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| A Harley 883 in Parma Italy |
At least 25% of the vehicles on the road in Bologna are scooters and another 10% are motorcycles. Obviously they are less expensive then cars, have higher gas mileage, and are able to park everywhere. The scooters are outfitted with windshields and "skirts" to keep the rider warm. Scooter riders are well dressed men and women driving what I would describe as *semi-aggressively and squeezing through impossibly tight spots. The scooters are of many different makes and models and range in size from 50cc to 500cc. Mostly they are smaller models, 125cc to 150cc, that you don't find in the U.S. But I am seeing many Suzuki Burgmans: mostly 400cc but some 650cc. Being a former owner of a Burgman 400, I can really appreciate how well they are suited for the city and occasional autostrata riding. If we move to Bologna, I want one again.
The motorcycles are Ducati, BMW, and the big three Japanese manufacturers. Motorcycle riders are almost all men wearing expensive leathers. I am not seeing many "crotch rockets", instead "Adventure Tours" like the VStrom models seem to be the most popular. These bikes are mostly for commuting in and out of the city. I have seen a few Harley's and other Boulevard cruisers but not many. By the way, the police are riding Ducati MultiStrata and BMW R bikes.
*semi-aggressive in my definition equates to cutting in and out of traffic moderately but yet overtaking every vehicle possible. I've only seen one accident so far.
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