Vespa - anyone have one?

[kelleigh1]

With the soaring gas prices, hubby and I have been thinking of ways to save on gas. I've given some thought to the Vespa, but know almost nothing about them. He has an 8 mile commute to work, so this might be a good option for him. (I take the train to work and can walk from the house to the train station, so no gas needed there.)

So does anyone have a Vespa? What model? What are your opinions?

Thanks!!

 

[CheapMom]

What a cool way to save money- I think if he is 8 miles from work and he goes on small roads it is okay- but I don't think they can go on the highways- not sure though.
Did you really get kicked off the school bus?

 

[mommabo]

sister and her hubby have one. We live in different cities, so i have not seen it, but she says they love it. Their kids are grown and in college, so no need to shuttle kids. OTOH, we still have kids at home and lots of shuttling. We have the minivan, but hubby has a Prius. We use Prius as much as possible. BTW, we looove it.

 

[Betty X]

Buy a Honda instead. My husband bought a Honda scooter a few years ago and he pays about $4.00 CDN for premium gas every 2 weeks. He drives about 10 miles total each work day and he works 5 days per week. It is a very reliable scooter and is much less expensive in initial cost and upkeep than a Vespa! The Honda Jazz is what he has. It is very stylish like the Vespa is.

 

[stanncie]

I don't own a vespa but rode one in a small town in italy once. It was the most fun i ever had
I say go for it! lots of people are getting scooters now, at least here in my hometown

 

[ziggystardust]

I have a Honda Metropolitan. Basically a vespa with a few differences. Vespas can go on Highways b/c they can reach the speed needed, you can also fit 2 people safely on a Vespa- so if you both want to go to the store together, you can.

Metropolitan, less money to start with. You can't go on hwys with them b/c their max speed is 40 mph about. And only 1 person can ride at a time. Still great though, and I use it constantly in the spring/summer. I actually have to bring it in to get serviced soon.

This is the model I have.

They are A LOT of fun. Do check your state requriements though, some require a motorcycle license (I believe the vespa falls into that category)

 

[kelleigh1]

Thanks for the info. We haven't decided on anything yet, but it's a thought. He's talking about getting a bike and riding that to work - the good old-fashioned pedal kind, not a motorcycle. But while we're thinking about it, I'll do some research on the Honda too. He doesn't take the highway to work and we'd still always have my car anyway. Being a Pampered Chef consultant, I need my car.


Cheapmom: Yes and no. Technically, we weren't supposed to be riding the bus because we lived close enough to school. This was high school. I forget why we were still taking the bus, but at the beginning of my junior year (and my sister's senior year), the bus driver claimed that we swore at her at the end of the previous year. The principal called us into the office and told us that we weren't allowed to ride the bus anymore, although he didn't necessarily believe the bus driver, but the bus company insisted we couldn't ride. Then we told him that we weren't taking the bus anyway because we lived too close. So they tried to kick us off, but we weren't riding anyway.

I did get kicked out of class during my senior year because I dropped my books on the floor. It was an accident, but the teacher didn't believe me so he made me sit in study for the entire class period. Now had you known me in high school, you would have seen how ridiculous both of these incidents were. I was such a goody-goody. In fact, when the principal was told about the "bus incident", he had to look us up in the school register because he had no idea who I was.

 

[blanq]

Vespa's are very expensive, and purchasing one just to save gas will likely defeat the purpose just because of the cost of it. There are many other gas-powered scooters that are cheaper than the Vespa, however many only top 40 mph. I am looking at purchasing something similar, however I just have city driving for my 2 mile commute, so only need a scooter that will get up to 30 mph. In my state, these type of vehicles require a license to operate.