Poppinjay

Scooters are hugely popular in the DC metro, yet there are very few places that sell them. Those that do are usually swamped with repair work and don't really have time to talk with buyers.

Tell me about your scooter, especially if you bought it used. How reliable it is, and if your purchase was under $1k.

Thank you awesome loads of shiny jams.

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Ratman

Mines a 2004 Yamaha Vino. I don't know if they sell them in the states, but it's been a peach. As long as you keep the 2-stroke oil topped, they require very minimal maintenance. Great mileage, and it'll go 60/kph with no trouble (it may be faster, but that's the limit on the speedo). I paid about $400.

OBTW, I think WK is a bit of a scooter aficionado. Maybe he'll give some more US specific advice.

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fresnelly

My Wife also has a Vino and loves it. She bought it used 1yr with about 1k km on it. Now she wants a faster one, which is a common story and the same for the guy she bought it from.

Once you're confidant on it, you may want to go faster than 50km/h and upgrade to a 150cc model. Perhaps you should start with a 150cc if you can see yourself in that position.

Scooters are pretty simple mechanically speaking so any of the major manufacturers's should be fine. As I understand it, Vespas cost more mostly for brand.

Picking a model that your local shop can service is good advice.

Charlatan owns a vintage Vespa so he'd be a good brain to pick if you want to go that route.

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Charlatan

I bought my 1971 Sprint Veloce back in 2002. When I bought it it was in a box, in pieces. It cost around $2,500 plus an extra few hundred for a new strip and paint job. It was relatively reliable for a while but the 30-year-old engine started giving me trouble about a year later. I replaced the engine and it was a lot better after that.

That said, older Vespas and Lamborghinis are finickity.

If you are looking for reliability buy a new(er) scooter. If you aren't looking for the styling of a new style Vespa, I'd recommend a Vino. I know a few riders that have them and love them. I don't know what the pricing is like. You should also check out The Genuine Scooter Company. They sell new and used scooters, but also sell their own brand: Stella. It's based on a PX Vespa and is, from what I've read, a good choice.

I don't think you are going to get a new one for less than 3K though.

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