OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
WARNING: LONG POST
I picked up my wife's Vespa Primavera 150 Pic Nic edition yesterday after months of waiting, and had quite the adventurous if not downright arduous ride home last night, and thought I would share my experience as I officially join the Vespa family (Well, sorta. Does it count if I bought it for my wife?). Here is my Vespa story, leading up to riding it home last night. Sorry, this is a long and potentially boring post - I'll do my best to channel my inner story teller

First, some background. I have ridden scooters for years and always thought about Vespa but never could justify the cost. In fact, while living in the Caribbean, I learned on a Gilera DNA 125, a Piaggio relative of Vespa. (My Avatar. I loved that bike and I'll never get over the sadness if it being stolen from right outside my home while I slept!) And for a time, after moving back to the States, scooters just didn't fit with my life. But I've recently got a new job really close to my new home in a safe, low traffic area, and have the financial means to get a Vespa, so I started talking about it with my wife. She met me when I had the Gilera and loved riding it, so she wasn't totally unfamiliar with scooters. But several months ago, we took a trip to Las Vegas, and while looking for a Vespa dealer to window shop at while on vacation, stumbled on a guided scooter tour of Red Rock Canyon. I told my wife about the tour, and she loved the idea. So we ventured out to Red Rock and took the tour, each on our own 50 cc "Mio". We had a blast and I was surprised how much she absolutely LOVED riding her own, rather than being 2 up on mine. She got bit by the bug and declared "I WANT one!" right then and there. (She was quite the natural, and even passed me while I was passing another scooter cuz she thought we were both going too slow!)

In fact, my wife had always talked about how in college she always wanted a mint green Vespa - even before meeting me or my scooters. It was kind of a "buck list" item for her. She would fantasize about getting a basket on it, throwing a warm baguette in the basket and taking off for a picnic. So in the weeks after that Vegas trip, I scoured the market for a Vespa for each of us. And was planning to order her the Primavera in Verde Relax. But then I saw the "Pic Nic" edition, and immediately became so disappointed that it wasn't offered in the US. Imagine my surprise and joy when a few weeks later, I go to the Vespa US website and see "Coming Soon - Vespa Pic Nic edition"! I immediately showed the online photos to my wife and she giggled like a school girl in a toy shop that also gives out free ice cream! She loved it! But but had no expectation that we'd be buying it any time soon. However, I knew right then and there, that I had to get her one. So even though she didn't really see herself getting a Vespa any time soon, or even for sure at all (We just moved into a new home and have a bunch of expenses and a lot going on), I kept checking for pre-orders to open and the day they went live in July, I ordered it! Without her knowledge of course.

Fast forward to September, and her Vespa arrives! I set up a "date" for us, and didn't tell her what we were doing, just that I had a surprise for her. I coordinated it with the local Vespa dealer, and blindfolded her all the way into the shop. That's when I took off the blind fold, and as she took sight of the Vespa, I saw the biggest smile on my wife's face that I've seen in a long time. She was instantly in LOVE!! ("It's SO PRETTY" was shouted more than once in that show room.) I gave the dealer my cashiers check in hand, for the full amount, signed some paperwork, and it was hers! Now all we had to do was get her home.

Here comes the problem. What about the frost bite you ask? Don't worry, I'm getting there. So the problem is, neither of us had a motorcycle license endorsement, so we couldn't ride it home. The irony is, I had signed us up for the MSF weekend course as a "fun couples" activity. I did it so we could get the endorsement after completing the course. I told her it would just be a fun thing to do to learn to ride a motorcycle, even if we never buy one. Selling the idea to her that I'm going to need it for my Vespa that I want to buy eventually, and on the off chance that one day she decides to buy one, she'll need the endorsement too. (Not knowing I already placed the order for her Vespa). But, long story short, I take a couple of long works trips, and come home ready to take the MSF course with her that weekend, and she ended up having to work, and couldn't get the day off. She gave me the whole "You've been gone for work for so long, and I'm sure the kids would love to spend time with you. And I REALLY wanna take the class WITH you, but you can go by yourself if you want to, really it's ok.(But do it and just watch how long I hold that grudge against you!" kind of things.) So of course, not wanting to find out what it's like to live the rest of my life as a eunuch, I cancelled the class. I didn't want to spoil the surprise that she was getting a Vespa, so I couldn't really emphasize how important it was for at least one of us to attend the class to get the endorsement for when it arrives.

So back to September, I try to reschedule the MSF course, but our first available weekend was weeks away (ironically now this weekend). And since her Vespa had arrived, I decide to just take the written test at the DMV, to at least get my permit so I can ride it home. And that's what I did, passed the test, no problem. Get my permit, now ready to go to the dealer and get the Vespa. One last step, gotta get insurance. I figured this would be an easy check list item - well, of course nothing can be simple anymore it seems. As I had recently filed 2 claims on my auto policy, and they hadn't closed yet (repairs still pending. And neither was my fault btw - One was a relative damaging the car when borrowing it, the other is moving cargo causing damage when a box fell) they wouldn't give me insurance for the Vespa. They referred me to another agency who tried with multiple other agencies, and no luck, got the same response from them! Until my claims close, no new policy. So now it's weeks after I paid for the Vespa and took my wife to see it, and finally got the endorsement and STILL can't ride it home! Well, I finally got frustrated with the delays on getting our cars fixed, and randomly called All State, and somehow, they had no problem insuring the Vespa. So I FINALLY got the last piece of the puzzle, and could bring my wife's Vespa home!!

So I called my dealer with the good news, and confirmed a time I could come pick it up. Now...here comes the frost bite. As my luck would have it, after weeks of unseasonably warm weather, we finally start seeing winter temperatures where I live this week. I knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant ride home, but I figured I would be ok. I've lived in cold weather before, gone skiing plenty of times, lots of outdoor activities in the cold. I know how to prepare. So I got dressed up, multiple layers of close, boots with long socks, 2 pairs of gloves, and a scarf around my neck.

I was hoping to get the Vespa mid day to avoid rush hour. We live in a major east coast Metro area and with traffic the ride home would take 45 mins. That's WITH highway. Being that I was riding a brand new Primavera with a 150, I wanted to take local roads only. So that meant 1 hr and 15 mins according to Apple Maps. Oh well. As I said, I was dressed for it. I studied the route before I left.

Well, to make a long story a little less long, I finally get a ride to the dealership, and by the time I sign some paperwork, get a brief orientation, and hit the road, it's after 3 pm, as traffic is getting busy. And the temperature was dropping by the hour. But still, it was about 40 degrees F and daylight, so I thought I'd be ok. I put on my helmet, riding gloves, and set off. Before I even left, my fingers were already very cold. We had stood outside for a few minutes getting the orientation on the bike. And as I rode some more, I got more and more miserable. As I said, I'm used to cold. I can tolerate quite a bit. But my fingers were getting so numb, I was worried I would have a hard time controlling the bike. And even though I was wearing denim, my THIGHS were actually FREEZING. I've never had cold thighs before! But the headwind was strong and very cold! So after about 20 minutes, I pulled over into a super market parking lot. I knew I had to get inside to get warm. I went to the bathroom to use the hand dryer to warm my hands, and then went to the rotisserie chickens and kept my hands under the lamps for a few minutes! Razz emoticon When I finally felt I could tolerate going back outside, I switched from my leather riding gloves to the Columbia insulated ski gloves I had in my cargo bin. Fortunately, they were nice and warm from the engine just below.

With a still chilled body, I got back on the Vespa to continue the ride home. By now, it was starting to get dark, and traffic was heavy. And I was on city streets I am NOT familiar with at all (after all, we just moved to the area). So coming out of the super market, I exited the wrong way and by the time I realized it, was a mile or two off course. I pulled over again, checked my phone GPS, and set back out. I never really recovered from that mistake. I ended up taking a longer and busier way home, sending me through a local downtown, and busy streets. I tried to look at my Apple Watch for directions but between the sleeves of all my layers and my long gloves, I couldn't see it. So I turned the phone up to max volume hoping I would hear any navigation prompts. All the while, I could feel my fingers getting colder and colder. And despite my leather jacket, a warm shirt covered by a sweater, at 45-50 mph, with heavy headwinds against me, even my chest was cold. I was so eager to get home to just finish the ride and warm up! At one point, in my desperation, realizing I was in the wrong lane at a red light, and not wanting any more delays by missed turns, I even lane filtered to the opposite lane 2 lanes across to avoid getting more lost. I promised myself I wouldn't do anything risky, but I was so miserable and just couldn't wait to get home! Crying or Very sad emoticon

The last half of the ride was on a more open state highway, with red lights, and finally I wasn't worried about getting lost anymore. I had told myself and my wife, I won't ride at night. But it was completely dark by this point, and the speed limit was 55 and people were going faster. So to keep up, I was going 40-50 the whole time, even though I really didn't like going that fast at night. By now, my fingers were nearly numb as I kept getting blasted by the wind. I was so cold I was getting worried I would get sloppy with safety and miss something from being so distracted with how cold I was. And with each red light I tried to warm my fingers by sitting on them, blowing on them under my helmet - anything to get just an ounce of warmth!

By the time I was a couple of miles from home, I can honestly say my fingers had never been colder in my entire life!! My whole body was starting to shiver. Worst of all my legs - the wind was blowing so much on my thighs, and they had lost so much warmth that I couldn't stop them from shaking! Thank God I didn't have to operate a clutch or footbrake!

When I FINALLY entered my subdivision, I was cursing the car in front of me because I wanted to speed up to get home and just throw myself at the foot of the fireplace. I was getting so close to shelter that I could imagine the warmth enveloping my body!

When I finally did get home, almost 2 HOURS LATER, my head and ears were fine. But my hands, feet, and legs were so cold, I could only feel a stinging burn. I genuinely feel like had I been out just another 15 minutes or so, I would have had the first stages of frost bite. I rushed to the sink to run warm water over my hands. I laid in front of a space heater for over an hour, and still, my feet and toes felt cold!!

However...despite ALL that. The hassle of getting to pick up the bike and the harrowing and potentially life threatening scare I endured to get it home, I absolutely LOVED riding it! And my wife, wile so very sorry for the ordeal I had gone through to get it home, LOVES it! I can see the joy in her face when she looks at it. And now with us both taking the MSF course this weekend (in 34 degree weather!), hopefully she'll have her endorsement, and when we get a few warmer days, can't wait to go out and ride!

Now for me to order my GTS...

Sorry for anyone that actually made it to the end of this novel. But to make it up to you, I'll attach some photos. And remember everyone, ride safe and STAY WARM!
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
UTC

Hooked
2020 Piaggio Liberty S 150, 2016 Vespa GTV300ie, 2009 Yamaha C3
Joined: UTC
Posts: 160
Location: USA
 
Hooked
2020 Piaggio Liberty S 150, 2016 Vespa GTV300ie, 2009 Yamaha C3
Joined: UTC
Posts: 160
Location: USA
UTC quote
Gorgeous scooter!

I feel your pain (literally) about the cooler-weather riding. What feels like a cool but pleasant afternoon while just being outside turns downright arctic when you factor in a setting sun and windspeed while riding. I don't have dedicated cold-weather gear, and I find riding in anything under about 55 degrees to be too uncomfortable to be worth it.
@cdwise avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@cdwise avatar
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
UTC quote
For future reference outside of heated grips a set of handlebar muffs is your best friend when weather is cold. If you can before your your MSF course this weekend pick up some hand warmers you can put inside your gloves. A thin silk or other glove liner if your gloves don't have a pocket for the warmer. Toe or footbed warmer for inside your boots will be useful as well. You will be spitting your time between classroom and range during class so layers would be essential.

A scooter skirt or thermoscud will make riding in cooler temps more comfortable. On the GTS one that attaches to the scooter will keep the heat from the radiator inside to keep your legs warm. When I order my 2023 Vespa I will be ordering heated grips and seat as well living in eastern Tennessee. Not as critical as when I lived in Breckenridge Colorado but it is currently 39 outside, up from the 27 early this morning. Dressed appropriately with heated grips and handlebar muffs I've ridden down to the low 20s as long as the roads are ice free.
@ironfoot avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
'07 GTS 250 - sold
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1321
Location: England
 
Molto Verboso
@ironfoot avatar
'07 GTS 250 - sold
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1321
Location: England
UTC quote
Nice new scooter

Tempted to say "baptism by fire" but that's not quite correct here is it?
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (on the bench) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11929
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (on the bench) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11929
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
UTC quote
Congratulations on the new ride!

Epic and cold first ride! Glad you made it. Hypothermia is a major risk to riders. I would have paid anything to have a windscreen on that ride!
@samuel_d avatar
UTC

Member
2021 300 GTS Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 34
Location: North Florida
 
Member
@samuel_d avatar
2021 300 GTS Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 34
Location: North Florida
UTC quote
What a cool , literally, thing to do for your wife ! Brownie points for sure !
I wish my wife wasn't scared to death of riding .
@touring300 avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
GTS 300ie Touring 2013 - Signora D'argento
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2087
Location: Lancaster, U.K.
 
Ossessionato
@touring300 avatar
GTS 300ie Touring 2013 - Signora D'argento
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2087
Location: Lancaster, U.K.
UTC quote
A great story. I'm already looking forward to the (abridged ) version of the purchase and delivery of your new GTS.
@max6200 avatar
UTC

Banned
2006 GTS 250
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10590
Location: KS USA
 
Banned
@max6200 avatar
2006 GTS 250
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10590
Location: KS USA
UTC quote
I have used silk liners before I put my gloves on and I find that it helps quite a bit.
@bob_copeland avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3505
Location: Minneapolis USA
 
Ossessionato
@bob_copeland avatar
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3505
Location: Minneapolis USA
UTC quote
SXM_beginings,

I did enjoy your novel - and yes, the Photos made up for any lengthy
narrative. In the future it would also be fun to see more photos of your
scooter adventures.

Up here in Frostbite Falls Minnesota, the scooters have been put away for
a long winters nap.

Beautiful scooter - best to you and the family. Welcome to ModernVespa.
You may deserve to be the future Mark Twain of ModernVespa.

Bob Copeland
Yo will have a ball on that scoot.
Yo will have a ball on that scoot.
@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
UTC quote
Where's the TLDR?
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
cdwise wrote:
For future reference outside of heated grips a set of handlebar muffs is your best friend when weather is cold. If you can before your your MSF course this weekend pick up some hand warmers you can put inside your gloves. A thin silk or other glove liner if your gloves don't have a pocket for the warmer. Toe or footbed warmer for inside your boots will be useful as well. You will be spitting your time between classroom and range during class so layers would be essential.

A scooter skirt or thermoscud will make riding in cooler temps more comfortable. On the GTS one that attaches to the scooter will keep the heat from the radiator inside to keep your legs warm. When I order my 2023 Vespa I will be ordering heated grips and seat as well living in eastern Tennessee. Not as critical as when I lived in Breckenridge Colorado but it is currently 39 outside, up from the 27 early this morning. Dressed appropriately with heated grips and handlebar muffs I've ridden down to the low 20s as long as the roads are ice free.
Your suggestions are spot on. I've never understood the purpose of a scooter skirt until last night! Seriously, cold thighs was a first for me. In my rush to get something, I ordered heated gloves, socks and vests for my wife and I on Amazon. God bless 1 day delivery! (A bit pricey, but I figure we'll get use out of them doing any outdoor stuff) But the muffs may have to be next!
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
Touring300 wrote:
A great story. I'm already looking forward to the (abridged ) version of the purchase and delivery of your new GTS.
Haha, you're so right! I did get a bit wordy there didn't I? Glad you enjoyed the read, but I promise the next one will read like a cliff notes version compared to this last post!
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
Bob Copeland wrote:
SXM_beginings,

I did enjoy your novel - and yes, the Photos made up for any lengthy
narrative. In the future it would also be fun to see more photos of your
scooter adventures.

Up here in Frostbite Falls Minnesota, the scooters have been put away for
a long winters nap.

Beautiful scooter - best to you and the family. Welcome to ModernVespa.
You may deserve to be the future Mark Twain of ModernVespa.

Bob Copeland
Thanks so much Bob! I've enjoyed reading your posts on here for the last few months. And your scooter in the photo may be what I end up getting. When the 2023 pre-orders went live, I was heart broken about not being able to get beige or matte blue. But in the weeks since, the red has grown on my so much more and with the safety benefits of that color, I think it's going to be the winner!

Also, so I don't annoy everyone with a million replies to this, can anyone tell me how to quote multiple replies in one reply post? I checked the FAQ section but didn't find it.
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
adri wrote:
Where's the TLDR?
Admittedly I had to google what that means. So now that I know, not sure if you meant YOU found it too long, or wondering why no one else posted that it's too long. In case it's the former - here's a summary. I had a long drawn out process to surprise my wife with a Vespa, then some difficulties being able to pick it up, and when I finally did I had a crazy long arduous ride home that brought me closer to frost bite than I have ever been in my life! But it was so worth it

Also, have enjoyed reading your (much more succinct) posts on here and love the avatar!
@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
UTC quote
lol got it!

I remember a thread another forum by another guy from Virginia bringing home his Vespa that was also an epic adventure. I'll try to find it for you.
UTC

Addicted
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 934
Location: Germany
 
Addicted
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 934
Location: Germany
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
When the 2023 pre-orders went live, I was heart broken about not being able to get beige or matte blue. But in the weeks since, the red has grown on my so much more and with the safety benefits of that color, I think it's going to be the winner!
There are informations that blue matte GTS SuperTech and beige GTS will be available in US, just a little bit delayed…

https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2583001?highlight=#2583001

If you want to add heated grips and/or heated seat, go for SuperSport or SuperTech:

https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2577309?highlight=#2577309
❄️☃️
SXM_beginings wrote:
Also, so I don't annoy everyone with a million replies to this, can anyone tell me how to quote multiple replies in one reply post? I checked the FAQ section but didn't find it.
A quote starts with the Command [ quote = "NAME" ] and ends/closes with [ /quote ] (Note: use Commands without blanks, fill in NAME of Member you want to quote), fill/copy in text to quote between Commands. To quote multiple phrases and/or different users just ad a new
Command (after closing the one before)
⚠️ Last edited by GermanGTSDriver on UTC; edited 6 times
@crazycarl avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2007 250 GTS, 1980 P200E, 2010 ThunderFly 190 (SOLD) 2015 Yamaha SMax
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3356
Location: Springboro, OH
 
Ossessionato
@crazycarl avatar
2007 250 GTS, 1980 P200E, 2010 ThunderFly 190 (SOLD) 2015 Yamaha SMax
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3356
Location: Springboro, OH
UTC quote
Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it. I recall a ride I took from Dayton, OH to Louisville, KY one October evening several years ago. It was normally a 3 hour ride on back roads, but I had to stop 3 times to thaw out.

The right gear for cold weather riding makes all the difference.

Here's a windchill chart to help you define your limits.
It can get feel very cold in a hurry!
It can get feel very cold in a hurry!
@bob_copeland avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3505
Location: Minneapolis USA
 
Ossessionato
@bob_copeland avatar
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3505
Location: Minneapolis USA
UTC quote
SXM,

I know some here can split responses from several post responders on
one post. I am a dinosaur that has been dragged into the digital world
and have no idea of how to do this.

Hey, my technical break through was learning how to attach photos.
So, now, I am "Slide Show Willie" putting photos on every post.

I really like seeing ModernVespa posters putting photos of themselves
along with their scoot or story. I also appreciate some are shy or do not
want to put that much personally out there - or, they maybe in the FBI's
"Witness Protection Program" in hiding.

Bob Copeland
Frostbite Falls Minnesota
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@oldschooot avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2018 LIBERTY 150S, 2013 Kymco LIKE200iLX
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Ohio
 
Ossessionato
@oldschooot avatar
2018 LIBERTY 150S, 2013 Kymco LIKE200iLX
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Ohio
UTC quote
Vespa is getting a little silly as they run out of marketing ideas.
Nice paint.
At least the City Grips are useful.

O.S.
@guzzi_gal avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Gigi, '13 GTS 300ie Touring
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2872
Location: Phoenix, AZ.
 
Ossessionato
@guzzi_gal avatar
Gigi, '13 GTS 300ie Touring
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2872
Location: Phoenix, AZ.
UTC quote
Fantastic story, and welcome to MV!

I don't ride below 50 if I can help it. Living in the low desert has thinned my tolerance to even a minor chill. Layer up before the ride, and take a hot shower or have an electric blanket ready to thaw your thighs after. Razz emoticon

As far as quoting multiple people in a single reply, this is what I do.

1. Click Post Reply.
2. Open MV in a duplicate tab.
3. Click the first Quote and when the window opens, copy the HTML code and text that appears.
4. Paste it into your primary Post Reply tab and type your response.
5. In the Quote tab, return to the previous page and repeat as needed.
6. Preview and Submit or Just Walk Away.
@cdwise avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@cdwise avatar
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
Thanks so much Bob! I've enjoyed reading your posts on here for the last few months. And your scooter in the photo may be what I end up getting. When the 2023 pre-orders went live, I was heart broken about not being able to get beige or matte blue. But in the weeks since, the red has grown on my so much more and with the safety benefits of that color, I think it's going to be the winner!
According to AF1Racing both of those colors and the new GTV will get to the US but probably not until spring.
@vivi avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
2022 Primavera 150 "Arancina"
Joined: UTC
Posts: 58
Location: Texas
 
Enthusiast
@vivi avatar
2022 Primavera 150 "Arancina"
Joined: UTC
Posts: 58
Location: Texas
UTC quote
A fellow Primavera 150 owner, yay!

Sorry for the freeze - I am just starting to experiment with what layers I need for winter riding here, as I've only had my scoot for a few months. I can't believe how cold my hands get after 30 min!

Glad you made it home safely. Scooter emoticon
@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
UTC quote
SXM this first Vespa ride may interest you:
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/austin-to-the-old-dominion-on-a-155cc-scooter.1216197/

Austin to the old Dominion
@znomit avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, Primavera, some pushbikes
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10016
Location: Hermit Kingdom
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@znomit avatar
LX190 Friday afternoon special, Primavera, some pushbikes
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10016
Location: Hermit Kingdom
UTC quote
You should always have the gear along for making a hot coffee on a picnic.
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
Thanks everyone for your wonderful replies. What a great community! I'll post more thoughtful and personal replies to all your comments tomorrow. I just got home (11 pm local time) from the classroom portion of the MSF course. Tomorrow is the riding portion. It's supposed to be 26-47F tomorrow and 25-36F on day two! Im seriously wondering how we're gonna do it. I have a feeling my wife will tap out. She doesn't do well in the cold, and I gotta admit, I'm gonna be struggling myself. Gonna charge the batteries for the heated vest and socks and hit the sack. Wish me luck!
@clampett avatar
UTC

Hooked
2022 GTS 300 HPE, 2022 Primavera 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 298
Location: Alabama
 
Hooked
@clampett avatar
2022 GTS 300 HPE, 2022 Primavera 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 298
Location: Alabama
UTC quote
BTDT and congrats on that pretty scoot.
Had similar condition here this week riding my scoot daily to town (15 mile one way).
Meaning I feel for you.
Long Johns and Fleece(under any riding gear) are your friends.

Looking forward to seeing that smiling face you referred to on the scoot.
@touring300 avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
GTS 300ie Touring 2013 - Signora D'argento
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2087
Location: Lancaster, U.K.
 
Ossessionato
@touring300 avatar
GTS 300ie Touring 2013 - Signora D'argento
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2087
Location: Lancaster, U.K.
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
Wish me luck!
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
Thanks for everyone for your thoughtful replies! Sorry I was so slow to respond. It has been a busy weekend, as I had the 3 day MSF course, which I just finished today, along with some family obligations, so not much time to get to the forum. But I'm happy to say that I PASSED the class and officially have my motorcycle endorsement!! YAY!! And dare I say, I think I liked the "motorcycle" riding a bit more than I thought. I'll always love scooters, but the challenge of the clutch/throttle sure was fun. I found myself going on CycleTrader looking for small displacement cheap bikes to get "just in case" I decide I want to give motorcycles a try too! Is that normal? LOL...Anyway, just wanted to respond below to those that were so kind to welcome me to the forum.
GermanGTSDriver wrote:
There are informations that blue matte GTS SuperTech and beige GTS will be available in US, just a little bit delayed…

https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2583001?highlight=#2583001

If you want to add heated grips and/or heated seat, go for SuperSport or SuperTech:

https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2577309?highlight=#2577309
❄️☃️



A quote starts with the Command [ quote = "NAME" ] and ends/closes with [ /quote ] (Note: use Commands without blanks, fill in NAME of Member you want to quote), fill/copy in text to quote between Commands. To quote multiple phrases and/or different users just ad a new
Command (after closing the one before)
Thanks German GTS! I had seen that post about the Blue and Beige as well. The funny thing is, I finally made my peace with it and really started to love the red color when I saw that. Plus considering the reported safety advantage of red, I thought, "OK, Red it is". Now I'm conflicted all over again because the last experience taught me that maybe having navigation easily readable can also be a safety feature! So back to wanting the SuperTech! So I think I'm going to wait until I can see one in a showroom and then decide. And thanks for the help with the quotes!
CrazyCarl wrote:
Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it. I recall a ride I took from Dayton, OH to Louisville, KY one October evening several years ago. It was normally a 3 hour ride on back roads, but I had to stop 3 times to thaw out.

The right gear for cold weather riding makes all the difference.

Here's a windchill chart to help you define your limits.
Funny, I just took my MSF course this weekend - in blistering cold by the way! - and they showed this almost exact chart.
Bob Copeland wrote:
SXM,

I know some here can split responses from several post responders on
one post. I am a dinosaur that has been dragged into the digital world
and have no idea of how to do this.

Hey, my technical break through was learning how to attach photos.
So, now, I am "Slide Show Willie" putting photos on every post.

I really like seeing ModernVespa posters putting photos of themselves
along with their scoot or story. I also appreciate some are shy or do not
want to put that much personally out there - or, they maybe in the FBI's
"Witness Protection Program" in hiding.

Bob Copeland
Frostbite Falls Minnesota
Bob, thanks so much for sharing the photo not only in this post, but others previously. I agree, photos always add a personal touch and are just plain fun to view. As far as sharing personal info, well, I'm not a criminal on the lam, a federal witness, and have never held nor do I plan to ever hold public office. But I guess I'm a bit shy with sharing personal info online. I don't have a Facebook account, and have never posted to instagram, using it only to follow mostly professional photographers and other accounts like Vespa, and National Geographic. My main hesitation is that I recently became a victim of identity theft, right before closing on our house no less, and it has been such a huge pain. So I want to minimize any opportunity for someone who stole my info to "guess" personal details about me by doing a google search online. Plus, due to the nature of my work, I would like to stay a little bit hard to find online. I'm happy to share a little though, so here goes:

My real name is Omar
SXM stands for St. Maarten, which is a where I lived when I first rode a scooter. It's also where I met my wife
We recently left the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in WA state, a place I absolutely loved living but frankly rained too often for me to justify a scooter (plus I was traveling a lot for work).
I now live with my wife in kids in Northern VA, about an hour outside of DC. I got the info on the local DC Vespa club from my local dealer (La Moto in Arlington) and hope to get to know some riders in the next season.

I'd love to get to know more people in the scooter/Vespa community, and on PM, would happily share my full name and any other info. I'll also post more photos as I get a chance. For now, I'll hold off on photos of my wife, cuz I know she likes to remain low profile online, but I'll see if she warms up to the idea and post some once we get to riding.

And thanks again for sharing so many of your stories! I've enjoyed reading some of your posts about your travels and how you came to ride! I look forward to more of the same
Guzzi Gal wrote:
Fantastic story, and welcome to MV!

I don't ride below 50 if I can help it. Living in the low desert has thinned my tolerance to even a minor chill. Layer up before the ride, and take a hot shower or have an electric blanket ready to thaw your thighs after. Razz emoticon

As far as quoting multiple people in a single reply, this is what I do.

1. Click Post Reply.
2. Open MV in a duplicate tab.
3. Click the first Quote and when the window opens, copy the HTML code and text that appears.
4. Paste it into your primary Post Reply tab and type your response.
5. In the Quote tab, return to the previous page and repeat as needed.
6. Preview and Submit or Just Walk Away.
Guzzi Gal,

Thanks for the warm welcome! Glad you enjoyed my probably-a-bit-to-verbose story! LOL And I appreciate the tips on quoting. It's working great! Btw, my local Vespa dealer also has some beautiful Moto Guzzi bikes. TBH, I had never heard of them before I went there. But when I saw the V7 Stone Centenario, my jaw almost hit the floor! It is STUNNING! I keep telling the shop owner to not be surprised if I show up sometime after buying the Vespa to add that beauty to my garage!
cdwise wrote:
According to AF1Racing both of those colors and the new GTV will get to the US but probably not until spring.
Thanks CDWise! I saw that post too! After finally coming to terms with it, I'm back to being torn all over again!
ViVi wrote:
A fellow Primavera 150 owner, yay!

Sorry for the freeze - I am just starting to experiment with what layers I need for winter riding here, as I've only had my scoot for a few months. I can't believe how cold my hands get after 30 min!

Glad you made it home safely. Scooter emoticon
Hey there Vivi! Glad to hear you're braving it out and at least trying to get some cold riding in. These things are just too much fun to limit to half the year! I look forward to seeing more posts about your layering strategies and riding experiences And awesome color on your scoot BTW!
adri wrote:
SXM this first Vespa ride may interest you:
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/austin-to-the-old-dominion-on-a-155cc-scooter.1216197/

Austin to the old Dominion
Adri - thanks for sharing that! That is an awesome thread. WOW! Gorgeous scooter, made even better by such an amazing journey! Sure makes my ride home seem a bit mundane now! LOL
znomit wrote:
You should always have the gear along for making a hot coffee on a picnic.
I would have killed to have a hot thermos to warm my hands! Next time for sure
Clampett wrote:
BTDT and congrats on that pretty scoot.
Had similar condition here this week riding my scoot daily to town (15 mile one way).
Meaning I feel for you.
Long Johns and Fleece(under any riding gear) are your friends.

Looking forward to seeing that smiling face you referred to on the scoot.
Thanks Clampett! Misery sure does love company. Hopefully the rest of your rides this week are warmer, though not sure given that "Winter is coming!" But I think there's a certain respect that must be given for those that ride all year, so props to you! And I'll try to share some posts of my wife if she warms up to letting me do so once we get some rides under our belt.
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
Thanks for the virtual card "Touring300!" It must have worked, because I passed!
@adri avatar
UTC

Atypical Canadian
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
 
Atypical Canadian
@adri avatar
2009 Vespa S50(LX150 motor swap), 2006 Vespa GTS250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2264
Location: Toronto, Canada
UTC quote
No shame in loving both scooters and motorcycles. A well rounded garage makes for a well rounded rider.
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (on the bench) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11929
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (on the bench) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11929
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
Thanks for the virtual card "Touring300!" It must have worked, because I passed!
Clap emoticon Clap emoticon Clap emoticon
@kawi_girl avatar
UTC

Hooked
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 107
Location: Alberta, Canada
 
Hooked
@kawi_girl avatar
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 107
Location: Alberta, Canada
UTC quote
Late to the party yet welcome from Canada! I enjoyed your story and feel for you with getting so cold, I hate being cold. I just hooked up my warm and safe gear to my Vespa this fall; heated jacket and gloves. Of course, now it's winter and my Vespa is hibernating anyway…

Good luck on finding yourself a new Vespa , I'll look forward to hearing about your future riding adventures.
@seamus26 avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
1979 P200E (sold) / ZNEN Amore 150 (sold) / Genuine Buddy 170i / Genuine Stella 4T /Aprilia Sportcity One 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
 
Ossessionato
@seamus26 avatar
1979 P200E (sold) / ZNEN Amore 150 (sold) / Genuine Buddy 170i / Genuine Stella 4T /Aprilia Sportcity One 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
UTC quote
External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

"Got a little nippy going through the pass there."

Cold weather riding is great ... when you're prepared. Glad you made it.
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
adri wrote:
No shame in loving both scooters and motorcycles. A well rounded garage makes for a well rounded rider.
Even if it does lead to a less well rounded wallet, right? Life is short! (Good thing about being a newbie is that even cheap small displacement bikes would be a thrill for me, and safer anyway than the pricier options I'd most likely drop. Thinking maybe a Royal Enfeld Himalayan or Classic 350, or the tried and true Rebel 300 or 500. We'll see)
kawi_girl wrote:
Late to the party yet welcome from Canada! I enjoyed your story and feel for you with getting so cold, I hate being cold. I just hooked up my warm and safe gear to my Vespa this fall; heated jacket and gloves. Of course, now it's winter and my Vespa is hibernating anyway…

Good luck on finding yourself a new Vespa , I'll look forward to hearing about your future riding adventures.
Thanks Kawi Girl! Likewise, would love to hear about and see pics of rides in Canada! Having just moved from the PNW, and visited BC, I love that part of the country. Not sure which part you're from, but regardless, so much beauty in that country. I've been wanting to make a trip to Banff for a couple years now and hoping maybe I can make it happen this spring.
seamus26 wrote:
External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

"Got a little nippy going through the pass there."

Cold weather riding is great ... when you're prepared. Glad you made it.
Haha...love that movie! And I can now relate to that scene a bit more than I would have liked to, but thanks, glad I made it too!
@kawi_girl avatar
UTC

Hooked
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 107
Location: Alberta, Canada
 
Hooked
@kawi_girl avatar
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 107
Location: Alberta, Canada
UTC quote
Thanks Kawi Girl! Likewise, would love to hear about and see pics of rides in Canada! Having just moved from the PNW, and visited BC, I love that part of the country. Not sure which part you're from, but regardless, so much beauty in that country. I've been wanting to make a trip to Banff for a couple years now and hoping maybe I can make it happen this spring.



Well my Vespa was new to me this year so not any big rides yet! I didn't buy it for that purpose yet I'm slowly changing my mind…
Banff is a place I've spent a ton of time in and it's a beautiful area unfortunately over-run with tourists…so off season is best IMO. I would say the most amazing ride/drive in Alberta is the Jasper Parkway. You can do Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper as one trip-take time if you can as there are lots of stunning places to stop and enjoy.
I agree that BC is also great, I was fortunate to grow up there. That being said, I love the Pacific Northwest. Some of my favourite places to visit are there, too. I'm sure you'll find lots of pretty places around your new home as well.
@dooglas avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 13319
Location: Oregon City, OR
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@dooglas avatar
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 13319
Location: Oregon City, OR
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
We recently left the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in WA state, a place I absolutely loved living but frankly rained too often for me to justify a scooter (plus I was traveling a lot for work).
Huh? I didn't know there was anyplace where one couldn't justify a scooter!?!
@znomit avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, Primavera, some pushbikes
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10016
Location: Hermit Kingdom
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@znomit avatar
LX190 Friday afternoon special, Primavera, some pushbikes
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10016
Location: Hermit Kingdom
UTC quote
Dooglas wrote:
Huh? I didn't know there was anyplace where one couldn't justify a scooter!?!
We have to justify our scooters?
@cdwise avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@cdwise avatar
GTS 300, Buddy 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8866
Location: Knoxville, TN
UTC quote
znomit wrote:
We have to justify our scooters?
ROFL emoticon ROFL emoticon ROFL emoticon

Not a chance.
OP
@sxm_beginings avatar
UTC

Member
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
 
Member
@sxm_beginings avatar
2023 Primavera Pic Nic 150 (my wife's, but hey it counts!), 2023 GTS 300 soon hopefully!
Joined: UTC
Posts: 26
Location: Northern Virginia
UTC quote
LOL…I knew I would like this group! I am certain that, in time, and with consistent, and liberal doses of exposure to MV that I will find myself fully reformed from the self imposed fiscal tyranny that I had previously brought upon myself! Facepalm emoticon
@seamus26 avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
1979 P200E (sold) / ZNEN Amore 150 (sold) / Genuine Buddy 170i / Genuine Stella 4T /Aprilia Sportcity One 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
 
Ossessionato
@seamus26 avatar
1979 P200E (sold) / ZNEN Amore 150 (sold) / Genuine Buddy 170i / Genuine Stella 4T /Aprilia Sportcity One 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2201
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
UTC quote
SXM_beginings wrote:
LOL…I knew I would like this group! I am certain that, in time, and with consistent, and liberal doses of exposure to MV that I will find myself fully reformed from the self imposed fiscal tyranny that I had previously brought upon myself! Facepalm emoticon
Well said!

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
DoubleGood Design banner

Modern Vespa is the premier site for modern Vespa and Piaggio scooters. Vespa GTS300, GTS250, GTV, GT200, LX150, LXS, ET4, ET2, MP3, Fuoco, Elettrica and more.

Buy Me A Coffee
 

Shop on Amazon with Modern Vespa

Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com


All Content Copyright 2005-2024 by Modern Vespa.
All Rights Reserved.


[ Time: 0.6044s ][ Queries: 44 (0.4776s) ][ Debug on ][ 313 ][ Thing One ]