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  • Getting an Electric 'Vespa'!

    Is this the right place? Why isn't there a light in here?
    Anyway...... On Tuesday next I collect a lovely 2nd hand electric scooter.
    It has two battery packs and each can shove the scooter 25 miles, so I will be able to go anywhere along the North Kent Coastline and still get home. Hopefully.
    It was new last year, has travelled only 300 miles, and its owner's excuse for selling it is that he doesn't now need it to travel in to the London Central (emissions controlled) area.

    The thing is, Petrol and Diesel powered vehicles are coming under quite a lot of pressure here, what with rising road tax, rising fuel costs, serious fuel supply problems, increasingly tough emissions tests and increasing restrictions on where IC cars are allowed to go, and although we'll keep on keeping on with our little Suzuki Jeep to the very end, we've got to get an electric car one day. E Cars are still very very expensive and so I asked the Missus if we could try an Electric Motorcycle as our secondary vehicle, and would she still be prepared to be a pillion passenger on one. She said 'Yes', for emergencies only.

    Pics........

    s-l1600.jpgs-l1600 (3).jpg

  • #2
    For whatever reason without ever seeing you I can still picture you scooting about on a little Vespa.

    Enjoy the ride although we're approaching the time of the year where riding is a little less fun. But here's to next Spring

    I'm always still in trouble again

    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
      For whatever reason without ever seeing you I can still picture you scooting about on a little Vespa.
      I hope to...... and did, all over Britain.
      Until about 2006 I travelled to training courses on a vespa, with all my training gear and stuff for three days in rucksack and panniers. My company would give me half a day to reach my location and half for the return so one course was a whole week's work.

      In winter I heated up three pairs of mittens and could reach Bristol or Liverpool etc before my hands would get cold. The company paid me a very good allowance (per mile) for using private transport. And then I got old....... the luxury of four wheels.

      Enjoy the ride although we're approaching the time of the year where riding is a little less fun. But here's to next Spring
      I may lay it up for most of this winter. We still have the little jeep and a panda so it can stay inside until the panda's gone.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by eider View Post
        I hope to...... and did, all over Britain.
        Until about 2006 I travelled to training courses on a vespa, with all my training gear and stuff for three days in rucksack and panniers. My company would give me half a day to reach my location and half for the return so one course was a whole week's work.

        In winter I heated up three pairs of mittens and could reach Bristol or Liverpool etc before my hands would get cold. The company paid me a very good allowance (per mile) for using private transport. And then I got old....... the luxury of four wheels.


        I may lay it up for most of this winter. We still have the little jeep and a panda so it can stay inside until the panda's gone.
        The older step-brother of a couple of friends rode motorcycles exclusively. He had half a dozen old Harley's and Indian motorcycles (40s & 50s) -- one with a sidecar.

        Then one day he broke his leg. Made riding his bike impractical. So he borrowed his mother's Toyota to go to work. When he got back he was astonished (I happened to be over there). It was winter and rainy and he kept going on and on about how he stayed warm and dry going go to and returning from work.

        He then went out and bought his first car -- when he was in his late 40s.

        I'm always still in trouble again

        "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
        "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
        "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by rogue06 View Post

          The older step-brother of a couple of friends rode motorcycles exclusively. He had half a dozen old Harley's and Indian motorcycles (40s & 50s) -- one with a sidecar.

          Then one day he broke his leg. Made riding his bike impractical. So he borrowed his mother's Toyota to go to work. When he got back he was astonished (I happened to be over there). It was winter and rainy and he kept going on and on about how he stayed warm and dry going go to and returning from work.

          He then went out and bought his first car -- when he was in his late 40s.
          Ha ha! .... yes.... I must admit, I do love car heaters.
          Speaking of Harleys, their seats look so comfortable but in 1996 I bought a Suzuki Savage 650 single cylinder, looks a bit like a Harley, with one of those comfy saddles. 'This is it!', I thought, but after 50 miles I found that seat to be getting very uncomfortable. With a Vespa saddle you can move up and down it's length, adjusting your position, and not get any aches or pains. At least that it what I found, so I went back to Vespas until about 2006.

          This machine isn't actually a Vespa, hence the thread title shows 'Vespa'.... I think they are built in some far flung factory in distant Asia, hence they are about half the price of the Italian electric machines. But Asian industry is becoming very very good quality and these have a very good reputation. I had an Asian 'Vespa' 125cc machine after that Savage motorcycle and it just went on forever. They can manage about 55-60mph so travelling on motorways can be dodgy... you cannot keep up with traffic flow. But with half a days' pay for travel each way I used to pick the A and B roads, detouring to see interesting places. It worked.....

          Comment


          • #6
            how far can you go on a charge and how long does it take to recharge?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Sparko View Post
              how far can you go on a charge and how long does it take to recharge?
              For the first part...

              It has two battery packs and each can shove the scooter 25 miles


              I'm always still in trouble again

              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                how far can you go on a charge and how long does it take to recharge?
                And can you keep spare batteries in your backpack for emergencies? How much do they weigh?
                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                  And can you keep spare batteries in your backpack for emergencies? How much do they weigh?
                  I know darn well that if I had something like this I would end up pushing it the last 2 miles home within the first month
                  Last edited by rogue06; 10-11-2021, 10:01 AM.

                  I'm always still in trouble again

                  "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                  "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                  "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                    how far can you go on a charge and how long does it take to recharge?
                    Two 60volt batteries, each takes 2.5 hours to charge, giving a total range of 50 miles. Since I haven't travelled more than ten miles from home in two years I won't worry about range. My wife works 2.5 miles from home and I take her to work along the sea front which has a 20mph speed restriction and so she would not mind getting back on a vespa if the Suzuki jeep was out of service for any reason.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                      And can you keep spare batteries in your backpack for emergencies? How much do they weigh?
                      The batteries are very deep, I'll stick a photo up later. I won't know how much they weigh until tomorrow. I collect it at noon.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                        I know darn well that if I had something like this I would end up pushing it the last 2 miles home within the first month
                        I'm going to go for runs to discover which battery pushes furthest. I'll mark that one and always use it last. But I don't think I'll be going 25 miles on it. I think your country might be a bit vast for a 50 mile range scooter.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                          And can you keep spare batteries in your backpack for emergencies? How much do they weigh?
                          No, you wouldn't be able to carry spare batteries in a back pack. They weigh 20lbs each and as you can see they are big.
                          So it's 50 miles total range, which is fine around Canterbury (UK) and it's two seaside towns.
                          p1020691.jpg

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by eider View Post

                            No, you wouldn't be able to carry spare batteries in a back pack. They weigh 20lbs each and as you can see they are big.
                            So it's 50 miles total range, which is fine around Canterbury (UK) and it's two seaside towns.
                            p1020691.jpg
                            wow, ok - scratch that idea!
                            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by eider View Post

                              I'm going to go for runs to discover which battery pushes furthest. I'll mark that one and always use it last. But I don't think I'll be going 25 miles on it. I think your country might be a bit vast for a 50 mile range scooter.
                              OK, wait --- you run on one of the batteries at a time? If so, that makes a lot of sense.... You could reasonably get back the same distance as you got "there".

                              So, another question --- is there an auxiliary charger available? Like keeping one at home and one at work? (Naturally, if you're doing short runs, that wouldn't be necessary)

                              This is interesting.
                              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                              Comment

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