Modern Vespa

Seem a bit pretentious but offer some decent deals on restored Vespas, I have no desire to do the work, just want to ride. Any others to consider? Thanks for your experience, Philip

link to their site is : http://www.retrovespa.com/buy.html

i've heard they are a crappy importer. but, i also remember some guy a few years back who went down and looked at them in their showroom and reported they were okay (couldn't find the thread, i just remember there being intense debate that even though he said they looked good, everyone still claimed they were crap).

if you search around, there's a thread somewhere where the guy who owns it posted and admitted they import them already done.

They use imported frames and motors from India I think. Anecdotal comments in the past were that they were certainly a step up form the Asian-bodge market, but standards between scoots varied substantially.

You'd probably be better served getting Scooters Originali, or Bar Italia to do a restoration for you. Cost more coin, but you'll have a better product in the end.

BTW, you will have to some work no matter what. Cables, points, fuel system. They all will require maintenance at some point. Don't let that stuff scare you off!

probably in the sounds too good to be true category. I really like the original models, I had one in 1962. I don't care for CVT and all the added stuff on the new ones. sigh...

American Scooter Center is a little closer to your neck of the woods. They, like the other shops listed above can get you into a good vintage scooter without the heartache of buying shiny terd, only to have to spend the money twice to rebuild it again.

sounds like future lucrative maintenance work for the existing vintage shops in the area.....

Mike Zorn reviewed a Retrovespa scoot in scoot magazine a couple issues ago.

It wasn't a glowing review. It ran, but there was some shoddy work on it.

a guy in the rovers has a super from scooterworks. indian engine, lots of non italian parts. the worst part is the paint. avacado. looks like baby diarrhea.

Ok ...to interject here ...

It came from scooterworks originally, but i don't think he bought it directly from them. Someone else had it first. Also, it had the original sprint engine in it at first, but it was a turd. He swapped it out completely with an LML 5-port. He's put a lot of money into it at this point... too much for a sprint. But at least it's running well now.

ahhh. i always assumed it was one of the ones out of the catalogue. they offer the same color super in the catalogue. i think it is called "metallic strained peas".

sent an email to RetroVespa, response is

"restoration work done in India under my supervision." kevin
917.753.3233
www.retrovespa.com

Well I checked out their site and do like the color charts where you can mouse over all of the different colors to see how they would look on your bike. Since They are VBB's and mine is too it was really cool.

so who does the rebuild for American scooter in Austin, TX?

Scooterworks brought over a lot of bikes that weren't up to spec and they liquidated them through shops and such that they do business with. We were originally offered three levels of scooters. All of them were redone aesthetically but the two less expensive models required upgrades/replacements of some of the mechanical components in the engine and the front hub. These cheap models retained the original engines and had been rebuilt not up to Scooterworks spec in India, I think the cheapest of the three also still had 8 inch wheels. We were advised that these models required these upgrades or should be sold as project bikes.

The top tier, which is the only ones they sell now, all have new LML engines and seem decent. We never carried them but another shop in the area had a couple and I they seemed decent. I would go with them over RetroVespa or any of the like based on Scooterworks reputation alone, and the idea that they would probably back them better. I'm told by my rep that final assembly of these takes place in Chicago so quality control is above what most of these importers are doing. Plus, I think they also include a 6 month warranty on at least the LML engine.

If a new looking shiny paint job Vespa is what you want, then it might be worth it to pay $4,500 for one of these. If it doesn't have to be a beauty queen or if you desire a model thats a little less mundane than a Sprint or VBB, then yeah... find a local shop and see what they've got and how much they'd charge for either a restore or just to get the mechanicals worked out.

ASC, like mentioned before, may even have a line on similar India restored scooters (I know they were importing GP200s) and again - based on their reputation and time in the business - I'd be more apt to purchase a scooter from them. They almost certainly have project scooters and at least one or two scooters which have already been redone. Their website isn't updated often, so give them a call.

http://scooterbbs.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=75872&highlight=retrovespa




Rob

Pretty interesting and funny read. Did they ever post the evaluation result?

[Edit]
http://scooterbbs.net/bbs/showthread.php?t=77614&highlight=retrovespa

the one in the detail photos looks really nice. no weird parts or hardware. looks like it's put together well.

it's nice to see a vbb that still has the 8" wheels and original engine...

at that price range, you can find an original american import vbb in pristine condition... or most any vespa save for super rare or concours-level ones, though.

say... for example, this amazingly beautiful Rally 200

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/1369953145.html

why doesn't LML make a 200cc engine? shame...

anyone who would buy a redone VBB from india or Vietnam, and pass on an original condition US-market Rally 200 for the same price or less is a damn fool and a communist.

WORD!

DOUBLE WORD

Being one of those guys who just likes to ride and after listening to all the horror stories here, and no having a "local" scooter shop within about 100 miles of home, I decided to just give up on the "original" concept and buy a brand new 250GSie from a dealer in Amarillo , Texas. I have to be there for a couple of weeks and it, the scooter, is just gorgeous. Now to find a rack for it so I can set up on the front of my truck and camper. thanks for all the info guys, I look for ward to much fun riding! PHilip

Amigo, please check out Soho scooters in the Heights. They do some consignment sales now and then, and they are certainly in a 100 mile radius (a heck of a lot closer than Amarillo).

Rick, the guy that runs the shop is good people... give them a call.

http://www.sohovintage.net/