Vespa PX

The Vespa P/PX Series is a range of scooters manufactured by Piaggio under the Vespa brand.

History

The Vespa PX was first presented in 1977 in Milan as the nuova linea model (new line). The Vespa was built with two drum brakes, a single-cylinder engine (aluminum head) and a steel chassis, but has been improved with a new front suspension and a revised rear axle for more stability. It was distributed as Vespa P 125 X and as Vespa P 200 E with an electronic ignition (E for Elettronica) and since 1978 as Vespa P 150 X. The PX 80 appeared in 1981.

This electronic ignition was introduced to the other models, which then were called Vespa PX 125 and Vespa PX 150 E, and in 1982 the Vespa P 200 E was called Vespa PX 200 E. In 1983, the Arcobaleno series was introduced (marketed outside of Italy as the Lusso series) with technological innovations such as separate lubrication and fuel gauges. In addition, the front brake pads were made to be self-centering, the wiring was altered for ease of maintenance, the same key was now used for the ignition and the steering lock, and several minor adjustments were made to the body. These included increasing the size of the glovebox, increasing the size of the mudguard, and a new horn grille.^[1]

In 1985 a sporty variant hit the market: The Vespa T5 Pole Position with almost 12 hp. In 1992, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Vespa, a scooter was offered with the T5 engine and the PX style body. This was marketed as the Vespa PX 125 T5 Classic.

Vespa PX 200 Millennium (2003)

In 2007, the production of the Vespa PX was stopped and the last were sold as Ultima Serie (last series), a limited edition with a windshield, a luggage carrier in chrome and chrome wheels with whitewall tires. In 2010, the Vespa PX returned with a catalytic converter added to the two-stroke engine to meet the Euro 3 emission standards.

As of August 2016, the Px production has stopped in Italy as the px has finally been defeated by the upcoming Euro 4 regulations. A final runout model called the 70th anniversary has been produced and when the stock is gone that will be the end of the road for the 2 stroke px. Given the importance of the px, the final model is slightly disappointing as only the paint and seat differentiate it from the standard PX ZAPM74200 introduced in 2011. The future of the PX is uncertain; but one thing is certain, the PX in 2 stroke configuration has now entered the history books.

Comparison of Various P Series Models

	P 125 X	P 150 X PX 150 E ^1	P 200 E PX 200 E ^1	PX 80 E	PX 125 E	PX 125 T5	PX 200 E GS	PX 125	PX 150	PX 200	PX 125	PX 150
Years in Production	1977-1981	1978-1997	1977-1997	1981-1986	1982-1997	1986-1999	1987-1998	1998-2008	1998-2008	1998-2001	2011-2016	2011-2016
Chassis Number Prefix	VNX1T	VLX1T	VSX1T	V8X1T V8X5T ^2	VNX2T	VNX5T	VSX1T			VSX1T	ZAPM47100	ZAPM74200
Engine Type	Air-cooled, single-cylinder, two-stroke engine
Engine Capacity	123cc	150cc	198cc	79cc	123cc	123cc	198cc	123cc	150cc	198cc	123cc	150cc
Bore x Stroke (mm)	52.5x57	57.8x57	66.5x57	46x48	52.5x57	55x52	66.5x57	52.5x57	57.8x57	66.5x57	52.5x57	57.8x57
Power in kW (BHP)	5.75 kW (8 BHP) @5600 RPM	6.7 kW (9 BHP) @6000 RPM	7.35 kW (10 BHP) @5000 RPM	5 kW (7 BHP) @6000 RPM	6.3 kW (8.6 BHP) @6000 RPM	9 kW (12 BHP) @6500 RPM	9 kW (12 BHP) @5700 RPM	6.5 kW (9 BHP)	7.0 kW (9.5 BHP)	9 kW (12 BHP)	4.8 kW (6.5 BHP) @6000 RPM	5.8 kW (7.9 BHP) @6000 RPM
Torque (Nm)						12.4 @4800 RPM					9.5 @4250 RPM	11.2 @4000 RPM
Transmission	Four-speed manual, grip shift
Top Speed	86 km/h	90 km/h	95 km/h	80 km/h	89 km/h	100 km/h	105 km/h	90 km/h	91 km/h	95 km/h	84 km/h	88 km/h
Fuel tank capacity	8 liters (including 2.5 liter reserve)
Emission Standards Conformed to								Euro 2			Euro 3

  ¹ The same chassis number applies to the Arcobaleno (or Lusso) models.
  ² This model was in production from 1985 and marketed exclusively in Germany.

Notes

1. Sarti, Giorgio (2006). Vespa : [1946-2006 : 60 years of the Vespa]. St. Paul, MN: Motorbooks. p. 365. ISBN 9780760325773.