Take the sting out of travel

You little beauty ... the Vespa ET4 motor scooter is a sheer delight to ride in city traffic in summer.

Photo from Vespa web site shows a European model.

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Vespa specs

Model: Vespa ET4 Engine: 124 cc four stroke Gearbox: CVT Cost (plus on road costs): $5990 Economy: 30-35 litres/ 100km, depending how you ride.

Late last year I mentioned I would be testing the odd motorbike or two – especially as the weather at the moment is fantastic.

Ducati has offered me a Multistrada and I have already tested the base model BMW.

Yet I admit my Italian bias this month as I test the venerable Vespa motor scooter. I haven’t ridden a scooter for more years than I care to admit.

Just after getting my licence I jumped on a friend’s Vespa
(if I remember correctly) 125 two stroke. It was noisy, smoky and with so much vibration at high revs that I clearly remember suffering a “numb bum” for some time after the ride.

It had a four-speed box that you activated through the clutch hand grip. To be blunt, it was not my idea of a good ride.

Jump forward a few decades to the latest Vespa the ET4 – this time driven by a 125 four stroke, but with no clutch and no gearbox!

Vespa is produced by the famed Piaggio company, a name that goes back to 1884. Piaggio has produced everything from trams, aero engines and even planes but it is the invention of the Vespa (Italian for wasp) for which it is most famous.

The first model was released in 1946 and since that auspicious year millions have been built.

Convenience
SCOOTERS are all about convenience. Do you really need to fire the V8 up or the diesel 4WD to pop up the road for milk and a newspaper?

These new scooters are so convenient. Hop on board, press the starter button and just open the throttle.
They are light, easy to handle and with plenty of space for luggage.

I popped into the city just before Christmas and came out with a large package I thought would fit in the top box. Unfortunately too big – no probs – I just stuck the box between my legs and drove off.

Safety/brakes
AS with all two-wheeled transport, riders are more vulnerable than in “tin-top” transport.

However, the Vespa was very manoeuvrable, which gave a greater margin of safety, and the disc front/drum rear set up was more than adequate for the performance.

Engine/transmission
THE 125cc four stroke was a very good little unit – quiet and virtually without vibration.

And full marks to the Constantly Variable Transmission. It was superb and the centrifugal clutch provided the icing on the cake – just twist and go!

Comfort/goodies
THE Vespa for the rider was very comfortable and it didn’t take long before I was really enjoying my day out.
The upright riding position and sheer convenience was a revelation for me.

However, not so good was comfort for the passenger. Because she is short, my girlfriend found it difficult to reach the footboards and after one 15km journey she was glad to have a break.

Economy
EXPECT 30-35 litres/100km depending how you ride.

Negatives
FOR its design criteria the ET4 does the job superbly. Although it has a factory quoted top speed of 95km/h, the Vespa is not suitable for open road touring.

I know scooter groups ride frequently to Tasmania from mainland cities, but it is not for me. I prefer to have sufficient power to keep up with the general flow of traffic.

Why put it in your garage
THE Vespa is such a convenient city mode of transport. It is cheap to buy, cheap to register, frugal on tyres and fuel and above all it is fun to ride.

Summary
IN the halcyon days of summer who can deny the delights of two-wheeled transport. In my opinion, as our city roads become closer to the grid-locked roads of Europe and Asia, scooter ownership is likely to escalate

With thanks to Nico Wright from Canberra’s Motorini Scooters for the test bike.

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