Modern Vespa

Hi guys

I recently bought a vespa ET4 150 year 2000

I am trying to change both break levers

All ET4 models i search online have a front brake disc and line back brake

Mine has both line brakes

Is that normal?

Thanks
Mario

Can you post a picture of the front and rear wheel with the brakes?

Here they are

Back

to answer your question, no, that is not normal.

looks like somebody swapped in a Piaggio Sfera front fork from the early 90's

luckily, those cables are widely available. so I'd just replace it and carry on.

the cost to swap back to the proper components would not be cheap.

Thank you very much for the answer. When you say the fork what exactly do you mean? Does that include the handle bars?

This is the bike now

the entire steering column. if I had to guess the bike was in an accident and the fork was bent so they found that sfera fork kicking around on the cheap and put that in, they are very close to vespa in dimensions.

the ET4 handlebar assembly likely bolts up to that fork like an ET one or with very minimal work, that's why the headset (handlebar covers) work.

however, I don't know what they used for the brake lever perch but if I had to guess it's probably the sfera pieces. how do the back of the handles bars look, where the grip and switches are?

Here

Another

More

Plus this

you can clearly see the paint color difference in the fender from the body.

that front end has been swapped out

Guys thanks for your respond.

I think you are right that the front fork has been replaced.

I am having ithe front fender painted the same color.

The bike drives fine though.

Do you see any problem with it being replaced?

Thanks Mario

It's a small bike, and drum front brakes are still good enough for Honda. They work fine for that application. You don't lose stopping distance as much as you lose the ability to brake hard over and over again, like on long, fast winding descents. Drum brakes will fade before disks will. Unless you find an ET where the back end was taken out, and you can buy the entire front stem, brakes, hose, handlebars and perches, basically everything connected to the steering stem, it's likely not worth trying to switch back.
I would check the front shoes first chance I got. People who fix on the cheap sometimes use parts that are just about used up.

Thank you so much that is very helpful.

Does this mean that also the handlebars are changed?? Do i need brake levers for piaggio sfera model as well?? What else do i need of sfera model besides drum brakes?

Thanks
Mario

this is going to sound rude, and really, I don't mean it to be but we can't answer any of those questions definitively.

anything is just a guess, to be honest. I'm *guessing* that they put the ET handlebars on there because the covers appear to kind of sort of fit. but unless you blow it all apart and show us pictures anything more is just a guess.

again, guessing here, but I'd think that the front brake lever and perch was scavenged from the sfera and just scabbed onto the et bars where the stock master cylinder would go. that would make the most sense in terms of easiest path with least amount of mucking about.

so basically, anything you need for the front end: brakes, shock, brake cable, lever are all more than likely sfera. all the rest, ET. maybe.