Modern Vespa

Hello modern vespa- happy to find the forum.

I'm new to riding and scooters, and first in my family to get into it. So I don't know whom to ask. The big question I think is, 'what do I do?'

I've been riding for about 2 years. For a wedding anniversary my partner and I did a motorcycle endorsement class, and since we got the endorsement, we found a 49cc Vespa ET2 (2002?) in good condition and rode it around, and fell in love.

We mostly commute in not-so-difficult roads. About 10 miles with 35mph being the highest speed limit for both of us.

Rode around a lot, had a baby, got back into riding. This is really it, right? We're both feeling the need to go a little faster, just to pass even slower vehicles. We love riding, we're committing to this lifestyle a little more.

We find a Vespa GTS250 in a good condition for sale. This baby has 30,000 miles on it but feels great. We sell the ET2 to a friend and we've been riding the GTS250 for about 3 months now.

So.............. Problem. I have fallen off of that poor thing like every other week. Maybe not like that. But like 5 times now. While standing! Just trying to get it out of the kickstand usually.

Again my commute isn't so bad that nothing bad happens on the road. But I'll park it funny, or underestimate a slope before street parking, and I'll fall trying to get on the road. Fortunately, I've managed to get back up on my own or there's someone to help.

The GTS250 is so much heavier than the 49cc ET2. It feels great riding it, but I can't help but feel the anxiety of 'what happens if I fall?' every day I get on the bike. Riding around the ET2 was so awesome and motivational, while I feel slowly discouraged to ride the GTS250.

It also feels like I am disrespecting the bike! It was in really good condition when we got it, and now it has the super obvious fall marks all over.

Anyway-- I'm not sure what to do. I want to be someone that rides around a cool gigantic Vespa twice my size (I am about 5'3" 120lbs). But I also think I'd be safer and enjoy it more on a smaller bike, but what that doesn't fix this anxiety?

I surely can't be the first person with this question/anxiety about size and falling (while standing still)-- so I wanted to post. Attaching a pic of me and the ET2 for size comparison. My pfp is the GTS250.

Cheers

You are not the only person to have this problem with the heavier bike. I saw a GTS for sale recently, and the reason for sale was that it was too heavy for the seller's wife.

You probably should have stayed with the small frame Vespa (the 50 and the 125/150) models. The 250/300 models are the large frame Vespas.

You will likely get used to the heavier bike over time, but it will take more paying attention when you are trying to balance it that you don't tilt it much over center.

I have a 850lbs bike (in addition to a LX50), and it take a lot of attention at rest to keep it topside up.

I appreciate it. Just knowing that other people do have trouble, and sometimes that means selling the bike, is really comforting. Thanks for your reply!

You'd still look cool and have plenty of power and fun for the riding you describe on a 150 Sprint or Primavera. The size and weight would be much more manageable I think.

To be honest it is like everybody said, the vespa 250 is at least 2 bags of cement heavier to make things simple, sadly unless you go to the gym 3 times a week and transform into Mrs Swarzeneger, this scoot will be to heavy, the scoot has spoken to you a few times, your health and mindset is more important, the 150 like most have said seems to be your limit, but is a very capable scoot.

It was a big jump from the 50cc ET2 to the GTS 250. I don't want to discourage you to the point of selling as the 250 is an excellent machine; you'll never outgrow its' capabilities.

You're likely a bit inseam challenged at 5'3". I would recommend you look into shaving the seat foam down a little bit, and also narrowing the foam in the nose of the seat. Doing these two things will help you reach the ground with a bit more confidence.

You should be able to find a automotive or motorcycle seat specialist in your area. The seat is easily removed from the scoot with a screwdriver.

Selling the GTS & moving down to a 150 should be the last resort, but a really good viable option for you.

A quick google search for "Motorcycle Seat specialist Denver" yielded this as one option...

https://www.mrsidsupholstery.com/custom-upholstery

I'm a woman, 5'4, and I have had a BV which is heavier than your Vespa (and taller!), and now a Suzuki Burgman which is almost 500 lbs but definitely shorter. I'm not big, I'm not tall, not particularly strong either. But, I use the side stand as opposed to the center, for the reasons you stated above. When the bikes are moving, I don't feel the weight, and I suspect you don't either. My suggestions to you are ones that I, myself, have taken.

1. Scooch up the seat to where it's tapered and see if you aren't having an easier time with the height. This helped me a LOT when I was starting to ride it. I had the fear that I got a bike too tall/powerful for me. I was wrong, but it was a learning curve.
2. Get some thick soled shoes to help you feel more supported (I got a pair of Doc Marten boots, sometimes used my RedWings) when you're putting your foot down.
3. Use the sidestand in lieu of the center. I could never get the BV off the center stand by myself.

Maybe you have to sell the bike, but you're not the first small/short rider on a hog, or "hog lite." I think it may just be learning. -My $.02.

Thanks everyone for your replies!! I'm so glad I asked here. Funny you say this. The engine comes and goes seemingly for no reason (the shop couldn't identify anything wrong).

It didn't start on me one morning and was fine, and later that day I fell trying to get it out of the kickstand. That 250 can see the future! Thank you for the seat recommendation! I didn't know this was an option, and will look into it!

Yes!! I really want to keep the 250 forever. Even with it giving me trouble, I can tell it's reliable! Yes!! You get it! I really appreciate you sharing. BV400 looks awesome! I will definitely follow your tips. Thank you

I'm a short, light guy myself, so I can feel your pain.

If it is any consolation, I've dropped my (late) 125cc Sprint once when taking it off the center stand and had a few close calls too. Somehow the Vespa weight distribution is such, or something, that if one makes a mistake when stepping on the foot lever of the center stand, it is quite easy to rock the bike sideways - or loose balance and go down with the bike, like myself

I did not have a side stand, but it for sure sounds tempting.

a 125cc model would weight roughly between a 50cc and 250cc - definitely easier, but mayby still heavy enough not to be much easier with the center stand and slow speed handling. They are as tall as the 250cc ones.

On the positive side - if you feel OK with the bike at speed, that's the more important thing from the safety viewpoint! Keep fine tuning the low speed moves and mayby the center stand use....and if your scoot gets a few more signs of life, it's not the end of the day

Remove the helmet box. It will make the bike feel a lot lighter and manageable.

I was at a shop a few weeks back and there was a woman in there who wanted to sell her GTS300 for a smaller frame bike - it's normal - don't feel bad

Just do what makes you feel safe

you might have jumped to big too fast.

while you have taken a riding class previously on the smaller scooter, you would do well to take a another class refresher on the 250.

also consider getting a 150 for awhile to get use to the power , weight, and size differences from the 50. This way you can ease into the 250 after you gt some more experience on the 150.

you will get the hang of it eventually, I remember when I went from a 600 lb BMW motorcycle to a 900 lb Harley, it felt intimidating at first, but after a few months I could move that thing around the garage like a Vespa.

In the meantime you should invest in the crash bar system to protect the Vespa...

It is widely regarded that the skills from the small bike transfer over to the big bike.

In racing circles not uncommon to practice with small bikes on small dirt tracks to get used to sliding the bike around corners to improve the technique for sliding GP bikes around a road race course as fast as you can go.

By the same token, you can also get really out of shape on a small bike and not actually fall down because it is lighter, because you can save it by holding it up right?

So to put it politely, you're doin it wrong. See the idea is to keep the rubber side down and try to learn the correct techniques for that with the small bike to avoid dropping the big bike.

I really want to stress that almost all of us can become much better drivers/riders if we try. Almost everyone can improve their technique and they really should continuously throughout their driving/riding lives.

In Nevada now young drivers are required to drive with a parent or guardian with a learner's permit as instruction instead of having it done by a professional. One thing I stress over and over with my new young driver is that he will improve dramatically from where he is now skill level driving in just a short few years but please don't stop there.

So many people just get to that basic level and put no more effort in to improve. This is what I think happened with you and the small bike and now the big bike is forcing you to learn.

The good news is that it is all technique and you can do this. You have some work to put in but you are doing the right thing by first asking the question as a vent in this thread.

Anything can be broken down into small enough steps that almost anyone can do it. My favorite real life example of this is being handed a piece of rope in boot camp and step by step the entire platoon follows the direction of the instructor and then we all rappel down a 50 foot wall and nobodies harness comes loose that we all just tied ourselves for the very first time in our lives.

I personally think a deep dive into what goes wrong and what leads up to what goes wrong...trying to retrace the steps that caused you to loose balance? Maybe go back to the smaller bike or even a bicycle to practice?

The idea being to recognize what you are doing wrong and how to correct it may be done by yourself but nothing wrong with coaching either. I would certainly be checking out some youtube videos of the cops riding those big bikes in really tight spots...if they can do it so can you and just copying correct form by watching videos will help right away. I am pretty sure there are instructional videos on how to ride those big bikes too.

We all start somewhere, and we all really should keep trying to learn and get better as we go. You are at the spot where you are being forced to learn to get better at something you like to do. Good for you, you are living life!

Just in case... don't mean to insult you, but do you countersteer when you turn? I've seen novice scooter/bike riders who wobble around thinking they're on a bicycle, and turn the handlebars in the direction they want to go. They sense they're out of control, hit the brakes, and fall over at 2mph. The weight of a scooter is so close to the ground that unless you are really short, anyone ought to be able to handle most situations. Making a U turn on a steep gade not included.

Genuine Scooter Co. Buddy 170i
I hear they are more short leg friendly.

lowering kit for a GTS

rear 2cm:

https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/product/height-reducer-kit-mizu-rear-for-vespa-gts-gts-super-gtv-gt-60-gt-gt-l-125-300ccm_MV3025003

front 0.7mm:

https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/product/shock-absorber-base-plate-sip-performance-front-273693-601556-for-vespa-gts-gts-super-gtv-gt-60-gt-gt-l-125-300ccm-4t-lc_MV273694

Agree with all of these recommendations. I am a very petite person, 5'2", 105 lbs, but also a runner and very physically fit. I knew I could not get a 50cc Vespa because of the hills I live on and the speed I needed to ride for my commute. I debated getting a 125/150 cc Vespa, but once I researched, the height is no different and the weight wasn't much more. I went with the 250cc so that I wouldn't have to or want to upgrade later. I purposely found a previously wrecked one, so I had less concern if I tipped it, plus I figured it would give me something to work on.
So, I guess what I am saying, is think through how much you really want the 250 before you decide to get rid of it and want to upgrade again. The tips above are great, I did not need to do any adjustments. I just spent a lot fo time practicing getting the bike on/off the stand and pushing it around on a flat surface until I got more and more comfortable. Strengthening your core probably helps, but more so, having the right attitude and a mantra- "I can do this just like any other women" might get you over the fear!
Good luck

I got an LX50 for my wife, and to be able to keep up with her, I got a Yamaha Vino 125. We've been riding for 3 years, and I'm the one who has fallen twice. Not because the Vino is so heavy, it's not, it's lighter than the LX50, but dumb stuff.

I just bought a 2015 GTS 300 because Vespa Envy got to me. I noticed the additional weight right a way, but adapted quickly. It has no kick stand, center stand only, so getting it off the stand is no big deal. But the guy I got it from said he got it for his daughter who dropped it in a very slow move around a corner, and it scared her off.

Clearly heavier bikes with lighter riders is a problem, but one you can learn your way out of. And it's not the only cause for drop. So wear your armour, etc. But also, the additional power and speed is actually both a hazard and additional safety. Slow tiny things are not seen as well and can get it, faster things pacing with traffic are probably a bit better.

My wife is also 5'3". We both ride. She tried a GTS 250 but could never get comfortable with the weight or seat height. She has happily been riding a 125/150 for 17 years now.