I've owned my ET4 Vespa since March 02. My first taste of real freedom and it was exhilarating. Knowing the bike was out there ready to take me anywhere I wished. Riding it so often I have many things to talk about and have pretty much exhausted it's offering.
It was simple to get used ... Read review
I've owned my ET4 Vespa since March 02. My first taste of real freedom and it was exhilarating. Knowing the bike was out there ready to take me anywhere I wished. Riding it so often I have many things to talk about and have pretty much exhausted it's offering.
It was simple to get used to, the twist and go throttle lets you concentrate on things going on around you instead of tying up your mind deliberating with clutch and gears. ... ...with a flick of the wrist to get off the lights faster than most cars. 0-30mph is relatively rapid, 30-50mph needs more time, 50-70mph how long have you got? It can tackle big A-roads and motorways... I've tried, but the windblast will get you aching pretty quickly, it's forte is in the city. The speedy acceleration is welcomed and the front disc brake does an excellent job in stopping the bike, the rear drum brake is a little weak and leaves a little ... more
I've owned my ET4 Vespa since March 02. My first taste of real freedom and it was exhilarating. Knowing the bike was out there ready to take me anywhere I wished. Riding it so often I have many things to talk about and have pretty much exhausted it's offering.
It was simple to get used to, the twist and go throttle lets you concentrate on things going on around you instead of tying up your mind deliberating with clutch and gears. Once the bike is warmed up it provides ample oomph with a flick of the wrist to get off the lights faster than most cars. 0-30mph is relatively rapid, 30-50mph needs more time, 50-70mph how long have you got? It can tackle big A-roads and motorways... I've tried, but the windblast will get you aching pretty quickly, it's forte is in the city. The speedy acceleration is welcomed and the front disc brake does an excellent job in stopping the bike, the rear drum brake is a little weak and leaves a little to be desired but still works fairly efficiently.
It's frugal in terms of fuel consumption and keeps those pounds jingling in your pocket. A full tank is about £6 but that's if it's completely empty to start with which it never is, so on average a full tank will be about £4.50 and that will last ages. Ride it hard, like I tend to do and the tyres don't last as long, costing about £40 every 4000miles or so, riding sensibly will see them last longer. The tyres being small compared to a big bike take less time to warm up and therefore grip the road quicker. the lights are brilliant in doing their job, high beam being incredibly strong, unexpected from a scooter.
Living with it, the services are pretty cheap with warranty being free for two years. The seat's comfortable enough and it doesn't really strain you unless travelling at 50-70 then the wind can knock you about.
Pillions will find it difficult putting their feet on the footrests since they're at an odd angle, also their knees will freeze if outside Summer because they stick out the side of the bike whereas yours are safely behind the front panel, the only option is a pair of armoured trousers which keep the windchill off. A pillion will seriously affect the scooters handling and may unnerve you to begin with but not long after it will become normal, though you can't hope to achieve the kind of speeds and acceleration if only you were on it, I have managed to take a pillion for over 100miles so it's possible though a little slow...
A backbox in my opinion is incredibly useful for additional storage, it can do shopping trips with space under the seat and in the front panel too. a backbox will also act as a backrest for your pillion so he or she doesn't fall off the back when you accelerate off.
It has an electric start making the kickstart pretty useless, starts 1st time everytime. Piaggio the manufacturers have included an immobiliser which means the engine can only be started with your key only. Not to worry too much if you lose your normal keys, you also get a master key that can reconfigure spare keys to your Vespa's unique signature. Spare keys are only about £30 but a master key is around £300 so keep it in a safe place!
Very classy dash and speedo!
It is small, compact and cute so it's very easy to slip in and out of traffic jams which is what scooters are for.I'm not sure if I would buy a new one in retrospect, since they are quite expensive but if you did buy a new one, you would wash it everyday for the first fortnight and the tiniest speck of dirt would be removed, that's the kind of effect it has. One scratch will make you weep though. It is cool but has become quite generic in places like Central London there's a reason for that, it's a great bike for what it's designed to do. I'm going to use a cliche but it really does ooze class.
Advantages: Look, style, ease of use, running cost Disadvantages: No roof! :)
...in a bright red 06 Vespa one month ago. I can honestly say it has brought a new enjoyment level to the once daily grind to and from London's city centre whilst also cutting my journey time in half.
Yes it can be less than fun in the wet and yes care needs to be taken when overtaking those damm bendy buses but, in my humble opinion the positives far outweigh the negatives on this particular form of transport. An weekly tube ticket used to cost me ... ...tank of petrol for the Vespa costing just £5.50, roughly a tank and a half a week, you don't need a maths degree to work out the savings involved. In summary the Vespa not only looks cool and is very easy to drive but with running costs at a surprisingly low rate its a bit like double glazing....it pays for itself! So next time you are stuck on that packed 137, or watching the metre climb higher and higher at the front of the black cab, keep an eye ...
tomdh 29.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Vespa ET4
Advantages: Looks attractive, comfortable to ride, good after sales service Disadvantages: Very few
I bought my ET4 125 just after Christmas after falling in love with the model in the window which was in pearlecent white, with matching helmet.
I had previously owned a Piaggio ZIP 50, which I owned and ran for about 18 months. It was a great bike but just a little bit too small for a 6'2" bloke who weighs about 15 stone.
I went down to my local scooter dealership,who were very helpful, but as I find with many bike shops the ability to take the ... ...lot of the time its up to looks rather than performance.
As mentioned the ET4 certainly looks the part, and after run in, in runs like a dream. I had a few problems to start with, a choke that stuck which resulted in a heavier fuel consumption than I wanted and difficulty in starting, but a 1/2 hour in the dealership and it was as right as rain and has only now gone back for its services.
It will top out at over 65 mph, which can be a bit scary ...
Browndog 04.04.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Vespa ET4
Advantages: Classic looks, modern handling Disadvantages: Metal body makes it heavy
The Vespa ET2 and ET4 are the most popular scooters on London's streets, and have been for a couple of years now. It's a position they well deserve.
I've been riding the four-stroke, 125cc ET4 since 1999 and have felt no desire to change. When I first saw the smooth curves and sleek metal skin I knew I wanted this machine. It was an incredibly original look, evoking models from the scootering heyday of the 1960s yet not out of place in the 21st ... ...colour schemes this year, too.
My only complaint is that the ballooning sides make it uncomfortable for a pillion passenger. But that's his problem, not mine.
Every manufacturer now has its 'retro' beast. But Vespa were the first and their scooter still looks cooler, cleaner than the rest. ...
Worrals 11.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Vespa ET4
...I have know owned a Vespa ET4 for around three months now and in my opinion this is by far the best scooter out there. (Note at the time of writing this the GT200 has just been released, I have test driven this and have been very impressed by this bike too, though I believe the cost to be a little prohibitive and beyond what a person looking for a scooter can afford - at least for now)
My first scooter was a Suzuki 50 cc, which I traded in for an ... ...comfortable riding position, more storage space, and it just felt so much more solid on the road. Not to mention it was a real head turner. The only thing the ET2 lacked was power. On upgrading to the ET4 (the 150 cc) I have never been more impressed - my whole riding experience was been revamped. The whole thrill of two wheels came back with a punch, and I still will find any excuse to duck out of work for a spin on a nice day.
The ET4 is very ...
johnvespa 07.11.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Vespa ET4
Advantages: Gorgeous, economic, need I say more! Disadvantages: Very Nickable - ask Chris evans about his scooter problems
...I homed in on the Vespa ET4.
Why the ET4.
1. Economy. A 4-stroke engine uses fuel more efficiently, so my running costs would be lower.
2. Low emissions. A cleaner engine that exceeds the European legislation not yet in place.
3. STYLE. Yep. Nothing beats the Vespa look, and although initially I thought I would buy a PX125, I came to see the new twist on the classic Vespa look as superior. Italian styling with clean lines. No contest.
A fabulous ...
assethound 09.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Vespa ET4
Comfort
Handling
Looks
Features
Fuel consumption
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Advantages: Stylish, powerful, well made, comfortable Disadvantages: Heavy, quite expensive
The Granturismo is the newest and biggest Vespa to hit the market. Building on the success of the ET4, the GT boasts a 4 stroke, 4 valve liquid cooled engine which can deliver 21 bhp. The GT feels a bigger bike than the ET4 and it is certainly heavier. As it has a top speed of around 70mph, the extra weight adds a lot more stability at higher speeds on dual carriageways, but it is not as easy to weave through the stationary traffic in the centre of town. Having said that, it is considerably more manoeuvrable (and some 20kg lighter) than the Piaggio B125, its nearest equivalent.
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So, you've passed your A2 test and you fancy a bigger bike. What do you buy?
This was the situation that I found myself in recently. After the CBT I had got to rather like my 125cc ET4 for its style, comfort, luggage carrying and ease of traffic threading. What I wanted was a bike that would retain as many of those features as possible, but have a bit more speed for the main roads.
There are a number of maxi-scooters that I had a good long think about, such as the Suzuki Burgman, Piaggio X9 and so on. These all have the required urge, but for my taste they all a bit too big for wriggling through the queues of traffic, and none of them have the trad Vespa style. After some time, I finally chose to buy a GT200. These are a bit bigger than the ET4 that I was replacing, and noticeably heavier, but in every other respect they follow ...
