That "need more than 150cc's ?" post

[Stig / Major Tom]

Found that it really gets Vespa owners exercised -- when I asked if they really need more than 150cc's.
3000 views and 125 posts. (perhaps my question was perceived as being too close to asking if they really need their over priced Vespa)
Of course, being global Vespa owners - their posts are all over Heck's acres!

Mainly - seemed to really p_ss most of them off. ….but then, I think most world scooter owners don't own Vespas or read forums. They just ride their scooters and go about life in their cities.

Stig

[kymcogrampa]

It's funny that I'm constantly trying to teach my three grand daughters the difference between "wants" and "needs".

You bring up a good question that maybe we all "need" to visit ourselves.

I used to tour throughout Canada and USA on my 1854 cc bike. It would lope along doing 100kph (62mph) at 2500 rpm. You wouldn't believe how many forum members would whine about excessive engine rpm's and the absolute "need" for a sixed gear to lower said engine speed.

I currently ride mostly on my two scooters, one being 50 cc and the other is a 300. Sometimes I am happier on one vs. the other. I can see myself "needing" a middle of the road scooter between those two in the near future, but I truly understand that it's only a want and not really a "need".

Needy Rene

[klaviator]

Let's face it, most of us don't really "need" a scooter at all.  Most of us own them because they are fun. 

However depending on what you want to do with your scooter you may or may not need more that 150cc.  Where you live makes a big difference to.  In much of the northeast speed limits are low and 150cc is plenty.  When I leave my subdivision the speed limit is 45 MPH.  If I take a right I will end up on a 50MPH road.  If I go left I'll end up on a 55MPH road.  Compare that to Northern Ohio where I spend a few days riding around and never got on a road with higher than 40 MPH speed limit.

So do I need more than a 150?.  Despite the 50 and 55 MPH speed limits I get around fine on my Super 8.  It spends a lot of it's life at or near it's top speed but it's still running great after 31,000+ miles. 

I Also took that Super 8 on a 5 day tour in the NC Mountains and it did fine there.  I did however truck it the first 180 miles of the trip because avoiding interstates would have taken too long. 

I also have 3 bigger bikes ranging from 400 to 650cc.  Do I need them?  No but they sure are fun.  I track my mileage every year and last year my Super 8 came out on top.  I don't buy into the bigger is better mentality.  Sometimes bigger is better but sometime smaller is better depending on the situation. 

I am encouraged by all the new models coming out in the 150cc and smaller sizes. 

[leomagnus]

Stig, here is an interesting review of your Piaggio. I read these guys for their reviews on all types of scooters. They are pretty good

Dean

http://www.justgottascoot.com/liberty150.htm

[Snoopzilla]

Let's face it, most of us don't really "need" a scooter at all.  Most of us own them because they are fun. 

However depending on what you want to do with your scooter you may or may not need more that 150cc.  Where you live makes a big difference to.  In much of the northeast speed limits are low and 150cc is plenty.  When I leave my subdivision the speed limit is 45 MPH.  If I take a right I will end up on a 50MPH road.  If I go left I'll end up on a 55MPH road.  Compare that to Northern Ohio where I spend a few days riding around and never got on a road with higher than 40 MPH speed limit.

So do I need more than a 150?.  Despite the 50 and 55 MPH speed limits I get around fine on my Super 8.  It spends a lot of it's life at or near it's top speed but it's still running great after 31,000+ miles. 

I Also took that Super 8 on a 5 day tour in the NC Mountains and it did fine there.  I did however truck it the first 180 miles of the trip because avoiding interstates would have taken too long. 

I also have 3 bigger bikes ranging from 400 to 650cc.  Do I need them?  No but they sure are fun.  I track my mileage every year and last year my Super 8 came out on top.  I don't buy into the bigger is better mentality.  Sometimes bigger is better but sometime smaller is better depending on the situation. 

I am encouraged by all the new models coming out in the 150cc and smaller sizes.

Very true. I love my 150, but in an ideal world I would like a 50cc and a 300+cc as well.  Hopefully our condo sales soon and we can get in a house with a garage and I will buy more scoots and maybe a motorcycle as well again. 


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[Stig / Major Tom]

Stig, here is an interesting review of your Piaggio. I read these guys for their reviews on all types of scooters. They are pretty good

Dean

http://www.justgottascoot.com/liberty150.htm

Yeah Dean,
The written review from justgottascoot,  and Robot's Vespa Motorsport 20 min. youtube review are what made me go in search of the Liberty150i.
Please see my review after one year of ownership in a 'general' posting thread coming soon..

Stig

[Forbes1964]

If a person uses a scooter as a car alternative and drives it on the highway or where traffic commonly moves at 55+ mph for several miles, he’d need more than 150cc. But if he does most of his driving where traffic moves around 45 or less, 150 will be more than sufficient.


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[EvilTessmacher]

If a person uses a scooter as a car alternative and drives it on the highway or where traffic commonly moves at 55+ mph for several miles, he’d need more than 150cc. But if he does most of his driving where traffic moves around 45 or less, 150 will be more than sufficient.

Exactly my personal situation! We have one car. Don't want or need (see what I did there?) to pay two car insurances, car upkeeps, and car payments. The roads between home and work range from semi-residential (35-40mph) to secondary highway (45-60mph) and it's a 12.6 mile trip one way. Given the way that people drive on some of the roads (the drivers on that secondary highway think it's Talladega) around here, you either keep up or get run over. I managed it on Natasha with 153cc, but Diana is much, much safer with 400.