Recently, I participated in a group ride with the Diner City Scooter Club in Worcester, MA. I took the opportunity to date a new friend’s Genuine Star scooter. Stella was built by LML LTD, an Indian company that contracted Vespa scooters to Piaggio for many years. Stella has the same body as the 1970 Vespa P200-E. The appearance is almost the same. The mechanics are very similar. The star boasts a 4-speed manual-transmission with a torque transfer mechanism so familiar to classic scooterists. A 150 cc two-stroke engine provides torquey starts and a top speed of over 55 mph. A long bench seat is standard. Storage is limited to a large glove box box and a spare tire. Modern additions to the main design include an electric source and a powerful front disc brake. Many consider a genuine Stella to be the best way to purchase a new classic style scooter.
Unfortunately, Stella scooters are harder to find due to the outage at the LML LTD plant. Don’t be afraid to buy a scooter because they are usually very easy and cheap to repair. Have your scooter or motorcycle mechanic check the bike before purchase.
Stella’s popularity was enough to convince Piaggio, the Italian company that owns the Vespa moniker, to bring the classic Vespa back to the US market. The Vespa PX 150 and Stella engines are very similar. The PX 150 costs about $100.00 more than the Stella. Readers must determine the difference in value.
Oddly, the Stella doesn’t come with a rear view mirror. Many scooterists do not use vintage mirrors. Riders often leave the market, twisting head and shoulders around. Some states including Massachusetts require at least one mirror for a motorbike to be inspected. Many Chrome or black powder coat optional guns, guards and mirrors are available to personalize the Star. Many Vespa changes will close the Star.
My usual ride is a very modern, Honda Reflex scooter (I ride about 5000 miles a year). The Honda is easy and intuitive to ride without any idiosyncrasies. I worked my way up from a trouble prone 1977 Puch Maxi Moped, and a peppy, reliable 2004 Yamaha Zuma (2000 miles in 4 months). I am quite comfortable in a small two-wheeler.
Start by holding the Star tightly with your left hand and pressing the starter switch with your right thumb. The star rewards you as a tiger. The classic kick start scooter is still there, but I don’t see many riders using it. My Stella starts trying first all day.
The biggest leap in the tame Star race was to know – the twist system. The body of the Star is a small and powerful engine that forces the front wheel to touch the lightest two feet off the ground. The practice rewards smooth, fast starts. As a new star rider, I often stalled my bike at the lights. At one stop I went into 4th gear and couldn’t shift into first for the entire light cycle. The trick is to switch to the first one while stop sign or to switch to the red one at the first signs, and in a row until it’s time to go.
For the scooter enthusiast, the Stella is light and responsive. Some riders who are experienced on large motorbikes find the Stella to be unstable. I’m very confident in the small 10″ diameter wheels. Even at 60 mph I’m in full control. The hard suspension transitions the texture of the road surface to the rider much more than the bigger Honda Reflex and allows for sure handling. Star Cannonball roller-coasters twists and turns as the New Hampshire Cannonball travels through rural England.
For easy targets. I do not use the foot often broke. An expert star rider said that a broken foot is good for starting a trudge. His hand broke his forehead, and the world moved; It’s more natural for me to use it and it works best.
At the end of a 10-hour day of riding and schmoozing with the scooterists, I reluctantly handed the bike key to its owner and stretched. Very much my shoulders. It’s great to spend a rope day with the rest alive.
In short, the Genuine Star is a new scooter that is exactly like the classic Vespa with the front brake upgraded to a disc and an electric starter. The fit and finish is not as high as the Italian job, but the price (under $3000.00) is not as high. I recommend 3 upgrades, a more comfortable seat, a chrome rack, and a pair of rear view mirrors. These additions will bring the Stella’s cost closer to that of the unadorned Vespa PX150.
Report:
- Diner City Scooter Club of Worcester, Ma.Genuine Scooter CompanyHonda ScootersVespa ScootersCanobie Lake Park Yankee Cannonball< /li>
