Well we posted the leaked photos a while back and now here is the scooter in question, the new Vespa Primavera from Piaggio on display on their stand at the Milan Motorcycle Show, aka EICMA.
As predicted it is based around their limited edition 946 model which means the 125cc 4-stroke automatic engine has 3 valves and is relatively frugal while still able to sit at 60-something mph.
The new Primavera sits on 11″ tyres, larger than the Vespa LX’s 11 & 10 combination that it supersedes, features a larger underseat luggage capacity too and has a few retro influences like a 1970s inspired clamshell speedometer.
It also features new engine mounts and front fork set up to give a better ride as improve handling. The fork is still single sided but the link and lower suspension mount have changed.
To remind us all of the new scooter’s bloodline, a selection of vintage Vespas from the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera were also on display in Milan, mainly smallframes including a SS90, Primavera, Primavera ET3 and a PK Automatica.
So is this new Primavera enough to keep the Vespa scooter on the corner of every city centre street? There’s very little mechanically new to excite devoted Vespisiti and the cosmetic enhancements are not too radical either although the lines in the steel body do look good up close and the front end is certainly sharper and the better for it.
However combine this with an ever-increasing retail cost and the Vespa is becoming an expensive accessory rather than an essential commuter tool. If you can combine both however, you’ll struggle to look cooler getting to work on one of these.
By the way, there wasn’t a new Vespa GTS 350 launched, despite speculation all over the internet prior to the show. The word is that you’re not likely to see one in the near future either…