Modern Vespa

I am planning on buying a new Vespa Fly next week... but I saw this ad online tonight, a red 2006 Piaggio Vespa Fly 150 with 6061 miles on it for 1'530$. It seems like a great deal... but I am incredibly afraid of spending over 1k on something that could be a scam!

well its not a vespa

it is a piaggio
piaggio is parent company and they make the Fly and also the Vespa

Piaggio Vespa fly is like saying Ford Taurus Mustang. 2 different models from same company.

the Fly 150 shares the same motor as the Vespa 150 and Derbi 150. so in that sense they are all vespas

Oh well sue me lol so is it a ad idea to by this scooter?

I have the LT 150 which is almost like the fly. LT was made in italy and the fly in china at the piaggio plant.Price seems a little high. I would go check it out with cash in hand and see if they'll come down a few hundred bucks. Now if they have put extras like a topcase etc the price is alright. Be sure to see if they have done all the maintenance on it and do a check for dents,cracks and scratches on the body. If they didn't do the maintenance or you have some body damage ask for a discount. I was going to say make sure you get the brown key which you'll need for the CDI unit but i don't know if the fly has one. If there is a blinking red light on the dash you need a brown key. I bought my LT second hand and all is well with it. You can get some good deals on CL but you have to also be careful. Go for it if that's the scooter you want. Good luck and hope this helps.

An '06 Fly should be Italian made.

Buy it. It's not a freakin condo, just a scooter.

i thought it was an '08. JLB is right and you do need the brown key.

Is there someone you can hook up with to inspect and negotiate with Seller...remember it is "buyer beware" / "buyer be safe"...there's a lot of things you need to be cognizant of to make an education decision.

Take someone with you...no going it alone.

Do not bring cash with you when meeting up with seller...prior to meeting with seller you should secure all the pertinent information and let them know you want this if you should be cutting a cashier's check for the sale...again do not bring cash!

Make sure seller has Title of Ownership, Registration papers (check their I.D.).

Ask and check service records.

If you decide to purchase make sure you have a Bill of Sale that you both sign and then make sure you complete the Transfer of Ownership @ DMV.

Well, when your 16 1'500$ is a pretty large amount of money

If it isn't a good deal, I would rather just buy me a new one that will last me longer and come with a warranty/ease of mind!

New doesn't mean good.

Check this out.

http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/1284975981.html

The scooter you should buy is in Denver, and it's a 2003 LT-150, like the one I own.

It's the same 150cc Leader motor in the ET4, and is bulletproof.

I had a leader 150cc ET4 for five years, which is the same engine the fly has. I stuck 36,000kms on it, trouble free with regular maintanance a friend of mine has one with almost 60,000kms, same trouble free. They are great engines and proven. These scooters have rev limiters so you can't over rev them. If the bike looks good on the outside, well taken care of, serviced at the right intervals, runs well, has the brown key,the owner doesn't look like a boy racer, it is stock, no kits or performance exhaust, then I would not worry about it;s reliability. I am not sure about the price as I don't know what they cost new, They are good bullet proof engines and 6,000 miles is not a lot for this bike. If equipped with a top box this is also worth something. good luck

above post suggests a vespa steel frame which may not be anymore reliable but resale will be a lot better. I would buy the steel frame one too but that is also a matter of taste.

Btw, the LT-150 is about 8mph faster than the Fly because of the 16" wheels (less rolling resistance) and rides more like a motorcycle.

The 2001 and up Piaggios are incredibly reliable with the air cooled Leader engine, so don't worry about them breaking down, because they just don't.

There are plenty of LT-150 fans and plenty of Fly fans. Do some research and see what suits you. Then buy the LT-150 and thank me later.

lol, how would I find one to test ride? I am certainly not going to Denver just to try one out. Also, how is the traction? Does it slip more in rain? What about snow? Can I ride it in early/late winter? Thinner wheels might mean it's slightly faster, looks nicer, or has a bit better gas mileage, but are they safer and have just as good traction?

Whike i have both the LT and LX i like the handling of the LX much better but by far the LT is a more solid scooter IMOH. Battery lasted 6 years no quirks. That being said i like the looks and ride of the LX better. Also think the LT doesn't do as well in the wind IMHO. Is this your first scooter? Do you have a lot of hills? You might want to see if you can get a really good deal on a 50cc scooter honda,yamaha,sym and see if you enjoy being on a scooter. Should be able to find a cheap used one. When your learning they are great starter bikes. If you like it then get a 150 fly or LX or even a ET4 all 150's. You can always sell the 50cc or keep it. I had a 50cc until last year when it totally died. Had 3 scooters in the stable with the LX being the only new one.Fly handles like the LI. Just some thoughts. Sounds like you want the fly so in the end get what YOU will be happy with.

Fly to Florida and I will let you test ride mine.

I actually feel more comfortable in the rain on my LT than on my GTS. The LT tires are tall and skinny, and cut right through puddles that give my a feeling that I might hydroplane on smaller fatter tires.

Consider this; The Liberty 125, which is the same basic scooter is the standard mail delivery scooter all over Europe, and the New Orleans Police chose these as their bikes.