Vespa is an automotive icon, having risen from a humble form of cheap transport for the masses to an Italian national symbol. The latest models are a far cry from those basic post war commuter bikes, but the style is unmistakable. There’s a certain aura around the latest GTS 310 SuperSport, with its stunning Blu Eclettico paintwork pinging out on even the greyest of days, and you can’t help but be drawn to it.
The Vespa is no mere scooter, it’s a fashion accessory from the nation that brought you Prada, Armani and Gucci, which like Vespa traces its roots back to Florence in the early part of the 20th century. At £6810, it’s not cheap but, as with all the best things in life, you get what you pay for. It’s beautifully detailed and delivers modern day performance in a retro wrapping.
This 310cc version requires an A2 motorcycle licence to ride, but there is also a 125, which you can ride on L plates after passing the compulsory basic training (CBT). Engine and performance aside, it’s essentially the same bike – but is significantly cheaper at £5960.
We’ve reviewed the previous Vespa 300 model in the past but this latest version, introduced last year, has been reworked to meet the latest Euro5+ regulations and deliver a little more performance.
The main difference is the longer-stroke engine, described by the manufacturer as ‘all-new’. It gains 32ccs in capacity, for a small power boost (up just over 1bhp to 25bhp) and some extra torque (28.9Nm @ 5,250rpm, compared to 26Nm at the same revs before). With the power now delivered significantly lower in the rev range, the latest 310 should feel reasonably different to ride.
Our opportunity to sample the latest version came at an event laid on by Piaggio, owners of the Vespa brand, and took in a group ride alongside various models from the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi ranges. With a route consisting mainly of fast A roads and bumpy backroads, it was about as far from the Vespa’s comfort zone as you could possibly be – but a good opportunity to find out what it was really like for the everyday rider who wants to take advantage of the extra performance offered by the 310.
Settling in at the back of the group, I was certainly able to keep pace. The 310 is fairly zippy away from the lights thanks to its automatic twist and go transmission, and although the bigger bikes accelerate away after that initial launch, once the Vespa gets wound up there’s more than enough speed to cruise on motorways.
Down the back roads, the titchy 12” wheels make it feel like a little roller skate – a touch nervous but safe and predictable enough – although the brakes were a bit of a let down in this environment, lacking power and feel.
The Vespa delivers a different proposition to the more mainstream offerings. In my experience, GT type scooters like the Honda Forza and Yamaha XMAX are a bit faster, more stable and have better brakes, but they’d also rattle away down these rough as guts roads. The steel bodied Vespa feels super solid and incredibly well built, and it’s comfy too – although, unlike these other scooters we’ve namechecked, there’s no real weather protection.
Of course, while this part of the test was fun and telling, the Vespa’s natural environment is in the city – zipping through traffic with impunity and style. It’s not built like those other scooters. The pressed steel body and classic scooter looks create a natural link back to the 1940s originals, as do those wheels – which are significantly smaller than those you’d expect to find on a modern midi-scooter. It looks amazing and no-one is mistaking you for a Deliveroo rider. If you need to commute through the city and want to look good while doing it, there really is nothing to beat a modern day Vespa.
Despite the diddy wheels, the Vespa’s physically quite large. The saddle is thick and wide, which makes it nice and comfortable – even if the straddle is a little less manageable for shorter riders than some of the alternatives. It’s practical, but not as practical as the less fashionable models.
There’s a decent amount of underseat storage but, again, not as much as the aforementioned Forza or XMAX. It’s the same with the fuel tank which, at 8.5 litres, is smaller than most. Our SuperSport version has a large retro analogue speedometer with a supporting LCD inset below. It also connects to Vespa’s MIA system, which connects to your phone and allows for management of calls and playlists, but if you want a full fat TFT dashboard then you’ll need to go for the ‘SuperTech’ spec, which costs an extra £150.
At £6810, it isn’t cheap, but then there’s not really anything that compares directly. There are plenty of other midi-scooters in the £6k range, including Honda’s Forza 350 and the new Aprilia GT SR 400, but they’re ultimately not as fashion driven as the Vespa, which trades a touch of practicality for style – and how. It’s proper Gucci.
Pretty much everything we wrote about the previous 300 model stands with the 310. We rode the SuperTech version of the 300 and spent a lot more time around town on it than we did this one. You can revisit that review here. Without riding them back-to-back, it’s hard to quantify just how much better or different the latest model is, but the 310 is certainly very responsive, and has as much performance as you need in a scooter.
Reviewing the Vespa 310 is really quite difficult. If you’re a pragmatic buyer, it gets blown out of the water on almost all metrics by the competition. The latest SR GT 400, from Vespa’s sister brand Aprilia, for example, is over £800 cheaper, has significantly more performance, better weather protection, longer range and superior storage space – and the same applies to competition from Honda and Yamaha.
But a big part of the appeal of the Vespa is the brand and the lifestyle, and there’s no other scooter on the market like Vespa. It looks a million dollars, is well built, super nippy and makes a statement like no other. Where the others might make you appear to have a sideline in pizza delivery, there will be no such confusion on a Vespa. It has, as the kids would say, aura, and if you want a Vespa, you won’t be disappointed with the latest GTS – although if you just need a value-for-money set of wheels, you might be better served elsewhere.
Vespa GTS 310 SuperSport specification
Price: £6,810
Engine: 310cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC, single cylinder four-valves
Power: 18.4kW (25bhp) @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 28.9Nm @ 5,250rpm
Fuel consumption: 88.3mpg (claimed)
Frame: Sheet steel body with welded reinforcements
Wheels: 12” front and rear
Tyres: Tubeless, front 120/70-12, rear 130/70-12
Weight: 170kg wet
Seat height: 790mm
Fuel tank: 8.5 litres
Contact: www.vespa.com
