Having had my VX-1 for 2 years, the fact that I've never seen one out in the wild doesn't surprise me. However, my last two trips to Italy (June 2016, Sept 2017) was delighted I spotted two. My first trip I saw a pretty worn VX-1 in Milan, parked among the other scooters. This last trip (while touring Italy on a BMW C650GT) we had stopped for fuel and a coffee at an Esso station in Salerno. While seated outside enjoying the espresso, I hard a 'whine' vs a scooter engine, looked up and saw another VX-1 go up the hill.
Nice to see some are still out there soldering on. (And to celebrate took mine out for a bit today)
I do wonder how long these bikes will last. I still see bikes from the 70's running around. The chrome on my first bike got so rusted, from me not knowing I need to wax it, that I had to remove the instrument surround and buy a new one. Otherwise the bikes are holding up, battery issues, but no other issues, they ride like new. Will I still have these in 20 more years?
Will the price of registration ever go down? Still paying $150/yr just to register the bike with the DMV, each. My 40 foot, two story RV is only $500/yr. I only paid $500 to buy the second bike. grrr
-Randy
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I also own a 2018 Tesla Model 3 and a 2012 Mitsubishi iMiev
Egads!! I think my registration is like $20 a year in Pennsylvania and another $20 for safety inspection. (Of course the inspector had no idea what he was looking at)
2015 Tesla S90D
2009 Vectrix VX-1 Leaf Conversion
1983 Lambretta Lynx
1980 Vespa P200
2013 VW Jetta Hybrid (gone....)
I used to see the odd VX-1 every now and then on my daily commute, but that was some years ago.
What's annual registration all about? In the UK, once you have purchased a vehicle, it's registered to you (or your company) and stays that way until you basically sell it or scrap it. A V5 registration document is yours to keep showing that you're the registered keeper.
There is annual vehicle tax (road fund licence) so you can use it on a public road, but for zero emission EVs, it's £0 (although that has changed for new BEVs with a new list price over a certain high value - e.g. Tesla).
Other than that, just an annual motor insurance fee which varies somewhat, plus the annual basic MOT inspection once the vehicle reaches over 3 years old.
Welcome to the world of 50 states.....
Let me explain how things mostly work here in the US (and I may hit you up on understanding the UK)
Each state here does its own Title (ownership), Registration (think of it as your road tax) and (not all states) safety inspection (your MOT)
Additionally, each state may add additional things.
Example -- here in the state of Pennsylvania, my Vectrix is titled (owned) by me. If I don't ride it, I don't have to have a registration plate, but it must be titled. That's only to buy or sell. That's a one time fixed fee.
Then we have registration. That is an annual or bi-annual (depends on state) authorization to actually use a vehicle on the road. For a motorcycle, it's about $20 in PA. Now, some states have what is known as personal property taxes (you pay tax on the value of your assets). When I lived in Connecticut, my registration was based on the book value of the car or motorcycle that I owned. (Remember, each state is different and set the fees that they want).
Finally safety inspection. Again, this can vary by state. In PA, my vehicles must be inspected annually. The independent authorized shop sets the price they want to charge, but the range is somewhere between $20 and $35. On a car that requires an emissions inspection, there is an additional fee. Now when I lived in CT, we had an annual emissions inspection, but there was no safety inspection for the first 10 years of a vehicles life. If you purchased one, it had an inspection then, and then when it was 10 years old. Oh, and every state usually has a slightly different list of things to be looked at.
Confused yet.....
Unfortunately israndy lives in a state where you pay dearly for the right to have a motor vehicle. Also, I'm not sure if California has a personal property tax, and if that factors in to the equation. I live on the east coast, and have only had to register vehicles in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Hope that clarifies
Scott
2015 Tesla S90D
2009 Vectrix VX-1 Leaf Conversion
1983 Lambretta Lynx
1980 Vespa P200
2013 VW Jetta Hybrid (gone....)
Wow, that's confusing! I've never been to the US (maybe someday I will go on an adventure) but it sounds like basically each state is almost like it's own country in the fact that each one has their own local rules and regulations.
The UK MOT is quite straight forward but it's only a basic safety test and nothing like the stricter European ones. Costs are quite reasonable.
Getting somewhat back on topic, I see that according to latest records for the UK, there are only 61 licensed Vectrix models left with a further 63 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification).
And in NJ motorcycle registration is $70.00 a year! More then my Wife's ford Taurus!
That is basically what the annual registration in US states is - just a different name for it.
Canada (and Australia?) are similar in having all motor vehicle stuff (and for that matter, even their medical insurance systems) handled by the individual provinces or states - all with their own rules and procedures.
There might be a few more Vectrix in the eastern Pa. area. The motorcycle dealer I do business with has eight sitting in his storage building. He made me a deal on all eight that I can not turn down. Waiting for the owner to return from a trip so we can make a deal.
Riverfurm
Washington Crossing Pa.
Along the Delaware River
Wow. Are those new? Li or NiMH? Want to sell one?
2015 Tesla S90D
2009 Vectrix VX-1 Leaf Conversion
1983 Lambretta Lynx
1980 Vespa P200
2013 VW Jetta Hybrid (gone....)
They are new old stock. I believe they are NiMH one might be a Li. Should have more info next week. And yes you can buy one.
Thanks for the interest.
Riverfurm
Washington Crossing Pa.
Along the Delaware River
2007 Vectrix VX-1 For Sale or Fix?
I'm not sure if I'm posting in the correct area, but I just joined the forum. I live in Nashville, TN and have a 2007 Vectrix VX-1 that I would like to either sell or pay someone to fix. I think it has about 4k miles on it (if I remember correctly) but it is totally dead and I'm not familiar with enough with electrical machinery to feel comfortable tackling this alone.
Does anyone have any interest in the bike?
Does anyone know of someone in the Nashville area that I could contact to fix it?
Thanks for your help!
First shipment of Vectrix Scooters. Three VX-1 and one VX-2 (not pictured).Some extra body parts and a Givi top box. Still have to get some of the paper work and dealer tools. Three more coming, two VX-1 and one VX-2. I have them stored at work in a heated garage and took one VX-1 home to work on. They will be for sale when I get the paperwork sorted out.![IMG_20171103_141946821[1].jpg](/sites/default/files/u12825/IMG_20171103_141946821%5B1%5D.jpg)
Riverfurm
Washington Crossing Pa.
Along the Delaware River