Modern Vespa

Hello all. I just bought a 2021 leftover Primavera 50 for my wife as a Christmas gift. She's always wanted one so I picked this up at the local dealer. I had them switch out the seat with a Sprint seat because I didn't think she'd like the tan one. Now she's expressed interest in getting her motorcycle endorsement, so I wish I'd got the 150cc instead. I don't know if I can trade this one in later, not very knowledgeable about how Vespas hold value. She can't get her license until March at the earliest so I guess we'll see. Anyway, it's great to see the knowledge base here and I'm even considering a Vespa for myself now.

Welcome! What a great present for your wife. I'm sure you will both enjoy it. if you're like most folks here, soon you'll have two. Hoping you get some warm weather soon to try it out.

Years ago I bought a Chinese 150 for my late wife. She had to take the MSF course to get her bike license so I put her on a two stroke Honda 60cc motocross bike to learn how to shift a BRC class bike. Three weeks later we bought her a 250 Honda Rebel.

Robsteeler66, welcome to MV!

Consider taking the MSF course together. You may discover you want one once you see how much fun she's having. Besides, riding together can be great for a marriage!

Thanks guys. I already have my motorcycle endorsement and I own an old 1981 Yamaha 400. I already told the salesman that I'll probably be back when the 2023's come in to get a super sport.

Where I live, each class of vehicle has its own license and one has to do a written learners exam first, followed by a competency test for the vehicle.

Nobody here rides 50's as they cost almost as much as larger bikes.

The license classes are for motorcycles up to 125cc and motorcycles over 125cc.
So a 150 and a 300 require the same class of license.

Not so here in NJ. You can ride the 50cc with just your automobile license. Anything larger you need the motorcycle endorsement. We'll probably get her a larger scooter if she likes it or maybe this would be a great excuse for an engine swap. 😂

I bought an oem cover for it from Amazon. $40 cheaper than I've seen it anywhere else. I just came in and is really nice. I was hoping it wasn't a knockoff but it came in piaggio packaging and is really good quality. I'm keeping it on the back patio right now because my garage is full of construction materials for my house remodel. I can see buying things for it might become addictive. 😂

Almost forgot. I looked around underneath and I can't find the oil filter. Does anyone know where it's located?

What a perfect present! And welcome...

Indeed it is, it puts my present of some make up to shame.


Welcome to the forum Rob

Welcome to MV, nice gift.

Check the MV Wiki pages for maintenance tips etc.

https://modernvespa.com/forum/wiki-lx150-oil-change

Thanks for the link. Looking online and on YouTube it's saying the 50cc Iget doesn't have an oil filter. Is that right? Doesn't sound right…

Nice Christmas present!

Primavera 50 is a gateway 2-wheel bike into the fun world of scooters!

The Vespa Primavera offers a blend of classic style and sharp edge modern design together with practicality, safety and agility.

No oil filter on the 50cc scooter. That's very common, even on some scooters up to 250ccs.

The more she rides this, the better she will become as a rider, so when it is time to go up to 150ccs, she will be much more confident.

As far as making this one go faster, you can pretty much forget about going up to 150ccs, but you can put in an 80cc kit and change some parts in the transmission, but it's best to let her ride it as it is for a while.

Also, a side stand is a very good idea for a new rider, especially if she's hesitant about putting it on the center stand. They start at about $25, and the Piaggio one is $40. Two bolts to install.

Great information, thanks. I see it has a screen instead of a filter. I picked up a download of a service manual which confirmed that. I'm obviously new to scooters. I've been talking about selling my motorcycle, and I think I might get into scooters myself. Already sold my Electra Glide. I'm close to 60 so it was getting to be a lot. This I think I could ride for the rest of my life.

Motovista, do you have a link to the side stand? I've seen the one on Scooter West's website, which has the safety switch. That's probably a good idea for my wife. 😂

Unfortunately, my wife would probably divorce me if I bought her a Vespa, though she would accept a Suzuki Burgman 400 or 650.

She owns a 1200 Triumph Speedmaster.

She has just begun to accept the fact that I bought myself a Vespa, but can't figure out why I like it as much as I do.

A few 'get it', most don't.

Oh, well!

My wife learned on a Hyosung Sense 50cc. Then we modded it to a Stage 1. Little 2-stroke would hit 48mph with 2 people on it! Miss that little scooter. She hated the exhaust smell.

Then got a Genuine Buddy 125. Great scooter, just not quite fast enough for her commute.

Next was a Can-Am Spyder RT. Not the best build quality and the push button shifting was dumb. MPG's not great either.

Finally got a Honda Silverwing scooter. Reliable tank. Once she retired from her job she quit riding. Her commute was 70 miles each way.

So you see the pattern here. She will decide when and if she wants to upgrade. My wife's all time favorite was the Buddy 125. She said it was the perfect balance of power, performance and speed. I did do some performance upgrades on it though.

To the OP:

If she is a rank beginner, 50cc will be fine for a while. Plus, you can't be sure she'll even take to it. If she does, sell it for a 150cc and consider yourself lucky that you're going to have the best riding partner.

I have three people that I'm trying to teach to the motorcycle test. One is a natural, one is really really green, and one is in-between. I just bought a Like 150cc for the express purpose of getting the three of them a motorcycle endorsement. I got a great deal on it (2018, $1500, 1000 miles). I was using a Chinese gy6... the same one I learned on... but it suffered a gas tank crack that is very difficult to fix. While there are plenty of parts for the gy6, there are simply no oem replacement parts for cheap Chinese scooter plastics. The Like is a fantastic little fuel-injected air-cooled dual disc-brake bike with ABS. Kymco parts are another story, but it's a bike sold throughout the world by a major manufacturer, so they are available.

My advice to wannabe Vespa owners with no experience is to get and learn and get your endorsement on a cheap 150cc that can be dropped a few times without feeling really bad. Do it on a plastic bike and it's usually not serious. Do this on a Vespa and you've ruined your baby and destroyed its value.

Here's a pic if the Like. I've told my wife that if/when she gets her endorsement, she gets the 2016 GTS if she wants it.

OP

Tell us about to her reaction? Was it a surprise to her?

Here they are.

https://scooterpartsco.com/vespa/sprint-50/sprint-50-accessories/piaggio-side-stand-for-vespa-sprint-and-primavera

https://scooterpartsco.com/vespa/sprint-50/sprint-50-accessories/side-stand-vespa-primavera-and-sprint-chrome

Okay, so what we did was my youngest stayed with my wife while the older son and I went out to the shed to get the bike. She had absolutely no idea. We got it up the front step and into the house. Young son had her head covered with a hood. She thought I bought her a lawn ornament or a swing.
We got the Prima into the kitchen and put it on the stand. Young son walked her to the kitchen doorway and she kept the hood over her head. My son pulled the hood off but she kept her eyes closed. So I reached over and beeped the horn. 😂 She was utterly shocked when she opened her eyes, and she almost fainted. She cried and hugged us all and then went and sat on her Vespa. I also bought her a Vespa helmet to match it. She was completely gobsmacked like she's never been before. It was an absolutely amazing experience. Highly recommend doing it for someone.

Nicely done!!

Wow that was quite a production but it seemed to have worked perfectly as I complete surprised.

This is awesome!
Congratulations!

It's been either cold, rainy, foggy, or the wife has worked double shifts since Christmas. She's so anxious to ride it, but hasn't had the chance yet. She's off Tuesday, but it's calling for rain and she doesn't want to ride in rain. When I took my MSF course, it was in the middle of a hurricane and we still rode all day. 😂 She's nervous about traction though. I want her to be comfortable so I'm not pushing. She is off next weekend so I'm hoping it's decent weather. Never know in New Jersey. 🤷🏽‍♂️

That's the one problem with scooters as Christmas gifts -- too much patience required.

Don't push it. Hope for an early Spring!

Please tell me someone took photos because I wanna see 'em!

The plan was to film it, but it was such a PIA getting it into the house, and then down a narrow hallway and into the kitchen that we completely forgot about filming it. My son and I got it situated in the kitchen and we stood there sweating and breathing hard while my youngest son brought her to the kitchen entrance. I thought of it for a second right as he pulled the hood off of her head. It was amazing and I'll never forget it. Would have loved to share the moment, but words are the only medium I have.

I wanted to update everyone on the surprise Christmas Vespa. My wife, who I never expected to go and get her motorcycle license at 60 years old, has gone and got her motorcycle license. She's been riding on every low speed road in the area, and now she's talking about trading in her 50cc for a 150! Is that sufficient for occasional highway use, or will she outgrow that as well? I'm wondering if we should jump right to a 300cc…she's been experiencing transmission slippage. Is that common? Thanks everyone!

The transmission shouldn't be slipping, if it is still under warranty take it in.

A 150 is not really good for the Highway if by that you mean interstate. If folks are going under low 60s a 150 is good. A 150 isn't good for over 65. Jumping from a 50 to a 150 is easy but a 300 is a lot heavier and wider. So while the seat height is the same it needs longer and stronger legs so bear that in mind.

The 150s are good for 60 mph, but just. Go into a headwind or hill, and it will slow down. The 300s are the highway machines.

A 150 is good for around-town and mellow backroads, but I'd hesitate to take one on the highway, assuming it's legal in your area. Some states restrict highway access to 250ccs or greater.

I would have the scoot checked to diagnose the slippage issues, as it's not normal behavior for such a young scoot.

I'm going to take it for service for sure. I'm still not sure about which scooter, since she's 5'4". I don't know how she'd do on a 300. She can't flatfoot her primavera, so being wider might be a problem. I'll take her over and let her try it out at the dealership.

It's time to go boot shopping! I know several shorter-stature riders (5'-5'4"), and they wear boots with thick soles for better reach. I'm 5'5" and can flatfoot my 300 without platforms, but my taller husband can't.

I guess it's all about inseam, not height!

Joe Rocket makes a wedge boot called the Heartbreaker. I have a pair, and they do help when I want a little more stability on my motorcycle. It has the same seat height as the Vespa but is quite a bit more top-heavy.

https://motorcyclecloseouts.com/joe-rocket-womens-heartbreaker-boots/?gc_id=18931813170&gclid=CjwKCAjwloynBhBbEiwAGY25dNwkx4dkgPEl4lC-F-lW10Iug7zYF579-1Phz6bzAaR1jLNt6AtGaBoCHvEQAvD_BwE

For some reason I just saw this thread for the first time.

It reminded me of my best Christmas present ever, by a lot.

Christmas 2002, my family opened all of our presents and we were quite content when the door bell rang.

It was our neighbors and parked on the sidewalk was a new Malaguti Ciak 50, a large wheel, 50cc, 2-stroke Italian scooter that they had been keeping for us in their garage.

I never had a clue.

As many of you know, it led to a scooter obsession that changed my life, making it a lot better.

Bill

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your story.