Vespa PX125 (Piaggio Vespa PX125)

Member Name: Cinny91

Product:	Piaggio Vespa PX125
Date:	15/06/09 (523 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap to run, fun transport.

Disadvantages: Mother Nature!

There's something oh so irresistible about Vespas. If it's either its Retro design, or the nostalgia factor from having one when you were a teen, the Vespa is a classic. And we love it.

I got my Vespa PX last year after a 12 year love affair with them, admittedly not knowing anything about them bar they were cosmetically pretty, I had a mild panic attack when having to face its gears and clutch.
Within the first weekend of owning my Vespa I'd stalled it about 100 times, fallen off it, popped an accidental wheelie, almost ran my Dad over.. twice and been given the two finger salute by a very angry looking Lady in a people carrier.
Although I believe she was just jealous of my 'ride', I had a sneaking suspicion, as she quickly over took me, it was because I was going wobbly 30 miles an hour and managed to stall twice. It wasn't my fault, I wasn't used to the speed.
It was a fortnight before I managed to drive home from work without stalling.

Now, I don't know all the technical terms. But I can tell you this:

It currently costs me £6 to fill my Vespa up from empty. On this I can do about 80 miles, which works out at 7p a mile. Very nice!
It costs very little to insure, I've been driving scooters for 2 years (since I was 16) and it cost me £150 to insure this year.
Road tax was about £16 this year.
That 2 stroke engine sound (and smell) is just perfection!

Getting to grips with the gears and clutch after using auto can be hard (as said above!) but it's really worth the hassle once you've grasped it, and to be honest I'd find it pretty hard to switch back to auto.

The only storage on the PX (unless you get the chrome racks) is behind the leg guard - unlike on mopeds where it's under the seat. I can easily fit my bag, lunch and a spare pair of shoes for work in here. And haven't yet had any problems with not having enough room.

Like most mopeds/scooters, they're best driven in the summer on those 'no breeze, sunny cloudless sky' sort of days - a bit of wind can knock it for six. A few times I've been pootling along for a random gush of wind to almost slam me into the gutter. Not the nicest thing, but something you learn to handle in time.

I'd personally recommend the Vespa as an alternative (and extremely fun) way to commute too work for people living in the City. It's so cheap to run, more reliable than the busses, and hardly decreases in value if you take care - Although my one word of advice is, keep a brush in your glove box. Helmet hair isn't too Office Chic. - it ticks all the boxes!

So if you're wanting something different, trying to recapture your youth or just trying to find more recession friendly way to get around the Vespa PX is the perfect solution!

Summary: Fantastic drive, requires some experience or patience!

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