Vespa Envy

Something in me longs for a Vespa. But the prices are just sooooo up in the stratosphere, as far as scooters are concerned.

The LX 150 looks sharp, but at MSRP $4,199, what are they thinking? I can get a brand-new 2006 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 for $6,399. You need motorcycle certification for the little Vespa in Florida, so if you had $4,000 to spend, why not just get a real motorcycle? The prices for used Japanese bikes are great.

Still, I do feel an undeniable attraction to the Italian scooter. Must be that Roman Holiday thing. Who wouldn't want to be Audrey Hepburn in this photo?

Maybe I'm just a cheapskate. I'm looking at the 2006 Vino 125 from Yamaha. For $2,499, it's also going to cost less to fix when it breaks, I'm almost certain.