Modern Vespa

Background which informs the following comments: I've ridden bicycles since I was a child. I've driven cars, manual and automatic, for over twenty years (yeah, I know, big deal). Before this week, I've never driven anything with a motor and less than four wheels, so this is all new.

Riding a cycle or scooter is both very familiar and utterly alien to my bicycling nature. On my bike, I sit more-or-less upright, legs extending down; lean forwards into the handlebars; balance, pedal and steer. It's how I imagine riding the world's lightest thinnest laziest horse might work. Given I'm 6'5" and 160lbs, we're well matched, at least in the light-and-thin dimensions.

The MP3 is an entirely different animal. One realm is posture. The seat is only about 18" above the footbed, even though it's probably more like 24-28" above the actual ground. My feet aren't much further from the ground than they were on my bike, but the rest of me is much closer to both the ground and my feet than I'm used to sitting.

Second is center-of-gravity and mass distribution. I'm taller and more massive than my bike (naturally). By contrast, I'm about a third of the weight of my scooter, just a hair taller than it is long, and it's broader than I am. (Its body is a little over two feet from side to side, and I'm a little less.) I actually feel kind of tiny by comparison, even though I have one thing it really doesn't: height. When I sit down on the scoot, I sit down, and the machine benevolently permits my presence: I'm sure as hell not bulky enough to disturb it if it doesn't feel like going anywhere. God forbid any part of me ever gets stuck between it and unchecked gravity.

As for my anthropomorphic-but-like-animals tendencies, it stands up more or less by itself when at rest (if you tell it to). When you turn the throttle towards you, it goes and you take over balance. When you turn the throttle a little more, it goes. (You've got control of mass and momentum in a way that you don't ever have in a car, because TEH CAR EETS YUU when you drive one. The MP3, on the other hand, is a barrel-chested little marvel of modern engineering that you ride on, not in.) I could be all pop-culture-referential and say I imagine it's like riding a worg or Battle Cat, but it's not. It's long and kinda squat, and neither wolves nor big cats usually get the "squat" adjective. A bike is a lazy horse to me, but my scoot is much more like riding a post-apocalyptic super-mutant armored weiner dog with an utterly compliant disposition.

I'm sure it's possible to make it lose its traction in good conditions, but I will also say that you'd have to work at it. "Ridiculously sure-footed" would be apt, even though I've hardly tried to test it. But with the center of gravity so low and so (relatively) well-supported by the triangular wheelbase, even as an utter novice I feel I can ask it to maneuver pretty radically without much fear of falling over. The 50cc two-wheelers I tried yesterday are superficially comparable, but not in depth - because the third wheel, extra mass, and the bigger engine that drive it make a huge difference.

Now it gets to sit in the garage for at least the next four days while I take my MSF course. I'll be back with more to say once I'm driving it again.

Anyone else want to share?

Bloody good post. I predict you have a new addiction.

That's what I'm talkin' bout!

Congrats Ebongreen, you use to be all talk, now you're no walk

I could tell you were a #1 draft choice and it's showing

See you in the funny papers!

I can't wait to hear your next post. Please keep'em coming. I found your comments vividly helpful. I get my scoot next week. I take the MSF course Sept 4th. I've never riden a bike or scoot, so it's all new to me. I'm a short, 58 year old female who fell in love with it, without knowing anything about it or how to ride. I'm hoping I'm up to it. I better be I own one now. I'm quick and agile with excellent balance that has to be enough. With everyone's help I'll have to time of my life.
Your comments took me for a ride. Thanks so much. Please post again.
Cheers.....jacq

Dead on traget! Ebongreen, you and I must be fairly much the same vintage with similar sought of experances and body wise if you were to be squash you down to only 5'10" - 5'11" you would still not be as broad set as I(Nice way of saying Fat with out saying it....!!! Dam I did say it) .

I turned 40 in Feb got the licence and got the 250 in March and prior to that I never ridden anything else other then a pushbike, car, truck, or a boat. So I had much the same findings as you.

I found the MP3 to be the Goods! It helps the rider develop an health respect for riding. and Give them the needed confirdence to get back in the saddle each day. As I said Respect not fear.

A good review that is on the money and is linked to some accurate but funny 80's images.

Thanks, I now know I'm not the only one out there!!!!

Thanks for the encouragement; I'm glad you feel it's an accurate description.

You must feel a little different though when you ride relative to my experience - if you're shorter and broader, is the scoot more "your size" than it is for me? Do you feel your visual perspective shift as radically as mine does? For me, the seating is a little cramped, and I'm interested in additional height on the front mount - how does it fit you overall?

I find that I must just be on the edge for fit. Most of the time it is great but once in a while I think may a little move room would be good. But that is rear.

Overall fit is firm not tight. I find that sadly my centre of gravity is lower then expected and that goes in my favour. As you said the MP3 250 all ready has a low centre so we are faily much alined in that.
As to visual perspective shift, I'm unsure of what you mean.

I find that my scaning is wide & broad by active choice. As other wise it would very easy to stay screen centric as the scoot is a fairly comfortable ride. I know that I have to watch the blind spots and that is the hardiest to do, Wind buffeting does make you awear of what you are doing and but it no more on an issue then in any other open vehicle.

I find that I tend to hunch over if I let my concentration slip this I feel is due to the low screen & not the Centre of gravity. I activly position myself in more of an upright cruser type position which is better for an Old Solider with the acording body wear, then any other position. I think this will be made easier if I were to move to midsize after market Screen.

Don't get the idea that I'm realy F#%T I would say I'm more solid to look at me, I'm still activly in the green so I do have to maitain my mass! So based on this I would say that our ride would be similar other then the extra leg room that I only feel every so oftern.

I hope this give you an insight.