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The Story of Piaggio Vespa | RIdeTo
Matt D · May 29, 2017
On 25th March 2017 the Piaggio Vespa marked itself in the history books for yet another incredible event. One of the very first handmade Vespa’s sold at auction for almost £160,000! This put a full stop on an incredible and truly impressive era for one of our favourite Italian scooters.
Piaggio started life in a country ruled by a dictatorship, being ripped apart by the viciousness of the Second World War. Originally a warplane manufacturer, the end of the War saw Piaggio leave their wings behind and begin the flight into motorcycle greatness. The Vespa was to become the new symbol of Piaggio and also, the new symbol of Italy. It marked a rising from the ashes of war into a new, free Italy. Free of the shackles of a dictatorship, the Vespa gave the young and old alike the freedom to travel and enjoy their country like never before.
From Bill Gates and Vespa’s recent charity affiliation, to Armani and Salvador Dali; the Vespa has managed to remain at the forefront of popular culture to this day. The reach and influence of the Italian “Wasp” goes far beyond that of Italy and Europe. Vespa has managed to establish itself in recent times as the face of affordable transport in Thailand and beyond. We recently wrote an article for our friends over at John's Motorcycle News as homage to this fantastic scooter. We have looked at the life and history of the Vespa, from modest beginnings to one of the world’s most iconic symbols of fashion and style. If you want to read more about the incredible journey the Vespa has been on for the last 70 years, then give it a read here!
We collaborated with John's Motorcycle News to write this article about the life and history of the Piaggio Vespa. JMN are huge motorcycle enthusiasts with a wealth of knowledge and experience. They've built a fantastic community on their website, if you want to keep up to date on the world of motorcycling, why not check them out here!