Vespa's Sprint line has always been distinguished by its modern design and youthful lines, and the newest versions of the colorful 150 cc Chrome Crest and decidedly-dark Notte models carry that appeal into 2020. Built for the younger buyer base with low-emission, high-mileage engine, and compact build, the small-frame Vespino are bestowed with modern electronics and technologies that increase rider safety. Those selling points should appeal both to the rider and the people who love them.

2019 - 2020 Vespa Sprint 150

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2019 - 2020 Vespa Sprint 150
  • Engine/Motor: single cylinder
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Vespa Sprint 150

- LED lighting - Sporty styling - Bike Finder - Seat remote

Piaggio and its Vespa division, helped to shape the look of the modern scooter genre way back in the chaotic days following World War II, so it should be no surprise that the Sprint 150 bears bona fide genetic markers from the earliest “wasp” models genetic markers from the earliest “wasp” models}}. The leg fairing carries a boomerang shape in profile that adds some old-school flavoring, while on its face there's the classic “tie” feature and horn cover complete with a trio of chevrons at the bottom.

Here we see a bit of divergence. The CC has chrome trim at the bottom of the chevrons and along the edge of the leg shield as well as a chrome bezel around the sextagonal headlight. In contrast, the blackout-tastic Notte version runs with a dearth of chrome for a black-on-black (on-black) finish Twelve-inch wheels run with black spokes across the board, but the CC has a polished rim while the Notte is gloss black throughout.

For the Euro riders, the inlaid blinkers take care of business and leave the Sprint looking clean, but due to regulations, the U.S. version has external turn-signal housings and the recessed blinkers are purely vestigial. A duplex headlight splits the night, and like the rest of the lighting, it runs with LED technology to ensure that you can see and be seen.

The headlight resides in a fairing that it shares with the handlebar and instrument cluster to keep the top-end looking finished, and these models come stock with a seat remote with a Bike-Finder feature that'll flash your lights on demand in case you forgot where you parked. A wide glove box in the inner fairing gives you dry, secure storage for your possibles, and at the front of the seat is a pullout cargo hook for a little 'tween-feet storage space.

The spring-loaded flip-up seat conceals a cargo bucket that will hold up to a three-quarter helmet – maybe a full-face if its a low-profile model – or some school supplies/groceries/whatever. Since this is a small-frame model, there just isn't room for the kind of cargo capacity you'll get from a proper Vespone..}}

Out back we have the same situation with the turn signals, external housings for U.S. bikes, and recessed blinkers for everywhere else. Naturally, the rearward side covers bear that wasp-like shape that gave rise to its original moniker.

Vespa Sprint 150 Chassis

- Aircraft-landing-gear style front suspension - Monocoque structure - Light-yet-strong body - ABS - Rear mechanical drum brake

Vespa relies on a monocoque structure structure}} on the Sprint 150 for the lightweight strength and the internal space it affords. Stamped sheet-steel members are spot welded with reinforcement plates at the critical stress points to achieve its final stiffness and strength. Since there is no underframe, it was necessary to add a short-rise tunnel in the step-through, but it's not wasted space as the battery rides underneath the anti-skid plate.

Another Vespa-specific feature is found in the steering, namely the lack of telescopic forks in favor of the aircraft landing-gear type support that relies on a standing member with a trailing link and coil-over shock to absorb the shocks and jostles from the road. With no adjustability, it's not really better or worse, just a different way of doing the same thing.

Tubeless hoops line the cast-aluminum rims in a 110/70 up front opposite a 120/70. A single 200 mm front rotor and hydraulic caliper slow the front wheel under the protection of a stock ABS feature, but the rear brake is straight-up old-school with a 140 mm mechanical drum brake to take care of business out back.

Load Bearing Structure:

Sheet steel body with welded reinforcements

Front suspension/ Travel:

Single arm with coil spring and dual action monoshock absorber/ 3.1 in (78 mm)

Rear suspension/ Travel:

Coil spring with adjustable preload (4 settings), and dual action hydraulic monoshock/ 2.8 in (70 mm)

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 150 Drivetrain

- 154.8 cc iGet engine - 12.9 hp @ 7,750 rpm - 9.4 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm - High fuel-efficiency rating - Responsive performance

Power for the Sprint 150 comes from a four-stroke thumper with a nearly square layout. A 58 mm bore and 58.6 mm stroke gives the one-lunger an overall displacement of 154.8 cc to put it into that important 150 cc bracket. With displacement over 150 cc, the Sprint 150 is legal on freeways in many U.S. states. Always check regulations for your state before you buy if freeway travel is a consideration.

A trio of poppets control flow through the combustion chamber with a single over-head cam to time them, and induction control falls to a cable-controlled throttle body and electronically-controlled fuel injector. Not only does this make for precise control over the stoichiometric ratio, but it keep emissions down to meet Euro 4 standards with a claimed fuel-efficiency rating of 94.7 mpg.

Forced-air cooling removes the waste heat and eliminates the weight and complication of a water jacket and radiator from the equation. To deliver that twist-and-go operation that scooter riders demand, the factory uses a dry, centrifugal clutch to couple engine power to the continuously-variable transmission.

Horsepower is rated at 12.9 ponies and torque comes in at 9.4 pound-feet, and with the overall drive ratio this produces a top speed around the 70 mph mark so you have a reasonable expectation of keeping up with traffic on roads up to highway speed.

Engine:

4 stroke single cylinder with electronic injection

Bore x Stroke:

58 x 58.6 mm

Displacement:

154.8 cc

Max Power:

12.9 hp (9.5 kW) @ 7,750 rpm

Max Torque:

9.4 lb-ft (12.8 Nm) @ 6,500 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 150 Pricing

The Sprint 150 Chrome Crest rolls in Rosso Passione (red), Nero Lucido (black), Blanco Innocenza (white) or Giallo Estate (yellow) for $5,649. The black-on-black Nero Notte fetches another Benjamin at $5,749.

Color:

└ Sprint 150 CC:

Rosso Passione, Nero Lucido, Bianco Innocenza, Giallo Estate

└ Sprint 150 Notte:

Nero Notte

Price:

$5,649, Notte: $5,749


Vespa Sprint 150 Competitors

This time around I decided to give one of the lesser-known manufacturers a shot, so I grabbed the Like 150i ABS from KYMCO.

KYMCO Like 150i ABS

While I hesitate to call it a clone, there is no denying that the Like shares a lot in common with the Vespa Sprint. Same high-mount front fender, same chevron detail on a vaguely tie-like feature on the front fairing. The similarities continue into the hand-control area in the handlebar fairing that also houses the instrumentation and headlight.

Since the Like rides on a proper underframe, the step-through has a flush deck that allows for unimpeded mounting and dismounting with some 'tween feet cargo capacity. A sculpted seat defines the flyline past the middle point, and the side covers have a definite wasp-like look that seems to be borrowed directly from the Vespa. Perhaps “clone” isn't too harsh after all?

The front suspension is a motorcycle-style fork with hydraulic damping in a departure from the Sprint, but out back a pair of coil-over shock dampen the motion of the swing-drive and support the rear end. As the name suggests, ABS comes with the stock equipment package, and credit where it's due, KYMCO slapped hydraulic-disc brakes on both front and rear. I loathe drum brakes, so this is definitely a point in favor of the Taiwanese manufacturer.

The Like runs a 149.8 cc thumper with 13.5 horsepower at the shaft and 8.7 pounds o' grunt against 12.9/9.4 from the Sprint; close enough for government work. KYMCO scores its biggest win at the checkout with a $2,999 starting sticker, and that leaves quite a lot of money on the table against the $5,649 CC, however, fit and finish isn't quite as polished as the Italian entry.

Read our full review of the KYMCO Like 150i ABS.

He Said

“Vespa has never been one to use price as a selling point, but I have always held that you should never be afraid to pay for the best 'cause you're unlikely to regret it. That said, if I was looking for a ride in the mid $5k price range, I'd definitely be looking for a little crotch-rocket like Yamaha's YZF-R3 for example. However, I know Vespa has a following that's nearly as fanatic as, say, Harley-Davidson's rider base, and that name power will be a draw for the well-heeled scooteristas out there.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “The Sprint can trace it's DNA back to legendary models like the SS 90 or the Primavera ET3. Agile and quick, the Sprint is all about fresh style and youthful exuberance. Granted storage space isn't as spacious as other models, but it's adequate for a bookbag or some groceries. What's important is snappy throttle response, adequate braking, agile handling, and more big-bike feel with the 12 inch wheels. Even though it may be legal on the freeway, I'm not sure I'd feel confident enough with no roll-on left when at speed, but for main arteries and secondary roads, the Sprint 150 is a contender.”

Vespa Sprint 150 Specifications

Engine& Drivetrain:

Engine:

4 stroke single cylinder with electronic injection

Bore x Stroke:

58 x 58.6 mm

Displacement:

154.8 cc

Max Power:

12.9 hp (9.5 kW) @ 7,750 rpm

Max Torque:

9.4 lb-ft (12.8 Nm) @ 6,500 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/ Travel:

Single arm with coil spring and dual action monoshock absorber/ 3.1 in (78 mm)

Rear suspension/ Travel:

Coil spring with adjustable preload (4 settings), and dual action hydraulic monoshock/ 2.8 in (70 mm)

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

Saddle height:

31.1 in (790 mm)

Wheelbase:

52.7 in (1,340 mm)

Fuel tank capacity:

2.1 gallons including 0.5-gallon reserve (8 liters including 2-liter reserve)

Fuel economy:

94.7 mpg (40.3 km/l)

Approval:

Euro 4

Details:

Color:

└ Sprint 150 CC:

Rosso Passione, Nero Lucido, Bianco Innocenza, Giallo Estate

└ Sprint 150 Notte:

Nero Notte

Price:

$5,649, Notte: $5,749


Further Reading

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