Modern Vespa

Could this be what's next for Piaggio? This artists rendering of fitting a bigger engine in a bigger body and calling it a Vespa GTS 500....looks pretty cool...not sure if this post has been on MV yet....but anyway, here's the link:

http://www.motomodif.com/latest/vespa-gts-500.html

Yeah, that's been posted before... not very Vespa-like though, if you ask me. I think they did well with the GTS, so why mess with a good thing? Besides, Piaggio already makes 500cc big wheel bikes that they can play around with and come up with Buck Rogers future design concepts for. Vespas are supposed to have small wheels... this would be better suited as a future redesign for the BV, IMHO.

That's funny- As soon as I saw the pic I though it looked like a BV. I like big wheel scoots.

I feel the element without Vespa.

Shoot the guy who created that horrible thing!

We saw it before, we told the designer it MINGS.

Hopefully this valuable feedback will go to Piaggio. If the new Vespa looked like that I'd just go and buy T MAX instead. It would be better.

Looks like someone took the old Scarabeo 500 design, punched it in the face, then rebranded it a Vespa.

It's not awful as such, but it could be a hell of a lot better. If they made a 500 which looked as nice as the current GTS/GTV, and didn't have wheels bigger than 13", might work...

+1

I don't think it's bad but it just makes the vespa look like every other scooter out there. I'm not even sure why they regard a 500cc engine as an improvement - if the current 300 could produce the power (and the economy) of Honda's SH300i then there'd be no need for a bigger engine. A 500cc Vespa just seems like an answer to a question that no one is asking.

I disagree since I'm asking. I love my BV but the only thing that is really wrong with is its not a Vespa. I'd love to have a bike with the lines of the 250 or 300 but with a 500 sized motor.

Don't shoot me.

Put a 500 engine in the 300 body. That would be FUN!

it's the same body as the 200/250.

Needs spinners.

If you wanna go fast, buy a crotch rocket.
If you want to cruise in style and convenience, buy a scooter.

Obviously there will be a small percentage of people that want something different - that's what makes the world an interesting place. I asked people what they'd like to change on modern vespas a while back - we had 100's of comments covering everything from the seat to ease of maintenance. Interestingly not one comment was for a larger engine. I'm guessing that the engine would need more internal space, more heat will be generated so you'd need better cooling, more power means sturdier and heavier parts all round plus you'd need to beef up the suspension. It would use up more fuel so you'll need a larger fuel tank. All this means a heavier bike that's harder to manoeuvre, has less storage or is much wider. All that weight will also require more powerful brakes and possibly ABS. After all that it probably won't be that much faster than the current 250 - after all I don't see much difference between the 250 and the 300 - though I appreciate it's a 200cc jump this time. Will it be as nice a bike to just jump on and ride?

And of course it will cost more so to try and keep the price down to an affordable level they'll cut corners - see posts on the poor quality paint on the GTS 300. I'm obviously guessing with all the above but I don't think I'm far off.

And if you want to go fast in style and convenience?

I just know I'd never be able to ride any Vespa that's larger than the 250/300 body style. I'm already barely on the balls of my feet with my GTV as it is, and even then it greatly depends on which shoes I'm wearing.

So far, there's only 2 over-300cc-class scoots that I can handle, that don't look like they want to be sportbikes. There's the Burgman 400 (which is still pretty sporty) or the Scarabeo 500ie. Everything else is way too tall. Kinda limits the choices. I can't even touch on a BV.

I'm one of those with the opinion that if you really get much bigger than the 250/300 already is, you're kind of losing part of what a Vespa was really meant to be.

I suppose only time will tell if they ever actually come out with a bigger one. I honestly wouldn't be suprized if they did, though. I don't think I'll consider trading up from my GTV until they start selling hover-Vespas. I expect that to be quite a while, so I'm not too worried.

I love the look of the GTS but I would think to get any bigger it would have to get 13-14 inch tires and more better air flow around leg gaurd. I know around 80MPH my gts wobbled alot. and had to back off,

OK then...Put a 500 engine in the 300/250/200 body. Still FUN!

Then there is Robotribe's.........

As a satisfied 300 owner, I'd buy Robotribe's in a heart beat. The more I ride around Prague in daily urban commutes the more I desire to go farther, and rather than get a touring motorcycle I would love to stay on a Vespa.

Cheers Larry

The Robotribe one is much more like it . Lose the topcase and I'd have it

It looks like the Aprilia Habana

A real vespa has a front mono arm suspension!! And, to me, 500cc for a body such nowadays GTs it's not really possible, too powerful...

probably wouldn't fit.