BV350 -- early thoughts!

hi, i've owned burgman 400 and 650, also ktmco 300gt1 and lastly
a vespa 330 super ,which I traded in for 2013 Bv30. hoo-ray trading
is over. I now own a black bv350, faco windsheld cut-out , shortened
4 ins. and a black 40 lt. top box. only other mod. is removing carb
canister from under and a airhawk on the seat . I've also took off
bump- stop for exttra leg room. mileage is now 3800 with zero
problems. best scooter I've ever owned. IMO, see yea, ike

I get 68-70 MPG with my carburetor fueled BV250. I've read the BV350 gets the same mpg. Is this true?

seems so. my mpg is about that -- well, closer to 62-65, but i've been on-and-off the freeway. (trying to keep it at a minimum during the break-in period.)

not experiencing as much engine pull during 0-5 mph parade speeds, so maybe the wet clutch needs a little break in. only complaint is the weird angle required to de-activate the turn signal. other than that, it's borderline PERFECTO now.

The black seat, glovebox, and handlebar plastic run about $500 bucks all told. ( I don't "get" the oxblood and some early owners report it fades quickly to...pink )

That said, I would've been pleased to have a silver one with the black, but Vespa Sherman Oaks in LA, the #1 selling Vespa dealer in these United States offered to paint to order his and her BV's, and well we bit at the offer. He then sourced the black goodies from Piaggio, and made us a deal we couldnt refuse. So there you have it.


The scooter rocks regardless of color, I just prefer to be visible which I didnt feel either the black or the silver are. In Europe there are 5 color choices, but just the 2 here for now....

In any event its the finest scooter Ive ridden, and for the money a compelling value...this coming from a serial Vespa owner. At this point I could not imagine spending more for a Vespa after test riding the BV-350. Yes I love my '06 GTS 250ie, but The BV-350 wasnt a consideration back then. So now I have a well used, well loved, and well maintained GTS 250, and a big-wheel BV-350. Two hallmark scooters IMO which should take care of all my scooting needs for along time to come.

For some reason a lot of nearly new (2000-3000 miles) BV250s and 350s tend to show up on Craigslist at very reasonable prices. And while I already have 3 scooters, none of them are highway legal. I have almost bought a BV a few times, then wondered why they were being sold so cheaply, I figured there had to be a problem. They are not cheap new at the local dealer, who is also a BMW dealer. A new BV350 costs $5495, but it's about $2000 more out the door.

i asked cycle barn about this, because they have two bv300s with almost NO mileage used, and couldn't move a bv350 until i bought one. the response was that the market here in seattle is REALLY conformist, and the vespa/stella/lambretta/buddy crowd gets really snotty to folks that rock a less "classic" scooter style, so folks usually trade their beverly/sportcity/honda over for a gts or gtv. also, a lot of older gents get one looking to save a buck over a burgman or a majesty, and wind up finding it's not as comfortable for cruising, which seems to take them exactly 2000 miles to discover :huh

oh, and one of my idiot hArDc0r3 beemer biker buds said that the bv350 looked "WAY too ostentatious for a proper scooter." he said this in a completely unironic tone while perched atop his R1200RT. :-\

Ive yet to see a used BV-350 on CL, but plenty of BV-200, 250, and 500's.

For the record, MSRP on a 2013 BV350 is now 5699.-- and typically add 10-14% for fees and freight for a total nearer 6400.-- bucks. I'm not sure where you are seeing $2000 add'l. but even at MSRP and a a fair PDI and freight (the dealer needs to make something) that seems a bit rich.

This is also a Vespa/BMW dealer, so they get away with that. $5499 is for a 2012 model. Sales tax alone here would be over $500, and registration another $250-$300. After about 10 years, registration drops to about $20.

5495.-- plus 500.-- tax, plus 300.-- reg ( higher than California reg? Didnt think that was possible) is 6300.--.

Are you saying the local dealer charges another roughly 1200.-- in freight and set-up? Thats excessive...and Im a proponent of the dealer. We need them.

Call Vespa Sherman Oaks in LA. He can ship one to your door for less than that. Or at least negotiate those excessive fees to a reasonable level...the actuall freight cost to the dealer is roughly 275.--. I worked for a scooter dealer for nearly 4 years....i've seen the freight invoices. Sounds like he's attempting to keystone the freight, and pad the PDI time. Shame.

okay, this scoot ROCKS. now that i've really started breaking it in, i've found it to be as flickable and nimble as the sportcity 250 despite the size, and the midrange power curve is REALLY satisfying.

let me amend a few things after almost 500 miles (in two weeks)
- it no longer needs to "warm up" after ignition. i can now hit the button and go without any real accleration burps.
- i've gotten used to the engine braking. it takes a little more throttle finesse at parade speeds and stop-and-go to smooth it out, but the hitches aren't paticularly annoying now -- they're almost imperceptible.
- you can lean like a mofo with it. i was being way too nervy earlier. i shredded woodinville-redmond road (mild twisties, some rough patches) and rode hard on the ass of a ducati monster . (he coulda destroyed me, he was just riding smart)
- OH MY GOD THE STORAGE SPACE I LOVE IT
- my wife thinks it actually looks sexy <3 (she has bad taste in men AND bikes)

Yes! i agree with your scooter review.

I removed my windscreen (as per usual for me) and it feels even sportier!

I like the BV350 and have checked them out at our local dealer.

WAY more storage space than my BV500. Nice design, very comfortable...

I think you made a really good choice...

ass shot, don't mind the messy garage



Love the colors!! That dark red is nice, reminds me of some BMW's or other high end car manufacturers that put the nice leather seats in. really would like to see more of this bike..

taking it on the 101 loop next weekend. hope to get some great pictures, and to burn some weekender harleys!

had some sun bust through this afternoon so i took a nice long-ish afternoon ride down through duvall and issaquah. man, i *like* this new piaggio motor -- it's got some real personality, with a grunty aggressive band in the middle that makes back roads into little adventures. the schoolmarmish engine braking has actually become really charming to me, and there's always this sense that the motor WANTS you to quit dithering around and throttle up already, you lazy bastard. 35-60 is a nonstop party. i want a nice brappy aftermarket pipe for this, because this engine has a hilariously FUN sense of drama.

the honda pcx150 this *ain't*. :lol i like and respect my wife's scoot for its nimbleness and electric-clean startup but, man, i'll take a little warmup if the result is this sort of wolfish backstreet attitude!

edit: oh, and i'm suprised at the compliments i've been getting from other riders on this scoot. i figured folks would go "oh, big plasticky vespa, lol wut" and ignore it. at both my stops, though (an auto parts store and a woodinville tavern), i got questions and props from the harley dudes there. one guy was "that looks like it actually goes over 60" and when i told him it'd do 80 on a bad day and 85+ on a good one, he became REALLY interested. after discussing it a bit, he gave the scoot a look-over and declared "yeeeeah, this is a MAN'S scooter." ooooo-kay! :lol

sort of as an aside: we have a LOT of weekend warrior harley riders out here. i'll usually chat with them and pretend to admire their farkletastic rides, because, hey, two wheels is fun regardless and why be a dick? (i like the look of the heavy iron 883s and nightsters, anyhow.) i've noticed, though, that at least 1 in 4 of these folks take an AWFUL lot of interest in my scoot when i'm on one (they couldn't sneer harder at my aprilia bike, though) -- and they ask me TONS of surprisingly uninsulting and legitimately curious questions about it. either they simply like two-wheels enough to have an open mind and are considering adding one to the stable; OR, if i'm reading them right, they REALLY don't find ACTUAL joy in their giant, heavy-ass, lumbering road kings and ultra glides. maybe the props and hog culture outweigh the slo-mo straight-line buffalo herd travel, but i just can't imagine...

just observing!

How are the linked brakes on the BV350? I've only read the one report from Klaviator on how well they worked.

they're okay. i've never been a fan of linked brakes, because i've developed my own sort of preferred braking methodc from riding bigger bikes, like where i roll heavy on the front and use the rear for minor adjustments in clean stops; or where i feather the rear for "dancing" in parking lots -- and i feel like linking is a useless one-approach-fits-nobody implementation that doesn't let me play with situational techniques so well. THAT said, the bv's linked implentation seems to be less, er, obvious than the honda one (in the sh150i and pcx150), and i haven't had a cause to complain -- probably because the massively low center of gravity lets me be a little lazier when it comes to braking technique/strategy overall?

It's been interesting reading your comments on engine braking. Lack of engine braking is one of my biggest complaints about my Sport City, especially in the mountains. Oh well, at least it has great brakes.

Glad your enjoying the BV.

i stll kinda miss my sportcity 250. i mean, overall, the bv 350 addresses the big thing the 250 couldn't give me: a sense of security and stability on the superslab and its bridges, plus more juice for superslab passing overall. but when it comes to backroads or urban shenanigans, i have yet to have the crazy, flickable, spontaneous fun you can have with the sc250 overall. i mean: i'd just suddenly think OH I'M GONNA AVOID THIS LIGHT AND LUNGE THROUGH THIS PARKING LOT on a second's notice, or i'd dig into a little gravel or mud without fear because why not, it weighs nothing. it was crazy fun! the wife's pcx150 is too gutless and too slick to compare.

it was 320 pounds of PURE TROUBLEMAKIN'