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Lol, got me home anyway. When I used to roadrace I'm pretty sure every bike on the track had zip-ties holding something together... Been a part of the kit ever since.


Matt

Boots. If you are going to have a kick session, wear boots.


Matt

If I'm to take a step back from playing business/marketing guy for a moment... I personally agree with you.


Matt

I'm not trying get an argument to flare up here, but I wanted to add to this for the sake of objectivity.

Full disclosure: I ride a Vespa. Granted it's 30 years old, and that is largely why I like it but still...

I firmly believe that there is room in almost any market for a product with a premium perception, including scooters. I mean, will a Taiwanese scoot be a better scooter than a Vespa, particularly for the cost associated? Absolutely. But does a Taiwanese scooter have the "je ne sais quoi" of a Vespa? Not really. Purely subjective opinion you ask?

Here is an interesting take on this, keep in mind marketing background blah blah blah:

Get a picture of the best looking Chinese or Taiwanese scoot and a Vespa (LX, Primavera, pretty much anything but a classic. Using an actual classic isn't even fair to this experiment), or even better, if you have access to both a Vespa and a China, Taiwanese or Japanese scoot, and then have them compared for general desirability by someone who doesn't know scooters from jack. Vespa scooters still have an overall desirability that others in the market lack for the most part.

Piaggio has through Vespa captured many of the styling cues over the years in the newest scooters that they make to pull on the nostalgia of what many uninitiated people know as "Scooters". It's really a very powerful marketing tool, and it allows them to remain upmarket. So powerful in fact, that even when those cues are copied, most people can identify the real thing from the copy. Seriously, it's uncanny. So long as Piaggio can maintain the perception of "better" (subjectively or otherwise), there will be room in the market for their product, overpriced as they are for what they actually offer.

In all actuality the notion that a Vespa is overpriced at all is even subjective if you really think about it.

I mean, hell, their own tagline for the 10k 946 is "Only For A Few." They know exactly what they are doing.


Matt


P.S. My love of my Vespa has more to do with shifting and smokey, loud, large bore two strokes than it does an actual love of the Vespa brand itself. If the Stella was as high quality as my old Vepsa, I'd be happy to ride one of those, but sadly, they really aren't.

Kinda yes. What happens is that a slider reacts quicker than a roller, so if you go up one gram on your slider, in theory, you'll retain the acceleration characteristics of the 1 gram lighter roller while gaining the higher top end of the heavier weight. (Providing your scooter has enough engine to push a heavier weight.)


Matt

Thanks, we try.


Matt

That's messed up. Lol.


Matt