Modern Vespa

I'm thinking of buying a scooter. Which is a better purchase--Vespa or piaggio? What's the difference?

Piaggio is the manufacturer, Vespa is the model. Depends on what you gonna be doing with it

They both have different names?

Vespa is made by Piaggio, but the name is usually reserved for the scooters with a heritage of the classic Vespa style.

So, either is fine but the question of you want out of a scooter is valid.

Looks.
If you like the classic styling, then Vespa.
If you care for more modern styling, Piaggio.
If you don't care, you're probably good either way.

Then it comes down to what you want to use it for...
Short little trips around the neighborhood? Any scooter will do.
You want to get out on the open roads? 150cc minimum.
You want to get out of the freeways and go fast? Maybe 200cc, in my humble opinion, 250cc and up.

Be careful about the "short little trips around the neighborhood thing." A lot of scooter riders believed this was all they were ever going to do until they got hooked.

Answer yourself that, post your thoughts, and we'll offer up some suggestions.

Good hunting.

I thought that was all I was gonna need too, but now I wish I had something bigger. In my opinion, be sure to get something 150 and up, otherwise you may regret it.

you will want to go bigger as soon as you are used to the 50

I agree. Unless you will onlly use the scooter to go down the road to fetch groceries, 50cc will quickly become 'too slow'. Also if you are in an area with hills you will notice that it lacks power when climbing.

Just make sure you test ride the scooter first the different styles ride totally different. I loved the way the new '09 BV 250 Tourer (Piaggio) rode but bought a GTS 250 Super (Vespa). Good luck!!!

Post pics when you get it!!!!

So true, so true...not that I regret getting the LX 50 so much, but I didn't know what I was really in for, as I had very little riding experience prior to the purchase. She's still ever so much fun but I plan on getting her more "oomph" for next year's riding season. She's a diva - she'll like that.