Modern Vespa

Talked to a dealer yesterday who said he'd ridden one at a dealers meeting in Cali.

Said it was the "best scooter he'd EVER ridden".

Pretty high praise from a guy who sells several different brands and many different models.

Can't wait to see/try one

David

JerseyBiker, which dealer would that have been? I'm in WNC and no one around here seems to know much about them.

I've had mine about three weeks now. I LOVE IT! 600 mile service booked next Wednesday. Then I'll do some serious riding. Acceleration is great. Top speed so far 84mph (per GPS - I'm supposed to be running it in).

John W (aka Kruella_DV)

This thread needs another picture:

What's the next service interval?

6,000 miles (10,000km)

I lifted this out of the (tiny) service booklet:



Last edited by Kruella_DV on Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:29 am; edited 1 time in total

Did you have anything left in the throttle or were you wide open at 84 mph? How is the accelleration from 70 to 80?

Thanks,

Kyle

I bought my BV300 almost exactly a year ago and I absolutely love it. It's powerful, handles beautifully, and is very comfortable on a long ride. I'm sure the 350 will be all that and more. Enjoy and let us know how you like it.

Kyle, the throttle was not wide open (I would guess about 80% open). I was on a local motorway, level road and little wind. It went quickly from 70 up to 80+ but I only held it at 80+ for a few seconds (it is running in after all). Acceleration from 45 to 60+ is very quick (I think as quick as my 650cc Deauville). It'll overtake cars in a snap. The Beverly is more than 100lbs lighter than the Deauville. Also the C-of-G is very low which contributes to its stability and agility.

The ABS/ASR is awesome. Emergency stops are real sudden. Instead of a back wheel skid you get this nice pulsing feeling in your left hand as the ABS kicks in. I haven't taken the bike on to a dirt road to try out the ASR but, according to a magazine review I read last January that is pretty effective too.

This is one awesome scoot!

John W.

You had to rub the ABS and traction control in our poor, deprived yankee faces!

Makes me really wish mine would hurry up and get here!

Thanks.

Kyle

Kruella...Thanks for the pic, I'm lovin this bike... It may be my next scoot.

Also thanks for keeping us updated on your progress. Enjoy!!

Yeah! didn't I just! - sorry guys, I couldn't resist it. You've got us on gas prices though.

(BTW I'm a bit of a Yankophile, having lived in Colorado Springs for 3+ years in the early '90s)

Just to really rub it in, this is want you don't have won't get:

this is fantastic. seems pretty much everything last twice as long than that of the gts. my guess is with the bigger tires too, those should last longer too compare to the 3k most folks get on rears on the gts (except maybe with heidenau k61s)

maintenance cost difference may support an upgrade...

although i'd still miss the styling and seating comfort of the gts. anyone mod a BV seat to be flat?

Hello, Kruella. Nice looking bike! One quick question, do you have any idea what your fuel economy is? I realize it's still in break-in, but trying to get an idea if the claimed 78mpg is realistic. Thanks.

Average for first three refills is 73mpg (UK gallon). I confess that I haven't always ridden it gently . The joy is only putting in 8 or 9 litres at a time. I believe the tank holds 13 litres but I've been refilling on 1/4 so far. One day soon I'll run to the warning light shows and find out "how far for how much".

John W. (aka Kruella DV)

I'm told this is largely due to the re-designed clutch. The BV350 has a wet clutch in the final drive housing instead of the usual centrifugal clutch in the variator housing. This means a lot less heat transferred to the drive belt which therefore lasts much longer.

I must say that the clutch works beautifully smoothly with no "grab".

John W (aka Kruella DV)

Just got the call......the new BV350 have started shipping in the USA.

We get a big batch of them this week, maybe tomorrow, but probably Wednesday.

Cant wait....should be a home run of a scooter.

Silver or Black still the colors that are coming? If you get ANY that are not please post here.

Thanks

Bob

Shiny Black and Matte Silver are the only two official USA colors.

They should be coming in as 2013 models....we'll see.

The second that they are delivered to new orleans I will have one..

We are getting ours tomorrow!!

600 mile service done today. £130 set price inclusive of labour and materials. Next service due in 12 months or at 6,000 miles. I decided to use the motorway south from Birmingham and was pleased to learn that my BV350 would hold 75mph readily with plenty of acceleration in hand. I briefly took her up to 88mph I am confident that she'll run at 75mph for long periods if required. Acceleration from 50 to 70+ is very quick.

John W (aka Kruella DV)

I'll bet your "Jonesing" for a 350! Now!

J

[quote="gogogordy"] Exactly!! I've been wondering when they will get a 500 out with the new design features - BV500 or X10 500 or, dare I hope, an MP3.

I think he's gouging by about $1000 OVER list.

I just thought I would mention that $1,000.00 over list really isn't bad when you consider that the price posted is Out The Door. That would be scooter price plus Tax, Title, and License.

Well, as sometimes happens, I may have been a bit hasty. But, where I live the tax would be 7%, and with reasonable title and licensing, I don't think OTD would reach $6K. I did not notice "OTD" in your post.

I wasn't pointing fingers I wasn't sure you noticed OTD. While I don't know the tax rate in New Orleans just about 70 or 80 miles up I-10 here in Baton Rouge the tax alone is 10%. I also forgot to say anything about dealer prep in my last post here which in my case was also added to the OTD price. My 250 was $5,600.00 OTD back when it was new. Sticker was $4,800.00 if memory serves. (which sometimes it doesn't)

Oh and almost forgot, did you get much/any sneaux (Cajun spelling) up there today?

Yes, list price and out the door price are 2 quite differant numbers. Tax, dealer prep, "doc" fees, transportation costs + anything else a dealer can sneak in all add to the list price. Don't ever believe that for "only $19.95 you can own this". Get an Out The Door price, then you know what it will cost you.

What we have is 7% sales tax, and I thought that was a record amount. I'll just hang my head on that one. We do not have any sneaux. And it seems like we don't have much hocqui, either. But we really have less baseball, but I don't know how a Cajun would spell that. But one thing I'll bet we have in common is weather forecasters who tell stories. Oh, yeah, and we like them squoottes.

Wow. LOVE that red trim with the silver colour. Ugh, this could even tempt me away from my beloved GTV.

Oh, and I see an IAM sticker!

thanks for the read.good info

Well Spotted English. I've been a member for 10 years now. Did my training and the test on a HD Sportster 1200.
More info about I.A.M. at http://www.iam.org.uk/motorcyclist

John W (aka Kruella DV)

Great. I've been a member since 1998. Of course, I have to ride on the other side of the road now.

Sorry - just got back to this thread -

I talked to the owner of ScooterNerds in Greensboro. He had ridden one.

I asked the Vespa/Piaggio salesman in Durham and he had no idea what I was talking about. Didn't even know a new model was coming out. I have to wonder what the service is like at a place like that. They sell about 4 brands and have (I think) 2 mechanics. Scooters are a minor part of the biz.

Oh, yes - you have that right!!

Just bought the first one in Kansas. Love it! So much peppier than my '05 BV200.

My only complaint is the wind and noise over the low windscreen at high speeds. Any suggestions?

Drew

Bigger windscreen? http://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=38885

Or maybe a Laminar Lip? http://www.laminarlip.com/

First valve check at 40,000 Kms/25,000 miles!

The small universal 10" laminar lip is a good fit.

I just drove 60 miles to the closest dealer to see a 350 in person and it was sold! I called Thursday and they said they have a silver one on the showroom floor. I guess these things are selling quickly. The salesman said he wished I would have left my number because he knew I was coming in today but had no way of warning me. Lesson learned- call first! Well at least we found a nice place for a couple beers and some good food!

The owner said another is on its way. I know dealers have 250's and 500's that have been sitting there for a year or two but these 350's are moving. Must be pretty good....

Bob