Modern Vespa

Does anyone here ever get tired of the attention that their ride brings whenever it's stationary, be it at the gas station, local store or coffee shop ?

Whenever the Royal Enfield is parked up some enthusiast will without fail start looking out for the guy with the crash helmet and start talking to me about it whether I want to engage or not.

I bring along the BMW and no one will pay it any attention. Not even other BMW owners acknowledge it.

The Enfield's days may be numbered.

I know what you are saying, If I see someone looking around my bike or scooters I just walk back the way I came.

I'm sorry if that sounds unsociable but I just get bored so quickly and easily listening to old men waffle on about the Bikes they have in their garage or the Scooters they rode around on decades ago.

I'm perfectly fine with being unsociable when you're obviously either there with someone else or wearing your "Just leave me alone" face.

I had an earlier model and the reaction was exactly the same but this seems to be the only brand that has this much of an effect on people.

YES. Depending on the day I'm having and the mood I'm in, but 50/50, YES. It's happened with enthusiasts for the Triumphs and the Vespa and I get almost-never-welcome attention on all my rides for disability-related stuff.
Disabled:
"But how do you ride?"
"How do you shift?"
"You didn't learn your lesson?"
"Something-something dangerous."
"Is that legal for someone like you?"

Vespa GTS /Triumph Bonnies:
"How long did it take you to restore it?"
"I/my parent/grandparents/relative had one of those."
"Did you leave it as a suicide shifter (moto) / where's your brake pedal? (Vespa)"
(The oldest bike of any kind I've ever owned is 2009. Except the Ninja 250 for a couple months. 1997.)

I'm rarely impolite, but I'm trying to instill a few new habits to escape those when I just... don't want to talk.
Current bailouts include:
-helmet on and pointing to ears. "EARPLUGS!"
-tapping watch/wrist and drawing impatient circles in air. "I'm on a schedule!"

I've been the obnoxious enthusiast, especially during the 6-ish months surrounding my first scooter purchase. Hoooo-boy. Eek. Cringe. I got a Clue(TM) after a few "EARPLUGS!!" comments.

Sometimes I don't mind, get to make someone's day, & occasionally hear some great stories. Sometimes, I just want to be left alone like everyone else.

Answering in clipped single words helps also.

I've never owned a dog because it spoils a good walk when another dog owner wants to talk dog

I think the main problem is less about dog ownership and more that I'm a miserable tw@t at times

In my younger days, when I saw something that I thought was interesting or very cool I would approach the owner and ask questions about how they liked it, and where they bought it from, and always complimented them on taking a few minutes of their time to chat. That's how I got interested in some of my hobbies that I enjoy now.I'm very thankful for their input. 😀

Hey Fleece , you are not on your own , I am a miserable tw@t too . My wife will happily confirm this as fact !

No. Thus far after 3 years and 13000km nobody ever approached me or asked me a question on the BV scooter.

So far anyone around here who has engaged me in conversation about my Vespa mostly just wants to talk about themselves, or give me a metric shit-ton of unsolicited opinions. Or both! That may or may not have something to do with the fact that I live in Los Angeles. Sometimes I pretend like I don't speak English.

When you ride a Bonneville, every gas station you go to, heart of the city or middle of nowhere, doesn't matter, will conjure up an old man who used to have a Triumph and wants to know what year it is.

This is a shared experience impacting all Bonneville owners. Sounds like your RE has similar magic happening.

On the Harley I often have people riding my blind spot to try and look at it. That bothers me. However, on the truck when I have a bike on my truck lift it bothers me more because the truck needs more space to do anything.

If it's one of my vintage bikes I just keep spewing out facts until their eyes glaze over

"I'm sorry, i would love to talk but I'm late for an appointment" always works. Pull on helmet, go like heck.

Nope.

Yes. I got that constantly when riding my brothers Himalayan. I threatened to sell it to the next geezer who accosted me. Possibly the Village People leathers my brother loaned me had something to do with it too.

In 50 years of riding, I haven't had that problem. I must be repulsive or SoCal is awash in unusual machinery. I suppose the latter, but accept the former.

I figure it just kinda comes with ownership. I don't mind a question or two, but I just keep it brief & friendly while never pausing in my ride prep process (suit up, start up, helmet on). When I put the bucket on my head it's quite apparent to all parties that the conversation is over.

Is that when you were parked outside the YMCA?

I'll admit to using the ear plug protocol on a couple of occasions or just trying to ignore people approaching me while I'm fueling up.*

It's more the unsolicited conversations when I'm enjoying a bit of solitude after a ride that I find a little annoying.

I agree it is about empathy but I don't ride motorcycles for other people. I ride them very much for myself and as a byproduct, improve my mental health.

I'm honestly not a sociopath but if the Twat Magnet AKA the Royal Enfield will continue to draw in the unwelcome I feel that it will have to be replaced by something less conspicuous.

In a strange twist of irony, while riding to my last hang out I saw another RE 500 parked up so I rode on so he didn't feel obliged to talk to me or the other way around.

* I don't know about you but I put being spoken to while I'm actually in the process of fueling akin to being spoken to while I'm having a piss.

It was in Australia, so pretty much the whole country qualifies.

Bill, when you bought a Trials bike were you expecting ownership to be such a trial?

In the same way that when I brought a Boxer I didn't think I'd start boxing ? Na.

While on mp3 (the only mp3 in hundreds kilometers around), ever and ever the same:
- How much? [does it cost]
- OMG, you'd better buy a car
- Did you do it yourself?
- Why three wheels?
- How fast?
- Is it Chinese? No? How's that possible? Japanese? Taiwanese? WAT? ITALIAN?!

Gosh I'm tired of that shit. They're all the same, even the order of questions is allways the same.

I sold the mp3. I'm gonna miss it, but not those small talks on traffic lights.

There comes a time when the local dog park serves the same purpose as the supermarket did in our early 30s, if you're not of the Tinder generation.

Misery loves company.

BMW owner conversations are more like:
-My motorcycle is highly efficient.
-Ja?
-Ja.
Mein has no character.
Ja, mein too.

Yes, that's pretty accurate.

My jacket is highly efficient also.

Ja.

Nope

Nope, don't get tired of it.

I like meeting new people; you never know what you'll learn or enriches your life. Even if it's just a little talk about one of the bikes.

On several occasions, talking to folks about my scoots or mopeds, has resulted in opportunities to purchase other bikes that I may not have otherwise gotten. I have obtained many bikes this way, some times free.

Free? I need that to happen! Wanna hang out sometime? LOL

Yes, free. Sometimes the folks even delivered them to my house! You'd be surprised how many people still have vintage mopeds and scooters just sitting in their garage, shed or basement, waiting to see daylight again. The nicer you are to folks, the more likely they'll open up to you about their stuff. It works!

Of course, talking to another rider is not the same as talking to a drunkard who says "I have the same model at my garage" right after asking "is it chinese?".

Talking to people is so 2019 it would seem.

I am an extrovert. I apologize. There are times when I need to go and cannot visit but for the most part I enjoy the interaction. Usually when I am on my way somewhere I have no problem making polite greetings and then excuses with friendly good byes.

I have 5 kids and my second to youngest is an extreme introvert. Interaction with other humans is tiring to her, she does not like to expend the energy to interact. She has explained this to me at length, while I receive energy from the interaction it drains her.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that per se, It is a personality she was born with same as me only different and to judge is just wrong. I tried to encourage her to join the navy and get on a sub, she would be perfect for that.

That being said there are things that you can do to become more comfortable with being around other humans. It is not necessary but from what I understand being more comfortable around others can lead to being a little happier in general. Again not trying to judge just trying to help. If you don't want to interact more no offense here but if you would like to try it there are several things you can do.

Olga Khazan reminds me a lot of my daughter. A natural introvert she has taken steps to become less so as she believes it leads to greater happiness in life. She writes for a major publication and has done a research project about it interviewing and reporting on some of the greatest minds in the field. An interesting read even if you don't want to be less introverted.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/03/how-to-change-your-personality-happiness/621306/

On my Dragon Red GTS300, I get more heads turning to look rather than
actually coming up to engage in a conversation.

I expect this all has to do with your personality or preference. Whatever makes
you comfortable is the way to go. I also do not attribute any increased peace
or improved mental health by trying to change a basic disposition.

After all, it may not be wise to teach old Dogs new tricks. Leave them alone and
let them nap.

Total Disclosure: I am an Extrovert and most probably drive people nuts
with all my yapping.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota Motor Mouth

I see myself as being an extrovert but it has to be at my behest, not others.

Anyway, fate stepped in today and so the Royal Enfield's future is now sealed.

This afternoon I decided to ride to my favourite coastal town and carry out an experiment where I'd park it somewhere obvious then drink copious amounts of coffee to then see if anyone would approach me to talk about it.

If they did then I'd put it up for sale and have no regrets. If no conversation was forth coming I'd keep it and live with the level of attention that it brings.

For around 45 minutes many people walked up to it, talked among themselves but no one approached me even though it was pretty obvious I was the owner.

After finishing my coffee I donned my helmet in the knowledge that the 500 would remain in my stable and nothing would change. Sorted.

That was until the reserve light came on so off to a gas station I rode to fill the tank.

I parked up next to the pump and started to fill at which point a gentleman tried to engage with me while I was filling the tank while keeping an eye on the level and the amount of fuel that was going in to ensure that there was no spillage.

Now I don't know about you but if I'm not answering there is surely a reason ? Maybe because I'm in the middle of doing some quite important per chance ? Like not launching fuel everywhere ?

Anyway he didn't take the hint and kept repeating things Sorry, or Excuse me, but just as you wouldn't answer the phone while you were having sex I just ignored him and kept on filling until I was done.

By the time it was tanked I was pretty bloody annoyed so all I really wanted to do was to pay up and bugger off but no, he just stood there in the way while saying things like It's beautiful as if in some drug addled state.

Anyway, I know that I no longer have the patience to welcome this kind of unsolicited attention so it's going to have to go.

Sorry, but it's become beyond exhausting.

Well, I'm of two minds about this (not unusual for me):

- Most of the time, I'm cool with the attention, so long as it's kept short-n-sweet, especially if young kids are involved (since their parents likely want to quickly indulge their young'un's curiosity and get on with their day). The only time I got annoyed with someone was quite recently: a woman who went on about seeing a nice scooter somewhere that she'd rather have instead of "paying for a name" such as my ride. (I was tempted to ask "so when are you buying it?", but simply wanted to disengage ASAP.)

- Then too, I get Bill's beef about this. YouTube Yorkshireman Stuart Fillingham figures that if you're not keen to be chatted up at every filling station and pub you park at, a bike like an RE Classic is absolutely the wrong bike to be astride. I'm not certain how annoyed he gets at the attention, but since he does have a YT channel, I can't imagine him getting too buggered over it.

So, I can't blame Bill for wanting to ditch the Classic.

If it happened every so often I wouldn't mind so much but it's every bloody time without fail.

It might sound a bit melodramatic to talk about mental health but I do get apprehensive when I can feel someone making a b-line for me when I'd much rather just be left alone.

I'll admit I do feel a bit guilty about not wanting to talk about the bike but it's unwittingly become a bit of a liability.

I hear you Billdog. Boundaries. I fall somewhere in between in terms of extroversion and introversion, but I'll chat with anyone who has something interesting to say. That's where my difficulty lies - life's kinda short to be having the same conversation with different dudes over & over again.

One advantage to the Vespa... it doesn't get as much appreciation as a vintage or vintage-looking motorcycle.

You should try owning a Ural. Among my past rides, that one attracted the most talkers - although my GTS probably comes in second.

On the other hand, the idea that you would let other individuals choose which bike you do or don't ride is a bit troubling. What happened to choosing the one that you genuinely like to ride?