Modern Vespa

To celebrate April Fools Day I got a new red automatic Stella. Let me share first impressions. Fit and finish is nice but not quite Vespa-level quality. Like modern Vespas, though, the scooter feels nicely balanced and well-engineered. My one mod so far has been to add S1 rims with tubeless tires. It feels very solid.

We did a 100 mile group ride through northern Virgina 2-up yesterday and it was surprisingly peppy. Even with the 125 engine, it was passing shifty Stellas and Buddies easily. Suspension felt very good, even with a passenger.

First couple tankfuls have given about 75 mpg. Things still feel tight as the scooter breaks in.

I'm very please so far! I expect most dealers will sell their initial stock very fast.

thanks for the review. why did they put a 125 engine in there? just wondering

Most of the world has a graduated licensing scheme, with 125cc being the top of the lower category. Probably not able to fit something significantly larger in the frame, so to keep things simple, they made a 125. Not sure a 150 could provide that much more oomph to warrant a second model.

Bobo - glad you are enjoying it. When are you joining the VCdM for a rally again?

Seems to be the case. Most reviews have noted that the Stellauto easily keeps up with the 150 Stellas.

Trying to make this June work out!

I picked up my Stella auto a few weeks ago.

The bike gets faster after it breaks in for a bit. It is very tight. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it handles and how balanced it feels. I bought some tubeless rims from [redacted] and some Michelin S83 (reinforced) tires that I intend to install.

Hope you do work it out. Would be great to see you.

Yes, yes! Everybody come to NOLA!!

Interested to see how the auto Stella does long term.

-Mel

I rode one last time I went by Vespalexington, and it was a nice little bike. Reminded me of the 125 I had at Bella Italia '12. The frame seems a little small to me, compared to my GTS, and I need more power to be truly happy. Probably a good entry level scoot for lots of folks, I hope they have some success.

I was impressed with the power and the scooter overall. For a 125cc auto, it moved pretty well. The only thing I didn't like was the tires which felt flat even though they weren't. I think with some new tires, it would be sweet.

The aftermarket tubeless tires do make it a very sweet ride.

I was not comfortable with tubed tires. They can be a real pain in the butt - both figuratively and literally. So I bought a set of black tubeless rims from [redacted] and a set of Michelin S 83 (59J) tires. The tires are reinforced. They make the bike ride better (subjective) and give me peace of mind.