LX 125 i.e. 3V (MY2013 LX125)

The LX 125 i.e. 3V is Vespa's small-frame scooter at its simplest: a steel monocoque body, an air-cooled 124 cc single with fuel injection and a three-valve head, and belt drive to the rear wheel. That steel shell is the heart of it. Body and frame are one piece, and that construction is what makes a Vespa a Vespa. On paper the output is modest at 12 hp and 8 lb-ft, and the wheels are small: 11 in up front, 10 in at the back. There's no ABS and no electronics package. You're buying the shape, the steel and the name. Honest hardware.

This hardware is built for town. It weighs 251 lb (114 kg) wet and the seat sits at 30.9 in (785 mm), so the figures point to a scooter that's easy to push around a parking lot and easy to put your feet down on at a light. The 2.2 gal (8.3 L) tank and the 124 cc single set its range: commutes, errands and café stops rather than long highway stretches. A center stand comes standard, and the rear shock takes preload adjustment for when you carry a passenger. It's for the rider who wants a scooter that looks like a Vespa because it is one. City elegance, plainly done.