This 1979 Vespa P200E Has The Craziest Shifter We've Ever Used: Here's What It's Like To Ride!

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This Vespa has a crazy manual shifter like we haven't seen before. ( www.alltfl.com/ )
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[@Theophilus1968]

Awesome scoot. The rear brake is more important on a classic Vespa than a modern one.

[@andrewsmith9575]

Some of the coolest scooters I got to work on! So glad you got the experience to use the grip shifter Alex! A customer let me use there Vespa for a week. Had a blast riding around Boulder. Fun urban thrasher. Turns heads as well!

[@paramount10987]

The e stands for electronic ignition, no points. The electric start were later and called px. These bikes never had fuel injection of any kind. Fuel injection came later and is referred to as modern vespas like the current models. The current models also have an automatic transmission.

[@ac9110]

Mine was an '82 and was a PX200E and that was kickstart only. I think in the UK at least the X was more to do with it having autolube. The P200E didn't have it as far as I know.

[@paramount10987]

@@ac9110 that’s interesting. In the US all the P200e models had auto lube. I guess they made changes regarding the market they are sending the scooters to while using the same model designation.

[@jon-paulgrainger1303]

I have a modern vespa piaggio et2 50 from 2000.

[@geraldscott4302]

@@paramount10987 My '79 P200E does not have either auto lube or electric start. It does not have the original engine. I had the engine completely rebuilt by a local vintage Vespa shop, and wanted to keep it as simple and reliable as possible.

[@starsailor6716]

So weird that this is new to you. They are so cool and still a big scene in the uk. Not just some old 70s thing but a vintage classic now. Also, you should check out the small frame vespa. The spare wheel is in the front by your legs. Funny how Americans find gears weird. In europe we all drive manual cars too. Stick shift to you guys! 😂

[@thebigguy8306]

Thanks, Alex, a good review and discussion, nice to see you in front of the camera

[@rik999]

Fun video. When I was an undergraduate these were all over our college campus.

[@wileecoyote5749]

My 1962 Lambretta TV175 Series 3 had same 4 speed shift apparatus. They all did till about 1996 when Vespa for example went completely automatic.

[@2tone209]

ME AND MY WIFE USED TO DO THE SCOOTER RALLYS HERE IN BRITAIN AND WE HAD ONE OF THESE SAME COLOUR WE COULD GET 70 MPH TWO UP WITH CAMPING GEAR ON IT CRACKING LITTLE SCOOTS....

[@peterbennett4948]

The Classic scooter scene is fairly big here in the UK. Loads of accessories and tuning parts for Vespa's and Lambretts's are available. They are great fun 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@NunoMSCardoso]

Lambretta all the way. Not because I have one Lambretta LI 150 Special. 😋 In Portugal we have some (less the Vespas).

[@peterbennett4948]

​@@NunoMSCardoso I also have a Lambretta it's a 1970 GP150 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@williamkrass6603]

You should try a Cushmen Eagle Scooter, sort looks like a mini Harley, they where big with the teens in Florida back in the late 50’s early 60’s when you could get your learners permit at 14.

[@neilkennykenny4113]

One of the best 200 review iv seen, its better from the prospective of a person who's never rode one.

[@SilentPrepperFL]

Thank you for this video... I have a Bajaj Chetak that was based on this scooter I believe... It was supposedly licensed to copy of the Vespa. Mine happens to be the same way, 4 speed just like this one, same glove compartment... they seem to share a lot of similarities. The P200 happens to be one of my favorite scooters.. Thank you for the video.

[@chrislovett6120]

It’s too funny to see someone who’s never seen the Vespa shifter. They’ve been like that from the beginning and several modern Vespa knock offs still use it

[@danielangel5887]

That thing is pretty awesome imo

[@elliottlee1050]

Reminds me of my first few real times flying/piloting Rotary or helicopter. LOL! After flying Fixed wing for years. ~ All that side, I would love to have a vintage Vespa, idk about all the Maintenace though. Like the Jaguar I had, UNTIL I changed it's engine and transmission. Oy was awful as far as taking care of it.

[@Theophilus1968]

More Vespa reviews please!

[@gamlebardun]

The P200 was produced to 1982! The Px 125/200’s which are very simular, were produced to 2017!

[@seraphimcaduto]

My dad owns one of these and it’s a blast to drive

[@JoeD-9399]

Monocoque frame. Rear swing arm & engine all in one. The spare helps balance the bike too. It was a little hard to watch you riding the clutch so bad. These are very easy to ride and are considered a "work horse".

[@4th_Lensman_of_the_apocalypse]

The e means electronic ignition I believe as opposed to points and condenser.

[@exsoulagent]

I’ve not long picked up a USA import P2 1981 soon too go under a full restoration

[@bustedback]

You can't talk about a Vespa without bringing up the movie Quadrophenia.

[@bernardstuart2501]

There was only one vespa in quadrophenia ace faces the rest were lambrettas

[@bustedback]

@@bernardstuart2501 it’s been 40 years since I’ve seen the movie, my memory ain’t as good as it once was.

[@thomasjefferson1081]

Love mine.

[@andrewgee241]

The Indian company LML used to make a model called the Stella which copied Vespa and had the twist grip gear shift. Sold in the USA by Genuine Scooter.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

LML never called them Stella. That was a name given by the Genuine Scooter Co.

[@chE3z1]

I have a 2009 stella myself! Have a SIP road 2 exhaust, VMC 177cc kit, gearing swapped to 23/64 with T5 short 4th gear, and converted to premix. Most fun I've had on two wheels!

[@UKtilly]

Need to let that clutch out a bit.

[@geraldscott4302]

I have a 1979 Vespa P200E, and a 2006 Vespa GT200. Both carbureted, but the 2006 is automatic, liquid cooled, electric start, and way faster than the 1979. But the '79 is way more fun to ride. It's a real machine. The '06 is just too smooth, quiet, and refined making it downright boring compared to the '79. No EFI TRASH on these old scooters. They are the real thing.

[@alberto2697]

Non ho mai visto guidare così male la vespa.

[@toddbachman3912]

THEY.. ARE A GREAT LITTLE BIKE....

[@renevandort7015]

Thuis heb ik een PX 200 Arcobaleno, echt geweldig scooter van Piaggio!

[@peterbrophy9442]

Sweet to have a full size spare.

[@tdgdbs1]

Replacing tires are super easy too, just undo the nuts and the rim split into two halves.

[@JustinSeara]

Wait what? @9:23 did you say this was a 49cc scooter?! It most definitely is not. What do you think 200 stands for in P200e?

[@allstate125]

The first motorcycle I rode had a hand shift. The hand shift was very common some years before you were born😂

[@thefantasyreview8709]

back to the first Vespa in 1949 until they stopped making manual Vespas in the 2000's

[@the_jarmel]

Thank you TFL CAMERA NINJA...who ever you are today 🙏

[@MotionPictureTrips]

How far can you go on a full tank on a Vespa like this one?

[@mrcool2457]

Its 1 up & 3 down ✅

[@62heinkel]

A decent P200 will do 65mph. Someone's a Scardy Cat :)

[@Philmod68]

Yeah. Mine does between 60 to 65mph....no problem....

[@robrockatansky5905]

My first motorcycle when I was 13… no more school bus rides for me!

[@WW-wf8tu]

I had a Yamaha 100 enduro and the Jr. High would not allow me to ride it onto their property and park it. Thus, I had to hide it in some trees and hope nobody saw and it was not stolen at the end of the day. Not really worth the stress. lol When I turned 16 and had my license, they would not allow me to drive me car and park there either! Was really a crummy deal. (others got away with it tho, stupid how you have to learn so early in life how things are not equal and fair)

[@daveyjones6465]

All scooters had twist grip gear change until the mid 90s

[@gzman1]

China blue? anyone got a color code? or the ford blue that almost matches perfect? tia i own the same bike

[@fly32002]

P is for Piaggio and the letter E is for electronic ignition. Also the rear pegs and floor boards are for your feet not tour legs

[@yorkchris10]

Centrifugal clutch would have worked with high heels too??

[@1silvervespa]

Two cables run from the Grip down to the Shifter Cam ..... That is how the twist is changed into Shifting . Action .

[@danmurphy1994]

The Genuine Stella 125 has a similar setup its 125cc 2 stroke 4 speed m/t

[@Nackdad]

Stella is a 150

[@spencerpayne2464]

Can you import these, the 1980s and 1990s models into the USA ? I have a vespa px 125 e T5, and wondered if its possible for me to export it

[@exsoulagent]

As long as you keep it away from California it shouldn’t be a problem importing them into the states

[@danielchruzander4560]

E stand for elestart as in electronic start. You still have the kickstart but you should have a startbutton as well.

[@exsoulagent]

Not really, electronic ignition which replaced the points system 😉

[@WW-wf8tu]

Cool! Unique machine. I would dig the experience. Love the spare tire thing. Don't dig 2 strokes. I don't think it would work for me over all. But it would be interesting to try out. :)

[@charkswitlazers]

Two strokes are fantastic. Mechanically simple, less moving parts, cheaper to repair, more power. Sad they’ve gone away.

[@ThunderApache1604V]

Interesting information to know that Vespa sold this model of scooter, pretty much unchanged till 2002, in India. We, the younger generation of InIndians kinda look down upon it because it is associated with the old people in our culture. It is retro but it is not cool retro.

[@Deetman42]

Classic bikes might need a few more fingers than one to work the front brake to fullest advantage. To be fair fullest advantage is still not very strong braking.

[@davidkallstrom4349]

have you never seen a tvistshift?

[@robertmorris3892]

You should check out the 1982 Honda Gyro. It's a scooter with tandem rear wheels. You lean and pivot to help steer it and it prevents people from laying it over.

[@JukeboxGothic]

I've been riding these for a long time and they are dead reliable. My current PX is now over 70000 Kms but I run it at 3% oil (pumps 2%) and disconnected the oil injection. I use it as a daily rider. I have 5 old bikes as well but Im always happy to take the Vespa. Easy to work on and parts are still relatively cheap and plentiful. You can tune the nuts off them with guys in Germany getting over 70 horse with specialty kits. Im not that brave.

[@bikerrick]

Nothing odd about the shifting thats the way it always was for the first 50, 60 years of scooters.

[@thefantasyreview8709]

shift on P200 isn't crazy. All Manual Vespas have had that shift since 1949... same with Lambrettas and most manual scooters.

[@Philmod68]

Totally! Nothing "crazy" about it at all.🙄 When I first saw the title of this video.....I thought the shifter was going to be in some weird/custom position?! But as they went through it....I was like ahhh...never been on one before.....GOT IT.....🙄

[@the_jarmel]

👏👏👏ALEX 👏👏👏.....😁...HAVE A BEAUTIFUL THURSDAY EVERYONE ✌️ These POV rides are always cool with my cannabis 🙏

[@marksabatos1571]

Hey Alex, sorry I didn't mention it at the time but E stands for electronic ignition.

[@spirosdapergolas7592]

Scootrrrrrrrrr

[@kennypool]

200cc 2stroke should go faster than 50 mph ? No?

[@robrockatansky5905]

Yeah, they go quite a bit faster than that!

[@marksabatos1571]

Top speed new was rated over 60 miles an hour but you have to understand this is at 5200 feet, so what was originally 10 horsepower is probably now eight horsepower. It pulls really hard to 45, easily pulls past 50 even at this altitude but hitting a pothole with that speed is squirrely with those small tires. Doing 40 on this thing feels like doing 80 on a sportbike

[@andrewgee241]

He said it felt sketchy to go fast on the small wheels. It probably can go much faster if you're brave enough!

[@kennypool]

@@andrewgee241 I have a Honda helix 250. 12+10 inch wheels I can go 75 mph without any problems. Now that I think about it, I also have a 65inch wheelbase. That's the difference

[@MrGrantSDavis]

Had a 78 P200E in LA. Could get up to 60 with no problem on the freeway. 65 if drafting a semi

[@thefantasyreview8709]

The E in P200E refers to Electric start... none of the early "classic" Vespas had EFI.

[@81bajaj]

Such an amazing amount of ignorance. Why is this shifter so strange? All scooters (Italian, German, British) of the 60s, 70s, and 80s (although they got in automatics there) were shifted like that. It's not hard. It's very simple. Sorry, that was mean. I just get so pissed at those A-hole Harley riders who don't give me a wave and I think "you couldn't even start my bike, let alone ride it." I have a 61 Lambretta TV 175 (with 185 kit), a 1962 Lambretta series 2 with 195 kit, a 2005 PX 150 (with 166 kit), a 74 Rally 200, and an 81 Bajaj with a 177 cc kit.

[@cruzmalibu4361]

The Vespa P200 holds exactly 1.76 US gallons in the gas tank.

[@6fuelinjected9]

The "E" in P200E stands for -electronic. As in no points in the ignition..

[@1silvervespa]

You use engine braking constantly with these ..... Your brakes are ingaged just before stops Silly person ......!!!