Modern Vespa

When will this bike be available in the US? Any word?

https://www.piaggio.com/en_EN/models/new-beverly/

I cant say when. but it is coming to usa. should will be worth the wait. there are dealers taking deposits for them. the 330cc engine is a sweet peach to scooter enthusiasts. the new 399 is the same engine re-designed with 30% increase in torque and 5hp.

The new BV 400 is close to a top speed of 150km / h.

The orange is definitely an improvement for the Beverlies, but it's still nowhere near as pretty as a Vespa. Bummer, because I'd love an extra 10 MPH. 😈

And it will be increasingly difficult to have performance on small displacements due to the Euro pollution standards. :?

What determines if a scooter is comfortable and safe at high speeds? Is the wheel size the constraining factor?

Wheel size is one part of it. But it’s also brakes capable of adequately stopping the bike from that speed. This is where 12” wheels start to become a problem, as there’s only so much disk brake you can squeeze in there.

Wheel size can make a difference as jess says. But it is only a part of the equation. The frame, suspension, brakes, tyres, even the motor all have to gel together to make it safe. The steering angle is important too as is unsprung weight.

One of the things about the Vespa GTS for example is that it really shouldn't go stop or handle as well as it does. Folks are amazed at how good it is when they ride it and of course, how safe it is. It goes, stops, lays into bends and tight corners at speed really well. But it has small 12" wheels! How does it do this then? It's because of the way the bike is built. The monocoque frame is really rigid, it doesn't flex or twist like many maxi scooter trellis frames so it stays on the line you point it at in the bends. The tyres are nice grippy radials, the suspension is supple yet stiff enough to prevent bottoming out if set correctly. The brakes are powerful etc etc etc...get my drift.

I've ridden bigger large wheel bikes that don't go or handle as well as the Vespa and neither have they been as comfortable. The Honda SH300 is a good example. It has large wheels but throws you about all over the place when you hit a pot hole, yet the Vespa with it's small wheels will just glide over them. Well if it's a big pothole you'll feel it of course but it's more refined than the Honda as many roadtesters will tell you. The SH simple doesn't handle at high speeds as well either.

wheel diameter: the larger the diameter the more gyroscopic effect there is. big wheel bikes stay upright better, as a result they feel more stable. there is a downside though. they dont steer as quick as a smaller wheel bike. they take more rider input for emergency lane change. I dont like scooters with a front wheel larger that 14. they just feel like motorcycles that are under powered. larger diameter wheels also are far safer/stable over potholes.

shocks. tube shocks dive far more when braking than bikes with trialing arm front suspension. I love trailing arm setups. and hate tube fork setups. the vespa is PRO in this area. this is why so many say it handles far better than 12 in bike should. vespa has had the design for 60 years. shock quality is huge and most factory bikes come with average shocks at best. some bikes can easily be upgraded and others not. tube fork upgrades are very scarce in this respect.

wheelbase. shorter steers quicker. but also feels more unsafe with speed. longer wheel base feels better at speed. but makes it far harder to make tight uturn.

steering head tube angle. has a huge effect on how a bike steers and feels. relaxed angles dont turn well but are less twitchy feeling. sharp angles allow faster steering, tighter uturns at the expense of stability at speed similar to wheel base.

always best to test ride bikes before you make a choice. no one can tell you whats right for you but you.

On my 14 "front and 13" rear, shock absorbers ... well yes, maybe 4 front rods are too many.
From the dealer to some Vespa 300s, the owner returns almost immediately to change the front shock absorber with a more sporty one, generally Malossi. As a diameter they are good because the small wheel makes the scooter more agile.
We said about the new Beverly 400:

0-60 in 8s sounds faster than my GTS.

I think it's 3s for 30mph, 4 for 40, and 10 for 60. Granted, I timed it in my head using the speedo on an (uphill) onramp, so it's not an equal comparison.

I'm trying to help, but you have to do the conversions from meters to English.
The llong chassis it is harder to get out of corners, the very large wheels help stability but not handling ... not too much.
But the tires are very wide, like a motorcycle.

I have owned both a BV350 and a GTS 300. The wheel size is part of the difference, but the brakes and suspension of the BV are also clearly superior. That is why you can't just drop a 400cc engine in the GTS and hope for the best.

I'm glad that we have a choice between large and small wheel scooters.