Modern Vespa

Asking $4500. I was thinking of offering $3K and maybe go to $3500. I know they are rare. It looks like a lot of fun

I haven't talked to the guy yet.

4500 miles. Seems to be in good shape. It has been laid over but not too bad. Some scratches on the front cage and it looks like a turn signal was broken off and replaced.

I had a friend who bought one and was underwhelmed. He sold it shortly after and didn't look back.

What are you looking for? Twist and go? Something novelty like a Honda Monkey? Money burning a hole in your pocket?

To be honest I don't know anything about them.

How fast are they compared to a GTS? Are they hard to get parts for because of their rarity.

What were your friends issues with it? Maybe that's why the were only made for a short while.

I have a GTS, a GT and a kitted VBC Super. I was thinking of selling the GT and just get something different for a while.

The engine is the same set up as the Reflex. Horizonal, water cooled 250. Reliable, but slow compared to the GTS or even the Honda Helix. It is a cult bike and not so easy to get body parts for as they were only imported for 2 years. For a Ruckus collector, maybe ok on the price. But the Helix is a better machine - so easy to work on, comfortable and parts are cheap.

There's a nice looking Helix on CL in San Antonio, TX. Price is a little rich for me, though. I had one back in '95. My first "big" scooter. Handled the highways around Dallas quite well. Plastic was a bit rattle-y, though.

nope

Maybe I should ask him if he wants to trade for my GT. It runs good but has been laid down on both sides.

Actually, the issue with parts being hard to find concerns me. I have a first generation Honda CRX and some parts are impossible to find. I'm not sure I want to get into that hole again.

I like things that are unusual but this might be a little too unusual.

I rebuilt a Big Ruck for a friend about twelve years ago. It was non-op due to incomplete maintenance, it came partially disassembled and needed about $100 in parts. Worth it though; I think he paid $150 for it, which was a screaming deal. Took about an afternoon to get it back on the road.

Year model is easy to tell: the '05 models were yellow and the '06 models were silver.

As Tierney stated, performance is ... leisurely. The engine is an HF03E, a carbureted two-valve that makes about one horsepower more than a Helix. The Reflex had a different variator, but parts are otherwise similar.

Wind protection is non-existent. You're essentially riding on a girder with footboards. There were optional wind deflectors, but they were rare back then and that much harder to find now. The seat is the party piece. Riding with the backrest up nets you a small platform that you could lash a bag or milkcrate to. Otherwise, there's a cylindrical storage tube on the back right corner of the frame, suitable for a tool roll or a small bottle of wine.

Do not ride one with the side covers removed from the frame. Those scoops are critical to proper engine cooling.

The headlamps are great at night, but switch on without starting and it will flatten your battery relatively quickly if the scoot left on but not running.

The right lever applies the front brake and the left lever applies the front and rear brakes.

It's a unique looking scoot, but it's boring to ride. I don't understand the pricing aside from the relative "rarity"; the telling bit there is that few people were willing to buy them new and frankly, it was a whiff on Honda's part in addressing people's desire for a "Ruckus with More Power"; turned out that a GY6 swap made the original Ruckus much more palatable than the Big Ruck.

That price does seem high. I have a Reflex which is essentially the same scooter but with a body. The variator is different - probably better- on the Ruckus but otherwise they're about the same. Not a fast scooter but as bullet proof as can be. If you want a scooter that just works and is relatively comfortable they're hard to beat.
I bet you can find a nice Reflex for half the asking price.

Bob

I attended a ska/scooter show in my area years ago, and fell in interest with the yellow big Rucks. I've seen them around in CL, but the price is always too high.

I had a Big Ruckus for a year. It was slow...and heavy. My Late Wife would bury me on her '09 Rebel anytime we rode together. The BR was like motorcycle without the speed of one or the advantage of the storage of a scooter. Even my Helix clone feels peppier and the BR isn't in the same zip code for performance as my 250 Nighthawk.

I'm beginning to see why they were not popular.

Also it seems like parts can be hard to find. As someone that owns a first generation Honda CRX I don't want to go through that again.

I do think they look cool but it sounds like that's all they have going for them.

I'm glad I checked here. I'm going to pass.

Thanks, everyone.

Now that's funny. Where can you buy one right now for $2000?
It's a decent bike, and they are pretty much done depreciating, so you will more than likely be able to sell it for whatever you pay for it, if not more. Parts are easy to find, because Honda used that engine, and all the components that are not Big Ruck exclusive, for more than a decade. It's the old foresight engine, that went into the Reflex and the Forza 250 and the Piaggio X9. Honda made the Big Ruck for four years, and it has a cult following here and in Japan, so there's a lot of support for the scooter. As with any Honda, switching out the variator brings it to life. You don't get this for any of the reasons you get a Helix or Reflex, or any other in the long list of scooters that are not this. You get one because there's nothing else like it. It's sort of like a Morphous people actually want to buy, in terms of how unique it is. I had one briefly, and sold it primarily because I could sell it for a lot more than I paid for it. It's solid, and if you see yourself riding one, you won't go wrong.

The seller sent me a text yesterday that it is still for sale and he would take $3800. When I think about it that's quite a lot.

The oddball/quirky aspect is something but then I think about what else I could get for that money.

That's exactly the way I look at it too. But if you are a collector and have the cash, I suppose it's not out of line. I think if you want something unusual to ride, look into some of the custom Helix projects. They can be stripped down if you are into the naked look and parts are fairly cheap.

In 2012 I was trying to decide between a Rebel 250 and SH150. The HP was the same(if I remember correctly) so I decided on twist-n-go.
That thing looks much heavier than the SH and a lot less maneuverable.

The difference between a Big Ruck and some ratted out old Helix with no plastics could be compared to the difference between a Toyota Solara convertible and cutting the top off and old Camry with a hacksaw. They both get plenty of fresh air, and they're both Toyotas, but one is likely going to hold value better.

nope

When you find a Big Ruck in similar condition for $2500, let me know. I will buy it.
The OP likely would have had better luck figuring out about what this scooter is worth on a forum where people actually own or want one.

The only one for sale on eBay in the U.K. is up for the equivalent of USD 4600. It has 29K miles on it and is being sold as a poject on a trade basis (so no warranty of any type)

These things are clearly rare over here.
Asking price doesn't mean that's what they will get but I'd guess they will get close to that.

They're rare here too. That's why I was originally interested but rare does not necessarily mean valuable.

I'm finding out that many of the parts are hard to find. I have an 86 Honda CRX and I'm in the same boat. I'm a failed distributor away from parting it out. I don't want to get into that with another vehicle.

A friend reconditioned a Helix to superb condition.
He often remarked how so many OEM parts are still available for his old Honda.
The smallest parts....to major ones!
He found a reliable source in Europe....Sweden maybe?
Prices and shipping were quite reasonable.
He did the same with a Rebel.
Parts availability is just another reason to buy a Honda.
O.S.

OK, sounds like you have talked yourself out of it.
I think the seller will find a buyer for it, it looks well priced to me.

It's a very cool looking rare scooter so it's definitely desirable, the 50cc ones go for way more than the equivalent Vespa et2, lx50 here.

I was looking at a motocompo and they sell for a lot, even though it's totally impractical to actually use. I talked myself out of that also, unless the prices come way down, which realistically isn't going to happen.

I found you can get a lot of parts for the motocompo, they are just expensive and in Japan.

If you were to get a Big Ruckus, you would be almost obligated to buy a Pontiac Aztek. It's another of those strange vehicles that are growing in demand and popularity, and they look like they go together.

nope

Mate research a Piaggio hexagon
Absolutely fantastic 😊

Not ever imported into the US.