I love Vespa s but, I cannot bring myself to buy one because of the small wheels.
The larger wheels ride smoother over bumps and pot holes. They give me a sense of confidence. At my age I need all the confidence I can muster...
Way back (1980's) a guy with a Honda Elite and I had about the same commute out in Mpls.
I was riding a Jawa moped at the time, so he had a notably faster vehicle; albeit in inner city traffic that meant he could stay ahead of me, but not by a lot.
As frequently happens in the Twin Cities a rather large pothole developed in a spot along the route, & being the alert individual I am I hit it with the Jawa on the way to work a couple times.
It was a definite jolt, but survivable.
One evening on the way home the guy with the Elite did what he'd done many times before and cut around me in the lane, but this time he managed to cleanly hit the pothole that had jolted me a few times. His smaller wheel didn't jolt, it stuck in the pothole & he wiped out pretty hard. I blocked the lane to keep him from getting hit any worse, & got a pretty good look at the damage. His front end was a total loss, & of course he wasn't doing well himself after the landing.
This is one of the reasons I prefer big wheeled scoots, & probably a part of why they're popular in Europe.
The bigger wheels will float over a potholes & similar obstacles a lot better than a smaller wheeled vehicle.
Of course to give the smaller wheels their due they maneuver a bit quicker so you can avoid said more easily if you;re alert enough to spot 'em in time.
