Admission of guilt

First, let me say I still have the SWing-it's an awesome rig...

I also had a BMW R1100R which I bought last January because I felt the need to have a "normal" bike as well. Problem was that the "normal" bike was a torture device which caused my legs to cramp and my...umm...boys...to be jammed into the tank. I raised the seat and put on footpeg lowering blocks, but nothing worked and I simply couldn't ride the machine more than 10 miles without receiving motorcyclical torture.

Looked around for another motorcycle...maybe a cruiser...at the local dealers, but found really nothing that lit me up. Was reminded that the "scooter" (I really dislike that term") ergonomics work well for me, so started to look around...

...and found a brand new 2009 Piaggio BV500 at the local dealer. Bye Bye Beemer...hello Piaggio...it's awesome, with larger wheels, good torque and power, a very comfortable seating position, singificantly less underseat storage...

It's sitting in the garage next to the SWing. I guess one could say that I've gone completely to the dark side.... I told a riding buddy at church about it...he just shook his head and chuckled...

I hope I am still allowed on here...because the SWing is not leaving...it's just being joined by another "scooter"!!!

Sounds great to me... just wish I was super rich like you so I could do it to...

Jinglebob wrote:

...and found a brand new 2009 Piaggio BV500 at the local dealer. Bye Bye Beemer...hello Piaggio...

Shouldn't that be "Bye Bye Beemer...hello Beverly...!"

You guys make me laugh!

Actually welcome to the light side of the force.

Here are some photos of the shakedown cruise:

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Top of Big Hill looking east towards the Crystal Range, Sierra Nevada Mountains

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Big Hill helitack base, with firewatch tower and radio repeater tower (hi hi de W6LPH)


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Union Valley Reservoir from the north end of Big Hill

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Side view of the bike at Stumpy Meadows

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Bike at Stumpy Meadows

The BV is a very nice bike. It handles quite well with the larger wheels and tires. Not as much power or storage capacity as the SWing. Love 'em both and keeping them both. Getting rid of the Beemer and adding the new Piaggio decreased my insurance by $20/month...

As long as you keep your camera and keep sending us visual trips, I don't care what you ride. It's all about the ride.

I like the Pictures too

Nice bike, nice lines.

However, I can't help but speculate that something like a PCX150 might compliment the 'wing better.

Jinglebob wrote:

...hello Piaggio...it's awesome, with larger wheels, good torque and power, a very comfortable seating position, singificantly less underseat storage...

I once had a BV200 - a great scooter! Have never tried the BV500 - but have always wanted to.

What do you like more about the BV500? And what do you like more about the SWing? It seems to me that the BV500 is about 20% less in weight/power than the SWing (i.e., very close to SWing in performance - on paper). Which bike is better suited for the type of riding you do the most and exactly what type of riding is that?

Not sure if I could justify the added cost of a BV500 without knowing the added benefits.

Ride safe and enjoy BOTH of your scooters!

In order to avoid rewriting a bunch of stuff, let me refer you to a thread I started on the BV500 and SWing comparison over on the ADV scooter file:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=812318

Thank you!

Jinglebob wrote:

... let me refer you to a thread I started on the BV500 and SWing comparison over on the ADV scooter file...

Nice writeup - thanks for the feedback.

Took the BV back out again today to pile on some more miles before the first service. I went to Robinson Flat, about 27 miles east of Foresthill in the Sierra Nevadas. Here are some photos:


Eastbound on Foresthill Road near Iowa Hill...the Dept of Forestry just finishing fighting the Robber Fire near Iowa Hill...the firefighters are widely admired around here.


Same location looking back westward towards Foresthill.


View from the cockpit. You can just see the canyon of the North Fork of the American River at the left of the photo.


In the big trees at about 5000' or so.


Made it to Robinson Flat. The road turns to dirt from here, so I turned around.


Big hole in the ground on the north side of the road.


Here's what the big hole is...the North Fork canyon.


An old burn on the north side of the road...don't know when that fire was, but undergrowth is in good shape, so it's been awhile, I think...

Two deer out on the road today, a doe near Baker Ranch and a four-point buck quite a ways up the hill. Good reminder to watch for out for them...and if you see one, particularly a buck, you can bet there are others nearby...