Carl Chatfield home page | Getting from A to B | Motor Scooter Diaries
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It seems that somewhere inside of me was that 20 year-old still spinning to techno-pop music, reading too much Ayn Rand, and yearning for a Vespa. (Oh yes, here's that 20 year-old, and here too. See what I mean?) Well, after a long, long wait, I finally did get the Vespa this past October, 2004. Or a Piaggio LT150, to be exact. Piaggio is the parent company of Vespa, but you'll notice that while my Piaggio has the same basic genetics as a Vespa, it has larger wheels (16-inch front, 14-inch rear) and if you could feel it you'd also note that it uses more plastic than the metal-bodied Vespas.
I got this specific bike because I'd read that that the larger wheels were smoother running, and I just liked the looks of it. It's 150-cc motor gives me plenty of power for my riding needs. I got pearl white because I wanted a high-visibility color. To my eye it looks more silvery-gray, but it's a nice finish.
How's the ride? In my daily commute, I'm on crowded collector-distributor roads most of the time. My speed ranges from stop-and-go to bursts up to 50 MPH or so, but probably averaging closer to 35 MPH. I also have one significant hill to climb. I've never been in a situation where I lacked for some additional speed or oomph. However I've never taken this scooter out on the freeway, and I don't intend to. At 150-cc it's a tad underpowered for the freeways.
I bought the scooter just as a blustery autumn was arriving here in Washington state. I very quickly learned the value of good wind-resistant outer shell clothing and boots. The spiffy jacket I'm wearing in these photos is a Corazzo riding jacket. This was a bit of a splurge for me when I bought the scooter, but I liked the protective inserts around the shoulders, elbows and down the spine. I have some friends who ride the big motorcycles, and you should see the body armor they strap on.
On the scooter itself, I got two additional options: the short windscreen and the top case. The windscreen seems to deflect some wind off my body, but I've never ridden the scooter without it so I can't compare. The top case is nice as the LT150 has zero under-seat storage and I wanted something large enough to hold my bag or the helmet or whatever. At some point I may remove it (which is very easy) and ride with a backpack or messenger bag, but I have no complaints with the top case at all.
As I had hoped I still get the same "be in the moment (or else)" clearness of mind on the scooter as I do on my bicycle, but not the physical exercise. I'm averaging about 63 MPG, and having a blast.
Updated
11/08/04
