Modern Vespa

Just wondering about how this works within other relationships. My long-suffering GF endures a hell of a lot of discussion about Vespas from me. Not that she doesn't appreciate them too, but not quite like I do. She also gets frequently treated to declarations about bands, records, politics, bass guitars, and the Buffalo Bills. And did I mention Vespas?

On the other hand, I do get a lot of gardening, culinary, nutritional & health info from her from which I have learned a lot and I am frequently a direct & grateful beneficiary. Actually WAY more useful knowledge than anything I'm ever going on about.

Curious as to how your significant other handles your scooter obsession and the expression thereof. Do you ride together? Does she/he own one too? Is she daydreaming about Clooney while you're talking about the physics of countersteering?

She has zero interest in riding herself, but suffers my obsession with mostly silence. She did once try to weigh in on color choices, but since I'm less about the color than the mechanicals, that discussion traveled a very short distance before withering. From her perspective, it could just as easily be about any number of interests, just as long as it doesn't significantly impact our financial solvency or mental stability (which is often in question anyhow).

Bob

Yes, my SO rides. She was even a good weather commuter to work on her scooter for many years. She is not nearly so interested in scooters or scooter gadgetry as I am however. She has owned the same scooter for 17 years. I have owned 10 during the same period, usually at least 2 at any given time.

As long as I fix her car, anything she breaks and work on the house she's good with the million different things I do. Oh yeah, roast and make coffee too. She's one foot on a banana and the other in the grave on two wheels so no riding for her. Doesn't mind jumping on the back of whatever I'm riding though. I don't discuss particulars with her except color choices. If I say too much her looks always clue me in that's enough!🤣 21 plus years of marriage, we have it figured out. Last year when I left Cabo to come home she cried not for me but because she was worried about my chopper getting damaged. 🤨 Figures.

This made a little coffee come out of my nose @ work.

My lovely wife on occasion used to ride with me as a passenger, but never really had the desire to learn. I go thru machines frequently, about 6 to 8 a year these last few years - buying, fixing and selling. I enjoy it as a working hobby, get to ride different machines, but she has no interest in that part of life even though it really helped out years ago when raising young children. It kept me home, close to them and brought in some extra coin which helped. Now being retired I have more time and on her days off, I don't work in the garage at all. It keeps the peace and we can spend a little more time together.

I have had the same wife for 38 years.

She bought me my first US scooter as a Christmas present in 2002, so she has that going for her.

But she never rides with me, except that she won't let me go on Vespa Club del Mediterraneo rides in Europe without her.

She rides pillion on those trips, six of them now with two weeks riding on each.

She did take up riding herself a few years ago.

A friend gave me a Yamaha Zuma 125 that I told her was hers.

She took a few rides with me riding alongside, up to a 100 mile ride to Fernandina Beach and back that ended her enthusiasm, as the wind on the bridges created some fear.

We rarely discuss scooters, as I am the only one interested in them.

But we have a ride coming up in Croatia in September.

She will be riding on that one.

Bill

When we lived in the Bay Area, my (now wife) and I traveled on the Vespa exclusively. She had zero interest in ever operating one, but would gladly hold on tight as we battled the Bay Bridge winds on evening rides into SF, or cruise out to Point Reyes. Going on 'Vespentures' was our way of life.

Until the kiddo showed up.

Now she does not want to take the risk of both of us getting wiped out in one fell swoop. So I'm left to my vice-espas.

She knows riding is as close to 'my church' as I'll ever get, and respects it.

Riding, boating, walking, reading newspapers or just sitting with a cup of coffee. The important thing is that you are doing it together. You don't both have to agree or enjoy each other's interests but it is a give and take/sharing endeavor. It helps maintain a healthy relationship.

I really appreciate the different perspectives and vignettes as I don't personally know anyone else who is into scooters. These are exactly the type of stories I was looking for!

In the begining, 20 years ago, my blushing bride would occassionally ride two up with me as we slowly cruised around the neighborhood looking over other near by neighborhoods.

She is not interested in riding - and has kind of said - go play with your scooter friends. She knows I like to ride and have kind of made it my only hobby. No more fishing, hunting, golfing or closing down the bar - I just scoot now.

So, I am off on one full day group ride each month with an additional four day extended ride. If I join Fledermaus in Wisconsin - two 4 day extended rides.

I think she sincerely misses me when I am off two wheeling. But all the rest of the time is with her.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota

My wife and I have been married for nearly 20 years now, and she's a pretty good sport about everything. She isn't afraid (much) to try some of the things I'm interested in. But before I knew her she owned a Kawasaki 400. She isn't afraid of riding, so when I bought my second bike (the P200e) she inherited the ZNEN. Sort of. It's what she learned on and tested on and rode until we bought her Buddy 170i. That bike suits her much better.

She occasionally rides with me, but our riding preferences differ. Before we leave she will ask where we are going and how we're getting there. My answer to both questions is usually, "I dunno ... hadn't really thought about it."

She enjoys riding, but she's even a nervous driver. Probably why she doesn't ride all that much. She HAS, on occasion, gone out and ridden by herself, which says a lot. If it weren't for traffic I think she'd ride a lot more.

In the late 70s through the eighties we both buzzed around on various Lambrettas and Vespas then arrived the milk drinking biscuit crunching bank drainers now they have all but gone all I get every now and then is, bought yourself a new toy then, but always tell her it was a bargain

My wife doesn't ski or have the love for old motorcycles that I do. But she endures my hobbies and the many hours that they keep me occupied. Since we're both retired, I think she really doesn't mind that I don't rattle around in the house all day. I typically spend about 1/2 the day out in the garage. And the days when I ski I'm gone a good 10 hours or more.

But we have our common interests too. Hiking, snowshoeing, we take the dog for a long walk twice a day, etc. It all works out.

Yep. That's how things work at my house too. My wife says my "love language" is fixing things. When something breaks I jump on it right away.

When we were young/first married I had a Hodaka 100. I bought her a Yamaha mini enduro. We had trails right down the street. Many days after I went to work she would hit the trails. She never wanted to ride her own on the street. We rode together for 45+ yrs. She always rode passenger and we toured all over. She knew my passion for 2 wheels. We owned a lot of MCs and 4 scooters. She especially had fun on the side car rigs. We've been retired for 9 yrs. A few yrs ago she decided she was ok with no longer riding. We just celebrated our 50th anniversary. She supports my riding passion. She paints, sews, and of course enjoys shopping. With my medical issues I can only ride a scooter now. I still go distance touring and she supports that. She's still pretty, a great cook, and my life is blessed with her.

Hey DiBiasio, top post, great stories coming out. 👍

Thanks BUGGSY - it's just the kind of stuff I was looking for.

My wife has always endured scooters and going as far as helping work on them. She quit riding but I think she misses it sometimes. She used to ride, both on her own trike or as a passenger, doing stupid distances and/or in crazy weather. I no longer have a 2 up scooter anymore either. Trying to trick her into sitting on a Royal Alloy 300 to see if she can reach the pegs. Her being able to fit safely on the back might sway me back to a larger scooter.

My wife views my them as a death trap. I probably put her right off motorcycles when i tried to teach her to ride my bultaco matador 50 years or more ago. She was going well until she realised I wasn't running behind her hanging onto the seat and promptly fell off. Had quite a few bikes since then and she tolerates them and was very pleased when I bought an MP3 she thinks that with 3 wheels it is safer. Didn't bother explaining the biggest danger is being cleaned up by an inattentive car driver.

My husband NWB both kids have motorcycle licenses. None of them have ridden a motorcycle since they took their MSF course. My eldest got his license at 15. He's now 31 and only bought his first car a few months ago. He's been scooter only with a BV 350 until then. Youngest still has his license but don't think he's ridden since pre covid. He hasn't had a scoot since moving out.

Now to my husband. He has a Sports City and does ride but as some mentioned above our riding preferences are different. Going for a local ride and stopping for lunch, he's up for that occasionally. We've been doing the Beat the Heat ride in Maggie Valley organized by for on ADVRider's Battlescooters forum and the occasion Fall Gathering organized by folks in the MP3 forum here. Those are usually a few hours ride from our house in Knoxville.

Every now and then he will surprise me by suggesting a multi day trip like going to Moab when we lived in Breckenridge but mostly he likes shorter rides. While I have ridden in 4 cannonballs. He considered riding with me in 2014 since the route from Alaska to NOLA interested him. Instead he decided to drive support which he has done a total of three times. He has also been known to tell me, you need a ride. Why don't you go visit …

I have gotten him to take a few longer trips like renting a pair of Vespas in the UK for 8 days. Breckenridge to my brother's house in San Diego because he really enjoys going through national parks on the scoots. We do rent scooters on vacation and his ride map includes all the UK, EU, Australia and New Zealand ones as mine but he is missing almost half of my US ones. He still remembers riding with Judy on rented scoots in Hawaii on our one visit there.

Great thread! I hope a lot more people get in on this one. I was so happy my wife wanted to ride on the back that I bought her a great helmet and had a custom made leather jacket to keep her safe and comfortable.
We got married in the Cook Islands and rented a scoot to get around. The first one was called a PMS! We couldn't stop laughing. We had a great time scootin there.

I've only had one significant other so far, which has turned into an ex.

He was the one who first suggested that maybe I should consider looking into buying a scooter.

...He did end up regretting that decision.

He took an MSF course with me, bought the gear, said he'd ride. We were together well over a decade and I don't think he rode even half a dozen times. Part of the problem was that he was 100% sure he knew better than the MSF course instructors (with 40+ years under their belts), and insisted on counter leaning when I took a turn with him riding pillion. I shut that shit down immediately. He never got his own bike, and I wouldn't let him ride mine solo. His car was in the shop once, no public transit, he needed a ride to go pick it up, and I actually had to get him to agree not to counter lean. Like, had to threaten that I'd leave him on the side of the road if he did it.

He did help me wrench occasionally (it was handy that he was an electrical engineer). But I think overall he just barely tolerated scooters for the most part. Got real shitty about it toward the end of the relationship, which obviously didn't help. You don't have to share in your partner's hobbies, but it's rotten to dump all over something they love.

Moral of the story here is that people should be extremely cautious about what they introduce me to, because there's a chance I will end up completely obsessed with it.

The wife was the one that actually had the idea of getting a Vespa and that kind of put me on to it. Initially wanted a motorcycle but didn't have the space, the scooters are more compact and snug up tight to the wall in the garage on the center stand and can still fit 2 cars in the garage. She got her scooter 1st and I thought it was crazy expensive and figured I could pick up a used PCX for half of what the Vespa cost, did that for about a year and became a bit jealous of all the attention Verde Relax Primavera got everywhere we went, and I have to admit it just looked so cool, so the following year I bit the bullit and got a 300 GTS for myself. I ended up getting way more into it than her , she would be fine taking a short jaunt around the neighborhood but I would love to ride for hours, wish I had a scooter group around my area to ride with. Wife ended up dropping her scooter merging over to a turn lane under construction with uneven pavement and blew out her ACL , it was a long recovery for her and I'm not sure I'll be able to get her back on it. This happened back in August, so we'll see. Plus I have to get the repairs completed still. Hoping she will still ride. I have lots of other hobbies too, most of them she could care less about, it was nice to have a hobby we both could enjoy. we do have an RV and boat we like to enjoy together. But the rest of my interests she is indifferent or not interested in but at least tolerates. Also into bass guitars, guns , fishing , and craft beers. She has no shortage of ideas for birthday or Christmas gifts me.

The scooter thing is new for Darling Bride and I, we just bought the first one, I only got it ready for safety inspection this week, so we haven't really been on it yet. We're both motorcycle riders though, and as others have mentioned, our styles are different. I wander aimlessly and ride for far too many hours at a stretch, she likes an hour or so to a nice restaurant for lunch, then a different route home. But that's ok, after three and a half decades together we both know that we can't and shouldn't be together all the time. When we're not having the best day together, she'll often smile, hug me, and gently suggest that I go for a ride.

The question for the Vespa is going to be who gets to it first. It probably suits her better, but the reason we bought it was that we got a chance to try one last summer, and it was just SO MUCH FUN. If we both enjoy it, we may need to start shopping again.

My wife, we'll call her 'Trixie', which is the nickname I give her when referring to her in my various forum posts. She isn't too keen on me using her actual name online, so I try not to type 'Teresa' when mentioning her.

She mostly just humors me where it concerns my Vespa infatuation, but has ZERO interest in them herself, even though she owned, and very much liked, the 650 Burgman she had at one time many years ago. She views my Vespa GTS300 as a relatively expensive, underpowered toy of little use.

She will not drive it, or ride pillion on it, it's totally MY thing and that's where it's going to stay.

She is an experienced motorcyclist, and has owned about twenty machines since 1983. She is currently riding a Triumph 1200 Speedmaster.

As a practical consideration, she can see the usefulness of a scooter in a large relatively congested urban setting, but not out here in western South Dakota.

I, on the other hand, DO see the usefulness of a scooter in our area, or at least I do for the 250-300cc displacement class, which have just enough zip for me to comfortably ride secondary highways in the area.

'Trixie, the motorcycle snob' on her snooty old Triumph...

I believe that without checking, my wife could not tell which colour my current bike is. Motorcycles are invisible to her. If my current bike would not have a quite boomy exhaust note, she would probably not be able to say whether I still ride the Vespa or not.

We have plenty of common interests, but motorcycles or scoots are not one of these. Actually, not even bicycles.

I'll appreciate her support though - a year ago I hurt my right wrist in a motorcycle mishap. It was not sure, whether I'll get back a decent hand at all. More than a half of a year I could not lift a coffee mug with the right hand....and all this time she did a lot of extra in our house and garden, because I was literally handicapped. Not once did she accuse my hobby for the situation.

I did not get the hand back in its original strength, but can now ride again. With some limtations, but pretty much normally when taking it easy . Again, she has no complains for me returning to this hobby.

Mines a saint

Has been on Euro trips as a pillion without ever moaning about anything.

Tolerates my excessive riding with the club whenever the suns out too.

My Vespa IS my Significant Other...

https://www.match.com/

You're welcome.

I mean, he might be on to something.

Guys - you're gonna void your warranty.

Its been 14 years and one hell of a journy. Sometimes she's intrested, sometimes she's not.

And then I bought her her own scoot....

It took her a little while to be comfortable riding. But now she's purposing some pretty long rides.

I may have created a monster.

Granted our day-to-day conversation is not scooter centered, however, she has take intrest about maintaining the bikes and why I do the work on them.

Mrs. mpfrank and I do some things together, some things for each other, and some things individually. I don't think it matters exactly what the ratio is as long as both partners are happy with it. Every couple finds their own balance.

Mrs pigletpilot started her Vespa attraction by tidying up the bodywork on the 150 Super we bought for our son's 21st birthday nearly 20 years ago. We then bought Bella in bits and she refurbished the body. Once Bella was on the road I was riding her during weekends and spent a day with a group from Auckland and came home bubbling with enthusiasm from the great day out. Mrs pp was keen to come out to also enjoy the company, but I felt the Super would struggle, especially considering I was at least 12kg heavier than I am now.
So, Sofia the GT200 joined the fleet. We enjoyed so many rides on her travelling around our marvellous roads near home.
At some stage she expressed an interest in riding by herself, initially thinking a 50cc would be good. She very soon changed her mind on that when she noticed how slow they were outside of our city 50kmh speed limits. Long story short, we bought her a 150 LX for her 65th birthday and she started learning to ride - pretty successfully initially. She soon got her Learners Licence and started working towards her Restricted Licence. One day prior to a riding course we went out for a practice ride and she had an unfortunate crash that broke her right wrist and totalled the scooter.
But, she was keen to get back on a scooter so we ended up buying Mia, adding some cash to the insurance payout to have an extremely low km Primavera Anniversary model in the beautiful blue they came in. Initial rides have been few and far between as she had lost her confidence. However, a recent ride close to home that took in a large block (25km, about half an hour) and once we were home she was all smiles and eventually said "I wasn't scared". Total win.
Just need a few more rides and a couple of lessons from experts and she'll be a fully licensed rider.

We support each other in our interests and encourage the other in those interests. We're seeing our 30th anniversaries coming up quickly (first date and move in). I began talking about getting a Vespa about ten years ago. We know each other well and when it comes to a change like this I have to be gently persistent and give her space to think about it. It went from a disbelief and no to one day in 2022 she said maybe I should get one for my birthday. I still wasn't sure if she was humoring me or serious. In 2023 I went on a 12k run (another hobby she supports) and when I got done she took me to the booth of the local Vespa dealer (sponsors!). A month later while she was out of town on a business jaunt I went by the dealer for a test ride. They had one used in the color I wanted, make I wanted, a couple of miles on it and a small scratch. I started the paperwork and texted my partner: "Vespa owners?" along with the picture. She wrote back, "Are we?" I called her and we spoke and I made it clear I could walk out, but she said get it. She puts up with me obsessing, but also tells me to go out for a ride regularly. The only time it came up was a couple of months later when she said that she wanted to buy an outdoor sauna kit. We were in the middle of a house remodel and I wondered if we should just postpone it. She said, You bought a Vespa and I shut up. I also built that sauna in 6 hours, and happily paid the electrician to get it hooked up.

She'll never ride with me. It's not her interest. I've offered to get her a Vespa, even the 50cc and she's declined. She loves pottery and we plan on getting her a kiln. I'm not into at all, but I watch The Great Pottery Throwdown with her and have learned a lot and learned to appreciate it. We walk regularly, go out to concerts, vacation together and apart. It works for us and I'm happy to say I am grateful for her company these past almost 30 years.

The missus is constantly teaching me new things. She's an over-educated engineer you talk to for five minutes and realize her brain is just functioning on a higher level than the normals or even many of the smarts.

I can start telling her about something on a motorcycle, and even without riding them (though she did have a dirt bike when she grew up on a farm), she can connect or theorize the physics behind what I'm talking about.

I fell in love with her because she took me to her parent's cottage and showed me how good she was on an ATV in her bikini... Yeah, her big brain probably planned that too. She knew exactly what she was doing.

She considers it a personal offense if I watch MotoGP without her. Except for qualifying which she has no interest in. She enjoys Simon Crafar's tech talks because he goes in depth on individual components, and how they are specifically created and optimized for racing application. Her engineer brain loves that shit. She needs to know what tires everyone's using and what the track conditions are before we can start watching the race.

She's taught me plenty about college football, horseback riding and jumping, nature conservation, construction, etc.

For her reward she has some crazy bastard introduce her to MotoGP, take her across Italy on a motorcycle, and now she lives with two motorcycles in her house.

There's plenty more, but, TLDR: she teaches me (a lot), and I teach her (some). Also motorcycles. Lots and lots of motorcycles.


Pic before I said something stupid...
At the Moto Guzzi museum at Mandello del Lario, on our motorcycle ride across Italy. We are now looking to one day buy a place nearby.


After I said something stupid

Slightly off-topic: It's very interesting to see who is and isn't replying to this thread. MV has a lot of very interesting characters.

I see some people posting and I'm like, ah yeah, they're always cool in the threads, it makes sense that they have all of these happy positive things to share about their partners. Good for them.

Then I see some other names missing and I'm thinking, well, no surprise, we knew he was a miserable duck

To everyone who is opening up and sharing their little background stories and slices of their lives, good on ya As both a forum dweller and a youtuber, I put a lot of content on my personal life out there, it's cool to learn more about you guys too.

So here's my story:

I rode some as a kid (I was the original Scooter Delivery Guy - sorry David). Then not at all for 40 years. in 2007 Mrs. mpfrank and I were living in a townhouse where we could only park in our garage. There was only room for one car and my (against the rules) wood shop. There were times when we really needed another car.

So Mrs. mpfrank says, "Why don't you get a motorcycle?"

Within days, I had taken the Basic Rider Course and bought an MP3 250.

Unfortunately, seven months later, I was left-turned, the scooter was totaled and I did not get through unscathed. After seven months of recovery, I bought an MP3 400. This time Mrs. mpfrank wasn't so happy.

I still ride regularly, and Mrs. mpfrank still isn't all that happy about it, but she knows it makes me happy so she accepts it with grace.

We'll be married 50 years this month, so we must be doing something right.

Oh, and she has no interest whatsoever in riding herself.