Video & Review: 2019 Lambretta V200 Special
Lambretta is back after 40-years. We test the 169cc V200 Special, the largest capacity model of the lineup. Just under $5k gets you a stylish and practical scoot... Review: Jeff Ware
Riding around on the new Lambretta V200 Special I can’t help but think about the amazing journey that this brand has been on over the past 70-plus years. It’s been a while since Lambretta’s were manufactured in Milan by Ferdinando Innocenti… After his enormous steel tubing factory was flattened in WWII and the genius businessman recognised the need for cheap transport that was easy to ride and kept the rider relatively clean, releasing the Model A in 1947… We now have a Swiss/Austrian owned, Kiska designed, Taiwanese powered and assembled Lambretta. Crazy, sure, but a fantastic little machine…
Lambretta is a name taken after a famous water sprout in the Lambrate River, Lambrate, Milan.
This modern version has all the styling of the original models with the luxury of modern power, brakes, suspension, electrics and finish and it still turns heads everywhere, just like a restored original does…
Under the bodywork is a steel frame with a single shock rear end, telescopic front forks and a single-cylinder, 169cc air-cooled fuel injected engine driving the 12in rear wheel via a silky smooth CVT drive.
The brakes are generous, with a 226mm rotor and twin-piston caliper up the front and a 220mm rotor at the rear. The front wheel is 12in and the brakes are ABS equipped. The tyres are good quality Pirelli Angel Scooter hoops, a 110 at the front and a 120 at the rear.
The V200 Special features LED lighting – the headlight, taillight and indicators. The fuel consumption is claimed to be 2.9L/100km and the machine is Euro4 compliant. It’s available with either a Flex guard or a Fixed front guard (my test bike was a Fixed guard version). It also has neat features like a glovebox that takes a few items like a phone and wallet, has a USB charge point and a hidden kill switch inside. Underseat storage is ample and there is a heap of pillion room…
2019 Lambretta V200 Special.
Riding around on the V200 Special is a joy. It’s zippy for a 169cc four-stroke single, so getting off the lights first is no problem and the scooter will easily get you that gap to the cars you want when negotiating the daily commute or weekend trip through suburbia. The engines happy place is the 10km/h to 70km/h range where the CVT works wonders in keeping the little 8.8kW and 12.2Nm engine punching above its capacity. A well set up CVT is an amazing thing…
Top speed is claimed to be 100km/h but I could not get past 95km/h. I’m 100kg in gear though. The V200 will easily scoot along at 80-90km/h all day. It’s just that last 5-10km/h that is a battle and hills do knock the pace back, some steeper ones saw speed drop by up to 15-20km/h on my test day.
There are slight vibes in the 60km/h range but they are not annoying or intrusive. Aside from that the Lambretta is silky smooth. The mirrors don’t vibrate but they are a bit low and at 187cm tall, I had to hunch down to get a look in them.
Steering is quick and nimble, so around the tight traffic and back roads the V200 is a fun and nimble machine. On the faster open roads the platform remains stable but the 12in wheels don’t like the bigger bumps and the suspension abruptly bottoms out at speed. Ideally, I’d stick to smoother roads at speeds over 60-70km/h. The thickly padded, super-wide seat offers great bump absorption and makes the ride super comfy. It is a tad wide, meaning riders with shorter legs may need to move forward into the footwell to stand up with two feet on the ground.
The footwells are generous and have a rubber grip pad area for wet weather safety. I didn’t have the chance to take the pillion in a million for a ride, so I’m not sure about the pillion comfort or footing.
The switchgear is basic, fuss free and easy to use. The indicators have an audible alert, to remind you that your indicators are on and to let people know you are turning, however, I would be disconnecting it ASAP – as all I found were people jumping or turning suddenly thinking a truck was reversing somewhere nearby!
12in wheels, telescoping forks, ABS brakes and Pirelli tyres.
I didn’t ride at night but the lights are certainly up to spec. The dash is a multifunction LCD unit that to be honest I found really hard to read, particularly in direct sunlight when it is near impossible.
Overall, a cool little scooter that I rode around Newcastle for four hours and I really enjoyed the experience. I got a little bit of rain and the weather protection from the front panels was appreciated.
I was impressed with the engine, the brakes (the rear was better than the front), the steering and the finish and quality.
In my eyes, it’s a Lambretta and it’s still cool. It’s just a modern version and it has been done tastefully as well. Anyway, check out the video review and if you are after something a bit more stylish and alternative than a normal commuter for your daily commute or weekend City cruise, the Lambretta V200 Special is definitely worth a test ride. Give Graeme Morris Motorcycles a call on (02) 4957 0674 if you are in the Newcastle area, otherwise find a dealer by clicking here.
The Lambretta V200 Special is currently $4,990 Ride Away (until Dec 31, 2019) check out the current deal here.
2019 Lambretta V200 Special Specifications
Price: $4,990 (ride away until Dec 31 2019)
Claimed Power: 8.8kW@8000rpm
Claimed Torque: 12.2Nm@5500rpm
Weight: N/Akg
Fuel capacity: 6.0L
Engine: Single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled, 169cc, 10.2:1 compression, EFI, Euro4.
Gearbox: CVT
Chassis: Steel underbone frame.
Rake: N/A
Trail: N/A
Suspension: Telescopic forks, monoshock rear.
Brakes: 226mm rotor (f), two-piston caliper and conventional master-cylinder, 220mm rotor (rear)
Wheels & Tyres: 110/70-12 (f), 120/70-12 (r), Pirelli Angel Scooter.
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1340mm
Seat height: 800mm
Ground clearance: N/A
Overall width: 695mm
Overall Length: 1890mm
Overall height: 1115mm
Instruments: LCD Display, analogue tacho.
2019 Lambretta V200 Special Gallery
The Verdict | Video & Review: 2019 Lambretta V200 Special
Brilliant!
Understandably, purists will discard the new Lambretta as a non Italian replica, however, the reality is that the style and design are fitting for the name in a modern world and the V200 is more than a cheap knock-off. Under five grand gets you a lot of scooter and we came away impressed with the ride and quality. Here is our Lambretta V200 Special review…
2019 Lambretta V200 Special.
The Author
February 19, 2020
I picked up a lovely new V200 this past Christmas. My daily ride had originally been a Vespa GTS250ie. The cornering on the V200 is so much nicer than the GTS. It’s nice to be confident that the rear end won’t drag me down. Yes the dash is terrible in full sun…I’d love the option to go analogue. I do miss the power of the GTS but the Lammy is more visually appealing. I’d love to drop a bigger engine in for more oomph because 100 is not quite enough.
February 21, 2020
It’s a nice handling scoot, agreed re the power but it is OK for CBD and inner suburbs. Looks good… enjoy your V200 Linda. Cheers, Jeff.
February 8, 2022
I own the V200 fixed fender an still like it solely cos of the looks (I like exotic stuff and the secret looks of Vespa riders 😀 ). However, the 2.9 liters/ 100 km are more like 3.5 liters which translate in a range of 130 km. Top speed is more like 90 km/h at 7.600 rpm which he doesn’t like. No wonder as no long stroke engine likes high rpm’s and this one is run best at 5.3 – 6.300 rpm. The glovebox is a joke and makes the USB port unusable- no modern mobile can be fit in there. Same.with the underseat compartment- I haven’t found one helmet which would fit in there and even the one of a Vespa LX 50 is larger, let alone the one of a GTS. The display should have shown the speed digital and the rpm’s analog – would have been the more natural way. The turn signal indicator sound is an annoyance (imagine you stop at night at a traffic light – people living there will “love” you). But with all that said, did I mention the looks? The LED headlight works much better than the one I had on my GTS, the break light with the lambretta logo receives constantly positive comments, Breaks work perfect – never experienced better stoppers on a scooter then these. Service costs are by far lower than those of the Vespas (I know the difference from personal experience). So, if want a stylish scooter for urban short rides and like to make acquaintance with lots of people asking you each and every detail about Lambretta and prefer not to go mainstream (Vespa or motorcycles which pretend to be a scooter – think about those 500+ cc ones) this is the scooter for you.: