2023 Vespa GTS: Performance, Price, And Photos

Vespa updates its popular and retro-tastic GTS line with more of what made it a top-shelf scooter

Vespa gives its GTS model family a fairly thorough update that builds on the last upgrade that rolled in 2019. The chassis sees a number of improvements with brakes and suspension both on the menu. A keyless ignition cleans up the cockpit and does away with the keyring that always winds up thrashing around in the wind anyway.

This model is what they call a "Vespone," which means it has the big 278 cc HPE thumper and a large, welded, all-steel body for extra strength. This is the most powerful single-cylinder engine ever produced for a Vespa model, and the ABS and traction control features make this platform one of the most modern so far.

It all comes together under beefy bodywork that manages to channel that classic Italian scooter look without compromising on safety, strength, or comfort. There's simply no substitute for a genuine experience, and since this scoot is the culmination of many years and generations of evolution, it comes with a bona fide pedigree that you simply cannot deny.

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Vespa powers its GTS with the 300 High Performance Engine that turns out the most powerful and agile riding experience to ever grace a Vespa model. The 2023 Vespa GTS produces 23.8 horsepower and 19.17 pound-feet of torque. In addition to its stellar power figures, this 300 HPE and its CVT gearbox both come engineered with reduced friction and extra sound attenuation to dampen the mechanical noises that escape the cases.

A 75 mm bore and 63 mm stroke give it an actual displacement of 278 cc, even if it's rounded up in the engine name, with a single over-head cam to time the trio of poppets. The valvetrain now boasts roller-bearing tappets rather than flat tappets to further reduce friction within the beating heart.

Electronic engine controls manage the fuel injection and ignition advance with the considerable bonus of Vespa's in-house traction-control system thrown in the mix. A dry centrifugal clutch couples engine power to the continuously-variable transmission. It delivers twist-and-go operation that has become a staple of scooter-dom over the decades. The overall drive ratio turns out a Vespa GTS's top speed around the 90 MPH mark, which is fast enough for interstate work with an ample power reserve for decisive passes at speed.

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I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that there is nothing quite like the Italian scooter design. That goes for Vespa and its parent company, Piaggio & C. SpA alike. Everyone else making this style of scooter is just making copycat machines.

The typical legguard area bears the classic necktie detail with LED forward lighting that includes recessed turn signals and daytime running lights. Also, classically inspired is the headlight housing that grows outward to become a little fairing for the handlebar and keep the cockpit nice and clean. The underbone frame relies on a tunnel structure along the middle for strength, but it interrupts the step-through. However, the vertical offset is rather short with a flat along the top, so you can use that old-school 'tween-the-feet storage area.

Around behind the headlight is the speedo and a host of idiot lights to handle the instrumentation, traction-control feature, and the Vespa MIA infotainment system. The sculpted seat covers a generous cargo compartment with a chrome grab rail and fold-up footpegs to go with the pillion pad. More LED yummygoodness is out back with the license plate mounted on a short mudguard to complete the package.

Length

76.7 in

Width

29.7 in

Seat Height

31.1 in

Wheelbase

54.1 in

Fuel Capacity

2.2 gal

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Welded sheet-steel shapes form the load-bearing skin that contributes to the overall strength of the structure. The swing-drive unit is of the single-side variety to help keep the rear end fairly narrow. It rides with dual, coil-over shocks to tame it with adjustable preload and a quartet of height settings that let you dial in your body type.

Up front, the characteristic link-and-shock takes care of business on fixed values. A set of 12-inch wheels round out the rolling chassis with a beefy, 110/70 hoop ahead of a 130/70 on the front and rear, respectively. This contributes to overall good street manners. Front and rear disc brakes run with 220 mm discs and hydraulic binders. It comes with ABS protection as part of the stock equipment package.

Frame

Sheet steel body with welded reinforcements

Front Suspension

Single-sided link arm with coil spring and hydraulic monoshock absorber

Rear Suspension

Dual hydraulic shock absorbers with coil spring with preload with 4-position height adjustment

Front Tire

Tubeless 110/70 - 12"

Rear Tire

Tubeless 130/70 - 12"

Front Brake

220 mm Disc

Rear Brake

220 mm Disc

ABS

ABS/ASR Standard

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MSRP on the 2023 Vespa GTS starts at $7,799. It comes in a trio of colorways with Beige Avvolgente, Verde Amabile, and Nero Convinto on the menu. That's beige, green, and black in plain English.

Colors

Beige Avvolgente (beige), Nero Convinto (black), Verde Amabile (green)

Price

$7,799

Vespa finds itself in rare company with its Vespone "Big Wasp" GTS platform. That's mainly because of the engine size, but partly about the beefed-up classic Italian good looks. Honda's Metropolitan and Yamaha's Vino 125 have the right look, but the engines mic out at 49 cc and 124 cc respectively to fall short of the 278 cc GTS. Lambretta scooters overshoot the mark a skosh with its G350 that brings its own Italian design theory to the table that hits the right era, but the engine packs 330.1 cc to put it over the Vespa model.

To stay in the 300 cc displacement, you might consider going outside the classic Italian look and check out a maxi-scooter. If you find a Honda Forza for sale, that fits the engine size, but you won't have that sexy Vespa vibe.

"There's just no denying the retro-tastic value Vespa brings to the table, but this scoot ain't just about looks, the value of the performance and handling characteristics are impossible to overstate, particularly for riders who are looking for an interstate-capable commuter/grocery-getter machine."

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says,

"The GTS is popular in Europe, and they have a much more robust scooter culture than we do here in the U.S. That says a lot for the quality of the build. This is a new gen, and it has nice handling and zippy performance so it fits the needs for urban and suburban commuting."

"In the 2019 update, the GTS got the HPE engine. It was the same displacement as the outgoing engine, but increased performance and utility of the scooter. The fit-and-finish is top-shelf, but Vespa doesn't use price as a selling point, so you're going to pay for the name and the quality."

MSRP starts at $7,799 for the updated Vespa GTS 300. The GTS300 Touring starts at $7,299.

With the updated 278 cc HPE engine, the Vespa GTS 300 manages 78 MPH.

The fuel economy on the Vespa GTS 300 is a claimed 73 MPG. Claimed for the GTS300 Touring is 70 MPG.

The "GTS" in the Vespa GTS moniker stands for Granturismo Sport.

TJ got an early start from his father and other family members who owned and rode motorcycles, and by helping with various mechanical repairs throughout childhood. That planted a seed that grew into a well-rounded appreciation of all things mechanical, and eventually, into a formal education of same. Though primarily a Harley rider, he has an appreciation for all sorts of bikes and doesn't discriminate against any particular brand or region of origin. He currently holds an Associate's degree in applied mechanical science from his time at the M.M.I.