Vespa GTV 250 Make Model | Vespa GTV 250 | Year | 2007-10 | Engine | Four stroke single cylinder, SOHC, 4 valve | Capacity | 244 cc / 14.9 cub in | Bore x Stroke | 72 x 60 mm | Cooling | Liquid cooled | Lubrication | Wet sump | Ignition | Electronic | Starting | Electric | Clutch | Wet, multiplate | Max Power | 16.2 kW / 22 hp @ 8250 rpm | Max Torque | 20.2 Nm / 2.06 kgf-m / 14.9 ft/lb @ 6500 rpm | Transmission | CVT, twist and go | Final Drive | Belt | Frame | Pressed sheet steel, streamlined monocoque structure | Front Suspension | Single arm with dual acting hydraulic shock and co-axial sping | Rear Suspension | 2 x double action shock absorbers with adjustable pre-load | Front Brakes | 220 mm stainless steel disc | Rear Brakes | 220 mm stainless steel disc | Wheels | Cast alloy | Front Tyre | 120/70-12 | Rear Tyre | 130/70-12 | Dimensions | Length: 1930 mm / 76.0 in Width: 755 mm / 29.7 in | Wheelbase | 1395 mm / 54.9 in | Seat Height | 790 mm / 31.1 in | Dry Weight | 138 kg / 304 lbs | Wet Weight | 151 kg / 333 lbs | Fuel Capacity | 9.2 L / 2.4 US gal | Reserve | 2.0 L / 0.53 US gal | Consumption average | 2.6 L/100 km / 39 km/l / 92 US mpg | Top Speed | 122 km/h / 76 mph | Colours | Dragon red, Vintage red, Excalibur grey, Black | Source and Review | Motorcycle Daily | In addition to having the largest displacement engine available from Vespa in this country (the same engine is available in the less expensive GTS 250), the GTV features a relatively luxurious leather saddle, front and rear disc brakes, cool retro styling (including a fender mounted headlamp and retro instrument gauge), standard chrome luggage rack, fuel injection and liquid cooling. Vespa claims a top speed of 76 mph and fuel consumption of 65 to 70 miles per gallon. Our testing yielded 62 mpg.
At a claimed 322 pounds, the GTV 250 is no lightweight. Nevertheless, it moves away from a stop briskly and has no trouble handling city traffic nimbly, and even aggressively if you choose. At first, the GTV felt somewhat unstable at higher speeds, but a simple preload adjustment on the dual rear shock absorbers allowed this amply-sized editor to balance the chassis better
Riding a Vespa, or other small scooter, is not like riding one of the mega-scooters (such as a Suzuki Bergman 650). Your upper body is much more exposed to the wind, and the machine, as a whole, has a simpler, more toy-like attitude.
With the smaller 12-inch wheels found on the Vespa, braking and cornering needs to be a bit more measured than it need be on a scooter with 14 inch or 15 inch wheels. Nevertheless, the disc brakes on the GTV 250 proved adequate, if not confidence inspiring. In the handling department, it tends to “dart” more than “flow”, and this just might be appropriate for its primary purpose of city traffic negotiation.
When I returned the machine to the press representatives on the other side of Los Angeles, I rode it nearly flat-out on the freeway for approximately 100 miles. Top speed, as indicated, varied from 75 to 85 mph depending on wind direction and incline. Stability was adequate if not quite at the level offered by a full-size motorcycle or larger-wheeled scooter. This is not a freeway touring machine, but it offers adequate power and stability to use the freeway for relatively short hops — making it more versatile than many other small scooters.
Styling is always subjective, but we thought the bike looked very cool. You don’t see genuine leather saddles very often, particularly in dark brown, and the rest of the bike has a certain retro-yet-modern attractiveness and simplicity. |