The Aventura-X EV29 has much of the feel-good charm that comes along with nostalgic Vespa rides, yet without any of the exhaust noise, smell of gasoline, or oily rag on your workbench. I spent a few enjoyable weeks riding this fun little runabout and felt almost like I was cheating, getting the fun vibes without paying the normal entry price of muss and fuss that goes with classic ICE scooters.
First of all, I probably shouldn’t call it a Vespa, even though it looks and feels like one. Aventura-X probably walks a fine line as it is, conjuring up old-timey Vespa vibes while maintaining just enough differentiation to avoid legal issues. It’s a common game these days, giving us old-school feels without blatantly ripping off a decades-old brand.
But those kinds of issues aside, this scooter still brings with it a classic-inspired ride that feels oh-so-good.
Check it out in my video review below, then keep reading for all of my thoughts on this fun ride!
Aventura-X EV29 video review
Quick, what are the specs?
You probably want to know the numbers right off the bat, so let’s hop to it.
The version I tested is the Aventura-X EV29. It has a 2,900 watt motor fed by a 72V 20Ah battery. There are actually two battery slots under the seat, so you could add an extra battery to double the range from 35 miles up to 70 miles (56 km to 112 km). If you don’t have an extra battery, like mine, then you’ve got some extra storage under the seat!
The current sale price of US $3,295 doesn’t include the extra battery, which is an additional US $799. You do get the keyless start from a wireless keyfob included for free though as part of a promotional add-on, so at least you’ve got that going for you!
Obviously this scooter is built for looks, though that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some decent utility baked into it as well.
There is a small storage area in front of the battery compartment, but it’s more of a phone/wallet/keys/sunglasses-sized storage compartment. There’s also a larger storage compartment in the right rear fender that I was able to squeeze three of my riding cameras into as well as my microphone setup.
I know that’s not a normal unit of measure unless you’re a YouTuber, but I’d guess that the wheel well storage is around 1.5 liters or so. It’s also roughly in the shape of a water bottle. So for the Americans in the room, picture a 2L soda bottle and subtract a bit.
Then you’ve got the wicker basket on back, though that’s an add-on accessory. It’s also not exactly a high-security solution, but it does give you some extra storage and definitely looks classy. In fact, it’d be right at home riding to a picnic in your local park.
Now I think most people will agree that the scooter looks great, which is nice since it isn’t terribly fast. At 30 mph (51 km/h), people will get a good long look at you as you cruise by. Aventura-X also has 50 mph (80 km/h) models, but the one I’m riding is built for looks, not for speed.
Considering I was testing this in Florida, where 50 mph roads are just how you exit your neighborhood, that lower speed was a bit of an issue. I mostly stuck to smaller streets where I could and stayed in the right lane when I had to take faster streets.
I can absolutely see the wisdom in having more speed for keeping your options open in terms of road choice. Obviously a 30 mph top speed is going to impact where you can ride, and so I see this model being better for cruising along the beach roads than commuting on the highway, if that wasn’t clear.
But I guess that’s the beauty of multiple options. You can get the 50 mph scooter that Aventura-X offers if you want to ride on faster roads, or can save some dough on the slower scooter if you’re sticking to neighborhood streets.
And as a quick note on safety: You’ll notice in the video at the top of this article that I’m wearing my motorcycle jacket and usually my riding gloves on the scooter (though admittedly I did forget my gloves a couple of times). I’m also in full pants and boots. While I’m not going to be anyone’s mother here, I try to never get on a motorcycle without all of my protective riding gear, and that’s how I recommend riding. When it comes to scooters, the more laissez-faire nature of the ride makes it easy to accidentally (or purposely) push the thought of riding gear to the back of your mind. “I’m just going for a little cruise,” is a common enough thought, and I’ll admit that I’ve often heard the siren’s call of a romantic scoot alongside the lapping waves in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts. But ultimately, this is still technically a motorcycle and you can still technically cheese grater the skin off various parts of your body in a crash. So just consider that when choosing your ride outfit.
While I’m wearing my Dianese mesh motorcycle jacket in this video since I was travelling, I’ve been more frequently wearing my Beyond Riders motorcycle gear for my pleasure/commuter riding since it has all the protective qualities I’m looking for but looks like typical street clothes. I just got a new flannel shirt from them that has hidden armor and a pair of khaki pants that get the same treatment.
So I’m not saying you have to suit up, but I am saying I’d recommend it. Ok, safety rant over.
I’m glad to see both a side stand and a center stand included on the scooter, since they’re useful in different situations. The side stand is great for quick stops like hopping off and running into a store, while the center stand gives more stable parking, especially when parking on a hill or looser terrain like grass. It’s rare to see motorcycles or scooters that offer both. My daily rider – a Gogoro – has both, and I use them both often.
With cute little 10″ wheels and a faux leather seat, the scooter definitely looks the part of a vintage getup. Even the handlebars almost look like they could be from several decades past, skipping the big gaudy plastic molded parts of today’s scooters and putting as much metal as possible on those bars instead. I have a ’69 Honda Sports Cub and the bars/switches/mirrors, etc. all actually look quite similar to those on the Aventura-X. The rubber end grips take away from the retro vibe a bit, but not too much.
However, the body panels don’t get the same classic treatment. While they look the part, they’re actually plastic. That is fine from a few steps back since you’d never know from a glance. But if you grab hold of the front shield and shake it, it feels like a plastic panel.
That’s not really an issue per se, but it means you might want to be careful with your parking so you don’t crack a panel that would have merely dinged if it had been steel or aluminum.
As for the ride, I’ve long been a scooter fan. I’m a daily scooter rider myself. Since my wife and I went car-less a while back, an electric seated scooter is our main form of conveyance. And so the wide foot area of the Aventura-X feels at home to me, as does the convenient bag hook for carrying various odds and ends along for the ride.
In fact, as much as I like my motorcycles, I generally opt for my scooters when I’m actually commuting or running errands since the extra foot space makes it easier to carry things with me or do the occasional shopping trip.
The feel will be familiar to any scooter rider, even if the wheels are a tad bit smaller than on some of my other rides. The long bench seat is comfortable, the large front shield keeps you largely weather protected from splashes and road debris, and you get all the joy of being part of the environment (instead of watching it go by through a window) yet without the complex feelings that many people have towards true motorcycles. Basically, it’s all of the fun without the baggage.
Ultimately, I’m not exactly sure what I expected of the Aventura-X, but it definitely left me smiling and satisfied. It’s a fun, retro ride that seems to bring joy to just about everyone who sees you go by.
At the same time, though, you’re paying a premium for those feel-good rides. At its current price of $3,295, this is obviously not the most affordable way to cruise around at 30 mph. And speaking of which, that 30 mph speed is definitely limiting, leaving you barely faster than an electric bicycle yet on a vehicle that looks very out of place in the bike lane.
In fact, you almost certainly shouldn’t be using it in the bike lane, unless your local laws allow it. When I spent a year in Boston back in 2018, I actually could legally ride my 30 mph electric moped (a Genze 2.0, RIP) in the bike lane. Yet even with the law on my side, cyclists who saw me were pissssssed about it. That meant I rarely actually used the bike lanes unless it was to briefly skip a line of traffic, and even then I was always extra cognizant of any actual cyclists around me. I’m not sure many places would allow an Aventura-X in the bike lanes these days, or if Boston even still allows mopeds in, and so you’ll need to plan your own local trips accordingly.
There’s definitely a place for a ride like this, and I’m glad vintage-inspired electric scooters exist. I would certainly consider springing for the extra 20 mph though, as it opens up many more possibilities for where you can ride. But if you’re in a sleepy neighborhood or laid-back beach town, zipping down to that sea breeze coast at 30 mph on a scooter that looks like a blast from the past might be the perfect ride indeed.
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