2 Years Down the Track (Vespa GT200)

Member Name: spikemcfinn

Product:	Vespa GT200
Date:	18/02/06 (2866 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Style, Speed and Acceleration, Stable at Speed, Good Brakes

Disadvantages: Space for the helmet is too small for any decent helmet. Petrol gauge inaccurate.

Her name is Claudia Cardinale, and 2 years and 12 thousand km down the track and I still love her. I bought her on the day I arrived in Berlin from New Zealand and have used her most days since - weather and snow ( or lack of ) permitting.

She was always my first choice of motor scooters - chosen because of style, history, as well as more profane reasons such as power, exhaust emissions etc. The other choice was a Gilera Runner - no contest on the style stakes.

Reliability - never, ever have I had a problem. She always starts on the first or second push of the starter - even after she has been stored for 6 weeks in a garage through minus 19deg. temperatures.

Riding her is a blast - she can accelerate enough to beat most cars - although I had a spot of bother once with a BMW - probably could have won the 100m dash but I braked to avoid the parked truck ( also to give his ego a boost - some German drivers need this ). Cruising at 80 - 110km/hr is no problem, and up to about 120km/h is relatively easy. I have taken her out onto the autobahn ( with some trepidation ) and found her stable at speed, and able to withstand with reasonable aplomb the trucks and mercedes.
I have had older 2 stroke Vespas in the past, and the combination of larger wheels, longer wheelbase, and a better weight balance makes a huge difference.

The front and rear disk brakes are very efficient, and several times have saved my bacon in emergency stops.

The only 2 hassles are the inability to fit a full-face or even relatively decent open-face helmet under the seat.
Also the petrol gauge/reserve is hideously inaccurate - I've twice run out of petrol. Bugger.
The other hassle is that the petrol tank is very easy to overflow. Nothing beats riding with a petrol soaked helmet and gloves.

Despite these small gripes - and in the big picture they are small, I love her.

I wonder what the new GT250 is like??

Summary: Brilliant, reliable and gorgeous. Buy one.

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Driving comfort:
on skiddy terrain:
on dry terrain: