Modern Vespa

I choose to ride as well on my Vespa and also on my Pinarello road bicycle. Both are inherently dangerous.

Where I live, riding my Vespa requires a motorcycle training course. It was about 2.5 days.

For the past year, our police motorcycle squad offers a motorcycle safety course run by the motorcycle cops themselves. All day Saturday and half day Sunday. Its free. I do not want to spend my weekend in such a course.

https://www.colliersheriff.org/my-ccso/collier-smart

But this thread convicted me to sign up for the next course in early December. I owe it to myself and family. More to follow

And, of course, that is another factor to consider. You are, to no small degree, at the mercy of the skills and level of concentration of other drivers, over which you have no direct control. All you can do is watch them carefully and recognize that conditions which make it more likely that others will be distracted are conditions which inevitably increase your level of risk. Hence the appeal to me of quiet country roads and 2-lane highways with limited traffic.

If you rode as a bicycle messenger then you should be applying that experience to riding a Vespa. Sounds a bit like your brain hasn't kucked in to merge two wheel experiences. Taking the safety course should help with that. My brother who had ridden motorcycles got 15 years forgot to transfer his motorcycle license when he moved states because he didn't own a bike at the time. He and his wife had agreed neither would ride until their kids were in school. So didn't realize it until he bought a new bike. So he took the MSF course to speed up getting his license back and said he hadn't realized how many bad habits he had developed and that he learned new things.Even if you have taken one before it should help you refresh skills. It does take time to get to the point where your scoot feels line an extension of your body.

Since you specifically mentioned fear of concussion I'm going to suggest you gets an ECE 22.05 helmet. That standard has the most restrictive g-force levels that can be transmitted to your head. Snell allows the most g-forces which is why I prefer the ECE standard. It is stricter than DOT.

ECE 22.06 replaces the previous ECE 22.05. Since the beginning of 2021, new helmets can be tested according to the new standard; since June 2022, only the new standard will be used for testing. Since June 2023, helmets with the ECE 22.05 standard may no longer be produced (meaning helmets on the market with the ECE 22.05 test seal are remaining stock with a production date before June 2023). At the beginning of 2024, the sale of helmets that have only been tested in accordance with the then obsolete ECE 22.05 could be banned (applies in Europe).

The new ECE 22.06 will make helmets and their visors even safer. Helmets tested in accordance with ECE 22.05 may continue to be used in Europe, there is no obligation to replace them. When purchasing a new helmet, you should ensure that it complies with the latest test standard.

If one morning (or 10) I don't feel up to commuting, then my wife will drive me to work or I'll take the bus. It's only 2 miles. I've even walked it before.

I've decided to start slow. Yesterday I rode for about 20 minutes around my neighborhood and enjoyed myself. I'm going to ride it for two weeks (just near my house) and then if I still feel safe on it I'll start commuting. If I don't feel safe and I don't want the risk, I can sell it. A brand new Vespa 150S with like 50 miles on it shouldn't be too hard to sell.

It also doesn't hurt that my wife thinks I should keep it if I feel comfortable. And she's the one I'd trust the most with my safety. But what I have learned from you all is that I need to decide for myself if it's worth the risk!

Thanks everyone for all your opinions and help!!

Dear Eli,

As I read this post, I couldn't remember how much experience you have riding your 150 or any other power 2 wheel vehicle. I looked back and cannot see where you describe your history. How long have you owned your 150? What other experience do you have on two wheels?

I've rode bicycles on and off for years, including being a bike messenger. I've had this Vespa for a week, but I've rode others before. I've never gotten into a serious bike accident. I got my concussion riding a electric scooter (not an electric vespa, one of those stupid little scooters that fold up) and won't ride one anymore.

OK, guess how many miles you have ridden "other Vespas before"?

I ask, because it seems to me that most folks on this forum have ridden for thousands of miles for many many years. I'm on my third Vespa in just two years and have about 3000 wimpy miles . That is not many and my miles are mostly modest speed suburban miles. So I have built little tolerance to complex traffic situations.

It sounds like you may be on the low side of high traffic experience. To me, it sounds like your commute is in COMBAT!

What does that mean?

I was under the impression that your commute was a little longer than two miles. If it were me, I'd ride a bicycle, take public transportation or walk to work. Why risk getting into an accident or getting it stolen for a two mile commute to work in Brooklyn?

Because I love riding my Vespa!

And- because without it I take uber way too much.

Your commute is two miles or the bus station is only two miles away?

why does it matter how long my commute is? If I want to ride the Vespa 2 miles each way versus 50, it's still the same issues. It jsut keeps me off of the highway and the big major streets here.

But thanks for the advice!

My first experience on a PTW was when I purchased my Vespa. The motorcycle safety course was scheduled for a few weeks out, and I needed to get home from the dealership. I rode around a few Oakland neighborhood streets before hitting the main roads home. It was nerve-racking to say the least.

My commute to work had been done countless times via bicycle. I could do it in my sleep. What I did not factor in was the two steel grated bridges I needed to cross. The wayward tracking of the small wheels on a grated surface can be horrifying for a new rider. I immediately thought commuting on the Vespa was a mistake.

I decided to take it one step at a time and keep at it. Each ride offered a new challenge and an opportunity to decide how much risk I wanted to take while also improve my skills and confidence. The steel grated bridges became a non-factor, and before long I was crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco.

Now if you told me I could only keep one vehicle, it would be the Vespa. Hands Down.

If you love riding your Vespa, and keep at it, hopefully you'll get there too.

May I ask why you are on your THIRD vespa in just two years?

Sure!

You can easily see in my profile. First was a 50. That was too slow. Then the 150 was basically perfect. But I fell in love with the idea of a GTV. JUST like the way they look. That led to the Sei Giorni. Not sure if the logic makes sense but it was fun. I learned a lot. I'm 72, had the time, and loved the experience. It's hard to explain, but a Vespa ride for an errand is a lot more fun. We also have two Vespa clubs which I enjoy. The one in Ft Meyers does longer rides more geared to 300's. That's my story.

I've read the entire thread a couple of times. A lot of good advice and sharing of good honest experiences. I imagine I'm not alone here in thinking part of the "fun" of riding on 2 wheels is the concentration required to avoid danger. It takes a little effort to simply keep the bike upright. That's also why it's a great way to get our mind off things while riding. I often feel energized after a ride. So the risk is at least a small part of why we enjoy riding.

^^ Agree. I get really mad at myself on the rare occasion my 'head is not in the game' while out for a ride. If I could pinpoint, it's when I'm running an errand on very familiar roads.

this is so hard!

I've been riding it a bunch and every time I feel more comfortable on it and I really like it. I'm only riding for 15 minutes at a time on the same roads, etc.

Then I think about the flip side: yes, everything has risk (a bus crashed in my neighborhood yesterday, my son got hit trying to cross the street with a green light on foot) but a two wheeled vehicle has more risk than others.

And so the other side of my brain keeps saying "yeah, but what if something happens and you do crash it?" I know the "what if" game can be stupid, but I Have a wife and four kids and a job that requires my brain to work so that "what if" part of my brain is loud.

I still haven't figured it out! Everyone in my life that I care about is saying I should keep it. However, I have to make this decision myself!!

Makes total sense! I moved up from a ET4 to GTS.