Vespa--worth the money?

[haakon59]

My understanding is that Vespa is the best quality scooter out there, given it is made with all metal parts (instead of some plastic) and given their place in the market, but these bikes are a bit more expensive. I have looked at the Buddy International 150cc bike as well, which is cheaper. Would you always recommend Vespa over a Buddy? Thanks.

[haakon59]

I should add another question as part of the above: does Vespa break down more than other scooters? I guess I am specifically thinking about Kymco, Sym, even Buddy International. I have heard that once Vespa needs repair, it tends to cost a bit more. On the other hand, they have a full dealership where I live that has a full shop, etc. But I am concerned about whether it is a more "finicky" bike than some of the others, i.e., more likely to break down, etc. Most people praise these bikes to the sky, so I understand they are nice. They looked nice as I examined them on the showroom floor. Thanks.

[BWSman67]

Vespa has been around since shortly after WWII, so they definitely know what they're doing. The older models were reputed to be finicky but I don't know about the modern ones. I'm sure they are as reliable as the Japanese ones. Price will be a big issue as most of the parts come from Italy. As for Kymco and the others, they've come a long way since their introductions and their reliability has gotten better. The main factor will be your own preference about the look and style that you think would suit you and secondary would be price. Of course, there's always the chance you could get a lemon no matter what you end up getting.

[jejajones]

Vespa is overrated IMHO. Look at SYM or KYMCO scooters for scooters. (2nd tier good scooter/good price) Again, the issue is what size versus needs versus roads. A 150 is too small for outside city driving. Min is a 250 or 300 cc. Yamaha makes tier 1 scooters but expensive.
http://www.scootertime.net/ and http://scootdawg.proboards59.com/index.cgi can give in depth info also

[sooznd]

IMHO- Vespa is not the best bang for your buck. They are over priced ( for all the advertising, mystique, etc.) I would consider a Vespa if I wanted a scooter in the 200 -250 cc range. Vespas are expensive to maintain--the metal body is way more costly to repair than plastic. It also weighs the scooter down, so a Kymco, Sym or Geuine Buddy 150 cc will be quicker than a Vespa 150.

[haakon59]

Thank you for your input on this. Although Vespa has a good reputation, as I understand it, so does Kymco, Sym, and Genuine (Buddy International). So I appreciate the advice here because I was wondering if it was "worth" going with Vespa or considering some other bikes as well. Lately, I have been leaning towards Buddy and Kymco and Sym. In fact, I have been thinking of considering either a 200cc or 250cc size of bike. I am attracted to the Kymco People 250, also the Sym RV250 and Citycom 300i. While I plan to use the bike in town the majority of time, it might be worth it to have just a little bit more power for highway travel, if needed. I have only been looking into this stuff for a couple of weeks, so I am just getting to know the brands, etc. Thank you for the links to other sources of information, too.

[duckyboy1975]

Vespa's are nice if you have the money but if not I'd go with a KYMCO, which are really good but not as flashy as the Vespa's.

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[mrrmutt]

That's kinda like asking what's better a horse or a tiger. A horse is better at being a horse and a tiger is better at being a tiger. What kind of riding do you want to do? I have both vintage vespas (2 PX200's) a Buddy 125, and a (now blown up) Kymco People 150. I like all of them but use them for different things.

[Carlson]

As the old saying goes "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". A Vespa is not worth the money to me because there is no way I can afford one. But if I did have the money, it might be. It's all a matter of personal perspective. It's why they make Fords and Chevys instead of only Lincolns and Cadillacs

[john12121]

Vespa is around 60 years in market and it is said that you get what you want from Vespa...Vespas are made for unique quality ride..Though price is high with Vespa you can get good resale value, have classic look and rides like a dream...So You only give preference for price than Vespa is not for you..You can get many less expensive and reliable scooters like vino but will not that quality ride..

[JunkyardDog]

Wow, this is an old thread. While I totally agree that Vespas are not the best bang for the buck, neither are Mercedes, Ferraris, Ducatis, etc. They are all overpriced, hard to get parts for, and can be finicky. But I would still own one if I could. The newer Vespas (automatics) don't hold their value as well as you might think, I have seen some pretty good deals on used ones on Craigslist, and if you can do your own work, they are not that expensive to keep going.

For me, I do not need or want a scooter to ride on the freeway, even a 250 is marginal on the freeway. And I don't like maxi-scooters (personal opinion), so a 150 would be fine for me. If it were me, and I was determined to buy a newer Vespa, I would buy used. I like vintage Vespas, and could not find one I liked or could afford. So I bought a new Genuine Stella for a fraction of the cost of the real thing, and while it is not a Vespa, it has the same look and offers the same riding experience. Jerry.

[JunkyardDog]

Wow, this is an old thread. While I totally agree that Vespas are not the best bang for the buck, neither are Mercedes, Ferraris, Ducatis, etc. They are all overpriced, hard to get parts for, and can be finicky. But I would still own one if I could. The newer Vespas (automatics) don't hold their value as well as you might think, I have seen some pretty good deals on used ones on Craigslist, and if you can do your own work, they are not that expensive to keep going.

For me, I do not need or want a scooter to ride on the freeway, even a 250 is marginal on the freeway. And I don't like maxi-scooters (personal opinion), so a 150 would be fine for me. If it were me, and I was determined to buy a newer Vespa, I would buy used. I like vintage Vespas, and could not find one I liked or could afford. So I bought a new Genuine Stella for a fraction of the cost of the real thing, and while it is not a Vespa, it has the same look and offers the same riding experience. Jerry.