Aprilia Scarabeo150 reviews

I bought mine new in 2002 and enjoyed commuting and driving on it for the next 10 years. I put 32,000 miles on it and took very good care of it then foolishly sold it for a bigger Piaggio Berverly 500 scooter [a reliable bike, but with inferior body work and design). I regretted selling it so much I bought it back six years later but in a very sorry state. So I brought it to the Aprilia dealer in San Francisco, and had then go through it completely and had all the body parts repainted. It mine forever now. Show less

Just picked up a 2002 150 with 300 miles on it, Yes BETTER than new!!!! Ridin motorcyles and scooters for 40 years. This machine is Outrageous! Handling comfort, speed. Show less

I bought my 2002 Scarabeo 150 used, with about 700 miles on it late this past summer. It really caught my eye - I wondered what it was (motorcycle? scooter?), plus the color (Mosaic Gold) is a standout. I have taken it on mostly short commutes, usually back roads, but have also gotten on most of the local freeways and easily kept up with traffic. If it is windy, I am buffeted around quite a bit, but it is easy enough to avoid the freeway when it is windy. Like many first bike owners, now I want a bigger bike because I really don't want to take this one on longer trips - it really is too small for that - too light and gets tiring on longer rides. I plan to get another Scarabeo (the 500). I love the performance, reliability and style. Show less

I purchased this bike three weeks ago and have about 2000 miles on it (yes two thousand) I traded it in on an Aprilia Ditech50 that could not keep up in traffic and frustrated the hell out of me. (I had the Ditech50 only two weeks) When I test drove the Scarabeo150 (they wouldn't let me test drive the 50cc, now I know why) I was in LOVE. Aceleration was 500% better than I had imagined it would be. It handled great. I let three friends drive it who are die hard motorcycle owners, and they all said it handled like a motorcycle. This has all the power I could ever want. It might not have the power of a larger motorcycle, but it will smoke almost any car on the road (or, at least it seems to) When you twist the throttle, it MOVES. It seems as the gearing is set to give maximum performance in passing, because the biggest acceleration JOLT hits you when you are going at 30 MPH and then OPEN IT UP. Wow! Its a rocket! (or, at least it seems that way to me, remember, I have little to compare it to, except to say that I am PUSHED back in my seat when I open it up, and the first time it happened was a little scary) I had it up to 75 on the freeway, but the wind in my face was unbearable (I probably need a windshield or a face mask. I keep it to about 60-65 on the highway, and it is a little more bearable, however, I cannot imagine faulting the bike for this... On the down side, on the second day I noticed it was getting too hot. Turns out the fan that cools the radiator was not going on. The dealer took the part from another vehicle in stock and fixed it. On the third day, the speedometer broke. It simply stopped working. It started making a bunch of clicking sounds, the needle started "twitching" and it simply froze. The dealer fixed this with a part from another vehicle. (Its nice to have a dealer willing to do this as parts could take 3 weeks) The speedometer numbers are too small and the red needle is too thin,(at least for my eyes) a quick glance at it is not enough I have to look down and READ it. There is a very bright "green warning light" letting me know that my headlighs are on. This seems pretty stupid to me, because the headlights are ALWAYS on, and cannot be turned off. Am I crazy, or would it be a better idea to have a warning light telling me if my headlights are NOT on? Anyway, this is a BRIGHT green light, TOO bright. It is extremely distracting, and in order to drive comfortably at night, I have to keep a little piece of black duct tape over it to block its extremely bright rays. The gas tank is to small, it seems as though I am filling it up every day. (I am) 2 and a fraction gallons is not big enough. All in all, I love this bike, if someone steals it, I will buy another one. If asked,I would recomend it to anyone. Show less

I purchased my 2002 Bug 3 weeks ago. I own a 2002 Mustang convertible and my 4 door Ford F150. I can't wait to get home from work and take my bug for a ride. It's the most fun toy I have on wheels. While driving on the most dangerous street in the US, Pines Blvd and Flamingo Rd I get looks from other car drivers and motorcylce riders. I passed someone on their 40 mile per hour 50 cc scooter that was holding traffic. I was going 65 slowed down to beep and took off again. I kind of felt bad for the guy. This bike rides really nice for a scooter, I've rented many 50 cc units in the florida keys and this bike is definetly different. For you ladys, this bike is heavy, you got to have some muscels. My wife is 5'1" and refuses to ride it after her first day spill. The wife and kids and we all love it. Great looks, good ride. As for maimtenance: can't drive it past 60 mph the first 600 miles. First service, 600 mile. Go out and buy it..... Show less

My Scarabeo 150 is pure enjoyment. It is an excellent beginner motor scooter. My Aprilia meets my requirements for in-town conveyance. It has a robust engine to kick up the speed to approximately 60 MPH and durable chassis to withstand wind resistance. It's design gives it the look and feel of a motorcycle. It is economically priced. I am very pleased with the purchase of this high quality Scarabeo. Show less

Ive had this scarabeo for about a year and put almost 6000 miles on it in that time, except for two brake handle replacements, a new mirror, (I am STILL learning to ride on it)and an oil change it has been reliable, and perfect for the city I live in. It leans over to about 50 degrees and corners to about 55 mph. I even spilled it once and it the only damage was a mirror and a brake handle. If you want something with all the power needed for everything but highway driving, and it even does that albeit the engine is a bit spun out, the scarabeo 150 comes with my highest recomendation Show less

I just purchase my Scarabeo 150 a week ago and I have found it very easy to ride and a lot of fun. This is a sizable scooter and rides more like a small motorcycle than most other scooters. The bike is heavy (over 300 pounds) and has big 16-inch wheels, so it feels substantial underneath you. The 150cc engine and automatic clutch deliver a terrific amount of power for everything but high-speed highway riding (although the bike is highway legal and I've had it up to 55 mph without it working very hard.) Highly recommended, especially for city riding! Show less

I purchased a Scarabeo 150 in Feb 2003. My wife has a Kymco 50cc scooter and we wanted something bigger for me so we could both ride together. The 150 is comfortable for my 6' 235lbs and has enough power to go around 70MPH. So far we get about 65 MPG. I have about 250 miles on it so far and have found it to be pretty quiet easy to manuver and fun to ride. The only draw backs are that you have to order a large windshield (even with a full face helment you qet wacked with a lot of bugs and road debris). Secondly the small amount of storage space tends to limit length of trips for us. (Maybe I am biased about the storage space because my other motorcycle is a 2002 Goldwing). In Texas any two wheeled vehicle with a motor over 49.9cc is considered a motorcycle and requires the "M" endorsement on your drivers license. The Scarabeo 150 meets the motorcycle rule in Texas so smaller riders or those new to motorcycling can get their track (parking lot) time practicing for the DPS exam without needing all the clutch/foot brake coordination. Over all if you are looking for something unique simple to ride and far less expensive to buy and ride than most other scooters on the market this Aprilia warrants a test ride. Show less

I have owned an Aprilia Scarabeo since October 2002 and I love it. It is perfect for me. I bought it for "fun" and like not having to shift when driving around town. Also, it is much more comfortable than an entry level motorcycle. At 6'3" I am hunched over on a lot of motorcycles and am uncomfortable when driving. Show less