Modern Buddy

I was in a scooter shop yesterday that sells Genuine scooters and he told me that according to Genuine, The Stella would soon be going back into production. He didn't have details but gave a "next few months" time frame.

Has anyone else out there heard anything about this?

Does anyone else care?

I got this response on ModernVespa.com:

i didn't want to be the one that started this, but since you have, i'll chime in.

i was ordering a bunch of stuff from scooterworks about a month ago, and i was talking with my rep about crap for 20 minutes or so. at one point, i told him i was thinking about picking up a pink one that's for sale in green bay.

he told me, 'don't do it, just hang on a few more months. genuine is going to be announcing something big this summer.' i don't have any idea what it was, but he was pretty emphatic that i hold on and not jump at old stellas. so, i think something is up.
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chad
www.opshd.com

Here's the thread that was started in April. I don't know if anyone has heard anything new since then. I hope the Stella will come back, but labor negotiations can be a nasty business...

viewtopic.php?t=1313&highlight=stella+lml

Jody

IF they bring back the Stella AND it will pass the CA emissions standard...
that might throw a CONSIDERABLE monkey wrench into my final two bikes I'm considering right now the Buddy Italia vs the Vespa LX150!

I'm most likely getting my bike though within the next month or two so I question again if:
A. They'll have the inventory when I'm ready to buy.
B. More importantly if it'll pass the CA emissions requirements!

Spoke with my dealer last week, he said he was told that the labor deal is sorted out and that Genuine will be bringing the Stellas back. Late summer was mentioned (whether that means production begins or scooters go on sale here I don't know).

I'd love to look at a Stella, rather than chance the problems of a 40 year old Vespa, even if it was still a 2-stroke... so long as it has oil injection. I don't want to mess with mixing oil and gas. Better would be if this "new" Stella came with the engine out of the GTS, then we'd all have that 250cc manual trans scoot to add to our lists. Even if they did fit it with a carb....


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Rumors about the Stella's return have been churning since the LML factory in India settled its labor dispute and ended the strike. I'd love to see them come back... and come to California. We may have a 3rd scoot in the garage if that happened!

Roose Hurro wrote: Better would be if this "new" Stella came with the engine out of the GTS, then we'd all have that 250cc manual trans scoot to add to our lists. Even if they did fit it with a carb....

A 250cc shifter would be awesome, but...
I'm pretty sure the fuel-injected 250cc Quasar engine from the GTS wouldn't work in a Stella body... and that Piaggio wouldn't license it! They're offering a lot of scoots in all their product lines with these engines, so I'm sure don't want to feed the competitors.

If the Stella does return I will be very tempted. It's been ages since I rode one, but if the new version feels the same or better I may just have to make the switch.

I'm thinking red or mint green...

Roose Hurro wrote: Better would be if this "new" Stella came with the engine out of the GTS, then we'd all have that 250cc manual trans scoot to add to our lists. Even if they did fit it with a carb....

A 250cc shifter would be awesome, but...
I'm pretty sure the fuel-injected 250cc Quasar engine from the GTS wouldn't work in a Stella body... and that Piaggio wouldn't license it! They're offering a lot of scoots in all their product lines with these engines, so I'm sure don't want to feed the competitors.

Well, let me rephrase that, then... GTS-like... AKA, 250cc FI (or carbed). A five-speed would also be nice!


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