Piaggio came today....

[Stig / Major Tom]

Hey Stig,  how does the headlight on the new scooter compare to the Like200, hopefully brighter.

Paul

Hey Paul,

Yeah, with my first dark ride I  discovered that a 150 size scooter, with only a single headlight,  does not have to be as dim as the one on the LIKE. This headlight and bulb look no different than what I see in the LIKE200I. ....but it sure is a lot brighter in front of me out on the dark streets! Can't  explain it. ....but is quite noticeable.
And I  do not have an old bulb or weak battery in the LIKE200I. 
So, ...?
I do need to adjust the headlight aim in the Liberty down, some. The high beam is good for alerting me to a monkey attack from the branches above! °¿°
Doing so might also eliminate some of the top edge glare I'm getting from the new Piaggio fly screen. Otherwise will need a strip of that chrome vinyl door edge trim to deal with it.
The ride ? Well it has been years since I've  ridden on anything but my massively padded rebuilt LIKE200i seat, or a Forza or a Burgman seat...so the firmness of this Piaggio seat is sure different!
Playing with tire pressures and the 5 position shock at present.
Piaggio recommends an 8lb range for the rear tire psi.

Iridium NGK is ordered. Rec'd the oil filters, O rings, oil screen, and valve cover O ring, air filters yesterday. Downloaded  a 248 pg service manual.

Enjoying it so far. (Might have sold another one to a fellow here in the Tim Hortons parking lot!....He's been looking at a Grom...but likes these big wheels. )
Stig

[PaulF]

Thanks again, appreciated.

Paul

[Scooter Dan]

Ah, the Grom. Wanted one too but would have had to buy a new wife too. That little monkey bike created quite a stir in our home.

[Redk]

A lot of kids have fun with the Grom, but I have almost as much fun with the scooters, and they are even practical !
( Well, maybe not 'almost' as much fun as a young buck on a bike, but I grin at people a lot ! )
redk

[boo]

How does it run?. Does it pull you around good?. How is the overall feel?.
Sounds like it would be a great city bike.

[Stig / Major Tom]

How does it run?. Does it pull you around good?. How is the overall feel?.
Sounds like it would be a great city bike.

Haven't  really hammered the throttle yet boo, still running-in the engine.
But certainly equals the throttle response of the slightly larger LIKE200I engine.
I will probably  discover, once broken in, that it is a little quicker than my LIKE200I. Top speed a touch higher, as well. We will see.
The larger wheels will certainly give it a more stable ride, at speed.
Working to solve the flyscreen glare-back. I spoke with ScooterWest tech.....he quickly agreed that this is a problem with this Piaggio product (the flyscreen) on two Piaggio scooters - the Fly and the new Liberty.
He offered to take it back.
I like the screen and will try one or two things first....before tossing in the towel, and returning it.
I love this scooter...and would love to have a white one on my living room. Can't  find an angle that doesn't please me!
Impressed by the design and the build quality at this price!. ...but would have paid another $100 to have City Grips, like the higher priced scooters from the Piaggio/Vespa/Aprilia  group.
Stig

[TroutBum]

Stig, ride more. Wear out stock tires. Replace with City Grip. Issue solved. 

[TroutBum]

So how do you decide which scooter to ride? What a nice dilemma to be in. 

[Stig / Major Tom]

So how do you decide which scooter to ride? What a nice dilemma to be in. 

Took out the LIKE the other morning. The actual ride comfort of my LIKE was matched only by the weighty Forza (440lbs) and Burgman beast (500lbs) - that big ol' goofy looking seat that I built for the LIKE is so comfortable !!
As I've said before , the LIKE may be banging around beneath me over rough stuff - but I'm barely feeling it in the seat.
I kept adding foam to hide that pan ridge and to widen the seat, until I got something truly ugly but more plush and supportive (side-to-side) than any 2-wheel seat I've ever sat upon. At 6'3" my knees are well back form the bars. It's like a big long, straight Vespa seat. But, ugly.

The Piaggio is easy to keep clean, and to service (so far) - but I will probably park it through the winter months when there might be even a hint of salt residue on the roads. The LIKE with it's big YUASA will be used then.
The Liberty's tiny battery box is the only gripe I've found so far. There aren't any more powerful conventional batteries that will fit in that small space. But if I'm not riding it in the dead of winter - it's probably of no consequence. I was going to swap over the Burgman's battery-tender pigtail before it went on the truck - but it was too hard to get at. BTW - Portland says the scoot has yet to arrive. (loaded onto the truck 8 days ago - due to arrive today according to the paper-work)

Braking in the Piaggio, and adding some essentials. Replacing the 'sporty' black mirrors with Piaggio chrome (standard on the non-S models),  replaced the black heat shield with a metallic silver (again, standard on the non-S model)....and of course had to have a nice little 6-legged AGIP logo belt cover emblem!
Looking forward to the first oil and filter change...and the valves!

The possible resale value of the LIKE is so small, at 4+ yrs and pushing 13,000 miles - and I have so many new spares - I'll probably hang onto it for awhile. Maybe years? It is like new to me - and worth keeping.

Stig

[de dee]

I had the oil changed last Thursday at 360 Km.  before my trip to Manchester NH. and was surprized that the dealer put full syn. oil in it,  they said it comes with full syn. oil for the break in,  new type engine and new ideas,.  so break in was between 60 Km. and 120 Kmh.  up and down in speed did not open it up till 2000 Km., then hit 155 Kmh.  very short run on super slab,  it pulls up to 85 Mph. then fades away,  I got a down hill run for 155 Kmh.,  don't know what RPM was as there is no gauge

[Scooter Dan]

Nice looking pair of scoots Tom. BTW, liked what the buyer of your Burgman said about you. I'll buy anything you're selling.

[Scooter Dan]

I had the oil changed last Thursday at 360 Km.  before my trip to Manchester NH.

Ah, me old stomping grounds. Graduated from Nashua High in 68. Remember walking from Manchester to Nashua once (can't recall why) but took us all night. Beautiful part of God's green earth. Now live in Texas but in the pretty part with hills-n-lakes-n-pine trees.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Nice looking pair of scoots Tom. BTW, liked what the buyer of your Burgman said about you. I'll buy anything you're selling.

Thanks Dan,
Here's 2 pix I took while they were bringing around the transport, at the dealer's.




Notice the plywood ?? This dealer was hit by a tornado several days before - lost all of the front glass....and a whole bunch of big bikes parked in the front show-room were damaged. None of the Piaggio/Vespa scoots were damaged since they reside back in the big service bay (block construction with  strong steel roof)
Twister touched down just across the street - taking out a popular diner, crossed over and hit this dealer and took the roof off a Shell station, some siding off a dollar store - then was gone.

Pretty good folks to deal with - they're the ones who changed out my rear Michelin and the fork bearing on my LIKE back in the spring while I was prom dress shopping with my daughter. They took a lot less time - than the shopping did!

I looked at the Vespas that day - but the Liberty's were still on a ship somewhere off the east coast.
Actually, don't remember what lead me to look for this Piaggio - but happy I found it. Have liked the looks and the idea of big-wheeled scoots for years.
The dealer was happy to sell something - as the shop looked like a goner from the street - all plywood!

Stig
 

[big blue]

Very nice looking scoot Stig and it goes well with the Italian lines of the Like.