Colorful ride: The Primavera appears to be mostly an aesthetic update of its predecessor.

The Primavera, recently unveiled by PT Piaggio Indonesia in the heart of Jakarta'€™s social and business area in Senayan after being announced to the world for the first time at the 2013 Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA),
is the next in Vespa'€™s line of modern small frames that began with the ET series.

The new breed is set to succeed the LX and LX/S models, which have been gaining a following among youngsters in the capital and can often be seen competing against Japanese motorcycles for the slightest opening in the tightly packed Jakarta traffic.

Piaggio, which insists that Vespa is not a scooter, is planning to discontinue the LX and LX/S lines as of this year, and reincarnate the Primavera, the original model that was built from 1968 to 1978.

Marco Noto La Diega, managing director of PT Piaggio Indonesia, said that the Primavera had adopted some of the style and technical features of the 946, which is Vespa'€™s most sophisticated and hi-tech model.

'€œPrimavera will retain the signature of its legendary model while presenting ultra-modern design and technology, which puts forward comfort and security,'€ La Diega said.

When the 1968 Primavera was launched, it was in an era when pop culture began gaining traction and it was quickly accepted by the period'€™s younger generation. The original Primavera is one of the longest-lasting and most-liked models of Vespa.

On the surface, the Primavera appears to be mostly an aesthetic update of its predecessor.

The new model does indeed borrow many styling elements from the limited edition Vespa 946 and integrates them into the existing LX platform.

The Primavera is apparently catering to motorcycle riders in Jakarta who have a need for a larger lockable front compartment.

Unlike the 946 '€” thanks to the repositioning of the battery '€” the Primavera has a larger under-seat storage area than the LX. The under-seat storage can now accommodate two half-face helmets '€” perfect for carrying commuting gear and an extra helmet for accompanying passengers.

Under the cowl, the Primavera retains the guts of the 946 and the most recent LX models: the 3-valve 150cc engine.

The revolutionary 3-valve engine is stronger, faster and more efficient than a conventional engine, thanks to lighter parts that give better gas mileage and put out more power yet require less maintenance.

The 2014 Primavera also features revamped electronic fuel injection and CVT transmission systems
delivery. It is boasted to have extremely low fuel consumption figures of up to 64 kilometers per liter and lengthy maintenance gaps, for low running costs.

With better fuel economy than the engines that preceded it, the Primavera'€™s fuel tank capacity is smaller than the LX. Primavera has an 8-liter fuel tank, 0.6 smaller than LX. Although a 125-cc model is also available in the region, only the 150-cc version of the Primavera is available in Indonesia, for an on-road price of Rp 30.8 million (US$2,700).

Up close: The Primavera targets motorcycle riders in need of a larger lockable front compartment.

In Indonesia, the Primavera comes in five colors: black Nero Vulcano, light blue Azzuro Marechiaro, dark blue Blu Midnight, red Rosso Dragon and white Monte Bianco.

The Primavera also takes the automatic dry centrifugal clutch from the LX but adds vibration dampers, as well as the coil-spring dual-action monoshock front suspension and preloaded adjustable rear coil spring.

La Diega boasted that the Primavera would be much more comfortable than to the LX, especially while riding through Jakarta'€™s pothole-ridden streets.

'€œThe new dual-bracket suspension link between the body and engine and better seat design can be attributed to the improvement in comfort,'€ La Diega said.

'€” Photos courtesy of PT Piaggio Indonesia