Modern Vespa

""Ultimately, the speeds did not raise to the limit of being able to charge him for the pursuit because it wasn't fast enough," Boyd explained.

https://fox59.com/news/national-world/watch-man-leads-deputies-on-low-speed-vespa-chase-in-missouri/

Moped

That's not even a Vespa is it?

They are using the word "Vespa" to identify the little motorized thing that isn't a motorcycle in the same manner that many use the word "Cheesemakers" to refer to any manufacturers of dairy products.

US >> Kleenex for tissue, Xerox for photocopier
UK >> Hoover for vacuum cleaner, Biro for ball-point pen

etc, etc.

well shoot. in the blurry vid i thought it was.

It reminds me of the mid-to-late 1960's when many in the general non-riding public referred to any small motorbike as a 'Honda', which says volumes about the success of the company's positive advertising at the time.

It's funny that even the owner of the small stolen scooter calls it a 'Vespa'.

Where I live, the uninformed masses who see me with a bike helmet often ask me if I ride a Harley...!

It's the "Biker Beard" that does it.

TIL "Vespa" is like "Band Aid" for all bandages.
Also, I may need a new prescription.

I will admit that I don't recall anyone referring to any small scooter of any brand generically as a 'Vespa', but usually as a universal 'moped'.

Several people even asked me how I liked my 'moped' when I was riding my Burgman 650s, and they weren't being sarcastic.

By surfing instagram I see it happen a lot in some countries.

I even see some calling a push scooter a vespa. (I mean the stand up ones that now-a-days often have an electric motor).

to many vespa is not a brand but rather a description.

My guess is the speed was limited because the membrane on the non-jet side of the carburetor wasn't correctly seated or sealed.

Why is nobody talking about this

Sometime around 1967, I tried to outrun the small town police where I lived with my younger brother's Honda 160 'Dream', a 16-18 hp, very non-fast motorcycle with sponges for suspension, and relative to today's bikes, zero brakes.

Medium-length story short, I made it almost two entire blocks, then spent the rest of the summer in jail (90 days)...something about collecting six traffic violations in a two week period that neither the traffic court judge, or my father, found at all entertaining.

Ah, misspent youth.

Live (hopefully) and learn.

This is the Honda model that I attempted my 'great escape' astride...

just want to ad that the generic term of a moped derives from the two words motor and pedals.....so only a motorcycles with pedals, is a moped:)

From this to a Waspatorium.

There should be a movie...

Apparently, not anymore.

Being something of a geezer, I can actually remember what a proper 'moped' was, and had friends who rode them.

I think that classic mopeds were VERY attractive little bikes...

Makes me proud to call KC my hometown!

Speaking of 70s mopeds...my first bike was a cool 2 stroke moped. Unfortunately, I wasn't very good at mixing the oil in (or even always remembering to do so), which led to an unpleasant ride down a hill where the motor froze up and I took flight into a neighbors front yard.

They were cool little bikes back in the day!

Eric

My buddy has the upper one, in boxes. Branded as a Wards Riverside, but we know it's a Motobecane AV88.

I have several mopeds, of the pedal-to-start variety. They don't ride as good as they look.

I had one of those back in the day. What a dog - slow, handled poorly. They were prone to seizing up when run hard, since the cam chain alley was on one side of the engine, instead of between the cylinders. Thus, the cylinder on the other side would overhead and seize. I couldn't get rid of that thing fast enough. Got a 160 model, night and day difference!
I also had a Motobecane moped, lots of fun, built to last forever.

Being something of a geezer myownself, Mr. JBacklund, the first motorized two-wheeler I ever rode (I was 13...) was a Peugeot moped owned by a classmate whose uncle co-owned one of the Chevrolet dealerships in town. The dealership imported the Peugeot mopeds for a while, hoping for sales, but nada. GREAT little bike, though...nice to look at and, for a 13-year-old with an overbearing, neurotic mother, it was GREAT GOOD FUN to fly along on!

I also remember -- but never rode -- a WHIZZER moped. Saw one recently in an auto museum in Laughlin, NV. What a hoot!

Victor

I don't doubt that, but I'd probably be satisfied with one sitting in a corner of the living room, as an art piece.

A Honda Express is (or should be) called a no-ped.

I hate it when the Deupties chase me.