The agility of a metropolitan vehicle combined with the dynamic character of a high wheel and the convenience and cargo capacity of a large GT scooter GT resulted in the Medley, the new Piaggio that combines ultra-modern values of rationality, technology and style. Medley blends practicality, technical innovation and beauty in the purest Italian style, fully comprehending the continuously evolving needs of a public in search of mobility solutions that go beyond the usual scooter formula. With Medley nothing is sacrificed. Piaggio Medley skilfully combines the benefits of a chassis characterised by large diameter wheels, which guarantee superior rideability and road holding compared with smaller wheeled scooters, and the rationality of a classic scooter, its protection, its cargo capacity, the comfort of its large saddle when riding two-up.

The high wheel scooter has been very successful, divided up into lightweight and manoeuvrable vehicles characterised by an easy ride and economic operating costs, and more important vehicles with qualities such as sturdiness and performance. Piaggio, the European leader among major global scooter manufacturers, a company with a unique heritage as the creator of new forms of light mobility, has been a protagonist in the high wheel segment with both easy and lightweight scooters such as the Liberty, as well as with scooters that have spectacular performance and exclusive technical features such as the Beverly range. Medley achieves the goal of creating a new class of Piaggio high wheel scooter that combines the benefits of an agile and lightweight scooter with those of a larger and higher performance high wheel. Coming standard with the “Start & Stop” feature which, by managing engine switch-off and start-up during stops, contributes to containing fuel consumption and emissions as well as two-channel ABS, Piaggio Medley therefore boasts an equipment package that is normally reserved for superior class scooters. Two 4-stroke engines from the new i-get family are available - 125 and 150 cc - both liquid cooled with 4 valve timing and electronic fuel injection. This is a new family of engines designed and developed by Piaggio which boasts a scooter engine research and development centre, one of the most advanced in the world.

STURDY, EASY TO RIDE AND LIGHTWEIGHT

The bearing structure of the Piaggio Medley is based on a new “low single cradle” type frame made of steel tubing reinforced with pressed steel that contributes to its overall sturdiness, maintaining a low and convenient seating position. The front end is characterised by a fork with 33 mm stanchions in diameter, whereas a pair of double acting shock absorbers and coil springs with preload adjustable to 5 positions work at the rear axle. Thanks to this configuration, to the large wheel rims (16” front and 14” rear) made of aluminium alloy with an elegant six split spoke design and the tyres (100/80 front and 110/80 rear), Piaggio Medley guarantees riding comfort, road holding and stability worthy of higher class vehicles, while the contained weight, 132 kg kerb weight, allows the rider to maintain all the agility and manoeuvrability that are the strong points of lightweight scooters.

The powerful braking system handles active safety – made up of two 260 and 240 mm disc units with double piston floating callipers – with ABS as standard equipment. Each wheel has a sensor and a tone wheel to detect revolutions, which instantly reads the speed and deceleration of the wheel with respect to that of the vehicle. The sensors dialogue with a 2-channel hydraulic control unit which activates the ABS system if one of the two wheels decelerates abruptly with respect to the vehicle, avoiding locking and ensuring stability and efficient braking even on road surfaces with a low friction coefficient. Piaggio Medley is also equipped with a “tilt sensor”, a safety device that deactivates the Start & Stop system, switching off the engine, in the event of a fall.

PRACTICAL, DYNAMIC, LIGHTWEIGHT AND STYLISH

As occurs in the automotive field, in the two wheel sector the combination of different vehicle architectures also leads to the birth of new lightweight mobility formulas. Inspired by the important, modern and elegant lines of the bigger sibling Beverly, the new Piaggio Medley introduces concepts of light weight and dynamism that are ideal for city use of the vehicle. The 16” front wheel, in addition to providing stability, safety and comfort, vertically streamlines the entire front end. The wheel rims are aluminium and boast an elegant six split spoke design. The front shield has a spacious glove compartment that can be easily accessed from the rider's seating position. The front view stands out from the classic high wheel scooter look. The surfaces are more extended, all to the advantage of aerodynamic protection and therefore riding comfort, although Medley maintains a clear lightweight look which, combined with the most classic Piaggio style re-interpreted in a modern key, gives the vehicle a unique and distinctive personality. The metallic vertical element (the “tie”) stands out in the centre of the front shield, thereby accentuating a certain family feeling with recent Piaggio production. Also, the innovative LED daylight running lights and headlight become true somatic distinctive traits.

The handlebar, shaped to guarantee protection of the rider, houses a refined instrument cluster with a chromium frame. The digital display makes a complete set of information available (total and trip odometer, external temperature, “service” icon, digital clock, battery status icon and ice danger icon), all selectable using the Mode button on the right hand electric block, while the complete arrangement of warning lights keeps tabs on all the functions, starting with the “Start & Stop” feature, that can be deactivated using the right hand electric block, and then moving along with the classic “injection check”, fuel reserve, oil pressure, ABS activation and Immobilizer indicators. The saddle, large and comfortable even on the passenger section, has an electric opening latch controlled from a button on the handlebar as well as the traditional mechanical latch located in the leg shield back plate glove compartment. The style of the glove compartment is coordinated with the rear part of the handlebar and the saddle, recreating an area similar to a car dashboard and there is even a USB socket inside, useful for charging your smartphone. There is also a convenient, retractable bag hook in the leg shield back plate. Along the entire body of the Medley the alternating concave and convex surfaces, guided by decisive and arched lines, gives the vehicle a dynamic, but compact look.

A rear light cluster with daylight running lights achieved with red LEDs and opalescent diffraction type optics brings the shape of the vehicle to an original end. Even in night riding conditions, as with the front daylight running lights, the guided light in classic Piaggio style makes the vehicle unique and recognisable. The rear end, particularly sleek, maintains contained dimensions despite the large helmet compartment with an amazing 36.2 litres of space, enough to hold two flip up helmets, truly exceptional for a high wheel. This result is obtained thanks to the well designed shape of the tail and the repositioning of the fuel tank at the centre of the footboard. It is a solution that increased cargo capacity in the helmet compartment, providing further benefits such as the possibility of refuelling without dismounting and better rideability on the road because of the improved weight distribution, now more centralised.

ENGINES: THE NEW PIAGGIO I-GET GENERATION

Piaggio Group motoring technology has always aimed to create increasingly more advanced powerplants in terms of low fuel consumption and emissions (including noise), as well as increasing service intervals. Armed with the most important engine and scooter research and development centre in Europe, and one of the best in the world, Piaggio has developed unique technologies and skills in house that contribute to the construction of engines today which are in line with the strictest standards in the world. On Piaggio Medley a new family of engines called i-get is introduced, available in 125 and 150 cc engine with electronic fuel injection, four valve timing and liquid cooling. These are engines at the top of their respective categories in terms of performance and environmental friendliness.
The new Piaggio patented Start & Stop system called RISS (Regulator Inverter Start & Stop System) also makes its début on the new scooter. This system, the result of Piaggio's technological know-how, does away with the traditional starter motor, which is replaced by a brushless “direct mount” electrical unit, in other words, installed directly on the crankshaft. This provides several benefits: extremely quiet start-up, lighter weight and more reliability, less fuel consumption. The Piaggio Start & Stop automatically switches off the engine 3 to 7 seconds after the vehicle stops (depending on whether or not the engine has reached the correct operating temperature). A slight twist of the throttle instantly restarts the engine, in complete silence, given the absence of the traditional starter motor. If the side stand is lowered or if the tilt sensor is activated, the ECU bypasses the Start & Stop function.

The new Piaggio i-get powerplants are the result of a design philosophy that sets new and more advanced quality and reliability levels as its primary objectives. Every aspect of the design was aimed at optimising the efficiency of each individual part in order to contribute to maximising performance. In the initial testing phases alone more than one million kilometres were logged in the intense search for reliability. Each and every one of the new engines' components, from the exhaust to the internal design of the gearbox cover, all the way to the new air filter, has been designed to make the ride smoother, quieter and more comfortable, and to increase the life of the engine. A large portion of the Piaggio technical work had to do with the maniacal attention to reducing friction through the introduction of bearings on every rotating part, in the timing and in the crank gear geometry, with the cylinder axis shifted to reduce losses due to friction on the piston. The mechanical noise of the new i-get engines is also extremely low thanks to a reduction in play and an optimisation of the materials and shapes.

There are many completely new engine parts on the new family of engines that equip the Medley:

• thermodynamics (head, cylinder, piston, rocker timing with rollers); also, all of the parts in motion have been optimised to reduce weight and operating friction.
• the crankshaft, for a clear reduction in vibrations.
• starter: no longer the classic gear drive starter motor, but now an electric “direct mount” type “brushless” motor on the crankshaft. The result is the total absence of friction in order to obtain a quiet, durable and reliable starter.
• cooling system, with radiator built into the engine: this reduced the overall weight of the vehicle and the warm-up times (thermal management), with clear benefits in terms of consumption and emissions.
• the gearbox cover, to reduce the noise even more.
• the latest generation double toothed belt to minimise passive losses, once again all to the advantage of consumption and emissions.
• the gearbox setting that improves rideability, performance and consumption.
• the air filter, which improves filtering action to reduce intake noise.
• new built-in engine electronic control unit with the S&S management part (Alternator, S&S Inverter, RISS), entirely developed by Piaggio.

The eighth-litre version is credited with power of 9 kW at 8,250 rpm, whereas the more powerful 150 cc puts out 11 kW at 7,750 rpm. These are numbers that translate into quick engines on the road, specifically designed and built bearing in mind the needs of the rider for daily use in city and metropolitan environments. These are riding conditions characterised by frequent starts and stops which require elasticity, quick acceleration and a smooth ride. These characteristics are ensured by excellent torque (11.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm for the 125 cc and 14.4 Nm at 6,400 rpm for the 150 cc) which provide Medley with excellent acceleration both from a stop and in motion, partially to the credit of the truly low overall weight. The new Piaggio Medley engines guarantee lengthy service and maintenance gaps. Fluids and filters are changed every 10,000 km and valve clearance only needs to be adjusted every 20,000 km. Overall fuel consumption benefits from the optimisation of each and every component: mileage on the WMTC cycle reaches 47.5 km/l for the Medley 125 (45.9 km/l for the Medley 150).

VERSIONS AND COLOURS

The new Piaggio medley is available in two versions. Medley and Medley S. The latter stands out for the use of the more sporty anthracite grey colour on the trim, such as the wheel rims, the passenger grab handle and the upper plastics on the footboard.

The Medley S colour variants are: Rosso Ibis, Nero Grafite and Blu Sport (all with black saddle and interior). Piaggio Medley, on the other hand, favours more traditional and elegant colours, such as Bianco Perla, Grigio Titanio (both with brown saddle and interior) and Blu Midnight (with black saddle and interior). These colour schemes are combined with aluminium colour trim (such as the wheel rims, the silencer heatshield, the passenger grab handle and the upper plastics on the footboard).

INFO:
www.piaggio.com/medley/en_EN

THE INDIAN SCOOTER SEGMENT IS THE LARGEST MARKET IN THE WORLD WITH SHIPMENTS OF ALMOST 5 MILLION VEHICLES IN 2015 AND GROWTH OF 20% IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2016.

Milan, 14 July 2016 – The Piaggio Group continues to expand on fast-growing high-volume markets, with the entry on to the Indian scooter market with the Aprilia brand. Over the next few days, marketing will begin of the Aprilia SR 150 sports scooter in India, whose scooter segment is the largest market in the world, with annual shipments of almost five million vehicles in 2015 and growth of 20% in the first half of 2016 compared with the year-earlier period.
“After the success of the Ape and the positioning of the Vespa in the premium segment of the Indian market, we are further strengthening our offer in the subcontinent with the entry on to the Indian market of the Aprilia SR 150 scooter,” said Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno. “This vehicle is an excellent expression of the Noale manufacturer’s sport expertise and offers technological and style features superior to those of its direct competitors in its segment.”

Sachsenring, Germany, 14 July 14 2016, in the box of Aprilia Racing Team Gresini: the riders Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl with the new sportbike scooter SR 150, on the eve of the MotoGP Grand Prix.

The rider Alvaro Bautista posing with the new Aprilia SR 150. In the pictures below: test ride on the Sachsenring track where runs the MotoGP.

The Aprilia SR 150 will be sold at a competitive price of 65,000 rupees (approximately 880 euro), thereby positioning itself in a segment that is growing even faster than the Indian scooter market as a whole and enabling the Piaggio Group to pursue an industrial and commercial strategy that includes lighter sports engines, in line with the best tradition that has ensured the success of the Aprilia brand since it first entered the market.

SPORTY SOUL, TOP PERFORMANCE. The Aprilia SR 150 combines the feel of a sports bike with the ease of use of a scooter; it was designed and engineered in Italy and built in the Piaggio Group’s Baramati facility, in the state of Maharashtra. With all the typical features of the brand’s unmistakable sporty personality, the Aprilia SR 150 has an aggressive, sporty style and delivers performance at the top end of its category thanks to its modern dynamic 4-stroke, single-cylinder 150cc engine. Aesthetically, a distinguishing characteristic are the large 14” five-spoke wheels, whose decisive racing design echoes Aprilia’s competition bikes, stars of the MotoGP circuits.

The new Aprilia SR 150 addresses a modern, dynamic, internationally oriented target, a new generation of young Indians who are driving economic and social growth and change in the country. Aprilia’s sporty soul, formed in the top motor-racing championships and reflected in 54 world titles, is an accurate expression of this generation’s ambitions and personality.

The Aprilia SR 150 will become available for purchase in August, but it can already be booked through the Piaggio Group dealer network.

The Ape never fails to surprise: true to itself, yet always able to evolve in response to passenger and cargo mobility needs. In the almost 70 years of its long life (the three-wheeler made its debut in Italy in 1948), it has always provided a “smart” mobility service around the world: a familiar sight in dozens of countries in every continent, the hard-working and tireless three-wheeler has helped and continues to help the sustainable growth of small local businesses, from artisans to farmers, taxi drivers, tour operators.

The Ape has been a commercial success for decades, thanks to its well-known strengths: robustness, reliability, low fuel consumption and maintenance costs, “Italian style” design and a unique “heritage” in its category. The two new versions – City and Romanza – are both intended for passenger transport services, and have been developed and produced with the focus on technological evolution and design.

NEW APE’ CITY: NO LIMITS

The new version accentuates the vehicle’s distinctive characteristics, offering improvements at every level, especially technical and design. These include performance, reliability, exterior design, interiors, comfort, safety, quality. Robust, safe, durable and cost-effective (reduced fuel consumption and low maintenance costs, in line with the principle: the more you save, the more you gain), the new Apé City is the ideal vehicle for urban commuting and travel between the city suburbs and outlying areas.

This is a vehicle with a truly indispensable “mission” in many countries of Africa and South America, where public services are not available throughout these vast regions. Taxi drivers are the ideal customers for the new Apé City (which is also suitable for private commuting), which offers enhanced capacity to manoeuvre significant inclines (as much as 24% for the City High Slope). This vehicle knows no limits, and is able to cope with the most difficult roads and dirt tracks to reach the populations of the residential and rural areas farthest from the main transport networks. Comfort for both drivers and passengers is guaranteed, even when travelling for hundreds of miles. Less stress, greater comfort and safety.

Technology and design made in Italy are combined with rigorous tests: dozens of vehicles were used for stringent duration and reliability tests, 500,000 km on road (8,000 on sett paving) and 2,000 hours at the test bench.

Test for Apé City and Romanza on the test track, within the Piaggio plants in Italy (in Pontedera, Tuscany).

The new Apé City (200cc displacement, available in various fuel versions: petrol, diesel, GPL and methane) comes in a large range of colours.

NEW APE’ ROMANZA: ITALIAN LEGEND

The “Calessino” version of the Ape, an evolution of Piaggio’s fortunate three-wheel vehicle, has a long and noble tradition: for decades it has been the “neatest” vehicle for passenger transport in tourist resorts and on the Italian and European islands.
The new Apé “Romanza” convertible three-wheeler, for the African & South American markets, is intended specifically for resorts and hotels, and is also the ideal solution for events and on-the-road communication campaigns.

With smart new interiors and a new on-board instrument panel, the “Romanza” features a 200cc 4-stroke 4-gear petrol engine and can handle inclines of up to 22%; it offers low fuel consumption and maintenance costs, reliability and comfort for the driver and two passengers.

Colours: red, white and blue.

INFO:
www.piaggioveicolicommerciali.it

From the unique heritage of style and technology of the Piaggio Group comes the Piaggio Wi-Bike, a completely new vehicle that meets the most advanced needs and the latest mobility trends and is much more than an electrically assisted bicycle. In the MotoGP paddock, personnel and fans had the chance to admire a robust racing-style version, the ideal vehicle for the riders and mechanics to get around during the race weekend. This is the Wi-Bike by Aprilia Racing, one of the most victorious racing departments ever thanks to 54 world titles conquered in the various two-wheel motorsport disciplines.

The characteristics of the Wi-Bike, perfectly in line with the technology and innovation values Aprilia expresses in its MotoGP activities, are enhanced at first glance by an exclusive colour combination: silver and fluorescent red for the frame and mechanics, strongly reminiscent of the livery of the RS-GP machines ridden on the track by Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl, the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders competing in the 2016 MotoGP championship.

From a technical viewpoint, the customised version has new tyres for this specific use, disc brakes on both wheels and an electronics system remapped to emphasise the acceleration provided by the electric drive for the short trips inside the paddock.

The 400 Wh ion and lithium battery is elegantly housed under the saddle behind the vertical tube and provides particularly long range, on average between 60 and 120 kilometres depending on operating mode and conditions.

The full recharge time is just over 3 hours. The battery guarantees the highest level of safety and is completely watertight (IP 65). The Piaggio Wi-Bike uses a belt drive combined with an advanced continuous variation automatic transmission, electronically assisted to ensure the best possible ratio from a large choice of combinations.
The Wi-Bike by Aprilia Racing made its debut at the Italian GP at the Mugello racetrack in May, attracting great interest: an irresistible attraction for the many Aprilia fans who photographed the new vehicle in their selfies.

JAPAN, TOKYO: AZUMA MAKOTO’S APE IN BLOOM

A Piaggio Ape entirely covered in flowers, leaves and branches: this is the creation of Japanese artist Azuma Makoto (famous for his “floral sculptures”) for the Fendi boutique in Tokyo’s luxury Ginza district for sophisticated shoppers. The Ape is not just an art installation, it is also a store on three wheels, selling bouquets created by the artist Makoto, who has also put his name to a limited edition of bags created for Fendi. The incredible Ape is officially an artist’s inspiration.

INFO:
www.azumamakoto.com

ITALY: A VINTAGE VESPA AT THE VILLA D’ESTE ELEGANCE CONTEST

The first edition of the “Villa d’Este elegance contest” was held in 1929: a great tradition for an exclusive international event dedicated to rare vintage automobiles and motorcycles (and their owners, collectors, and devotees). The contest is held every year at the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este e Villa Erba in Cernobbio, on Lake Como. The Vespa, a style and design icon, is a familiar sight, having taken part in the contest many times. This year, it was taken down the runway by Vespa collector Marco Fumagalli: his two-wheeler was a single-cylinder 125cc red Vespa Sport Velocità from 1949. A rare example of a racing scooter, produced in a limited edition, which competed in the D category (private rider) and finished third, winning admiration and applause from the public of connoisseurs and the jury. For the record, the first prize in the category and the “Best of Show” award went to a British Grindlay Peerless 100 from 1929. A Gilera VT GS from 1938 also competed in the 2016 contest.

INFO:
www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com

Launched in May 2006, the Piaggio Mp3 created an entirely new market segment and reinvented city transport by introducing unprecedented levels of safety and riding pleasure. The Piaggio Mp3 owes its success to Piaggio’s exclusive technology with two independent tilting front wheels, which the Italian group, the leading player in the European industry, was the first to develop, combining automobile-type safety with the typical practicality, ease of use and pleasure of a two-wheeler.

Justifiably regarded as the link between automobiles and scooters, the Piaggio Mp3 has evolved over the years and has now been completely renewed, with an original design, new technical features and an exceptional set of electronic control systems for even greater safety. With shipments to date totalling more than 150,000, this scooter offers comfort, safety, riding pleasure, advanced engines for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency.

The Mp3 is in a class of its own. In France it is everyone’s scooter of choice: before becoming President, when he could move more freely, François Hollande negotiated the Paris traffic on the Italian three-wheeler; a vehicle enjoyed by many other VIPs, notably George Clooney.

In the USA, where it has growing numbers of followers, the Mp3 was nicknamed “the new Vespa” on its market debut, a label underlining its extraordinary innovativeness: in 1946 the Vespa transformed personal mobility by initiating the scooter phenomenon; 60 years later, the Mp3 launched a new revolution: “two front wheels” to quote the launch claim, enhancing the concept of the scooter as it had been known until then with the addition of a third wheel. Like the Vespa, the new Piaggio innovation had a strong impact on mobility, especially in large cities.

The new Piaggio MP3 500 LT, the top-of-the-range model launched in Paris in May 2014: all you need is a normal driving licence.

Speaking at the international launch of the new Piaggio Mp3 in Paris (16 May 2014), Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno said: “The Mp3 three-wheel scooter, now making its second-generation debut, is the perfect symbol of what Piaggio can do and what we intend to do even more in the future. We want to create things that are completely new, not just introduce continuous innovation. The three-wheel scooter did not exist until the Mp3 appeared. The same thing happened seventy years ago when the Vespa arrived and the world of mobility changed.”

The new second-generation Piaggio Mp3 is the world’s first three-wheeler equipped with an ABS anti-lock braking system supplemented by ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) traction control, an exclusive technological first from the Piaggio Group. The diameter of the front wheels has been increased, from 12 to 13 inches, as have the brake disks to ensure unbeatable grip for even greater safety.

The scooter’s new frame optimises stability at high speeds. The new 50-litre storage space below the saddle can house two full-face helmets, for trips out into the country with a passenger on board, who will appreciate the increased space and the comfortable pull-out footpegs. On the 500cc engine, extensive work on the distribution, intake, exhaust and automatic transmission has further enhanced the scooter’s already excellent power (the Piaggio Mp3 500 is the most powerful three-wheeler in its category) and generous torque, lowered noise levels and reduced fuel consumption. Implementation of the Ride-by-Wire electronic accelerator ensures smooth acceleration, and allows the rider to select the Eco engine mapping for even greater fuel efficiency.

Another exclusive Piaggio feature of excellence is the Piaggio Multimedia Platform to connect the rider’s smartphone to the on-board electronic system and turn it into a multi-purpose tool, a computer able to display information from the speedometer, rpm counter, spot power and torque, longitudinal acceleration, angle of tilt, spot and average fuel consumption, average speed, battery voltage, and so on.

From the smartphone linked to the Piaggio Multimedia Platform the rider can display maps and routes, locate fuel and service stations, and monitor tyre wear and tear.

The progenitor: the first Piaggio Mp3 from 2006.

Over the years, the three-wheeler range has been enhanced with models for all possible requirements; it also includes the rugged sporty “cousin” Gilera Fuoco.

The Mp3 Hybrid with two sources of motive power, combustion and electric, was launched in Rome in July 2009. The hybrid model has been part of the range ever since. It is a true passe-partout, unhampered by traffic restrictions in city centres: the rider simply presses a button to select the zero-emissions electric motor and go anywhere.

The Mp3 Yourban LT 300, is a lightweight, agile, easy-to-handle model designed for women and younger riders: it can be ridden with an ordinary driving licence and the locking device that keeps the scooter balanced on its three wheels during brief stops, at traffic lights for example, without the rider having to put their feet on the ground, is a standard feature. Clever!

CORPORATE CUSTOMERS CHOOSE THE MP3

Milan, July 2015: Enjoy launches the world's first free-floating scooter-sharing service and chooses the Piaggio Mp3 300 LT Business ABS for its vehicle fleet. In France, the “Les Laboratoires du Millenaire” company uses the Mp3 Delivery version for urgent blood consignments. In Israel, specially equipped Mp3 scooters (with flashing lights, siren and top box), are used by the Police for years; the “Magen David Adom” emergency aid organisation also has a fleet of Mp3s for its paramedics. In London and Rome, as in other capitals, the metropolitan police ride Mp3 scooters. In Germany, the Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich centres of the AVIS rental multinational offer their customers innovative Mp3 maxi scooters. These are just some examples of large corporations and organisations that have chosen the Piaggio Mp3, which is also available in special versions and with special features (such as Delivery and Police), for many different uses. Mp3: much more than a scooter!

Fund-raising campaign in the USA for the Magen David Adom organisation, which provides emergency medical aid in Israel: thanks to the Mp3, the paramedics are able to reach patients faster than ambulances.

THE CURRENT RANGE:
www.piaggio.com/mp3/en_EN

Born in Italy’s Marches region, Ernaldo (Emerson) Gattafoni is a familiar face on national television: a writer, presenter and director of several successful travel and discovery programs, many on a motorcycle; and even with two Piaggio Ape Calessino vans, on which he set off with the crew of the “Road Italy” program to discover excellent Italian products; for television, Gattafoni has also made documentaries and investigative reports, and for many years he has been the director of the humanitarian project “Roadway for Africa”: a mobile hospital that provides assistance for rural villagers and nomads.

The leitmotif of Gattafoni’s entire personal and professional life as a world “discoverer” and film-maker is travel, beginning with that first solo trip in 1976 at the age of 18. Forty years later, between April and May, he repeated the journey on the same moped (a Piaggio Ciao 50cc), following the same route, from his hometown of Pesaro to Marrakech, in Morocco. More than 3,400 km, via France and Spain, riding slowly, along the provincial roads.

Invited to the Rai 1 “Unomattina” program, presented by Francesca Fialdini and Franco Di Mare, Emerson Gattafoni explained why he wanted to repeat his journey from 40 years ago: “It was my first important trip, at the age of 18 and a half, on the legendary Ciao. I felt the time had come, for personal not TV reasons, to do it again as a tribute to that first youthful adventure which changed my life: that journey was the start of my career, the experience changed my way of thinking.”

(Frames from the Rai 1 “Unomattina” program, broadcast on 26 May 2016).

“In addition, I wanted to make a point for today’s youngsters, who were born in the digital age; they have dreams but probably in front of a computer, whereas knowledge comes from experience. Achieving a naïve, surreal dream as I did on my Ciao 40 years ago is very important in life. I owe everything to that trip: my way of thinking and looking at the world, understanding changing paths, discovering people, places, cultures. So I set off again on my Ciao: three weeks on my own, which was also an opportunity to reflect on my life.”

Emerson was perfectly organised when he left: his moped was fitted out down to the smallest detail, with a “celebratory” plaque fitted above the headlamp, a “registration plate” with his name and an adhesive of the Italian flag, and a personalised helmet. He remembers his first trip: “In 1976 there were no mobile phones, communication was difficult and travelling to Morocco really was an adventure. It was a period of political and social difficulties in Italy; I was a rock ‘n roll boy, I listened to rock music and dreamed of adventures. It’s great travelling on a motorcycle, but a Ciao is all you need to go, the wind in your face, to explore places and people, smells and experiences, in the company of your thoughts.” Emerson is an expert two-wheel traveller, but very careful about safety: “Forty years, even though it wasn’t compulsory, I was already wearing a crash helmet.” A great example for the youngsters.

As soon as he was back from the Pesaro-Marrakech trip, after his TV interview with “Unomattina” program, Emerson set off again, travelling around the USA and Canada, taking in Boston, Maine and the Great Lakes area and Quebec, in preparation for the 2016 season of his program “Dreams Road”, which will air in the autumn on Rai 1. Other dreams, other roads, other journeys.

The photos illustrating this article are taken from the Gattafoni/Dreams Road social channels and from the “La Banda del Ciao” community.

The border on the Khunjerab Pass, the road symbol of the friendship between China-Pakistan. Photo by Wang Lie/China Daily).

The Khunjerab Pass is a mountain pass on the border between Pakistan and China. At an altitude of 4,693 metres, it is the highest paved border point in the world, and also the highest point of the Karakorum Highway, the world’s highest international road, and one of the most spectacular. A strategic point linking the north-west of China’s autonomous Xinjiang Uygur region and the region of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan.

The border checkpoint stands on the Pamir Plateau, where temperatures can fall as low as 40 degrees Celsius below zero. This legendary spot was the destination, after a five-day ride of 800 km, rising from an altitude of 1,088 metres to 4,693 metres, of three friends from Scooter King Pakistan. They started out on their vintage Vespa scooters, carefully restored for the trip, on 29 May 2015 and reached the pass on 2 June 2015, before making the return journey.

Itinerary: Manshehra-Besham (first day), Besham-Chilas (2nd); Chilas-Hunza (3rd), Hunza-Sust (4th), Sust-Khunjerabad (5th), across plains, glaciers and mountain lakes along the ancient silk road. Legendary places along the route of the courageous trio on the saddles of their Vespas: Bilal Ahmed Chaudhary on a VBIT 150 from 1975 (known as “Olaf”), Ahmed Butt on a VBB 150 from 1962 (“Syline”) and Kahif Bashir on a VBIT 150 from 1975 (“Granite”).

The adventure attracted wide media coverage, in Asia (including Pakwheels.com) and Europe (Britain’s Scootering magazine published a lengthy eight-page report by Kahif Bashir, with photos of the Vespidition Pakistan team). Kahif says: “The trip would have remained a dream, if I hadn’t had the backing of my travel companions Bilal Ahmad Chaudhary and Ahmad Butt, and of my Scooter Kings Pakistan friends Adeel Khalid (Deedee), Bilal Hussain Akhtar (Hotice), Masood Alam Khanm Yasir Qayum Khan and Mian Zahir Said: it was thanks to their unflagging moral and material support, both during the preparations and the ride itself, which was thrilling and entertaining.”

We have no false modesty in sharing with Wide readers the new Vespa video produced to celebrate the scooter’s 70^th anniversary. The Vespa spirit has always been an expression of spontaneity and liberty, shared and experienced by generation after generation, yesterday and today. Vespa, 70 years young.
Co-starring in the new video is the Primavera model, Limited Edition 70°.

INFO:
www.vespa.com/en_EN