Modern Vespa

I bought a 2021 50cc Vespa sprint earlier this year and I'm looking to do some upgrades to it over the next few months to enhance its performance a bit. I realize it's still a 50cc and not gunna be some sort of rocketship lol.... But I'm looking for everyone's opinion on what would be the best first couple upgrades to give it a bit more of a speed boost? More bang for buck I guess.

Im new to this world so if you could suggest parts and even links to it that would be amazing ❤️

Don't mess with a nearly new 50cc Vespa. Four-stroke engines simply aren't moddable the way two-strokes are, or used to be when they were more widely available.

Sell it and upgrade to the faster machine you should have bought in the first place.

Best bang for the buck would be to swap your shiny new scooter for a nice 150.
A test ride might clarify your decision.

This wasn't an option... But thanks.

Definitely not an expert on modifications as I don't know how a wrench works, however, you can check ScooterWest.com. They have many parts for sales and you can search for performance parts for your particular scooter. Some of them are kind of expensive and not really sure they are worth the cost for the improvement you get. But that is your call. A old friend once told me "how fast do you want to go, and I'll tell you how much it will cost." Best of luck to you in your search and enjoy your scooter no matter how fast you are going.

We use this one. it works great: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Scooter-Cookie-Cutter-2-3-4-inches-tall-just-over-4-inches-wide/335195734?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101019983&&adid=22222222227373138723&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=471937043970&wl4=pla-976289161808&wl5=9051708&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=204999330&wl11=online&wl12=335195734&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_JWOBhDRARIsANymNOauma9j8L90HDUSOcGXOvTF7UOasXbDeovBhbQhUz8fhQAQ0JPgf4waAnQWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

You can't get there from here.

Gee, guys. The poster asked a legitimate question and there are legitimate mods that can be made. Expensive, perhaps but much less that the hit on depreciation for a trade up. Will it ever be as fast as a 150? No but it can be made a bit quicker. Time and money will come through.

A Malossi Multivar kit might help with acceleration and make the scooter feel peppier.

Multivar:

https://scooterpartsco.com/vespa/primavera-50/prima-50-drive-and-transmission/malossi-racing-variator-for-vespa-piaggio-aprilia-50-4-stroke

If the Multivar leaves you wanting more, to really get things going you might look into an 80cc big bore kit.

Cylinder Kit:

https://scooterpartsco.com/vespa/primavera-50/prima-50-engine/malossi-big-bore-cylinder-kit-for-vespa-50cc-3-valve-iget

Once you have more power, you can get a bit more top speed by changing the scoot's final drive ratio. This will trade a little acceleration for more speed, but it's worth it unless you're satisfied with your top speed.

Secondary Gears:

https://scooterpartsco.com/vespa/primavera-50/prima-50-drive-and-transmission/malossi-secondary-gears-15-55-for-piaggio

Just some grist for the mill. I probably didn't cover everything needed, but if you consider these costs, plus the labor to install them, it might make more sense why some folks are recommending a bigger scoot.

That said, making a small bike faster can be fun if you don't mind putting in the time and money.

However, it will never be faster and more powerful than a native 125...
Prepare for an economic bloodbath.

[Thanks!! I'll definitely check it out and go from there.

quote="saunders87"]
Definitely not an expert on modifications as I don't know how a wrench works, however, you can check ScooterWest.com. They have many parts for sales and you can search for performance parts for your particular scooter. Some of them are kind of expensive and not really sure they are worth the cost for the improvement you get. But that is your call. A old friend once told me "how fast do you want to go, and I'll tell you how much it will cost." Best of luck to you in your search and enjoy your scooter no matter how fast you are going.
[/quote]

Thank you for this.

Yes, I'm not looking to turn my 50cc into a 150 by any means... Otherwise yes I would've bought one if I had the opportunity. I'm just looking for a bit more pepp that's all. I live in a city with a max speed of 60 km/ hr so I am just fine.

This is great!! Thanks for all the info and links as well 👍

I'm pro DIY.
If you're not a DIY'er, you are trusting your money and scooter with mechanic. I hope in a few months, you are not going to be posting about your bad experience.
I'm not going to tell you not to do it but you need to do your research. Weigh all your options and search this forum for as much info on this subject. List all the pros and cons and make an informed decision.
Happy hunting for a great mechanic.

Try here Papagirl, Robot does some good vids. I did not one for the iget motor but very short but this one I have done the link for should be the most helpful to you.
Good luck and keep us all informed on the build

In most provinces in Canada, anything over 50cc requires a drivers permit or license with a special motorcycle class as well. 50cc or under are considered mopeds and in Alberta you only need a learners permit. Plus, mopeds can be ridden by anyone over 14 and legal on all roads except highways.
This is why small displacement scooters are so popular here. Insurance and registration for ''small displacement'' motors is considerably cheaper.
This means that many riders who are not going long distances are better off with a 50cc.
Even if you spend lots of money for upgrades to make your scooter a bit peppier it is potentially worthwhile.
To Papagirl, there are a few aspects to making the scooter peppier.
1. what to get
2. who is going to install it.
3. how much is it going to cost.
4. will it void your warranty
I would check out Echo cycles and see what they say !
Merry Christmas !!

Thanks a lot 👍 And you're right regarding the license requirements here.

My insurance on it is $60 for the year with collision lol. I'll look into Echo Cycle for sure!

How about a Flyscreen? If you don't have one already, it can help a bit with the bike's top end, not to mention up the comfort factor commensurably.

On a 150yes, but I don't think it's significant on a 50cc.

Thank you for that information. I could not work out why one would buy a 50cc Vespa.

South Africa used to have a category of motorcycle under 50cc which could be ridden by a 16 year old with at least a learner's permit. This has now been increased to 125cc. Due to the very small price difference between 50cc and larger motorcycles, very few 50cc are imported at all... if any. As our learner's permits are valid for 12 months and you can ride from the day you turn 16, a 15-year old can sit the exam, pass and ride a 125cc with a learners permit, but they may not carry a pillion.

Personally, I think our system is safer than having young riders with no formal training on the roads on a "moped".

Not sure if still the same, but in Italy you can start ride at 14 a 50cc, then at 16 you can move onto bigger size engine... The 50cc in Italy is the first size engine for a lot of people young and old...

Perhaps may be safer, but not necessarily better...

I actually think 50cc is more dangerous than 125cc as you lack any acceleration when you might need it to avoid a hazard. They are useful still in places like London as the entire suburbs are 20/30mph restricted and you don't need to get a bike license. A 16 year old can ride one but they need to do compulsory basic training (CBT) which is pretty much equivalent to what it seems is needed to get a full license across the pond. Actually it might be more as I think you don't even ride on the roads in some courses in the US to get a license.

Greetings:

While NOT the same engine, the 4-valve predecessor of your bike's engine is capable of 99 KPH with the wind astern. You can read that the Malossi variator kit ALONE gave me a 6+ MPH top speed gain HERE I'd be surprised if the kit for my 2010 didn't also fit your new Sprint, but if not there's almost certainly a similar kit bespoke for your engine.

From 3rd paragraph: A simple Malossi variator swap with white contra spring brought the speed up a whopping 6.4 mph. I wouldn't have believed it without seeing it for myself.

Don't be annoyed by the nay-sayers who insist you MUST have a 150. Assembling, as opposed to Buying your way to performance has its satisfactions. Just ask the folks in the Not-So-Modern section. You're in the best position to know your own needs, and I have every bit as much fun on Punkin 78 as I do on ISO 187, as long as I don't head for the highway. For sure you go farther on a tank of gas. Your bike looks great BTW!

Be aware that there are legal restrictions on how fast a 50 can be ridden, which can result in a ticket for not having a motorcycle endorsement on your license, your insurance company can also object
In practice this stuff doesn't come up, but we've all had those days...

When riding any motorcycle it's important to occupy your lane, riding on the right 1/2 of the lane is an invitation for cars to try to squeeze by on the left.
A lane has left, middle & right for motorcycles, [the middle can be slick right after a rain]
On a 2 lane road ride left & center
When riding in the left lane ride right & center
When riding in the center lane alternate between the 3, with a mind towards staying out of the blind spot(s), if you can't see their eyes in their mirror, they can't see you, if you are beside them they can't see you
Owning your place on the road will greatly reduce cars scaring the shyt out of you because they didn't see you
If people behind are being assholes, signal & pull over like it is a firetruck, ambulance was there

Welcome to the forum, have fun, be seen, stay safe

I don't think anyone said a rider MUST have a 150. What they said was performance parts added to a 50cc 4T Vespa, pay only small dividends. For the money involved, a bigger engine yields the largest performance increase. I agree.

Like Dooglas above, I got to agree with this...

Is it doable? Yes sure... Is it fun? It can be... Does it make sense?? Hell no!

Just like pissing money against the wall, if you catch my drift...

I guess here in the "modern section", you get more "old farts" opinions that elsewhere, but they are still true and based on previous similar expensive mistakes...

Great video!

I might have to watch the other one mentioned showing the install.

Now my question is, do I need to complete ALL 3 upgrades to see an improvement or for it to run properly or could one just do the variator kit as mentioned as the 3rd option. I think he mentioned the CDI kit is also a necessary upgrade for it but just curious.

Definitely going to read through your post as well. I was wondering if just installing the variator kit on mine would be sufficient enough for what I'm looking for....and the rest of the upgrades mentioned in the scooter west video are necessary.

Thanks to those of you who offered advice to my question. Again I'm not looking for a 150cc, otherwise I would have gone out of my way to order one. I've driven dirt bikes etc growing up so it's not foreign to me by any means, it's just not something I felt necessary when I purchased my vespa outright. It's fine as is but I do like making little changes here and there (typically to the comestic stuff) but I am leaning towards the variator kit as well just for that bit of boost in town in certain situations.

Sent PM

The difference is not huge but still notable with/without flyscreen:)

A flyscreen, you say...

I can't say that I have ever try that on any of my vehicles...

Maybe just a tiny little one, for my open face helmet, would not be a bad idea...

PG - good luck with your mods. You've been given some great, some good, some not so good and ……. Advice.

Keep it simple and serviceable.

Please don't over look good riding gear and scooter security.

The variator is an interesting little mod of minimal invasiveness, but once you embark on engine displacement modifications you are signing up for a cavalcade of fiddling. (The gear mods make no sense without a larger displacement.)

If you like fiddling, it might be a fun DIY project, but if you don't, it will involve a lot of frustration and it may be difficult to find a mechanic willing to do the fiddling on your behalf. BBK upgrades are not always set-it-and-forget-it projects. It isn't clear where the OP stands on the DIY spectrum but the amazingly handy Wheelman is *not* your average 50cc rider!

The OEM engine displacement, air intake, and exhaust have been carefully tuned to work together. Once you start to fiddle with one you are upsetting the balance between the three, and the result could be as simple as less bang-for-the-buck for the thing you're modifying, or it could be as complicated as overstressing the engine.

I'm not suggesting anyone automatically "needs" a 125/150 scooter. But I am suggesting that the process of squeezing meaningful speed improvements out of a four-stroke 50cc is not cost-, time-, or value-effective.

I didn't see if adding a flyscreen (the small Piaggio one) was mentioned but you'll want that too. It smooths out the airflow around the rider so there is less wind resistance and with a 50...or 80, if you mod, you'll feel the difference. Depending on how you ride you may end up using more brakes, which means they wear faster, because the scooter coasts easier when you let off the throttle. So less wind resistance helps you get to top speed faster and then you need less throttle to maintain a speed because it slips through the air easier.

I did all the mods you are looking at but for an older LX50 so there was a big improvement for my effort. I rode a later model LX50 too with the four stroke and it had more power delivery from low to mid range speeds so those comments people are making about smaller returns for the effort on more modern stuff may be true IDK. That's why I mention the flyscreen, because no matter how much more power you can purchase, cutting down the wind resistance is a universal improvement.

.02

PG,
May be nothing, May be something.

How many miles do you have on your scoot. They tend to get "a little faster" after break-in. 1000km or 625mi.

I'd start with least expensive mod first.

Fly screen or short aerodynamic windscreen.

Then later a variator and rollers/sliders.

I cringe to mention rollers/sliders as there are many thoughts, suggestions on correct weight, mixing weights etc. Not quite like which oil to use but close.

Add a small windscreen and ride it it awhile. Enjoy.

You can get by with the Multivar by itself. The big benefit with that CDI kit is that it raises or removes any rev limit on the engine, allowing it to make a wee bit more power. Little engines don't have a lot of rotational mass or torque, so they need to rev higher than their larger displacement brethren.

I recommend deciding if you want to install a big bore kit before getting the CDI. As Robot noted, there is a different CDI for use with the 80cc kit. No sense in buying the 50cc one if you're going to have to replace it later with the 80cc one.

Oh What!!! I didn't know this! I need to do some sleuthing. I have a 2 V 4 stroke, does anyone know more details?

Right, but a one season old 150cc depreciates just as much as a one season old 50cc. No one said he needed to buy a new one. I've owned dozens of two wheeled vehicles. Only ever bought one new. Still have it 12 years later. Everything else has been used.