Cure for Winter Blues?

Hello to all and a Belated Happy New Years! Vespa Madison hopes you have a safe, fun and green year. As I write this the outside temp is -8 and the wind is even colder. However winter is an exciting time for the industry as new models are coming out. All manufactures in the power sports industry tease the cold states buy introducing their new line ups in the dead of winter or just when the warmer weather is heading south. Piaggio and Vespa are no exception, the new MP3 400cc and 500cc models are being introduced and we already have the 400 model in our showroom. The 500 should be here in early to mid spring. Vespa will be rolling out the Vespa S. This model is based on the LX150, but with a retro look and sporty feel. Aprilia is also offering up the new Scarabeo 100 and 200, which reminds me, We are the newest and Only Aprilia dealer in Wisconsin!

Vespa Madison has now added Aprilia to the model line up. Aprilia is an Italian manufacturer owed by Piaggio SPA, they were bought out in 2004 and have seen Piaggio's dealer network and logistics improve the brand image and quality. Engines and electrics are shared between the two brands, however Aprilia's styling is the most aggressive in the Piaggio family, except for maybe the new MP3 500. Aprilia has some excellent models and option for the enthusiast, and we are excited to be the only dealer in the state to offer them to our customers. Look for an upcoming blog on the Aprilia lineup.

Cure for the winter blues? Yes. Cure for the cold weather? Well it gives you hope for spring.

Enjoy the ride, stay warm

Vespa Madison

MP3 update!

Hello to all. We know it's been a long time since the last posting, we've been busy. As fall kicks into high gear my favorite time of year to ride is now. Perfect temps and great colors, only downside is shorter days. I wanted to update everyone about the MP3. Being fortunate enough to be able to ride one every day I'm getting a little spoiled but hey someones got to do it. After 2200mi the MP3 is awesome! No problems at all, always starts, leans, brakes and accelerates when told to. Why we still have them in stock is beyond me. I burned through a rear tire after 1700mi which is kind of fast but I can only blame myself and a heavy right hand. I'm trying a harder compound on the rear and have been impressed with the limited wear. I've owned a few scooters and motorcycles but this tops them all. Every time is step off I have smile on my face and "this is a great design" under my breath. The 250cc engine continues to impress with it's smoothness and efficiency, I'm averaging 60mpg. For in town work I don't need any more power and out in the country I can keep up with traffic and still go fast enough to get into trouble.


The MP3 offers excellent build quality, safety and fun. I encourage everyone to test ride, you'll get hooked.


The guy riding is none other then popular bike builder Jesse James.
He had a great quote;
“Anybody who looks at this sucker and says they don't wanna ride it is a liar!.....Everyone wants to ride a scooter whether they admit it or not...deep down inside they do!”
I couldn't agree more.

Ride Safe and enjoy life.

Your kidding right?

As so many of us know gas prices have really taken a ride as of late. All of our scooters use premium so the lower number is the one I look at. The gas prices might go back down, but the era of cheap gas is gone. Suppliers can't refine enough to meet demand. The price per barrel of oil is $15 less then last summers record highs, but as of today we are close to record prices at the pump. The issue is heated and becomes far too political for a scooter guy like myself and this blog. All of this means Vespa's and Piaggio's are becoming more attractive alternatives.

The new MP3 got 162 miles on it's last tank which is 3.2 gallons, around 50mpg. And that tank was a lot of higher speeds and "spirited" riding. 60 mpg in normal driving would be easily attainable. Even most hybrids can't touch that. Vespa's LX150 normally gets around 65mpg and the GTS about the same. As the standard declaimer reads; "gas mileage is affected by, weight, conditions and driving habits", but 60mpg is the norm and easily achievable in normal use.

Scooters and Motorcycles consume less, polute less, cost less to operate and in the end more fun. The last thing I want to do is use this space to advance a political agenda but were talking common sense and better way to travel. For the Environment, for your bank account or pure enjoyment, take your pick!

Ride Safe, Enjoy life

LXV Style

The new MP3 has been hogging a lot of the attention as of late but we have not forgotten about the two wheelers. The 2007 LXV is in stock and hasn't been getting the attention it deserves. The handlebar, seat and paint job is perfect. Classic and Modern blended together. The riding position is different from the regular LX150, closer and more direct is the best I can say. Overall I think it's the best looking scooter we sell. Piaggio and Vespa have done a great job at using existing chassis and engines to form new designs. Using tried and true mechanical yet expanding options and overall appearances. One of the best examples is the LXV and GTV.

Thoughts on three wheels.

As most of you know the new MP3 has been well received by almost everyone that rides it, and the people that don't like have either never driven one, or they were expecting something else and it's just not their style, and that's fine. I have few thoughts and reflections after over 500mi of riding it myself. First, The MP3 is not a long distance cruiser, period. It's not because the engine is not willing or because the seat is not comfortable, it's because you just need more cc's to travel at sustained high speeds. I have taken the MP3 on longer trips in the country, 55-65 mph is stable and comfortable, speeds above that are attainable but your really revving the engine and just killing your gas mileage. High gas mileage is one of the biggest benefits a 250cc scooter has to offer. Many people have said just shove a bigger motor in it. It's really not that easy, consider the wheel sizes we are dealing with. This scooter does weigh 450lbs and with that weight comes a stable and predictable ride, crosswinds have little effect compared some other bikes, But with that amount of weight acceleration at high speeds is effected and this is the only downside I have found. The weight is centered low in the frame and all of that weight just melts away once your moving. If you want a highway cruiser check out the X9 or the BV500.
However you will not find another scooter or motorcycle that is as capable in adverse conditions, wet and slick roads are no match for this thing. In town or out on this scooter comes into it's own and is truly in a class by itself. The MP3's excellent grip and strong brakes are confidence inspiring, performance is not about all out speed or acceleration. Another feature that I just love is the storage, you can't appreciate the storage until you go without it for a day. After using this scooter this much I'm still torn between the MP3 and Vespa GTS for the my favorite scooter. The MP3 for the technology and attention getting, sometime near accident causing uniqueness or the GTS for it's performance and simplicity. It's a toss up, however I did ride the new Vespa LXV and had a ton a fun. I guess more time is needed to make a good decision. You should stop in and test ride all three, I could use your help deciding.

Ride Safe, Save Gas, enjoy life.

April 21st, Open House.

Saturday the 21st, that's tomorrow, is our open house for the new showroom. The concrete was just installed and now we are ready to open the doors on the next chapter for Vespa Madison. Please stop by and enjoy some food and drinks. The weather is going to be great and we look forward to seeing you.

Spring is Here! Finally!

MP3 open house, April 19th-29th

Vespa Madison is participating in the National Open House for the new MP3. This event will coincide with our open house for the new showroom. All of the construction is complete in the showroom, which is now full of scooters. Inside everything looks great, stop by and visit we look forward to hearing from all of our great customers, we love feed back.

Save the date of Saturday April 21st , we plan on having demo rides and some snacks. If the weather is nice maybe take a group ride. I know today's snowfall really hurts deep down for everyone that wants to ride, but you know that warmer weather is on the way.

Once again Think Spring!