Modern Vespa

My Burma Shave red 209 GTS 250 has been looking a little ragged for the past few years.

I keep her clean and serviced, but after nearly 150,000 km there are plenty of scratches, and most of the plastic bits have minor cracks from sitting out in the hot Middle-Eastern sun.

I'm toying with the possibility of buying all new plastic bits and having the entire thing stripped down for a proper multi-coat respray (after full prep/bodywork).

So the questions:

1. If I want to change the color (say, to Lemon Yellow), does that complicate the scope of the job (meaning do I need to do anything so the dragon red doesn't show through)?

2. Does any company sell the full set of plastic bits for the GTS250 or do I have to source them piecemeal?

3. To what extent does the scoot need to be disassembled to do a proper paint job? Meaning, do I need to get my mechanic involved before taking the scoot to the paint shop? I ask because I've seen bad paint jobs that were done entirely with masking.

4. Costs here in Israel are a bit more expensive than in the US or Europe, but I've learned to estimate the price inflation since it tends to be fairly consistent. So, please tell me approximately what a good full repaint would cost where you live (and please mention where you live).

5. To those who have done a complete repaint of a modern Vespa (or know someone who has), the obvious question I want to ask is 'was it worth it?'

Thanks in advance for your responses (and don't feel obligated to answer all the questions)

Hi Trep,

What plastic bits exactly are you talking about?

I've had my gts repainted from Dragon red to Dragon red so this may not apply to you. Ideally you need to drop the front fork to get a good coat on the front fender but I skipped that part. I basically disassembled the glove box, floorboard, lower fairings, foot pegs and removed all the chrome accessories. I also disassembled The handlebar covers removed the seat and also removed the exhaust. I prepped all the plastic pieces that were removed individually and I also spray them separately. Vintage Red Matthew helped me with the last step of spraying the bike. Make sure you start with a very clean bike and after sanding use a solvent with gloved hands to wipe off all the possible grease on the surfaces.

Max has good points. I wouldn’t buy new plastics, just polish up the old ones.

However, knowing your riding area I would just rattle can the scoot in desert camo. Spend the left over cash on a huge damn amp and speakers and a CD of the music from Apocalypse Now. You know you want to.

Sell what's left as a runner or for spares and put the money you'd spend on a respray towards new scooter.

You're welcome.

I think you've been watching the wrong news station.

This is my ride. Aside from the sentimental value and memories I have tied up in it, it still runs like a champ.

Besides, no way my wife is going to let me get another scoot. I caught her at a weak moment when I asked to buy this one. I can't count on the stars aligning again.

These.

The strips at the bottom of the cowls on each side, plus all the bits on and around the speedometer / mirrors, horn cover and front fender.

I've done a couple of total resprays, and changed one from silver to red. That was enough to make me swear I would never paint another Vespa. Masking and respraying isn't so bad, but there's a lot of tedium involved. Then, when you scratch the new paint while reassembling the entire bike, you might go a little nuts.
You can get aftermarket headset front and rear, front fender and side panels, but not parts like the floorboard or glove compartment, AFAIK, and Piaggio has jacked up the price of plastics over the last year or so. You will also want to scrape and replace the existing vespa and 250gts stickers.
Here, if someone wanted to do what you are asking about, I would suggest dissasembling the bike and taking it to Tijuana, where they have access to paints and other chemicals that are haram in the US. I found one by calling the Tijuana VW concesionario and asking where they had bodywork done. You might find that local car dealers have similar arrangements. As far as getting plastics repaired right, almost every bike shop that caters to sport bike riders and road racers knows where to get them fixed. Sport bike riders break a lot of body panels.

After my accident after the dents had been repaired I had my Vespa changed from silver to metallic blue. It was done by the same people who did the body work for the Ferrari dealer the Houston Vespa dealer used to be inside. I had a total bill for all the post accident repairs plus regular scheduled maintenance so can’t tell you the price.

Before we go down a DIY rabbit hole, remember what Teppenwitz is asking: He doesn't appear to be considering doing most of the prep or paint himself, but rather paying a shop to do it.

As above, I think you'll find the cost of the plastic parts and fitting, plus the state and reliability of the engine having done so many miles, far outweighs the cost of a new GTS..

Graham

I beg to differ. I did all the work: disassembly, sanding and assembling. Paint and PPE less than $200.

You miss the point - Trepp isn't going to do this himself, it'll be other professionals doing all the work. It's THAT cost he's trying to estimate.

For some, it is like the scooter isn’t a fun machine, but a bundle of money that gets smaller as it ages.

For many of us, the scooter goes well beyond that.

They become companions on rides and moments that can be life changing.

Some of us are willing to spend money to hang onto that memory, even if the net result is owning a machine with no value to anyone but us.

Bill

Not if the cost of a new GTS includes divorce!

Wife Acceptance Factor ranks much higher than considerations of cost or sentimentality. Trep is enacting the "maintenance maneuver" to fly this under the radar. He is clearly a man of wisdom and experience.