NGC...My Electric '66 Vespa

[Brian in FL]

I got my '66 large frame Vespa about 9 years ago...that started my decline in riding my Guzzi.  A fun bike to ride but like all old scooters, seems like you're always fiddling with something or another, but still fun to ride.  BTW if you ever need Vespa parts, I  recommend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

Anyhoo...I saw this article in the NYT:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/business/electric-vespa-scooter.html

It piqued my interest so I contacted Niall and bought my kit from them about 2.5 years ago (used 3 months of my newly acquired Social Secuirty).  The kit contains a swing arm, a hub motor (10" with disc brake), TPS, ECU, battery, and other odds and ends.  I love it love it love it.  Just it as a daily rider around here.  I live in a beach community and you couldn't have a better mode of transport). 

Here's a pic of the review I did for Retrospective Scooter:








Here's a short vid of me riding it to the VFW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELb0TsdX5M

[pehayes]

BTW if you ever need Vespa parts, I can't reccomend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

That sounds a bit odd.  Did you err in typing that?  Not sure if  you are recommending or condemning.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[AJ Huff]

Very nice!!

-AJ

[Walton]

BTW if you ever need Vespa parts, I can't reccomend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

That sounds a bit odd.  Did you err in typing that?  Not sure if  you are recommending or condemning.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

What's odd about recommending a parts dealer and enjoying electric?  The scooter will still need parts regardless of the drive train.

[Huzo]

I can't reccomend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

They are a wealth of knowledge, so why can’t you recommend them ?

[Walton]

They are a wealth of knowledge, so why can’t you recommend them ?

Can't recommend them 'enough'... so obvious.  You guys must be incredibly bored to go there.  Loosen up your suspenders a bit

[Brian in FL]

That sounds a bit odd.  Did you err in typing that?  Not sure if  you are recommending or condemning.

Thanks Patrick...I corrected it.  Just a case of fingers and brain not meshed.  I can't recommend them enough.  Lot of info on their website.

Also, ScooterWest in San Diego is great and Robot makes some invaluable "how to" videos on YouTube (Vespa Motorsports)

[Brian in FL]

What's odd about recommending a parts dealer and enjoying electric?  The scooter will still need parts regardless of the drive train.

David knew that by going electric my parts consumption would drastically drop...I'm not the first of his customers to go electric.  He was great though and gave me some contact info for some people that went electric before me.  Turns out David (Scooter Mercato) and Niall (Retrospective Scooters) traveled together around Europe buying old Vespas back in the day.

[Walton]

David knew that by going electric my parts consumption would drastically drop...I'm not the first of his customers to go electric.  He was great though and gave me some contact info for some people that went electric before me.  Turns out David (Scooter Mercato) and Niall (Retrospective Scooters) traveled together around Europe buying old Vespas back in the day.

I shipped those scooters, and parts, to the US for Dave before he opened up shop

[SIR REAL ED]

I got my '66 large frame Vespa about 9 years ago...that started my decline in riding my Guzzi.  A fun bike to ride but like all old scooters, seems like you're always fiddling with something or another, but still fun to ride.  BTW if you ever need Vespa parts, I  recommend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

Anyhoo...I saw this article in the NYT:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/business/electric-vespa-scooter.html

It piqued my interest so I contacted Niall and bought my kit from them about 2.5 years ago (used 3 months of my newly acquired Social Secuirty).  The kit contains a swing arm, a hub motor (10" with disc brake), TPS, ECU, battery, and other odds and ends.  I love it love it love it.  Just it as a daily rider around here.  I live in a beach community and you couldn't have a better mode of transport). 

Here's a pic of the review I did for Retrospective Scooter:








Here's a short vid of me riding it to the VFW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELb0TsdX5M

Neat project Brian.  Thanks for sharing.  Lots of applications for EV are very practical.

[SIR REAL ED]

They are a wealth of knowledge, so why can’t you recommend them ?

Don't act surprised Huzo!!

Shirley, you know a few people who are wealth(s) of knowledge(s) who you would not recommend.....

If not, I could introduce you to some.....

[Huzo]

Don't act surprised Huzo!!

Shirley, you know a few people who are wealth(s) of knowledge(s) who you would not recommend.....

If not, I could introduce you to some.....

[jrt]

This is pretty cool- I'm glad you posted it here!  I had a '64 for a short time, but a guy offered me 2X what I bought it for so I sold it.  I think that's the only bike I have ever made money on.  Had I kept it- I would be doing this conversion as well.  Enjoy!

[jcctx]

I got my '66 large frame Vespa about 9 years ago...that started my decline in riding my Guzzi.  A fun bike to ride but like all old scooters, seems like you're always fiddling with something or another, but still fun to ride.  BTW if you ever need Vespa parts, I  recommend Scooter Mercarto located east of Atlanta.  David and Matt are a wealth of knowledge and great guys.

Anyhoo...I saw this article in the NYT:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/business/electric-vespa-scooter.html

It piqued my interest so I contacted Niall and bought my kit from them about 2.5 years ago (used 3 months of my newly acquired Social Secuirty).  The kit contains a swing arm, a hub motor (10" with disc brake), TPS, ECU, battery, and other odds and ends.  I love it love it love it.  Just it as a daily rider around here.  I live in a beach community and you couldn't have a better mode of transport). 

Here's a pic of the review I did for Retrospective Scooter:








Here's a short vid of me riding it to the VFW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELb0TsdX5M

The link listed turns into some "click bait"!! Not for me !!

[AJ Huff]

Links work fine for me. What makes it click bait? You didn't like the frame rate of the video? Or the song?

-AJ

[Huzo]

Links work fine for me. You didn't like the frame rate of the video? Or the song?

-AJ

Well no.
But it takes nothing away from the attractiveness of the bike. I’m a touch perplexed as to why it was presented that way, I’d have liked to digest the sound and also the experience a bit more.
But anyway, thanks for the offering.
Could there be another video without the “padding”, it would be a beaut view.

[Groover]

Very nice, how much does the kit cost? I have two Vintage vespas, would like one to be Elec. Maybe cost is in the links, at work and responding here quickly and solely based on the topic. Thank you,

[Groover]

Found the site, got the cost - no need to respond - great kit!!

[Brian in FL]

Uploaded a piece of the original video...don't know how long it will stay up...because YouTube doesn't allow copyrighted material (I was listening to The Doors on my BT speaker).  So I picked the song youtube never heard of (but I really like)  and made the video length match the round trip from my house to coincide with the song.  Suffice it to say the scooter is quiet and sneaks up and bicyclist all the time. I wanted to do a nice video but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Here's the original speed/sound of the video (unless YouTube takes it down):

https://youtu.be/GcTAMHy1YYE?si=8wtYJ2EoTMwvuqBC

However, considering the crowd here and the apparent love of videos, here's a Moto Guzzi two-stroker (make that smoker) that we're using for mosquito control down here in FL:

https://youtu.be/Kth5eVIZsQY?si=QKhH4i4szpx4dPHM

[Brian in FL]

Found the site, got the cost - no need to respond - great kit!!

If you get it, let me know...I came up with a couple of things you'll need to do that aren't addressed (like having to lengthen the center stand to accommodate putting the 8" x 4.0 tire on the rear)

[Groover]

Thank you, it may be a while until I do this. Mine are P series, so already 10" front and rear.

[Moparnut72]

There is a thread on ADV that a guy did converting an old Vespa to electric drive. I did a quick search but couldn't find it. He picked up an old nearly totally destroyed Vespa and totally rebuilt it. He converted it to battery power. He did the whole thing himself, no kit. I am guessing it was maybe three years ago. He posts on Fast Idle's build thread Meanwhile Back in the Shed-Alaska. He made reference to it on this thread but he had his own documenting the build.
kk

[Brian in FL]

There is a thread on ADV that a guy did converting an old Vespa to electric drive. I did a quick search but couldn't find it. He picked up an old nearly totally destroyed Vespa and totally rebuilt it. He converted it to battery power. He did the whole thing himself, no kit. I am guessing it was maybe three years ago. He posts on Fast Idle's build thread Meanwhile Back in the Shed-Alaska. He made reference to it on this thread but he had his own documenting the build.
kk

I did a lot of research before switching to electric.  There are a lot of people who have done this on their own...going back many years that I know of.  While I'm usually all on board with the the "why buy something for $100 when I can make it for $200 state-of-mind", I did not have the smarts or the patience to do it on my own.  Here's a link to the Not-So-Modern forum on the Modern Vespa site that had a guy make one years ago: https://modernvespa.com/forum/topic70626 .  A lot of guys on there think it is sacrilegious to convert to electric...they say they'll get taken to their funeral towed by a 2-stroke (probably break down on the way).

Suffice it to say that I love my scooter....it's quick (faster than any stock 150) and the range is excellent. 

[Moparnut72]

When I took my V7lll for it's first service I was given a Zero as a loaner. I really liked the bike a lot and would have one for an around  town bike but for the price tag. They have come down a lot since those days. A lot of guys rail against electric bikes but will be our future. ICE bikes will still be around though as they should be.
kk

[jcctx]

The link listed turns into some "click bait"!! Not for me !!

The link worked fine today; please disregard the earlier comments. No idea what caused the diversion to adds unlimited earlier???????

[vintagehoarder]

Very cool