Vespa GTS 250 ie

Something that has gone a long way towards assisting the brand's survival is its ability to update its offerings to give good, easy to ride, dynamics while still hanging on to some of its more loved styling cues.

While the shapes may hark back a fair way, it would be a mistake to assume the mechanicals do the same thing. The company did hang on to its quirky two-stroke, manual gearshift, platform (the PX) series for perhaps a little too long, but what you find in the range these days is something that's pretty similar to what you'd find under the bodywork of its Japanese competitors.

The latest addition to the fleet in Australia is the GTS 250 ie, which is added to the range rather than replacing the GT 200.

Okay, so what's different? Most notable is the 50cc jump in engine capacity, though this has not been accompanied by a massive leap in claimed performance. Power has risen around 10 per cent to 22 horses at 8250, while torque has gone up closer to 20 per cent and is pegged at 20.2 Nm at 6500rpm.

The engine is now fuel injected and there's a catalytic converter on board, so the whole set-up meets Euro 3 emission standards.

As for the basic bodywork and chassis package, little has changed. The dimensions are the same, though fuel capacity is down slightly to 9.2 litres and weight is up 10 kilos to 148kg dry (claimed). Vespa says the top speed is 122km/h, which is entirely believable.

Braking is by a very strong two-disc package, and European riders are able to order an ABS option.

So what's it like? We got a brief squirt on a demo recently and liked it. Already fans of the stylish GT200, we must admit the extra oomph offered by the powerplant is handy. It now accelerates with good pace to 100km/h where the previous model started to taper off around 80-90km/h.

It feels smoother and Vespa claims it's managed to induce an engine braking effect, despite the CVT transmission. We can confirm it's there - but mild -- and adds to a feeling of security when tipping the machine into corners.

You're presented with a new, more comprehensive, dash which now includes a tacho and there's a general feeling that it's a slightly more sophisticated model. Oh, and it looks sensational in red.

Price is $8790 plus ORC compared to $7790 for the GT 200. That includes a 12-month warranty. Well worth a look, in our opinion...