Round town ride is extending my life span.
Discussion
Sheffield is getting more and more car unkindly and parking restrictions on the increase.
I can do several jobs by using bus lanes and pavement parking even when the lure of my car is strong the pay back is slow queues and parking stresses.
The little Vespa I use daily leaves me relaxed and always able to grab a sandwich, cost peanuts to run, no MOT or tax and cost me 40 quid to insure for the year with Carol Nash. I was running a 1977 BMW R100 as well but it just sat while the Vespa got the miles.
My laid back lunches and bakery shop visits on way home, always beating cars back to the suburbs feels like I'm extending my life span with totally uninhibited motoring. Not just a better way to live life in a city but no pressure on my heart rate.
Heir and a spare depending on the weather.
I can do several jobs by using bus lanes and pavement parking even when the lure of my car is strong the pay back is slow queues and parking stresses.
The little Vespa I use daily leaves me relaxed and always able to grab a sandwich, cost peanuts to run, no MOT or tax and cost me 40 quid to insure for the year with Carol Nash. I was running a 1977 BMW R100 as well but it just sat while the Vespa got the miles.
My laid back lunches and bakery shop visits on way home, always beating cars back to the suburbs feels like I'm extending my life span with totally uninhibited motoring. Not just a better way to live life in a city but no pressure on my heart rate.
Heir and a spare depending on the weather.
Agree, my scoot is my first mode of transport weather permitting.
Free parking at the railway station (otherwise £8 per day)
Free parking all day in my local town.
Other drivers are 99% courteous towards the bike (I don't live in London)
80mpg
Road tax gone up to £59 but still ok
The only problem nowadays, which I just have to live with, is now getting overtaken in 20 limits (no close passes yet)
Free parking at the railway station (otherwise £8 per day)
Free parking all day in my local town.
Other drivers are 99% courteous towards the bike (I don't live in London)
80mpg
Road tax gone up to £59 but still ok
The only problem nowadays, which I just have to live with, is now getting overtaken in 20 limits (no close passes yet)
Edited by Trevor555 on Friday 8th May 09:56
This is my Vespa ET2 50cc that I use for popping around town. I only live just over a mile from the centre of Cheltenham, so I can be in town in 5 minutes and use the free parking. Costs £2 a month in road tax and £80 a year insurance.
It was bought brand new by my girlfriends ex-husband in November 2004. He got bored of it after 3 months (my girlfriend says he was too scared to ride it!) and sold it to my girlfriends Mum who used it to ride to work and shopping. In 2022 my girlfriends Mum had a stroke and could no longer ride it, so she asked me to sell it. After doing quite a few small jobs on it for her, I knew it was in good condition so bought it off her. It had only done 4,800 miles from new and included every single service receipt/MOT certificate from the same garage.
I drove it on my car license but using it convinced me to do my CBT (Summer 2024) and full license (Autumn 2025). I test drove a new BMW F800GS this week and just trying to decide whether the purchase a 3 year old F850GS I've seen. But I'll still keep the scooter.
It was bought brand new by my girlfriends ex-husband in November 2004. He got bored of it after 3 months (my girlfriend says he was too scared to ride it!) and sold it to my girlfriends Mum who used it to ride to work and shopping. In 2022 my girlfriends Mum had a stroke and could no longer ride it, so she asked me to sell it. After doing quite a few small jobs on it for her, I knew it was in good condition so bought it off her. It had only done 4,800 miles from new and included every single service receipt/MOT certificate from the same garage.
I drove it on my car license but using it convinced me to do my CBT (Summer 2024) and full license (Autumn 2025). I test drove a new BMW F800GS this week and just trying to decide whether the purchase a 3 year old F850GS I've seen. But I'll still keep the scooter.
Timothy Bucktu said:
Yep...scooters for around town is the perfect, sensible and logical solution, just like they do in Europe.
We really need to get into this way of life in the UK. The fact that you can buy a 40+ year old bike, and ride it around for effectively free is a complete no-brainer.
I started a business 25 years ago based upon this theory. We really need to get into this way of life in the UK. The fact that you can buy a 40+ year old bike, and ride it around for effectively free is a complete no-brainer.
I was wrong.
Europe has better weather. Our weather acts as a handbrake to the adoption of two wheels.
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