Modern Vespa

I test rode a new GTS 250 after riding my GT200 for a while. The front suspension on the 250 seemed to dampen the road bumps more than the 200. The 200 gives a sharp jolt when going over potholes and RR tracks while the 250 is smoother.
Is this just new vs older or could my shock or headset be to blame? The 200 was transported by a freight company that (in my opinion) tightened the straps holding the front way tight so there was a bit of compression in the front shock.
So how 'bout it. Any mechanical difference or am I just mental?

Tires?

A pretty common upgrade to the Gt is to add the GTS shock. As far as I know that's the difference.

edit: Here's how: GT/GTS Front Shock Change

cheers

Different suspension (retrofits to GT), different geometry (sorry).

P.

I have a 2007 GT200. Date of manufacture was later part of 2006.

It came with the chrome shock with the chrome 16-17 coil spring. It did not come with the black colored spring, with only 11-12 coils, that ifixjets had in his post about changing out the shock on his 2005 GT200.

I have seen some other photos of 2007 year GT200's with this chrome shock as well.

It looks like it might be the GTS type of shock installed as standard, since 2007 was the last year for the GT200's, so they may have been just out of the older, black spring shock, and started using the GTS version. I don't know for sure though.

But if it really is a "GTS" shock, there is one subtle difference between the one mounted on my GT and the GTS replacement shock that ifixjets showed. The spring part is mounted "upside down"!

It looks like it may be the same 16-17 coil spring. .but in the GTS replacement shock, and on other pics of GTSs, the "tightly" spaced coils in the spring are placed on the bottom mount side of the shock and visible on that side of the wheel from outside. The loosely spaced coils are up toward the top, hidden under the fender.

However, on my GT, and on another pic of a chrome shock 2007 GT case I saw , the "tightly" spaced coils are opposite to the GTS, and are placed in the upper part of the shock. The loosely spaced coils are the ones that are on the bottom and visible from the side.

Since a spring is compressed from both sides anyway when it's working.. it doesn't make any difference to the action of the spring on the shock which direction it's placed, even if it's upside down from the GTS case.

I'm not sure if this really means it's a GTS shock, just with an upside down spring to uniquely denote it's intended use for only a late model GT200? Or if it actually still is a different shock from the GTS, maybe just using the same spring and chrome finish but with different internals, and the spring is upside down to be able to distinguish it as being for the GT only instead of a "real" GTS chock

Oh the mysteries of life!

Maybe one of the other Vespa experts/vets here can shed some further light on this?

Hope so. Since I just noticed this, I hope I now don't spend a few sleepless nights trying to figure this out.