Vespa GTS 300 Super scooter test

Menus

• Allegro Vita
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• On the highway
• On departmental
• Comfort
• Brakes
• Consumption
• Convenient
• Conclusion

Allegro Vita

The Vespa goes down in history, that of the Dolce Vita and of a model with multiple records, including that of the number of kilometers traveled and around the world for enthusiasts. Since 1946, the model has continued to evolve and diversify while keeping the soul of its origin and in particular that of its steel shell and its shape – its shapes – general, round, curved, almost feminine and yet unisex. Male or female, young or dynamic, the Vespa is aimed at everyone today and continues to evolve with the times; as proof this new version of the GTS 300 ie. Same name, same displacement, same lineage for the 2014 vintage of the GTS and GTS Super, but its share of innovations hidden from afar, obvious up close. So, a real model worth adopting or a way to pay less without negotiating the old model? Italian essay in the Tuscan countryside.

Discovery

The Vespa is almost identical regardless of the cubic capacity … And the 2014 vintage is like the 2013 vintage … For the common people in particular with its small 12-inch wheels.

The connoisseur will naturally recognize the steel shell, the general line and will note all the details which make the 2014 vintage a real novelty. Those who are more informed will note that the Vespa 300 inherits certain evolutions from the 946 and in particular the LED lights, a new speedometer, the ASR: the anti-slip which ideally complements the ABS and is more justified on the 300 cm3 than the 125 cm3, the limited power of which led to the start-up of the ASR in an exceptional way. With the 300, more power (22 hp) and torque (22.3 Nm) make it really useful. Beyond the LED sidelights which adjoin the turn signals and their new front covers in the same location, the rear light is refined in thickness and is dressed in a chrome frame, sufficient to give it a noticeably more modern and elegant look..

We then find a new saddle with white stitching that covers a redesigned trunk, a carpet marked Vespa on the central beam and a discreet GTS or Sport logo depending on the model on the rear..

The two models GTS and GTS Super are distinguished first by a chrome rear rack for the GTS, a stitched saddle and then by different colors. We will then note the gray rims for the GTS and black for the Sport. The two models are finally distinguished by the backlighting of the meter, red for the Super and blue for the GTS.

Both models benefit from the new ESS front suspension already featured on the Primavera.

In the saddle

Friends short on legs, the Vespa is eyeing you but you will barely touch the ground. In fact, the 1.70m pilot barely touches the ground with the tips of his feet. Fortunately, the 300 is light and the lightness makes it easy to grip and to be comfortable in maneuvering even at very low speeds. Suddenly, when stationary, we forget the saddle height, knowing that despite this, it is possible to reverse several meters without risk, with the tips of the feet. The hands always fall so naturally on the handlebars of ideal width. The knees do not go up and the overall position is perfectly straight. It then has room for the knees and for a huge bag: the advantage of scooters with almost flat floors, which thanks to the attachment allow you to transport big and heavy on the ground and without generating the imbalance that can exist if this same quantity was placed in a top case.

The enormous storage compartment completes the storage space. And we note the external AND internal USB socket which allows you to connect / charge an external GPS or an iPhone on a support; a point all the more notable as the 300 benefits from the Piaggio multimedia platform with a mobile app offering in addition to the manual additional display information such as engine speed and consumption.

Contact

The 300 snorts with a muffled sound. And if it does not start, the fuses are easily accessible in the storage compartment. The reaction to the throttle is instantaneous and the scooter takes off dynamically. We find the usual lightness, including the front axle which requires a few minutes of adaptation compared to scooters with heavier steering.

In the city

Exemplary handling is the first qualifier that comes first, especially for a 300. The handling is worthy of that of a 125 cm3. It is light, the maneuvers are easily carried out at very low speed, without having to dismount so much the overall balance is excellent. The dynamic is instantaneous and the resumes are immediate for all trips in town. The difference in power is noticeable compared to the 125 and allows you to get out quickly at a red light.

On the highway

The GTS 300 is dynamic on the first 80 km / h, it quickly runs out of steam to reach 100 km / h or even 110 km / h once launched on the flat. Admittedly, well launched in descent, the meter can filter with the 125 km / h but it will be brief, while waiting for the next hill where it will come down again. In fact, the 300 vintage 2014 seems a cut below in terms of performance and top speed but it must be said that the models tested were barely broken in with just 500 km. However, the small mono are released after 1,500 or even 2,000 km, with a real gain of 10 to 15 km / h, which would then allow it to display the same performance as the old model, knowing that the engine is identical and that no modifications were made to the engine or the gearbox. One could have feared a lightness of the front axle at maximum speed, but the 300 is particularly stable, both in a straight line, but also in large curves. And it is always possible to effortlessly rectify a trajectory.

On departmental

Back on the departmental road, the 300, which was running out of steam on the motorway, regains energy and dynamics at intermediate speeds and in particular up to 90km / h. On small roads, the pace is rather smooth, the times above 70 km / h being rather smooth, but the cycle part is very healthy, including on roads in poor condition and not reacting to faults or to bad connections, staying perfectly in line with an impeccable trajectory. The pace really needs to accelerate and especially that the turns are linked together in a tight way, so that the handlebars react a little reactively … But we are no longer in the Dolce Vita but in the Vita Allegro.

Comfort

The 300 is still as comfortable as its predecessor and even more comfortable thanks to its new front shock absorber which sinks less and absorbs road imperfections much better. Suddenly, the 300 is rather an example of comfort for this displacement at the scooters level..

Brakes

The models being barely broken in, the sensations were different from one model to another, especially in terms of the hardness of the handle. On the other hand, we found similarities in terms of more powerful braking at the rear than at the front, with good power, but a feeling that could be better..

Consumption

With the same engine and without modification to the injection level, consumption should be the same as on the old model. Piaggio announces a consumption of 1l for 33 kilometers, or 3 liters per 100 km. The previous vintage consumed, on average 4l per cent, which remains little, or even less than certain models of 125cc scooters. All this allows with a 9.5 l tank, about 230 kilometers of autonomy..

Convenient

The space under the saddle has really been enlarged and now allows two jets to be placed head to tail. Warning ! A large jet or a modular will not fit but the majority of jets on the market will fit, especially if you do not hesitate to push a little to close the saddle.
Multimedia features are more of an anecdote as they are impractical on a daily basis. The bluetooth connection works well but needs to be reset each time the scooter is started. On a daily basis, you will therefore not bother to place your iPhone mobile to see the additional data. On the other hand, the external and internal USB ports will allow you to easily connect a GPS or recharge your mobile and that’s really practical..

And the accessorized touring version, with front luggage rack and top-case, will increase transport capacity. Two sizes of bubbles exist to enhance protection. Warning ! a large bubble always tends to generate a slight shimmy and the small bubble, aesthetic, looks great on the scooter on the other hand.

Conclusion

The Vespa 300 GTS / GTS / Super vintage 2014 is not a revolution in itself but it significantly improves the previous vintage justifying to favor it over the old model. The new speedometer offers real additional visual comfort and the space under the boot in addition begins to place it in the storage spaces very acceptable for the category: a challenge for Vespa whose space under the saddle is generally limited compared to other scooters. , especially at Piaggio. The USB sockets are the little extra that allows daily recharging of mobiles which hold less and less the charge. And the LED lights at the front beyond the aesthetics are a real plus in terms of safety because they can be seen better than by a single headlight. In the end, the 2014 Vespa 300 is an excellent vintage which will delight Dolce Vita enthusiasts and lovers a little more, especially since the price has increased little compared to the contributions of additional features with an ABS model at "only" 5,299 euros against 4,990 euros for the model without ABS, barely 200 euros more expensive than the old models.

Strong points

• Look
• Maneuverability
• Brakes
• Anti-slip

Weak points

• Top speed

The technical sheet of the Vespa GTS 300

Available in four colors: white, midnight blue, royal blue and red

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