Modern Vespa

Perhaps if they listened to their customers a little more, their sales would improve. How many posts are there re the uncomfortable seats? Yet, the same seat over and over. How much could it cost them to change seat manufacturers and improve their product, with no cost to the consumer. Also, headlight strength, and other simple fixes to show their interest in providing a better product.

I personally think Vespa will survive but in a different state, I don't think that you'll see the stand alone dealers it will be more of a carry on with large multi inventory dealers who sell Honda or Yamaha. The large dealers that took on Vepsa's are selling them.

Sort of like the look I got from a sports bike rider when I passed him on the freeway. He speed up (changing lanes twice) to pass me then after I passed him again. He repeated and as he passed me the second time gave me a "thumbs up". When I passed him last exiting to another freeway via the interchange I got another approval wave from him.

Seems he was impressed that some "little" Vespa was on the freeway at the beginning of rush hour and moving along in the faster lanes.

FWIW, I do my bit to adverstise Vespas & other Italian scoots (we also have Aprilia Scarabeo & Sports City as well as Piaggio BV & Genuine Buddy) since my local Starbucks lets me pop whichever scoot I'm riding up on the patio while I'm there.

Riding our scooters responsibly and safely, and (I hate to say it) wearing gear are some of the best things any of us can do to change perceptions about scootering and "advertise" that these are serious machines and viable transportation alternatives.

I have lived in Las Vegas for, oh, 30 years. I've driven a Yamaha 50cc scoot for a few years until it was stolen recently, found a low mileage LX50 close to my house, so bought that.

I'm thinking about a larger scooter for getting across town instead of just neighborhood runs. There is now one (1) Vespa dealer in Las Vegas, and they have one (1) scooter in the showroom. I got the feeling that they are dicks, and don't like their chances of selling the one scooter they have in stock.

Meanwhile, there are Yamaha dealers in every part of town with plenty of their toys in stock, and seem anxious to make a sale. I drove a Zuma 125 last week and was pretty impressed with it.

I love the Vespa look and feel, but it seems too difficult to try one and buy one. I'm pretty sure I'll wind up with something other than a Vespa as my larger scooter.

John F

I love my Vespa, but he does have a point, at least for a significant number of communities.

The Zuma 125 are peppy and solid scoots. They have a lot of after market add ons.

Ya know they also had fuel pump issues..

[quote="GVT001"][quote="docelk2222"]Perhaps if they listened to their customers a little more, their sales would improve. How many posts are there re the uncomfortable seats? Yet, the same seat over and over. How much could it cost them to change seat manufacturers and improve their product, with no cost to the consumer. Also, headlight strength, and other simple fixes to show their interest in providing a better product.[/quote]

I personally think Vespa will survive but in a different state, I don't think that you'll see the stand alone dealers it will be more of a carry on with large multi inventory dealers who sell Honda or Yamaha. The large dealers that took on Vepsa's are selling them.[/quote]

+1

The last vespa dealers standing in West TX from Dallas to Albq are in Midland & El Paso and both are Powersports superstores.

What about Vespa Dallas (University Scooters)?

Interesting, but they have better support from Yamaha, no exhaust gaskets issues and the belts are way cheaper.

[quote="ericalm"][quote="cheetohh"]The last vespa dealers standing in West TX from Dallas to Albq are in Midland & El Paso and both are Powersports superstores.[/quote]
What about Vespa Dallas (University Scooters)?[/quote]

What I meant is that from Dallas to Albq. there are only 2 remaining Vespa dealer's that carry vespas in stock. I believe our Lubbock dealer can still order but no longer sells vespas on his sales floor. There's also a dealership in Las Cruces who sell Genuine & TGO.

I agree. And it was limited to the first year run bikes.

Just sayin'

http://tinyurl.com/3xzjcne

Many years ago, when I was still single and had money, I wanted to buy a used Rolls-Royce. My buddy, Fred, worked as parts manager at the Rolls-Royce dealership in Boston. I asked him to be on the lookout for a good deal on a used Rolls. He said, "Why do you want one? They're a piece o' shit!" I said, "Fred, this is supposed to be the best car in the world. If the Rolls is a POS, what car isn't?" He replied, "They ALL are!"

I think the insane dealer fees atleast here in Florida have a bit to do with this. I saw a local Honda Shop go out of business. I went in for a new SH150 ($3999) and out the door price was about $5500. Quoted a simular deal for a new Aprilia SportCity 250 even though it was an 07. I see on Ebay new scoots all the time(out of state ofcourse) for a sale price plus 3 to 400 in fees. Was raped on the 07 Met with these fees. No question about it, when it comes time to buy a new scooter, be it a vespa, honda or whatever, I will certainly go out of state for it. Give Dear Leader and the ECO Nazi's time enough to raise/tax the gas prices and sales will be back up.

How much of this is actually charged by the dealer versus taxes and registration fees? OTD is higher in CA than many other states, but unlike some states, taxes and registration fees are included. Granted, those fees have all gone up over the past 2 years so it would still be more expensive than most, but sometimes it's not an apples to apples comparison.

Not the Zuma but ATVs, not quite the same.

OK so here you go again...

http://tinyurl.com/2elw9pz

There's no escape my brotha!

Toucher, 50cc not the 125cc, doh!

Never heard of a failure on the LX, PX, S. LXV or LXie series....

Me neither

Looks like North America is not the only place where sales are falling. Strange how Piaggio does well in the European Market even in the face of PTW industry news for the market as a whole that looks like this... (Received 10/26/10 from ACEM.EU)

"The expected rebound from the continuously negative trend that started in the last quarter of 2008 did not materialise. On the contrary, in the course of the summer the decline was even more accentuated."

Someone doesn't know how to read a graph. Sales were down 23.0% from '08 to '09, but only 13.8% from '09 to '10. Plus, the sales figures are reported over 9 months, not just during the summer months, so the second sentence above is pure conjecture.

I would actually interpret these numbers has evidence that the sharp downward trend has subsided. My guess is that sales will be closer to flat in '10-'11.

They must be doing ok. My PIAGGIO & C SPA stock is up 27.26% !

Interesting. Here in the UK the last month has seen zero - (or at least off the bottom of the charts) - sales. Why? Piaggio can't supply the stock that dealers are crying out for. So several local dealers here have started selling Tiawanese scoots - GBP1000 cheaper, a 3-year warranty, better build quality, better back-up, and they are selling like hot cakes. Up to three a day in one dealership, when they'd be lucky to be allowed three scoots to sell in a month by Piaggio. From my consumerist POV Piaggio are doing everything wrong to stay in the scooter market. They are apparently doing very well in the small (tiny-sized) truck market though.