Modern Vespa

Few pics from my recent trip.

Overall the machine performed very well although I haven't met a lot of people touring the alps on scooter Have seen only one MP3 500 and few T-Maxes.

Sometimes going uphill in the hairpins I wished I had more power available but I would still exchange the power for the extra grip I had.

It is the real haven up there and I can't recommended enough. If you guys want to visit Europe, forget these boring sight seeing tours in Paris and London. Rent a bike and DO IT!

Wow!!! Beautiful photos. It must have been hard to keep your eyes on the road with all of that scenery. I probably would have run off the road and killed myself staring at the mountains. Thanks for sharing.

absolutely stunning. I'm afraid of heights so that drop looks pretty scary - although I love the picture.

Superb photos. If I remember if this falls off the front page here I'll move it to Ride Reports to be enjoyed by others.

Joe, Amazing pictures and outstanding ride. Now I have to figure out how to get my MP3 into my luggage for a plane ride over there. I would love to read some more narritive on your experiences on the trip.

BTW did your check engine light come on at high altitude like several in western U.S. mountains have reported? You were definitely high enough.

Wow! You rendered me speechless with your pics. My husband thanks you.

Looks great! I wish I could rent an MP3 500 over there--I would love that.
Noticed recently you can rent an Mp3 250 in Rome. But I don't think I would really want to ride in and out of Rome, not being used to that sort of traffic madness.
Fuzzy got to the question before me, but yes, no check engine light at altitude? A constant annoyance here in Colorado.
Great pics thanks for sharing.

I so want to do this... I am already planning my next trip!

Where did you rent the MP3?

Thanks,
-Darkavich

Methinks he owns it...

Beautiful! I envy you.

Yes, this one is my own.. But check www.bosenberg.com or www.beachs-mca.com and I am sure that if you rent from one of the branches in Italy they will be able to meet your request.

Check these as well:
www.ski-epic.com/2007_europe_motorcycle_trip/index.html
www.motorcycletouringineurope.com
www.alpineroads.com ...very good, I used this every night to plan my next move
www.bestbikingroads.com


What you can do is use program like this
www.metaproducts.com/mp/offline_explorer.htm
and download all the pages for offline use.Then, you don't need internet connection and every night you just fire up one of these web sites(offline on your laptop) to see what is best to ride in the area. No need for big plans.. No, no engine light or any other problems. Maybe Piaggio fixed this on 2009 models?

Great pics. The Grimsel and Furka is a most excellent ride. I found the names confusing, though.

The Grimsel wasn't grim in the slightest, and I only found myself going "Furk" when there was a van coming the other way around a sharp bend .

I'm hooked! Now to plan my trip. What time of the year is best for a ride like this?

Joe - Ever thought of picking up photography for your hobby Nice photo shoots. Thanks for sharing. I imagine it would have been even nicer to have a companion riding side-by-side on the trip ha. The two of you can have nice conversation using the bluetooth headphone along your fantastic journey. You have definitely remind us that 'life is short' and posting like yours give us all the inspiration to venture out and live the moment ourselves.

The fact that you have no check engine lights on at altitude makes me think again about the one difference I know of between the states and Europe: the Evaporative canister. Think it might be time to pull it off!

It's beautiful!

It's a good idea to read "Countries" section of this webpage http://www.motorcycletouringineurope.com

..but generally the best time is summer. Not early summer as some of the passes are still closed for to much snow and ice still on the road.

But if you go early and you are lucky you might experience this

Great picture Joe

Wayne B

Wow
Excellent photos.
I've toured the Alps, but on a Roadster, I saw many bikers, but not even one scooter.

Would a MP3 250 be able to make a trip like this?

Sure, if you're not in a hurry to reach the top of the passes.

I did all the passes in the french alpes (Galibier, Vars, Isoard,
Madeleine, Croix de Fer, Bonnette, L'Alpe d'Huez and le Mont Ventoux) to up ( 160 kg.)

I did the same some years ago on a Vespa GT200.

Leo

Good to know

Yes it is doable on 250 as long as you will not carry a lot with you. Once you load to much or try to do it 2 up then you will end up to be really grumpy on those long climbs when all the other motorbikes pass you and use their "powers" uphill, you will just sit there with full throthle and not really move a lot... trust me on that!

great pics!!! I miss Europe for that roads and that it is so easy to cross several countries with different scenery en just a bit more than a week.
greetings from Chile
Bernhard

what superb pics stunning just stunning
oh did like the name of the Furka Pass with that drop i reckon right name

FANTASTIC!

thanks for the great pics!

Thank you for sharing the wonderful photos with us.

Speechless...

When we were planning our roundtrip from this year, we were first thinking of doing the Alps (Also Elzas, Vogezen, Eifel, etc).
Due to the weather in these areas last month, we changed our plans and went for the South of France.
2900 km (1800 miles) roundtrip . Pure fun !

Looking at your pictures, I am very glad we did'nt get our first mountain-experience in the Alps. It would have scared the hell out of us !
Compared to the "mountains" (max. 1800 m.) we did, the Alps are realy steep. Also no "crash-barriers" would'nt have contributed to our self-confidence.
But at least we had our first mountain-experience and maybe the Alps could be next .

Thanks for the great pictures !