Modern Vespa

Doesn't $9500 (US) seem a little...'excessive' for an electric mini-scooter?

Of course, it IS a BMW, isn't it?

I'm sure it's OTD cost will easily bust 10G's, not counting tax & license fees.

I dunno, probably just me and my old fuddy-duddy mindset.

BMW means Bring My Wallet.

Not much under- seat storage for that price!

That grey plastic motor-thingy cover on its sides looks like they may have used a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine to model for it, but admittedly, you often find your inspiration in the most mundane of places. I suppose.

Am I being too critical?

Trixie and I have owned about a half dozen BMW machines over the years, and currently there are several models that really appeal to me, but when I think of how long it takes me to earn $10,000 these days, and then look at such a pitiful little conveyance that would soak up every cent of that amount to own.......

I'm still baffled by people paying $3500-$5000 for an electric bicycle. They need to start requiring a motorcycle license for these things too. People behave like they're riding a bicycle, but they're mixing with traffic at higher speeds and becoming a real nuisance.

The major brand motorcycle (Powersports?) dealerships here all sell 'premium' electric bicycles that are priced from about $4500 to $6000. I'm just as stunned by their pricing as I am the little BMW e-scooter at nearly $10,000.

I just can't see that kind of value in them for such a large amount.

'Sparky' and I rented a pair of E-bikes last year, and I must admit that they were amazing things, and quite fun to ride on the Black Hills trail system here, but are so expensive to buy that we just can't justify the cost (yet).

I also see E-bicycles evolving into larger and heavier types, a phenomenon that I call 'The Winnebago Syndrome' where vehicles (and other things) of almost any sort that begin simple, economical, and relatively small, gradually gain weight, complexity, and of course, cost until they barely resemble what they were in their beginnings.

My neighbor bought an E-bike in late 2019. I though it was a adult version of the scooters all the kids have. But, I was wrong. She told me she was in an accident when she was 12 years old. There were injuries to both her knees, with the result of not being able to ride bikes anymore. But with the pedal assist on her e-bike she could ride a bike again and could not have been happier. I have taken a few out a ride and boy are they heavy to the point that the pedal assist is a must. In my mind, you can get a heavy e-bike or a much lighter regular bike and still arrive to where you want to go. The faster ones are, as caschnd1 mentioned, a nuisance. They remind me of mopeds back in the day without the smoke but with the same lousy brakes.

It's not just E- Bikes, The average carbon road bike price is 6,744 USD.

The top end option for one is 18,000 USD.

I'll stick with my £100 2nd hand steel pedal bike as I ride it for exercise not to race around as if I'm a Tour de France wannabe.

Blah. You're just used to being pampered by affortable transportation at that side of the pond

Over here, if one would wish to have a good ol' petrol V8 Stang, a brand new one costs 95 508€ with all the taxes and costs...that's 102 157,74 USD.

Which kind if works, I'll guess, not many of those polluting dinosaurs roam around here anymore.

nope

nope

I agree on titanium vs carbon.
I have a 1983 Colnago Super and a 1989 Eddy Merckx Team 7-11. Both are steel (Columbus SL and TSX, respectively). Both ride beautifully.
I also have an early 80s vintage Vitus Futural aluminum road frame that I've retired. It's just too flexy and I don't trust the 'screwed & glued' construction method to hold up under me.
Both of my MTBs are welded aluminum, and also work fine.

As for eBikes, I don't have one, nor have I ever ridden one. My older brother has a Serial 1 (HD's ebike) that he got at a discount from a friend who worked for them. He's used it as his daily commuter at times. It's currently non-operational because he let the battery become fully depleted, and he can't get it to recognize the recharged battery.

A guy at work bought an electric add-on device on his POS bike. Battery and housing tied to downtube, motor somehow turned the crank. Said he got 20 miles out of a charge, which covered his 15 mile commute. Pulled the battery out at work and charged it in his cube for the ride home. Pretty simple. Too bad I don't remember the brand, but it was cheaper than 10K.

As long as we're onto bicycles, allow me to post an image of the beautiful 3-speed Schwinn Traveler that my older brother gave to me in the early 1960's after he bought his first car (a 1956 Ford Fairlane convertible).

The bike was nearly new, and finished in a beautiful metallic ruby red, with chrome fenders, whitewall tires, white grips and seat bag, and a magical (to me) generator light system.

I was in 'Pig-Shit Heaven', to say the least.

(This isn't THE Schwinn I had, but EXACTLY like it in every detail)

I had that exact bike in turquoise. 1956

What a headlight! I had a generator on my 3-speed and thought it was simply amazing. No batteries! Have to say, it did beat getting late somewhere at dusk and finding your batteries were heading south....

One of the best things about my Vespa is the storage. I take two canvas bags to the grocery store. In one, I put heavier goods liked canned beans or dish liquid. I store that under the seat. In the other, I put light items like puffs tissue or nuts. I dangle that bag from the plastic hook at the front of the seat. It sits then on the slight hump between my feet. I still haven't used my rear rack. Great versatility. I almost bought an electric bicycle before I bought the Vespa. Thing is, I wasn't confident that I could protect it from thieves. Also, even though I live in a city which maintains its roads well and has numerous bike lanes, when I'm on my bicycle (7-speed, non-electric Electra Loft model), I still have to watch for debris. Going faster than 20 mph on a bicycle leads to more flats because you just don't have time to avoid objects at an elevated speed. One might as well have a regular bicycle and get some exercise at the same time.