Decisions...

[DallasTampa]

Hi, first time poster (obviously, lol), am dead-set on getting a black Buddy 125 with some white walls, when my shop actually GETS some Buddies in. =)

My issue? A friend of a friend in our local scooter club (who only allow members who have vintage vespas) heard I was buying a scooter and, surprise, wants to sell me a barely working 63 Vespa VBB 150cc large frame for $1000, $1700 less than a new Buddy.

I still want the Buddy, but the allure of having a Vespa/Crew to run with/save big bucks if I bought the Vespa and have it fixed up is a little tempting.

On the other hand, owning a scooter that's only 45 days old (as opposed to 45 years) with a warranty sounds good too.

Please convince me to do the right thing and get my Buddy!

Thx!

[ScooterTrash]

Vespa

[MikieTaps]

$1000 now, plus $350 in parts to get it running well, an additional few hundred to keep in running over the next two years, several hundred to repair the body should you drop it, $50 here $50 there in towing fees when it craps out, all your time dealing with having a non-functioning scooter cause it is always getting worked on, plus hours and hours of $80/hour shop labor while they are working on stuff you or your friends don’t know how, have the tools, or parts to fix.

Or you can spend $3000 now, get a brand new bike, know the service history, a full year of full road side assistance… if you even need it because it probably wont break, 2 years of full warranty… your only expenses will be gas, oil, and insurance. Not to mention you can replace pretty much the whole body for only $200 or so should you completely total all the body parts…

It’s a no brainer…

[robtaylor]

i think the allure of the vintage vespa is what attracts a lot of us to the world of scooting, i know i love the look of the old scoots. but when it actually came time to buy one i figured because i knew nothing about scooters, scooting, or maintaining a scoot i wanted something with a warranty and something i could just get on and go without having to hastle with repairs and break downs etc. After much research many of us have done we've chosen the buddy because it is reliable, it is easy, and it sort of has that cool vintage look that some of us are attracted to. one bonus is that the buddy has a pretty good resale value, so if after a year or so you decide you want something else you wouldn't have spent much to ride and learn on the bud. if you are the type that likes to wrench, and the type that doesn't mind being stranded every once in a while by all means go for the vespa, but if you want something to twist and go i'd lean towards the buddy. i would venture to guess you can always find a group of people to ride with.
p.s. you'll learn that vespa people are snobs for the most part (and i say that knowing quite a few of them and even liking some of them)

[pcbikedude]

My issue? A friend of a friend in our local scooter club (who only allow members who have vintage vespas) heard I was buying a scooter and, surprise, wants to sell me a barely working 63 Vespa VBB 150cc large frame for $1000, $1700 less than a new Buddy.

The red flags are going up here. Yeah, owning a vintage scooter is great for a second or third bike. Certainly not your first.

Second, if this is such a great bike, why so cheap? My guess this is a restoration project OR worse a bodge. See this link:
http://www.rovers-usa.com/forum/viewtop ... f=5&t=1938

[EP_scoot]

If you are mechanically inclined, love to tinker with stuf, hunt and search for parts, talk shop about fixing the latest problem on someone's bike and be part of the "crew", enjoy 2T smells and maintenance, etc, etc get the Vespa

If you want a reliable, fun , fast, automatic bike, easy on the pocket after the initial purchase and be associated with people that won't turn people away just becasue they don't have the same scoot, then get the Buddy.

It is apples and oranges.

Look at it this way too. If you don't have lots of time and when you do you want to be riding, get the Buddy. Otherways, you might spend most of your little free time keeping the Vespa going.

Old vespas are great, but is an intense and dedicated relationship.

[ryder1]

It's really a personal decision.

If you have always wanted a Vespa, you will not be satisfied with a different brand of scooter.

But if you have taken the Buddy for a test drive and find it is all you need, why not go for the Buddy and enjoy it. Get some experience riding a realiable Buddy then maybe reconsider investing in a new Vespa.


Good luck choosing.

[MikieTaps]

my friend has several vintage scoots. It seems like one or two of them is always in the shop. But by having 4 or 5 of them, he always has one in running condition. So the real solution is not to just buy your friends project... but to buy 4 other scooters that need work also

[Christy]

My issue? A friend of a friend in our local scooter club (who only allow members who have vintage vespas) heard I was buying a scooter and, surprise, wants to sell me a barely working 63 Vespa VBB 150cc large frame for $1000, $1700 less than a new Buddy.

The red flags are going up here. Yeah, owning a vintage scooter is great for a second or third bike. Certainly not your first.

Second, if this is such a great bike, why so cheap? My guess this is a restoration project OR worse a bodge. See this link:
http://www.rovers-usa.com/forum/viewtop ... f=5&t=1938

+1
imo, vintage are great if you already have a scooter that runs b/c regardless of how nice it'll be to have a riding buddy, if you can't get the thing running, you're stranded.

[Sparky]

A 70's or 80's era PX might be a tempting purchase, but a sixties vintage Vespa that is barely running... IMO, get the Buddy as your daily rider. Save up for the classic restoration for later.

[brape]

You could just get a stella, since it's basically a new vintage vespa. I wanted something reliable that didn't try and look like a motorcycle, so I got a buddy. (vespa and piaggio where to much $$)

[goofy_foot]

I've owned a lot of scooters over the years and they all can be great.

Here are a few pros and cons about vintage bikes to keep in mind:

pros
- Super cool aesthetically
- Easy to work on, once you learn how. (Just plan on carrying a full set of tools, extra spark plugs, 2stroke oil, cables, etc. with you at all times.)
- A 2-stroke engine can be tuned for performance easier than a modern 4-stroke.


cons
- They pollute a whole lot more
- They are not as reliable unless you know what to look for and what to constantly adjust
- Parts are going to be harder to come by the older the bike is
- Old Vespas (anything before a P-series) have a horrible front end that will drop out beneath you when you squeeze the front brake.
- Drum brakes aren't all that great anyway
- Your headlights and turn-signals will be dimmer than modern LED and halogen bulbs
- Your horn is weak compared to a new horn
- You have to premix your oil (use a little measuring cup every time you fill up with gas.)

Don't get me wrong, I love vintage bikes and I've owned several. But unless your job is pretty flexible about when you come in and unless you like stopping in the rain to put in a new clutch cable or change out a fouled spark plug, I would go with the modern bike as your first ride.

[kilted texan]

+1 with what Goofy Foot said.

We bought our 1st scooters were used, but new (2006 GT200 & Buddy). I wanted to go vintage but was not sure I wanted to tinker right off the bat. If you want the vintage look & a better engine go find a 2005 PX150, there should be plenty out there, or get a Stella.

I plan on going vintage later. I want to learn to love scootering first before I start cursing the scooter as Goofy Foot said, "When changing a clutch cable on the side of the road in the rain." Good luck finding the right scooter for you & your capabilities.

[7eregrine]

Not to mention the Vespa is surely a manual whereas the Buddy is an automatic. Gears are for suckers.

[kilted texan]

Not to mention the Vespa is surely a manual whereas the Buddy is an automatic. Gears are for suckers.

Not really the vintage, PX150, Lambretta's & Stella are manuals. The newer Vespa's, 2000 & newer, are automatics.