The Field Guide to Riding 500 Miles on a Vespaillustration by Tim MarrsDespite an exterior profile and penchant for sunglasses that make people certain I was there on January 6 and should be riding some 800-pound bagger from Milwaukee, I am a die-hard Vespa enthusiast. In fact, I have just purchased my fourth Vespa in 20 years, and recently, my first brand-new two-wheeler, ever. I learned to ride on two wheels, well into adulthood, when I began dating a woman who puttered around town in Vespa's slowest 50-cc model. After commandeering it and getting hooked, I learned 250 pounds was just too much for 50 cc and hills. I got a 150-cc version, which was great, until I determined I wanted to ride on the highway. That led to my purchase of a used GTS 300 Super in 2020.I have said—repeatedly, to anyone who will listen—that my Vespas, particularly the big 300s, have been the finest consumer products in any genre at any price that I have ever purchased, alongside the 2013 "Trash Can" Macintosh Pro and the stainless-steel Rolex GMT-Master I treat far worse than it deserves. That bit of bombast prompted Vespa to reach out to offer me a test ride on the new version and, subsequently, a discount on the one I decided to purchase five minutes into my test ride, which, yeah, I accepted. These things are kind of expensive. But I cannot tell you enough about how they improve my life.Matt FarahSo I've taken delivery of a 2026 Vespa GTS 310 SuperSport, better in every way than the 300 it replaces. It has better throttle response, a much more refined suspension, better engine-management software, and a smoother idle, particularly on cold starts.This bike is the ultimate California tool. Because lane splitting is legal, Dan Hedaya's famous line from Clueless is actually true for me: "Everywhere in L.A. takes 20 minutes." Traffic may apply to you; traffic does not apply to me.Once I arrive at my destination, parking is free, wherever I want. I get 70 miles a gallon and pay under $300 a year for insurance. The 310-cc single-cylinder engine is water-cooled, is electronically controlled, and makes 25 hp and 21 lb-ft of torque, which doesn't sound like a ton, but it's good enough for an 85-mph top speed and 0–60 in about eight seconds. And besides, I can beat anyone off the line who doesn't know I'm racing them. Also, thanks to the ample underseat storage, phone holder/charger front compartment, and (optional) top-mount cargo box, I can carry tons of stuff without a backpack. And thanks to the bright colors, continuously variable automatic transmission, and fun vibes, I'm on just a little bit of a vacation every time I ride.The total cost of ownership of the 2020 I just sold after 4800 miles? Zero. I sold it at a profit, which paid for its insurance and service the entire time.Matt FarahI like getting through any new vehicle's break-in process as soon as possible. My standard procedure is to do it in a single road trip over a single weekend, and be on with it. In a car, this is never a problem—just pick somewhere nice, pack a bag, and be kind to your powertrain along the way.Vespas don't actually have restrictions on how you ride or throttle input during this period; just ride as you would normally and do an oil change and nut-and-bolt at 675 miles. Nevertheless, the second I took delivery and rode home from the dealer, I knew a road trip was in order. I'd never done one on a motorcycle, let alone a Vespa, but found the learning experience so sublime that I thought I'd share it with you here. So here's what you need to know about road-tripping a Vespa, or really any other seemingly inappropriate vehicle.Matt FarahDesign a Route to Optimize FunThis is a no-brainer, and applies to any road trip. But it applies doubly so in any inappropriate vehicle. You want roads that match the type of riding or driving you're doing. Maybe it's not a Vespa but a 24-foot land yacht you bought off Marketplace for two grand—different roads.I heard that with the upcoming Super El Niño fall, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Big Sur might take a big hit, so I decided to ride it while I could (good advice for all Californians). To get there, I optimized my route for California's B-roads, minimizing freeways where practical. From 40–60 mph, a Vespa is heavenly. It's like the hot hatch of motorcycles.Matt FarahTo be clear, the 310-cc motor is punchy enough to cruise comfortably at highway speeds. Even on my old 300 with four fewer horses, I regularly commuted across L.A. on the freeway. But that doesn't mean distance highway travel is optimal. Without the extremely dorky-looking windshield, you're taking it in the chest and really hanging on, which gets exhausting after half an hour. So my route minimized freeway travel and prioritized beauty: PCH through Malibu, Highway 33 past Ojai over the mountains, the glorious Highway 58 west toward the coast, then PCH all the way north through Big Sur to Santa Cruz and over the mountain again on Highway 17 to San Jose.Pack Efficiently, Not ExcessivelyI somehow convinced two friends to join me on this journey: Ali and Travis. Ali's office would be the endpoint in San Jose, and he shipped his brand-new Vespa to me for the start. I told Travis, a freelance car writer from L.A., about the trip, and he was instantly in. The three of us had different packing strategies. I did the best. After evangelizing Vespas for so long, Ali bought one of his own, and he accessorized. This dude had pockets and pouches for everything, strapped to every surface of the bike. Travis was the opposite; he borrowed from Vespa the same press vehicle that sold me. It lacked the top case, so Travis had to fit everything under the seat or in a small portable soft bag. Condolences.Matt FarahMy bike held three days' worth of street clothing, extra shoes, a light coat, water, and snacks using the existing storage solutions. It turns out my helmet bag makes a perfect suitcase for the top box! It held everything I need and didn't add a bunch of bulk or weight to the bike, which matters when you're doing 200 miles of canyon roads. I cannot tell you how wonderful, back in reality, the practicality of on-bike storage is. Not only does a Vespa hold a few days' worth of groceries, your work kit, a day's shopping haul, or a beach setup for two, but it also securely locks away your helmet, jacket, and gloves while you're at work, dinner, or the thing you've just ridden to. For most people, a motorcycle is a toy. For me, it's a tool first and a toy second, and those two things combined genuinely make every day a little easier.Accept DiscomfortThe temperature swung 55 degrees in 24 hours, and I was going to be sitting in a toilet-like position for a long time. I tried to prepare for both. I wore a back brace for the first time ever, which was absolutely crucial; a constant reminder to sit up straight for my spine's sake. And I decided to dress for the cold and suffer through the heat, hoping it would be brief. Riding up the stunning Route 33 north from the coast through the town of Ojai, over the mountains, and into the California Central Valley, the temperature went from 72 to 108 degrees. The next morning in Carmel, it was 51. Layering up and down with a jacket is no big deal, especially a vented one. But you should—and I didn't—make room for both summer and winter gloves. Not feeling your hands sucks when you need them for . . . everything.Matt FarahUnderstand Your True RangeStraight up, Travis and I almost ran out of gas. We fueled up in Maricopa with about 100 miles to ride to the next gas station. Should be no big deal, as the normal range is about 150 miles and Ali told us it was "mostly downhill." The Vespa holds 2.2 gallons of gas, which I did not look up ahead of time. I just watched the range gauge on the bike, as I had done for years.As we rode west toward the coast on the incredible Highway 58, it was well over 100 degrees, going uphill, with a 15-mph headwind. It was like riding into a hair dryer. For the first time, the Vespa struggled a bit. It felt a bit down on power, and it was clearly slurping more fuel. The range gauge dropped three miles for every mile we rode. Thirty miles from the nearest fuel station, the reserve light came on. Then that station was closed, and we had to continue the most stressful 11 miles of my life. Thankfully, we made it, and I pumped 1.8 gallons of fuel, proving that the fuel gauge will show its lowest bar, and the reserve light will come on when there is nearly a third of a tank actually available, and in a worst-case scenario, my bike still got over 35 mpg.Matt FarahSlow Things Go Fast, Sure. But Incognito Is BetterI love a fast car. My whole job is fast cars, and that's not an accident. But if you want to use a fast car, you need special times and places: race tracks, remote roads at sunrise, or the entire state of Nevada, for instance. Under no circumstance, if given a Ferrari 296, would I sleep late, have a relaxed breakfast and take a little walk, rather than hit PCH at sunrise, before it gets clogged with rented Chrysler Pacificas. On a Vespa, what's your hurry? Full speed on a Vespa is the same speed as a Chrysler Pacifica anyway. And when traffic builds up and stops for a one-lane repair section from the last big storm, just go around to the front. They won't even be mad; it's a Vespa! When the road opens again, you have a clear shot for the next 20 miles. It's the best of all worlds, fast enough never to be in anyone's way, but slow enough not to be annoyed when forced to follow.Plus, everyone knows motorcyclists are just menaces to the road! Always making all that noise, always going so fast, passing cars, scaring people? Am I right? Not me. Not my bike. I'm friendly. Quiet. Approachable. Just passing through. I'd say invisible, but for my Blu Eclettico paint job, which draws thumbs-ups from everyone. They let you around. They don't rage at you. They smile. Everyone wants to look like Batman. But a friendly vehicle, no matter two or four wheels, is a much better way to experience the world.Matt FarahMake Time for Good Stops"How long did that take?" Everyone asked me when I spoke about our Vespa trip to San Jose. It could take one day—if you were of incredibly healthy spine and wanted to do eight hours of core workout with no breaks—on the 5 freeway. The bike itself is not the limiting factor: It would take the same amount of time to get to San Francisco as it would driving an average car on an average day. But that's not fun, nor is it pretty, and I wanted both.So for us? Two and a half days. We stopped in Malibu for brunch, rode over some beautiful mountains, had coffee on the docks in Morro Bay, and arrived at a cool upfitted motel near the beach with time to shop at the antique stores and drink some local wine, then slept in for the legendary blue-corn waffles at Hidden Kitchen in Cayucos. We stopped at the charming elephant seal viewing site, the stunning Willow Creek, and a half-dozen other spots that I would normally blast past at triple digits in a sports car. We even tried to see who could spend the most money on gas at the famous "Fox News Freakout" station in Big Sur and still arrived in Carmel, our night-two destination, at 2:00 in the afternoon, with plenty of time to enjoy the sights of America's most idyllic seaside town.That's not to say certain things aren't worth getting up for.Matt FarahDo Something You Probably Shouldn'tAs policy, motorcycles are not allowed in the Del Monte Forest, the part of Monterey Peninsula where Pebble Beach Golf Links and the other fancy area courses and baller-ass cribs are located. This is probably for good reason, as just imagine blowing five grand on a round at Pebble Beach only to have a gang of 50 Harleys rolling through. And you know they would, because the accurately named Seventeen Mile Drive is one of the finest roads in the country, with curves that make the Swiss jealous: cambered carousels, impeccable tarmac, and brain-exploding rocky coastline views broken up by ancient-looking, mystic Cypress trees. One would not normally rip this road, as it would be uncouth; it's lined with very expensive homes, not to mention the occasional jogger, dog-walker, or cyclist. But one is not normally on a 25-hp vehicle.Surely we could use the charm offensive at the guard house. By making a very early weekday breakfast reservation at the Inn at Spanish Bay—a hotel at which we were not guests—and showing our confirmation to the guard—plus, you know, being three dudes on colorful Vespas—we talked our way in and, just after sunrise, lapped the entire route like it was the Isle of Man TT. Glorious doesn't even begin to describe it. I have never done Seventeen Mile Drive at anything above a crawl, during Car Week. Thanks to Ali's strategizing and the utter apparent harmlessness of the Vespa vibe, we unlocked a secret to one of the finest motoring experiences one isn't allowed to have.Matt FarahKnow When to Fold 'EmThirty miles from San Jose, our final destination, a wrench-shaped indicator light popped up, letting me know that I had completed the 675-mile break-in period and should send my bike to the dealer for service. Although I was more than 400 miles from home, this was not a problem, because I had decided to ship the bike home and fly. It was a one-way trip. I had correctly assessed, ahead of time, that three days on a Vespa would be the ideal road-trip length. To take the highway home from here would suck beyond belief and probably put me in the hospital. To take the pretty way would mean two more days minimum and another night in a hotel. I took a $120 Delta flight home and shipped the Vespa directly to Vespa of L.A., collecting it myself, serviced and detailed, the following week. Travis, who wrote about our trip for SlashGear, did ride the whole way home from Carmel in a single day rather than continuing north. His perspective is great on its own, as he's a real motorcycle journalist, but worth the click for that feat alone.Seventeen years into riding Vespas, I am still convinced that their higher-end models are some of the finest consumer goods on sale at any price. They are made of metal, not plastic. They are incredibly functional for day-to-day life. They are efficient, fast enough for highway commuting and comfortable enough to spend six hours a day on one, should you choose. They are friendly enough that folks wave and let you pass but quick enough at the low end to make that pass or get around danger. This year marks Vespa's 80th birthday, and they celebrate a culture, a following, and clubs around the world. Most important, whether I'm riding the Pacific Coast Highway or getting groceries in L.A., every mile on my bright-blue Vespa is a little bit of vacation.If You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State