Break in is finally over with. So I can give
A quick 650 miles review. Just got back from a brisk ride on the freeway. Power delivery is super linear. Feels like there’s plenty of passing power on tap all the Way up to 70 mph. I couldn’t get it pass 73 mph, either someone was merging in front of me or a curve was coming up. Was curious to see what the stock 75 mph limiter felt like.
If I am being honest Though, I didn’t quite like what this scooter felt like (in stock form) at 70(+) mph. It felt like quite a task to fight the wind/drag/turbulence at that speed (it was also a very windy day so that might be contributing as well). Definitely going to be fitting a small windscreen, to at least get that wind off the chest. While it felt a lot smoother then my like 150i ever felt on the highway, you could still tell at times that you are still on a 12” wheeled scooter. Though the extra weight (gts is 100 lbs heavier then the like 150i) definitely feels more planted. And the power is there (up to 70 mph). I did feel fairly comfortable in the left lane passing people on a 60 mph highway. Its also been a long time since I’ve ridden 2 wheels on the highway (besides short spurts here and there) so I need to build up some more confidence. It’s also like zooming around town, people see scooter and feel the need to pass you, especially so on the highway. I did get a couple double takes from people. Like “oh a Scooter, wait on the highway!?!?” I really think the sweet spot for this scooter is 55 mph. I wouldn’t hesitate to ride cross country at that speed.
Zooming around town this scooter is zippy as heck. At first I was a little disappointed at acceleration form a stop, until I learned turning off asr/traction control would give you those speedy launches (not that I need to drag race everywhere, but don’t get me started on drivers not knowing how to use a roundabout around here).
Build quality is still amazing. Everything is top quality, right down to the switches. So at least when you finally cough up the dough for one of these (still an insane amount of money for me to spend on a scooter) you know you’re getting all high end components and build quality. There’s zero rattle and even vibrations can hardly be felt. The seat is super comfortable (my biggest complaint about my like 150i was how uncomfortable that seat was). Brake levers, mirrors, grips, glove box door, and even the few plastic bits have a nice sturdy quality feel to them. I can’t find anything to complain about feeling cheap. Well maybe the fact that it still has incandescent turn signals but that’s easily remedied. There’s an insane amount of accessories for the Vespa’s.
Another amazing thing about the gts 300 is the increased amount of legroom and “cabin” space. Being longer and wider, there’s plenty of room to slide about and stretch one’s legs every which way, which we all know is incredibly great on a long ride. Though it’s a more upright position vs the lounge chair like position you get on the maxi scooters. The gts 300 is a good in between size where you can feel comfortable on a long ride but yet it’s still feels nimble around town.
Well my little review is almost a novel already. So time to hit on my cons. My biggest complaint is the brakes. They feel wooden. I am finding myself having to brake early and plan ahead more for it. The Like 150i I could brake one handed. I am hoping they improve a bit as it breaks in More, but so far I am planning on upgrading them. I’ll start with better pads if that doesn’t do the trick, then better calipers will be next.
Whom ever designed the dipstick should be shot. For a scooter that has warnings to check the oil often (can’t remember if the manual says before every ride or every fill up), getting that dipstick back in correctly almost requires a contortionist. Not only is it right behind the exhaust, you also have to feed it through 2 different holes inside the casing. So during my first service I swapped for an oil pan that was fitted with a sight glass so I now I can just check oil level with a quick glance. I wish they would do away with the useless kick stand and apply that money towards a sight glass (even on my girlfriends sprint 150 I don’t trust the kickstand on a Vespa).
Lastly is the fuel tank size (a common complaint on most scooters). Though I am sure my mpg should improve with some more miles (think I am getting around 65 mpg at the moment, but that’s mostly stop and go urban riding) I feel like I am constantly stopping for fuel. Though I will admit I am very ocd with refueling and tend to fill up when my tank is around 1/3 full. I feel like if one was to actually tour with this scooter you would have to carry a gas can of some sort.
I wasn’t after the digital display, but I was the only way to get the color I wanted. While I find the navigation lacking a bit. It just shows an arrow on the dash, along with distance to turn, And speed limit (which flashes when you are going above). It’s still nice to have on the display though. Having a digital speedometer has grown on me a bit though. (And according to those speed trailer things, is actually fairly accurate, which is the exact opposite I’ve heard about Vespa speedo’s). The phone app that corresponds with the digital display, I thought was a gimmick until I found you can see engine metrics (coolant temp, rpm, voltage, mpg….etc ) albeit on your phone screen, so it didn’t quite eliminate the need for a ram mount which I was hoping for. I hope there’s some software updates that will enable one to set a custom display on the dash. I’ve heard someone has made an app that will do that for android, but I have an Apple.
Anyways sorry for the novella review. Ultimately I decided to get a Vespa gts from dealing with my girlfriend’s sprint 150 the last 6 years or so (only done fluid changes and a new battery). We also hosted Amerivespa this year in Minneapolis and I annoyed every person I saw on a 300 gts with a million questions. And it was the bigger cc scooter I just liked the looks of the most.
Funny thing is, shortly after I bought my ‘22 GTS, I found out there’s a fuel pump recall. I was like you’ve got to be kidding me!!!! Same thing happened with my Like 150i (it was leaking gas on my garage floor for a month). Though the Vespa fuel pump recall was more serious as it would just shut the scooter off mid ride. Luckily for me though, my scooter was not one in the batch of bad fuel pumps.
So, after riding around on the gts for Awhile. The decision was made to sale my like 150i. I just didn’t need both of them sadly. Though I wanted to keep both. my wallet needed to recover from the purchase of the Vespa though. So sadly the like is gone. A very nice gal bought it. She’s a nurse at the veterans home (coincidentally, my father used to work there). So I hope she gets years of enjoyment out of it.
