Modern Vespa

Hi - I am about to pull the trigger (within the next week or so) on my first ever Vespa (never owned a bike before) and I really cannot decide on a new 150 or 300. I will be riding in Palm Springs CA for the most part - I live near downtown and plan on mostly city streets with occasional journeys to Palm Desert and maybe beyond. Not planning to go on highways. Based on this I think a 150 should be fine but wanted to see what others may advise? I love the idea of more power and the ability to ride on highways if I need to with a 300, but really not interested in a larger bike and the weight penalty in the city.

Thoughts?

A second-hand 150 would seem the best bet, then when you inevitably want some more speed and power you can just flip it and get a 300.

A 300 is a pretty powerful beast for a beginner to powered two wheelers (PTWs) - my wife used to run Vespa Walnut Creek for a few years and at least two excited new owners took off from the parking lot and just shot across the street into a scraped-up heap.

There's an MSF course in San Bernadino, and you can take your own scooter if you don't want to ride one of their motorcycles. There are pros and cons to both.

IMHO the MSF course should be mandatory for new riders.

https://www.scmt411.com/locations/san-bernardino

These displacement threads pop up from time to time and I totally understand why. So, my 2 cents. I own a Liberty 150 now. I've owned a bit of everything over the years and have now settled on a 150cc as my perfect match. I no longer go on the interstate and really just use it for commuting and a few longer trips here and there. So I totally agree with the used 150cc comment above. And take a safety course as well. I need a refresher myself. Let us know what you end up with, and welcome!

I bought a used 50 and was looking at 150's within a month. So I agree with Jim to start with a used 150 and trade up if you need it. MV, IMHO seems populated by many more 300's than anything else and they love their bikes. They will be chiming in shortly.

A 150cc is a good starter.
It will keep you interested, and entertained, for a couple of years give or take.
50cc almost put me off scooters permanently; it took a couple years before I got a 150 and the hook was set.

That said, most likely you will go for a 250-300cc version in a while.
But, take it in steps. Learn to ride, countersteer, predict things that happen at a slow(er) pace.

Then go faster.

I am actually dropping back to a 150 sprint .I already have one but i like the design so much i want another so i am trading in my 300 GTS and i will have 2 -150 sprints . I stay within town on my Vespa and do not travel out of town .Its a nice size beach town and we have everything here .Our speed limits are 35-45 MPH .so i like the ease and low weight of the sprint .My 300 needs 1K worth of work and i just decided to use that money with trade in to get the slim ,light weight ,wasp shaped 150
Oh and its flat here in Florida so no hills

Interesting question. All the magazines are calling the 420 pound, 80 horsepower 660cc Triumph Trident "Entry Level".

It's not the machine that goes too fast. It's the hand on the throttle that does.

I think geographics plays into this more than anything. I live in an area where it is difficult to get anywhere without going on a road where the cars are doing 60-80 mph. I bought a Benelli TNT135 a few years back. Coolest bike in the world but it only went 60 on the flat with no wind. I started to feel really limited on where I could go. Take a good look at where you would like to go and the roads you would be on to get there. It's no fun being in the slow lane and getting blown off the road. I also believe in having some power to spare. Good luck!

A 300, apart from turning the throttle all at once, will be just as easy for beginners and will bring more comfort and safety to driving; it remains a very easy, light and not very powerful little machine.
It must be said that I started with a Triumph 1050 and that I have only had powerful motorcycles before, the smallest being a Hornet 600.

I liked very the slim shape and light(er) weigth of a Sprint, here the version is even tamer 125cc.

I noticed two limitations. Well, two and a half

Deep uphills. The small engine is peppy, but shows its size in deep uphills. I'm a small, light weight person, but this limit applies to heavier riders too.

Keeping up with traffic. Sprint was surprisingly quick from standstill. Very nice up to,say 50 mph. Not a rocket above that. If this fits into your typical riding, a 150cc Vespa is just perfect.

Riding fast - a nice topic in this forum. Immediately after I'll confess that I was not very comfortable with my Sprint at speeds above, say 60mph, there will be a dozen GTS300 owners sayng that they regurarly exceed light speed daily, hinting that if you'll get skilled enough, a small wheel light scooter is just as good as anything So yes, this is a very personal matter AND depends a lot on the condition of the roads you'll ride. Just saying.

For a reference, my current bike is 1200cc, weights quite a bit more than a 150cc Vespa. Yet I'd choose a 150cc scoot (vs. 300cc) for pure city/near city riding any time! For my only bike, with quite a bit more faster & longer rides, I'd take the 300cc. For faster rides & rough roads(=ours), I'd take a big wheel scoot/motorcycle...hence my choise at the moment.

thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies, definitely helpful, although I am not sure I am closer to a decision.

I'll probably go with my gut and see what's available at the right price and in the right color at the dealer... from the responses here, I don't feel like there will be a bad choice, just a few trade-offs which is life...

Don't know if anyone brought up other considerations such as riding with passenger and seat height.

I ride with my wife on the GTS 300 and feels the power is adequate. Not sure if the 150 will do as well with a passenger.

I hope my wife can ride the Vespa in the future but the seat height of the GTS 300 is taller than some motorcycles and there is no lowering bracket unlike the Sprint 150.

I find that even though GTS 300 has enough power to get on the highway, it's not a relax comfortable ride on the highways here in NY. I would recommend the 150 if you will rarely get on the highway. Go with 300 if you may regularly go on short stretches on the highway.

I believe the 150 and 300 are the exact same seat height - 31.1" according to Vespa...

This video I did and this article I wrote might help you decide:

https://youmotorcycle.com/vespa-small-frame-vs-large-frame.html

A search function on the forum will probably reveal everything there and even more as this gets asked at least once or thrice a season

thanks Adri - great video and super helpful...!

Adri. Great video thanks

The only Vespas I've ridden are 300 HPEs. I don't mean to be biased "I did this one thing and you should too."

However, I also started as a new rider, and I also live in California. I've loved my 300. It's opened up regional mobility for me in a way that I didn't realize I was missing before I had it. It's got enough power to go anywhere (although as others have alluded to, it's more fun to be meandering alongside a river or on the cliffs of the Pacific than hanging out at full-speed on a straight/flat/potholed freeway). My friends with 150s aren't as comfortable going on the rides I am, because even short stretches of freeway can be overwhelming at California speeds. At least in the Bay Area, you often need at least a few exits of freeway to get to the good riding.

If you're worried about the weight or the sticker price and you're sure you want to stay in town, you can consider a 150. But if going more afar afield is appealing to you, don't overlook the 300.

Everyone's experience is different of course, but as a man in my 30s I find my 300 to be perfectly easy to handle.

I ride a GTS 300 and love it. I have a friend that rode a Buddy 125 for years and loved it-until she got a GTS 300 HPE and forgot all about the 125.

Get what you want, take the course, ride your ride. If you want to upgrade in power later, cool. If not, cool. The important part is to be comfortable with your skills on what you have.

Whatever you decide, ENJOY!

Not only that, but having ridden a Fat Boy in SF and the Bay Area, holy freakin hills.
I live in what is considered a hilly area in my city, and the small frame 150 does fine... but my area has nothing on the hills in SF. If I lived in SF I may be partial to the large frame over the small, and I'm a huge fan of the small.

For context: Got a free Fat Boy rental from Eagle Rider when I was in SF, and was very happy to have all that torque.

I rode up Hyde Street on Sunday. It's a 20% grade. I was in a full tuck to stay perpendicular to gravity.