Stylish scooter with a sting in its tail

By ROBIN MARTIN


The idea of cruising out to Auckland's west coast beaches on a Vespa might sound absurd to those folk more accustomed to seeing the stylish Italian scooters parked outside Ponsonby Rd's trendier cafes.

But not to Scooter e Motion proprietor Goetz Neugebauer.

Ask Neugebauer if you can take his pride and joy - a brand new Vespa Granturismo - on a run out to the beach and his eyes light up.

"Raus, out of the city," says the German Kiwi, who is more used to touring the countryside on such machines than searching out his next latte.

The Vespa GT200 is the badge's first new model since 1996 and heir-apparent to the long-serving PX200, so by way of comparison we take one of each for a spin out to Piha.

Conceived out of the ashes of an aeronautics company shortly after World War II, the Vespa was intended by its makers Piaggio to be an affordable and practical form of transport, but it soon became a symbol of freedom and a style icon.

And despite its state-of-the-art technology the GT200 in no way betrays the brand's previous 138 incarnations.

The GT, which also comes in a 125cc variant, is the first ever Vespa to feature a four-stroke, four valve, liquid-cooled engine (meeting the tough Euro2 emissions standard) as well as 12-inch wheels (up from 10-inch) and a two-disk braking system.

The longer frame and bigger wheels were a challenge for the design team but the Grantourismo, while contemporary in its looks, retains Vespa's classic wasp-like styling. "What's typically Vespa is its rear. Like a beautiful woman it's all in the curves and I love the way the GT is often mistaken for a [Vespa] model from the 60s or 70s," says Neugebauer. Away from the flanks, the other Vespa design signature is the headlamp, which has undergone a major transformation. Now a unique size and shape, it is a modern version of the traditional round lamp. Instrumentation sits on a satin-look dash, which lights up blue at night and features a digital clock among the essential rider information. An electric start, twist-and-go automatic gearbox and top torque figures of 17.5Nm at 6500rpm make the Grantourismo an effortless ride as we snake our way through Auckland's notorious traffic towards Titirangi. We forgo a caffeine fix eager to allow the GT's motor, which has a maximum output of 14.7kW and top speed of 120km/h, an opportunity to express itself. The scooter chews through the s-bends of Waitakere's Scenic Drive with ease, and while no comparison to a performance motorcycle it is certainly no slouch, and in the hands of an experienced rider closes in on its top speed on the straights.

Braking is assured and transmission through the gears smooth though obviously somewhat frustrating for those used to the four-gear manual PX.

"On this run to the beach, I would expect to beat the Grantursimo by about five minutes [on the PX]," admits Neugebauer, contemplating winding out the throttle in the lower gears.

Nevertheless, in the hands of a less experienced rider, the GT's ease of handling is apparent, even the infamous hairpins descending to Piha Beach - the bane of many a brake-lining - are easily negotiated. As they are during the assent.

In the fine traditions of Piaggio the Granturismo has, it would seem, again achieved the desired technological progression while remaining true to the Vespa brand and simultaneously avoiding the nostalgia trap.

If I have one complaint it is that on a day when Auckland's weather gods have looked down benevolently on surfers, the GT has no room for a surfboard.

GT200 specifications:

Engine: Single cylinder, four stroke, four valve

Fuel: Unleaded

CC rating: 198cc

Ignition: Electric, automatic choke

Gearbox: Automatic

Chassis: Pressed steel-monocoque

Wheels: 12-inch

Brakes: Disk, front and rear

Fuel tank: 10 litres

Max speed: 119km/h

Price: $7895