Meet Gordon Harkins. He owns a red Vespa GTS 300, has a folder full of action photos from Penn State football team’s losing effort against Northwestern, has his parking permit on the wrong side of the scooter, and utilizes the Vespa in much the same manner as I do — for utilitarian purposes. Like transportation to our Sunday morning get together at Saint’s Cafe.
A Vespa scooter is marketed as a chic, urban mode of transportation but for many of us it also has a different role — the utility Vespa — a functional mode of transportation capable of all sorts of duty. Thought I would share one of the more common roles mine takes as a grocery hauler. Here’s the store list this morning:
From WalMart:
Journals
Pointy Q-Tips
Dental sticks
From Wegmans
Loaf of bread
Butter
Bagels
Cream cheese
Red pepper
Potatoes
Cuke
Lettuce
Frozen fruit — blackberries and mangos and raspberries
Mango and Lemon Sorbet popscicles
Red onions
Asiago cheese
Frozen pie shells
Tomatoes
Half gallon of milk
Pine nuts
Frozen dinners
Evaporated milk
So here’s how the Vespa handles the assignment…
First stop at WalMart. The journals, pointy Q-tips and dental sticks go in the topcase. Still plenty of space for groceries.
Five bags of groceries after shopping at Wegman’s in State College, Pennsylvania. I make sure things are bagged carefully so nothing frozen goes under the seat. The Vespa has a number of carrying options:
- Topcase
- Underseat
- Pursehook
- On top of the seat using bungee cords
- Front rack
Barely scratched the surface of capacity today.
Three bags of groceries were stuffed into the topcase on top of the journals — the milk, butter, cream cheese and frozen stuff.
Everything else except the loaf of bread went under the seat. The bread hung from the purse hook where it would be away from any engine fumes. I have great respect for good bread and don’t want a Sunoco version.
So there you have it, a little sample of the utility Vespa. I could have carried six more bags of groceries without any problem. Nine if I had my backpack. Even more if I had more than my normal assortment of four bungee cords.
Ain’t life grand…
For a more romantic example of things you can haul on a Vespa check out BRINGING HOME THE CHRISTMAS TREE
A scooter as a utility vehicle? How un-American. Now you’re thinking and acting like a European or Asian – or people from any other part of the world where scooters are thought of and used as utilitarian vehicles.
In America scooters and motorcycles are definitely considered recreational vehicles and few riders consider them as routine transportation. Being a bit childish, once I learned how much fun it was to ride I forced the scooter into my life as transportation just so I could extend the ride!
I am also reminded of the American versus European model of the bicycle. In America, for the most part, bicycles have become a tool strictly designed for getting a rider from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Most road bikes I see in the USA are stripped to the bare bone, with bicycle weight-reduction being paramount. Rider comfort and utility take a back seat.
In Europe, I see bicycles that are built for practical use, such as personal transportation to work or to the market. With their comfortable seats and riding position, ample carrying capacity, and sturdy frames, they are so much more appealing, at least to me.
I suspect there is a big gulp of fad, fashion, style and ego injected into the American riding consciousness. Perhaps there’s more of being seen involved than actual riding.
Guess I’m guilty too — I only wear yellow and black.
I so miss my utility scooter! When I sold the scooter for a motorcycle, I had to become even more creative because of the limited hauling factor and I miss the helmet storage area under the seat! I can remember doing a weeks worth of shopping on my scoot and it was a breeze and never did I have an issue, well accept the time I forgot to leave room for my baguette loaf and ended up tying it to the handle of my backpack and then almost lost it to the breeze, that was quite the sight to see.
I was excited when Honda recently came out with NC750 motorcycle, it has a helmet storage compartment where the gas tank should be and they moved the gas tank under the seat. Most motorcyclists I know think its a stupid idea, but I don’t because I came from scooter roots and you appreciate and miss those things once you’ve had them. So hopefully when my budget allows I am going to venture forth on a the NC750 when I can afford it and hope they still make them or I can find a used one.
Love utility scoots! They rock!
Sometimes we need to abandon what worked to get to the next stage of the journey. Maybe it’s best to have scooter memories than an actual scooter.
Honda has really stepped out of line with the up front storage. We’ll have to wait and see how the motorcycle public feels about hiding their gas tank…
I use all my scooters and motorcycles for utility. That’s why my biggest are only 250cc. My most handy is a 50cc Chinese semi automatic four speed with an extra big crate secured to it. It has saved us buckets of gas and wear on the cars gathering groceries and makes each trip to town a mini tour.
I’ve been thinking about a 50cc scooter myself for just the reason you outline. In my case, a Honda Ruckus that could be a real utility vehicle. I switch from the Ruckus to a BMW airhead. Can’t decide. They’re so similar…
Yet other carrying options
1…A rucksack for the driver
2..Once in Australia I saw a pillion perched behind the driver sitting backwards holding a slab of beer (24 bottles). It looked pretty precarious. I really don’t want to see it again as cornering was a hazard to say the least.
People do some strange things on scooters and MCs down here but I have never seen that one. Still, when it comes to getting the “piss” to the barbie, where there is a will there is a way. Here in Victoria where I live the safety laws are pretty strict and they are trying to make them more so. Probably not an altogether bad thing but it is victim blaming because it is car drivers who cause by far the most accidents involving two wheel riders.
Those unusual riding pillion riding positions always make me nervous. I saw a woman riding side saddle on the back of a scooter in Denver one night. She had a short dress on and sandals. I just cringed at the danger…
Been using my Vespa for all those boring ,pedestrian chores for years and love advantage of making a trip to the butcher or greengrocer fun. Often someone will be standing next to the scoot when I come out of the shops giving it a good gizzy and will want a chat or to tell me how they had one years ago. Usually that is fun and a way to connect with some nice folks. My GTV is a gorgeous swish machine but is also a trusty daily workhorse. Today it will sit at the train station while I do trip down to Melbourne for dental needs. Finding a parking place for a car would be impossible at the time of morning I am leaving but the state of Victoria is very sensible about where you park two wheeled vehicles so long as you do not impede pedestrian traffic. Great Blogging.
You outline exactly the great part of scooter ownership and use. Mine is engaged in the same way.
I have a new boss starting tomorrow. He’s just relocated from Melbourne. Maybe you passed him on the train!
Hope your new boss turns out to be a good bloke. A bit of mild culture change for him and getting used to a colder winter. Give him a Ga-Day from me in Bendigo.
He seems like a good man with a sharp mind. Ran into him this evening and he gave me an Australian knowledge check: Who big do you think a platypus is? I failed. Ugh.
They are petite little buggers. Bet he never saw one in the wild, very shy and a bit rare.
It’s really entertaining when you have ten+ bags of groceries and the non-scootering civilians watch you fit it all in with no problems LOL. They’re just amazed!
That’s for sure. I’ve had people watch me pack things on the scooter. I like to believe they’re secretly drooling…
Are these safe and legal to drive on the highway? Do you need a special license or insurance?
There safe in as much as they can be operated safely by a trained rider. While there’s no guarantee that something bad might not happen the reality is a lot of risk can be managed.
In Pennsylvania you need a motorcycle license and insurance. And I always recommend training on top of that.