Vespa PK

Vespa
Vespa PK 125S
Vespa PK
Manufacturer	Piaggio
Production period	1983 to 1996
class	Small scooters , motor scooters
Motor data
Fan-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engines

Previous model	Vespa 50 / Vespa 125
successor	Vespa ET

The Vespa PK was a motor scooter built between 1983 and 1996 by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio .

Model history

The Vespa PK was presented in Milan in 1982 as a smaller addition to the Vespa PX and as the successor to the Vespa 50 and Vespa 125 Primavera ET3 models . The newly developed body, which was larger than its predecessor, was initially received critically because of its angular shape. Due to its size, the PK was much more comfortable, but also heavier. During the construction period between 1983 and 1996 there were several engine and equipment variants: It was available with a 50, 80, 100 and 125 cc two-stroke engine, with the 80 and 100 cc engines only in certain countries were offered.

The standard model was the PK 50, shortly afterwards the PK 50/80/125 / S appeared with indicators, brake light and glove compartment and later the PK XL (often called XL 1 and XL 2) with internally locked side jaws and a facelift, for which the The steering head, the cascade and the seat have been modified. The name extension Elestart referred to an electric starter. In addition to a 3 or 4-speed manual gearbox, it was available for the first time as Automatica from 1984 (initially with and then without the failure-prone clutch hydraulics) with a hydraulic automatic system and slots in the side panels. The later Plurimatic had an automatic V-belt , which better transferred the power to the wheel. With a reinforced crankshaft and an enlarged intake system as well as improved brakes, the ETS was the sporty offshoot of the PK.

Vespa PK 50 XL 2

It was last revised in 1990 as PK XL 2 (the designation was still "XL"). The XL 2 was built until 1996. The XL2 had a new handlebar that had a no longer round speedometer. The load-bearing element was no longer the lower part of the handlebar, which was made of cast aluminum in older models. This task was now taken over by a pipe / sheet metal construction within the plastic casing. The speedometer display showed the speed up to 80 km / h. There was also a 5-digit kilometer display. A fuel gauge and indicator lights for direction indicators, low beam, tank light and high beam were integrated. Another change was the choke lever integrated into the handlebar. The lever was easily accessible above the brake lever for the front brake. A new glove box was inserted into a slightly modified body (rear panel made of plastic); technically, the operation of the circuit changed with a single jumper wire instead of two cables. The coupling of the PK XL 2 was a step forward in its mode of operation due to the change from a central spring to several springs distributed all around. The XL-2 clutch was not overwhelmed even with more powerful engines and at the same time it was easier to operate.

Vespa PK 50 HP4

In Italy, a sport version was offered based on the Vespa PK50 XL (2), which was named HP4. It had an aluminum cylinder and a higher rated speed. In order not to increase the top speed, it was decided to use a shorter primary gear ratio and a smaller intake manifold. The characteristic feature of the HP4 was its mono bench seat, which was seamlessly integrated into the shape of the rear and, in contrast to the double bench of the German version, ensured a very compact and round shape.

Model overview

Technical data of selected models
	PK 50	PK 80	PK 100	PK 125	PK 125 ETS	PK 50 XL	PK 50 XL	PK 125 XL	PK 50 XL Pl	PK 125 XL Pl
construction time	1982-1986	1982-	1982-	1982-1986	1984-1985	1986-1989	1989-	1986-1990	1992	1987-1990	1991-1996
Frame number prefix	V5X1T	V8X5T	VMX1T	VMX5T	VMS1T	V5X3T	V5X5T	VMX6T	V5P1T	VVM1T	VMX7T
Engine type	Fan-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engine
Displacement	49.79 cc	79 cc		121.1 cm³	121.1 cm³	49.79 cc	49.79 cc	121.1 cm³	49.79 cc	121.1 cm³
Bore × stroke (mm)	38.4 × 43	44.5 × 51		55 × 51	55 × 51	38.4 × 43	38.4 × 43	55 × 51	38.4 × 43	55 × 51
Max. Power in kW (PS) at 1 / min	1.1 kW (1.5 HP) 4500	4.0 kW (5.5 HP) 6000		5.0 kW (6.8 hp) 5600	6.2 kW (8.5 hp) 5600	1.1 kW (1.5 HP) 4500	1.6 kW (2.2 hp) 5000	5.0 kW (6.8 hp) 5600	1.8 kW (2.5 hp) 6250	5.0 kW (6.8 hp) 5600	5.3 kW (7.2 HP) 5500
transmission	Three or four-speed manual transmission								Plurimacy
Top speed in Germany	40 km / h	77 km / h		86 km / h	97 km / h	50 km / h	50 km / h	90 km / h	45 km / h	90 km / h	95 km / h

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: RT Peters (ed.): Wasp plate - Vespa archive . Westphalia February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).
↑ RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: RT Peters (ed.): Wasp plate - Vespa archive . February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).
↑ RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: Waspblech - Vespa Archive . February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).

[1] RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: RT Peters (ed.): Wasp plate - Vespa archive . Westphalia February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).

[2] RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: RT Peters (ed.): Wasp plate - Vespa archive . February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).

[3] RT Peters: Vespa PK XL 2 - type history | Wasp sheet - Vespa archive . In: Waspblech - Vespa Archive . February 3, 2017 ( square7.ch [accessed April 1, 2018]).