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Behind the Wheel - Vespa Culture
By Amy Maestas
HOW TO BUY A VESPA
So you want to buy a Vespa . Here are some tips and free advice from the
Vespiti to help you get off the back seat and under . well, the seat. There
really is no definitive guide on how to buy a Vespa, but it is a lot like
buying a car - know what you want and want what you know.
How to learn about Vespas:
There are books on Vespas with information on how to buy a Vespa, but they
likely aren't on the shelves of your local bookstore, Easton says. You'll
probably have to special order a book, or catch up the latest Vespa news in
Scootering International or Scoot! Quarterly magazines.
In addition, you can join a scooter club or go to a scooter rally. Dozens of
rallies are held every year across the country and you'll quickly learn where
the scene to be seen is. Some ideas: Mile High Mayhem in Denver, Colo.;
Niagara Falls rally, Slaughterhouse rally in Chicago, Ill.; Toronto Scooter
rally, Ontario, Canada.
Where to find a Vespa:
Because brand new Vespas currently are not sold in the United States, there
are fewer scooter shops with dazzling new products on the showroom floor.
Turn to the classifieds in your local newspaper, peruse trade magazines,
check out the bulletin board at your local scooter shops, or keep an open ear
for word-of-mouth sales. Of course, you can also dial up the Internet, which
has scores of scooter websites and newsgroups for like-minded people. "As the
popularity of scooters rises, there become more avenues for purchasing them.
It just take a bit of investigation," Easton says. "The internet is now your
best source for finding scooters."
What to look for:
This answer is depends on how much money you want to spend and how much work
you are willing to do. No one really wants to venture a guess of how much a
scooter will set you back, because your next-door neighbor might sell her
rusty, neglected Vespa (which she didn't even know was a Vespa) for a song.
Then again, a souped-up Vespa could go for more than $2,000. The rule of
thumb might be, "you get what you paid for."
"But all in all, if you're going to find one cheap, in other words a barnyard
bike, by the time and money you put into restoring it, it'll cost about what
you would pay at a shop for a decently restored bike," Anderson says.
Mechanically, it's simple. A good bike at least runs. Take it for a spin to
see how well it runs. Identify any missing parts - speedometers, headlights,
taillights, turn signals, and a horn. If you are worried about engine
problems, check to see if there is any leaking oil or gas. Those things are
an indication of the condition of the bike. Don't expect, though, to find a f
lawless bike older than you are to not have some problems - especially if it
hasn't been completely restored. If you are concerned about spending mega
money on mechanical repairs, take the prospective scooter to your local
scooter shop and have a mechanic give it a check up.
Also, because many Vespas have had a multitude of owners, it's not unusual
not to get the title to the scooter when you buy it. This is OK, as long as
you know the sale is on the up-and-up and it's not so hot that it'll send you
to the hoosegow for a night.
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