“Vespa ET-4 - Owner Review”

By Ron Stultz

 18 November 2010

Summary: I like the ET-4. More expensive than small 49cc Chinese scooters but can move quicker too.

I have a 2004 model year Vespa ET-4 (150CC), which was given to me as a Christmas present by my wife. I now have a little over 3000 miles on it and have done all the maintenance on it so far, so I know some about maintaining it.

If you are thinking of buying a scooter and are considering a Vespa or have a Vespa and want to start doing some of your own maintenance, consider what I share below:

- The Vespa ET-4 has a 150 cubic centimeter (CC) single piston engine. In the state of Virginia, a rider must have a motorcycle license if riding any scooter or motorcycle with an engine displacement greater than 49CC. Thus the ET-4 requires a motorcycle license in the state of Virginia.

- New, a Vespa ET-4 cost close to $4500 so much more expensive that the 49cc Chinese scooters. No idea what a scooter used would go for. I would assume that most used have a limited number of miles on them.

 - I like the Vespa, especially because it has an automatic transmission. Nice around town not having to shift gears.

- The Vespa ET-4 has an oil sump so that oil does not have to be added to gasoline like some 49CC scooters.

- No, it is not a rocket and I cannot jackrabbit away from a traffic light but with me weighing in at 260 pounds, the ET-4 lets me run the speed limit, be it 55 or 65MPH. Yes, the scooter does slow down on significant inclines but so what. I have had the ET-4 to 70MPH and a little faster but it does not feel comfortable to me at that speed, I am not sure why.

- The ET-4 requires 91octane unleaded gasoline.

- I routinely get about 50 miles to the gallon of gas or about a "tank full." Not super great gas mileage but certainly ok.

- The ride is good although the seat has little or no padding and after an hour or so, your bottom gets sore. I think there is a better seat available on the secondary market but am not sure.

 - The ET-4 I received as a Christmas present came with the rear “lift the rear end onto a stand” but no bicycle type kickstand. The kickstand, which the scooter is already pre-threaded for, apparently was an option on the ET-4. I ordered one and installed it and am glad I did. I do use the rear stand sometimes but if you are a small person, like my wife, I doubt that you will be able to hoist the rear end up on the rear stand and so you will want the kickstand installed before you take delivery.

- Besides the kickstand, I have also installed a sissy bar so that my wife can ride on the back and have a back support and I have also installed the foot pegs so she has somewhere to place her feet when we ride together. Again, the scooter is predrilled and threaded to accept these options\upgrades.

- As I am a big person, I found the mirrors, which came with the scooter, to not stick out far enough so I could easily see traffic behind me. I ordered chrome mirrors from an outfit in California over the Internet but they turned out to not stick out any further than the stock mirrors. Maybe the newer models have better mirrors. It is a problem I would like to solve but am not sure how to yet.

- The ET-4 has only 1 headlight and only 1 lamp in the headlight. No big deal until the lamp burns out on a midnight run somewhere.

- There is a storage compartment under the seat. This is large enough to hold a rain suit, can of  Fix-a-Flat, chain and lock for helmet but not much more. The storage compartment is not large enough to hold a helmet.

- There is a storage compartment as part of the body in the front but it is so small I have never used it for anything.

- Vespa dealers and thus available service are few and fair between. Although Vespa has made a come-back in the United States in recent years, if no local dealer, only consider buying if you can do your own maintenance.

- Routine maintenance can be done by an owner with tools and some patience but is more difficult and messier than it should be.

- The ignition switch is located at a down angle to the rider in the front and can be difficult to find in the dark.

- The ET-4 does not come with anyway to drain gasoline out of the tank is in preparing for long term storage. I have looked at installing some sort of drain valve but have not done so yet.

- The Vespa does not like to start when the outside air temperature is below about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. To help with cold temperature starting, I place a rag over the air intake duct right up under the front of the rider's seat. This serves to choke off air to the engine, making the fuel mixture richer at start.

- The ET-4 has very small tires and thus the rider must pay attention to the road surface much more closely than when you are driving a car and probably a motorcycle. A pothole or loose gravel is a real danger on the ET-4 and I find the worst is parallel groves in the direction I am riding. If I do not watch out and allow the scooter to get into one of these grooves it feels like it is stuck in there and wobbles the scooter to the point of scaring you.

- The Vespa battery is small and does not like to sit for long periods of time without a charge. Upon investigating this problem, not unique to Vespa, procured a "Battery Tender", which is connected to the battery any time the Vespa is not being used. The Battery Tender provides constant monitoring of battery charge and provides a trickle charge when needed. Before I installed a Battery Tender, I went through 2 Vespa batteries.

- Rear tire wears out quickly. At 3100 miles, my ET-4 would not pass Virginia safety inspection as the tread was too thin. 3100 miles on a tire?? Front tire fine but rear had to be replaced.

- The automatic transmission is driven by a belt and not a chain. The belt will wear out over time and have to be replaced. I have not done a replacement yet and can not comment on its difficulty.