Menus
- The myth and the Dolce Vita
- Ricordo Italiano "Italian souvenir"
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- On the highway
- On departmental
- Brakes
- Comfort
- Convenient
- Consumption
- Accessories
- Maintenance
- Conclusion
The myth and the Dolce Vita
Ricordo Italiano "Italian souvenir"
The Vespa is already in itself more than a legend, an art of living, symbol of the Dolce Vita. With the 946, Piaggio went even further, pushing the Vespa myth to paroxysm by returning to the basics of the symbol to decline an ultimate version, design, elegant, racy and timeless, despite the contribution of all modernity with ABS, ASR , digital counter, led lights…. A must ? Expensive paid? Test….
Vespa 946 scooter test
Discovery
There are scooters. There are the Vespas. And there is the 946…. like no other. It is no longer a scooter, hardly a Vespa, but an object of desire and seduction. Does the parallel seem too complimentary to you, reader? Just leave 946 in the street, or watch passers-by at a red light. No one usually turns around on a scooter or even a Vespa; almost too ordinary: utility rather than object of passion. But when a passerby passes near a 946, he stops to check it out from top to bottom; he even walks around it to admire it and note all the details. And it is even more obvious at night, thanks to the LED lights, which make arriving on a terrace or on a sidewalk still make all eyes turn.
Front panel Vespa 946
But what’s wrong with this 946 that the others don’t ?
Vespa 946 scooter test
The 946 is first and foremost a sublime line from stern to bow, enhanced by a saddle widening at the rear and reminiscent of the equestrian world. She even seems to almost float in the air.
Vespa 946 headlight
The headlight looks simple at first glance, but it lights up in a beautiful white / blue color, as you can see a 946 embedded in the optics. At the rear, the round brake light incorporates a myriad of LEDs around its perimeter. The indicators have almost disappeared under the grille, perfectly visible to the vehicle behind but almost invisible to the pedestrian.
Tail light Vespa 946
The brushed aluminum handlebars resemble an almost bronze casting, while the oblong mirrors overlook it. The leather handles add a touch of luxury and upscale to the whole.
Handle of Vespa 946
We then note the silver circle as a false saddle axis which once again draws the eye to this aesthetic detail. The detail goes right down to the key, encrusted with a 946, uniquely shaped and which makes the key itself disappear within it: a jewel all by itself. And technological refinement, the key is coded.
Key Vespa 946
A luxury item, the 946 benefits from its own production line in Italy, with massively hand-assembled, allowing each model to be an almost unique number..
Beyond the plumage, the ramage is not left with the ABS and especially the ASR traction control, or the original traction control. That said, in view of the performance, its start-up will be limited, especially as the 946 is fitted with Michelin City Grip which provide excellent grip on a daily basis..
Finally, there is a single cylinder 125 cm3 4 stroke 3 valves with electronic injection but limited in power with only 11.5 horsepower; compare to the 14.9 horsepower of another Vespa: the GTS Super 125ie. Finally, there is the double-acting rear shock absorber with adjustable preload in four positions, mounted horizontally..
In the saddle
We were talking about riding as a universe and you have to actually get on the 946. The saddle is so high – 830 mm, almost a trail – that the 1.70m pilot barely touches the ground, despite a piece of the saddle. particularly fine. Before his eyes, he discovers a sublime meter on a blue background, entirely digital and particularly readable. It’s not just beautiful, it’s efficient and practical, with all the necessary information: speed, fuel gauge, totalizer, clock, partial trip … not to mention the oil or ABS indicators. The mirrors offer beyond their aesthetics a very good rear vision and are easily adjusted.
Vespa 946 digital speedometer
Contact
One turn of the key, start. The 946 snorts quietly and gravely and you can barely hear the single-cylinder purring. The throttle reacts instantly even if the acceleration is not strictly speaking dynamic. The small 11.5 horses struggle to train the 147 kilos (dry) of the scooter.
Top view of Vespa 946
In the city
At a red light, the 946 is not the first to set off. In fact, you’ll be the first to set off in case the scooter next door is left in the clouds of admiration for your model. Otherwise, you will stay behind. The acceleration is smooth with real inertia at start-up. In fact, it is especially its handling that will make you appreciate it, with a very good balance, allowing it to slip easily between the lines of cars especially as the mirrors pass easily above those of the cars. . Without having the agility of a Fly, very low speed maneuvers are done with ease and ease, never hampered by the overall weight of the two-wheeler, thanks to a very short turning radius.
The power is sufficient in town, although in the event of high odds, you may find yourself climbing slowly to 50 km / h, where a Fly will go up to 65 km / h.
Vespa 946 scooter test
On the highway
Going on the motorway with a 125 is not by definition a natural space. This is even truer with the 946. Certainly, well launched, downhill and with the wind at your back, you will manage to break it to 114 km / h (odometer, or about 104 km / h). But as soon as you get on the flat, it tops out at 104 km / h and will drop back on the first false flat at 90 km / h or even less if a side is announced. However, its weight provides stability and you can be overtaken by trucks without being afraid of being moved by the movement of air. He is therefore capable of doing peri-urban, but obliged and constrained and will prefer to return to the city, or even to the departmental.
Vespa 946 scooter test
On departmental
With a reliable average top speed closer to 90 km / h, the 946 will gladly appreciate the departmental…. and even more as a duo. The wide saddle is even more for the passenger than for the rider and the suspensions and the saddle offer excellent comfort, free from vibrations and well erasing the defects of the road. Suddenly, Madame will be delighted to come up behind you, for a long romantic getaway, at a bucolic pace in the hinterland.
We hardly feel the difference in performance between solo and duo, due to the limited overall performance. In fact, as long as you are on a road with a slight climb (slight but long), you will find yourself peaking at 75 km / h where a Fly will display a good 90 km / h.
Vespa 946 scooter test
Brakes
Front and rear 220mm disc brakes! The whole is largely oversized compared to the power of the scooter. As a result, you will trigger ABS relatively easily as long as you engage the rear brake forcefully, but never if you use the front and rear in combination. And even when the ABS is triggered, the scooter remains stable without lateral movement. All of this ensures excellent braking on a daily basis, including emergency braking, especially since the 946 hardly gets off the ground, even with very hard braking from the front. The whole thing offers an excellent feeling and excellent progressivity, even with two fingers. In short, a faultless one, which will delight all users, from the most novice to the most informed..
Brakes Vespa 946
Comfort
The unique saddle, thin at the front and wide at the rear, is very well suspended, aided by suspensions which do an excellent job of smoothing out any defects in the pavement. It is arguably the most comfortable Vespa by far..
Top view of Vespa 946
Convenient
Under the saddle, mounted on a cylinder (but which opens via a specific lock separate from the Neiman) you will find…. the gas cap and nothing more. So not a cc of space for the slightest storage, apart from the space for the manual.
Aesthetic at the front too, where you will not find any storage compartment or space behind the apron. Only the almost flat bottom allows you to place a large bag of racing, if necessary using the hook located under the saddle.
Placing a lock is just impossible, as there is no space to slide the smaller U-lock, nor chain in the wheels. Fortunately, there is an anti-theft ring welded to the frame, under the frame, right side: useful to help secure to a fixed point, provided there is a fixed point of attachment..
The 946 is placed with disconcerting ease on the center stand. A simple minimal press on the lever and the scooter is parked instantly and without any particular effort. On the other hand, removing it from its stand requires a little more effort, especially since its saddle height means that many riders will not touch the ground at all, once the 946 is on the center stand..
Under the saddle of the Vespa 946
Consumption
The very precise fuel gauge decrements by one stick every 25 kilometers. With seven sticks, you will be on the last stick at 175 km, leaving you still hoping for a good fifty kilometers of autonomy with the 8.5 liters of fuel tank. Average consumption thus stabilizes around 3.3 l / 100 km.
Vespa 946 scooter test
Accessories
With a myth, its own site, the 946 also benefits from its own line of accessories from the equipment specific to the scooter (windshield, floor holder) to leather accessories (helmet cover in top-case guide) , matching headphones (white and red, or black and gray).
Maintenance
Vespa announces a service every 10,000 kilometers only (oil change, filter), with only the levels to be done at 5,000 kilometers (without forgetting the routine with the verification of the safety devices: half an hour of labor invoiced at the maximum to the 5,000 ). Note that with an oil change only every 10,000 km and a small tank of 1 liter of oil, the 946 runs on synthetic oil! So, do not skimp on the quality to hope to make the mill last..
Conclusion
The 946 is an object of desire and design…. which you will forgive for this reason its total lack of storage. Beyond the design, you can boast of benefiting from the latest technologies with ABS, ASR and LED lights to parade on the cafe terraces. Its line will capsize urban hearts, much more than many motorcycle models. Suddenly, under the spell, you will even forget its price, at 9,000 euros despite everything. And yet, despite the price, nearly 500 copies have already been sold. The heart has its reasons that reason ignores….
Strong points
- look
- finishes and details
- comfort
- braking
- technology
Weak points
- price
- performance
The technical sheet of the Vespa 946
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