Anyone here ride a scooter? | FerrariChat

Anyone here ride a scooter?

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by sherpa23, Feb 12, 2004.

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  1. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    I have an Italjet Dragster that I use to zip around the city. It's quick, nimble, easy to park (sidewalk), and it's cool. Does anyone else here use a scooter to get around or am I the only guy here?
     
  2. MikeZ_NJ

    MikeZ_NJ Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2002
    1,533
    Southern NJ
    Full Name:
    Mike Z.
    I used to have an 86 Honda Spree for tearin around town.

    I love scooters, especially Vespas, new and old. Problem is, I don't get a lot of use out of it here in the suburbs where everything's so spread out. I traded in my scoot when I bought my Alfa. :(
     
  3. 96impalaSS

    96impalaSS F1 Rookie

    Dec 8, 2003
    3,524
    Hell
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Had some when I was younger before I got my car. They were quite easy to get around on. Good for alleys and cutting through back ways.
     
  4. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Peter
    I have a Benelli Velvet 250cc. I love it. Since I bought it, I only put fuel in my car once every 6 weeks or so.
     
  5. MikeZ_NJ

    MikeZ_NJ Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2002
    1,533
    Southern NJ
    Full Name:
    Mike Z.
    Best things about the scooter:
    -GAS... always got over 75 mpg
    -INSURANCE... $75/year vs. $2000/year for my car
    -FUN

    Worst thing:
    -Not practical for where I live. :(

    I want another scooter!
     
  6. cohiba_man

    cohiba_man Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2003
    937
    Canada
    Full Name:
    John
    QUOTE:"I have a Benelli Velvet 250cc. I love it. Since I bought it, I only put fuel in my car once every 6 weeks or so."

    So you leave your Ferrari at home so you can ride a scooter? Ok........:p
     
  7. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2001
    4,995
    La mamma dei fessi
    Full Name:
    e sempre incinta
    I've wanted one forever! Preferably a Vespa. There is a guy here in Toronto in Little Italy that does full restorations on them. I've gotta go check him out one day.
     
  8. FastTalk

    FastTalk Formula Junior

    Aug 20, 2002
    556
    Calabasas, CA
    Full Name:
    Adam Alexander
    Just bought a Vespa for my Dad, it was a 60th birthday present. Last time he rode one was when he was 16 in London, he lives in Vegas now.
     
  9. tiggs

    tiggs Rookie

    Nov 11, 2003
    32
    Do Segway's count? ;-)
     
  10. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
    You bet I do! No traffic hassles, and we're allowed to park on the footpath here....imagine how handy that is. Pull up to where you want to go and just walk straight in! you can't beat it.
     
  11. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 5, 2001
    25,364
    Panther City, Texas
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    WJHMH
    1987 Honda Elite 125. It's in storage right now but it looks brand new. I'm saving it for a track bike.
     
  12. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
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    Ross
    i have an aprilia habana. perfect for getting around the city.
     
  13. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
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    Carbon McCoy
    Can someone post a picture of what you folks are talking about...? i'm really intrigued by the insurance comment...
     
  14. Matt LaMotte

    Matt LaMotte Formula 3

    Oct 30, 2002
    1,874
    Carbon,
    Still got your bike?
     
  15. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
    6,786
    NewRotic
    Full Name:
    Otto
    #15 writerguy, Feb 13, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  16. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
    Full Name:
    Carbon McCoy
    LOL, no... Oh, man, that whole thing was a nightmare from start to finish...
     
  17. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
  18. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
    Full Name:
    Carbon McCoy
    Nice...! Thanks for the visual... Do you need a license for one of those things...? Do you HAVE to insure them...? What does something like that cost...?
     
  19. MikeZ_NJ

    MikeZ_NJ Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2002
    1,533
    Southern NJ
    Full Name:
    Mike Z.
    Mine was a POS, but I was in college at the time and broke... I paid $500 for the Spree, plus ~50 for a new battery and ~$75 for insurance for the year. Mine was 50cc, so it wasn't getting anywhere over 35.

    A bigger and newer scooter would probably run you 4 or 5 thousand (I'm guessing???) - Vespa has shops in North Jersey and NY. It would be dirt cheap to finance one. It's been a looong time since I've looked at them cause I know I'm not getting one anytime soon. Look at the ET4... beautiful scoot.... 150cc, up to 60mph, lists for $3999. There used to be (and probably still are) a TON of aftermarket parts for Vespas.

    My insurance was in NJ, which as you probably know, costs a ridiculous amount of money in general. I was 19, too. But, lo and behold, $75 was all they wanted. It could have also been the size... I didn't need a motorcycle license for mine, just a moped. I don't think there was *that* much of a difference price-wise motorcycle vs. moped - maybe a hundred bucks or so.

    I spent less than $10 total in gas during the life of that scooter.

    Check out:
    http://www.vespausa.com
     
  20. TSMIV

    TSMIV Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2004
    374
    Columbus, MS
    Full Name:
    Robert Goodman
    #20 TSMIV, Feb 13, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I have been trying for years to get a scooter.

    I really like that Benelli.

    There was this shop in town that had scooters for dirt cheap. The guy ran a Japanese race bike shop and some how came to own a ton of them. He opened a scooter shop and two months later closed it.

    I stopped by one day to pick up two choice scooters and the place was closed. I did not want to venture over to his other shop. Guys that hung out there were jerks, so I did not waste my time.

    Now there are cheap Vespa knock offs for sale everywhere: auto part store, rent-to-own shops, pawn shops, antique stores, educational toy stores, everywhere.

    They are the all same thing: knock offs and cheap pieces of junk. When I say cheap I mean poor build quality, not inexpensive. People pay out the nose for these things.

    The boom came about because parents were tired of getting tickets for allowing their grade-school-aged kids to roam the streeets unattended on non-DOT scooters.

    A great solution. The kid gets into trouble on a thing that tops out at 15, give them something that tops out at 35~ 50.

    I personally have always liked the Aprilia RS50 which really is a scooter although does not look like one. It is legally classified as a scooter because it has a 50cc engine.
    It sells for a few thousand. I will probably get an ET4 and a rs50.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  21. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
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    Bastuna
    #21 sherpa23, Feb 13, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    The Italjet is THE Italian scooter for me. It's the only scooter that was in the Guggenheim "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit. Trellis frame, sweet suspension, and it's fast. With a couple of minor tweaks, I have gotten mine to go 70 mph. That's not a typo. And they're pretty good prices. The Vespas are too contrived for my taste. Here's what I'm zipping around on:
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  22. Prugna 328

    Prugna 328 Formula 3

    Sep 10, 2003
    1,233
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    Gregory
    70 huh? you have brass ones.
     
  23. TSMIV

    TSMIV Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2004
    374
    Columbus, MS
    Full Name:
    Robert Goodman
    Forget the ET4, I am getting one of those.
     
  24. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
    You need a motor cycle license....here in Aus anyway. I don't insure my motor bikes/scooters, but yearly registration is $350.00. It does 75mpg and CAN cruise on 130kph or 120kph 2 up. Benelli now offers a 400cc version. I just don't see the point in it, though.

    Italian styling and japanese engine (4 stroke....2 stroke sucks)...you can't ask for more, really :)
     
  25. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna

    If you want one, let me know. I can get them for almost $900 off retail which is normally $3900 or so. They're awesome.
     

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