Modern Vespa

Lovin my GTS 300 - but was curious if anyone really uses the kickstand?? it just doesn't seem very sturdy.....I mean, I am sure it is.....but what is the point of it?

Some people like it. A lot of people say it increases the risk of a tip over.

I have one, never use it. Will probably remove it someday.

I have one, use it all the time,no problems.

The side stand (kickstand) is a regularly debated topic on MV which frequently gets raised (pardon the pun!).

My own opinion is that if it gets deployed with judicious care and attention, taking into account the variables such as ensuring firm ground and the attitude of the scooter in relation to the profile/camber/incline of the road, then yes, it is a safe way to rest your scooter.

That's too much to think about if you wanna run into a store real quick.

I use one extensively with the knowledge of how easy it is to turn over.. I only use it on level ground and good pavement , and then I immediately put down the center stand

I live in San Francisco - hilly and windy enough that I would never leave it unattended on the side stand.

That said, it is very useful for quick stops; for instance, stopping to put on a layer, change out of sunglasses, or do anything else that requires you to get under your seat.

The point of it is to make your bike look cool and you look like a fool when it drops on its side.
I honestly don't use mine any longer. It is more of a liability than anything else. It took me one time to learn my lesson, bike fell in the gravel and scratched up all the cowling. Cost me $800.00 to repair. won't be making that mistake again.

I am sure there are some folks on here who like the side stand, and would like to hear their reasoning for it.

In Europe its standard! use it all the time.

I don't use a kickstand on my road bike or mountain bike either! Just lay it in the grass or against the wall at the local café. In eyeshot of the espresso bar of course.

I like the center stand for service related purposes (although it sometimes gets in the way). Seems especially helpful if you need to do a roadside emergency repair.

Kickstand, less so. I do not see the need to have both.

At the end of the day (as others have said) it's a preference.

Mine doesn't have one, so I'm not tempted.

I borrowed a Vespa GTS 250 from Madison Sully for a ride in Wisconsin many years ago.

It had a side stand.

Riding with my speedy son, Sam, I found that I was scraping that thing on every left hand turn.

Drove me crazy.

Fast forward.

I bought a 2005 GT 200L from Driller seven years ago.

It became Razzo.

It had a side stand.

Within a few days, I removed it.

A time later a nice rider from Nova Scotia posted on MV that she wanted a side stand.

I boxed it and sent it to her.

I even paid postage.

Couldn't get rid of it soon enough.

Bill

Nope...Center stand works just fine for me

The trick to avoid scraping the kickstand is to get crashbars. Then, you'll scrape those instead! 😅

I use my side stand often remember Harleys don't have center stands and they aren't exactly cheap. You always have to use caution and be aware of your surroundings on a Vespa even when parking.

My 2022 GTS side stand is used all the time. Center stand where appropriate. Old Guzzi and Ducati side stands were pure evil.

I like crash bars on Vespas about as much as I like side stands.

Not at all.

I have always said that I prefer road rash on the cowls to those ugly bars.

Bill

When I first started riding, I was taught to use the side stand to get off the scoot and then immediately put it on the center stand so that's just what I've always done.

Side stands are very handy for when you're fully loaded and/or touring. There's a workaround for the self-retracting aspect if you want.

I have and use both side stands and center stands on every bike I've owned, scooter and moto alike. They each have their uses.

If you're gonna use it frequently then I recommend sticking a larger foot on it.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mM17XzU

Like strawberrysoda, I use mine to safely get off the scoot. Then
pull it back on the center stand. Same thing in reverse, when getting
the 300 out of the garage, I rock it forward standing on the left with
the stand deployed. I then mount the scoot, and retract the side stand.

I actually got the 300 new without one and had it installed for starting
and parking. Two steps, but it works for me.

On my much heaver new 2022 Kmco 550, I do the same thing.

Also, I am an old fart and need this two step process.

Bob Copeland

I very seldom use the side stand. I'm not comfortable leaving it when it's deployed.

My new Vespa came with side stand, used it once. Never again.

i don't have one, always use the center stand and once I learned how to use it no issues, but did put on rear crash bars and they do make it a bit harder to get to the center stand. As I get older I may need to get one though.

I only use mine when doing an oil change. That way the oil doesn't run down the center stand and it keeps it out of the way of the drain pan. It also makes it easier to tip to the side to get a little more oil out. Other than that I am 99% of the time on the center stand.

When I had my Sprint, I was tempted to install a side stand, but never got around to actually do so.

Have to admid, that the one I've seen in GTS does look a bit flimsy, but I've always been a side stand guy - also with motorcycles.

As the Sprint was otherwise a perfect, agile city missile, a 'flick of toes' side stand would have fit this better than the 'hop off, rock the scoot' procedure.

With motorcycles - I've come so far with my sidestand devotion, that I have a kind of upside-down roller plate that I use for chain oiling - easy and fast too. As nowadays everything is an extra (...still laughing that even bicycles don't come anymore with fenders and a storage rack, surprised they have handlebars as standard...), I don't opt for center stands.

The ultimate conversation starter is a side stand and a floor mat.

I'm happy to swap a floor mat for a side stand.
Wait… I think I chucked the floor mat out.

Once in a while, I do use the sidestand, and it's fine: I've had a few instances where I had to be careful of where I deployed the center stand...you can be more carefree than with the sidestand, but not completely inattentive.

I haven't scraped the sidestand (so far), but I don't habitually take corners like Marquez, either.

A lot of people know someone who heard about a person who's husband or wife had a cousin who's uncle's grandfather's friend put a vespa on the side stand and the bike immediately fell over. Few actually experienced this.
I've seen more people drop new bikes trying to put them on the center stand.
If you are new to riding, they can add to your comfort level and you will ride more.
If you are scraping the stand in corners but get passed by Harley dressers on the outside, you need shocks.

My only issue with the GTS side stand is the auto-retracting design, if they still use that. There's a workaround I used for mine to stop it.

I was introduced to kickstands that automatically retracted my summer working "shop gopher" for a Triumph/Ducati/Genuine dealership. One of my jobs was to wash the bikes after the mechanics finished and before the customer got it back. It was a limited edition Ducati something-or-other...I remember it was an older sport bike, VERY expensive, and over a liter, but that's about it besides that evil side stand.
I went to move it from the shop to the bike wash area: grabbed handlebars, clutch in, front brake, lift upright, and...WTF was that noise and what just brushed past my boot?!?
I just...froze. I started to put it back onto the stand, looked down and...it was gone from sight. "MIIIIIIKE!!!" (The mechanic's name was Mike.)
Edit: I remember now. It was a Panigale...and I had to squeeze in between it and a brand new Rocket III to get to it out. (/edit)

He assured me I didn't break it, told me about the stand, laughed at my bloodless face, and made sure I didn't drop the bike so I could have my mini-heart attack hands-free.

Anyway, figured someone might enjoy the story. Side stands are (IMHO) great, especially for short term use. Just...be aware.

In my garage my GTS is on the central stand, otherwise I'm sitting on it to drive; sometimes I stop for a short time (open the garage, put on a sweater, drink a whiskey -no I'm kidding- ...) so I use the side, same thing when it comes to tinkering on the side straight (draining, exhaust tightening, etc.) and without any worries.
I've had several bikes that didn't have a control unit (including a Road Glide CVO) and never had a problem being careful where I stood.

I use my side stand occasionally. If I have the bag hook holding groceries or takeout I'll use the side stand as I get off the scooter and then it goes onto the center stand. I only use it for temporary stability.

This is my second GTS. The first one didn't have a side stand. I was fine without it. My current 2020 GTS HPE came standard with the side stand. It's there, I'll use it, but if it was optional I wouldn't have paid extra for it.

Motovista, I have bought two OEM sidestands from you for my ET4s. I had them both cut down one after my Grandson touched the bike and it fell over the second one I had cut down before I installed it. I enjoy them they also make an oil change easier because you can acess the filter and bolt when the bike is on the side stand.

I will be honest. I have never thought about the OIL change factoring in on the side stand argument. I never gave that a consideration. Other than using it to temporarily dismount, until the center stand can be engaged, this is the second best example for the benefit of the side stand.

Huh! Not again

It happened to my husband's Vespa while several of us were getting ready to mount up. Neither of us could react fast enough to stop a dent in the neighboring Vespa. Luckily, the dented scoot was mine and not someone else's. I can honestly say that the damage seen on my Vespa was not at my hand.

I hear the HPE stands lock and the breeze from a gnat's wing doesn't faze 'em.

There are basically two ways to make sure you don't ride off with the kickstand down. One is the mousetrap spring, which does take some getting used to, and hurts like a mutha if you're wearing flip flops and lean the bike up without remembering that the side stand is going to fly up and hit your foot as hard as it can, because most of the scooters and motorcycles in the US have a switch that won't let the bike start until the side stand is raised.
the first time I bought a KLR with the side stand switch, I spent two hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't start, and finally a friend told me about the switch.
I haven't had any issues with the mousetrap side stands failing, except in Costa Rica, where my fully laden 300kg Moto Guzzi that was leaning way over to the left on the sidestand, picked itself straight up off the side stand and flung itself to the right into the side of some guy's dented POS chevy, while nobody was around to see it. Surprisingly, all he wanted was money. I think operator error, or a kid messing with the bike, is usually the reason the mousetrap side stands get a bad rap in the US. We don't expect side stands to work like that.
Another issue is people not setting the bike onto the side stand. I've seen them put it straight down with one foot, lean the bike over and get off the bike. If the stand is not all the way forward, nothing good is going to happen.
The Vespa side stand is not perfect, but if you're learning to ride and a bit afraid that when you get where you are going, you won't be able to put it on the center stand, having a side stand can give someone the confidence to take those little solo trips to the store that are part of getting comfortable as a rider. The more you ride, the better you become as a rider.

You are not telling the truth the OEM sidestand you and others sell is too tall at least for my ET2 and ET4 it has to be cut down or the bike will fall over. Not trying to be negative but it is the truth. As I stated in my earlier post. I aint no rookie I have been at this along time! It works fine on my GT250i GT200 with no mods.

My 2021 HPE has a side stand that stays out and I use it daily.
The starter will not engage if the side stand is deployed so I don't ride off with it out.

I always park pointing uphill so I have never had it roll off the side stand or main stand.

I would love a non-retracting side stand on my other Vespa, but i don't think it is wired to fit it and I have seen many riders on the road with side stands out just waiting for it to hook on something.