Modern Vespa

I've always been a motorcycle guy until I got my ET4...I am now a convert and one of the things I like about my scooter is the fact that it goes fast enough to keep up with traffic but not fast enough to encourage me to drive it like a motorcycle. From a safety and comfort level standpoint I don't really like to drive it over 45mph...how fast do other MVers drive? Also what's the appeal of the larger cc Vespa models?

Agreed. 50mph max on an ET4 was just beginning to feel uncomfortable for me. Perhaps a little bit more on an LX.

GTS feels really comfortable at 50 and still feels comfy at 65. It can do a lot more... but this sort of speed feels just right. Vespas aren't really designed for cross country, more a sort of urban pocket rocket.

the ability to safely go on the interstates and keep up with traffic and not be a slow moving hazard.

I'm 70 mph nearly everyday on my GTS, sometimes a wee bit faster.
Even 75 mph is OK, I start to get a bit uncomfortable after that.

I've never hit the rev limiter even at indicated 80mph - but I know many here was ridden a GTS WOT.

This is my first PTW, and I chose the the 250 to be able to keep up with traffic and ride 2-up with power to spare. On my 8 mile ride to work, the slowest road is posted 35, and the others are 45 and 50. If I take the long way, I ride a posted 55 route. I typically ride about 5 mph faster than posted (speedo error accounted for, so indicating 10 over). That's basically what the flow is doing. A couple of times on the multi-lane roads when a car was driving too slowly and things were getting jammed up, I liked that the scoot had enough pep to just zip out and away from a bunch of edgy cagers. I chose the GTS for its look, fit, and performance. I've been on the highway only once, got to 85 indicated, and there was more throttle to go. I think for any long highway riding, I'd prefer a larger motorcycle for comfort. But for the area I'm in, the GTS is great, as I am frequently in the 45 - 55 range.

Yeah I have a bit of 60 mph "freeway" to deal with on my commute into the centre and the GTS copes with this far better than the LX.

I ride my ET4s WOT whenever i get the chance - top speed for the pre-leader is about 65-67mph. they're not terribly stable at that speed, however, and if there are strong crosswinds on the motorway it can be slightly hair-raising.

I ride it bouncing off the rev limiter when the roads allow aorund 96 on the clock prob more like 86 though.

And yes that is MPH

I have a GTS and I usually coast at 50-55 mph comfortably.. But every once and awhile for kicks ill get it up to 70.. doesn't feel shaky or weird at all...


I went for the bigger scooter because i knew I would be wanting more power after having a smaller one for a lil bit...

Feels much safer if I need to get up and go!!!!

Whatever speed the car in front of me is going.

What do you do if you can't keep up?

Not sure how accurate it is but my speedo has been between 100km/hr and 110km/hr. With what seemed like a little room at the end if I wanted a little more. I think that is around 65mph. All seemed well...

I turn around and go home, sulking the whole way.

grappling hook around the tail fin and hold on for dear life???

I like the GT's sweet spot, which on mine is right around 55-65 MPH. I'll use more for passing, but IMO it just doesn't ride as comfortable at 75+ MPH speeds...

OTOH, my lil' 125cc Buddy LX-eater seems perfectly content at it's rated top speed of 67 MPH..!

I've ridden with a friend who's on his (my old) 750cc Honda, and as long as we stay reasonably around the local speed limits either of my scoots does just fine with acceleration and keeping up! 8)
(Just as long as he doesn't decide to really twist that throttle, which on a 750cc can mean 130+!!)

Along the lines of Michael J. Fox's character in the first Back to the Future.

I thought i would of figured out what WOT means by now but still not exactly sure...duh! something to do with at full throttle maybe?

I ride my scoot pretty comfortably at 50mph on occasion but usually keep it at around 40mph.....I would think that the bigger cc like the gts 300 would be perfect when traveling out of town and even better for blowing people away at the traffic lights innercity!

Wide Open Throttle.

WOT = Wide Open Throttle. You had the right idea.

cool 8) Thanks to modern vespa im becoming less of a newbie day by day

When I'm not worried about speeding on the low-speed streets around town, I just ride the 150 at a perfectly comfortable (for me) speed. When I glance down at the speedo, that's about 45-50. Seems to be a natural speed for the LX, though it will obviously do 15 or so more.

Just did the ride to third coast rally from Austin to San Antonio on back roads on my S150. Felt perfectly comfortble cruising at an indicated 55-60. I often have to slow down around town when I see my speedo at 50 in 35 mph zones.

I live in a small town (6000 pop.) and most of my riding is 30-40mph, but about once a week I take the LX150 out of town and run WOT for a couple miles, "to blow the soot out of it" That is anywhere from 50 to 65, depending on the terrain. I'm still in the "break in period" (about 325 miles on it), so it might go faster after the engine loosens up a little.

My LXV feels real nice and happy cruisin at 50mph which conveniently is the speed limit for the expressway I take to work. I take it up to 55-60 now and then. It does fine but I don't feel quite as comfortable as 50 mph.

WOT = WFO with less screaming.

I ride as fast as I can until something breaks.

WOT between 65 to 70 mph
Cruise around 60 most of the time

That says it all for why I got my 200cc. On the interstate it rides best at 65mph OR 75 mph. not as sweet at 70, which I find strange. I've had it to 80 (and yes, the spedom. has been checked and it's correct) but got scared so backed off before getting it to top speed. I have the large windshield and that has smoothed out the ride to the point where I get very little buffiting from big trucks or wind.

My motorcycle group I ride with is really impressed with how well I keep up.

However..... since my wreck I'm gun shy. Did ride the interstate today at 65 but didn't really enjoy it. More comfortable now at the slower speeds on the reg. streets.

55-65 mph. The LX 150 seems very stable to me. More flickable than my motorcycles which now feel cumbersome in comparison. Though its not an expressway bike I can easily find roads I'd enjoy a lot more to get where I'm going. Might take longer, but the point is the ride anyway.

Harv

My wife and I like to ride our LX150s at 30-40mph on seldom travelled country roads. We scoot to enjoy the ride and the scenery. We usually dont have a particular destination. If we do have to go to a particular place we will ride fast enough to keep up with or stay ahead of traffic. I had a 1600cc Kawasaki Nomad that is built for cross country highway trips and could easily do 100mph. It was a great bike but I have no desire to ride on the highway and prefer the quiet back roads, hence the switch to scooters.

+1

The ability to put a huge smile on your face at 60 plus MPH.
and lookin good doing it...LOL

I prefer WFO ( wide F***in Open ) LOL 8)

I find a slower car...or a Harley

I have to take my GT up to 70 (GPS) every morning on the posted 60 MPH freeway to flow with traffic. It does fine and now, after 3 seasons of riding I'm finally comfortable with it. However; I'd much prefer the back highways following a river west of the twin cities at 55 - 60 MPH. Even a curvy 35 is better than 70 on the freeway. These things were made for fun, not for power.

I ride WOT (top speed 68 mph per GPS) most everywhere, but as with everything you need to get comfortable with the bike. I was riding motorcycles for 15 years, went without for 20 years, then got my scooter. It took about 6 months of riding 2-3 times a week before I got real comfortable all the time. And the more you ride at higher speeds the more comfortable you get. We rode 320 miles on day at Amerivespa this past summer, and now I feel REALLY comfortable ALL the time. Long, Fast rides are really my favorite way to travel.....Just my opinion.

I have to be able to dodge bears, rattlesnakes and mountain lions, so I need to do a predictable minimum 40 mph. I also need to swerve around them when they sit down in the middle of the road or get squashed by SUV monster trucks. The GTS wheels are just the right size for this and the floorboard protects me from the venom and the smelly gook in the skunk roadkill.

WOT whenever possible. Most of the time split between city/residential and freeway so either doing 35/40 mph or 70/75 mph. This is my first scooter and the smallest engine of any bike I ever owned. I am really quite shocked at how smooth and comfortable the GT200 is at all speeds. Can' wait to try out the GTS250. I will hopefully get another Sportster or Triumph 650 someday but would surely never give up the scooter. Way too much fun.

John

Haven't gone over 50 mph yet, but I must say, the P2 is a bit more comfortable at 40 or 45 than it is at 25. Side winds seem to catch it much more on bridges at slower speeds than at higher ones.

+1