By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Scooter
Vespa LX 125 (MY2006_LX125_Gen1) vs S 125 i.e (MY2009_S125ie)
Vespa LX 125 vs S 125 i.e: which one's easier to live with every day.
Tip the Vespa LX 125 into a tight turn and it's already folding in on light steering. The Vespa S 125 i.e doesn't flinch turning in across patched asphalt; its suspension soaks up the seams. Ripples die in the frame before they reach the bars.
So which one do you buy?
The S 125 i.e has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Nose ahead: S 125 i.e
The S 125 i.e makes slightly more sense as a commuter. Don't read much into a gap this small.
What makes each one tick
LX 125
Stalled cabs leave narrow gaps the LX 125 slips right through, since it weighs only 249 lb (113 kg) wet. The throttle wakes the air-cooled single into a pull that's lively around town. It doesn't drink much. Its front wheel pivots around in a tiny circle.
S 125 i.e
Broken city pavement barely registers on the S 125 i.e, since its steel shell won't pass vibration up into the seat. Off the line it's sluggish, and steep hills make the air-cooled single work for every yard. Its brake lever hauls it down. Its exhaust carries a note that's all its own.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The LX 125 has the lower wet weight: 249 lb (113 kg) vs 265 lb (120 kg).
- The LX 125 makes more peak torque: 7 lb-ft (10 Nm) vs 7 lb-ft (9 Nm).
- Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension: standard on the S 125 i.e, not offered on the LX 125.
Which one for the way you ride
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Neither one fits
If corners are your thing, keep looking. Neither one comes alive when the road gets tight.
Look at running costs and a first bike and you'll find two bikes doing the same job equally well. Fit is what breaks the tie.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
LX 125
What owners say
Strengths
- Agile handling in traffic
S 125 i.e
What owners say
Strengths
- Iconic Italian design
- Comfortable and smooth ride
- Fuel efficient and cheap to run
Trade-offs
- Premium price and maintenance costs
- Underpowered for its capacity
What they share
- Seat height
- 30.9 in (785 mm)
- Displacement
- 124 cc
- Engine
- Single-cylinder
- Cooling
- Air-cooled
- Power
- 10 hp (7.4 kW)
- Final drive
- Belt
- Front brake
- 200 mm
- Front tire
- 110/70-11
- Rear tire
- 120/70-10
Where the spec sheets split
| LX 125 | S 125 i.e | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 249 lb (113 kg) | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| LX 125 | S 125 i.e | |
|---|---|---|
| Peak power at | 8,250 rpm | 8,000 rpm |
| Torque | 7 lb-ft (10 Nm) | 7 lb-ft (9 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 6,000 rpm | 6,750 rpm |
| LX 125 | S 125 i.e | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 94 mpg (US) / 2.5 L/100 km | 84 mpg (US) / 2.8 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 2.2 US gal (8.3 L) | 2.2 US gal (8.5 L) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| LX 125 | S 125 i.e | |
|---|---|---|
| Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension | Not offered | Standard |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
