Modern Vespa

My reliable source tells me the entire headset will be chrome.

I thought I had seen them on some matt colour models, but can't find a reference. Anyway, aftermarket (BGM) ones are available in black, and there are videos on fitting them. A major operation.

The question is not whether aftermarket parts can be retrofitted or whether chrome switch covers can be painted, but whether a new model with a new engine still has chrome covers...

It can be assumed that new, modified colors are coming, after all, two years have passed since the facelift. The new Sprint S has black switch panels, at least the customer wishes were heard in Pontedera. So it's certainly within the realms of possibility for the GTS too...

Once all the guinea pigs have drooled over and moaned, I might have a look in 18 months

I feel ya - having thoughts of HPE oil consumption. Although the temptation ...

I don't understand this kerfuffle with the HPE oil consumption, I'm putting a few fluid ounces in every 1200 miles or so which is probably only 2 or 3 times a year yet with my previous Vespa's and Lambrettas I was putting oil in every single time I filled up with fuel.

At the risk of blowing up the thread here (off-topic): Piaggio seems to have got the oil consumption issue under control, at least with the newer HPE engines. There are new part numbers for the oil scraper ring and the center piston ring. What exactly has been changed and when they were first installed has not yet been clarified in the German forum. However, this is consistent with the observation that there is no excessive oil consumption in the newer HPEs.

If the topic is interesting, please open a new thread.

And since there is talk of a "new engine" in relation to the 310cc: new engine, new luck...

Do we know if it will be a brand new engine or just an upgrade and a cylinder increased?

There is talk of a "new engine" with 310cc and rumors of variable valve timing. Whatever that actually means.

In purely mathematical terms, it is difficult to achieve 310cc with the current engine with the technically possible bore and stroke.

The secret will certainly be revealed in a few more weeks, at the beginning/mid-October.

Ciao a tutti ragazzi, sono Antonio Di Fatta dalla Sicilia (Palermo) e sono colui che ha diramato per primo la notizia della Vespa Gts 310.
La notizia confermo che è reale e sarà un nuovo motore da circa 30 cv ma non sarà a fasatura variabile. Probabilmente, ma ancora non è sicuro, verrà leggermente depotenziato per rendere la nuova Vespa meno "pericolosa" e lo stesso motore attualmente lo stanno testando sull'Mp3. È previsto in futuro anche sul Beverly ma credo che se ne parli all'eicma del 2025. La presentazione della nuova Vespa 310 è prevista per l'eicma del 2024 cioè a novembre a Milano ma c'è la possibilità di un lancio a parte già ad ottobre 2024. Siamo tutti in attesa anche se il prezzo non sarà il suo punto di forza.
Buona serata a tutti, Antonio. 👋

Translated by Deepl.com:

Hey Adif971!

Welcome to MV and congratulations on your first post.

I wrote about your first comment on Facebook in October 2023: Vespa GTS with 310cc/30hp in 2024?

Price hasn't been Vespa's strong point for a long time.

I think by depowered to make less dangerous translates as "detuned to make more reliable" I least I hope it does.

I bet price has never been Vespas best asset, but as 700km driven with new one, I still do not need more grunt, but better brakes yes.
Anyhow I believe this sure thing as fast I see it, not before.

I'm looking at getting a new GTS300 so I'm waiting to see what's released for 2025 and if the 310 materializes.

Easy, as hardly point to buy an "old" yearmoder in this time of season anyway. Here a bit same but the reason is that there is nor red ones avaiable until next year -I thou was lucky to find one

Some more detailed speculation here.

https://scooternova.com/2024/09/06/rumour-mill-a-vespa-gts-310-for-2025/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFH-GNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHY3hzAgTNlKVHrieB8Q7_BWTZXHwELZtr17yMMy6InL3yufP57PqF0aSHQ_aem_02Rf8fQmZVdeheGqn33pEw

I would think that a reliable 30 hp, 310cc Vespa motor wouldn't require a monumental effort to accomplish in this day and age, after all, (warning: potentially annoying geezer observation here)...the Japanese were doing just that thing fifty years ago....but with admittedly 'dirty' engines, of course).


If a 30 hp, 310cc, classic Vespa GTS does happen, I hope that it won't require a belt change every 3000 miles rather than the current HPE's 6000 miles....itself reduced from the previous GTS's 9000 miles.

After reading the link above provided by 'Halijaro', a new 310 engine might not produce a meaningful amount of added hp, but the likely torque boost would be most welcome, and would better facilitate passing, dealing with headwinds and uphill grades on the highway, all factors common in my area

Torque boost is not much of an upgrade to a touring Scooterist such as myself, the current 300 HPE model already climbs up hills 2 up at an indicated 70 mph.

My hope is that a new GTS will top out at a genuine speed of over 80mph and happily sit at a GPS speed of 75mph.

My current HPE tops out at GPS 75mph and cruises happily at GPS 65mph

Therefore I'm hoping for a lot really. When touring alone and need to get to the places I want to get to I want more cruising speed, when attending seaside scooter ralies I have plenty of power in comparison to the other scooterists who I always pass on the road.

Is a Vespa cruiser a thing?

I was hoping that any new Vespa would have 20% speedometer error rather than the measley 10% they all seem to display now, that way they could easily and economically increase the 278cc scooter's highway cruising speed as well as a higher top end with minimal modification.

I wouldn't know about it's two-up performance, Trixie (my wife), absolutely refuses to try pillion on my GTS even though I've tried to get her onboard numerous times. She's a card-carrying motorcycle snob, and wouldn't even drive it because she thinks someone might see her on a scooter. I keep telling her that she doesn't know what she's missing, and that the damn thing is a hoot, and if she liked driving it, I'd probably buy a second GTS so we could zip around together...but NOOOOO....too 'nerdy'.

I still love her, but....sometimes............

The new Vespa Gts 310 are testing it well and at the moment it manages to reach, thanks to this excellent new engine, the speed of about 155 km/h effective but for the structure of the Vespa they are a bit too much. At least that's what the technicians and testers said. So they're likely to de-enhance it slightly to make it safer. And by the way, despite this slight disempowerment, it will perform much better than the current HPE. That's what we know for now, if I know anything else I'll make you participate. Good evening, Antonio. 👋

Thanks for that , their line of thinking makes sense. As a new 2024 model owner Im certainly not quaking in my boots worrying about my scoot being overshadowed.

Im less enamoured by Piaggios forays into reducing rrp by £750 which directly effects resale or part ex valuations.

Thats what your Rocket 3 is for, enough torque to turn the world 😎

It's SO easy to fall into the 'more is always better' way of thinking, and I'm tempted to think that way more than I like to admit, but where the performance of my '20 GTS300 is concerned, I truly have no complaints, and am amazed by how well it performs every time I ride it, and think to myself, 'How does this little bike do what it does, and do it so well?".

True dat, but the Rocket 3R doesn't exceed one's expectations, because it's a given that it's a (potentially) monstrously outrageous and crazy machine, while the Vespa, on the other hand, does definitely exceed expectations because so little is expected of it, especially by those unfamiliar with the GTS300, who lump it in with every 49cc plastic 'moped' on the street.

Am I right?

If it's to be released when claimed then it's too late for testing as manufacture of the new parts would have to already have started

Verrà presentata tra ottobre e novembre ma non sarà venduta immediatamente. Credo tra fine inverno ed inizio primavera, anche se mi auguro che esca prima.

translated with deepl.com:

The latest information from Antonio (Adif971) does not match the information in the German forum. It doesn't make much sense either, production changeovers usually take place during/after the factory vacation, which ended at the end of August.

Non so tu quali agganci hai dentro la Piaggio ma le mie informazioni vengono direttamente dallo stabilimento di Pontedera ed in particolare da un ex collaudatore Piaggio. 😎

Adif971 if they need a test rider then I volunteer to take it on some 4WD tracks

eg Country riding in Australia (Post 2673039)

Or on my Instagram like
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-pgSD8P9j-/

💪🛵😍

If that biggie is reality, I'll drink a beer, if not, I'll drink 2

Get on the reliable sauce....

When it gets right down to it, I probably wouldn't go for a new 310 GTS of similar power output to my current '20 GTS300, which performs very, very, well in my opinion, especially when I could buy something like the very interesting Triumph Speed 400 single for substantially less money, or any number of fun, cool, old bikes like my 43 year old Honda CB900C (only $3500 total into it at this point).

I'd be 'big bucks ahead' to just keep my current GTS300 and ride the wheels off of it, as they say.

Interesting, we will have to wait and see what comes of it.


My question is regarding belts: why can't a manufacturer make a longer lasting belt. Harleys have tons more torque and a belt can last 50k to 100k (if my research is correct)

I know the belt is wider and is only doing the drive motion, but there must be some material that can make a Vespa belt last longer.
Also my belts when replaced on my 23 looked good. Good enough I would consider pushing it to 7500 miles. On my 2012, I did the maintenance over several weekends , so sometimes the belt got changed early at 7500 to 8000. So as far as belt life between my old vs new bikes, not much difference.

Valve adjustment is a different story.

I think comparison of vehicles is difficult. The Harley belt for example is toothed and runs in free air. Its likely it runs a lot cooler. It has limited friction on one fave and the back face is free and clear. Our belts get cinched and pick up heat from both sets of pullies.

A lad I cycle with has Rholoff hub and a US mage Gates belt drive on his BICYCLE . The manufacturer quoted 100,000 miles life. He was so impressed with the bike and transmission he bought a second bike as a retirement present to himself.

The first belt failed at 10,000 miles , the second at 13,000 ! Delivery from the US was slow and he was bikeless for some time.

Belt life certainly varies!

My local dealer confirmed a 310 is coming but has no further details until the unveil and doesn't know what the actual displacement will be.

trivia:

piaggio just updated the app. the 310 is not listed in the UI but it is listed internally as "gts_e5_plus_310"

There are scooters that have both a CVT belt and a drive belt. The drive belt does last about as well as one on a Harley.
As far as the lifespan of Vespa GTS belts, you need to keep in mind that the transmission in the GTS is, for all intents and purposes, the same one that was in the first Leader ET4 125 back in the turn of the century. So the clutch diameter is 134mm, and on a Kymco 300, for instance, it's 153mm. The variator is also larger, and the belt is longer and usually wider on other makes of scooters with similar displacement. Most people don't realize that the variator on the ET4 125, GT 200 and GTS 300 is the same part. The yellow, green and black slide pieces are interchangeable. You could even put one of each color in and they would work fine, but confuse the heck out of whoever worked on the bike next. The HPE has some strengthening to it, but it's basically the same part. So it takes a beating when you stick it in a 300cc engine. The transmission components from other manufacturers are designed for a 300cc liquid cooled scooter, with more range, and longevity.
The Yamaha Vino 125 had a belt change interval of 12000 miles, and looked almost new when you went to change it. The Honda Forza 300 has a belt change interval of 16,000 miles. Because the transmission components were made for the engine that is driving them.

It may not be an option for AUS.