[The Goober]

I have a vespa, but I don't really drive it any more since I upgraded to a motorcycle. My thoughts:

1) If you are riding in heavy traffic, I don't think a scooter is any more dangerous than a bicycle. Most people who really hurt themselves on motorcycles do so at high speeds, which you won't be going at. As for getting hit by another car, well that could happen on foot, and then you wouldn't be wearing a helmet.

2) you can do it, but you'll have to *really* bundle up.

3) not sure here - it doesn't get nearly as cold in seattle so I rode all in winter in jeans and a jacket. I also looked like a tool most of time anyways, so no help there.

4) no idea about NYC. Never had a problem in seattle.

5) I don't know if I get an old one unless you have at least some interest in learning how to work on it. Even if you don't fix it much yourself, being able to figure out what's wrong will save you a lot of hassle and money. The good news is that they are really simple to work on.

6) If you get a new one, there's about 0 learning curve. You twist the handle and it goes - very, very easy to drive. When I got mine I was wicked lazy (and a little cheap) and got a 50cc, which means that I didn't have to get an endorsement. If you need an endorsement in NYC, I don't think they'll let you drive it off the lot unless you can show one.

7) I would think that if you buy it now you could probably get a better price - its a [censored] time of year to try and sell these things.

As far as being a scooter boy, I think it takes a real man to drive a girly vehicle [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] As to the reactions I've gotten from females, it's usually quite positive (they want me to take them for a ride). I don't doubt that there are women who wouldn't look twice at your after you ride up in one, but on the other hand I've actually heard lots of chicks tell me that they hate "crotch rockets" and feel like guys who tear around in loud sport bikes must have something to prove.