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2006–2013 · Scooter · Buyer's Guide
City Traffic's Natural Habitat
The LX 125 is the Vespa formula in its most compact form: a pressed-steel monocoque body, a 124 cc air-cooled single and a belt-driven automatic. The steel body is the point. It carries the structure and the style at once, and it gives this scooter a premium, durable substance where many rivals wear plastic. The engine figures are modest by design: 10 hp at 8,250 rpm and 7 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm, with a top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h). It doesn't chase numbers. It sells character, iconic shape and city-sized proportions in one small, honest package. That's Vespa.
On paper, this hardware is built for the city, and that's where it stays. A 30.9 in (785 mm) seat height, 249 lb (113 kg) wet weight and small 11-inch front and 10-inch rear wheels point to a scooter that's easy to place in traffic and easy to move around a tight parking spot. The 59 mph ceiling keeps it off the interstate. At 94 mpg from a 2.2 gal (8.3 L) tank, fuel costs stay low. A center stand comes standard, and a luggage system is available as an option. So the hardware points to a rider who wants a stylish, light urban tool with real substance under the paint. Short trips, tight streets. Its home turf!
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 10 hp (7.4 kW) @ 8,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 7 lb-ft (10 Nm) @ 6,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 124 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Front brake | 200 mm |
| Front tire | 110/70-11 |
| Rear tire | 120/70-10 |
| Seat height | 30.9 in (785 mm) |
| Wet weight | 249 lb (113 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.2 gal (8.3 L) |
| Top speed | 59 mph (95 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 94 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Comfort
CVT variator and roller wear
Worn variator rollers can cause sluggish take-off, high engine revs without corresponding acceleration, and reduced top speed. Typically requires replacement of rollers or the entire variator assembly.
Carburettor/injector clogging from stale fuel
On earlier carburated models and even fuel-injected versions, leaving the scooter unused for long periods can cause rough idling, hard starting and stuttering under acceleration as fuel varnishes block jets or injectors.
Battery drain from infrequent use
The battery can lose charge when the scooter is not ridden regularly, leading to slow cranking or failure to start. A battery tender is recommended for owners who park for weeks at a time.
Rear shock absorber wear
The single rear shock can degrade over time or mileage, resulting in a bouncy ride and clunking noises over bumps. Replacement may be necessary after 10,000-15,000 miles.
Where this Vespa LX 125 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the LX 125 is actually built for.
If your days are short city hops and the daily fight is for a parking spot, this is the best fit here: light, compact, 94 mpg, and a steel Vespa body that still looks the part when you lock it up.
Made for New York City · Austin · Los Angeles
It handles the city half of your week well and has the design to stand out at the meet-up. With 10 hp and a 59 mph top speed, though, the ridge roads and the highway out of town ask more than it was built for.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
