Scooters in Italy

All we can say is good luck bcuz you will need it. Scooters are the biggest headache bcuz the Italian drivers of them are NUTS!!!!

Bad idea. Unless you have lots of experience on scooters, you don't want to cope with both the newness of the scooter and the newness of the country. Even though everyone will tell you that "if you are going to rent a scooter in Italy, Tuscany and/or Umbria is the place to do it", that is a relative statement. It doesn't mean it's a good idea, just that it's a better idea than say Rome.

If you are an experienced ride, go ahead. If not, this is not the time and place to learn. I think it is one of the Greek Isles DVD where Rick comments about the high injury rate to tourists on scooters.

One of the most memorable days I've ever had was a day spent on a scooter on the Greek isle of Paros.

But the roads were pretty much empty. We had the place to ourselves. I don't think I'd try it in Italy, but if you do, be sure to wear a helmet. Your life might really depend on it.

Nothing like an inexperienced scooter driver heading down some narrow road while being passed by semis and cars going well over the speed limit.
Cars pass so closely they almost clip you, and you need nerves of steel unless you know what you are doing.
We've all seen the movies, it looks like so much fun, but unless you know what you are doing, I wouldn't recommend it. I have seen so many accidents with people on scooters and I almost had my knee taken out riding on the back of one.
In any case, if you do decide to ride remember you are required BY ITALIAN LAW to wear a helmet.

I'm with Claire on this. I've posted before that I ride a motorino daily in Rome, out of need. If you're an experienced motorcycle rider it is still very challenging here in Italy... because it's so DIFFERENT.

Italians drive aggressively - and that's an understatement. If you are inexperienced or have NEVER driven a scooter in traffic, this is NOT the place to learn!

Granted there are those operations that do the "vespa tours"... yet they are extremely expensive, often bundled with specific hotels and routes. That WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY I could consider a neophyte riding a motorino here - and even then, it's not like the movies!

I've been run off the road, almost smashed by a bus, and forced to lay my bike down when a car driver cut me exiting from the MERCATO PARKING LOT! Then there's crosswalks, poorly paved roads, potholes that SWALLOW cars, cobblestone that jars your fillings, and other motorini drivers... You have to "re-learn" how to drive a bike here... so perhaps not a place "to learn!"

Ciao,
Ron

Thanks for everyone's input, but the question was from my husband who has been riding for over 40 years. We did the Amalfi Coast on a scooter last year in Sept. and had no problems at all. Best day of our trip. Does this info change your advice?

If that's the case, he is AN experienced rider with a history of driving here... so you don't need our advice from that perspective!

I would then choose for my base somewhere like Siena which is centrally located, yet big enough to stay the whole week in... I would head out in the AM and return, that way you don't have to worry about hauling "luggage" from place to place! And thus you can avoid "luggage" storage issues.

There are rental centers in most mid to large towns, for either motorcycles or scooters. I would stay away from Florence due to the driving restrictions and the traffic. Siena is accessible to many parts of the Region and has enough size to give you other options...

Ciao,
Ron

Siena would be a good base for Tuscany. Then you could move over to Umbria (maybe Cortona)and base there. The main roads like the S326 near Siena and worse the S75 around Perugia can have real heavy traffic. The smaller side roads may take longer but have less traffic. I envy you the experience of traveling on motorcycles/scooters to be able to do this, it's something I would love to do! What fun!

Why do people who have already decided what to do, ask for advice?

I suspect that I'm stepping into a huge hole by responding to this, but ...

Linda wasn't asking for advice on whether to rent a scooter. She was asking for input on the logistics of doing so.

And, just because you ask for someone's advice doesn't mean that you're obligated to take it. You can seriously consider the input and weigh it against your own opinions and make a decision. It doesn't mean that the advice wasn't valuable and appreciated.

Leslie, it is not a big hole but Paul has a point about people not asking complete question or providing good background info. If she had the started the question with -- 40 years of motorcycling experience -- the response probably would have been more on point.

Yes -- I agree with Paul and Frank. But Linda certainly is not the only one who has posted a vague, or incomplete question. There are many others, and much time is spent going back and forth to get to the heart of the matter.

OK, I'll bite: I do see your point, but why should someone have to explain their credentials just to ask a question? The question was soliciting very specific information, none of which involved whether or not to rent the scooter.

Just my 2 cents ...

Well I guess that anyone who has been here - or driven in Italy - has fears/concerns/thoughts on riding a scooter! It's not for the faint of heart - and yes Italians drive them "passsionately!"

I think our concerns, based on the question asked, far outweighed the "heart" of the question. But again that's board members taking an "advisory role," not an opinionated one!

Once Linda clarified the question, detailing their 40 year experience, the answers were more specific to her needs - Start in Siena!

I guess it's human nature that we all romantize scooter riding in Italy; Who hasn't seen "Roman Holiday?"

But the reality is that it can be very dangerous - I'm sure I speak for most of the posters when we say, "We don't want anyone to get hurt." (This week, a student and a teacher at my wife's school were injured in separate motorino accidents; so it does happen!)

The key is we all help each other... sometimes our "passions" also get in the way!

Ciao,
Ron

Ok...let me add my own mea culpa...my recommendation was based on my own experience (I have owned and ridden serveral motorcycles in the past) and an apparently misplaced concern. Now that we have that out of the way...I would be interested in seeing if anyone has specific recommendations for Linda. Who knows, under the right circumstances, I may want to try the same thing.

Ok, now that this has degraded a bit and we have some further info, let me add some more.

You are going to be in Italy with a guy that has ridden bikes for 40 years and you want to put him on a Vespa? I don't think so!

Here a company located in Lucca that rents Ducatis. This is more like it!

http://www.ducatitours.com/

Ron

Ron,

That's what I'm talkin' about!

40 years experience on a motorcycle does change things quite a bit. Next time, be sure to include the details.

Ciao, Nate

Thank you, Ron, for the ducati web site and location in Lucca. That was the sort of suggestion, I was expecting in posting my question.

Thank you everyone else for your concern. I will be returning home July 4th and will post my suggestions for doing Italy on a scooter then.

OK now I have a question....Isn't riding a vespa through the wine country safer than a city. Isn't there less traffic because you are on small country roads. We are a party of 4 and were planning on renting vespas in Chianti for the day to ride around the countryside, what I figured would be small country roads. I have ridden vespas before but not in large cities, smaller places like the Islands of Greece and Martha's vineyard. Would we be safe with Vespas around the Chianti area?

The roads may be small, but there will still be cars on them, many of which will be going quite fast and assuming that you know how to get out of their way. A place like Chianti has many people, trucks, and cars getting from point A to point B, which means using the roads, no matter how narrow they are. I know we all have this romantic idea of whizzing over the Italian countryside on our Vespas, but it just isn't like what you see in the movies.

try www.scootertuscany.com Based in Lucca (a slightly quieter part of Tuscany traffic wise)

18 months too late, Joe.