Piaggio Beverly 350 - THIS Sounds Exciting!

This thread needs more PICS.

+1

If anything, the BV is a joy to watch, in any version
(the 500 cruiser still being my favorite).

This scoot is now on my radar. Hand surgery has left me with a weakened left hand. I can still ride my Triumph Tiger 800 but my left hand tires quickly and then I'm having less fun, understatement. So I have been looking at scooters. I am confused about the wet clutch on the BV 350, how does it work? Is there a clutch lever?

My dealer shows a price of $6K, has there been a price increase?

It's just different internals to the usual dry clutch that most scooters have,
nothing to think twice about, it's just smoother operating then most
others (and nothing new, it's been around in Tmax for years).

There's no clutch lever!

Its a centri clutch bathed in oil. Still no lever.

US MSRP increased to 5695. from 5495. in January.

Yep!

Ok, so I am close to pulling the trigger on one of these. I need more info before I negotiate. First let me give some more information on me. I have a Triumph Tiger 800 Roadie that I love. Left hand surgery has weakened my hand enough that clutch lever operation is causing pain. Oddly enough long trips are not the problem because most of my long distance trips include highway miles, some interstate, some secondary roads, but not a lot of shifting so my left hand gets enough rest between twisties so I'm ok. My problem is day rides, mostly with my Harley friends, where we seldom go over 70 and usually ride between 60 and 65. These rides include a lot of shifting and my left hand is killing me after 30 minutes. Some of these guys have 6 gallon tanks. I have no problem showing up on a scooter, in fact I like the idea, but I really don't want to ALWAYS be the guy who needs to stop for gas first. So I really need a range of 220 miles to make sure that does not happen. My T800 has the range, but its killing me on the day rides. I want something like the BV 350 that has no clutch, enough speed, range, day trip comfort, priced right because I'm keeping the Triumph and have limited funds for a second bike. So my main concern is range at Harley speeds?

Simple. Sell the Triumph and get a Honda NC700X with the DCT. No clutch and it will do everything that your Truimph does.

Agreed, there are plenty of automatic motorcycles out there. I think the NC500X is even going to come with that option

"Plenty" is kinda pushing it....

FIXED!

Wow, didn't expect that from the scooter crowd. That is of course an option and I have thought about it. I have talked to my local Honda dealer and they have no plans to put the DCT model on the floor, they will order one if the customer pays up front. I don't really like that dealership and their service dept. On the other hand I have a great relationship with my local BMW, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Piaggio dealership. I test rode the C650GT and really liked it and if I was to go the sell the Tiger rout I would consider the BMW but I've read some over at the BMWMOA forum and those owners are talking 45 mpg. Hell my Triumph gets that with 94 hp and a five gallon tank. My darn T800 is farkled up the wazoo, I'd take a hell of a beating if I sold it and I really like it anyway. The dealer I like has an open house on Saturday, may try to wrangle a test ride on a Beverly.

I know there are not a lot of owners yet in this thread, but I still would like to know if the big BV can comfortably manage 200 plus miles on a tank. I'm thinking 70 mpg, 3.4 gallon tank, the numbers are there on paper, not sure about the real world.

Pop over to www.Modernvespa.com. There are lots of BV350 owners, and quite a few threads about these. You should be able to get any question you want answered just by searching.

Here's one just on fuel range- hope this helps. Scanning the thread it doesn't appear anybody is getting 200 miles from a tank. That's a pretty good range for any motorcycle. About where I fill my R1200gs up...

http://modernvespa.com/forum/topic104586?highlight=

Thanks Dabears, just the info I was looking for. I see a number of people that fill up at 150 to 160 miles and put 2.4 gallons in. The gallon left in the tank would take them a little over 200 miles. I don't think I would be comfortable with that. One thing I really like about my Triumph is the trip computer and it's miles to empty function, which by most accounts is pretty darn accurate as is the average mpg function. When I have checked that reading on my bike it too is accurate. Anyway back to the BV 350. I read some that pushed it to 180 to 190 miles and put something like 2.8 or 2.9 gallons. That again is around 210 to empty. That is very impressive and close to what I want. I don't like pushing past the point that I am comfortable though. I'm still going to try for the demo ride tomorrow.

I went from owning a Kawi 650R.. considering it to be a pain around town
and 2 up in town, getting a 50cc scooter, then a 125cc scooter (along with
the Kawi) to selling everything and buying one, 300cc scooter.

I do miss the shifting (outside of town) and the power, and I figured the
NC700X with DCT would be a perfect mix of everything that I like.

I love the NC700X, but I still feel I'd want at least 10-15hp more.

The Aprilia Mana would be a great choice if it was a bit more reliable
(and cheaper).

Before you buy a machine that you do not really want, have you considered the possibility if eliminating the clutch lever?

For example, these folks do a twisting clutch modification http://www.exilecycles.com/index.php?section=37 or you can move the lever to the right bar.
This might work for you http://www.mooseracing.com/products/?productGroupId=1259&productId=114640

Hope this helps,

John

I have always been a pro choice motorcyclist ! here in Mexico we don't have anything (scooters) above 125 cc not anymore since Suzuki drop the Burg 400 and HOnda the silverwing many years ago.

So I am looking at importing one of these Vespa 300, Kymco GT300 or this BV350. I would like the Burgman 400 but it is over my price. Since I have only had HOndas and a Kawasaki I wonder about the cost of ownership about the Piaggios and Vespas, since I will use it pretty much as my commuter and every other week ride (for solo rides). My bikes have need it nothing (only consumables) and I wonder if these are labor intensive (valves every 2000 milles) or something like that.

Since this will not be my only bike/scooter I will not be in trouble for parts to come in (if that was a problem, like some of you have mention with Piagio).

Latter I will go to the dealer that is willing to give me a test drive and funny he is a piaggio/vespa/kymko dealer so maybe all 3 in the same day.

Thanks for the info

Damasovi

Vespa Motorsports in San Diego can help you out as well, and have more parts IN-Stock than just about anyone else, if you can't source locally. They ship worldwide.

www.scooterwest.com

yes this is the dealer i have been talking to and they are willing to give me a test drive even without a California licenses!

Damasovi

Great guys. Ive dealt with them since the '90's.

Yes...the '90's.

I'm warning you about the test drive though....