Vespa 300 Super Review ~ Scrumptious 

Vespa 300 Super Review ~ Scrumptious

The Vespa is a great urban transporter, and an effortless highway cruiser.

I never thought I’d thank a Sesame Street character for the push I needed to upgrade from my Vespa 250 to a 300 Super.  My old scoot was severely damaged by Big Bird transportation coming back from the 2013 Amerivespa in San Diego.   Friends told me to replace my tattered scoot with the 300.  But it was like a well-worn pair of jeans.  For the longest time I shrugged my shoulders.

What really makes a person buy a product?  Was it the new features, or the insurance money burning a hole in my pocket?   Was it a case of model-envy; similar to each generation of iPhone or the subtle evolution of a car body.

Truth is, the 300 has significantly more power even though its motor is only a few cubic centimeters larger.   Right away on my first ride, I was smitten by its torque.  On the first twist, the acceleration thrilled me.  As soon as I slipped the scoot between my legs, I was flying. The acceleration will pin your ears back. This bike is agile.  The electronic fuel injection, with its four stroke purrs.   Maximum speed is listed at 80, and I have had it to 75 without realizing.   Merging becomes easy with its power.  The dual disc brakes are strong. All of which facilitates my getting out of the way of a mindless driver on four wheels.

So what’s the hype behind the Vespa 300?   I say it’s torque. It’s 0-60 in, well, fast.  This ride is aggressive, and stable suspension is smooth.  The handling in this size scooter is hard to beat. It tracks well upon acceleration.  It’s a great touring bike, and a smooth riding city scoot.  The 300’s flatter, firmer seat is an improvement over the 250.  A very comfortable for ride for two.

The Vespa first hit the scene in 1946, and the scoot still turns heads with its vintage look.  It has never strayed far from the original. Contributing to the vintage look is the 300’s side panel with louvers. These slits reflect the earlier models that were air-cooled. The dashboard instrument panel has jumped back to analog gauges with a larger, some say easier to read speedometer and is lacking the all important temperature gage.

I added a shorty windscreen which gives just enough protection from the wind. I also attached a chrome luggage rack which, for the price of this scooter should have been included.  The horn could be louder, and the 300 seems to suck more gas.    The foot pegs are a problem as they are placed fairly far forward. When two-up riding, the passenger’s feet are almost always in the driver’s way.  It’s an uncomfortable foot reach. But this was true on the 250 as well.  To ride as a passenger one must achieve happiness. To reach this perfection, Vespa should move back the passenger pegs back for comfort.

All in all, this Vespa is haute cuisine. Simply scrumptious, in it’s unrestrained in power. The 300 Super should help Vespa remain a global leader in the scooter market.

Vespa is the result of Enrico Piaggio’s visionary talent. You can visit the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, Italy, to see the amazing designs.     http://www.museopiaggio.it