OP
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UTC quote
Hello to all,
Just a newbie to this forum and Vespas, so please forgive me.

There is a Vespa that I'm trying to buy, but the owner has no idea what he has. Neither do I. I cannot find an engine number or VIN from the right side and cannot get into the left side. I've loosen some of the screws but the left fender does not budge. Don't have the key to the storage compartment either. Does the fender come off?

Why? I've read that I may be able to find the VIN number. However, I did find, what I think is the frame number...50E3756. Stamped under the left fender. Can anyone help me with model and year. Here are some pics. Anything will help.

Thanks,

Newbie Kyle
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@79p200e avatar
UTC

Hooked
LX150
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UTC quote
Don't buy it! It looks Vietnamese!
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Molto Verboso
many
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
Stay away from that one!!!!!!

Rob
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UTC

Hooked
LX150
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Hooked
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UTC quote
kylechanh, what is your price range? there are 2 P200's in the Redlands/Highland area for sale. One is $1700 I believe, and the other is $2500. The $2500 is BEAUTIFUL! original blue paint and not a scatch on it. It is pristine. If you want something older, then I would wait it out. That thing is probably not the safest bike. You don't want to waste your money on that.
OP
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UTC quote
How does one know? What should I be looking for?

Thanks for all you replies.
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UTC quote
79p200e wrote:
Don't buy it! It looks Vietnamese!
PHO SHO !!!!!!!

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=viet+bodge&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
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UTC

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'08 GTV "Portofino". '77 Euro Rally 200
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07 GTS250(RIP), 13 GTS300, Several Lambrettas
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UTC quote
That scooter is a disaster looking for a place to happen. Here's another good read:

http://scooterlounge.com/Vespa/Asian/Asian.shtml
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1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
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1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
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Location: Detroit, Michigan
UTC quote
Yeah..it's garbage.

Most likely an early 60's bajaj or VBB / VNB frame that's been bondo'd and shaved down to look like a wideframe.

It's a turd. Avoid it.
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UTC quote
Feel free to pop in our shop to discuss buying a vintage Vespa. We don't have any for sale, but we'd be happy to steer you in a much, much better direction.
UTC

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UTC quote
Re: Unknown Year & Model - Need help
kylechanh wrote:
Hello to all,
Just a newbie to this forum and Vespas, so please forgive me.

There is a Vespa that I'm trying to buy, but the owner has no idea what he has. Neither do I. I cannot find an engine number or VIN from the right side and cannot get into the left side. I've loosen some of the screws but the left fender does not budge. Don't have the key to the storage compartment either. Does the fender come off?

Why? I've read that I may be able to find the VIN number. However, I did find, what I think is the frame number...50E3756. Stamped under the left fender. Can anyone help me with model and year. Here are some pics. Anything will help.

Thanks,

Newbie Kyle
Stay far clear from that one. Go to Motorsport...they will help you.
UTC

Member
79 p200
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Location: pittsburgh, pa
 
Member
79 p200
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UTC quote
I never saw one so obvious, the rubber boots, wings, and all the chrome. Good job posting a pic before you bought this disaster. Good luck finding a scoot, your in the right area California is crawling with nice scoots for sale. Wish I was there!!!!!
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UTC quote
If it's your first vintage scoot...I would seriously go with a very nice clean STOCK P200. Parts are plentiful and there is tons and tons of info out there to help you maintain your scoot. Good luck and give those guys at Motorsport a call or stop by their shop... it's sick!
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UTC quote
Hey, how much is that scoot. I almost want it to take to rallys just to piss people off. If it's under a buck fifty, I'm taking it. haha
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UTC quote
Pity it's a bodge. It's an interesting looking scoot. Would be nice to see a "real" one like that, restored properly.
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UTC

WHOoligan
1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K
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UTC quote
Bummer its a nice scoot.

I agree with marc, if it was cheep enough Id own it just for fun.

Its too bad the Bodges arent done properly, Ive seen some real beautiful Bodges.

Manny
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UTC quote
Motorsport Scooters wrote:
Feel free to pop in our shop to discuss buying a vintage Vespa. We don't have any for sale, but we'd be happy to steer you in a much, much better direction.
I was in their shop yesterday with the same questions, Kyle. We're lucky to have them as a resource - helpful on-line, over the phone and in person.
Thanks, guys!
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UTC quote
Quote:
Bummer its a nice scoot.
Its too bad the Bodges arent done properly
Quote:
Pity it's a bodge. It's an interesting looking scoot.
Whaaaat?


Rob
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UTC quote
Music wrote:
Quote:
Bummer its a nice scoot.
Its too bad the Bodges arent done properly
Quote:
Pity it's a bodge. It's an interesting looking scoot.
Whaaaat?


Rob
+1

what are you smoking manny its all bodge, and good from far, but far from good.
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Is that black electrical tape used as grips?? What The? emoticon
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WHOoligan
1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K
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UTC quote
dannyw wrote:
Music wrote:
Quote:
Bummer its a nice scoot.
Its too bad the Bodges arent done properly
Quote:
Pity it's a bodge. It's an interesting looking scoot.
Whaaaat?


Rob
+1

what are you smoking manny its all bodge, and good from far, but far from good.
Im stepping out of the coolness box for some:

I love Vespa scooters, some bodges are Vespas, and I appreciate a good looking Vespa, whether its a bodge or not.
Yes I know that they are junk inside, or modified to look like something its not, but I can appreciate their beauty.

I recently met this nice lady with a bodge, she knew it was a bodge and when she told me it was, she expected me to walk away from her like she had the clap. I didnt, I could appreciate its beauty,and how much she loved that scoot. She knew what is was and how much trouble it will be. It was what it was. It was her headache not mine.

Would I own one, sure if it was free, would I spend my money on one, prob not.

My scooter snob days are over, lifes too short to not appreciate beauty of many types of scooters.

Am I any less cool now, maybe, but I just dont care.

Ride Safe

Manny
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UTC quote
Hate to say it, but this guys only posts ever are in this thread.
I have a feeling that bodge slingers are coming to MV to post
as innocent buyers (this is the 2nd one this week) to get info on
what we look for as far as vietnamese scoots go, so they can adapt
and sell their crap.

Am I paranoid.. maybe, but its fishy. Who agrees?
@snapshot05 avatar
UTC

WHOoligan
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UTC quote
checkflag wrote:
Hate to say it, but this guys only posts ever are in this thread.
I have a feeling that bodge slingers are coming to MV to post
as innocent buyers (this is the 2nd one this week) to get info on
what we look for as far as vietnamese scoots go, so they can adapt
and sell their crap.

Am I paranoid.. maybe, but its fishy. Who agrees?
Its possible.

But

Maybe the og poster is a real novice to scooters. Hate to see the guy get falsely blamed for being a bodge slinger.

There is a bodge slinger in eastern LA County, he sales Vespas & Lambys, my buddy almost bought one from him, but Deanspeed helped him avoid that mistake.

Ride Safe

Manny
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UTC quote
manny - We're here discussing bodges, and why they suck. It's not about coolness, or whatever.

The scooter is a piece of shit. Not the person buying them.
Spending 3500 dollars on a fraudulent, unsafe, low quality, generally NON running scooter, that kinda LOOKS like a vintage scooter.... there is something OKAY with that?

If you like the bodges that look "kinda" like the real deal, well that's fine.

But I'd hate to see what beer goggles got you back in the day with that philosophy.
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Molto Verboso
79 P200e, 81 100 Sport
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
I'm going to agree with Manny here. Before I knew what I was looking at - I was drooling over the colorful creations on classicalwheels.com and the like.

Some of the bodges are made to look very appealing.

I know better now, but can appreciate how someone might be drawn to them. I was, at first.
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UTC quote
I can understand what you guys are saying.

Still, don't you think a real-deal wideframe is nicer on the eye than a super with wideframe handlebars on it?
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UTC quote
Rover Eric wrote:
Still, don't you think a real-deal wideframe is nicer on the eye than a super with wideframe handlebars on it?
Oh, definitely. The only time the bodges look good to me is when they don't try too hard to be something they're not. A VBC that looks like a VBC, for instance, with only one color and no bling.

Proof that you can, in fact, polish a turd.
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UTC quote
jess wrote:
Proof that you can, in fact, polish a turd.
Proof
@snapshot05 avatar
UTC

WHOoligan
1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K
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UTC quote
dannyw wrote:
manny - We're here discussing bodges, and why they suck. It's not about coolness, or whatever.

The scooter is a piece of shit. Not the person buying them.
Spending 3500 dollars on a fraudulent, unsafe, low quality, generally NON running scooter, that kinda LOOKS like a vintage scooter.... there is something OKAY with that?

If you like the bodges that look "kinda" like the real deal, well that's fine.

But I'd hate to see what beer goggles got you back in the day with that philosophy.
I stand by my previous post.

Im not saying that bodges arent shit, unsafe, or a waste of money, etc., Im saying I can appreciate their beauty.

Beautys in the eye of the beholder.

Analogy,

Ive got a friend who writes, plays & records his own ska music, he was in a great ska band back in the 80s. When I play some of the current ska bands, he complains, "oh they suck, that such a simple chord" or "They aren't very good, that's been done before", now does that mean the music/band sucks, it sounds good to me, so should I stop liking the music/band because he says it sucks.

Get my point.

Manny
⚠️ Last edited by snapshot05 on UTC; edited 1 time
@snapshot05 avatar
UTC

WHOoligan
1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K
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UTC quote
Rover Eric wrote:
I can understand what you guys are saying.

Still, don't you think a real-deal wideframe is nicer on the eye than a super with wideframe handlebars on it?
Yes I do my brotha.

Manny
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Molto Verboso
79 P200e, 81 100 Sport
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Molto Verboso
@jeremy_w avatar
79 P200e, 81 100 Sport
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UTC quote
Rover Eric wrote:
I can understand what you guys are saying.

Still, don't you think a real-deal wideframe is nicer on the eye than a super with wideframe handlebars on it?
Absolutely. The problem is knowing the difference. That comes with education and time.

Too many people are impulse shoppers and buy the first pretty thing they see - which is probably a bodge.
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too many
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UTC quote
1960-1975 Vespa Junktronic
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UTC quote
It is a little odd that the OP didn't ever return.
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