Modern Vespa

I just picked up the first delivered 400 in South Florida. Reviews to come later. Initial feeling compared to the 350
1. More confortable
2. better suspension
3. quicker off the line
4. love the new display & Electronics
5. May be more stable because of tigher suspension and larger tires.

I've always been a vintage Vespa guy but recently picked up an Aprilia SR which is basically a Fly with bigger wheels. I've been blown away with how well it handles. It's so much fun to ride. No matter how much I throw it around it just hugs the road. The Beverly would just be next level fun and reach speeds my little Aprilia could only dream of. The Piaggio scoots have looks only a mother could love but they're awesome.

Great looking scooter! Is that a flat paint? Love the BV series. I think they're the best scooters you can buy in the U.S.

More pics if possible.

Bob

We expect a detailed review when you get some time and miles on it. Nice looking scoot by the way!

Wow!! looks fabulous
enjoy
yes give us a review after a few rides;

That looks fantastic! I look forward to finding one in the secondhand market in many years when my Scarabeo needs to be replaced.

I wish Piaggio used a more exciting name for these scooters than "BV." The manufacturers of Vespa, Aprilia, and Moto Guzzi aren't doing themselves any favors by hanging on - I guess? - to the old "Beverly" name, which was weird.

LOL. That is exactly how I think. I'll have one in about 7 years after the 2nd owner drops it once...

Unfortunately this edition is so good you may not get that opportunity , this BV is so good no sane owner will want to part with this Italian stallion.

You've been here a dozen years and you think sanity is a requirement for scooter ownership?

Maybe someone will find a BV400 like this one day. Twenty years old with 6k on it.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/mcy/d/charlestown-2001-vespa-piagio-et4-150/7429950825.html

they still call it the Beverly in Italy. And Kymco still makes the Dink, Grand Dink and Super Dink. Words that make native speakers smirk sell things in other countries.

Wow, that is so cool! I think Piaggio products overall are excellent, and the BV series scoots are truly amazing. I had BV 350 and sold it only to get a motorcycle. The scoot itself was flawless.

I really look forward to your reports on the new BV 400.

Such a half-assed rebrand:

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

They changed it to "New BV" in like two places, but it still says "Beverly" everywhere else.

That's part of the charm of having an Italian scooter! Did you ever read your owner's manual? There are so many weird things in there because of the translation process. I know this is a bit different because its marketing but it might be more controlled from Italy than the U.S. I give them a pass. Now when watching the local news and you see 20 typos on the crawlers on a given night - that I don't give a pass on...

Bob

Apparently the name 'beverly' in Italian is referring to an area of mountains in Italy. This area of mountains in Italy are the toughest and most dangerous the Italians have and they send their special forces army dudes there to train n stuff.

So remember, Beverly is a tough baddass name for a scooter.

I wonder which mountain range that should be. There's nothing there that's even close to the name Beverly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_in_Italy

The name Beverly doesn't sound powerful or whatever to me

Piaggio should change Beverly to "Tactical Black Ops Magnum" just like my underwear.

Let me guess the slogan: "When 'going commando' doesn't cut it?"

Kdude,

Congrats - a new scoot is exciting. Fine looking ride.

Bob Copeland

Congrats on the new scoot.

Everywhere in Europe it is the Beverly.

And that name does maybe refer to positive things like "Beverly Hills", or just refers to the Piaggio Beverly as a scooter model known to most motorscooter guys/ladies.

There is no negative connotation to the word "Beverly" over here.

I have a Beverly 300ie. On your site I usually refer to it as a BV 300.

Can you explain what is wrong with that name?

That mountain is not there.

Inderdaad.

To me Beverly is the name of someones grandmother so it is not great branding.

"Beverly" is a very old-fashioned woman's name, akin to "Gertrude" or "Priscilla." There is nothing wrong with that name but it is an odd choice for a larger scooter - it connotes lace doilies, sensible shoes, and girdles rather than any combination of panache, freedom, design, Italian culture, comfort, speed, or power. That is probably why they stopped using it as a brand name in the US, and shifted to BV.

There is a big difference between "Beverly" and "Beverly Hills." The "Hills" adds a sense of height and distance from anything that "Beverly" might evoke. And over time the two-word connotation has taken on a significance of its own, one of fame, fashion, luxury, and exclusiveness. That isn't too far off-brand for what Piaggio is trying to do with the sillier special editions of Vespas, actually. If the scooter were actually called the "Beverly Hills" we wouldn't be having this conversation.

My gripe is with "BV," which as meaningless letters doesn't align with any of Piaggio's other naming schemes, has a juvenile-sounding rhyme to it, and makes the machine sound petite. I recognize that people in the know appreciate the BV for the excellent machine that it is, and I do too. But BV doesn't inspire admiration or curiosity from anyone who isn't already familiar with the line - maybe it stands for "Bland Vehicle."

BV just feels like a lost opportunity for Piaggio to clearly brand its well-regarded maxi scooters compared to, say, Helix/Forza/TMAX/Silverwing/Burgman.

Thanks for the explanation, clarifying.

In Europe the name Beverly has no history as a name for a person. But I can imagine if a manufacturer should bring a scooter on the market here with a name like "Eufrasie" or "Zulma" or "Aldegonde" aso we would also link that to old people.

Anyway, let's call it a BV. Whatever the name, it is a really good scooter. Very much enjoyed my saterday ride today.

I like older woman so I'd date a Beverly!

Beverly Hotel and Spa in the town of Pinzolo in the Dolomites? That is a pretty rugged area.

I've never heard any of those names before - they're awesome - but I wouldn't put it past Kymco to do exactly that next year.

They won't, because those are names that do sound vaguely foreign but cannot be easily pronounced in the native language. Beverly isn't an Italian word, so it doesn't have any baggage in Italy or the rest of the EU, but it is easy to pronounce in Italian. Dink is easy to say in Chinese, but also doesn't have any baggage in Chinese.

Greetings,

I had the opportunity to test drive the new BV400 at Vespa Motor Sport in San Diego. My initial impression is I am impressed. I ride a GTS 300 HP. In comparison the BV is very stable, rides smooth, is very highway capable, and corners well. It behaves predictably and is comfortable to ride in stop and go traffic. The seat feels higher than the GTS causing me to tip toe higher (29" inseam (737mm)). Although the BV is heavier than my GTS, the weight is well proportioned and this shows during slow ridding, and holding the scoot up with with one foot down at the stops feels comfortable. Acceleration off the line is smooth, controllable and not aggressive. It is not a dragster. The display is clear and having an ambient temp gauge is nice. I don't know how accurate the speedometer is since I only rode it for 5 miles (8km). The keyless fob implementation seems kludgy.

Robot is itching to provide a proper video review but I think they are waiting to get in a demo unit to allow them to rack up some miles for a proper review. Till then - Ride Safe

Someone please post a link or a heads-up when Robot gets around to the review.

Exactly.

And then the model name is introduced in a region with bagage and it gets a connotation.

There was the example of the Chevrolet Nova. Nova is not an English word but refers to Latin for "new", unless in spanish speaking regions where it means "it does not go".

That description does apply for my BV 300 from 2012, less power off course but in the riding basically the same. That is the difference between a GTS and a BV.

exciting to see these hitting US turf.

How's the leg room vs the GTS?

My localish Piaggio dealer just got a Beverly 400 in silver. I might try to swing out there this Saturday and check it out. I'm celebrating my 25th year at my job, with a pretty big bonus! My wife said treat myself but I still love my Liberty and its extreme simplicity. I've always liked the BV series. But my intentions are to just look....

My stupid inner 30 year old was looking at used Honda VFR800 motorcycles. I just know in my heart that I won't really ride it much. I hate shifting, heat from the motor, throwing my leg over OR climbing like a monkey to get on it and finally, I have zero interest in sport bike speeds.

That is a fine looking machine. Moving from the smaller Vespa wheels to the Beverly was very noticeable. Enjoy the miles!
Mr. F

Just saw the first one in Portland yesterday, nice looking bike. Only thing that came to mind at first walk around was the keyless entry function. With all of the new cars getting jacked with these program transponder units, how long before these scooters are vulnerable to these? I'll be paying attention...

The legroom is the same when you plant your feet straight down but the GTS allows you a little more stretch room forward.

Thanks for the info- currently riding our "spare" Fly 150 and my legs feel jammed in there.