Vespa 946 Review

Used Buyer Review

The 946 is basically wearable art that happens to have an engine. Named after the year Piaggio was founded, it's built to a standard you simply don't see in this segment — aluminum bodywork, proper leather saddle, machined details everywhere. Used examples from early production years had some fuel injection hiccups and the ABS can get temperamental if it's sat unused, so pull the service history before you hand over anything. Dealers treated these like jewelry, so most used examples are genuinely pampered. Riding it is a different conversation entirely. The 125cc engine is whisper-quiet and perfectly adequate for city commuting, but take it on an A-road and you'll be working hard to keep pace with traffic. It's not built for that, and pretending otherwise will just frustrate you. The handling is surprisingly precise for a twist-and-go, and the riding position is genuinely comfortable for shorter urban hops. Just budget for Piaggio main dealer servicing — independent shops often won't touch one.