Vespa Vespa GTS 300 Touring

The current GTS is one apple that certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree with clear DNA markers that tie it to the earliest versions. No matter which side of the front wheel you look at, it’s readily apparent that this isn’t one of your run-of-the-mill knockoffs by the unusual, single-side steering and suspension setup that leaves an unimpeded view of the front wheel from the right side. The classic “tie” graphic splits the clean front fairing with recessed turn signals at the outboard edges. A stack of LED emitters in each side adds a DRL feature for a little safety boost, and that certainly isn’t the only safety-related yummy-goodness to be found, but more on that later.

The handlebar comes with its own fairing that keeps things nice and tidy with the headlight and instrumentation safely tucked within for another classic detail that ties right into the family tree and brings to mind images of the very earliest “wasps” to hit the streets back in 1946. Unlike those earlier rides, the new GTS 300 sports a storage compartment in the inner fairing so you can store your possibles and charge your mobile devices with the built-in USB port.

A slight tunnel breaks up the foot space, but its low-profile build leaves plenty of room for easy mounting and it comes with a flat top so you can still utilize the ’tween-feet storage trick. The heavily sculpted, flip-up bench seat covers a generous storage compartment that’ll hold up to two full-face buckets or a whole passel of groceries/books/whatever.

The pilot’s section comes with a narrow entry that flares out for full butt support. It bears the slightest shoulder to segregate the passenger and the pilot to make it good for, ahem, getting to know each other better. Chrome J.C. rails and flip-out footpegs finish off the passenger’s gear with a partially-recessed taillight and flush-mount turn signals to handle the rearward lighting.

Now for some info on the trim packages available on this platform. First, we have the base model that adds to its cargo capacity with a chromed, flip-up luggage rack that makes for a nice finishing touch. Next up is the aptly named “Touring” model that adds another collapsible chrome luggage rack forward of the front fairing and a windshield to extend the pocket upwards just a bit for the more adventurous among us. It comes in its own special colors with Metallic Red and Metallic Brown on the palette whereas the base model comes in a choice of Metallic Black, Pastel Blue or beige and gray.

The factory sticks to its usual stressed-skin method of supporting the structure that eliminates the frame in its entirety, and the steering shows the same fidelity with a single steering column that operates an aircraft-style suspension system. It sports a trailing-link that articulates the front wheel with a coil-over shock to smooth out the bumps. Unlike the adjustable preload feature on the pair of shocks holding up the rear end, the front comes with fixed values and is non-adjustable.

The factory took the classic design elements just far enough as it went with all-around hydraulic discs and left the drum brakes in the last century where they belong. In another move that firmly plants the GTS family in the now, the designers chucked on an ABS feature for your stability and safety, so these rides are also suitable for the entry-level market as well. Symmetrical, twelve-inch cast-aluminum rims mount the 120/70 front hoop with a 130/70 out back to round out the rolling chassis.

Power comes from a liquid-cooled thumper that runs a 75 mm bore and 63 mm stroke for a total displacement of 278 cc. The four-stroke engine sports four-valve heads with electronic injection to control induction, and electronic ignition to time the spark; all of which helps it meet the Euro 4 emissions requirements.

Power figures are respectable. The GTS 300 plant claims 21.2 horsepower at 7,750 rpm, backed up by 16 pound-feet of torque at five grand which should be enough to safely scoot long in traffic, even in sprawling urban areas within the U.S.

I saved the best engine feature for last. The factory doubles down on the safety angle with its ASR feature that acts as a traction-control device monitoring wheel speeds and intervenes by reducing engine power when slippage is detected. That’s a double-whammy of safety that has you covered coming and going, and really moves this scoot higher on the desirability scale.

As usual, the engine and transmission bolt up as stressed members in place of a swingarm, and the CVT “gearbox” delivers twist-and-go operation with no actual gears to shift to drive the GTS to a top speed around 73 mph.