Modern Vespa

I've gotten rid of any front end wobble. Changed mirrors, removed topcase. And I like the idea of a front rack on my GT 200's legshield, but am wondering if it could possibly adversely affect the handling again?

Thanks [/b]

I wouldn't think so. They're designed to work with the bike.

I don't have my Vespa yet, but I did jerry-rig a front rack for my old Scarabeo 50. Had no affect on the handling at all, even when I had the rack loaded down with stuff. And that was a much smaller bike.

More weight over the front wheel should be beneficial.

P.

I don't have a GT, but the rack makes no difference at all to handling on my ET4.

I just removed mine for the sake of change and I dont believe we it had any affect on the handling.

I had my hockey gear loaded on the back of my GTS last night and I noticed a little more wobble than normal. The HVMP heaviest bars ends def help.

Manny

I've had a Prima front rack on my GTS for about a month now. Have carried all types of stuff on it, mostly after shopping and when the top box and underseat pet carrier are full.

The heaviest load I carried was a 24-pack case of 24 fluid ounce diet Pepsi bottles from Sam's Club. Pretty heavy, if you know the weight of liquids. I was very concerned about handling with so much weight over the front wheel, and took it a bit easy for first few blocks on the ride home.

Handling wasn't effected at all and was "normal". Then again, I kept the speed below about 55 mph. On my second run several weeks later, I strapped the 24-pack case behind me on the seat and in front of the top box. (Didnt' want to push my luck too much.)

What is more of a concern to me is that the driving light is covered up and sometimes, if you stack stuff high enough, the headlight is restricted. I want maximum visibility and too much on the front rack inhibits that visibility. No worries about a front load, but I'll strive to keep it under about 15 pounds or so.

holding onto your handle bars would help. I took my hands off once and felt one hell of a wobble on decel. Will not be doing that anytime soon.

Jon

I hav always had a font rack and there is no problem with wobble. When it is loaded with a case or 2 of soda's if can be a handful so be careful. I have found when I use the front rack that you need to be careful what you put on there. I love having towels there when I am going to or from the beach.

I can easily carry a 12-pack of beer or 10 lbs. of charcoal on my front rack. It does make the handling, well, different, when it's loaded.

Most of the time the rack is empty and I don't think it affects the handling at all.

I agree it is when you have 3-36 packs of drinks when things can get a little interesting.

Let me know how this works for you Skip. I have been thinking of adding a front rack (or at least protectors) on my 250.

As other have said the headlight can be blocked easily by even medium-sized loads. I have a windshield on my GTS and the light from the headlight reflected off of a cardboard box I was carrying and backlight the plexi windshield making a opaque white screen!

I literally could NOT see the road in front of me. Had to wait until a car passed by and then try to follow their tail lights home.

So for me, the rack is not useful at night, although I use it daily during the day and wouldn't be without it. IMHO it also adds to the "Vespa" look.

Dave

Maybe this is an advantage favouring the GTV, when somebody is puzzling over the differences between the GTS and the GTV, trying to decide which to buy.

Never thought of this before.

cheers

The front rack gets rid of any aerodynamics you might have. I rode a GTV with a front rack and even with the SAME motor from my GTS in it, I got consistently about 10MPG LESS and also had about 10 MPH less at the top end as well. Even with almost all other things being equal (meaning: 140 rear, same engine, same rider, same conditions).

The front rack will make you go slower and get worse gas mileage.
If you care about either of those things, then dont bother. Just my opinion. a lot of people like them.

The front rack gets rid of any aerodynamics you might have. I rode a GTV with a front rack and even with the SAME motor from my GTS in it, I got consistently about 10MPG LESS and also had about 10 MPH less at the top end as well. Even with almost all other things being equal (meaning: 140 rear, same engine, same rider, same conditions).

The front rack will make you go slower and get worse gas mileage.
If you care about either of those things, then dont bother. Just my opinion. a lot of people like them.

You can say that again.

I had the front rack on the GTV only so I could ride 2-up with all our gear around San Fran for the weekend. You shoulda taken the rack off! I don't know whether it would have made 40 points of difference?

Your GTV would only do 63 MPH at the top end, just because it had a front rack on it? And it only got 55 MPG's? -Sorry, but I find that very hard to believe; that a few tubes on the front of the leg shield could make THAT much of a difference!

Perhaps if you said maybe 3 MPHs and 3 MPGs less, I could understand that! But the change you're describing is quite significant, and Ive never heard anyone else ever say anything as wildly bad about a front rack before..!

Like I said mine is off at the moment for the sake of change, but its not MOD enough without it.

To each their own.

HI find it hard to believe also that having a front rack on, ( which i do) would mean less speed and mileage, to that extent ??? when all loaded up with say a tent and stuff, well maybe...but not empty ????
anyway i like um, im keeping mine on...you never know when you'll need it.

Don't Decel !!!!
WOT !!!

Used one on my old Stella for almost three years. Always loaded.

I never tried it but if I was given the choice of removing my big 33 liter topcase or using the front rack, I think using the front rack would have been more stable in the wind. But my Stella got blown all over the road anyway and at higher speeds was unstable just by nature of the beast.

Where could I get heavier GTS bar ends?

+1

Maybe JH was riding with 4x8 piece of plywood mounted