Modern Vespa

Here is my experience in replacing the stock pipe and muffler on a 2007 Vespa GTS for a Giannelli Iperscooter Exhaust pipe and muffler supplied by Scootertrap as an alternative to the more popular Leo Vince product.
The Giannelli Iperscooter (GI) cost $385.20 with tax. It appeared to be pretty well made, being all stainless steel.
The tools necessary (see pic, clockwise from bottom left):
Screwdriver for 1/4 " sockets.
Flashlight.
13 mm open wrench.
Articulated 1/4" extension.
10 mm socket.
8 mm socket.
3/8" to 1/4" socket adapter.
T-40 Torx bit.
6 mm Allen wrench.
4 mm Allen wrench.
Zip ties.
Rachet handle.
Screwdriver med cross.
Head to exhaust pipe copper gasket from vespa.
Hobby knife.
3/8" socket wrench extension.

Method.
1) Removal of stock pipe and muffler:
Remove battery cover (4 screws) and disconnect battery.
Remove zip ties securing the oxygen sensor cables to attachments and disconnet the O2 sensor plug.
Slightly loosen the 3, T-40 Torx bolts that secure the muffler to the rear wheel frame as well as the 2, 10 mm nuts of the exhaust pipe flange to the motor head.
This is the most difficult part (as well as installation of same) due to the poor visibility and lack of space. Use for this the 10 mm socket with the articulated extension.
Remove the two nuts at the exhaust head completelly now and then remove the lower 2 fixing bolts of the muffler. The muffler now is supported only by the uppermost bolt.
Support the muffler and remove the last bolt above.
Remove the stock unit in one piece.
Remove the oxyben sensor from the pipe. It's very tight, support pipe in a bench vise with soft jaws.
Now remove the old copper gasket at the exhaust hole in the head with a small screwdriver. Discard the old gasket.

2) Prepare the Giannelli muffler for installation. The instructions are fairly clear. Pre-assemble the bracket, etc. to see how everything will go and familiarize yourself with it.
The GI bracket comes in the white, I painted it with high temp. satin black paint for a better look. I also painted the heat guard with wrinkle finish black paint prior to install.
Install the Oxygen sensor in the Giannelli exhaust pipe, tighten well.

3) Installation of the new pipe and muffler.
Install the exhaust pipe using a new copper gasket to avoid leaks. Insert the gasket in the exhaust hole at the head and seat carefully with an screwdriver. Do not marr it. It will not fall out.
Install the new pipe at the head and hand tight the 2 nuts, make sure the exhaust pipe flange is tightened flat and not tilted. Continue to tighten until there is almost no play in the pipe.
Attach the mounting bracket to the muffler leaving minimal slack in the
3 screws. (Use the 13 mm open wrench)
Present the preassembled muffler/mounting bracket to the pipe, insert it and screw in the uppermost bolt. This will stabilize the whole thing.
Screw in the last two mounting bracket bolts. Do fully tighten yet.
When everything looks aligned, then tighten the exhaust pipe nuts fully. Do not strip these nuts or the studs at the head.
Now progressivelly tighten the mounting bracket bolts as well as the 3 bolts securing the muffler to the bracket, alternating, untill all are tight.
Finally tighten the ss clamp between the muffler and the exhaust pipe using the 8mm socket.

4)Starting the scooted;
Reconnect the battery, replace the battery cover.
Start the scooter, if you want start it and stop it several times to see if there are any leaks in the system.
Take it for a spin. At the beginning the bike sputtered a bit on the overun but this dissapeared immediatelly as the motor learner the new combustion curve.
THAT'S IT!
It took me about 2 hours to do this. You have to have the tools.
The pipe sound is not too loud, the performance of the scooter feels about the same. The appearance for me it's much better than stock, I hated the Vespa stock muffler.
The clearance is excellent and the access to the oil filter etc is better.

1) I forgot to pinpoint in the install that, of course, the plug for the oxygen sensor must be reconnected at secured out of harms way with zip ties after installing the system and before you reconnect the battery and start the bike.

2) As a progress report, I have put about 100 miles on the bike with the new muffler already, without any problems. At anything above 20 miles per hour, you can not hear the exhaust anymore. So it is relativelly quiet, which is one thing I was after.
As it comes from the factory, I am very pleased with the performance of the scooter and when I need a higher dose of adrenaline I hop on my 68 Triumph Bonneville's 50 horses and drum brakes.

3) I applied a plastic Giannelli sticker that came with the box over the heat guard and after the 100 miles is still there and not cooked, so the heat guard must work really well.

Juan

how noticable was the performance differance and how did this mod effect your gas milage

Great looking Xorst. Any issues with it?

Thank you for sharing your installation details. What made you decide for this specific exhaust?

The stock exhaust has a catalytic converter, as I am sure you are aware. Since the GTS is fuel-injected and there is a λ probe, it allows for the most effective type, a 3-way converter.

From the technical drawing and your somewhat unclear description of that detail, I assume this exhaust does not allow for the connection of the λ probe. Is this correct?
Does that also mean it does not have a catalytic converter?

Arno,

the oxygen sensor he mentions shortly after the original post is in fact the lamda probe

Thanks, and I saw that. The reason why I asked was that he said
"the plug for the oxygen sensor must be reconnected at secured out of harms way with zip ties" but mentioned nowhere that he also screwed in the actual probe. It appeared unclear to me.

as always this forum is a virtual mine of information , as i write this im quite
angry got a quoate from my dealer of about £25/ $70 dollars! only to arive and suddenly it became a massive job , maybe $350 dollars to remove standard can and replace with scorpian aftermarket can .
so im going to attempt to do this myself, dont these people/ dealers realise that we are not money making machines, they try to extract as much money out of you at the slightest excuse, and to be honest i would have preffered them to do it , but they just take the piss . so thanks agin for the info it has given me the confidence to try anyway,so wish me luck

DeKomP/Jim UK

You can do the install yourself in less than an hour.

bugger me thats more tools than i used to rebuild me scoot ..... i did have a hammer and a big fat screwdriver though

looks good, great detail in the write up

Hi Juan, I ordered A Giannelli pipe for my GTS too, I should get it in a couple of days, IM thinking to install it by myself, and I think I can really use your help, I though I can just swap the Giannelli with the stock pipe, but im reading in your post Remove battery cover (4 screws) and disconnect battery,Remove zip ties securing the oxygen sensor cables to attachments and disconnet the O2 sensor plug, why do this is really necessary?thank you for your help

The Gianelli does not bolt onto the stock header pipe. It comes with a stainless steel header pipe, so you need to move the oxygen sensor over to the new pipe.

I've noticed that the instruction sheet doesn't show the mounting point for the sensor , but if you look at some of the photos of the pipe it can be seen.

I *need* one of these on my GTS.
Once I have the cash in hand from selling my Hornet it will be mine

Gotta say, that Bonneville is a beautiful machine! Really like the exhaust too: it looks great.

How do you feel about the sound? Does it seem loud all the time, or does it quiet down when you're not accelerating and just cruising? I wouldn't mind a bit more of a growl rolling off the line, but I really enjoy cruising on a really quiet machine.

Hello, I'm planning to install one on my scoot. Nice inventary (tools) en manual you're showing. Many thanks!

Any bad return on this giannelli exhaust?
I'm thinking about one of these
About the performances more details?
Best regards

my Giannelli "Gianna" iperscooter
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