Blur 220 vs Vespa 300

kirknkona · Post by **kirknkona** » Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:03 pm

I'm about to buy my first Scooter. I have not tried either the 2014 Blur 220cc or the Vespa GTV300. I am a retired 63 year old that never got into riding when I was younger. Now I hope to learn and eventually ride a motorcycle cross country. I see the Scooter as a first step. I'm intimidated by the complication of learning to ride and shift gears at the same time so I find the CVT appealing. And from what I've been reading, scooter riding might be more fun. It is certainly a good option where I live in the middle a 50 mile stretch of windy road with a speed limit that varies from 35-45mph.
I had my heart set on a cool looking Vespa which may or may not be available and lives far away on the other side of my island. Then I heard about a Blur for sale only 50 miles away. It's a thousand dollars cheaper. And I will be trying it tomorrow. I will probably make up my mind before I even get to sit on the Vespa unless I risk waiting and losing my shot at the Blur. I am sentimentally inclined to wait for the Vespa but I would probably choose the more affordable Blur if I knew it were more fun as well. I keep reading about the fun factor of the Blur but I've never heard it compared to the Vespa in those terms. I would love to hear from people that have ridden both and hear reasons why. I've mentioned fun, and that would be a major factor but safety and reliability should be considered I suppose. The Blur is a 2014 with only 3k miles for $2k and the Vespa is the Vintage model GTV from 2012 with 6k miles for $3k.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:40 pm

Well, the Vespa GTS is a modern classic and arguably the best true scooter ever built. It is perfectly capable of being ridden across the Country in its own right, and has done so many times. The Blur is a somewhat different ride. It has sometimes been called a sport bike or sport scooter. Because of its less expensive construction and because it has been discontinued in the US, you can certainly purchase a Blur in good condition for less money. As you are basically at the learning stage before moving on to a bigger ride, it may be a good choice as an inexpensive "trainer".

OBTW - while $2k is certainly a fair price for a used Blur, $3K for a Vespa GTV is a drop dead amazing price assuming the scooter is in good physical and mechanical condition.

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:15 am

There's a wild card in this discussion; if there are any problems with the GTS, they have be very expensive and frustrating to get repaired. Genuine scooters are generally quite reliable and inexpensive.
I know after owning a Vespa and currently the owner of both Genuine and Piaggio products, the Blur would be my choice as a first purchase.

kirknkona · Post by **kirknkona** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 8:04 am

I believe, if the Blur fits my body and meets my expectations I will buy it tomorrow. If the Vespa deal comes through next week I may follow through with that as well. Maybe I will own both for awhile and sell one later. And maybe I will love the Blur enough to pass on the Vespa.

kirknkona · Post by **kirknkona** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 8:05 am

I believe, if the Blur fits my body and meets my expectations I will buy it tomorrow. If the Vespa deal comes through next week I may follow through with that as well. Maybe I will own both for awhile and sell one later. And maybe I will love the Blur enough to pass on the Vespa.

chickdr · Post by **chickdr** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 2:32 pm

A huge factor should be the ride characteristics. At 63 you may need a smoother ride. The Blur is very firm riding especially over bumps. I had a Vespa GT200 for several years and it rides like a luxury car in comparison. The engine is also much smoother on the Vespa. I would certainly not buy before trying both.

kirknkona · Post by **kirknkona** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:04 pm

I bought the Blur yesterday and I believe it fits me as well as I could hope. I can flat foot at a stop but I feel a little big upstairs. It's my first scooter and I have nothing to compare it to. I guess I will know when I get to try the Vespa if it is more suited to me. If so, I may own two scooters for awhile. I bought the Blur after a fun 5 minute test drive. But the 50 mile, 90 minute trip home made my butt so sore I can feel it today as I sit here writing about it. Only time will tell if I can get used to that. Ha!

chickdr · Post by **chickdr** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:40 pm

kirknkona wrote:I bought the Blur yesterday and I believe it fits me as well as I could hope. I can flat foot at a stop but I feel a little big upstairs. It's my first scooter and I have nothing to compare it to. I guess I will know when I get to try the Vespa if it is more suited to me. If so, I may own two scooters for awhile. I bought the Blur after a fun 5 minute test drive. But the 50 mile, 90 minute trip home made my butt so sore I can feel it today as I sit here writing about it. Only time will tell if I can get used to that. Ha!

I can assure you it won't. The Blur is not a good long range scooter. A Vespa is superior in this regard as well as having a larger/more powerful motor which makes highway cruising more enjoyable. Since you are using the scooter as a segway to a motorcycle, it may be ok. I assume you are not planning to get a sport bike correct? The Blur is much more of a "crotch rocket" type scooter (vs the Vespa - a cruiser type scooter) so comfort is not high on its priority list. You mentioned the complexity of the motorcycle with shifting etc. This is most definitely true. I have a Yamaha FZ6R which I have owned for 2yrs. I bought it new and it currently has 135 miles on it (yes, I said 135 miles...). I just don't enjoy the weight, etc compared to my scooter when taking my 5-10 miles drives to work. The scooter is just better with its under seat storage and easy to drive nature. What I do wish is the Blur had more power and highway ability. A 4 valve water cooled version of the 220cc motor would be a dream come true(along with a more comfortable seat design). I really hope you get to try the Vespa and report back on it in comparison. You may not need a motorcycle. If you do, they do make some bikes now with DCT transmissions if you want to forego shifting. Check out the Honda CTX700N DCT ABS. They are about $7600 new. Not bad at all for what it offers. Another really cool option are the BMW scooters which are pretty amazing and would be excellent for a long ride. BMW C 650 SPORT which uses a CVT like the Blur. They are pricey (over $10k new)

kirknkona · Post by **kirknkona** » Tue Jun 20, 2017 3:05 am

I appreciate all the advice. My ultimate goal is to stay alive so I would put safe at the top of my list. After experiencing some discomfort in the saddle I guess I would put comfort as my second priority. Fun would be third. This is what I will be looking for in a scooter or motorcycle on the mainland. (The one I use to see the U.S.A and Canada). The Blur might be all I need to develope my skills here on the Big Island. I will try to buy the Vespa but I fear there may be a bidding war on that one. Maybe a gel pad for my seat will help if the Blur becomes my main ride. It was also suggested I could move my position back towards the passenger seat.

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:40 am

Congratulations on the purchase!

If you do end up buying both scooters I would love to hear your ongoing reports on the comparison between the two.
Notice that I've already committed you to writing on on-going series of reports

Again, congratulations on the new scooter!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:12 am

I'm a 63 year old Blur rider and don't really have an issue with the firmness of the suspension. As a matter of fact, I actually made the front and rear suspension even firmer than stock, but then, I ride sports bikes so YREMV (YourRearEndMayVary).

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Tue Jun 20, 2017 1:04 pm

At 5'6, the Blur fits me like a glove when I'm riding (I have to tippy toe it at stops) and the seat has never caused a single pain in my... It's certainly firm, so my butt must be tough or the angle of the seat must fit me perfectly.

The Blur is a wonderful creature that is only limited by design as chickdr pointed out. A tourer it is not with the tiny fuel tank, hard seat and 13" wheels. They definitely wanted you to stay within the city or on quiet country highways. Things get a little dicey when you hit north of 60mph without a windshield with 70 being your top end, not really a cruising speed.

Toss my name into the hat as one that wants to hear your comparison of the Blur and the Vespa. From the sounds of your wish list, you might look into a Piaggio BV350. Big wheels, big engine, designed for the highway.

Modern Buddy

Blur 220 vs Vespa 300

Blur 220 vs Vespa 300

Thanks for the input. Both posts have helped me decide.

Thanks for the input. Both posts have helped me decide.

Bought the Blur. Might also get the Vespa

Re: Bought the Blur. Might also get the Vespa