Modern Vespa

Hello Everyone,

I have been lurking for awhile absorbing all the great info on Vespas. This is a great resource!

Question- is it possible to customize a Vespa LX150 for the shorter rider? I am 5'0" and my feet only graze the ground when it's off the center stand. I have read that people have shaved off the seats to lower the seat height. Does this work well? I have noticed that it's not just the height of the seat that keeps my feet off the ground, but also the width of the seat. It seems to be a little wider, especially in front, than I expected.

What other suggestions would you have for making the seat height lower? I can't grow anymore unfortunately!

I am also considering the Buddy, but, I really am hoping for a scooter that is freeway legal. I am not interested in other scooters as I really like the classic style of the Vespa and Buddy.

Any advice is most appreciated!
Thank you,

Buddy IMHO
I don't think you will ever get a Vespa
low enough to be safe.
But others will tell you different.

You're probably right Stan.

I will NOT get a Vespa if it's not safe, so don't worry. Just thought there might be a way to make it work. I just wish Vespa would make a lower seat or Genuine makes a faster Buddy.

Thanks for your input!

I'm sure Caligurl will chime in soon..She is about 5' 2??ish, and rides a sweet LX150..She is on tippy tippy toes on her bike though..But she manages to keep it upright, and handles it very well.

I think she is at the pub right now finishing up her first Shindig Rally...We must of put about 300 miles or so on the scoots this rally..

There was also a Buddy at this rally, and it kept up with all the Vespas..I think they are as quick as or quicker than the LX150s..(lighter I believe).

Good luck on your search for the perfect scoot

They say the Buddy 125 will out run the LX150.
My wife wishes they made a shorter Vespa and she's
a little taller than you.
I think weight and width is important.
You have to be able to handle your scoot stoped,backing up,
walking on a hill at a stop light, lots of things besides riding.

I'm 5-8 and wish I could trim an inch off my lx. For me to put my heel on the ground at a stop I have to tilt the scoot a bit.

I agree that that Buddy is just as peppy as a 150. I've been on rides with several folks on Buddy's and they keep up just fine.

Nicky - oh great, I'd love to hear about Caligurl's adventures. Glad you gals had a great time at the rally! I look forward to joining one once I decide on the scoot to get and bring one home. Thanks for the good luck!

Stan - I understand about being able to do all those things you mentioned in order to be "safe" on the scooter. But how will I know I can't do any of those things if my feet aren't on the ground to try?

My concern is not that the Buddy wouldn't go as fast as the Vespa, I have heard good feedback on how zippy it is. I just don't want to get a ticket if I jump on the freeway for a few exits or if I want to ride into SF (I live in Marin).

Wow - ScootNJuber,

I wish I had your height!

I'm 5'7" and I'm on the balls of my feet at stops on my LXV. It's taller than I expected; I wouldn't mind if it were a bit shorter too.

OK all of you are 5' something..but how long are your legs? (The REAL issue for seat height).


My wife's got a 27" inseam. We got a cut down seat (from POC but scooterwest has them too) and it made a great difference on her ET2. If you ever go vintage you'll love the smallframes (like ET3, V90, 50 special) awesome for those short of leg. The Buddy is a great choice also.

I hate to say it but I think you might be a candidate for a Yamaha Morphous.




It's quite possibly the most anti-Vespa scooter out there, but when I started looking at it with an open mind it has a very cool attitude to it - AND a really low seat height 25.8"

A Honda Big Ruckus would fit the bill too - seat height, about 28"





Dave

That's a really good point. I don't know my inseam, but my legs are on the shorter side compared to some.

I never knew my inseam either. I just tried measuring with the help of my hubby and it's about 26.5" without shoes.

Ugh, I am short!

I looked at the ET4s on the Vespa website and it looks like about the same size as the LX150. Does Vespa still sell the ET4s?

Chetwynder,

Nice try and those are nice looking scooters, but alas, my heart is set on the classic scooter look.

Even if the seat is lower, the Morphous looks heavy. Is it a heavy scooter?

LX150 took the place of the ET4 but
same seat height

hey hermits,

Yep Nicky was right, just got back from the pub. AND the rally did put on 300+ on the scoots if you did both rides.

Soo, anything is possible. I got my seat shaved down and inch and I felt a lot more comfy on it than at its stock height. I'm 5'1" and my lx150 is over 2x my weight. When I'm on the scoot, I'm usually on my toes or between on the toes and on the balls of the feet.

Not saying a vespa would be right for you, but definately take a look around. If you do like the look of vespas and only want a vespa, there are ways to make it happen.

1) get the seat shaven down. Your local dealer should be able to do it. I got mine shaved down an inch and it feels mighty comfortable and you can't tell that the seats been modified.

2) get an aftermarket seat. some are pricey, some are not. Corbin makes good seats (so i've heard) but pricey! Other companies sell some too.

3) get it lowered. they can switch the shocks or whatever, blah blah blah. pricey

4) wear boots with big-assed heels when you ride. I wear hiking boots when I ride so it gives me a bit more stability.

Don't forget, the more you ride, the more experience and skills you gain, the more comfortable you'll be. Even if it isn't now, the next scoot you get could be a vespa

There was a buddy on the rally. 125cc, very light weight, very durable (she flipped it earlier this year and barely a scratch on it). goes pretty damn fast too.

happy shopping! don't let height get in the way of having a vespa!

PS: FYI, take the motorcycle course if you can. You'll feel a lot more confident and know how to do certain maneuvers which can save your life (swerving, quick stopping, etc).


PPS: if you're down my way, you can sit on my scoot and see how it feels. Couple of people have asked me before.

I understand completely, that's why I ride a GTS. And yes, it's heavy at 408 lbs.

Dace

Caligurl,

Thanks so much for the suggestions. When I went back to compare seat and weight specs between the Buddy and Vespa, it only varied by a few things:

Buddy Specs:

Seat height: 29"
Dry weight: 223 lbs.

Vespa LX150 Specs:

Seat height: 30.5"
Dry weight: 225 lbs.

1.5" in seat height and 2 lb. difference in weight of the scooter.

Do you have problems stopping at stoplights or being able to go backwards? Have you had your scooter seat shaved down height wise?

I will definitely be taking the MSF course but I'd like to get my scooter and practice a bit with general operations before I take the course.

Thanks for the offer of sitting on your LX. I unfortunately live quite a ways away so if you happen to be scootering in Marin, please let me know!

CHETWYNDER - OMG, so my feet would be flat on the floor while that monster of a scooter will be dragging me backwards or forwards just from the sheer weight of the thing! That would be a funny sight! LOL!

Nope! Just watch out for the oil slicks. No matter how tall you are, an oil slick is always slippery. for parking and reversing and such? Sometimes its easy, sometimes its a pain. Depends on the condition of the street you are on. Sometimes I find it easier to just move my scoot by hand before mounting, turning on, and scooting off. Had no problems reversing at the gas station today or reversing to the curb at the pub. Yes, it was the only way I would agree to buy the vespa. Shaved down an inch. Lovely. Good. You'll probably learn on a Rebel like I did. Heavy piece of crap. But you'll learn. =) Will do. We made it as far as Livermore today. Hahaha.

Big P.I.T.A. if you ask me. After all, you just spent primo on a 150cc scoot, now you have to spend more to make it fit right? If it's worth it to you to have it shaved down, see if they can also narrow the seat. Width has as much to do with it as actual seat height. My motorcycle has the same seat height as my LX, but I can place both of my feet on the ground flat on the motorcycle with the narrower seat and can only put the balls of my feet (at most) down with the LX with its wider seat.

I'm 5'6"-7"-ish with a 30" pants inseam.

Smart thinkins. They did both for mine- shave down, and shave thin.

Yes, they will! You got that last line right, Stan. 8)

caligurl's given you the 411-- And here's my $02.

For the ET4, the LX150's precursor, Vespa sells a low-profile sport seat that made all the difference for me. I'm 5'4" and inseam-challenged.

I've also ridden a Buddy, and it's quite zippy and fun to ride.

Happy scootin'--

--Deborah

You may be able to find a decent used ET4. For the seating issue the relevant difference btn the ET4 and the LX150 is that you can get the low profile Vespa Sport Seat for the ET4. No idea why they don't make one for the LX as well.

--Deborah

I recently went out on a group ride that included a tiny, wee girl of Asian descent in its number. She'd made up the height issue with stacked heels. Not sure exactly how tall she was but she NEEDED those heels to reach the ground.

She seemed pretty happy and confident riding.

Have you tried these?

Have *you*? Nevermind...I don't want to know!

Hermitscave:

You're doing a great thing researching all of the stats. Here's the reality. YOU NEED TO TEST RIDE BOTH THE BUDDY AND A VESPA!!!

Only YOU will know which one FEELS right to you. If your still having issues, much like Caligirl. The dealership should be able to shave/thin down the seat for you.

I missed it but, are you an experienced rider? New to riding? Have you taken the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Basic Rider Course?

It seems to me some of your concerns/hesitations would be addressed during the class.

Also, you live really close to many MVers and Modern Buddists in San Francisco, Berkeley/Oakland. I'm sure if you privatively arranged, many would let you test ride their machines.

Sometimes a good pair of boots will make a big difference. When you go to test the different scooters make sure to wear a sturdy boot with a thick sole and about a 2" heel.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and .02.

Rototribe - I agree that it's a big PITA to get something customized after spending the bucks on the scooter. Unfortunately, that's the story of my life with regards to clothing, especially pants/jeans. Whenever I buy clothing, I still have to factor in tailoring or some sort of customization.

However if that's the ONLY reason that is standing in the way of me getting a Vespa, you can be sure it will be worth the extra money. Then again, I am paying $2K more than I would be with the Buddy. I could buy the Buddy but it wouldn't solve my problem about being freeway legal.

I strongly believe it's the width of the seat that makes me not able to touch the ground. If you look at my specs above for both the Buddy and the Vespa, it's only a 1.5" difference in seat height. That could easily be 3/4" - 1" inch shaved on both sides and a good 1" shaved down.

I echo the advice to check out a good condition ET4 and the lower profile seat. However, if I was in your situation, I would also check out the Yamaha Vino 125. It sits much lower than the Vespa.

Also the width of the floorboard you have to straddle. The Buddy's floorboard is only 13" wide which is narrow compared to most other scooters, this is why those with a short inseam have an easier time on it.

Being on your tip toes is not how you want to be. You don't need to be able to absolutely flat foot it at a stop, but you need to be able to put enough foot down on both sides to be stable. That's really important if one of your feet touches down on a sandy or loose surface on the road.

I also considered the ET4 too, but didn't realize it was no longer being made.

I'll check Craigslist and see if anyone is getting rid of one.

Tbone- I am a new rider and I will take the MSF course, but just wanted to get a scooter first so I can just practice the basic mechanics and operation before I take the MSF course.

I do want to make the right decision in the purchase of a scooter, so I am not out to get a Vespa no matter what. I just want to make sure it is right for me, otherwise, I will just get the Buddy and hope that Vespa will some day make a scooter designed for people who need a shorter ride or Buddy will make a freeway legal scooter. It seems there are people well over 5'0" that are still finding that the scooter is still high for them. Perhaps Vespa needs to know this (if they don't already) for future production.

Harnadem - thanks for the tip on the Vino. I'll check that out but I will still have the problem with the Vino as I would with the Buddy in that it's still only a 125 and not freeway legal.

Stacked heels would be helpful or a boot with a higher heel. I just hope I don't break my neck just walking on the darn things! LOL!

Ditto on the boots. I'm 5'7 and can't really flat foot my GT at stoplights w/o leaning a little bit unless I have boots on. Even better than a heel is one with a platform heel.

That said, I have no problem at all with riding with non-heeled footwear either. I have good balance and have no problem either leaning the bike a wee bit, or just using the ball of my foot.

These should do

You should also check out the Kymco Grand Vista, it seems to be the most small stature friendly of all the 250's.

MP3 or Gilera Fueco.Lock the 2 front wheels at lights,you need never put your feet on the floor again,OR worry about getting it on the centre stand...

I understand your thinking, but can I just suggest that you go ahead and take the MSF course now, before you get the scooter? You will learn the basic mechanics and operation in the class (plus you won't pick up any bad habits, which you might do on your own). Some riding practice would also help you in evaluating the scooters after the class, before buying one. Plus if you end up dropping a motorcycle/scooter during the class, it's not yours!

[quote="hermitscave"]I also considered the ET4 too, but didn't realize it was no longer being made.

I'll check Craigslist and see if anyone is getting rid of one.

I have two fantastic et4's at the shop and I have a ... Low seat for an ET!

[quote="boscoI have two fantastic et4's at the shop and I have a ... Low seat for an ET![/quote]

Yes, but do you deliver?