Modern Vespa

I have/had a 2006 Vespa LX150 which was destroyed in an accident on Friday. So I will be in the market for a new scoot once Insurance pays out.

I like the look of the S and as far as I can tell it is the same as the LX150 (different Guage cluster, headlight, tail light, glove box and Mirrors) but isn't it basically the same as an LX 150? Same engine?

When I mentioned to my club that I was thinking of getting an S they mentioned that they heard that the S had problems.

Any word on the S?

Oh and photos of my smashed Vespa:

SCUTA is now completely destroyed.

The S150 just looks cooler.

It makes me think less of THIS video than the LX does, which is a good thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN0ZAPemfDY

I'd agree with that. All the same insides, just in a better looking package.

And holy s. Your LX is destroyed. Were you on it when that happened?

Yep...I was doing 35 or so on a 4 lane one way street and a mini-van ran a stop sign on a cross street and hit me, HARD. I flew over the minivan and rolled through the street, a lot.

Man I hope you are doing ok!!!! I was wondering if a scooter would fold up like that if hit . I am sorry about the accident. I haven't heard any bad press on the 150 S. The only thing I have heard is that the S is not made in Italy. I don't know may just be a rumor. One of the more hardcore guys or gals may know...

Shiet man, glad to see you're still with us. Wow, never seen a Vespa look like that. You are a fortunate man. On the bright side, maybe you can sell the seat. And the pet carrier? And maybe the back wheel?

Vespa S is cool as hell in my book. Only real functional difference is the lack of glove compartment on the S - instead it has these little cup holder like thingies. Not sure if that makes a big difference to you. I think pretty much everything else is the same.

I have nothing but good things to say about my S. The power etc. Is solid. Seeing that the S and lx are virtually the same scoot, and you liked the lx, then you will like the S. I havent heard any rumor mongers say the lx is made in china so why should the same engine be manufactured in two places, it doesn't make business sense.
Oh, and what gear were you wearing, and what reviews can you offer on its effectiveness?

Wow, that scores pretty high on my oh-shit scale. Good to see you're still standing.

I'm in agreement on Wangta's comment about selling off the parts you can. I would imagine there are a few parts vultures out there who might find the seat and other items useful--namely, uh, *me*

Well, seeing as you seem to have made it out the other side..I feel a bit less guilty. But anyways...let me know if you'd be wiling to part with the seat. It'd be going to the cause of making my scoot ridable by my verrrry short gf. I PM'd ya.

Edit:
I'm going to take my first stab at topic linking...

[topic36236]

The S doesn't have an immobilizer like the LX.

I love the Vanity Plate...
Glad you walked away...
My shoulder is still sore from 1 month ago...

Kinda looks like your engine might be OK. You might be able to get some nice $ from that. Im glad your legs weren't pinned up in the scooter.

Thank god you're ok. I'd prefer the LX personally. Do you ride two-up? I wouldn't want to have to swap out up front for a two-person seat, sacrifice the glove box, and (if I already had one) give up the immobilizer.

Wow, some crash! Glad you are managing well afterwards.

Mechanically, the S and LX150 are pretty similar. I suspect that much of the body is also interchangeable (but am not 100% sure).

You can part out the LX, or keep the interchangeable parts for your new S. I would certainly like to have a spare engine lying around ... but then I tend to hoard stuff like that.

+1

Plus be good to have spair tires already mounted on rims....
Wife would kill me if I bring home any more spare parts...

OH yeah, that's right - good call!

Xantufrog, can't you get the Vespa S with a dual seat (not the sport seat)?

Yeah, I'd definately try and save the engine. Might get a $1000 or so for it. Nice little sum that might help put some chrome on that new Vespa S

I read on one of the other topics a week or so ago that only certain Vespas were made in the Italy plant now. BUT I did say it could be false/rumor about that. I would hope all vespas are made in Italy.

You can, but I'm fairly certain you are at the mercy of the dealer if it is free. I believe technically you would be charged extra for it. I'm sure not all dealers will charge, but...

I got nothing against the S, and it looks purty, but I feel you do get more for the package with an LX (coming from a guy who owns neither )

The S is not made in Italy. It is made in China. Supposedly this is under good Piaggio oversight, however.

the seats from the S, LX, LXV, and ET models are all interchangeable. you can chop 'n change to your liking... i've got an S 'touring' seat (the dual seat) on wilma.

My LX150 was made in Italy and the Vin begins ZAP....

are you saying the Vespa S which looks identical in most ways to the LX is made in China? So the Vin Plate should begin with some other letter?

What is your information source? My S bears an Italy VIN, and says made in Italy in all the appropriate places. Why would Piaggio build scooters in China, ship them all the way to Italy, put Italian documentation on them, then ship them elsewhere? I suppose anything is possible, but I haven't seen any actual evidence that this is the case.

I've heard that what's being built in China now is the Piaggio Fly (the Fly 150 does have the same engine as the LX150 and the S). Personally, I haven't heard of any of the Vespas being built outside of Italy.

Doesn't seem like it would make too much sense tp build it elsewhere when it's so similar to the LX that most of the parts are identical. I would think it would be cheaper to build them both in the same place. Of course, I'm not a business person, so I have no real clue.

"s" with 2k miles and all is good.

I'm probably mistaken then! I've read it elsewhere here on MV. Not a published source, just other members having mentioned it. I did a quick search but the threads which turned it up didn't reference any outside source. Prob just a rumor tagging along with the locus of the Fly construction

Sorry if I'm responsible for a mix-up!

The Vespa S is Made in Italy all of them are just made with parts from china and well the engine from china ,

its made on the same line at the LX

Ah, maybe that's the information I was misunderstanding

I've been told that the S has a stiffer front fork than the LX. I am very pleased with the handling and suspension of my S.

I'm sure the S is made in Italy. The VIN on my S begins with ZAP. Check out this site on how to read a VIN http://www.vinguard.org/vin.htm.

This site has a good review of the S http://2strokebuzz.com/index.php?p=4294.

I bought my S in Australia.
Here the 50 comes with the sport seat and on the 125 it is optional.
My dealer told me its only the plastic scooters that are made in China.

Great scooter in all ways...Glove box? Who needs a glove box?

DasBaldGuy: I think I'm very close to wanting (no, not really...more like needing) your name...oops, I digress..

DO NOT remove/sell any parts from the dear departed lx until you have settled with the insurance co. Technically, unless you make alternate arrangements with them, if they total it, they own it, and can sell it for salvage.

Hi just wanted to say that I just bought a Vespa S last month (with a VIN starting with ZAP) and i LOVE it. I personally like the styling of the S better than the LX because of the square side mirrors and headlight. I swapped the sport seat for the touring and couldn't be happier!

Glad you survived the accident! Treat yourself with an S.

What safety gear were you wearing? I too am curious.

Look at your rims and you will find MADE IN CHINA, also I have taken two modern engines apart this year ,

I still need to post the photos

LX 150 and Vespa S

one with oil leak and one with broken Crank shaft on the flywheel side not the trans side I know How Odd,

both is small wrecks and many parts on the inside of that engine were all made in china

Definitely keep the engine, RIMS AND TIRES.

just sayin...

Harv

This thread looks like it will shed light on the China discussion.

https://modernvespa.com/forum/topic35951

If what FireJ says is true, that could possibly be an unfortunate side effect of the manufacturing being partially in China. It could also be coincidence.

But it appears the LXs these days are just as much made of chinese parts as the S, so it shouldn't affect your decision on whether to switch over.

Me, I like the idea of the immobilizer, the no-hassle of a standard 2-up seat, and the glove box of the LX. But if your dealer will hook you up with a 2-person seat free of charge or within your spending limit, and if you don't consider theft a big risk, the S has the right kinda look and if that's where you're leaning go for it

Glad you are okay! just curious...were you wearing a riding jacket? I have a textile one and I'm just wondering how they really hold up in an accident.

Yes I was wearing a textile riding jacket with squishy armor in the elbos and shoulders.

It faired pretty well considering I hit the pavement at 40+ miles per hours and rolled then slid.

There is no solid evidence that the S is made in China. (PERIOD!)

now is the time to plug getting a nautilus horn on your next vespa!
yesterday a Benz with a b*tchy blonde came charging into the 4 way stop I had just entered. I slowed, she slowed, then SPED UP turning left and would have nailed me. I hit the horn as she was nearest me, and she flinched in pain, slowed even more and kept going.
sometimes cagers need a wake up call. that horn saved my bacon.

My deepest condolence to your vespa..
S is basically and LX with different casing..

it is smaller than lx