Modern Vespa

OK, I have definitely caught the "bug" and just love scootering. I am buying property in Northern Ontario (to build a summer cottage) so that I can "get away from it all here in the British Virgin islands" ... and I would like something to toodle around on, aside from using the car.

I am really taken by the trikes and as the roads to most of the areas I am looking at are more than a little dicey, I am considering a trike.

What is the coolest trike you have ever seen that if money were no object, you would buy for yourself?

By trike I assume you mean a rigid three wheeler with the two wheels on the rear. The three wheeled ATVs have largely disappeared because they were very dangerous. A good sneeze would roll them over. There were lots of broken backs and necks, especially among the very young kids that were allowed to ride them. The Harley type trikes would do poorly on rough roads, they are highway machines. That brings you down to the fourwheel ATVs. Most places won't allow them to be licensed for over the road use, but if you will stay off the roads they are fine.

My choice would be an enduro motorcycle, about 125 to 250cc. They are OK on the road and do very well in the rough. Learn to ride if off-road, its a very different skill set.

Actually, riding anywhere in the BVI is pretty much like riding "off road" ... but up in Northern Ontario, my riding will be for different purposes than for here. It will mostly be for carting groceries in and out and although I have no problem on rough roads, I would like to be able to enjoy the ride and not necessarily have to concentrate every single second if I am the only person around and want to do a little rubber necking every now and again.

I saw a link to a trike this morning in another thread http://www.automaticmotorcycles.com/0eight/Ridley_8B.htm which looks very cool but a lot more power than I would ever need. Surely there is "something" out there which would be suitable for country roads?

I think you would be beating up a really pretty trike on gravel and dirt roads. For hauling groceries I would look for an APE from Vespa or similar from India or China. There is a place in Florida marketing one from China that looks like a three wheel pick-up truck (www.trifun.com) . The very thing!