Modern Vespa

Thanks everyone for their input! he ended up getting a good deal on a Burgman 400 - hope he likes it!


So after spending the last 8 years riding a Harley Ultra Classic (the biggest of Harleys), he's sold his Harley and I've convinced him to buy a Vespa to scoot around town on. So here's the question - should he get a GT or a GTS? and, how much should he pay for a used one in great shape. So here's what you need to know:

-he lives in Florida
-he's 65 years young
-he's going to use it to cruise from the house to the golf course (very short ride)
-maybe he'll go to the convenience store/home depot/random errands
-he'll never go on a highway
-he'll never use it for a long ride
-Yes - he could probably get away with an ET but he wants something a bit bigger - I agree with him.

So let's here what everyone thinks - I'll pass this along to him to see your thoughts. By the way - if you have other scooter suggestions - MP3 etc., let me know.

at 65 he should know better--to say "never". Things and perceptions change once you own a Vespa.

From where he is coming, I will only say two, no, three things:

It is about time

Get the Gts

Congratulations!

Good for him. I am 65 and really like my GTS 250 and use it about the same way that your dad indicates he will use his. But tell him to get something with a bit more capability than he currently thinks he will use because there is no such thing as "never."

Everyone's going to like the scooter they own, best.

I have an ET and a GTS and I think he would probably be best suited with a GT - taking into consideration $$/use etc. If he could get a GTS for $500 or so more, I'd say he should get the GTS, otherwise....

I have a GT. It works great for what I need it for and I've taken it on the highway, several times. Gets up to about 70 without problem and I'm a big guy.

...........tell him to get a GTS!

my vote goes to GTS 8)

I vote for the GTS. I was 60 when I got my 2008 GTS and basically use it for similar things that he plans to use it for. Coming down from a big old Harley, I am sure he will appreciate the extra 50 cc of "fun".

Good luck to him.

Dale

If he's mechanically inclined go for the GT. The carb will be more fun than the fuel injection for a shade tree mechanic. If he doesn't want to be bothered wrenching himself a GTS would be my first choice, with the GT a very close second.


Regards
Harvey

Get your dad to try the gts, he'll love it.
It's the best scooter i've brought so far.
There fun, fun, fun.

yeah, he rode mine - he liked it but I really don't think you can know how much you are truly going to enjoy it until you have it - it's probably my favorite toy!

Harley's are showy & loud.So to kinda match,he will need the Super 300 with an aftermarket exhaust.I know he will have to wait on the 300 but hey you want your Dad happy.

I'm 59, also reformed motorcyclist, and I bought a GTS.
Now I see that anything smaller would have made me very unhappy!
Accustomed to the wild acceleration of a motorcycle, anything slower would have been a dissapointment!
Also it has the size to accomodate these old bones. 12 inch wheels and good handling.
Juan

just to throw something into the mix - how about a Burgman 400 or a GTS?

Two completely different animals. The Burger is more a small-displacement motorcycle that is also a step-through (like a scooter). It's larger, has bigger tires, and weighs more. Thus, it will lack the "flickability" that so many find desirable in the smaller-wheeled scooters like Vespas.

If I were planning on riding across the U.S., and I had to choose between those 2, it'd be the Burgman - hands down (no disrespect to our recent Canonballers!). For going back and forth to the golf course, convenience store, or coffee shop, there is no better way to go than by Vespa.

I'm a long time Harley rider, but at 65 I decided to add a GTS. I'm having more fun riding the scoot than the V-Rod - in fact it's for sale! I started in 1957 with a Vespa and the "vintage" GT60 got me. Just haaaad to have one. 8)

+1 Yes, I was thinking along those lines too.

Thanks for the input - what about pricing - assuming he'll buy used in Florida - what should he pay for a GT? a GTS?

Has he considered...an MP3?

my vote would be for him to go do some test rides. ride the gt and gts and the mp3's all of them then make a choice.

At this point, I think he'd be happy with any of the above - we just want to find the right deal. It looks like there are a bunch of GT-200s out there and they can be bought at pretty good numbers.

Can anyone give us an idea of a fair range for a price of a GT? under 5,000 miles... what about as compared to a GTS?

Thanks.

The GTS can do everything the ET can do, and more.

He can actually go on the highway, if he wants to. It's a lot more comfortable, and stable than the smaller bike. Some say that makes it less fun, but I disagree.

He can deck it out with tons of chrome, and still relate to the Harley crowd. In fact, I get lots of Harley guys who like my GTS because they are attracted to chrome like moths to a bug zapper.

Btw, I bought it used this way with only 200 miles on it, and at a price you would not believe. I did not go hog wild with the chrome, but have learned to like the functionality of all the racks.

GTS and get the topcase for all the stuff he's going to be carrying on it.

I love my scooter, It takes me to
places the car can not, brings my
chair along too. He turned one yr
old a week or soo ago.
Yardsale 8)

GTS, I have one. Great ride and I am 245lbs. Just in case...I have a yellow one for sale. Brand new (56 miles).

Randy

The GT200's carburetor slide needle can be easily shimmed to smooth out the leanness and add some low end punch. It still won't run as strong as the EFI GTS250, but good enough.

I'm an ex-motorcyclist too, just turned 70, and I had a choice of either a new EFI 2007 GTS, or the time-tested 2007 carbed GT... And I went with the less expensive new GT, and have never been sorry! It's acceleration and top speed are almost on a par with the GTS, and it's a bit lighter too..

I would suspect you might be able to get a good condition GT with under or around 5K miles for maybe about $4K? A good used GTS (if you can find one?) I'm guessing would probably run about $1K more..? 8)

One thing tho; if your dad's very used to riding MCs, I would put the accessory sidestand on the GT, if it doesn't already have one... It takes a while for us old bikers to get used to dismounting and holding the scoot at the same time while having only a centerstand to put it up on! This balancing act while using the centerstand does becomes very natural after a while, but in the beginning it's a great security blanket to have that sidestand (even if it is spring-loaded to retract when weight is lifted off it..!).