2013 Vespa 946. What's Up With That? (Vid)

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:37 am

So is it coming pr not?! Think I saw a couple threads floating around here about it, but "will they build it" and what the final product would look like was not yet determined. Or at least it was all up for discussion.

I am out of the loop

z20k · Post by **z20k** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:55 am

That's the only modern Vespa I'd spend money on.. and I would the day it came out.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 3:40 am

I've been following it and it's comming but I don't know when they will come states side. Vespa seems to have their own time table and take ages to get things done. I bet it will be an expensive 150cc tho...

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 4:16 am

My bet is $8k OTD, *if* it even gets here in 5 years.

Lance Corona · Post by **Lance Corona** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:26 pm

Great looking scooter.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:45 pm

Do you know, I was not a fan of the looks of this thing till I saw that video. Something about its curves, just needs to be seen all the way around to appreciate IMO.

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:50 am

I wonder if the rear turn signals are integrated into the brake light.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 2:16 am

I thought the reason they were building it was to bring back affordable scooters to their lineup. $8K OTD???? I was just quoted a $7.5K OTD on the GTS 300 se, and I can't see the 946 exceeding that ludicrous amount. I'm putting a new scoot on the back burner, way the frack back, for now.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:46 am

Tocsik wrote:I wonder if the rear turn signals are integrated into the brake light.

I think they are in the side panels, at the very bottom.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 5:55 am

rsrider wrote:I thought the reason they were building it was to bring back affordable scooters to their lineup. $8K OTD???? I was just quoted a $7.5K OTD on the GTS 300 se, and I can't see the 946 exceeding that ludicrous amount. I'm putting a new scoot on the back burner, way the frack back, for now.

This is Vespa. Ludicrous spending is their middle name now. $4800 OTD for a 150s that is made in China with a plastic headset and no glovebox? Using that metric the 946 would be right on target for going even more "upmarket" as piaggio loves to do with Vespa

Alexbv200 · Post by **Alexbv200** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:17 pm

neotrotsky wrote:
rsrider wrote:I thought the reason they were building it was to bring back affordable scooters to their lineup. $8K OTD???? I was just quoted a $7.5K OTD on the GTS 300 se, and I can't see the 946 exceeding that ludicrous amount. I'm putting a new scoot on the back burner, way the frack back, for now.
This is Vespa. Ludicrous spending is their middle name now. $4800 OTD for a 150s that is made in China with a plastic headset and no glovebox? Using that metric the 946 would be right on target for going even more "upmarket" as piaggio loves to do with Vespa

Which Vespa is made in China???

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 5:05 pm

Tom wrote:Do you know, I was not a fan of the looks of this thing till I saw that video. Something about its curves, just needs to be seen all the way around to appreciate IMO.

I wasn't either. The first time we saw this, it was a plucky blue color (paint looked matte) with a brown seat. Turns out that really doesn't do it justice.

It looks like they refined the sharp edges some, which appeals even more to the aesthetic they're going for with this model. For the commercial, they made it black and silver and shined a bunch of light on it, which generally makes anything look shiny and sleek and snazzy and delectable. But regardless, the lines and style are cleaner looking and even more sophisticated than the proto pics we first saw, for sure.

I've decided I like the look, and I'd gladly ride one. But it's to impractical for me to purchase. Unless I win the lottery, but that disclaimer goes with a lot of things.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 9:41 pm

Alexbv200 wrote:
neotrotsky wrote:
rsrider wrote:I thought the reason they were building it was to bring back affordable scooters to their lineup. $8K OTD???? I was just quoted a $7.5K OTD on the GTS 300 se, and I can't see the 946 exceeding that ludicrous amount. I'm putting a new scoot on the back burner, way the frack back, for now.
This is Vespa. Ludicrous spending is their middle name now. $4800 OTD for a 150s that is made in China with a plastic headset and no glovebox? Using that metric the 946 would be right on target for going even more "upmarket" as piaggio loves to do with Vespa
Which Vespa is made in China???

Vespa 150S. Their "sporty" version (which really isn't any faster). A mainland product. This isn't a bad thing. I mean, my Kymco Agility is made on the mainland in a company owned factory and it's a fine scoot. But, when you're paying that much (The local Vespa dealer is charging $4,800 before taxes and fees), I would expect *real* Italian made bikes.

Alexbv200 · Post by **Alexbv200** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 4:03 pm

Where did you see the S150 being built in China???????

All Vespas for the U.S market are made in Italy.

Anyway..

Just got an email from Piaggio America..

The 946 IS coming to both U.S and Canada.
It WILL have ABS, Traction control, LED headlights....

Release in Q1 2014 and price is not set yet.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:53 pm

Scooterfile says rumors are that it may be a low volume model with a very high price tag. *Sigh*

So much for my earlier predictions :{

Now I'm more interested in the black Stella.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 7:46 pm

Alexbv200 wrote:Where did you see the S150 being built in China??????? All Vespas for the U.S market are made in Italy.

That is my understanding as well. And easy to check - country of origin is part of the VIN. I believe Vespas for the Asian market are built at a plant in VietNam but none of those come to the US. Some of the Piaggios are assembled in China including the LT150 (the Liberty) and the Typhoon.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:14 pm

Scooter friends I talk to either love it or hate it. seems to be no middle ground. Me? I like it..won't buy it ( 7-8K), but think it looks sweet!

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:00 am

RideApart has confirmed that the all-new Vespa 946 will be priced at $9,946 when it goes on-sale in the US in November. Production of the technologically advanced scooter will be “very limited,” delivering a bike equipped not only with a 129mpg motor, but also ABS and traction control.

That price is probably raising your eyebrow, and it should. The current 150cc Vespa range starts at just $4,599.

So what’s going on here?

The 946′s new motor is an air-cooled, fuel-injected 3-valve 4-stroke. It’s a 150cc with 11.6bhp at 8,250rpm and 7.6lb/ft at 7,000rpm. Why air cooled? Water pumps and radiators are expensive and scooters are supposed to be cheap. The modern fuel injection system works with a three-way catalytic converter to cut emissions by 30 percent (!) and Vespa says that it will be good enough not only for the current Euro3 standards, but future emissions regulations as well.

Much attention was paid to fluid dynamics within the cylinder as well as reducing fictional losses by mounting all moving parts, for the first time, on bearings.

The 946 does adhere to some traditions. The monocoque body doubles as the frame, but instead of the traditional all-steel construction, it incorporates aluminum side plates, fenders, seat unit and handlebars to drop weight. That’ll make it both more efficient and easier to ride.

Also contributing to that ease of use is a wheelbase longer than current long-body models, but steering geometry sharper than that of the short-bodies. More stability and faster steering than either in the 946.

All that sounds like a much-needed update to the traditional Vespa formula, right? Well, pricing the 946 at $10k seems to indicate that there’s two potential paths forward: 1) it serves as a design-led halo product for the brand, with the technology and that new motor trickling down to other, more affordable models in the range. 2) This initial model year of the 946 is intended to capture early adopters and will eventually reduce its price as production volume ramps up.

Either way, the investment it took to develop this new motor means that it must be used in a volume product and Piaggio is adding TC and ABS to literally every other bike it makes, so it’s logical those safety aids will make it to other Vespas too.

So why do I want one?

SonnyD · Post by **SonnyD** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:30 am

I could never bring myself to spend that kind of money on a small displacement scooter... I can't bring myself to spend 6000 on a 300cc scooter.... That's in the land of a lot of Very Nice Motorcycles.... I always thought Scooters were supposed to be fairly simple, inexpensive, and thrifty... I know motorcycles aren't for everyone, but no way, I'd blow my money on a scooter of that size... I think "blow" is the word, because that's just a silly price...You could about get a nice Kymco 300i and a Buddy 125 for that kind of money...Holly moley Batman.....\

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:38 am

They're already landing in dealers and being sold. I know a few are in owner hands already.

The new Primavera, the LX replacement, will have some of the styling, the 3V engine, a new transmission, more storage than the current LX and will cost half as much as a 946. (I did a rundown of the specs and compared to the LX and 946 here.)

So, yeah. 946 is pretty, I guess, but it's not for people who ride like I do.

OldGuy · Post by **OldGuy** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:45 am

The 946 and the Primavera both make the Fly 150 look like a screamin' good deal. In fact, the Fly 150 looks like a good deal when compared to many scooters.

My wife loves her Vespa LX50. But if she decided to upgrade I'd steer her toward the Fly instead of a Vespa. (Of course after 38 years of marriage I know she'd get what she wanted...!)

Piaggio must make a lot of profit form the Vespa brand.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:47 am

SonnyD wrote:I can't bring myself to spend 6000 on a 300cc scooter....

And I could. Different strokes, I guess.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 12:10 pm

I will pass on this one. It is long on pretty, short on practical. Where is the storage area, don't think you can mount a top carrier on it. Needs a bigger
engine. A bit pricey for a 150. I will admit that I personally like to carry every
thing with me including the kitchen sink. It will however sell here on it's looks

SonnyD · Post by **SonnyD** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 1:40 pm

Syd wrote:
SonnyD wrote:I can't bring myself to spend 6000 on a 300cc scooter....
And I could. Different strokes, I guess.

I understand.....I guess after riding 2 wheelers for 50 years, I'm a bit jaded on how much I'll spend on certain things when IMO, they are purposely over priced, just because they can get by with it.....

BeefSupreme · Post by **BeefSupreme** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 4:10 pm

The 946 looks nice, but it's more of a status symbol than a practical scooter. Considering if you want the rear rack and the small bag or helmet bag that attaches to it it will set you back another $1000, I think the only time i'll be seeing one in use on Liev Schreiber riding on on TMZ. My favorite accessory is the cover, while most of us use a cover to deter theft... this one screams "Yeah it's a 946". And it looks like that American Horror Story sex suit.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:57 pm

I'd guess it is the Primavera that is about to become the best selling Vespa model in the US.

Modern Buddy

2013 Vespa 946. What's Up With That? (Vid)

2013 Vespa 946. What's Up With That? (Vid)

Vespa 946 priced at $9,946