Modern Vespa

I just stumbled across a 2001 Vespa ET4 125cc in A^2

The add is asking $2000 and says the bike has 5400 miles on it, from what I see in the adds pictures the bike looks good.

My wife wants a vespa... Got her a chinese scoot a couple years ago as a trainer bike cause the price was right, however looking to get her what she wants now.

My questions are:
- Will the ET4 125 keep pace with my mildly moded Stella 150?
- Is this a plastic body scoot or metal, or a mix of metal and plastic?
- Is this a fair price for a 23 year old bike?

ET4 is metal body with plastic trim like floor, glove box, skirts, fender

The price isn't bad if it's in good shape, running, titled. You might haggle a bit but it's in the neighborhood.

My ET4 was a 150 before I dropped in the Malossi 190 kit and Polini upgear. The 150 is good for about 60MPH on reasonably flat land, maybe a bit more if the wind is right. Hills are where it can struggle, but you are in SE Michigan, it's not so much a factor. Someone else can chime in about the relative difference between 150 and 125. I wasn't even aware that maybe both 125 and 150's made it here in '01.

The 190 kit is good bang for the buck, I'm not sure if it bolts right on for 125 like it does for 150. I'm not 100% sold on the Polini upgear. It lets me hit 70 on the freeway if I'm on the flats or down, but the acceleration isn't earth shattering. It does manage the hills very well now. I'm kind of thinking the 190 without the upgear would be more fun and perhaps worth the tradeoff for a bit less top speed. I've also got a slightly bigger rear tire going on, so I think together it's just too much upgear. If I cared enough, I'd shrink the tire or plop the stock gearset back in. I don't. It works well.

That bike is a 150. Modern 125's were never officially imported into the US, other than the 946. The key to whether it is a good deal is if the bike has maintenance records. I just bought the blue one in Beverly hills and it has 230 miles, but needs to have all the rubber parts replaced.

Also, make sure it has both the red and blue keys.

Given what your saying about your 150's performance I might hold off and wait for something with a bit more displacement.

We're in SE Michigan yes, but we also have a spot in Northern Michigan where the roads can be hilly and sustained speeds of 50-55 for long periods are not uncommon.

the 150 is decent, but no rocket. of course a GTS will stomp the stella all day long and do 75 on the freeway, but it's bigger, and often a smaller bike is an asset. I have a PX, a GTS300, and an ET4. Each has something it does better than the others.

As others noted the ET4 is a 150 cc with a carb.

You mentioned you got a Chinese scooter as a trainer for the wife. What cc size is it? Is she happy with that cc size? What is the primary use? Occasional long rides with major use short rides/errands?

A used GTS 250 will kick a** on the Stella but it is a heavier bulkier scooter than the ET4.

An ET4 should perform as well as or better than a Stella. And the price is about what they are going for if they are clean. The ET is desireable because it's a little lower and more nimble than the LX and Primavera, and the tires are a whole lot easier to find and cheaper than on the newer bikes. One thing you might want to do if you get her the ET4 is install a side stand. If she's not confident that she can yank the bike up on the center stand, she might not ride as much, and the more you ride, the better you become as a rider.

The chinese scoot is a 150, and pretty much used for short rides/errands.

For our purposes the chinese scoot does and will do everything that we want it to. But I told her I'd look into an actual vespa if she really got into riding...Which she did.

Now I find myself bored at work and passivly looking at scooters.

I'm sure nobody here can relate to that.

My better half gets nervous when I tell her that I'm slow at work.... The last time we were in a slump like this I bought a new truck