Motorcycle USA putting Vespanomics to the test
We've touched on Vespanomics before, the merging of economics and the joy of riding a Vespa scooter. It seems simple enough... Vespas get good gas mileage + gas is expensive = riding a Vespa saves you money. Just how much money are we talking? What are the ramifications of choosing to ride a scooter of any sort as your only mode of transportation? We'll get an opinion on each of these questions, and likely more, when Motorcycle USA finishes up its piece on the realities of the Vespanomics principle. Also under scrutiny will be the emissions of the Vespa scooter, though whatever the findings, the new four-stroke catalyzed powerplant will be worlds cleaner than the two-strokers of old. The scooter of choice for this little test is the Vespa GTS 250ie, which lugs along a 250cc fuel injected engine which many claim can return fuel mileage up around seventy miles per gallon. Let the testing commence!
[Source: Motorcycle USA]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
chug 11:55AM (5/16/2008)
love my Piaggio MP3 250, which gets around 60mpg no longer drive my car when the weather is good and it is FUN to drive!
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jon 2:33PM (5/16/2008)
scooters are cute, but if you're looking for an economical ride, get a ninja 250. same gas mileage, but cheaper, faster, more versatile, more reliable, and less theft-prone than a scooter.
the term "vespanomics" is a laugh. vespa is one of the most expensive marques you can buy at any given displacement. they're high quality and good looking, so i wouldn't necessarily call them overpriced, but they're certainly not the economical option.
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Chris 4:10PM (5/16/2008)
My 1999 Honda NX 250 gets 70 MPG too.
I'm really kinda surprised that with modern technology like fuel injection these scooters are still no more economical than my little stone age Honda. 70 mpg is not a big deal. It's what you get when you use a low displacement (and low performance!) engine.
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Chris 4:17PM (5/16/2008)
In addition to my previous remark
I own a 110 cc Yamaha Crypton too. This is basically a scooter model build in Indonesia for the third world market. Topspeed is only about 50 mph. But it will do a whopping 115 MPG! Like I said, it's all about low displacement (and low performance!).
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tatas 6:05PM (5/19/2008)
Buy an electric scooter, they are efficient and clean. Cheaper as well.
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leroy 6:14PM (5/16/2008)
You also have to factor in the "Vespanomics" of death.
If you are killed on a scooter you ultimately save quite a bit more money. Your heirs may do pretty well too.
For other though, getting 60 mpg on a scooter vs. 30 mpg in a car, is not worth dying for.
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George Krpan 9:32PM (5/16/2008)
My 460cc Aprilia Scarabeo 500 scooter got 62mpg.
It had a top speed of 100mph and was as fast as all but the fastest cars.
It had fuel injection and a catalytic converter.
Everything was cool until I was hit by a stooge on a cellular phone. My scooter looked like aircraft wreckage and I got a ride in the red truck with the flashing light on top.
Instead of buying another scooter I'm going to be building a high quality electric bike. The conversion kit I'm going to be using is the Stokemonkey. A bike can be ridden where bikes ride but a scooter must be ridden out in traffic with the loonies. I've ridden both bicycles and scooters for the past 20 years and my verdict is: bicycles are safer.
The Kawasaki Ninja 250 is a fantastic machine and sells for $3500.
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mike 10:49AM (5/17/2008)
Stupid people on cell phone's "Multi-tasking", we need MANDATORY JAIL TIME for these idiots.
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