The Vespa was designed by a man who hated Motorcycles

Comments · 993

• DI

  @dispatchesFromHell · 3 years ago

  I was fueling my Vespa near a popular biker spot next to a group of Harley riders some time ago. They all looked the part, big bikes, shiny chrome, heavy leathers. <br><br>One of them walks up to me and silently looks me and the Vespa over for a while. Then he looks at me and says: &quot;You know, secretly we all want to ride one of these!&quot;

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• MI

  @mikebikekite1 · 3 years ago

  I used to ride large motorcycles and never even glanced at scooters. Then, one day at a motor show, I sat on a Vespa GS 200 and I thought I could live with this. It did everything I needed, it was fun to ride, it was economical, I could carry more with it and it seemed to need minimal maintenance. I also loved the look of the thing. I normally changed my motorbike every couple of years but I ended up with 2 Vespas, the GS200 and then the GS250, for the next 20 years. I only gave up riding them when the thieves in my city worked out how to steal them. Shame, I miss riding them.

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• DO

  @donelmore2540 · 3 years ago

  I think the Italians would have thought of Moto Guzzi before they thought of Harley or Triumph.

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• KA

  @kariudo · 3 years ago (edited)

  I have to vote the Honda Super Cub is the most important icon in the automotive industry. Not to downplay the timeless significance of the Vespa, and its earlier attempt at a &quot;polite&quot; motorcycle for the masses.

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• GE

  @geewhizhk · 3 years ago

  &quot;When the average italian think of motorcycles, he thinks of triumph or harley&quot;. &nbsp;Well... there were italian motorcycles in existence in those days, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Benelli, etc.

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• WO

  @wooddavid8293 · 3 years ago

  Back in the day on a scooter forum, the subject was how people would call your scooter a moped. &nbsp;One guy said the when someone called his Vespa a moped, he would correct them. Saying &quot;it&apos;s not a moped, it&apos;s a post-war Italian lady&apos;s shopping bike&quot;. Scooter Boy for Life!

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• WI

  @williamwintemberg · 3 years ago

  In all my years, I must admit to never being a Vespa fan. After watching this video, I&apos;m still not a fan but I do understand it&apos;s significance. Always an outstanding video on this channel!

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• CA

  @calcagnolibero · 3 years ago (edited)

  When an average italian thought about motorbike in the mid &apos;40s he did not think of Indian, HD or Triumph. He thought of a Moto Guzzi that has been winning races ( Europe and &nbsp;World Championships and Tourist Trophy) and innovating the motorbikes scene since the 30s.

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• NI

  @nickedmett1 · 3 years ago

  Enjoying a morning coffee al fresco on a Greek island several years ago a Vespa glided past with a family aboard. Father was in control, mother was behind him, cradling a baby. Behind her, on the luggage rack were her two other children, riding back to back with their legs dangling over the engine cover. to complete the load a sheep peered out from between the fathers legs. Six riders - one scooter - no problem!

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• NO

  @NormanF62 · 3 years ago

  One of the most iconic vehicles of all time and when people see a scooter, the name Vespa recalls it for them! Next to the Fiat, its association with Italy is unmistakable.

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• TE

  @teacherdude · 3 years ago

  Piaggio had to innovate or die in the 1990&apos;s and their decision to redo the Vespa saved the company from cheaper, more modern Asian competitors. These &nbsp;wiped out many &nbsp;US and European manufacturers who simply thought they could keep on putting out the same product, year in, year out.<br><br>BTW another movie with a great Vespa sequence is Dear Diary (1993) by Nanni Morietti

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• TH

  @theogantenbein7870 · 3 years ago

  Moving the headlight from the fender to the handling bar was the icing on the cake, designwise. &nbsp;It looks 100% better in my opinion.

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