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PIAGGIO WI-BIKE:
“THE NEW WAY TO B”

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE OFFICIAL VIDEO

The innovative Piaggio Wi-Bike is the new way of moving: always linked to the world, it’s the eco-friendly vehicle of the future. Connected to the web and to smartphones to deliver a huge range of services, from fitness to geo-location. Wi-Bike goes well beyond the concept of an electric bicycle, providing innovative functions and new levels of interaction between cyclist, mechanical vehicle and the environment. It's really the new way of being ... tech, safe, fit, power, cool, social and green!

THE COMPLETE VIDEO TUTORIAL – ALL INFO ON WI-BIKE:

B-TECH

  • CONNECT YOUR SMARTPHONE TO THE WI-BIKE THROUGH THE APP.
  • MANAGE THE FUNCTIONS IN JUST A FEW TAPS.
  • BE GUIDED BY TECHNOLOGY.

By connecting your Wi-Bike and smartphone, route data and statistics will be recorded for each trip. Create the set-up you want: select the level of motor assistance, choose one of the three power settings, set up the navigation tools and start pedalling towards your destination.

B-SAFE

  • PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE SATELLITE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM.
  • PARK YOUR WI-BIKE WITH PEACE OF MIND.
  • 24 HOUR MONITORING.

Take your Wi-Bike wherever you want, without worrying. The satellite anti-theft system allows you to monitor it at any time, on the move or when it's parked up. What's more, the display, battery and motor are connected by a unique code: just remove the display to stop the Wi-Bike from working and being activated without you knowing. Wi-Bike provides the best of technology combined with the greatest security, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE VIDEO TUTORIAL: BE SAFE

B-FIT

  • GIVE YOURSELF A TAILOR-MADE PERSONAL TRAINER.
  • SET UP A CUSTOMIZED TRAINING PROGRAMME.
  • CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND REACH YOUR GOALS.

With Wi-Bike you'll have a real mobile personal trainer at your disposal. Decide how many calories you want to burn, the heart rate threshold or maximum effort you want to reach, and start your journey. Wi-Bike will do the rest. And if you prefer, you can set it up so that you arrive fresh and ready for your work meeting. With Wi-Bike nothing is impossible!

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE VIDEO TUTORIAL: BE FIT

B-POWER

  • CHOOSE FROM: CITY, HILL AND STANDARD. 3 RIDING MODES, AN EXTRA GEAR.
  • ADJUST THE MOTOR POWER LEVEL.
  • PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE INNOVATIVE VARIABLE ASSISTANCE..

There are three assistance modes that you can choose depending on the route you will follow: City, Hill and Standard. Thanks to the innovation of a motor that adapts to your needs, Wi-Bike helps you restart effortlessly when you stop, and adjusts according to the gradient when you need it, helping you go uphill and reducing assistance going downhill. Get on your Wi-Bike: from now on, no goal will be out of reach.

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE VIDEO TUTORIAL: BE POWER

B-COOL

  • ADMIRE THE UNIQUE DESIGN AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
  • ENJOY THE COMPACT MOTOR, 100% PIAGGIO-MADE.
  • TRAVEL IN STYLE.

Innovation combines with style in the all-Italian Wi-Bike design. The central electric motor, and transmission and battery located behind the seat tube, are harmoniously incorporated into the 100% aluminium frame, favouring optimal mass distribution and providing perfect stability and handling. Wi-Bike is more than a pedal-assisted bike, it's a lifestyle.

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE VIDEO TUTORIAL: BE COOL

B-SOCIAL

  • DOWNLOAD THE WI-BIKE APP.
  • SHARE YOUR RESULTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
  • PEDAL AND INVOLVE YOUR FRIENDS.

Sharing your results with friends makes them even more satisfying. Wi-Bike was created to be social. Using the dedicated app you can share routes and targets and let everyone know how much fun you're having with your Wi-Bike.

B-GREEN

  • THE RIGHT VEHICLE FOR SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY.
  • RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

  • FORGET THE CAR AND GET AROUND WITH ZERO CO2 EMISSION.

The pedal-assisted bike is the responsible choice for a better world and Wi-Bike is an alternative and eco-friendly means of transport: the Piaggio electric motor assists you up to a maximum speed of 25 km/h and helps you move around the city to reach your destination, forgetting queues and off-limit zones. Take a look at the beauty around you!

INFO:
www.piaggio.com/wi-bike/en_EN/#home

HERE THE ARTICLE ON THE COLLECTION OF ACCESSORIES CREATED FOR THE PIAGGIO WI-BIKE:
wide.piaggiogroup.com/archive/wide3_16/scooter/index_en.html#/Accessories2

Product

NEW PIAGGIO BEVERLY RANGE

EURO 4 ENGINES. ABS AND ASR NOW STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON ALL MODELS. THE BEVERLY BY POLICE VERSION MAKES ITS DÉBUT.

THE PIAGGIO BEVERLY RANGE, LEADER IN THE HIGH WHEEL SCOOTER SEGMENT, HAS NEW ENGINES, A MORE COMPLETE EQUIPMENT PACKAGE, NEW COLOURS WITH DEDICATED TRIMMING AND AN ALL NEW AND GRITTY PACKAGE BEVERLY BY POLICE.

Launched in 2001, Piaggio Beverly revolutionised the medium engine capacity scooter market, introducing a new type of vehicle with an attractive design, brilliant performance and extremely safe, not only because of the large diameter wheels, but also thanks to the motorcycle-style chassis. Beverly's commercial success has always been accompanied by constant updates that have kept it at the top of its sales segment and the desires of the most advanced metropolitan users. The latest is the arrival of the SportTouring top of the range version that introduced, for the first time on a scooter, the ABS/ASR safety system duo and an innovative 350 engine with record setting performance.

A FULL OFFER IN THE “HIGH WHEEL” SEGMENT

With Beverly, Piaggio completes its high wheel scooter offer capable of meeting any and all daily mobility needs. The Piaggio high wheel entry level is called Liberty, completely new and equipped with ABS and the new Piaggio i-Get engine in the air-cooled version. The passage from the entry level Liberty scooter to the large and luxurious Beverly is marked by the arrival of Medley, with a more complete standard equipment package that includes the “Start&Stop” system, the Piaggio i-Get engine in the liquid cooled version, ABS and an incredible helmet compartment large enough for two flip up helmets. The new Beverly range therefore represents two benchmarks in the motorcycling progression of Piaggio high wheel scooter customers.

THE CHANGES IN THE PIAGGIO BEVERLY 300 AND 350 FAMILY

  • The engines that power the Piaggio Beverly 300 and 350 have obtained Euro 4 approval. Both powerplants are advanced and modern units, designed to meet the increasingly strict European emissions regulations. This means that, thanks to the use of a new catalytic converter, a new silencer and an update to the electronic control unit maps, the two Piaggio single-cylinders become Euro 4 approved and maintain the brilliance and performance that have always characterised Beverly.
  • The entire Beverly range now has more features and a more complete standard equipment package. For all models, the ABS braking system and ASR traction control system are now included as standard equipment. The remote control to open the saddle and find your vehicle by making the turn indicators flash (“bike finder” function) also comes as standard equipment. The 12V socket, already included on the entire range, is replaced by the more functional USB port, handy to recharge any modern device. The entire Piaggio Beverly range is available in new and attractive colour variations, with brand new, dedicated trimming. Piaggio Beverly 300, 300S and by Police also have a new instrument cluster with ABS and ASR warning lights, and the rider can disable the latter using the button on the handlebar.

ALL MODELS OF THE BEVERLY EURO 4 RANGE

Piaggio Beverly 300: a classic in urban mobility. Safe, reliable, with its 278 cc single-cylinder engine providing generous performance. The 'Made in Italy' design is characterised by elegant and popular shapes, where details such as the LED daylight running lights and brake light play a prominent role. Ideal for city and suburban commutes, thanks to a perfect seating position for the rider, erect and relaxed with excellent air protection and the carrying capacity of the helmet compartment, large enough to hold two flip up helmets.

Piaggio Beverly 300 S: the most sporty version of Beverly adds dedicated colour schemes and matt dark grey painted details that give it a young and aggressive look. The Piaggio Beverly 300 S also stands out for its chassis, inspired by a motorcycle chassis, with the fuel tank in a central position under the foot board to centralise the weight (at the same time freeing up space in the helmet compartment) for a more satisfying and safe riding experience, whether in or out of the city.

Piaggio Beverly 300 by Police: a special version of the Beverly 300 born out of the combination of two Italian traditions of excellence like Piaggio and Police. This version also has all the technical characteristics that have made Piaggio Beverly so popular, including the liquid cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke, four-valve engine - quick, reliable and parsimonious (31.2 km/l in the WMTC cycle).

Piaggio Beverly 350 SportTouring: the flagship of the Beverly range stands out for its equipment package and the benchmark performance provided by the brand new 330 cc single-cylinder engine. This is a different and innovative unit, not only compared with the engines the power the Piaggio Beverly 300, but also compared with the competition in general. This is an engine designed to provide performance comparable to a 400 cc engine, but with compact dimensions and reduced weight in line with a 300 cc engine. This is the only engine in the category to use an automatic multiplate wet clutch that ensures better and more constant performance over time. Performance is outstanding in comparison with extremely low fuel consumption: over 30 HP of maximum power and 29 Nm of maximum torque, at 28.6 km/l fuel consumption (for the WMTC cycle).

VERSIONS AND COLOURS STYLE DETAILS

  • Piaggio Beverly 300 is available in the classic and popular Bianco Iceberg colour scheme or in the new matt Grigio Ardesia variation. Both are characterised by new stylistic details that they have in common, such as the black handlebar ends, the brown saddle with double “tone-on-tone” stitching, the final drive casing with black painted finish. There is also plenty of matt light grey trim, such as the luggage rack, the fork guards, the passenger footrests, the central tunnel and the wheel rims.
  • Piaggio Beverly 300 S is available in the classic and dynamic Blu Sport colour scheme or in the new matt Argento Cometa variation. Both stand out for the new stylistic details that they have in common, such as the black saddle with red and grey double stitching, the black handlebar ends and the new black painted finish on the final drive casing. There is also plenty of matt dark grey trim, such as the luggage rack, the fork guards, the passenger footrests, the central tunnel and the wheel rims.
  • Piaggio Beverly 300 by Police is available in the aggressive Nero Carbonio colour scheme and is characterised by the black saddle with light blue stitching, as well as plenty of chromium trim, such as the headlight and instrument cluster frame, the “tie” on the front shield and the mirrors with light blue glass. The “total black” look of this special Beverly version is highlighted by the plentiful black trim, such as the final drive casing, the handlebar ends, the luggage rack, the diamond edge wheel rims and the central tunnel.
  • Piaggio Beverly 350 SportTouring is available in four colour scheme variations: Bianco Stella, and Nero Carbonio (with black saddle and double red and grey stitching), Argento Cometa and Nero Galassia (with red saddle and double red and grey stitching). New matt dark grey details are matched to all four colour scheme variations, such as the luggage rack, the wheel rims, the central tunnel and the exhaust heat guard.

A WIDE RANGE OF DEDICATED ACCESSORIES

For the entire Piaggio Beverly range, a series of accessories is available capable of enhancing comfort and versatility in daily use. 37-litre top box colour coded to match the vehicle and comfort backrest colour coded to match the saddle. It is large enough to hold one flip up or two jet helmets.

Leg cover, practical and integrated with the vehicle. Indoor and outdoor vehicle cover. Electronic antitheft system with electronic key and remote control. Practical handlebar-lock mechanical antitheft device, clean, quick, safe and convenient. Tunnel bag designed to be positioned on top of the central tunnel without disturbing the rider. Windshield made of extremely high impact resistant methacrylate (4 mm thick) for excellent protection from the wind and cold. Transparent top fairing capable of increasing protection from the wind. Smoked top fairing (comes standard on Piaggio Beverly 350 SportTouring): provides greater protection from the wind and a further sporty touch. Matt black jet helmet, dedicated to the Piaggio Beverly 300 by Police.

INFO:
www.piaggio.com

Event

THE PIAGGIO GROUP AT INTERMOT 2016
NEW PRODUCTS BRANDED APRILIA, MOTO GUZZI AND VESPA

VESPA: AN ULTRA-NEW NEW ENGINE AND A BRAND NEW ENGINE CAPACITY FOR FLAGSHIP GTS, AVAILABLE IN THE 125 AND 150 VERSIONS. APRILIA: INTRODUCING THE TUONO 125 AND THE REVAMPED LEGENDARY RS 125. RSV4 AND TUONO 1100 IMPROVE AGAIN WITH EVEN MORE ADVANCED VERSIONS. MOTO GUZZI: AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE MGX-21, MOTO GUZZI INTRODUCES THE SPECTACULAR AUDACE CARBON.

European two-wheeler leader with a total market share of 14.8% in the period from January to June 2016 (up compared to 14.6% in the first six months of 2015) and a 26% share in the scooter segment, The Piaggio Group was held at Intermot 2016 (Cologne, 6-9 October) with important news that involves both the Group's motorcycle brands – Aprilia and Moto Guzzi – and Vespa, the most prestigious scooter brand that celebrates its seventy year anniversary this year. The German motor show kicks off the season of large events for the two-wheel world.

Next date with the news of the Piaggio Group at EICMA, Milan Rho Fair (10-13 November 2016): scooters, motorcycles and accessories.

www.eicma.it/en

VIDEO EICMA 2016 – THE BACKSTAGE

VESPA GTS 125 AND 150: CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY.

Vespa GTS 125 i-get.

The new i-get engine makes its début on the Vespa flagship in the 125 and 150cc engine sizes. And so, the large GTS uses the most technologically advanced powerplant: brilliant performance and low consumption thanks to a new and ultra-high efficiency. Two engine sizes are available: 125 and 150cc, both Euro 4 compliant, electronic injection, four-valve timing and liquid cooled. These are engines at the top of their respective categories in terms of performance and environmental friendliness. And the new Piaggio Group patented Start & Stop system called RISS (Regulator Inverter Start & Stop System) makes its début on the Vespa.

This system 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.
Also, now standard on all models in the Vespa GTS range are the remote control to open the saddle and Bike Finder, extremely convenient for finding your Vespa in a crowded car park by making the turn indicators flash.
The large, convenient, comfortable, extraordinarily protective Vespa GTS combines its elegantly urban and city spirit with the travel and tourism vocation which large Vespa have always embodied. From the GS in 1955 to the PX in 1978, touching on the Vespa Rally in 1968, the largest Vespas have always combined excellent performance and comfort, even on the longest and most demanding routes.
Vespa therefore reaffirms its technological cutting-edge which has always marked its past and introduces one of the most modern, advanced and safest vehicles in the world.

THE APRILIA NOVELTIES

In a market segment that is blossoming particularly well (+33.3% in September in Italy; year on year, Ancma data), Aprilia introduces important news precisely from its tradition in the entry level 125cc models: in fact, the Aprilia Tuono 125 makes its début, designed, developed and built in Italy. Powered by a modern and technological 125 cc, 4-Stroke, 4-Valve single-cylinder engine with electronic fuel injection and liquid cooling, the lines of the Aprilia Tuono 125 are entirely inspired by the larger Aprilia Tuono V4 1100. It has a frame made entirely of aluminum and is outfitted with high quality components.

Aprilia RS 125 MY 2017.

Also in the 125cc segment, the Aprilia RS 125 my 2017 is introduced, revamped with respect to the previous model, with fairings and aesthetics inspired directly by the larger Aprilia RSV4, the multiple title-winning protagonists of World Superbike.

Aprilia RSV4 RF.

And last, but not least, the large super-sport bikes in the V4 family themselves have been revamped by the manufacturer from Noale, thanks in part to the developments achieved by the Aprilia Racing department: in fact, the supersport Aprilia RSV4 and the naked Aprilia Tuono V4 earn new Öhlins suspension systems, a new braking system and an advanced electronics control package that also includes the Cornering ABS system, the pit limiter, the downshifter and cruise control.

On another essential note, both models mount the renowned Aprilia V4 engine (although in different versions), on which important advanced changes have been adopted that have allowed Euro4 approval goals to be achieved, as well as increasing reliability and performance overall, without sacrificing maximum power and torque.

THE MOTO GUZZI NOVELTIES

Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon.

The historic motorcycle manufacturer from Mandello del Lario, that celebrated its 95th anniversary this year, has introduced the new Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon at Intermot. Compared with the base version, Audace Carbon stands out for its various real carbon parts, its brand new electric commands on the handlebar and the more comfortable riding position. It has no chromium plating and every mechanical detail, painted dark as night, is contrasted by the matt red color chosen for the milled aluminum engine head covers, which in turn match the red color of the Brembo front brakes.

With the Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon, in Cologne also debuted the new Moto Guzzi California Touring. The MG flagship is available in an even more luxurious and better refined version. Comfort is increased without sacrificing any of the performance and rideability that have made the California Touring the point of reference fort its segment.

The new Moto Guzzi California Touring.

Event
AROUND THE WORLD/1

A GREAT SUMMER FOR VESPA

Vespa NÀNG - NTK Li Lam

VIETNAM, “VESPA NÀNG”. Photoshoots starring the creations of leading stylists and the world’s iconic scooter, spreads in all the top fashion magazines, participation at Vietnam fashion week and other initiatives: all part of the “Vespa Nàng” campaign (“She”). Highlighting an indissoluble style combo.

Vespa NÀNG - NTK Đỗ Mạnh Cường

Highlighting an indissoluble style combo, between the international fashion world and Vespa, global icon.

Vespa NÀNG - NTK Hà Linh Thư

Vespa NÀNG - NTK Anna Võ
Vespa NÀNG - NTK Lê Hà
Vespa NÀNG - NTK Rue Des Chats

View the Lookbook and stories about the relationship between fashion and the Vespa in Vietnam in this site:
vespa.com.vn/cau-chuyen-vespa/nang

INDIA: NARESH TAMBADE’S RECORD.

Naresh Tambade, 26, a high-court barrister by profession and a biker by passion is also involved in road safety campaigns. He recently set a national record in India: 1,638 km ridden in 24 hours on a Vespa SLX 150. The memorable trip was on the NH4 highway between Pune and Bangalore, at an average speed of 115 km/hour.

Here is Naresh’s interview with the RushLane daily, from which the photos are taken:
www.rushlane.com/naresh-tambade-vespa-rides-1638-km-in-24-hrs-12194252.html

ITALY, VESPA ON DISPLAY AT EATALY.

For the 70th anniversary of the Vespa, throughout the month of August, Eataly displayed some of the most stylish models in the history of the world’s favourite scooter in four of its top locations (Milan, Turin, Rome and Bari). The exhibits offered visitors the chance to admire historic two-wheelers like the Vespa GS, the Vespa 125 “Roman Holiday” and the Vespa 180 SS, and to take a close-up look at the special “70th” versions of the Vespa Primavera and the Vespa GTS 300, created for the anniversary. Two brands that stand for Italian excellence and creativity in the world, joining forces through technology, aesthetics and taste.

INFO:
www.vespa.com/en_EN

Event
AROUND THE WORLD/2

IN VIETNAM: EVENTS
FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW RANGE
CELEBRATING THE VESPA’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

LAUNCH OF THE NEW MODELS, AN EXHIBITION AND A GRAND PARADE ON THE ROAD IN HANOI. A SPECTACULAR SHOW IN THE VIVO CITY SHOPPING CENTRE IN HO CHI MINH CITY, WITH SELFIES AND TEST RIDES.

A great summer for Vespa fans in Vietnam, with an event-packed July and August to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the world’s most famous scooter.

The season began in early July, with the launch event in Hanoi (with VIP guests, dance performances and an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Vespa) for the new models in the 2016 range: Primavera 125, Sprint 125 ABS and Primavera 125 ABS (equipped with the latest-generation i-get engines) and the special “70” Limited Edition marking the anniversary, with the Primavera, GTS Super and PX models.

The cutting edge in style and technology, the new Vespa scooters offer even more exciting riding experiences, in complete safety, on every surface.

The launch event was followed by a grand parade through the city streets, in a festive colourful atmosphere.

VESPA SPECTACLE IN THE VIVO CITY SHOPPING CENTRE IN HO CHI MINH.

For two weeks in August, a spectacular display of Vespa scooters dominated the central hall of SC VivoCity, the new mega shopping centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

The display was a big vertical installation with large screens showing videos and a special area for non-stop selfies on the Vespa scooters; adding to the excitement, the show also featured performances of modern dance and body art, as well as test rides for people to try out the new range. An explosion of colour and merriment to celebrate the Vespa: “70 Years Young”!

Event
SOCIAL NETWORK CAMPAIGN

70 UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
TO LIVE WITH THE VESPA

Vespa has always inspired its fans to live memorable experiences. So, marking its first 70 years (1946-2016), Vespa is collecting the 70 most significant experiences to enjoy at least once in a lifetime, from which it will draw up the first official list. Via the Vespa social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), Vespa lovers from around the world are invited to share their most meaningful Vespa experiences, using the hashtag #myvespaexperience.

Their contributions are “transformed” into ad hoc fact sheets and subdivided into four main categories: Fun, Love, Adventure and Urban Life.

Then they are organised and posted on the website created for this unique “social campaign”.

70things.vespa.com

It’s fun – and inspiring! – to find out more about the “worth-living experiences” submitted by Vespa fans in the four categories, and vote for your favourites, helping to create the first "Vespa Bucket List" in the long story of the Vespa: a fantastic collection of the 70 most exciting experiences with a formidable icon… of life.

INFO & LINKS:
70things.vespa.com
www.facebook.com/vespa
twitter.com/Vespa_Official
www.instagram.com/vespa_official

FACEBOOK: 1 MILLION "LIKES" FOR VESPA

www.facebook.com/vespa

In early October, the official facebook page of Vespa, on the international web site, posted a nice goal: 1 million “likes.” For the occasion was created this animated “social card” dedicated to the Vespa fans:

And, it must be said, adding that even “likes” of the other official facebook pages present on numerous Vespa web sites of the various markets (Europe, Americas and Asia), the million doubles and, indeed, beyond; In fact, in the only fb page of Vespa India the likes are over 563,000, exceeding 100,000 in the Vespa Vietnam, and so on. No wonder: Vespa, you know, like, like, like... over 70 years.
And here is worth mentioning that, on the occasion of his 12th birthday (February 4, 2016), the ubiquitous social network facebook celebrated the “Friends Day” around the world through a series of videos and, in the first “viral” clip there was Vespa!

HERE THE ARTICLE:
wide.piaggiogroup.com/archive/wide1_16/scooter/index_en.html#/Event3

EVENT
APRILIA SR 150

INDIA: “RACE DAY” WITH THE
CHAMPION LORENZO SAVADORI

“INDIA, RACE DAY IS COMING” on 22nd August 2016, announced this video – seen by more than 1.6 million fans – and starring the original Aprilia SR 150 sports scooter. A completely new product on the Indian market, described by the media as: “India’s first sports crossover motorcycle”.

India, Race Day is coming.

MOTOGP RIDER ALVARO BAUTISTA RIDES THE SR 150, YOUTUBE APRILIA INDIA.

And when “race day” actually arrived, people also had the chance to book and purchase online (through the Paytm platform, one of the sector’s big players), at the launch price, the gutsy Aprilia scooter that marks the entry of the Italian brand – with 54 racing titles, one of the most successful names in world motor-racing – on to the huge Indian market.

Among the initiatives organised for the launch of the Aprilia SR 150 on the August “race day”, young rider Lorenzo Savadori (2015 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup world champion) met fans in a store in Mumbai, to answer the deluge of questions from enthusiasts. Lorenzo was also the “big surprise” for Adip, the first Indian customer to purchase an Aprilia SR 150. It was the Aprilia champion who knocked on his door and handed over the keys of the brand new sportbike scooter, before taking him off for a ride. Adip was thrilled, as you can see in this video clip posted on Aprilia India’s FB page. Here the link and below the video:

www.facebook.com/ApriliaOfficialIndia/

The Aprilia SR 150 Surprise

In September the deliveries of the Aprilia SR 150 to the Indian dealers continue, starting with the cities of Pune, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kerala and Chennai.

INFO:
www.apriliasr150.in

PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON THIS TOPIC:
wide.piaggiogroup.com/archive/wide3_16/scooter/index_en.html#/Product4

INSIDE

A VISIT TO THE NEW
VESPA PAINT SHOP

Pontedera, 23 April 2016: for the 70th anniversary of the Vespa, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi visited the Piaggio plant and the new robotised paint shop.

ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED CENTRES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY: STATE-OF-THE-ART METHODS, PROCESSES, AND TECHNOLOGIES. TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO.

THE NEW VESPA PAINT SHOP

Vespa has given itself a wonderful present to celebrate 2016 and its first, magnificent seventy years: a completely new paint shop implementing latest-generation technologies, one of the most advanced centres in the world automotive industry. The paint shop guarantees Vespa primacy in quality, enhancing the premium value of the world’s most famous and popular two-wheeler brand.
The new paint shop is located in the Pontedera facility, where Vespa scooters have been produced without interruption since 1946, in an area adjoining the previous unit and the vehicle production factory. The facility is 96 metres long with a total area of almost 1,000 square metres. The 20 million euro investment is particularly significant, since it modernises and enhances the cutting-edge positioning of an iconic brand, in the year when it celebrates seven decades of a long and important history.

Consistently with the quality that has always been a distinguishing characteristic of all Piaggio Group production, the new paint line has been designed and installed using the most advanced technological solutions and implementing the latest innovations. To guarantee the outstanding quality of the end product, a new paint application method has been introduced: it is entirely automatic, using robots with high-efficiency electrostatic cups to reduce over-spray and paint consumption. The line is managed by sophisticated control systems, which monitor the entire painting process.

The benefits of the new plant, designed and installed by Geico (the world leader in vehicle painting), include a significant reduction in energy consumption (and therefore cost) and greater quality control on the end product.
Special attention has also been paid to sustainability, thanks to stringent emission controls and containment of energy consumption. In the new facility, the emissions from the painting rooms, solvent evaporation and the paint baking oven are sent to an efficient fume incineration system, which eliminates the solvents. The rooms, which use 90% recycled air, generate significant energy savings compared with traditional paint shops.

The Piaggio Group confirms its standing as a company committed to both product and process innovation. A company that achieves excellence by using top-level technology to guarantee the highest quality standards and finishes for its vehicles, and pays constant attention to caring for the environment.

Markets
PIAGGIO GROUP

EXPANDED DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
ON INDIAN AND APAC MARKET

(The actor Naga Chaitanya, guest star at the recent launch event of the new Motoplex of Hyderabad, India, posing on Aprilia RSV4 RF and, in the pictured below, on Moto Guzzi California).

12 MOTOPLEX STORES OPENED IN INDIA, VIETNAM, INDONESIA, CHINA, JAPAN AND PHILIPPINES IN PAST FEW MONTHS. NEW OUTLETS RAISE WORLDWIDE TOTAL TO 140 MOTOPLEX STORES OFFERING PIAGGIO, VESPA, APRILIA AND MOTO GUZZI VEHICLES.

Milan, 11 August 2016 – Over the past few days, the Piaggio Group has expanded its distribution network in India and Asia Pacific (APAC) with the opening of 12 new Motoplex outlets, the Group’s multibrand stores. Specifically, the Group has opened three main Motoplex stores in India, one in Hyderabad in the State of Telangana, one in the megalopolis Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, and one in the coastal city of Kochi in the State of Kerala, for a total surface area of more than 1,300 square metres.

Together with the flagship store that opened in Pune last November, the Indian outlets will offer the Vespa, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia brands; the Aprilia range will include the recently launched low-cost Aprilia SR 150 sports scooter, which joins the Group's premium offer on the Indian market and discloses the launch of new products.

The Piaggio Group has also opened three new Motoplex stores in Vietnam, two in Indonesia, one in Japan in the Tokyo area, two main stores in China (one in Nanking, the ancient Chinese capital, and one in Hangzhou, a city located at the mouth of the Qiantang river), and one in Manila, its first in the Philippines.

The Motoplex stores will together offer the prestigious Group brands (Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi) to create an innovative multibrand flagship store formula, in line with the new global in-store experience strategy the Piaggio Group is developing in key metropolitan areas around the world. Motoplex is a forward-looking store concept enabling dealers to offer a variety of brands and products in the same location and give customers an exciting overview of the two-wheeler world.

The new openings bring the number of Piaggio Group Motoplex stores to 140 worldwide, flanking the traditional dealer network and covering the markets in the EMEA region, the APAC region (including India) and the Americas, where important openings are planned by the end of the year, in South America in particular.

INFO:
https://www.motoplexpiaggio.com

Markets

PIAGGIO GROUP: PLAN TO CONSOLIDATE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA CONTINUES WITH COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

LAUNCH OF THE NEW APE IN MEXICO. MARKETING OF THE NEW THREE-WHEEL VEHICLES DUE TO BEGIN BY THE END OF THE YEAR ALSO IN PERU, COLOMBIA, GUATEMALA AND HONDURAS.

Milan, 10 October 2016 – As part of its plans to expand and strengthen its operations on markets in South America, the Piaggio Group said it had begun marketing the Ape, its well-known three-wheel vehicle, in Mexico

“The Ape is already available in some South American countries,” said Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno, “but, in part thanks to its commercial vehicles, in the past few years the Group's growth plans in the region have been developed from a long-term perspective, rather than in connection with individual business opportunities. Today we have the support of reliable leading local partners, who are well-established on the market and have an extensive distribution and service network.”

APE’ CITY – OFFICIAL VIDEO

In Mexico, the Ape has been launched in the new Ape City and Ape Romanza passenger models. By the end of 2016 the Group also plans to begin marketing in Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras , where previous models of the Ape are already available and with versions for goods transport or that can be adapted for used as mobile shops.

APE’ ROMANZA – OFFICIAL VIDEO

In South America the Ape is widely used for taxi services to link suburbs with city centres, filling needs not covered by local public transport services.

Over the years, the Ape has also fuelled the development of a small business network based on mobile shops (mainly selling street food, a trend that is also growing fast in Europe), or small hauliers using the Ape Cargo.
The South American market for three-wheel commercial vehicles, considering the countries in which Piaggio is present, ships approximately 35,000 units a year, with volume growth of 52% in the last 6 years. In the commercial vehicles segment, in the first half of 2016 the Piaggio Group reported worldwide sales of 94,700 vehicles (94,000 in the first half of 2015) for net sales of 199.1 million euro (197.6 million euro in the first half of 2015). The figure includes spares and accessories , where sales totalled 22.4 million euro (+14.9% from 19.5 million euro in the first half of 2015). Piaggio is the leader on the Indian market in the cargo segment, with a share of 52.8%.

INFO:
www.piaggiocommercialvehicles.com/en_EN

m
MARKETS
ON THE COTE D’AZUR

FASCINATING FRANCE
ON THE APE CALESSINO

THE VAN IS A FIRM FAVOURITE FOR TOURIST TOURS, SHUTTLE SERVICES, WEDDINGS AND EVENTS. THE SMART PIAGGIO THREE-WHEELER INTRIGUES EVERYONE. AND BUSINESS IS GROWING WITH MANY START-UPS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

“Courses 83 Express”, a young French company based in Bandol, has staked everything on the Ape Calessino, offering passenger services with a driver (shuttles, events, weddings) and tours for holidaymakers.

The fleet of three-wheel vehicles (here known as “triporteurs”) with cream-coloured hoods, seats and doors, and bodies in blue, white and red (the colours of the French flag, no coincidence!), provides services in Bandol, in nearby Sanary and in St. Cyr-Sur-Mer, popular seaside resorts on the Côte d’Azur.

That’s not all: the company (which provides passenger services for both private and corporate clients) also offers tours for visitors to discover these three charming resorts in the south of France. How lovely to enjoy the sea breeze in a “Dolce Vita” setting, on a “slow” drive aboard a chic three-wheeler bursting with… “joie de vivre!”.

The Courses 83 Express Ape Calessino vans were also seen at Vespa World Days 2016, the great world rally held this year in early June in Saint-Tropez.

(The photos for the article are taken from the Courses 83 Express website).

INFO
www.courses-83-express.com

MARKETS

TOP-QUALITY STREET FOOD

STREET FOOD IS EVOLVING: BUSINESS SPECIALISATION IS GROWING WITH EVER MORE REFINED OFFERS INCLUDING SUSHI, TRUFFLES, BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, BIO SMOOTHIES AND GASTRONOMIC SPECIALITIES. NOT FORGETTING ITALIAN-STYLE COFFEE.

Street food is a flourishing and fast-growing business in and outside Italy today, with the Piaggio Ape and Porter cargo vans playing a leading role, thanks to the expertise of specialised outfitters who convert the flexible little vehicles into tempting bistrots on wheels providing an efficient, tasty and meticulously detailed service.

Porter and Ape Piaggio street food at the “Moto Guzzi Open House” event in Mandello del Lario (9-11 September 2016), celebrating the 95th anniversary of the Italian motorcycle brand.

The colourful vans offer a huge variety of food and beverages, with irresistible gastronomic delicacies in pride of place. Forget high-calorie rolls and carbonated drinks: the choice of snacks available in city streets during fairs, events and the countless festivals devoted to “itinerant food” has never been wider.

Foodies can sample sushi and oysters, truffle-based specialities, prime meats (such as Tuscany’s Chianina beef), organic delicacies (fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies, soups), buffalo mozzarella, every possible type of fried food, American-style barbecue fare like chicken wings, Italian coffee and fine wines, organic and gluten-free bread and pasta, polenta and even “risotto alla Milanese”, the ever-present pizza, in hundreds of different combinations, followed by cakes, desserts, ice creams, craft beers… and so on and so forth.
The “secret” of the vendors’ success is specialisation, selecting the top traditional gastronomic products and prime ingredients.

“Pizza Any Place” on an Ape in London: an initiative of Britain’s Universepizza Ltd. company in cooperation with Italy's Forni Dorigo.

"PIZZ'ARTI": the special outfit of Ape as pizzeria on the road version, realized by the X-Clusive Bike dealer, Torhout, Belgium

“Macchina Mobile Cafè” in Toronto on an Ape Piaggio, outfitted by Ken Johnson of Bayfield, Ontario. Below: another Ape vehicle realized by Ken, for a client of California; It is the "3wheel Cafè", in service to the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio; a young staff serving 600 hot and cold drinks in 4 hours. Happy hour…happy Ape!

MARKETS
FLEETS

EVERYONE WANTS
THE LIBERTY “DELIVERY”

DELIVERY SERVICE IN POLAND . In great demand among corporate users, the “delivery” version of the Piaggio Liberty continues to make new conquests. In Poland, for example, where the Delivery Service company (which specialises in food), recently acquired a fleet of fully-featured 50cc two-wheelers, equipped for delivery of gastronomic specialities with a personalised rear top box and front carrier. A nifty mover through city traffic, the Piaggio Liberty is the ideal scooter for fast deliveries!

The photos show some of the vehicles in the fleet sold to Delivery Service, operational in the Polish capital, Warsaw.

PAPA JOHN’S IN SPAIN. Kentucky, USA: in January 2016, “Papa John’s Pizza” (an American pizzeria franchise chain, with outlets in the USA, Latin America & Caribbean, Europe, Middle East & North Africa) announced plans for expansion in Spain, where it has signed a development agreement – to open 100 outlets in Madrid and the surrounding area – with Drake Enterprises AG (like Papa Johns in Chile), in the second half of the year. The roll-out is moving ahead, and the vehicle fleet for deliveries in Spain has already been chosen: 165 Piaggio Liberty 50cc 4-stroke scooters, in a “delivery” version.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON THIS SUBJECT:
wide.piaggiogroup.com/archive/wide2_16/scooter/index_en.html#/Markets5

INFO CORPORATE BUSINESS PIAGGIO GROUP:

https://www.fleet.piaggiogroup.com/piaggio-site-flotte.html

COLLECTING & MODEL BUILDING

“BUILD THE LEGENDARY VESPA 150 GS FROM 1956”

HACHETTE FASCICOLI HAS LAUNCHED IN ITALY A COLLECTION STARRING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR VESPA MODELS: DEVOTEES ARE RACING TO COMPLETE THE IMPRESSIVE 1:3 REPRODUCTION.

DVD preview "BUILD THE LEGENDARY VESPA 150 GS FROM 1956"

For the 70th anniversary of the Vespa, Hachette Fascicoli is publishing a news-stand original, “Costruisci la mitica Vespa 150 GS”, for people to build a static model of the world’s sportiest and best-selling Vespa scooter: the model whose unprecedented levels of power and speed transformed the image of the Vespa on its debut in 1955.

In a world first, Hachette is offering expert model builders an extraordinary reproduction on a 1:3 scale of the legendary Vespa 150 GS. The scale is important, providing surprising details to enable builders to discover and admire, bit by bit, the scooter’s aesthetic and mechanical elements in a stunning model.

AEach issue in the collection provides the components for the gradual construction of the Vespa, and a booklet with detailed assembly instructions as well as features on the Vespa world.

Moreover, the first issue comes with a DVD offering a preview of the main assembly stages of the faithful 1:3-scale replica and all its fascinating details: metal body, fake leather seat, which can be opened, steering handlebar, working stand and cooling fan and the unmistakable sound of the two-stroke engine, which can be activated via a remote control included in the publication. The collection has been produced under an official Piaggio S.p.A. licence.

INFO:
www.costruiscilavespa.it

“TAKE A SELFIE AND WIN”

www.facebook.com/notes/costruisci-la-mitica-vespa-150-gs/fatti-un-selfie-e-vinci-una-vespa-150-gs-in-scala-13-da-montare

PROFILE

The 150 GS (Gran Sport, Preseries VS1T, 1955) was the first sporty Vespa scooter to be mass produced, and was based on the competition experience of the Piaggio racing team. The engine, featuring a number of technical solutions tested on the Vespa Sei Giorni, was a direct injection model, capable of 8 Hp at 7,500 revs.

Collection of sport and racing Vespa models, at the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera (Pisa).

The four-shift gearbox, elongated seat and large 10” wheels introduced a substantial change in the line of the Vespa, which proved to be a robust vehicle capable of astonishing performance. The model was a milestone in the history of scooters: its technical and aesthetic characteristics led to it being described as the best-looking scooter in the world. And today the Vespa GS is still one of the most highly sought after two-wheelers among collectors.

Source:
www.museopiaggio.it

ADVENTURE
TO TURKEY AND BACK

DAVIDE ACQUANITA:
“VESPING TO ANKARA”

(Arrival in Ankara, the Turkish capital).

AN ITALIAN STUDENT SPENT A YEAR STUDYING IN ANKARA, UNDER THE ERASMUS PROGRAM. WHAT SETS HIM APART IS THAT HE TRAVELLED TO THE TURKISH CAPITAL ON HIS VESPA PX, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS “JADE”. AN EMOTION-PACKED AND EDUCATIONAL SOLO ADVENTURE FOR 2,500 UNFORGETTABLE KILOMETRES. THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE MADE THE RETURN JOURNEY HOME, ONCE AGAIN ON THE ROAD.

(Back home in Genoa, Italy, a year later).

For 70 years, from generation to generation, no other vehicle has kindled such a desire for adventure, travel, discovery. And for many of today’s youngsters too, not satisfied with the emotions of virtual reality, the Vespa stands for freedom and “real” life. So here is yet another story, brought to the attention of Wide by journalist and video-reporter Quintino Di Vona.

“Dado” & Jade.

Our protagonist is a young undergraduate from Genoa, Davide Acquanita (“Dado” to his friends), a student at the university’s Mechanical Engineering faculty: with a year of study planned at Ankara’s Gazi University under the Erasmus program, two years ago in August he decided to undertake a three-week adventure riding to the Turkish capital on a Vespa scooter. Alone, on the saddle of his PX 150 from 1999, following in the tracks of famous traveller Giorgio Bettinelli. “I got the idea after reading Bettinelli’s book ‘In Vespa’ about his ride from Rome to Saigon,” Davide told Di Vona during an interview.

Fired above all by youthful enthusiasm, Davide successfully completed the trip, “Vesping to Ankara” as he called it, recorded in a special Facebook page (the source of the photos for this article). He travelled down Italy from north to south, then crossed to Greece to head for the Turkish border.

A stopover in Tuscany.

With a great spirit of adaptability and inquisitive enthusiasm, sleeping in hostels, with friends, in a tent in campsites, Davide clocked up around 150 km a day. He reached his destination, with countless Italian, Greek and Turkish fans following his adventures via the web. The following summer, he was back on the road again on his Vespa, for the return trip home to Genoa.

Istanbul, Turkey.

TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS. A few snapshots of the trip from Davide’s detailed travel log: a procession of fellow scooterists to see him off from Genoa with a fanfare of horns; a stopover in the Massaciuccoli oasis in Tuscany (where Davide works as a volunteer in the summer); the father of a friend who gave the body of his Vespa a free anti-rust treatment; friends and strangers who helped him during the trip; conversations with Sho, a Japanese boy; Davide’s thoughts: “The human being is made to discover, to explore, to find out new things. And I don’t understand why there is so much cruelty in the world. It really would take so little for us all to lead the best possible life. All we have to do is look through the looking-glass, as Lewis Carroll wrote, and go beyond the simple reflection of ourselves”; the crossing at the Turkish border (“My first time outside the European Union”); five days exploring Istanbul; his thoughts after reaching Ankara: “It’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve met some special people, seen and visited places I don’t think I would ever have encountered otherwise. I’ve had fun, I’ve got to know a small part of the world and things about myself… The adventure has been a great big game. You have to have as much fun as you can, not forego anything if possible. Everything can be an enriching experience... And my homesickness was replaced by curiosity and a great desire to discover and explore the world in front of me”. In Vespa.

ON THE ROAD
AUSTRALIAN TRIP

AMANDA HUNTER:
FROM BRISBANE TO TASMANIA ON A PIAGGIO BEVERLY BV 350

(Amanda Hunter rode from Queensland to Tasmania with her Piaggio Beverly).

MORE THAN 6,400 KILOMETRES IN 16 DAYS. SHE TELLS US ABOUT HER PASSION FOR SCOOTER TRAVEL AND FOR THE ITALIAN BRAND.

A great story showing how a scooter can improve your life. It comes from Amanda Hunter, who lives and works in Brisbane, in the Australian state of Queensland. At the moment, she tells us, she is an admin officer at the “Queensland Fire and Emergency Services”; previously, she was a motorcycle mechanic in the Australian Army for 15 years, and enjoyed riding sports bikes. After a knee injury, Amanda left the army and, since she loves riding two-wheelers, decided to buy a scooter (the riding position is comfortable for her knee), the ideal vehicle, she says, for going to work every day and for traveling around in her free time.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Amanda continues: “My first purchase, in 2011, was a three-wheel Fuoco 500cc scooter. Then I bought the Beverly in 2013. I love riding the scooter: nearly everything I need fits below the saddle or in the top box, and off I go, free of cumbersome bags. I love the comfort, quality and technology of the Piaggio maxi scooter, with ABS/ASC and 12 volt jack, and I’m thinking about the Piaggio Multimedia Platform for my next purchase. I keep up with technological advances and the new models on the Piaggio Group websites, so I’m always up to date.”

Wineglass Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania.

As she wrote all this in a message to the Wide Piaggio Magazine staff, Amanda also told us about the great trips she’s made on her scooter: the latest, this year, from Brisbane to Tasmania. In 16 days, she made a round trip of more than 6,400 km, admiring stunning scenery and visiting place of historic and cultural interest (read her day-by-day account in the side-box). And now Amanda is already planning her next scooter trip. to Longreach, in central Queensland. Vai Amanda, vai!

THE ITINERARY DAY BY DAY

Amanda Hunter on her Piaggio Beverly during the trip to Tasmania.

“There was a whole group of us, with six two-wheelers, motorbikes and scooters, I was on my Piaggio Beverly BV 350cc. Day 1 – From Brisbane to Narrabri, 596.2 km, a temperature of 43°C with warm winds. Day 2. To Wagga Wagga, 680.31 km, a little chilly (16°C) and damp. Who would have thought it would rain here! After leaving at 8 in the morning, we had a pleasant ride with the GPS which takes us wherever we want to go. We reached our destination on schedule, but encountered some rain. For this trip I added a deflector to my Beverly, which I then put below the saddle. (Take a look at the photos Amanda sent us, ed.).

Day 3 – On the Victoria state border: light rain, cool and damp; we take the road for Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport (465.11 km); then the ferry to Tasmania, with a calm crossing. Day 4 – From Devonport to Strahan Village 239 km. A great walk to Cradle Mountain, in Tasmania’s National Park. After the heat of the hike, you feel the cold, so I quickly had to buy a jacket (and a souvenir).

Cradle Mountain, National Park, Tasmania.

Day 5 – An exploration of Strahan and Queenstown, this is the site of the West Coast Wilderness Railway: www.wcwr.com.au

Day 6 – From Strahan Village to Bruny Island, 379.65 km, an excellent climate for riding.

Strahan Village - Accommodation in Strahan, Tasmania

Day 7 – From Bruny Island to Port Arthur, 188 km. Fantastic weather and what you see in this photo was a delicious fish lunch for AUD $ 26.

Day 8 – A visit to Port Arthur, and a lot of walking! Day 9 – From Port Arthur to Swansea 201.85 km, the weather held, even in Swansea Caravan Park. Day 10 – Exploring Swansea Bay of Fires and back, 366.84 km.

EAST COAST TASMANIA – BAY OF FIRES

www.eastcoasttasmania.com/discover/town/bay-of-fires

Day 11 – Our last day in Tasmania, from Swansea to Launceston for the morning tea break, 315 km. Then on to Pipers Brook Winery for lunch. Then we go to the ferry terminal in Devonport, to cross back to the mainland.

Devonport: the “Spirit of Tasmania” ferries linking the island with Australia.

Day 12 – Australia, Melbourne; to Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road and “12 Apostles”, 309 km. Website: www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/
Day 13 – From Apollo Bay to Wangaratta, 434 km. We flew down the Tullamarine airport road, with a stopover in Seymour Victoria, which has memories for us army veterans. I was a motorcycle mechanic and my husband was an electronic engineer, and this is where we worked when we were sent to the area. We then passed through Glenrowan (www.visitglenrowan.com.au/) to reach Wangaratta, where we stayed the night.
Day 14 – From Wangaratta to Bathurst, 525 km. We stopped at the “Holbrook Submarine Museum”, and then at “The Dog on the Tuckerbox”, in Gundagai (New South Wales), an internationally famous Australian attraction.

A break for lunch in Cowra, where we visited the Japanese Garden.

After leaving Cowra, the Beverly (which has clocked up 36,500 km) had a problem with a sparkplug, which we sorted out as best we could… Day 15 – From Bathurst to Telegraph Point, 553 km… the Beverly was running at only 75% of power, but this was more than enough to complete the journey. We rode through the spectacular Upper Hunter Valley (www.visitnsw.com/destinations/hunter/upper-hunter). Telegraph Point is an interesting place too, with its Stoney Park waterski park. Day 16 – From Telegraph Point to Brisbane (and home!), 558 km. Today felt like the hardest day, joints and muscles have had enough. We got home in the afternoon, despite the traffic and roadworks along the Pacific Motorway…
P.S. Day 17 – The Beverly goes to “Brisbane Motorcycles” for a well-earned check-up and a new cable wire for the sparkplug. It now has more than 38,000 km on the clock: I bought it new in September 2013; we’ve done some great trips together: in 2014, from Brisbane to Tenterfield, Armidale and Coffs Harbour via Waterfall Way (www.visitnsw.com/things-to-do/drives-and-road-trips/waterfall-way), 970 km; in 2015, from Brisbane to Mitchell and back www.outbacknow.com.au/index.php/towns/detail/queensland/south_west/mitchell), 1,200 km; and from Brisbane to Canberra and back (Wall to Wall Remembrance), 2,600 km”.
(By Amanda Hunter).

Brisbane, Australia.

On The Road

EUROPE’S MOST EXCITING ROADS.
THREE OF THEM ARE ITALIAN

Stelvio Pass, Italy.

25 INSPIRING ROADS FOR YOUR NEXT TWO-WHEELER TRIP. THE AMALFI COAST, LAKE COMO AND THE STELVIO PASS ARE THREE OF THE BEST.

Kylesku Bridge, North Coast 500, Scotland (Image by Richard Wiseman/CC BY 2.0.).

The “Ultimate Summer Drive” (USD) is the “formula” that ranks Europe’s best roads. The scoreboard was drawn up after processing the results of an online survey, to which 14,000 riders and drivers from different countries replied, with the USD equation devised by psychologist David Holmes, and combining them with the findings of a European survey commissioned by TomTom from Censuswide in May 2016. Holmes analysed a series of characteristics of the routes, for example, hilly areas, surrounding scenery, stopping points, type of road (incline, surface condition, number of bends), traffic levels.
In the final ranking of Europe’s 25 best roads, three are in Italy. The scoreboard is of interest not only to drivers, but also to fans of two-wheelers, motorbikes or scooters, as a source of travel ideas. Here the best 25 roads in Europe, subdivided by category:

Best coastal roads: Amalfi Coast, Italy; Causeway Coastal Route, Ireland; Costa Brava, Spain; Estoril, Portugal; Dalmatian Coast, Croatia.

Amalfi Coast, Italy.

Best forest roads: 500 Schwarzwald Hochstrasse, Black Forest, Germany; A5 from Chirk to Bethesda via the Snowdonia Park, Wales; Los Alcornocales National Park, Spain; New Forest, England; Lake Como, Italy.

Lake Como, Italy.

Best mountain roads: Furka Pass, Switzerland; Stelvio Pass, Italy; Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria; Col de Turini, France; Trollstigen, Norway.

Route One, Iceland.

Best roads for an epic summer drive: From Inverness to Nairn Circular 500, Scotland; Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway; Route One, Iceland; Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland; Basque Circuit, Spain, France.

Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway.

Best roads of historic interest: Route Napoléon, Maritime Alps, France; Romance Road, Germany; The Marguerite Route, Denmark; Peloponnesus, Greece; Transfagarasan, Romania.

Transfagarasan, Romania.

PIAGGIO WI-BIKE AT THE FESTIVALETTERATURA IN MANTUA “ITALIAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2016”

The Piaggio Group was present at the latest edition of “Festivaletteratura” from 7 to 11 September in Mantua, “Italy's Capital of Culture 2016”. The Group’s involvement in the international literature festival, which this year celebrated its 20th anniversary, is now a tradition. Piaggio sponsored two events on Saturday 10 September, which attracted large numbers of visitors: “L’arte è il mormorio della storia” [art is the murmur of history] was the title of the meeting in Palazzo San Sebastiano with British writer Julian Barnes, author of “The Noise of Time”, and Peter Florence, director of the Hay Festival; “Luci della città” [lights of the city], at the Ariston Theatre, saw American writer Jay McInerney in conversation with journalist Stefano Salis.

The Piaggio Group was also present in Mantua’s central Sordello square, with a special display devoted to the new Wi-Bike: twenty bikes were available for free test rides through the streets of the town and down the enchanting lakeside road. The public responded with enthusiasm: more than one hundred residents and visitors to Festivaletteratura 2016 took the opportunity to take the innovative hi-tech Piaggio Wi-Bike out for a test ride.

INFO: www.piaggio.com/wi-bike/it


ITALIAN GREEN ROAD AWARD: THE CYCLING TOURISM OSCAR

The Cosmobike Show (16-19 September 2016, Veronafiere) saw the presentation of the “Italian Green Road Awards”, for the best tourist cycle paths in Italy. The first prize went to Friuli Venezia Giulia with the Alpe Adria, the second prize to Emilia Romagna with the Garda-Adriatico cycle route, and the third prize to Lombardy for the Valtellina Bike Path. The press award was given to the Eroica (Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany), with two special mentions for Abruzzo and Campania.

On The Road
“SLOW” TRAVEL

REPEAT OF A TOUR FROM 40 YEARS AGO:
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of a ride on their Piaggio Ciao mopeds from Sesto San Giovanni (Milan) to Raiano (L’Aquila), in June a group of friends organised a repeat of their “youthful” adventure. They set off on their beloved Ciaos, which they had been carefully tuning and restoring for months, for a ten-day round trip of more than 1,500 km from northern to central Italy.

L-R: the group of Ciao riders in 1976; the 2016 team that repeated the tour.

The members of the group are brothers Cesare and Tony Capitanio, and their friends Stefano Galante and Nadia Pirone, who were joined on the road by Ernesto Gaetani. They attracted a lot of coverage in the papers, which devoted a number of articles to their project. The trip was organised down to the tiniest detail: they even designed a special logo, placed on the front of the mopeds with the names of the sponsors and supporters, and the emblems of the municipalities of Sesto San Giovanni and Raiano.

Riders and vehicles displayed the same fighting spirit from 40 years ago, fulfilling their ambition to go back again to discover people and places. This is the great thing about “slow” travel, as fashionable now in Italy as it is abroad, with Piaggio scooters (especially the Vespa) and mopeds leading the way.
In their hearts, a thousand images, memories and emotions. Ciao guys! Ciao Italy!

REPORT ON THE “40TH SESTO SAN GIOVANNI-RAIANO”

“Mission accomplished, we can say with great satisfaction! Having left on 1 June from Sesto San Giovanni (Milan), at 9 in the morning, with an official send-off from mayor Monica Chittò, in three stages, riding about 200 km a day, we reach Raiano (L’Aquila) on Saturday 4 June, just before midday, to be welcomed by a square full of people and local dignitaries. Along the first 750 km of the trip (with another 750 on the return journey), our four faithful Ciao mopeds behave beautifully, apart from one that has a few technical problems, which we manage to solve en route by ourselves, thanks to the expertise of the group’s mechanic, Cesare, ‘the Ciao whisperer’. The weather alternates between a lovely June sun and strong summer storms, but they fail to stop our ‘slow’ trip. On Sunday 5 June, we are guests of the Raiano community, where, during the annual Cherry Festival, we are honoured to receive a stone sculpture by artist Diego Mostacci, presented to us by mayor Marco Moca.

On Monday 6, after some maintenance work on the mopeds, we start out on the second stage of the journey, which we know is going to be the most difficult since we have to contend with at least three or four steep ascents in the Apennines, which will test to the limit the power of our small engines and the resistance of our leg muscles, as we pedal for hundreds of yards to complete the steep climbs. After leaving Raiano, we travel along the old Roman road, the Tiburtina Valeria, to l’Aquila, where we ride through the streets in the centre of the town, which are still populated only by the workers involved in the reconstruction after the earthquake that struck l’Aquila in April 2009. Going through those streets and alleys, where the signs of the destruction that cost more than 300 people their lives can still be seen, makes a deep impression on us. From l’Aquila we ride to another lovely spot in the heart of Italy, Amatrice (one of “Italy's most attractive villages”, hit by an earthquake in August 2016, ed.), where we spend the night.

Amatrice (Rieti, Lazio), before the recent earthquake.

Tuesday 7 is a particularly demanding day in the mountains, up to the Forca di Presta Pass at an altitude of 1,550 metres at the foot of Monte Vettore. We face a tough 8 km climb, with an average incline of 13% and countless hairpin bends; but eventually we reach the peak, set in the enchanting scenery of the Sibillini mountains, and our reward is the majestic view of the slopes below the village of Castelluccio near Norcia, world-famous for its lentils, which colour the plain with a rainbow of yellow, red, blue, purple and green flowers.

The Castelluccio plain near Norcia (Perugia, Umbria), in flower.

Unfortunately, the flowering season is late, so we have to ‘make do’ with the beauty of the surrounding mountains and the village of Castelluccio perched on an upland plain. After a break for lunch, we set off again, and reach Foligno in the evening. Today, we travelled through three regions: Lazio, Umbria and the Marches.
Wednesday 8 we leave Foligno and ride to Assisi, which is always worth a visit, and our colourful Ciao mopeds attract the interest of many of the tourists in the town.

Assisi (Perugia, Umbria).

From Assisi we head for Arezzo: the great thing about this ‘slow’ trip is that it allows you to see places you would never find if you were speeding down a motorway. Who knew, unless you live there, that there’s a village called Ramazzano-Le Pulci [Flea Sweepers], which adjoins the village of Casa del Diavolo [House of the Devil]? We take another old Roman road, the Tiberina, close to Perugia, and leave Umbria to enter Tuscany: the weather is fine in the morning, but clouds over in the afternoon and it’s raining when we cross into Emilia Romagna. After another two challenging climbs, one of which is the Montecoronaro Pass at 865 metres, we stop in Santa Sofia for the night. Another day, another 200 km.

Thursday 9 is the last day but one of our trip, and we plan to ride down to the Via Emilia near Bologna, and then head North, as we did on the outward journey… spending the night near Parma. So we come to the last day of the journey. Friday 10 we ride the last 150 km on the Via Emilia, very monotonous compared with the landscapes we’ve seen previously. We reach Milan, ride across the city and at 4.30 p.m. arrive in the square in front of Sesto San Giovanni townhall, where our friends, some photographers and mayor Monica Chittò are waiting for us.

Our satisfaction at having successfully completed the project, a journey of 1,530 km, and creating a bond that went beyond the friendship of travel companions and enabled us to overcome the difficulties we encountered during the ten days, is mixed with a feeling of regret that this unique experience, which enabled us to see places of our bell’Italia few people know, has come to an end. It was heartening to see the interest generated by our small orange Ciao mopeds and to discover that many of the people we met had, or still have, a dusty Piaggio Ciao somewhere just waiting to be brought out again, to the point that we’ve coined the slogan: ‘esci il ciao!’ [get out the ciao!]. To conclude, a ‘slow ride’ takes you into a different travel dimension… the friendly hum of the small engines, the pleasure of riding along slowly, without being in a hurry to reach your destination, and the desire to encounter new places and people along the way”.
(The team of the “40th Sesto San Giovanni-Raiano” ride).

People

GÜNTER SCHACHERMAYR:
VESPA RECORD MAN

THE FREESTYLE RIDING STAR, A THIRTY-YEAR-OLD AUSTRIAN ENGINEER KNOWN AS “LUMPI”, HAS MADE HIS NAME AS A SCOOTER STUNTMAN, ATHLETE AND PERFORMER, WITH DISPLAYS ALL OVER THE WORLD. HIS FEATS ARE BREATH-TAKING… BUT DON’T TRY THEM AT HOME!

Günter Schachermayr Wiener Riesenrad

His spectacularly crazy exploits depend on detailed technical, athletic and organisational preparation. Beginning more than ten years ago, Austrian engineer Günter Schachermayr has transformed his passion for the Vespa into an original parallel “profession”, setting countless records. He “rides” his scooter vertically, along a steel cable; he executes leaps and turns from the saddle, often on just one wheel and riding “no hands”; he juggles with coloured rings; with a Vespa converted into a sort of “submarine”, he has even completed a ride at a depth of 5 metres, in a diving suit and with an oxygen tank; he speed races against Ferraris and Jaguars; he has undertaken rides on the ice and steered his “flying” Vespa through blazing obstacles.

There are no limits to the imagination in the stunts and feats “Lumpi” performs with enthusiasm and expertise. The 30-year-old Austrian is married to Sabrina, who is a member of his freestyle riding show team; they have two sons: Nico and… Kevin Vespa! This is the name chosen for their younger son and officially shown on his birth certificate. Günter is an engineer by profession: he employs his skills in preparing the vehicles for his displays. He is also involved in charity work: he and his wife, both dressed as Father Xmas, ride a Vespa to take toys to needy children during the annual “charity toy run”.

In an exclusive interview with the British monthly magazine Scootering, “Lumpi” revealed that his passion for the Italian scooter dates way back: his parents were Vespa enthusiasts and always encouraged him; at 16 he acquired his first Vespa, a 50 Special, which he bought with his savings. His first rally was the Vienna Eurovespa, and his longest trip as a youngster was to Pontedera, in Tuscany, to visit the Piaggio factory where the Vespa scooters are made, and the company museum.

His private “collection” currently consists of four Vespa scooters: TS 200, PK 125, PK 112 and TS 125. For his displays, he uses two 50.4 Hp 2-stroke scooters (one powered by a nitrous oxide gas fuel blend), carefully prepared to achieve the right balance between performance and technical safety.

A star of the world stunt riding and freestyle riding championships, holder of several records, “Lumpi” is planning other spectacular feats. And of course he was there at Vespa World Days 2016 in Saint-Tropez, where he didn’t go unnoticed!

(The photos and the video clip for this article were taken from Günther Schachermayr’s official website).

INFO:
www.guenter-schachermayr.at

Style

IT’S THE SEASON FOR… VESPA JACKETS!

Cotton bomber or leather jacket? Best to have them both: practicality, style, quality in winning combinations for the ever-green offers in the Vespa 2016 collection.

WHAT A DUO. The superlative quality of made in Italy and the expertise of the finest craftsmen for a timeless classic. Soft leather and an original style inspired by decades of racing on the saddle of a Vespa. The Vespa jacket – in two models, for him and for her – is made from calfskin, with a printed cotton lining. The jackets have been washed and waxed for a vintage look.

JUST FOR HIM. A classic bomber model: in blue, exterior in 100% cotton poplin cotton, interior in 100% jersey lining with camouflage details. She’s bound to want one too!

SWEATSHIRTS FOR EVERYONE. A wardrobe staple you can’t be without. Essential lines and quality for the Vespa sweatshirt in the “Colors Logo” line, for him, her, girls and boys.

The full-zip grey melange models are 50% cotton and 50% poly. They sport the Vespa logo to match the colour of the hood lining.

INFO & VESPA STORE:
www.vespa.com/en_EN

STYLE

MILAN FASHION WEEK:
POMELLATO & VESPA

POMELLATO NUDO KALEIDOSCOPE

Two examples of Italian excellence – Vespa and Pomellato – joined forces at “Milan Fashion Week” 2016. The two illustrious brands met up during the big event in the Milan fashion calendar in September. The result?

An equation of style and good looks, as follows: five young models for five Vespa scooters in a special edition by Pomellato, like the riders’ crash helmets featuring a central motif inspired by the new “Nudo” jewellery collection, dominated by an explosion of colours.

The Pomellato maison is a synonym for extraordinary creativity: it was established in Milan in 1967 thanks to the foresight of the heir to a family of goldsmiths, Pino Rabolini. Like the Vespa, it is famous all over the world, and many international celebrities ride the popular scooter wearing Pomellato creations.

INFO & PHOTOS SOURCE:
www.vespa.com/en_EN
www.pomellato.com/wx

Community

VESPA IN THE DOLOMITES:
500 KM AMONG THE WORLD’S FINEST PEAKS

Five hundred kilometres on the saddle of a Vespa scooter, admiring the stunning landscapes of the Dolomites, a UNESCO world heritage area, in the Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige regions and Austria. This is the “500 km delle Dolomiti” rally, organised by the Treviso Vespa Club over the weekend of 17-19 June 2016.

Sappada-Plodn was the locality in the Belluno Dolomites, on the Austrian border, chosen as the start and finish for the fourth edition of this international Vespa reliability trial for tourists and sports lovers. Among the 220 entrants who registered for the 500 km event, with riders from all over Italy, 15% came from abroad: Germany, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland. The 500 km is a challenging and fascinating ride for Vespa enthusiasts, which attracts growing numbers of competitors with each new edition. Snow, rain and fatigue are no obstacles.

This year’s special guests, reports Ivan Zanatta, vice president of the Treviso Vespa Club and the “driving force” behind the rally, were Gianfranco Montaldi, 84, from Verona, a former Piaggio rider, who completed the 500 km route on a Piaggio Mp3 three-wheel maxi scooter, and Antonio Zin, 92, from Vicenza, another former Piaggio rider and great Vespa enthusiast, who followed the race from Sappada.

Friday saw the first edition of the “Crono Sappada”, a reliability trial with prizes over a 70 km route, starting from Sappada and riding up to the source of the Piave, located within the municipal territory of Sappada.

Saturday was the main event, with the “500 km delle Dolomiti”: things got underway before dawn, with the registration of the participants from 5.15 to 5.30 in the morning, and the departure of the first group of riders at 6 a.m.; the second group left at 7.30 a.m. At 1 p.m., the first rider reached the intermediate finish at the Three Peaks in Lavaredo, where refreshments were provided for everyone at the Auronzo Refuge at an altitude of 2,330 metres.

Then it was back on to the saddle of the Vespa with the finish in Sappada that evening, and a party in the winding streets that make this Dolomite village such a unique spot, with its well-known traditions like the wooden Carnival masks, notably the Rollate, and the Germanic dialect that originated with the migrants who came down from the north. Not to mention the local gastronomic specialities.

The highlight of the third day, Sunday, was the Vespa procession through the old streets of Sappada. This was followed by a gala lunch at the sports hall in Borgata Kratten, and the award-presentation ceremony for the 500 km race. In first place on the podium was Paolo Wegher, second place Leonardo Pilati, third place Nicola Lonati.

THE 500 KM CIRCUIT: A HIGH-ALTITUDE TOUR. The circuit begins in Sappada and heads east, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, before turning north to go into Austria, via the hairpin bends of the Plӧcken Pass, to reach Kötschach-Mauthen and travel westward through the Lesachtal valley and back into Italy via the Puster Valley.

From San Candido the route changes direction again, through the Sexental and the Cadore region to Auronzo and Lake Misurina, climbing up to the majestic Three Peaks of Lavaredo for the intermediate finish. The second stage passes again through Alto Adige, via Dobbiaco, Plan de Corones and through the Val Badia to Corvara, then down to Selva di Cadore and Cortina d’Ampezzo. From here the route heads for Pieve di Cadore, the Pesarina Valley in the region of Friuli and then from Forni Avoltri to Sappada. The next rally will be held in 2018.

INFO:
www.500kmdelledolomiti.it

Community

ROSARIO VESPA CLUB:
FROM ARGENTINA TO SAINT TROPEZ

Impressive is a good way to describe the journey undertaken by four friends from the Rosario Vespa Club, who left Argentina to head for the “Vespa World Days 2016” big event in Saint Tropez, France, stopping off on the way in Rome at the end of May and in Pontedera, Tuscany: the photos (above) show them – the president of the Rosario Vespa Club Salvador Mateo Ruiz with Julio Bejarano, Gabriel Moscatello and Mauricio Lopez Salvatierra – in front of the Piaggio Group gates and in the nearby Piaggio Museum, where they admired our historic collection of Vespa scooters. Later, they set off again for the French coast to take part in the world Vespa rally (photos below).

The four friends had been making preparations and dreaming about seeing the “Vespa factory” and meeting Vespa fans from around the world at VWD for months, says president Salvador Mateo Ruiz (above right). And this year, the 70th anniversary of everyone’s favourite scooter, the dream came true. “We reached Saint Tropez on 1 June, setting up in the well-equipped campsite of the Vespa Village by the sea. We followed all the VWD events, and met other people from Argentina: Mauricio Lopez Salvatierra, Julio Bejarano, Gabriel Moscatello, Marcelo Seisas, Lucas Martin and Salvador Mateo Ruiz from the Rosario Vespa Club; Guillermo Lavat from the Quilmes Berazategui Vespa Club; Jorge Bayon from the Buenos Aires Vespa Club and Alejandro Balsamo, vice president of the Argentina Vespa Club. We also caught up with Sandra Carozzi and Mario Pecoraro, two Vespa enthusiasts from Trieste whom we met in 2014 when they visited Argentina. And we saw many other friends, from Italy and elsewhere. On the last evening, with the awards presentation, honourable mentions went to the countries that came from farthest away, Indochina and… Argentina! Finally, on 5 June, after an unforgettable rally, it was time to say goodbye to the thousands of Vesparados.”

The club is very active, organizing important events as well as rallies and convivial meetings. In May, for example, it collaborated with the Italian Consulate General in Rosario for the event “Tanti auguri Vespa!”, in cooperation with the Municipalidad de Rosario and the Museo de la Ciudad, to celebrate the scooter’s 70th anniversary.

With Vespa riders also coming in from Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Cordoba, a colourful procession of two-wheelers rode through the city streets to the gardens of the Consulate, where certificates of attendance were presented to all the participants (Courtesy Italian Consulate General in Rosario/Photo Silvio Moriconi).

On 4 August, the Rosario Vespa Club with Italian Consul General in Rosario, Giuseppe D’Agosto, visited the C.A.E.B.A. school, which runs literacy and basic education courses for young people and adults, and donated a number of tablets, purchased thanks to the generosity of the participants at the Vespa 70th anniversary event. A marvellous gesture.

The Rosario Vespa Club will also have a stand at the third edition of the “Exposición de motos”, organised by the Rosario Moto Club, at the Parque Nacional a la Bandera, from 20 to 30 October 2016.

NEXT VESPA EVENTS IN ARGENTINA:

THE BEST VIDEOS OF THIS ISSUE

MOVE BEAUTIFULLY

A series of new videos to enjoy and share, made by Piaggio, and starring our daily “travelling companions” like the new Medley, Liberty and Wi-Bike two-wheelers, or three-wheelers like the fantastic MP3: vehicles that transform mobility, that blend technology, ideas and design, that show the world the fun side of functionality and the stylish side of practicality. So the daily commute to work or school – despite fog or traffic, with hundred things to do – turns into something exciting, and makes the trip the best part of the day.

Piaggio: Move Beautifully
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Traffic
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Errands
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Wi-Bike
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Puddle
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Roundabout
Piaggio: Move Beautifully - Fog

INFO:
www.piaggio.com

MY VESPA MOVIE

VESPA 150 GAS MONKEY STYLE

Five and a half minutes of pure pleasure for Vespa devotees. This popular slide-show (posted on YouTube by Xisco Clapes) reveals, step by step, the original restoration by the GasMonkey garage of Mallorca (Spain) of a vintage Vespa 150, inspired by the famous Gas Monkey garage of Dallas, Texas, USA (a super garage of restorers specialised in classic&dream cars, the star of the Fast N’ Loud TV show on Discovery Channel).

Vespa 150 Gas Monkey Style

The result is impressive: a racing look and sporty spirit; it makes you want to get on a scooter and drive off, towards new adventures.

FROM RUSSIA, A TOTAL BLACK LX

“Kaonashi” is the name of the Vespa LX 150 customised by the Butcher Garage in St Petersburg, by young preparer Alex Mazan and his team. Black, smart, aggressive, with stylish details such as a handmade saddle in two types of leather. Batman would certainly approve! (Photo credit: Roman Sokolov).

YOU AND YOUR VESPA
ON WIDE!


Every Vespa scooter, whatever its age, whatever the model, is a cult object, a collector’s item to be treasured, cared for and kept for years after any other vehicle would have finished its working life. The WIDE feature “My Vespa Movie” is dedicated to everyone who rides off to work on a brand new Vespa every morning, to everyone who fondly conserves a Vespa handed down in the family from generation to generation, to everyone who lovingly cherishes a vintage Vespa.

MAKE YOUR
VESPA MOVIE!

Make a short video with your Vespa to tell us what the Vespa name means to you. You can tell the story of your scooter or recount a trip you’ve made together. You can include shots of daily life, or evoke the emotions you have shared.
The videos we select will appear on Wide, in the feature “My Vespa Movie”, to present you and your Vespa, the most special scooter in the world, to Vespa devotees all over the globe. Because every Vespa story is unique.

Send your video clip video to: wide@piaggio.com