2020 Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech Review

The Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech is the brand's recently released flagship, and it's carrying a weight of expectation and history that far outstrips its basic role of transport.

Ask any car lover what Italian brands spring readily to mind and most will immediately trot out names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo. Push them to name motorcycle and scooter companies, however, and more likely than not it's 'Vespa' that pops up – if not first then soon after the likes of Ducati and Moto Guzzi.

You just can't buy that sort of brand recognition – successful automotive companies slowly seep into the cultural psyche over many years, with certain products propelled to 'iconic' status via movies, TV, and the cult of celebrity. For a company that sprang from a need to provide cheap transport in Italy as it emerged from the ravages of World War II, Vespa has come a hell of a long way…

And you won't find a better example of that trajectory than the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech, which signed on recently as the brand's new apex model. It's unmistakably Vespa, its flowing lines and beautifully sculpted bodywork a modern homage to over half a century of forebears.

The 'GTS' moniker stands for Granturismo Sport, and that neatly encapsulates what this scoot is all about: sporty performance, with enough grunt and comfort to accommodate longer trips beyond the city.

The newcomer heads up a four-strong range of new GTS models in Australia, from the GTS Super I-GET ABS 150 to the GTS Super Sport 300 and GTS Touring 300, but the SuperTech is the only one to have the HPE powerplant (the other two 300s relying on the older Quasar unit).

The 2020 Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech represents only the second major update of the GTS family since its inception in 2005, and the first since the Quasar engine was boosted from 244cc to 278cc in 2008.

It's more of an evolution of the breed than an all-new model, although Vespa says its High Performance Engine (HPE) has a new cylinder head and piston, better thermal management, reduced internal friction, larger valves and ports, and a new high-pressure, multi-jet injector.

Power and torque are increased by 12 and 18 per cent respectively – now 23.8hp (17.5kW) at 8250rpm and 26Nm at 5250rpm – to create the most powerful Vespa engine ever, the company says, while the engine retains the same 278cc capacity, and bore and stroke measurements, of the older Quasar engine.

Vespa says the hew HPE engine is also more efficient and cleaner – in fact ever-tighter emissions regulations were a major driver behind the development the new engine, which complies with Euro 5 emissions standards.

The Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech's bodywork has been redesigned to accommodate the new engine, but you'll need to be a keen-eyed aficionado indeed to spot the difference.

While the design ethos and steel frame continue, the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech lives up to its name in terms of technology. Beyond the Magneti Marelli electronic fuel injection, the GTS HPE SuperTech also boasts ABS brakes, switchable traction control and LED lighting, while the traditional analogue speedo has made way for a 4.3-inch colour TFT display.

Purists might lament this development, but the new display brings with it a comprehensive trip computer with a wealth of information (average and actual speed and economy, fuel gauge, range to empty, digital clock, trip meter, ambient temperature etc) along with Bluetooth connectivity to unlock extra features in the Vespa smartphone app.

Pair a headset along with your phone, and functions including navigation, call management and audio streaming are all on offer, and – like the trip computer – are controlled via a convenient thumb-operated stalk near the indicator switch.

If you love the Vespa look you'll fall head over heels for the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech. Available in either Volcanic Black or Matte Grey, the scooter features bright yellow contrast stitching on the seat and a number of yellow accents (the horn cover, the front suspension spring, the decals near the pillion pegs etc) that bring it up a treat. The build quality is superb and the bodywork exudes the sort of quality you'd expect of a premium model (with a premium price tag).

We'd have to ride one back to back with an older Quasar-engined model to really gauge the difference in performance, but rest assured the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech has plenty of poke for battling city traffic. It leaps away from a standing start and there's plenty of go on tap for overtaking up to, say, 80km/h.

Beyond that overtakes will be a more measured affair, but my 100km daily commute takes in plenty of 100-110km/h motorway and this Vespa had no trouble cruising at those speeds. And all this with my 95kg bulk on board.

I achieved an average fuel economy of 3.8lt/100km, which equates with a safe working range of around 200km from the (now smaller) 8.5lt tank. The filler cap is found beneath the seat and, like earlier models, is a bit fiddly – it's all too easy for fuel to shoot back up the filler tube and all over the storage bay, if you're not careful.

Vespa says the CVT belt is new while sound reduction measures make the scooter even quieter. We'll take its word for it, but it's hard to beat a CVT auto for ease of us in the city, and with a light 160kg dry weight and an inherently low centre of gravity the GTS HPE SuperTech slips through traffic snarls with ease.

Filtering is aided by the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech's compact mirrors, although the mirror surface does seem to distort the view to the rear a little. And while we're on gripes, let's add an ambient temperature gauge that seems about four degrees too hot, and a range-to-empty function that seems to vary wildly with fairly minimal changes in throttle usage.

The twin-piston brakes front and rear are a little wooden, but par for the course in scooter terms and in any case they pull the SuperTech up well enough.

As for practicalities, there's the usual shopping hook on the back of the front shield and a modest (not big enough for a full-face helmet) storage bay under the commendably comfy seat. In fact, this Vespa has generous ergonomics that will suit a very broad range of riders – I found I had plenty of legroom and the handlebar was an easy stretch away, and I'm 188cm tall.

Recessed alloy pillion footpegs fold out for a passenger, who also gets a chrome grab rail. Pushing the key in the ignition opens the small storage compartment on the back of the front shield – there's room to put a phone in here, and here's a USB port to charge it.

The ignition key comes with a key fob that also allows you to lock and unlock the seat, and flash the indicators (to help you find it, presumably, when parked amid a sea of other Vespas in central Rome). That's all well and good, but I have to say that at this price I wouldn't mind seeing a remote key fob and pushbutton starting make an appearance.

As you'd expect, Vespa has a lot invested in its new flagship, the 2020 Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech. After living with one for a couple of weeks, I think this historic Italian company has pulled off quite a feat, producing a model that near seamlessly blends up-to-the-minute technology with the brand's rich heritage, while preserving that inimitable Vespa design.

Vespas don't, however, come cheap, and at $11,790 ride away the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech is no exception. But for those passionate about the Vespa brand, the Vespa GTS HPE SuperTech is a fitting evolutionary step in Vespa's proud history, and a scooter of which any new owner can be justifiably proud.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-valve, single-cylinder
Capacity: 278cc
Bore x stroke: 75mm x 63mm
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 23.8hp (17.5kW) at 8250rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 26Nm at 5250rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: CVT automatic

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel
Front suspension: Single arm, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: Twin shocks, adjustable for preload
Front brakes: Single 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper, ABS
Rear brake: Single 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: Maxxis – front 120/70-12, rear 130/70-12

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 160kg
Seat height: 790mm
Wheelbase: 1375mm
Fuel capacity: 8.5 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $11,790 ride away
Test bike supplied by: Vespa Australia
Warranty: Two years, unlimited kilometres