The Aprilia Scarabeo is a scooter made by the Italian maker Aprilia and first shown to the public in 1993. It was built in several displacements and left production at the end of 2020; the name first belonged to a 50 cc motocross bike of 1970.
Aprilia Scarabeo at a glance
| First Scarabeo | January 1970, a 50 cc motocross bike, built until 1974 (English Wikipedia: until the end of the 1970s, in 50 and 125 cc) |
|---|---|
| Scooter shown | September 1993 at the Salone Internazionale del Ciclo e Motociclo |
| Designer | Giuseppe Ricciuti, designer of all the Scarabeo scooters |
| Displacements | 50, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 and 500 cc over the years |
| Sales | 250,000 registered by 2005; 750,000 sold by May 2014 |
| Production ended | end of 2020, because of the Euro 5 emissions rules from 1 January 2021 |
The Italian page covers the scooter in detail; English Wikipedia only mentions the 1970s motocross Scarabeo and the later scooter with a four-stroke, four-valve engine.
History of the Aprilia Scarabeo
The first vehicle called Scarabeo was born at Aprilia in January 1970: a 50 cc motocross bike, with the name taken from Egyptian culture. It started a series of off-road bikes with several engines, built until 1974, and English Wikipedia says the Scarabeo motocross bike came in 50 and 125 cc versions and was made until the end of the 1970s; in 1977 Ivan Alborghetti won the Italian 125 and 250 cc motocross championships on Aprilia machines.
The scooter, 1990–1993
The research that gave birth to the high-wheel scooter in 1990 was titled “Studio per una City Bike”. Its designer was Giuseppe Ricciuti. The final model was based on a mock-up shown on 18 May 1992, followed by about a year of engineering. The Scarabeo tried to combine the protection of a scooter’s bodywork with high wheels of classic size, instead of the more common small ones. The official presentation was in September 1993.
Growth of the range
Between 1994 and 1998 some technical innovations arrived, such as the disc brake, and in 1999 the 125 and 150 were presented in Lisbon. In 2001 the 50 got a restyle and a two-stroke DiTech direct-injection engine, also used on the sporty Aprilia SR. The Rotax 125, 150 and 200 engines were replaced by the Piaggio engines used in the Vespa GT. A GT version of the 125 and 200 came in 2002, followed by the Scarabeo 500, a more grand-touring scooter, with an ABS version from 2004. In 2005 the Scarabeo passed 250,000 registered units; the Street versions arrived in 2006, a 250 ie in 2007.
Final years
In May 2014 the renewed 50 and 100 were presented, with 750,000 sold since the debut. In November 2017 the 2018 range was cut to the single 50 four-stroke Euro 4 model, in Classic and Street versions. The Scarabeo left production at the end of 2020 because of the Euro 5 rules that came into force on 1 January 2021.
Design and features
- Concept: a scooter with the protective bodywork of a scooter and high wheels of classic size.
- Body sizes: the 50 and 100 share a smaller, lighter body; the 125 and 200 use a larger one; the 250, 300, 400 and 500 use a third.
- Engines: Rotax up to 2001 on the 125, 150 and 200, then Piaggio engines; 250, 300, 400 and 500 with electronic injection and Euro 3.
- DiTech (2001): a first-generation direct-injection two-stroke for mopeds on the 50.
Aprilia Scarabeo versions
- Scarabeo 50 and 100: the small series, renewed in 2014.
- Scarabeo 125, 150 and 200: the middle series, with a GT version from 2002 and Street versions from 2006.
- Scarabeo 250, 300, 400 and 500: the large series with injection engines.
- Scarabeo 50 Classic and Street (2018–2020): the last range.
More Aprilia models are in our Aprilia collection, for example the Atlantic, the SR and the Leonardo.
Aprilia Scarabeo questions and answers
When was the Aprilia Scarabeo scooter introduced?
It was officially presented in September 1993.
What does Scarabeo mean?
The name comes from Egyptian culture; it was first used in 1970 for a motocross bike.
Who designed the Scarabeo?
Giuseppe Ricciuti, designer of all the Scarabeo scooters.
Why did production end?
The Euro 5 anti-pollution rules from 1 January 2021.
How many Scarabeo scooters were sold?
750,000 by May 2014.
Video: Aprilia Scarabeo 125 Acceleration
Video by MegaKentax on YouTube.
Sources
- Scarabeo (scooter), Italian Wikipedia: design, history, range, end of production
- Aprilia, English Wikipedia: the 1970 motocross Scarabeo and the later scooter
