Piaggio's Vespa division renewed its classic Vespino design ahead of MY2018 with a new Sprint 50 Chrome Crest (CC) model and an accompanying blackout model, the Notte. The factory touts this smallest Vespa as a “green” model due to its stellar fuel economy, and a compact build makes its physical footprint as small as its carbon footprint. Timeless Italian style and a modern engine make these Vespinos ideal for students or commuters who are looking for a ride with class and taste with an eye toward environmental health.

2018 - 2020 Vespa Sprint 50

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 - 2020 Vespa Sprint 50
  • Engine/Motor: single cylinder
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Vespa Sprint 50 Design

- LED lighting - Classic “tie” graphic - iconic teardrop shape - Clean and classy design

Clean and classy, the Sprint 50 CC and Notte carry the old-school Vespa look into yet another generation of machine. It starts with the single-side front fork and fore-and-aft, 12-inch rims for that “small wheel” effect that fits so well with historical-looking designs.

The face of the legguard bears the classic “tie” graphic, and while it's kinda' subtle on the Notte, the chrome accents on the CC make it stand out quite nicely. LED blinkers ride flush-mounted in the sides of the shield for a nice-and-clean look, and up top, a cyclops LED headlight finishes out the forward lighting behind a vertically-flattened sextagonal lens.

In another classic move, the factory enclosed the handlebar and instrumentation in a common fairing with the headlight housing to keep the hand-control area looking clean. The speedometer and indicator lamps are concentrated in one location behind the headlight, and inside the fairing is a small glove compartment for your possibles.

A short-rise tunnel interrupts the step-through somewhat but comes with a wide flat top and a patch of non-skid so you can use it to carry some cargo. As usual, there's even more storage below the two-up, locking bench seat that sports a faux tuck-and-roll cover tuck-and-roll cover}} for a little extra style. Flip-out footpegs and dual J.C. handles handles}} finish out the passenger's amenities.

The side covers carry that classic teardrop shape that earned it its “wasp” moniker with recessed blinkers set within and a slightly protuberant taillight to finish off the gear in the rear, all in LEDs. The CC sports plenty of chrome piping and such across its paint spectrum, but the Notte is straight-up black-on-black for a stealthy, up-to-no-good look.

Vespa Sprint 50 Chassis

- Monocoque body - Aircraft landing-gear type front suspension - Single-channel ABS - Rear mechanical drum brake

Rather than using an underframe for support, the Vespa Sprint 50 family relies on a stressed-skin arrangement for its structure. This monocoque body uses stamped-and-formed panels and spot welds for the main structure with reinforcement plates at the stress points body uses stamped-and-formed panels and spot welds for the main structure with reinforcement plates at the stress points}} to make for a light, yet rigid, build.

The front end is the traditional aircraft landing-gear type with a coil-over shock and leading-link system that articulates to absorb the jolts from the front wheel, and while this is a proven arrangement, it leaves the front fork with little travel and no adjustability. A coil-over monoshock supports the rear end and dampens the motion of the swing-drive unit made up of a stressed engine and transmission case in lieu of an actual swingarm of an actual swingarm}}.

Cast-aluminum is the material of choice for the 12-inch rims, and the hoops come in a 110/70 and 120/70 on the front and rear, respectively. Up front, a hydraulic caliper and 200 mm disc take care of business with a stock, single-channel ABS feature, but old-school rules the day out back in the form of a 140 mm, mechanical-drum brake.

Load Bearing Structure:

Sheet steel body with welded reinforcements

Front suspension:

Single-arm fork with coil spring and hydraulic monoshock absorber

Rear suspension:

Coil spring with hydraulic monoshock absorber

Front wheel:

Die-cast aluminum alloy 3.00 x12”

Rear wheel:

Die-cast aluminum alloy 3.00 x12”

Front tire:

Tubeless 110/70-12"

Rear tire:

Tubeless 120/70-12”

Front brake:

Hydraulically operated 200 mm ø stainless steel disc brake. Single channel ABS anti-lock system

Rear brake:

Mechanically operated 140 mm ø drum brake


Vespa Sprint 50 Drivetrain

- 49.9 cc single-cylinder engine - 3.2 hp @ 7,500 rpm - 2.2 lb-ft @ 7,500 rpm - CVT Transmission

A four-stroke thumper delivers the goods on the Sprint 50 with 3.2 horsepower at 7,500 rpm backed up by 2.2 pound-feet of torque. The 39 mm bore and 41.8 mm stroke give it an overall displacement of 49.9 cc, and the mill relies on forced-air cooling to remove waste heat. A single over-head cam times the triple-poppet head for efficient aspiration. Induction control falls to a throttle body with a port-type injection for the fuel, and this helps the engine reach its Euro 4 emissions target. Power flows through a centrifugal dry clutch and constant-velocity transmission for the twist-and-go operation that scooter riders demand. The overall drive ratio and governor on the engine turn out a top speed around 40 mph, so that will limit where you can ride to around town and on slower secondary roads.

Engine:

4 stroke single cylinder with electronic injection

Bore x Stroke:

39 mm x 41.8 mm

Displacement:

49.9 cc

Max Power:

3.2 hp (2.4 kW) @ 7,500 rpm

Max Torque:

2.2 lb-ft (3 Nm) @ 7,500 rpm

Distribution:

SOHC (single overhead cam), 3 valves per cylinder

Fuel system:

New Electronic Injection PFI (Port Fuel Injection)

Cooling:

Forced air

Lubrication:

Wet sump

Starter:

Electric

Clutch:

Automatic dry centrifugal clutch with vibration dampers

Transmission:

CVT with torque server


Vespa Sprint 50 Pricing

For 2020, the Sprint 50 CC rolls in white, black, red, or yellow for $4,099, but the Notte model comes only in a satin black Nero Notte finish. MSRP on the Notte is $4,199.

Color:

Bianco Innocenza, Nero Lucido, Rosso Passione, Giallo Estate (Notte: Nero Notte)

Price:

$4,099 (Notte: $4,199)


Vespa Sprint 50 Competitors

Rather than grabbing another Italian scooter for my head-to-head, I headed to Japan for Honda's Metropolitan to see how it would stack up. Honda does a pretty good job of emulating the classic Eye-Tie look without coming off like a clone.

Honda Metropolitan

The Metropolitan rocks a high-mount front fender and classic-looking legguard area with a handlebar fairing that doubles as a headlight/instrument housing. The step-through is dead flush with no tunnel to interrupt, and the rear end sports a teardrop profile that clearly looks to channel the Vespa's panache.

Honda uses telescopic hydraulic forks up front for a bit of a more conventional look and operation, but the rear coil-over monoshock is a constant across the board. Power comes from a liquid-cooled, 49 cc thumper that churns out 4.4 horsepower and 3 pounds o' grunt against 3.2/2.2 from the Vespa for a clear performance advantage for the Red Riders. Honda turns the screws on the Italian marque with a $2,499 price tag that is considerably less expensive than the Vespa's $4k-plus sticker.

Read our full review of the Honda Metropolitan.

He Said

“Man, it's just hard to beat a bona fide Italian brand for a classic-looking scooter. I think part of the appeal is the knowledge that Vespa, under the Piaggio umbrella, is the genuine article and actually helped to shape the general scooter market. Nothin' like the real thing, baby!”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “50 cc scooters are a tough game in the U.S., partly because of the licensing laws that vary so drastically from state to state, and partly because the majority of folks don't live where they work. If you live in the city and work in the city, a 50 cc scooter is so convenient and the Sprint gives you that youthful vibe that makes riding fun. The new iGet engine gives a better ride with more power and more pep, so scooting across town or to and from the campus is a breeze.”

Vespa Sprint 50 Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:

Engine:

4 stroke single cylinder with electronic injection

Bore x Stroke:

39 mm x 41.8 mm

Displacement:

49.9 cc

Max Power:

3.2 hp (2.4 kW) @ 7,500 rpm

Max Torque:

2.2 lb-ft (3 Nm) @ 7,500 rpm

Distribution:

SOHC (single overhead cam), 3 valves per cylinder

Fuel system:

New Electronic Injection PFI (Port Fuel Injection)

Cooling:

Forced air

Lubrication:

Wet sump

Starter:

Electric

Clutch:

Automatic dry centrifugal clutch with vibration dampers

Transmission:

CVT with torque server

Chassis:

Load Bearing Structure:

Sheet steel body with welded reinforcements

Front suspension:

Single-arm fork with coil spring and hydraulic monoshock absorber

Rear suspension:

Coil spring with hydraulic monoshock absorber

Front wheel:

Die-cast aluminum alloy 3.00 x12”

Rear wheel:

Die-cast aluminum alloy 3.00 x12”

Front tire:

Tubeless 110/70-12"

Rear tire:

Tubeless 120/70-12”

Front brake:

Hydraulically operated 200 mm ø stainless steel disc brake. Single channel ABS anti-lock system

Rear brake:

Mechanically operated 140 mm ø drum brake

Dimensions & Capacities:

Length x Width:

73.6 in x 28.9 in (1,870 mm x 735 mm)

Saddle height:

31.1 in (790 mm)

Wheelbase:

52.4 in (1,330 mm)

Fuel tank capacity:

2.1 gal including 0.5-gal reserve (8 liters including 2-liter reserve)

Fuel economy:

80.9 mpg

Approval:

Euro 4

Details:

Color:

Bianco Innocenza, Nero Lucido, Rosso Passione, Giallo Estate (Notte: Nero Notte)

Price:

$4,099 (Notte: $4,199)


Further Reading

Vespa

Read more Vespa news.