Modern Vespa

Best scooter to ride everyday all year! Vespa 125 or Piaggio Liberty 125

When I asked my dealer, they said:

Liberty is cheaper and the same engine, but you don't get the style / history.

Both seem to retain their value well

The liberty has larger diameter wheels, but very skinny tyres - this means it's good on rough roads, but lacks cornering grip.

The Vespa has smaller diameter wheels, but are as wide as some motorcycle tyres, so worse over pot holes - but much better cornering grip.

I purchased my Liberty over a Sprint for 2 reasons. First reason, it fit a passenger much better and my wife liked the passenger area a bit better than the Sprint. Second reason, I like the taller wheels for my commute. Between the Liberty and the Sprint I liked the nimbleness if the Sprint but I use my scooter for mainly commuting and the more solid feeling of the Liberty just felt better. I had a SYM CityCom 300i so I was already used to the big wheels and kinda prefer them.

You see a pattern there? Both scooters are very equal, both in performance and handling. I can't even say one looks better than the other, but I like the looks of the Liberty very much. Final thought. I dropped the Liberty a few times and I was really thankful that I could just replace the crash bumper and side panel then having to have a body shop pull a dent, fill and sand scratches and paint match. BUT, whatever one you choose you'll be happy with it!

Also, might be worth having a look at the Medley 125cc.

It's the highest power you can ride in the UK on L plates.

The Liberty and Vespa 125cc are around 8kw (11hp). The Piaggio Medley is 11kw (15hp).

sc00ter nailed it - big vs small wheels. both have their advantages. Depends on how you are going to use it.

We don't get the Medley in the US. But, if given the option, I'd still pick a Sprint or Liberty. Reason being, ease of service. I've never had my Liberty run hot so I don't miss a radiator, I don't miss a rear disc brake because the drum works fine and overall its just easier to self maintain. My nearest Piaggio dealer is 100 miles away so I just do my own service work. It's the KISS theory, Keep It Simple Stupid, and that's what I did when commuter shopping.

Interesting question.
I read that 76% of Italians never ride a scooter, while 13% ride but once a month, and only 5% ride one daily.
I continue to read that Honda sells the most scooters in Italy each year - and none of their leading models are of the 12" wheel variety.
And simply by looking at street photos taken in Paris, Barcelona and Rome - one sees that the vast majority of scooters parked on those streets are big wheel scooters.
Folks in those cities are riding those scooters year around.

I ride year around here in Ohio - and alternate between riding my Kymco with its 12" wheels and my big wheel Liberty.


I guess some do "track days" and/or enjoy riding on the verge of scraping things - so the extra few mm's offered by the Kymco's Michelins vs the Liberty's Pirellis would be of some importance to them.


Yeah - I'd take the Liberty over any 12" scoot. And I put the superbly better braking on my Kymco vs the ABS Liberty down not to tire width - but to the rear drum on the Liberty vs the front&rear discs and braided lines found on my less expensive Kymco!

O.S.

Looking at some pics of the road in Italy, I would opt for the bigger wheels too.

The Honda they sell the most of there is built there. I'm sure that makes a difference.

I am biased to the Liberty.
I have ridden wide tire bikes and the cornering slid more with the wide tires while the skinny dug in and grabbed the road much better.
A lot has to do with tire pressures too.
16 inch versus 12 inch is a no-brainer for me. Skinny 16 wins especially in the turns. Itz the wide tires that slide.
Aloha
ps if you remember drifting they always use wide tires to slide, the skinny tires grab the road too well to really slide far,,, skinny tires cut into the road, wide tires float over it… I choose skinny Liberty!!!

You ruled out the PX already?

If you want a Vespa, there's nothing else like it. If you want the best 125 scooter as a reliable daily driver, one that's Made in Italy, those are made in a factory in Atessa (CH).
Once you take the Vespa out of the equation, there are a lot of very good scooters in that size to choose from. It comes down to what you feel most comfortable on.

A metal bodied vespa would not be my choice for winter riding here in the uk with salt on the roads .

Having actually ridden 12" wheels in Rome and Florence plus the even worse roads in Lisbon I didn't have any issues. The most popular scooters I saw were Piaggio Liberty, Honda SH in both 124/150 and 300 or BV. Metal body Vespas aren't generally used for commuting because as the place we rented Sprints at in Florence said, "they are expensive to repair body damage."