The Vespa ET2 and ET4 were the scooters with which Piaggio opened what Vespa enthusiasts call the modern age of the brand. Presented in Cologne in 1996 for the company’s 50th anniversary, they offered a four-stroke engine for the first time and took the Vespa back to the United States after the brand had left that market in the early 1980s.
Vespa ET at a glance
| Maker | Piaggio |
|---|---|
| Presented | 1996, Cologne, 50th anniversary of Vespa |
| Models | ET2 50, ET4 125, ET8 125 in Asia |
| Engines | 50 cc two-stroke, 125 cc four-stroke |
| 125 engine origin | Piaggio Sfera |
| Added later | 150 cc, legal on Italian motorways |
| Cooling | air, single cylinder with aluminium head |
| Brakes | front disc, rear drum |
| Second series | 125 cc, 1999 Milan show |
| Body | steel |
| Market | return of Vespa to the United States |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Vespa ET.
History of the Vespa ET
Launch in 1996
The ET was first shown at Cologne in 1996, in the year of the brand’s 50th anniversary. Two engines were offered from the start: a 50 cc two-stroke and a 125 cc four-stroke that Piaggio had already used in its Sfera scooter. The four-stroke was the important change, because every Vespa before it had been a two-stroke. The frame was the traditional steel body, but the lines were squarer than those of the classic models.
Second series and the 150
A second series of the 125 was presented at the Milan show in 1999. A 150 cc version was added as well; in Italy that size gave access to the motorways, which the smaller machines could not use. The ET was sold as the ET2 with the 50 cc engine and as the ET4 with the 125 cc four-stroke, and in Asia the 125 was also marketed as the ET8.
Back to America
The ET line is credited with bringing Vespa back to the United States, a market the brand had left in the early 1980s. The combination of the smaller, cheaper 50 and the faster 125 gave dealers a range for both young riders and commuters, and it established the look that the LX, LXV and S would develop from 2005.
Design and features
- Four-stroke engine: the 125 cc unit, already used in the Piaggio Sfera, was the first four-stroke in a Vespa.
- Two sizes: the 50 cc two-stroke ET2 and the 125 cc four-stroke ET4 covered moped and light motorcycle rules.
- Modern brakes: a front disc with a rear drum, in place of drums at both ends.
- Steel body: the pressed-steel monocoque was retained, but the shape was squarer than the classic models.
- US return: the ET brought the Vespa brand back to American dealers.
Vespa ET versions
- ET2 50: the 50 cc two-stroke moped version.
- ET4 125: the 125 cc four-stroke version.
- ET8: the name used for the 125 in Asian markets.
- ET4 150: added for Italian motorway use.
- Second series 125: shown at Milan in 1999.
The ET was replaced by the Vespa LX in 2005, and the largeframe descendant of the same period is the Vespa GTS. More are in the Vespa collection.
Video: Vid 1 Piaggio Et2 Vespa Respray Restoration The Stripdown
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Vespa ET, English Wikipedia: launch, engines, series, US market
