Modern Vespa

Hi guys,

my friend is considering putting a px200 engine into his 150 frame and thats all well and good... except i was talking to some guys at a bike show and they said he needs to reinforce the main tube and area around the headset to stop it from flexing.

Is this true?
... and whos actually put one into an older bike?

(i have tried the search function but didnt get anything substantial)

Thanks heaps

That's the goofiest shit I've ever heard. P200 engines have gone into those frames a thousand times.

Typical....folks that don't know scoots projecting their thoughts on scoots.

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.........

No ! It's the same as putting in a good kit when it comes torque . It would be great for a racer if your kitting the hell out of the 200 , but no need for stock . He would be better off selling his P motor and getting a mallossi 166 for his super , keeping the resale value .

Thankyou for your thoughts

Yeah I've done it. No problems at all... except then you need some real brakes... the front brake drum on a Super simply keeps the rain off the brake shoes.

some guys are all about putting a brace between the main channel just below the headset and the frame arch, it seems to be mainly a uk/nz thing though, i dont think ive ever seen a state-side bike do it.

its supposed to be a popular idea in the cutdown community, the implication is that after removing all the extra metal, you need extra support - which is sort of a silly idea even then.

I found th starter motor hits th frame on BIG BUMPS, but nothing a BIG HAMMER could not fix

Or we'll just rip that little bad boy off and he can kick at it.

Keep em coming team, i require all practicle thoughts on this kind of transfusion, the more experienced are offering up some good stuff.

Im not really interested in whether it should be kept stock though, talk about that in the general discussions area cos this job is going through regardless.

<snigger>

Why would you even enquire of "some guys at a bike show" about such a thing.

The Vespa is hardly a precision handling single track vehicle at its best. Lots of fun sure, but a scalpel it aint and never will be no matter how many Clauss bushings, Bitubo shocks, race tyres and frame reinforcements you throw at it.

Same reason youd ask randoms off the internet.


It was a classic bike show.
The classic anything scene here is small, theres generally overlap in places, with many bikers cutting their teeth on scooters.

There was a stand with about 1/2 a dozen vespas and lambrettas showing. I was talking scoots and paint work with the guys who are interested in having some custom work done and one of them had an angle on my mates conversion after i mentioned him having the same scooter.

Sweet

Fairynuff

@Trumpy Please let me know what you and your mate decide to do. My next project is a Cafe Racer using my 1976 150 Super as the base. I thought about leaving it as is, or restoring it as stock in it's original colour, but Supers are not rare enough for me to bother about patina and 100% originality. Besides, I would not be cutting the frame anywhere so it could be returned to stock in years to come. Likewise, the 8" wheels could go straight back on.

The choices for the engine are:

1. original engine + Parmakit or Quattrini 177/187. It's the later Super casing with three ports and is immaculate. Not sure the thinner input shaft and weaker gearbox would be suitable.

2. PX150 engine (EFL gearbox etc.) + a kit as per above

3. PX200 engine + some fettling TBD

Cheers.

Hi dude. That sounds like a fun project, but dont get too wrapped up in keeping it stock, get a disc cutter to her and rip into it.

Na, just take your time and plan your build out so you dont have to do the big jobs twice. There'll be lots of ideas and opinions from the forum im sure.

For him it was down to money and ease really. He's a mechanic and for this project wanted quick results and was happy to get an engine that didnt require any work.

For cheaper than a 177 cylinder kit, I found my mate a Stella 150 motor with 200 k's on the clock. So that was a no brainer straight swap.
Im pretty sure he just put 10" wheels on it for the ease. It looks like what you think its going to look like. A killer paint job and slightly too larger wheels, but he dont care. And it rides well. You have to muck around with wiring but the loom came with the engine in this case, and he made a go of it. Its all doable.

1/2 decent running 150 engines are everywhere, new parts are so cheap and available, and on small wheels that's plenty of power. It also means you can either save your old motor and fettle away with it or sell it, and overall the whole thing can cost you less.
PX200 motors aren't cheap or necessarily available in decent condition, so something to bear in mind if looking at lump in a box. it does cost a bit more to rebuild than a Stella 150 motor too.

Just do whatever you feel like spending time and money on, the wheel size is a limiting factor.
With whatever choice you make, there is leeway. you can always sell the engine on if you're not happy with your choice and go from there.