Classic/Italian or Modern/Chinese Which style do you prefer?  By  scooter (Read 5,865 times)

Today I rode the ZNEN in to work. Now, I will qualify everything by saying that I realize there are 34 years and over 13000 miles difference in these bikes. What riding the Vespa helped me realize this morning, though, is that ZNEN is soooo easy to ride.

The center of gravity on the ZNEN is a lot better. I haven't looked at the specs, but I think the wheelbase is longer. I don't think it really sits any lower, but it feels less top heavy. The Vespa is definitely a heavier bike, and you would think that it would feel more stable, but that isn't the case. Hands down the ZNEN feels much more stable d easy to balance. If I put a spare tire on the left side of the Vespa, where it should be, that might help a little.

The acceleration on the ZNEN is every bit as good as the Vespa, even though the Vespa is 50ccs bigger and gear driven. I'm no race rider, but I can hit the gears pretty quickly now on the Vespa, and even with the Sito pipe I don't think it's any faster up to 50. A better rider might tell me different, though. The other thing I notice is that at top end, the ZNEN is comfortable. Part of the difference may be due to the fact that I don't have a windshield (yet) on the Vespa. 50mph is a lot of wind. Right now 50 on the Vespa FEELS a lot faster than 50 on the ZNEN.

Stopping is much better on the ZNEN. I want to run through the brakes on the Vespa. The front doesn't feel quite as solid as it should. The rear seems to grab pretty well. Still, the ABS hydraulic disk on the front of the ZNEN doesn't make you work to stop. It feels very controlled.

The ZNEN is much quieter. I love the sound of the Vespa's 2t, but I'm sure the neighbors aren't as fond of it at 6:00am. The 4t is a lot smoother as well. The vibration I get from the Vespa makes the mirrors virtually useless.

I did notice that at lower speeds the Vespa is more maneuverable than the ZNEN, probably the result of the geometry of the bike. I can see it being a lot easier to work through a slalom. The ZNEN is definitely easier to steer, though, as you gain speed. The Vespa has really made me appreciate the handlebars on the ZNEN. Your riding stance with those motorcycle handlebars is a lot more comfortable, and I can see longer rides being much easier.

Ergonomically, the ZNEN is more comfortable as well. The CVT makes the hand controls simpler, of course, but the placement of the turn signals on the Vespa makes them difficult to use. They are on the throttle hand and it's a rocker switch, so after making a turn you are attempting to throttle your way through four gears while simultaneously attempting to center the rocker switch with your throttle side thumb. I like the center click off switch on the ZNEN, and it seems more natural on the left side, for some reason.

I really like both bikes, and I'm glad I have them both for different reasons. The difference for me switching between the Vespa and the ZNEN is the same as switching between my old VW Bus and my wife's Subaru. I feel like I am really accomplishing something riding the Vespa, but I can just get on the ZNEN and ride without thinking about it. The ZNEN will probably remain my daily rider, and that will give me time to wrench on the Vespa getting it back up to snuff. I know the Vespa needs a new cruciform soon (it occasionally slips out of 2nd), so splitting the case and replacing what's needed may be a winter project for me.

Feel free to share this with potential buyers if they are sitting on the fence about what to buy. If they are new to scooter riding, hands down I would recommend the Amore, or it's equivalent. They will spend a lot more time just enjoying the ride.