Modern Vespa

First time poster here. I've been reading this board for a while now, and it's been very informative. I am planning to buy either a scooter or a motorcycle in the next few weeks -- if it's a scooter it will definitely be a Vespa (assuming I can find one from a dealer) and I'll definitely start posting here more often.

However, I have never ridden a motorcycle or a scooter in the rain. If and when I do buy a two-wheeler, it will be necessary for me to ride it in the rain occasionally.

I had a question for those of you who have ridden both motorcycles and scooters in the rain: does one handle rain better than the other? My commute is less than 10 miles on relatively flat terrain, and it involves no freeway/highway driving. (I did a few searches but I couldn't find a thread or post that was on point with my question. I have read several posts on how Vespa's are fine in the rain, just wondering if they're better/worse than motorcycles.)

Thanks in advance.

I have found my motorcycle handles much better in the rain.

Cheers
Blake

Get a scooter and a rain bike like the Trek Portland. I commuted by bike most of 07 on the Portland in Portland and it worked out great!

Out of the 2 I stay dryer on the scooter. The use of a pancho and leg shields nice. Also pancho keep my back pack dry. MC can not use same gear.

Hint: Bungee the poncho around your waist. I had one blow up over my helmet in a rainstorm at 45 or so MPH.

The Vespa protects me from road splatter because of the shield that I keep thinking is called the "cowl." I could be wrong. I also have more storage on the Vespa than I would a motorcycle at a comparable price.

The cowl is on the side. The front is the leg shield.

In the rain the scooter will keep you dryer (unless you have a big fairing on the bike). I'd rather have the motorcycle as the larger wheel would mean a larger contact patch with the ground.

Don't forget about big wheeled scooters (Kymco, Piaggio, Aprilia)...

This looks like it would be perfect for a ride in the rain.


A BMW C1 would be nice too.

I just got in from riding my GTS in the rain and I'm not really *that* wet. The scooters leg shield really does protect you good. My buddy didn't ride tonight because he didn't want to get wet leg from riding his MC. He met me in his car at the place we were going.

As for which handles better.. I've only ridden a scooter, so I'm not sure, but the scooter is fine as long as you don't do anything silly, like gunning the throttle when the light turns green or cafe racing around corners.

I ride every day rain or shine without a second thought.

I have ridden both and it's great having the leg sheild on the Vespa as it does keep you dry. I commute 20 miles each way and18 of that is freeway, I have never had traction probems and highly recommend the GT for Rain riding, although it all depends on the rider.

If nothing else it's a free rinse and a shower just get good rain gear.

was caught in a huge downpour on Saturday with the PX - I was drenched and spent 30 minutes under a gas station awning trying to avoid more soakyness. Anyways, not sure if a scoot would do any better then an MC or vice versa but the tires on the PX are so not the crappy Savas that I have on the GTV. Tire's really do make a difference on the wet pavement and will be making some changes soon.

This post drifted away from your question.
I'm not an expert on this subject and I've never lost traction in the rain. But, I feel more confident on the motorcycle. Bigger wheels, slightly deeper tread, control of RPM...and ABS.

RPM control is a tangible advantage of a shifting motorcycle. My Burgman 650 has ferocious engine braking, so I stay away from edge-of-traction maneuvers in the rain. The Vespa's engine braking is much more benign, but, still, I prefer the absolute control of a shifter with a clutch.

Vespas in the US don't come with ABS.[/i]

I actually prefer my Vespa went through a hurricane weather going from Atlanta, GA to Desoto State park in Mentone, AL, well I think the only hurricane that hit the US last year.

Riding the scoot I got less wet but the small tires felt much more squirrely than on the cycles.

I like the fact that the Scooter has a place to stow rain gear. If you ask me, it's the better vehicle for a commute like you described. You'd have to get panniers or a fairly large top case on your motorcycle for it to have the same degree of functionality as the scooter.

IMO the statement above settles the choice for the Vespa. The Vespa is more than capable and secure in wet weather, as the last autumn and winter proved to yours truly.

Riding in the rain requires somewhat different attitude anyways, and you'll have to be careful on corners, over painted road marks on the asphalt and such, despite the fact if the two wheeled one is a scoot or a motorcycle.

To have a pleasant motorcycle for commuting, with a good driving position, you'll end with a Kawa ER-6 or similar, which is overkill nonetheless for town/commuting.

My Vespa has made my commuting so fun and practical, that I've sold my Ducati Monster.

Did anyone mentioned line splitting? 8)
Not that I'd encourage anybody to do so, but with the Vespa it feels easier/2nd nature.

MP3!

MKR
Messerschmitt Kabinen Roller 8)

I have ridden motorcycles and scooters almost everyday for just about ten years and scooters beat every motorcycle that I have had personal experience with in the rain hands down. The biggest thing for me is getting my shoes wet. Every motorcycle I have ever had soaked my shoes if there was any dampness on the road and once shoes are soaked they take forever to dry. While a scooter keeps my shoes dry in everything up to a prolonged ride in stop in go traffic during a downpour. A small scooter without a windshield has more weather protection than the vast majority of motorcycles. And even a small scooter has a rainproof trunk in which to keep a spare set of shoes and clothes or a rainsuit. Also scooters have a lower center of gravity than motorcycles so if your tires slide on a spot of oil and water it is much easier to recover balance. At intersections a light rain brings all the oil to the surface and it becomes like ice, in that situation with a motorcycle you have to be very careful with the gas and clutch so as not to do an accidental doughnut. With an automatic scooter starting off in difficult situations is much easier. Hope this helps.

I've had 3 motorcycles, the last one a Kawasaki Voyager XII (full dress, sort of like a Gold Wing). My LX150 (besides being a whole lot more fun) keeps me lots drier, as long as I'm moving at a pretty good clip, like 30 mph or more. I have a mid-height Faco windshield, so all that gets wet is my helmet. Feet get wet on a MC, no matter what. In stop and go stuff, a rainsuit is a necessity--the leg shield and windshield lose their effectiveness as soon as I slow down.

I think the traction is similar, so long as the tires are good on both vehicles--the patch on a motorcycle isn't significantly greater than the patch on a scooter. The scooter has a little lower center of gravity, although not much compared to the Kaw--it has the lowest CG of any large MC. So stability is no better nor no worse on one or the other.

Cary

Scooter all the way.
1) The leg shield protects your legs and feet from most splatter and light rain. However with heavy rain, I do find that my thighs get wet so:

2) you can wear a scooter skirt! I'm going to buy this one I think for the wet thighs issue:

3) More storage. You have someplace to actually store your rain gear!



I'm a year round Pacific NW scooterist too, btw. I've noticed that the change in seasons mostly effects the number of motorcycles parked on/near campus, not the number of modern scooters. (The number of old scooters and chinese scooters has also gone up with warm weather, but I still see the same kymcos and vespas as I did in the rainy season!)

[quote="IndieJones"]Scooter all the way.
1) The leg shield protects your legs and feet from most splatter and light rain. However with heavy rain, I do find that my thighs get wet so:
quote]

Vespa brand.

I dunno, the Vespa seems more like a serious riding tool than any of my motorcycles. Something honest about it. Sorted out. We ride them for fun but realistically they come with more storage and protection than most the vast array of motorcycles out there today.

Wet feet tend to get numb once they're too cold. Cold feet tend to make the rest of the rider feel cold. You can avert this much longer on a scooter than on a motorcycle.

I don't notice a difference of traction between the two designs but maybe I'm not the right guy to give opinion on that. I ride very cautiously in the rain on either style.

Logically, other than the two wheeled Honda Accord, it makes more sense to ride the machine with better weather protection if weather is going to be an issue. The scooter wins for rain riding and even the motorcycloe enthusiasts admit it.

I took a long ride in the rain soon after getting my LX150. I was going about fifty five-ish and only when I looked down at my feet did a stream of water run down the front of my helmet and into my lap. I would have remained damp but not uncomfortably wet until I slowed way down otherwise.

Let that be a lesson to me.

Harv

Get good rain gear. Ride the bike you want to ride.
I wouldnt choose a vehicle based on the off chance that I would meet some rain. The bike you are comfortable with day in, day out in good conditions is the bike you know best, and therefore is the safest under any condition.

Frog toggs are good inexpensive rain gear. If you are fabulously well to do the go with the aerostich stuff. I feel much more stable on a motorcycle than I do on a scooter in the rain, especially at speed. But I have never melted my rain gear on a scooter exhaust.

Get the one that speaks to ya, which ever it may be. And keep a close eye on your tread depth and tire pressure, as that is of tantamount importance for handling in all conditions on all scooters/motorcycles.

Thanks to everyone who replied. The response to my questions far exceeded my expectations. I was more concerned about the bikes' tractions in the rain rather than the dryness of the rider, but it was great to hear about both topics.

It seems like the low center of gravity aspect of the scooter is a huge benefit, as maydaverave suggested. The point pointpergame raised about the advantage a motorcycle has with engine braking makes sense, but I plan to drive like a complete wimp in the rain, so I'm not sure if I'll need to assistance of an engine brake that often.

Everyone's posts gave me plenty to think about. Regardless of what kind of bike I get, I'll be sure to (a) buy the proper rain gear and (b) upgrade the stock tires.

Thanks again!

obtw, to those who suggested I get an MP3, I'd love to consider it, but I can't find any out here and the dealers I've spoken to said I probably couldn't get one until the fall, which is a bit too long for me to wait.

Scooters are easier to clean than motorcycles.

If you're into that sort of thing...

Does it really matter???

MSF says, rain and fog - try and wait it out.

Too many variables to say one against the other.
That is to say, drizzle, light rain, torrential downpour, rain slicked oil tracks, etc, etc.

Not to be critical, but kind of a dumb question, eh what???

Dude, you only ride in the summer on dry days?

In the Pacific NW, we get hardly any snow or super cold temps so it's totally possible to ride year round. But it rains 6-8 months out of the year. So no freaking way are we going to be waiting out rain and commuting on our scooters. Sure if there's a sudden downpour or the first rain in a bit, I'll go get myself a coffee or check my email before heading home, but otherwise there's no point in waiting since I could be waiting for a month for the roads to dry out long enough to scoot home!

I've never once had any traction problems on my scooter. The thing has better grip than my front-wheel drive car! Granted I do have an Aprilia Sportcity which has much bigger tires than a Vespa, but I see Vespas out in the rain all the time. The rain and rough roads is what tipped the scales on big-wheel scoot versus small wheel scoot for me.

they both blow while it rains, but I love the steaming roads and smell while riding afterward. One of the many pleasures of the two wheel experience during summer riding. And winter riding has its own pleasures and hazards

Buy the Vespa--you and the rest of us know that's what you really want.

Motorcycle tires will have a larger contact patch, but on the other hand they weigh more. Some of them have much larger brake discs, which means better stopping when wet (or more skidding, if you grab).

Overall, I think my Ducati Monster has a small advantage over the LX 150 in the rain.

There's also the visibility issue. Drivers act half-blind in the rain, so if I'm on a PTW I want it to be biggest, most visible one I have.

Motorcycle is much better and it is not even close. I love my scooter but the bike has larger tires and better stability in the rain. I wear my motorcycle boots so getting my shoes wet is a non-issue.

That's why a scooter like the sportcity or kymco people is the best of both worlds. They're scooters with motorcycle sized wheels. Plus they both tend to be taller so you're more visible. My head is above most car roofs, and my eyes are level with the eyes of most suv and truck drivers. With bright colors and retro-reflective trim on my jacket and helmet, I've never yet had any trouble with being visible to cagers. The only time I haven't been seen by a cager is when they turn onto my street without ever bothering to look at oncoming traffic, which thankfully is pretty easy to spot on my part.

I agree that those scooter are better than most but my brakes on my motorcycle are ABS and the adjustable suspension makes the motorcycle much safer in the turns.

Don't have a motorcycle, but after commuting last winter,
I can report that Bogart does do pretty well in the rain
(and looks good while doing it--
his graphite black with reflective decal combo is particularly striking in the rain)

The small tires are a big issue, however
You need to be really alert for wet debris on the road, one wet leaf could take you down

And if it starts to snow... park the scooter and walk!
Please see Winter Commuter Exasperation! for such adventures