Modern Vespa

The people I love are okay, it's the *&^% who busted my brake switch that I am curbing!

Most of my friends want no part of it. I did let one friend ( Bob, who now owns half of one of my other 500--can't decide which half though) in fact talked him into it riding it. He has owned bikes in the past, and now is part owner. He loved it and proposed the current arrangement, which beat hell out of selling it completely ( my 500 is languishing in the shop now for a part, and I still have a MP3 I can ride!).
On a recent trip to Grand Junction Colorado, I met a guy riding a sporty 600 Honda, who wanted to know all about the 500. I had seen him riding the twisties earlier, and he worked in a local motorcycle shop. Also, he was about my age ( mid 50s). After talking to him for half an hour, I decided he was ok, and asked him if he would like to ride it--his girlfriend has a scooter and he was well versed on the difference. He was shocked i would offer, but in his full racing leathers, he looked like he knew what he was doing.
When he came back he said "This is BADASS!!!".
I don't recommend doing something like this casually, but it became a memorable event on our trip. No regrets, luckily!

I have let several friends and relatives take it for a spin. They all had years of motorcycle experience. Their opinion changed for the better after riding it.

I have two friends who I would let ride my MP3. One of them lives in Toronto and is an inveterate Harley cruiser and a very responsible guy. The other lives in Tallahassee but, after a crash on his Moto Guzzi, his wife won't let him ride any more (they had a deal). That's it.

Oh, except for Drew Teague who took it for a test drive while doing a repair at Sherman Oaks Vespa. From what little I saw, he seems to be a much more, shall we say, adventurous rider than I am.

Only other person I let test-ride mine was my MSF Basic Rider's Safety Course instructor!!

I wanted to know if he thought it cornered the same [as tightly] as other motorcycles. He ran the training course on it and said, "Well, it does handle a little differently. It seems to modulate a bit in the turns."

Let someone else ride our MP3 ?.......not even my wife !...........yet. She's smart enough to know it's not her time to yet.

I have let a couple MC buddies ride my GT500 in the neighborhood, though, but we've ridden cross country together so I know they're capable. But generally I need to really know a person is qualified to handle it, whatever it is.


Years ago I was getting a Corbin seat made for my MC at the factory. There was also another customer there with a new crotch rocket 600 who's bike fairing was white instead of it's original blue color. I asked him, "what's up with your bike fairing?" He replied," my friend got this bike new and I asked if I could ride it ?" Friend replied, "you break it you buy it." "So I had to pay him for it so he could replace it." Now THAT's what I call a real friend. 8)

Back in 1966 my buddy and I were both racing Alfa Romeos on the local club circuit. I'd recently bought a new 1600 veloce to use as a daily driver and tow car and one evening I loaned it to him for a dinner engagement. I did this knowing his experience would prevail in the event of any mishaps. Wrong. He stuffed it through a brick wall going backwards at a very high rate of speed, nearly destroying it.

The Gods were smiling on him as neither he nor his wife were injured although he brought my car home on a trailer. He, being a responsible sort asked if I minded having one of our racer friends do the reconstruction so he wouldn't need to file an insurance claim. I agreed and after several months of back and forth trips to our friend's shop I settled for what was done but the car was never the same.

Sadly it took all of my friend's savings to do the repairs, money he and his wife were hoarding for a down payment on a house. Although we both affected a smiling contenance we drifted apart as friends, he knowing my new black Alfa was never going to be right and me, feeling terrible that they had to spend their savings on it.

It was a lesson learned; even though someone may have the means to be responsible the loss will surely be greater than just financial.

Today I have just one friend who I trust enough to let ride any of my bikes. He's an experienced factory racer and currently does bike evaluations for various publications. To date he's ridden my Ducati and Aprilia and will most likely have a go on Red Dog. No one else will make the cut.

LL75

I've let friends and colleagues drive my FP3 its insured

Rob, full leathers riding a MP3 ? I'll bet your appearance alone get's some gawkers ! Or do you just dress like that for track time ?

Years ago I read (in a motorcycle mag) that 9 out of 10 bike accidents are on borrowed bikes. Think about it. Despite their best intentions, your friends will still want to see "what she'll do", despite having no knowledge of how your particular bike brakes, handles, etc.
As for someone that promises to pay for any damage, what happens if they get seriously hurt? Paying for your scoot will be the last priority on their list.
btw, this especially extends to test rides. I give a "20 minute, full money back guarantee" AFTER the CASH is in my hands. I've never had a buyer balk at that and I've got friends whose bikes were crashed, flipped end over end, and/or stolen during test rides. Protect yourself!
That being said, I occasionally swap bikes while riding w/ my more experienced friends that aren't compelled to "see what she'll do".

Friends don't let their (inexperienced) friends ride their bikes!

Like I said here earlier, I only let a few ride my rigs.

But OTOH, I don't buy ANY bike/car/scooter/truck without first driving/riding it to see if I like it's handling, etc. If a dealer tells me they don't DO demos, they lose my purchase.

I wouldn't buy a vehicle myself w/o test driving, but no one is test driving a bike of mine unless the agreed upon cash price is in my hands first. Like I said, I've never had a buyer balk at this and if they did, I have no problem not selling to them.

Last summer I let a person test ride my ScooterPOD 3 wheeled scooter. He got out of the parking lot, crossed the street, and then immediately jumped the curb and dropped it on the front lawn of the corner house. He ended up breaking the right mirror off, and damaging the brake peddle. I never let another person test ride it again after that.

As for my MP3 500... I've let some people test ride it just last week. I guess I did it because I think it's so incredibly stable. But the more I'm reading in here, the more I think I won't be doing that anymore!

Derwin

Hell no.

Only the guy who first encouraged me to explore motorcycles (and fully supported my choice of an MP3) got to ride it around the parking lot on the day I first bought it and raced to work to show it off. Since then, no test rides, no matter how experienced/cocky the person has been.

Accidents are so much more likely to happen on a bike that isn't like the one you're used to riding, especially on the first outing. The only test rides that happen on my trike occur at the service shop.

I don't see that changing unless I have close family or friends with whom I feel such riding camaraderie that I'm willing to take the loss if they spill it. No such person yet.

Wizerd,

You are still around. You need to hang out here more.

Wayne B

Hey Wizerd. Long time no see.

Bumpin' this one.......
I'm selling my MP3 and others are too, I'd like to read more about what members here (and lurkers/prospective buyers) think/feel about the idea. Afterall, this isn't your normal 2 wheeler 8)

Never. It just wouldn't be prudent.

Absolute minimum for me is a M class license and some judgement of the individual. No promise prior to meeting. Also a belief the prospective buyer is serious. When I bought my 250 my test ride was on the back seat. When I bought my 400 I had 20,000 miles riding an MP3 and owner let me ride it.

When I sold my 250 buyer had a learners permit; therefor no test ride. With money in my pocket the bike was wrecked 1/2 mile into a 120 mile ride home. Luckily he was not hurt, he learned from his mistake and is now a member here.

You might want to go by a motorcycle shop and get a copy of the paperwork someone signs prior to a test ride. May give some level of legal help if something happens.

I thought about this old thread last week.. Last weekend.. I did let a guy I work with ride mine.. He has a BMW 1100.. (or something) and we went on a ride together.. He loved the MP3..
I also let my brother in law ride mine about 10 days ago.. He & my sister were visiting.. He hadn't ridden for 23 years.. He used to have a 650 CC motorcycle that he rode cross country.. but my sister made him sell it when they got married.. He really just went around the block.. I told him.. "Don't drop it and forget about the front lock.. pretend it's just like your motorcycle..." He was OK.. and he also liked it..

test rides for buyers would be buyer hands me full cash price in american green backs, no checks as they can be cancelled. When ride is over and scoot comes back like it left and you are ok with the condition you may refund riding deposit.

I did a test ride on an MP3 250 a couple of days ago for a friend (DougL). Without being asked I just handed over my wallet and the keys of my 500 - that seemed good enough.

Crazy man - riding off without your wallet?
That being said - I was astonished and honored that Heinlein offered me the use of his 500 while out in California.
I let one of the local scooter mechs ride mine since I knew he was competent and could fix what he broke.
The guy that owns the Chattanooga scooter shop in Ooltewah (help me out GeorgiaGirl or Fuzzy) let a prospective buyer ride his 500 - supposedly the guy had experience. I told him when he was riding off "you have balls - I wouldn't have" - something just didn't jibe right. Sho nuff - wrecked his scoot about a mile down the road in the first turn.

Dirt, you mean after you let me/us ride your MP3 I bought without me meeting your above rules you've changed your mind on this ?

BTW, we trailered our MP3 to the US National Guzzi Rally a couple weeks ago and l let those bikers I have known for years try it out within the fairground, partly because I was also peddaling the concept of it having a car tire on the rear. They wanted to see what it felt like and might also join the Dark Side with their big bikes. Nothing went unexpected. I think our lone MP3 got more interest than all the Guzzis. Quite a few women were interested in the MP3. 8)

Randy you rode a bike over so I knew you know how to ride and you were not some young kid who didn't need a razor.

Indeed. I think letting other people ride your ride is a matter of trust. Jim has let me loose on his Fuoco before. I would have no hesitation in letting any of the Donkeis loose on any of my scooters. And that includes anyone that has one of those elusive stickers.

Indeedy - genie took my Fuoco to Brighton and back - I didn't have the slightest qualm about that. Plus my various X9s have been loaned out to all and sundry. The only one I'd give much thought to would be the GP800 - I'd want the rider to be IAM standard at the very least - even if that was just my own personal assessment of them!

I'm a concierge in a condominium, and a long while back, at a previous condo I worked at, I had a resident who had THE most TRICKED OUT Japanese crotch rocket. I don't remember which one. He was a racer on the small circuit and was thinking of opening a moto shop somewhere outside Canada. I trusted him with my 250. He was gone a scary amount of time but he told me that was because he wanted some faster road to ride (Lakeshore, for Torontonians) and had to get there. Came back unharmed and with him grinning from ear to ear. He loved it for what it is (250 instead of gazillionwhatever his bike was).

More recently, I stalked a yellow CanAm Spyder down the road until he noticed and we pulled off a side street. Had a great chat about both machines and I asked that if I could try out his Spyder, he could try my MP3. He liked the idea and gave me his keys and he took mine. I let him go first and he was very careful after I went into detail about "There's no shifting so no clutch, both are brakes, don't bother with the tiltlock, etc." so he wouldn't make easy mistakes. He zipped up and down our side street and loved it. I wasn't sure about driving his, since he's got a clutch and many other things to consider (like it can't be leaned in corners) so I asked instead to be his passenger. Boy was that crazy fun! (And scary!) He took me on a wide box around the downtown area we were in (Yonge/Queen to Yonge/College, Toronto). He flirted massively with me which made me feel all cougar-y and special. ;D (He looked pretty young to my 39 yr old eyes.)

I'm much less lend-y now, though if I have a spare helmet around, I LOVE to give passenger rides. =) Even then, I prefer experienced riders who don't lean all wrong in corners with me or freak out as we drive. ;D

Reminds me of when I let my cousin take mine for a ride. I had let a few friends and co-workers that I trusted and knew they were riders take it for a spin and they all basically took a lap of a parking lot and were back in a minute. My cousin has always been a free spirit, he would have been a good match for Jim Bronson in Then Came Bronson back when it was on. After 15 minutes I was a little nervous; but I knew he was a VERY experienced rider so I tried not to worry. After about a half hour he came back and said he hadn't planned on being gone so long but when he got to the place he planned to turn around he was shocked to discover he was enjoying himself and had to keep going to try it's paces on a wider variety of terrain. He thought it was enjoyable as is; but if Piaggio found a way to lose one or two hundred lbs. and or gained 20 - 100% more power they might lure a lot more MC riders to the scooter world. I would have been very hesitant to let a Spyder jockey take it for a ride unless I knew they knew how to ride a bike that leans as the handling dynamics are so different. Glad it worked for you.

No wonder you felt all cougar-y since you admit you were stalking him.

I was stalking the bike, not the rider. I couldn't tell how old he was through his helmet with mirrored visor.

I agree with this sentiment. 450 lbs is ok, but not for a 22 hp 250. Give me 475 lbs (to account for the extra 3rd wheel hardware), 65 hp, and an engine not mounted such that it is unsprung weight and I'll reconsider the MP3 (again).

If the engine weren't unsprung, it wouldn't be a scooter. Anyway I think you're addicted to the performance of that sweet Kawi!

I let my twin brother ride my MP3, I also let my MSF instructor ride it and another guy who I rode with a few time who I new rode for years. Other than those I haven't let any one else ride it. I definitely would have to feel confident in their riding ability to let them.

Once, and only once -- before I bought it.

Yes.. a buddy from work who has a motorcycle and I went on a ride.. We stopped and he rode mine.. also my brother in law.. who had a MC and rode it cross country.. before he married my Sister and she made him sell it to pay for the Honeymoon. He spent a lot of time in Sierra Leone and Vespas were all over the place there.. He had forgotten about them and was dying to try mine out..