| November 5, 2022
What better place to ride a Vespa than Italy? Rome, of course. That’s where we rode the king of scooters, Vespa, and its new GTS 300.
There’s no place like Rome. That’s where the Vespa GTS is most happy. But any busy downtown street will do.
By Keith Dowdle
The Vespa GTS lineup has been around for nearly two decades now, 19 years to be exact, and while there have been various model revisions along the way, the Piaggio Group, makers of Vespa, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia, haven’t updated its largest and most iconic scooter in almost four years—so it was time to show some love to the “Vespiti.” Vespiti is the Italian word for the legions of Vespa fans around the world who are passionate about the large-bodied classic Vespa. Oozing chic style and Italian flair, it’s been ridden by Hollywood celebs and fashion icons the world over.
Piaggio must be careful, though, about using words like “redesigned” when referring to this model. The classic lines of the lower splash guard must never change, at least not too drastically, or the Vespiti will certainly revolt. Those timeless, unmistakable lines are what separate the big-body Vespa, known as the Vespone, from every other scooter roaming the streets of, well, Rome, as an example, which is where Piaggio brought the world press for the intro of the new GTS 300—the most powerful Vespa ever made. Along with an increase in horsepower, the updates include safety and comfort features that come in handy when riding the streets of Rome, which haven’t seemed to have improved since the days of Caesar. I chose to ride the SuperSport version at the press intro, the GTS 300. Four other trims are offered: Classic, Super and SuperTech. All feature the same basic updates, but each comes with elements that appeal to different tastes. The GTS SuperTech has some additional features that we’ll cover later.
You have four Vespa GTS 300 trims to choose from, including the SuperSport (right) and the SuperTech (left). Not shown are the Super and Classic.
The new powerplant, which is the same in all four trims, displaces 278.3cc, making 23.8 horsepower and 19 pound-feet of torque. Now, that doesn’t sound like much, but you feel every one of those little Italian ponies when they jump off the line from a standing start or when you roll on the throttle to pass a lorry out in the Italian countryside. The new GTS engine really packs a punch. Case in point, it seems that everybody in Rome has a scooter and most of them were out blasting through the city at the same time we were, which gave us ample opportunity to test the GTS 300’s power against the masses of locals at every stop light—and I can tell you, we never lost. The GTS gets all its power to the ground, aided by the all-new switchable traction control system that Vespa is calling ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation).
After spending the morning riding by some of the most historic sites in the world, we headed out of town for lunch, where we parked in a gravel lot. I decided that would be a good time to switch the ASR off and see if I could get the rear of the bike to break traction and slide. No problem. When you’re riding on gravel with the traction control off, the motor delivers plenty of power to slide the rear around like JD Beach at the Sacramento Mile. The GTS is a performance scooter if there ever was one, so having a decent traction control system is a great feature because when you twist the throttle, this scooter responds with enough power to put a smile on your face every time.
Indeed, a modern classic. The new Vespas retain their classic lines despite taking on some new technology.
Seventy-six years after Corradino D’Ascanio, an aeronautical engineer, designed the first Vespa, the iconic brand still has innovative engineering in its veins. For example, the front suspension on all Vespas take their design concept from the landing gear of an airplane so that the front wheel can be easily removed and repaired if you happen to damage it after running over a cobblestone crater left from the days before Christ. Vespa calls this design ESS for “Enhanced Sliding Suspension” due to its single-sided layout, which makes front-wheel removal super easy when compared to pretty much every other two-wheeled vehicle currently in production. That basic design hasn’t changed on the 2023 GTS, but a new linkage has been added to improve the stability at higher speeds and keep the front wheel firmly on the ground while braking. Considering the GTS’s increased power, this was a timely improvement.
The rear suspension has dual hydraulic shock absorbers with coil spring and a new four-position height adjustment for improved performance when carrying a passenger. And the brakes have been updated as well and now feature a Brembo master cylinder and rear caliper, which, combined with the dual-channel ABS, have decreased the stopping distance considerably.
There is ample storage under the seat.
Another new feature for the GTS is keyless entry. It not only allows you to start the bike without removing the key from your pocket, but the key fob opens the under-seat storage, locks and unlocks the steering and activates a bike finder. That way you can find your scooter among the thousands of others parked in scooter mobs throughout the Eternal City.
Other new electronics include an LED headlight, LED turn and position indicators, and newly integrated handlebar-mounted switches. The Vespa MIA connectivity system allows you to connect your phone and control incoming calls and messages, call up your playlist and more—without taking your hands off the bars. On the GTS Classic, GTS Sport and GTS SuperSport, all this information is displayed on the lower section of the dash in an LCD format while the top of the dash employs an analog speedometer with a classic look. The GTS SuperTech incorporates an all-new 4.3-inch, full-color TFT dash where you can see even more information, like turn-by-turn navigation. In the future, Vespa plans to offer an update to the SuperTech’s TFT dash called MIA ECO Ride. With this system, you can target the fuel mileage that you want to achieve while on a trip, and the dash will keep you informed as to whether you’re meeting your target or not. The software update will also add a crash-detection component that will call for help in the event of an accident.
Simple and clean. Analog speedometer up top, LCD below.
The ergos on the big Vespa are about as comfortable as they could be. The new saddle has a nice shape, when looking at the bike from the side, and it’s super comfortable when riding. From early in the morning, we rode through the streets of Rome, and we then ventured out into the Italian countryside for lunch, arriving back at our hotel mid-afternoon. We were hours in the seat, but I could have kept riding for several more hours—it’s that comfortable.
Front flat? No problem. The front wheel is easy to remove thanks to the Vespa’s unique single-sided front suspension system.
The reach to the handlebars, the seating position, and the wind protection all make for a very pleasant ride. Standing over any step-through scooter is usually not a problem, and even though the GTS is a bit larger than your average scooter, the 31.1-inch seat height is really nice for in-town commuting when you’re constantly stopping and putting your feet down. The low seat height and upright seating position combined with the splash guard and floorboard make the GTS a perfect commuter for everyday trips to and from work or to grab groceries or carryout. And if groceries or other items need to be carried home or back to the office, there’s a large under-seat storage compartment and swing-out hooks behind the splash guard for carrying your stuff.
The Vespa isn’t entirely about the city. Plenty of power and comfort make it a great ride for a light-duty country cruise.
No complaints from me when it comes to ergos on this bike. I can see now why people enjoy touring on Vespas—they are comfortable, and the GTS has no problem running at 70 miles an hour. Plus, with all the available accessories, racks, windscreens and much more, you could have the GTS 300 ready for world touring right off the showroom floor.
The new Vespa GTS 300 lineup will be available in U.S. dealerships in November starting at $7799 for the GTS Classic and going up from there with the top-of-the-line GTS Super 300 Tech MSRP set at $8499. CN
VIDEO | Vespa GTS 300 Review
Vespa GTS 300 Specifications
| MSRP: |
$7799-$8499 |
| ENGINE: |
Single cylinder, 4-stroke |
| VALVETRAIN: |
4-valve, SOHC |
| BORE x STROKE: |
75 x 63mm |
| DISPLACEMENT: |
278cc |
| COOLING SYSTEM: |
Liquid |
| MAX POWER (Claimed): |
23.8 hp at 8250 rpm |
| MAX TORQUE (Claimed): |
19.1 lb-ft at 5250 rpm |
| FUEL SYSTEM: |
Port Fuel Injection (PFI) |
| LUBRICATION: |
Wet sump |
| STARTING SYSTEM: |
Electric |
| CLUTCH: |
Automatic dry centrifugal clutch w/ vibration dampers |
| TRANSMISSION: |
CVT w/ torque server |
| FRAME: |
Sheet steel body w/ welded reinforcements |
| FRONT SUSPENSION: |
Single-arm w/ coil spring and single shock absorber |
| REAR SUSPENSION: |
Double hydraulic shock absorber w/ preload 4 positions |
| WHEELS: |
Die-cast aluminum alloy 3.00×12 in. |
| TIRES: |
120/70-12 in., tubeless |
| BRAKES: |
Stainless steel disc, 220mm, hydraulic, ABS/ASR |
| FUEL CAPACITY: |
2.24 gal. |
| FUEL ECONOMY: |
71.2 mpg |
| WHEELBASE: |
54.3 in. |
| SEAT HEIGHT: |
31.1 in. |
