Vespa’s GTS 300 Super Sport is the kind of scooter every motorcyclist should ride before passing judgement on twist ’n’ gos. After a couple of weeks of city riding, hitting some longer stretches on the weekend and a trip to the shops with my flatmate on the back, I was favouring it as the best all-rounder in my garage.
The classic design has worked well for Vespa for over six decades and traditionally not much has changed with the new GTS 300 Super Sport. Its design is based on Vespa models from the 60s and 70s, and its Arancio Competizione (Competition Orange) paint job stands out.
With a CVT gearbox, electronic fuel injection and 220mm disc brakes, the Super Sport is a decent package with impressive power for a 278cc engine – a claimed 15.8kW (21.2hp).
The Super Sport is at the top end of Vespa’s range and the single-cylinder, four-valve, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine is the reason why it’s such a smooth running machine. It’s got plenty of punch as soon as you twist the throttle and has no trouble keeping ahead of the flow of traffic.
Weighing a claimed 148kg dry, and with most of the weight down low and decent 12-inch wheels, changing direction is swift and steering is smooth, making it the perfect vehicle for manoeuvring through city traffic.
The non-adjustable fork and preload-adjustable twin shocks makes for a pretty basic suspension set-up, but is one of the most well-sprung scooters you’ll come across.
The Super Sport is bigger than most scooters on the road, with an almost roadbike-size wheelbase (1370mm), which is why it’s great for longer rides.
Seats don’t get much more comfortable, although the forward-mounted passenger pegs mean the pillion needs to sit forward against the rider. My pillion had to do a bit of a balancing act to throw a leg over while I leaned forward to prevent what could have been a very embarrassing stack.
The spring-loaded sidestand was another easy crash trap. Thankfully the centrestand is easy to use and far more stable.
There’s underseat storage and while it’s not quite big enough for a full-face helmet, you can easily store an open-face or a jacket, gloves and handbag. You can also make use of the bag hook and throw your wallet in the glove box up the front. Both compartments are lockable and there’s an electronic key-coded immobiliser for added security.
Fuel economy is impressive at 4.1L/100km, so much so that when I was topping it up I overfilled the tank, resulting in a wet, petrol-scented handbag.
The Super Sport may not be the least expensive 300cc option on the market at $8290 (plus on-roads), compared to Aprilia’s SR Max 300 at $6990, Kymco’s Downtown 300i at $7490 and Piaggio’s X7 300 at $6990 (ride away), but it’s clear the Italians have really focused on building a quality machine that is a pleasure to ride.
Protect your Vespa. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today.
