A Little Powerhouse In Vespa’s Vintage Collection
by Allyn Hinton, on January 10, 2017, 11:00
As part of Vespa’s Vintage Collection, the GTV 300 ABS has all the charm and distinctive classic looks of Vespas from the 1950s and 1960s. In keeping with the return-to-retro-style trend, the GTV 300 ABS is a mix of vintage looks and modern technology.
Back in Pontedera, Italy, during the mid 1940s, Enrico Piaggio was not satisfied with the first scooter prototype developed by his engineers, so he contracted aeronautical engineer Corradino D’Ascanio to redesign it. D’Ascanio — who hated motorcycles because he believed them to be dirty, bulky and unreliable — came up with a design that remedied what he disliked about the existing two-wheeled monstrosities, and Piaggio was pleased.
It is alleged that when he saw D’Ascanio’s prototype, Piaggio exclaimed, "Sembra una vespa!" Translated it means, "It resembles a wasp!" and on that day, the Vespa was born. Vespa grew from a single model to a full line of scooters through the 1950s. Vespa sales received a grand boost when Audrey Hepburn rode on a Vespa with Gregory Peck in the movie Roman Holiday in 1952.
Continue reading for my review of the Vespa GTV 300 ABS.
The GTV 300 ABS is classic Vespa with its pressed-steel unibody, combining a completely enclosed engine cowling, flat floorboards and front fairing. The headlight can mounted on the front mudguard heralds back to the style of the first Vespas off the assembly line in Pontedera.
The burgundy split seat and metallic gray body is exclusive to the Vintage Collection and shared only with its vintage sibling, the LXV 150.
With no frame as such, the GTV 300 uses a reinforced sheet-metal body similar to the unibody technology in the automotive industry that creates a light, but strong, chassis assembly. The single-sided, trailing-link front suspension uses a single coil-over shock to buffer the front end, and a pair of preload-adjustable shocks off the swingmount motor assembly buoys the rear.
This little ride boasts hydraulic brakes, front and rear, with 220 mm discs all around. In a move that adds some top-shelf features, Vespa graced it with an ABS feature, that is sure to endear this scooter to newbies and experienced riders alike.
Seat height is average at 31 inches, and the step-through leaves legroom for all but the tallest riders. Overall dimensions are also typical; the 76-inch length and 29-inch width makes it easy to find a parking spot, or roll it through the door and park inside.
Vespa used its one-lung, 278 cc Quasar engine to power this ride over hill and dale. The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected mill cranks out 22 ponies, and 16 pound-feet of torque; plenty for such a small, light scooter, evidenced by the 76 mph top speed.
Another nifty, top-shelf feature normally seen only on much more powerful bikes is the ASR traction control that prevents loss of traction on acceleration. Honestly, I have to question how necessary this is with such a small engine, but I do appreciate Vespa bringing superbike-like features to the table – regardless of overall size and power.
Final drive is a CVT automatic transmission with a dry, centrifugal clutch. Vespa calls it the “Twist and Go” tranny, and that’s just what it is. No shifter, no clutch lever, just point the scooter down the road and grab a fistful of throttle.
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