Modern Vespa

This might be blasphemous, but I'm curious about these scooters. I know the LX50's are a waste of time, but what's about the Aprilia SR 50? if I'm just looking for something to use on surface streets, would this be cool? Ideally I'd really like and S150, but price comes to mind, and even though it's totally different, the Aprilia SR 50 looks pretty sweet in my opinion.

So to get to my point? Anybody know much about these? Aprilia is pretty reliable yeah? speed? etc.
thanks

Aprilias are powered by Piaggio engines, and should be reliable and well constructed.

Is the SR50 a 4-stroke? It might be the same you'd find in a Fly50... or it might not I really don't know. But if you love the S150 yet would consider an Aprilia 50 due to pricing, have you considered any other 150s? If you are willing to go with styling beyond that of Vespa, there are lots of 150cc Piaggio or Aprilia or other options which would save money over the S while maintaining a speed bonus over the 50cc. Just worth considering I think.

Everything you need to know is here:

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

My opinion is that it's the nicest 50cc scoot out there if you like the sportsbike look. Very good handler, lots of power for a 50 because it is a 2 stroke, and can be derestricted for about 50 mph stock. I think if you leave it alone it will be dependable, but most people try to get them to go faster and never stop screwing around with pistons and cylinders, exhaust and variators. And with an engine that small, you are basically flat out all of the time, which wears things out fast. I like it a lot.

Having said that, if you can get it licensed to ride in your area without insurance and a plate (because it's a 50) than this is probably the fastest and best handling 50. But if you are going to have to license and insure it, get something bigger instead, because even though it is a fast 50, it's still a 50, and just about anything 125cc and up will whip it.

But if you have to have a 50, it's a good one. Did that make sense??

Yeah, I would definitely want a 150 (esp the s150!). I just recently saw the Sr50 and thought it was bad ass looking. in the end I'm not getting anything soon, so I'll just hope that they make an sr150

oh yeah....another question. If it's the same Engine as the fly 50? is that the same as the lx50? and then wouldn't I be back in my crap circle?

No, it's not.

especially if it's the DiTech.

Yeah it looks like this isn't at all the same beast as an LX50. At all. Looks cool if you don't want to go for a larger scoot!

Try the mojito. Its a 1000 less than the s150. It looks cool too. The back cowl is plastic I think. The reason I got the s is that the mojito's handlebars looked funky.

If it is the carburated version, it can be kitted to be faster than the di-tech version. I used to own one, and yes it is reliable. On the Aprilia forum you should find lots of info.

It's a 2 stroke piggie engine for 2009....I followed one with it's original 50cc engine going 66 mph, my Typhoon's 70cc Polini Corsa couldn't catch up to it....
It's been remapped, lighter rollers, some variator work, aftermarket exhaust, and a couple more tricks thrown in....
I think it's the best 50cc scoot made today for the US market....

SR50 DiTech= teh hawtness.

aprillia makes some damn nice bikes with some very fine motors.

best,
-greasy

Check out this thread here on modern vespa about my experience with one:

SMVR: 50cc of Screaming Fury....

The Ditech motor is the best 50cc you can get in the USA...with a little bit of modifying they can be very quick. The SR50 also had great brakes and a very capable suspension.

Just to echo others - the Ditech motor is a legacy from the pre-piaggio days. I would ber very surprised (disappointed is more like it) if they changed it for 2009 to the piaggio motor. The ditech is a water cooled, fuel injected, two stoke

I've found the Ditech engine to be the worst of them all. It came out as a huge technological leap forward. But it followed the great Minarelli LC engine and wasn't as fast as the older models. It sipped gas and oil, but had no back up kickstart, was difficult to get parts for (probably still is) and could only be diagnosed with the aid of factory electronic equipment that many dealers never got trained on. When they switched to the new body style several years ago they also switched to Piaggio direct inject engines. It's a similar injection system but a different motor. I still believe that they are not as fast as the carbureted versions, but they are pretty good, look awesome and are still great on gas and 2T oil. If tuning is the way you want to go, it's a steeper learning curve but fewer options for aftermarket parts so it may make it easier. In theory having a direct inject system would allow for greater tuning potential. It just hasn't worked out that way.

I have a friend who owns one and I got to ride it a few times. Pretty nice scoot and great on twisty roads. But I used to kill him on my wife's GT200. There was no way he could keep up. (And he'd gone and kitted the Aprilia every way possible.)

I can attest to that. I had a kitted Scarabeo 50 (non-ditech), and it kicked the asses of at least half the Vespa P200's I ever met up with, and went fast enough reliably that lots of people assumed it was a 150. I barely took care of the thing, and it just kept right on going without complaint. Best bike I've ever owned, so far.

Definately go with what will fit your needs best. If you do decide on the SR, it will surely be a good bike.

that bike had the great Minarelli engine. Just minor tuning helps them fly and stay reliable. The newer ditech and purejet engines are completely different machines.