Don't buy a Vespa. They're overpriced and they break down a lot.
I quite loved my Honda Metropolitan, and would cheerfully buy another. In Maine, at least, any bike under 50cc's does not require a motorcycle license.
I disagree with Tasha that a lot "a lot of the handling in terms of steering and stopping are more or less the same". Scooters have a very different center of gravity from a motorcycle, and more than one of my motorcycle riding friends has dumped their scooter because they expected it to behave in turns the same way their motorcycle did. I'm not saying "don't take the class" but realize that there are some significant handling differences.
Also, used motorcycles may be more plentiful, but I doubt they're cheaper. A new Honda Metro is about $2k and was, hands down, the lowest maintenance vehicle I've ever driven. My sense of used motorcycles is that their owners (and I know many) are always ... tinkering ... with them.)
nthing the full face helmet thing. My helmet (and luck) saved my life in the crash. My jacket saved me from much more serious injuries. Besides this, I would tend to ride in all weather (pretty much anything but snow). A full-face helmet would have made this much more comfortable.
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Date: 2009-08-26 03:57 pm (UTC)I quite loved my Honda Metropolitan, and would cheerfully buy another. In Maine, at least, any bike under 50cc's does not require a motorcycle license.
I disagree with Tasha that a lot "a lot of the handling in terms of steering and stopping are more or less the same". Scooters have a very different center of gravity from a motorcycle, and more than one of my motorcycle riding friends has dumped their scooter because they expected it to behave in turns the same way their motorcycle did. I'm not saying "don't take the class" but realize that there are some significant handling differences.
Also, used motorcycles may be more plentiful, but I doubt they're cheaper. A new Honda Metro is about $2k and was, hands down, the lowest maintenance vehicle I've ever driven. My sense of used motorcycles is that their owners (and I know many) are always ... tinkering ... with them.)
nthing the full face helmet thing. My helmet (and luck) saved my life in the crash. My jacket saved me from much more serious injuries. Besides this, I would tend to ride in all weather (pretty much anything but snow). A full-face helmet would have made this much more comfortable.