Modern Vespa

Greetings! I am a new(ish) Vespa owner/rider, having taken the plunge in October 2020. I love it.

What I DON'T love, is how often my Vespa gets knocked over. I live in NYC and park it on the street near my residence and in a garage when I go to work. Has been great in the garage, but has been knocked over at least a half dozen times while in the street - one time snapping one of the side view mirrors, costing me $250 and time to get it fixed.

The model is a Primavera 50cc which has a center kick stand. Someone told me the center kick stand is more stable than a traditional kick stand. Has anyone solved for making their Vespa's more stable while on a center stand?

It's obvious that someone is knocking it over on purpose. Mine is 2006, and for 15 years it is parked outside the building on the center stand, and it was never knocked down

If it's always happening in the same place, then you have a problem with someone who's doing it deliberately. An accidental hit by a car parking by feel could happen, but not over and over and over. You're not going to win this battle, so maybe try to park somewhere else?

While I've never tried to park a bike in NYC, I would imagine there are unique complexities and considerations to make. Defensive parking in my opinion would be just as important, if not more important than the stability of the center stand.

When I used to park regularly in the more congested parts of San Francisco I would make it a point to try to find a parking spot that would reduce the chances of the scooter getting bumped by a car trying to parallel park - even if it meant multiple laps around the neighborhood or having to park a bit further away from my destination. Over time you begin to learn where the best parking spots are in any given area.

If possible I'd look for short curbs in places cars cannot park or in areas less prone to high parking turnover.

It's not ideal to have your Vespa on it's side. For multiple reasons! Best to look for alternative street parking options.

Center stand should be able to keep the scoot upright quite well.
As long as the front of your scoot is not facing downhill.

You don't live in an American city like New York or San Francisco.

Poor scooter. No elevator where you live? Wish you could hook a taser up to it.

Thanks, all. I should have clarified that I always try to park far enough from cars on either side so they have enough room to get in/out of the spots when parallel parking (i.e. I am not squeezing it in anywhere). I do not believe it is being done maliciously. Otherwise it would be on its side on a daily basis.
Was just wondering if anyone had experienced something similar and/or had a way to make the bike a bit more stable. Thanks all for chiming in!

We do have an elevator but I live in a NYC apt building and we are not allowed to bring gas powered scooters into our apartments. :/

Maybe post a photo? You said center kick stand... is that a center stand or a kickstand? Maybe there's something wrong with the stand, or how it was installed?

I agree that it's very unusual for a scoot on center stand to fall over ever, let alone multiple times.

Greetings:

Quoth Konadog: Ah! Then I have your solution: Purchase an "Elettrica" badge from your friendly Vespa dealer. Affix to scooter and Presto! Elevator-eligibility!
(Uh, don't mind that Akropovic exhaust... )

Plan B: Move to Iowa?

sorry to hear dude. thats awful. I recently found my bike 15 ft from where i left it parked and not on its center stand but on its side stand, and there was a massive SUV where i left my bike... lucky there was no scratches, but stil an awful feeling knowing our bikes are manhandled behind our backs..

im sure you already have one but if not get a brake disc lock that goes off when someone touches your bike, itll go off, and defensive parking will help. thats what ive been doing.. hope that helps and i hope it doesnt happen again

...there is a serial vandal who hits in that area...

Instinct tells me that whatever you do you will always find your vehicle damaged.

Ahh... good point, I was thinking a center stand (2 legged stand, those are robust on paved streets), but will change my opinion if this is a 1 legged kick stand

The center stand has little triangles near its feet. If you drill a hole in each, you could slide a metal rod through them. That should make the stand wider and less likely to fall over. You'd have to figure out where to put the rod, though, but less of a problem if it's near your home.

Also, do you cover your Vespa? Could be the wind blowing it over.

If you widen the central stand too much there is a risk that it will touch by folding the Vespa when it turns and falls ...

I don't mean widening the stand as such permanently. There should be a picture of that somewhere here on MV. Can't be arsed to do a Google search.

So it can go but it was right to point out.

Sorry - It would make you feel a bit violated to either find your scooter moved or on its side.

When you are in the Big City, you get the Big City Experience. I expect you
folks in more congested urban areas are better at "watching your back" and
defensively protecting your stuff.

In those "Bye Gone Days of Yesteryear" the Lone Ranger would send Tonto into town to gather intelligence so he would know where to park his horse Silver.
So, "Go to Town Tonto" and park your scoot where it is safest.

Bob Copeland

TBH it sounds odd as even London that aint gonna happen. Everyone has a cam on the street so you would see who did it.

Is the bike moving forward, collapsing the centerstand and falling down, or is the bike getting pushed over sideways? If the bike is rolling (or being rolled) forward, you might try running a U-Lock through the security loop and centerstand frame. That might keep it from collapsing forward. Alternately, a brake lever lock on the front brake should keep it from rolling forward. If it's tipping over sideways, that sounds like vandalism. It's not particularly easy to push a Vespa fully sideways and over.

Hide a camera without being seen and wait, then you'll find out what happens ... (and us too).
Or leave a sign saying: "They are shooting you with a hidden camera, run away and never be seen again!"
Or go back to the first solution and put the video on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc.

Sheesh. Everytime i pass this topic lately I visualize this:

If you back the scooter in and put it on the center stand it's pretty stable, unless the pavement is very uneven. If it's uneven then bring a piece of plywood and put it under both feet of the center stand. If you are being knocked over by SUVs that can't or won't see it and back into it, try and invent something you can attach to the scooter that's taller and can be easily seen with a rear view mirror. Bicycle stores sell a flexible pole with an orange flag on it.

If wacky Willie who lives up the block hates scooters and knocks it over deliberately, you're screwed. No one cares but you and there's no help from the police.

It could also be that periodically spatial distortion occurs in that place ...
Just so as not to leave out any hypotheses.

Background for those not from NYC. It's estimated that about 60% of all PTW riders in New York City have their ride knocked over each year. That's a lot.

My strategy: I often don't park directly where I want to go, rather where I feel it's a safer spot. I always leave at least three feet to either side when parking, but scan for bigger spots. Never next to a dented, old and neglected car. Preferably next to late model expensive sedans. Never next to any vehicle that's very large, for example a big pick up truck and if I can on a quieter residential block where it's less likely that cars will move a lot. Also never at the end of beginning of a block or directly by a fire hydrant, both scenarios have to many cars pull in and out. I know it's a lot, but hey this isn't just any city, most normal rules don't seem to apply here. Oh, and if I leave the Vespa (or other bike) for anything but a quick stop-over the cover goes on.

edits for spelling