Piaggio Vespa
Real ownership data from 4,765 UK Vespa motorcycles — mileage, MOT pass rates and the faults that actually come up, taken from DVSA test records rather than opinion.
Most common Vespa problems
Ranked by how often each fault appears in this model's MOT history.
| Fault | Severity | Share of faults |
|---|---|---|
| Other | user entered | 17.8% |
| Brake discs and pads | dangerous | 15.8% |
| Electrical | fail | 12.7% |
| Lights and indicators | dangerous | 8.5% |
| Steering and head bearings | major | 5.5% |
| Fuel system | major | 4.3% |
| Suspension | dangerous | 4.3% |
| Wheels | dangerous | 4% |
Advisories (wear noted but not failed) are excluded above; the most common is electrical.
Vespa mileage and reliability by year
Use this to judge whether a specific bike is high or low mileage for its age.
| YearYear | MedianMedian mileage | Mi/yrMiles/year | MOT passFirst-time pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 46 | 5 mi | — | 100% |
| 2025 | 71 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 110 | 282 mi | — | 100% |
| 2023 | 83 | 2,115 mi | — | 100% |
| 2022 | 46 | 1,616 mi | 359 | 91.67% |
| 2021 | 95 | 2,007 mi | 436 | 89.47% |
| 2020 | 70 | 2,430 mi | 485 | 95% |
| 2019 | 62 | 2,751 mi | 375 | 93.48% |
| 2018 | 40 | 503 mi | 202 | 90.32% |
| 2017 | 94 | 1,532 mi | 345 | 92.24% |
| 2016 | 233 | 1,840 mi | 173 | 88.16% |
| 2015 | 147 | 4,464 mi | 302 | 88.61% |
| 2014 | 183 | 4,554 mi | 319 | 87.16% |
| 2013 | 176 | 3,851 mi | 247 | 87.93% |
| 2012 | 170 | 4,952 mi | 563 | 88.96% |
| 2011 | 113 | 5,479 mi | 430 | 89.46% |
| 2010 | 146 | 11,650 mi | 544 | 87.87% |
| 2009 | 247 | 13,221 mi | 1,141 | 86.28% |
| 2008 | 372 | 12,844 mi | 768 | 85.71% |
| 2007 | 418 | 14,852 mi | 1,062 | 86.27% |
Vespa questions, answered with data
What are the most common problems with the Piaggio Vespa?
Across 4,765 UK examples, the most frequently recorded MOT faults are other (17.8% of all recorded faults), brake discs and pads (15.8% of all recorded faults), electrical (12.7% of all recorded faults).
What is average mileage for a Piaggio Vespa?
The median Piaggio Vespa in the UK has covered 7,341 miles, and typically rides about 485 miles a year. Half of all examples fall between 1,601 and 17,641 miles.
Is the Piaggio Vespa reliable?
87.16% of Piaggio Vespa MOT tests are passed first time, with an average of 0.03 faults recorded per test. This is measured from DVSA MOT records, not owner opinion.
Based on DVSA MOT test records for 4,765 Piaggio Vespa motorcycles registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.