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BELLISSIMA VESPA 946
2014 COLLECTION

VESPA 946, THE MODEL OF EXTRAORDINARY EXCLUSIVITY WHICH HAS ALREADY BECOME LEGEND, PRESENTS THE OUTSTANDING COLLECTION 2014


Two new colours, Grey and Blue mark the new collection as well as the strict colours Black and White – now off list and delivered to the Vespa history – marked the production in 2013. The 2014 Collection pays homage to the highest levels of Vespa tradition and Italian design with elegant shades of silvery grey and blue. Timeless colours that perfectly interpret the bold and modern lines of the Vespa 946.



Vespa has always been able to go beyond its initial function in the decades to become a unique point of view to interpret the changes in our society, accompanying the most profound social changes. The arrival of two colours so elegant on that masterpiece of engineering and high-level manufacturing that is Vespa 946 means recovery values of classicism that are inherently linked to the history of the Vespa brand.
The new collection is distinguished by the elegant new black aluminium alloy wheel rims and by the new design of the LED turn indicators, style details that distinguish the new series of the Vespa 946. The seat also changes taking on a smaller form than that seen on the first collection of Vespa 946. In this case as well it serves as reminder and complete reinterpretation of a distinctive sign of Vespa. The bold structure, made of aluminium, which caused a sensation in the first collection of Vespa 946 is confirmed in its design but reduces its size to accommodate a reduced seat that further enhances the stunning lines of the 946.

THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES

Vespa 946 continues the legacy of a humanistic approach to design, in which the human figure is at the same time creator and focus of the creative idea. An orientation to the definition of a unique object that comes from the Italian tradition of design, technique and precious workmanship.
Conceived as a precious work of Renaissance art, but made with the best technologies of the XXI century, the Vespa 946 is designed on a human scale. The attention to fuel economy and emissions reduction, the fully digital instrumentation, a beating heart and modern technology, perfect to cover the distances and cross the city, match to the finest materials in a masterful build quality so as to make it a unique design not only in the history of the Vespa but throughout the world of two-wheeled motor vehicles.

CITIZEN OF THE WORLD

In almost seventy years of history, and after more than 18 million units sold worldwide, Vespa has managed to unite youths of distant and different cultures through a single passion. First truly global brand of mobility Vespa has interacted with social environments distant from each other, creating different cultural phenomena, characteristics of the reality in which it has been able to immerse itself to take on the role of distinctive protagonist. It has accompanied revolutions of customs, music and youths. It has stood at the side of human advancement. It made them soar during periods of economic prosperity. And today it stands as one of the most renown Italian products sold around the world.
Bellissima, the 2014 Collection of Vespa 946 is born to take the world of turbulent change by the horns.

A STYLE THAT REWRITES THE FUTURE

The legendary silhouette of the Vespa has become part of design history. A few brilliant strokes of the pen gave birth to a symbol of Italian creativity and started an unbroken history of extraordinary success. A modern epic in which the main characters are fun and the freedom of movement, with unmistakable style, on every street around the world.
A look at the 946 brings to mind the creativity and ingenuity that gave rise to the original Vespa. Behind the breathtaking lines of the first scooter with its monocoque body, advanced technology today is designed to make progress in a user and eco friendly view. As the MP6 prototype which serves as inspiration, the Vespa 946 seems to come directly from the best technology of its time.
The concepts that inspired the sharpness of the forms of that distant prototype have been embraced and accentuated due to the possibilities that, nearly seventy years later, are now possible thanks to the most modern materials and advanced manufacturing processes.
The completely open back of the Vespa 946 is accentuated by the elegant and bold solution of the suspended saddle. Only sophisticated aluminium die-casting can support it, whilst maintaining a light appearance that never fails to please.
Its monocoque body is as exclusive as a modern sculpture. The Piaggio Design Centre has performed important and innovative work on surfaces and sections with bold signs in mind, without betraying the softness of lines that every Vespa must have, to capture the eye in an alternation of concave and convex forms, which extend the general line giving new dynamism and modern appeal to the 946. Marked by lateral slits, the bare bodyshell has a vaguely biomorphic and futuristic shape.
The 2014 Collection of Vespa 946 will feature a body only in tints of Blue, with seat and details of Black and Grey with Red seat and handlebars. Thus, as is tradition, it is a collection destined to go out of production within the end of the year so as to make all units of the Vespa 946 made in 2014 authentic pieces that are both unique and unrepeatable.
As always in the history of the Vespa, the body is a steel frame - now enhanced by the aluminium parts among which the fender and side covers - which also has a supporting function that houses and supports the engine, transmission and all the mechanical parts.
Vespa 946 distils and condenses the best characteristics of Vespas which over the decades have preceded it, admirably entwining the best of the features of the various Vespa families.
The front mudguard, fully in aluminium, covers with the usual elegance the 12 inch wheel. The same size as the rear wheel. The new Collection now features all new separable aluminium alloy wheel rims. The braking system, in search of maximum safety, is double disc and comes complete with two-channel ABS system controlled by a control unit with dedicated software.

A MASTERPIECE OF ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

Details such as the handlebars that feature sewn trim with needle and thread, aluminium parts fitted manually, one by one in monocoque steel body, a dedicated production line, more like an haute couture atelier than a production line make this Collection stand out. Vespa 946 is built by human skill, piece by piece, carefully crafted with glorification of manual labour as the most valuable Italian manufactured crafts.
The section where the Vespa 946 is assembled is completely new, modern and features cutting-edge technology. The assembly line is unique, specifically designed and created for this milestone in the history of the Vespa, and offers a wonderful melange between the most advanced manufacturing technology and processing accuracy of craftsmanship.

A JEWEL OF TECHNIQUE

The suspension compartment of the Vespa 946 uses the traditional front swinging arm, one of the stylistic features of the Vespa since it first started production, while the rear suspension is distinguished by the use of an innovative solution. In fact, for the first time in the history of Vespa, the suspension consists of a gas unit with five preloaded adjustable positions mounted horizontally with a sophisticated progressive linkage system. A solution which has made it possible to recreate the pure and delicate lines of the rear of the Vespa 946.
The lights are one of the hallmarks of the Vespa 946. They stands out in particular for the fact that the headlamp is manufactured using a full LED technology system with heat dissipation. The full LED technology is also featured on the tail lights with stylish turn indicators, redesigned for the Collection 2014, flush with the body so as not to affect the lines of the Vespa. The full LCD multi-purpose dashboard is also a crowning jewel of technology.
The saddle, mounted on an aluminium support, is an extraordinary design element, capable of gracefully marking the overall design of the Vespa 946, at the service of functionality. Hinged to the body on a cast aluminium support, the rider and passenger saddle is made by hand of fine waterproof fabric.
Vespa 946 is equipped with the innovative ASR traction control, an advanced electronic system which prevents slippage of the rear wheel, avoiding loss of adhesion and always ensuring optimal traction. A unique technological sophistication of the Piaggio Group, for the first time on Vespa.

A MODERN AND ECO-FRIENDLY HEART

The Vespa 946 also pioneers tomorrow's engine technology. The pulsating heart of the Vespa 946 is an extremely modern engine which reveals the lines of development of engines of the future, characterised by reduced fuel consumption and a dramatic reduction of gaseous and noise emissions.
The single cylinder 125 cc 4 stroke, 3 valve, air cooled engine with electronic injection represents Piaggio Group's state of the art technology in scooter engines. The engine has been entirely designed, developed and manufactured in Pontedera, in the largest plant of the Piaggio Group, which is one of the most important and advanced research, development and production centres in the engine field worldwide. This engine is born from the challenge that the Group has taken on: to provide an increasingly more evolved customer with a product that guarantees performance, reliability and safety while also leading the field in respect for the environment.
In the search for the best performance/fuel consumption ratio, the 3 valve timing solution is the most effective because it improves intake, increasing engine efficiency compared to conventional 2 valve engines. The cooling system has been the subject of careful analysis in order to improve performance even further, thereby obtaining a significant reduction in terms of acoustics and power absorption.
The injection system is state of the art in terms of functionality and rideability, with automatic idling control and closed-loop fuel mixture management with lambda probe. The three dimensional maps of advance, titre and injection timing are managed by a new generation control unit. Together with the trivalent catalytic converter, compliance with Euro3 standard is guaranteed with ample margin, also with a view to future legislation, increasingly stringent in terms of reduction of polluting emissions.

VESPA 946
TECHNICAL DETAILS



Tradition and innovation: Monocoque body made of sheet steel with aluminium elements: handlebar, saddle support, side panels, front mudguard, rearview mirrors supports.

Maximum safety: 220 mm dual disc brake, ABS dual channel braking system, ASR traction electronic control system. Large 12 inch wheels, dismountable aluminium alloy wheel rims.

Ecology and economy: 125 cc 3V engine, electronic injection, fuel consumption and emission reduction at the top of the category.

Technology and style: LED headlamp with heat dissipating system, LED tail light and turn indicators, full LCD multi-purpose dashboard.



Product

TO EACH HIS OWN “THREE-WHEELER”:
MP3 AND BROTHERS

THE PIAGGIO GROUP’S BROAD RANGE OF THREE-WHEEL SCOOTERS IS CERTAIN TO INCLUDE A SOLUTION FOR EVERY TYPE OF MOBILITY REQUIREMENT. THIS ARTICLE LOOKS AT ALL THE MODELS AND THE MARKET SEGMENTS THEY TARGET


One of the merits of the Piaggio Group is that it was the first to believe in three-wheel mobility as an alternative to traditional two-wheel scooters. In 2006, the “extra” wheel of the Piaggio Mp3 – the world’s first three-wheel scooter – was a watershed in the conventional scooter segment, bringing greater safety, riding pleasure and practicality; qualities finally available for everyone.
The Piaggio Mp3 is the link connecting the world of automobiles with the world of motorcycles: riding safety comparable to that of a four-wheel vehicle combined with the typical practicality of a classic scooter. The worldwide success of the Piaggio Mp3, which has sold more than 160,000 models, has attracted a number of new competitors in recent years, but the Piaggio Group is still the only player offering a full range of three-wheel scooters, to satisfy every type of daily mobility requirement. Here they are.

MP3 + HYBRID + YOURBAN + FUOCO: THE FANTASTIC FOUR!

PHOTO GALLERY

The Piaggio Mp3 is available in two displacements, 300 and 500cc, each offered in two different versions – Sport and Business; there is also a Hybrid model, the first in the world with a parallel hybrid powertrain and plug-in technology. The Yourban is a lighter urban version of the Piaggio Mp3. All the models – as well as the more essential sporty Gilera Fuoco 500 – are available in LT versions, so can be driven with a normal car licence. They also share the same innovative technical configuration for the front suspension, an articulated tilting quadrilateral system (complete with patent), which enables the rider to turn and tilt in the same way as on a two-wheeler, but with double the grip and double the deceleration, since each wheel is fitted with a brake disk.

THE NEW PIAGGIO MP3 - TECHNOLOGY
An important and exclusive feature of the articulated quadrilateral front suspension is the “ERL” lock, controlled by a handy button on the handlebar. All the current models provide a suspension lock: this can be activated when speed drops to less than 20 km/h, enabling the scooter to stay upright and stable without you having to put your foot on the ground. The lock can be released manually, or automatically when you accelerate. So you reach destination without ever taking your feet off the footboard, for increased riding comfort and greater safety in controlling the vehicle when stationary. The suspension lock is also a very practical solution to park the three-wheeler anywhere, without the risk of it tipping over: on an incline (there’s also a parking brake) and even on unstable ground.

HIS MAJESTY PIAGGIO MP3 500 LT ABS/ASR: THE TOP OF THE RANGE

PHOTO GALLERY

This is the top-of-the-range model in the Piaggio Group three-wheeler family. Fresh from its market debut, the latest arrival significantly enhances the already high standards of safety, drivability and practicality of the previous Piaggio Mp3 generation. Today, it is the first and still the only three-wheeler on the market with ABS antilock braking and ASR anti-slip regulation, a Piaggio exclusive based on the Group’s expertise in electronic applications for its motorcycles (Aprilia and Moto Guzzi) and premium scooters.
Available in two versions, Sport and Business, this model targets a demanding user who wants the best in performance (with its maximum 40 hp, the Piaggio Mp3 500 LT is the most powerful in its category), in comfort and, of course, in active and passive safety. The new Piaggio Mp3 500 LT is a luxury sedan on three wheels, ideal for commuters covering long distances every day from the suburbs into town, along dual carriageways, ring-roads or motorways, and even in bad weather. The Piaggio Mp3 500 LT is the ultimate vehicle: for riding safely in winter weather, for moving quickly through cities and for trips into the countryside with a passenger. In every season, in all conditions.

THE METROPOLITAN PRINCE: THE PIAGGIO MP3 300 LT ABS/ASR

PHOTO GALLERY

The new Piaggio Mp3 300 LT ABS/ASR has the same technical base and the same frame as the newly launched Piaggio Mp3 500 LT, but features a 300cc engine. The lower weight and easy-to-manage fuel-efficient engine make this scooter particularly suitable for people travelling through city traffic every day, while ensuring speed and safety on ring-roads and motorways. It delivers 23 hp, sufficient for city travel, and has the advantage of great fluidity on extremely low fuel consumption.
The spacious compartment below the seat means you can keep all vital personal items with you and also stow two full-face helmets comfortably. The Piaggio Mp3 300 LT, available in Sport and Business versions like the 500 LT, is notable for its design, the quality of its finishes and its rich array of standard features.

THE PIAGGIO MP3 YOURBAN 300 LT: YOUNG, AGILE, LIGHT

PHOTO GALLERY

The Yourban is the most metropolitan, agile and lightweight scooter in the Piaggio Group three-wheeler family. Compared with the other models, it is more compact and has an appealing youthful design, as well as a generous compartment below the seat. It is also the easiest to ride and to handle when stationary. The reduced weight and the 23 hp of the 300cc single-cylinder engine ensure sparkling performance and a quick standing start worthy of the best conventional scooters with the same displacement.
The Yourban is intended for users who want the typical safety of the Piaggio Mp3, with a sporty modern design and the dimensions and weight of a traditional scooter. Another feature of great interest is the price: this is the lowest-priced of all the Piaggio Mp3 scooters and one of the least costly in its category.

ECO-FRIENDLY AND COST-EFFECTIVE: THE PIAGGIO MP3 HYBRID 300 LT

PHOTO GALLERY

This was the first and is still the only three-wheeler with a sophisticated hybrid powertrain, which cuts toxic emissions and fuel consumption by more than 50%. The state of the art in urban mobility, this model provides the advantages of a 300cc internal combustion engine with those of an electric motor with plug-in technology (so you can recharge its lithium-ion batteries from the electrical grid).
The electric engine works synergetically with the combustion engine, cutting consumption and emissions and simultaneously enhancing performance, which, when accelerating, is comparable to that of a 400cc engine. In city areas with traffic restrictions, the hybrid can function in electric mode only. The Piaggio Mp3 Hybrid 300 LT is intended for a public sensitive to urban pollution issues, looking for a clean, technologically advanced vehicle that can be used in town all year round. A vehicle truly capable of looking to the future, indeed of heralding it. But a public unwilling to forego the safety, comfort and practicality typical of all the Piaggio Mp3 scooters.

THE SPORTY FUN-LOVING “COUSIN”: THE GILERA FUOCO 500 LT

PHOTO GALLERY

The sporty version of the Piaggio Mp3 is called Fuoco, and is proudly made by one of the best-known Italian brands in the world: Gilera. The Gilera Fuoco 500 LT implements the Piaggio Mp3 500 LT MY 2013 technical platform and powerful 40 hp single-cylinder engine, the top performer in the three-wheel scooter segment and one of the most powerful on the market. The distinguishing feature of this scooter are its sovrastructures, whose essential and very personal sporty design show off all the technological appeal of the tilting articulated quadrilateral front suspension to full advantage.
Powerful, instinctive, fun and safe: these are some of the key characteristics of the Gilera Fuoco 500 LT, a three-wheeler for users who want to be seen on a vehicle with a strong sporty character, which is also comfortable and safe in all conditions, in and outside the city. A vehicle that ensures the thrills of a true motorbike on bikers’ favourite roads, thanks to its exceptional grip on bends, and the thrust of its potent single-cylinder engine with almost 500cc of displacement. Maximum safety, maximum pleasure.


INFO:
www.piaggio.com - MP3 website
Product

NEW APE CALESSINO 200 HL:
VERY ELEGANT

NEW AESTHETICS, NEW STYLISH FINISHING, 200 CC PETROL ENGINE FOR THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF A TIMELESS ITALIAN LEGEND



Out of the success of Ape Calessino 200 a new version of the most beloved three-wheeled vehicle in the world arises, even more elegant and full of features. It is the new Ape Calessino 200 HL (High Line).

The new Ape Calessino 200 HL
The new Ape Calessino 200 HL combines its unique image and the efficiency of its 200cc petrol engine with revamped aesthetics with stand-out features such as the exposed spare tyre with its cover that shows off the traditional word Ape and is made in fabric to match the colour of the seats, the new rear lights painted to match the front lights, the edge cover that elegantly lines the driver's cab with chromium insert and the colours of the Italian flag at the centre.
Some of the new finishings include wheel covers with the Ape logo, new handles, the wheelhouse cover that reduces the space between the wheel rim and the frame and a new number plate light. The Ape Calessino 200 HL look has also been revamped thanks to the inserts on the top, the rear pockets and the driver glove compartments decorated in tartan, as well as the seats with brown piping and the dashboard colour coded to match the seats. Ape Calessino 200 HL is available in the Artic White colour scheme.

PHOTO GALLERY


Ape Calessino 200 HL stems from more than sixty years of Ape tradition, a one of a kind vehicle that has become part of the Italian landscape. Beginning in the ’50s, Ape Calessino established its timeless charm, attaching its image to the celluloid frames of the Dolce Vita, to Hollywood divas on holiday in the Mediterranean isles, where they would often be captured by paparazzi and photographed in the Ape that was used to move about in the holiday towns. Today Ape is a legend, always able to astonish, standing out with its unique personality. Conceived specifically for small businesses and perfect for transporting goods even in the narrowest city streets, Ape has always been an alternative and a bit snobbish choice for personal mobility. The new Ape Calessino 200 HL is therefore a tribute to the history of a highly original vehicle and an exclusive offer for mobility in absolutely chic environments. It is a perfect reinterpretation of the legendary design from the ‘60s an it is evocative of all the resplendent values typical of the Mediterranean.

PHOTO GALLERY

The photos (Monica Volpi) and videos (Matteo Rossini) services, starring the new Ape Calessino 200 HL, were made in Tuscany; We thank the prestigious locations:
Villa Museo Puccini (The Giacomo Puccini villa-museum), Torre del Lago (Lucca).
INFO: www.giacomopuccini.it
Porto di Pisa (The Pisa Harbor), Marina di Pisa (Pisa).
INFO: www.portodipisa.it
Event

THE PIAGGIO GROUP AT THE COLOGNE SHOW

THE EAGERLY AWAITED NEW MODELS FROM MOTO GUZZI AND APRILIA MAKE THEIR DEBUT AT INTERMOT 2014, THE 50TH EDITION OF GERMANY’S TOP MOTOR SHOW


Cologne (Germany), 30 September 2014 – Italian motorcycles dominated the opening of Intermot 2014 in Cologne. During the international press day, at a world preview Aprilia and Moto Guzzi unveiled two of the Group’s most important new two-wheelers for the 2015 season: the latest generation of the Moto Guzzi V7 and the new Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally.

PHOTO GALLERY

Cologne’s Intermot show (1-5 October 2014) is one of the most important and traditional motorcycle exhibitions in the world; this year, it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a show attended by 900 exhibitors from 35 countries.

Piaggio Group - Intermot
In addition to the three new Moto Guzzi V7 II bikes – V7 II Stone, V7 II Special and V7 II Racer – and the Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally, the Piaggio Group showed the best of its extensive motorcycle and scooter ranges. Beginning with the 2014 Vespa 946 collection, Bellissima, flanked by the Vespa GTS, Vespa Primavera and Sprint ranges, and continuing with the Piaggio MP3 range, the Beverly SportTouring and the X10. The Group’s motorcycle brands were equally well represented, with the Moto Guzzi California, Touring and Custom, side by side with the MG Griso and the Stelvio. Racing thrills were provided by the Aprilia brand, with the RSV4 range (R ABS and Factory ABS), the RS4 125 replica, the powerful Tuono V4 R ABS and the Caponord 1200 crossover, now also available in a Rally version.
The Group’s branded accessories and apparel collections also attracted great interest.
The next date on the calendar is the centenary edition of the EICMA international motor show in Milan (6-9 November 2014).
Event

MILAN: A DATE WITH EICMA 2014

THE WORLD MOTORCYCLING SHOW CELEBRATES ITS CENTENARY, FROM 6 TO 9 NOVEMBER 2014. PRESS AND TRADE PREVIEWS ON 4 AND 5 NOVEMBER. MORE THAN 1,000 EXHIBITORS. THE LATEST FROM THE PIAGGIO GROUP IN HALL 10 OF THE MILAN-RHO EXHIBITION CENTRE


EICMA, the World Motorcycling Show, is revving its engines. This is the world’s leading exhibition of two-wheel motor vehicles, attracting more than 500,000 visitors and over 1,000 exhibitors to the Milan-Rho exhibition centre, a short step away from the pavilions of Expo 2015. This year’s event will be particularly important, because EICMA is celebrating its centenary (1914-2014). 100 years have passed since the first show was organised: a century during which everything has changed, including the idea of motorcycling itself. What has not changed, however, is bikers’ passion for the motorcycle: today’s users are informed and knowledgeable, but they experience the same emotions as the early pioneers.

Eicma 1914 - 2014

A CENTENARY EDITION THAT LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

EICMA president Antonello Montante sums up the significance and goal of this very special show: “We want the 100th show to represent the industrial and cultural heritage of the two-wheeler sector. Intensifying our work with all the top players and offering the best to the public also means underlining Italy's role on the international stage. Although Europe has experienced a 54% fall in production in the last 5 years, Italy has maintained its leadership as the number one producer on the old continent. Our mission, as always and with even greater emphasis with this edition, is to sustain the entire supply chain and manage all the opportunities for collective and individual growth, to consolidate existing ties and to meet a wide public who sees the vehicles on display as effective solutions for sustainable mobility, and as objects of desire. In other words, we want to confirm once again that EICMA is the world’s most important event for two-wheelers.”

INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE

According to figures published by Confindustria ANCMA (Italy's national cycling, motorcycling and accessories association), worldwide production of motorised two-wheelers in the last five years has risen by 39% in terms of units, while Western manufacturers have suffered a 59% fall in production (-54% in Europe). Although Italy has seen production drop by 52%, it is still the leading European producer of motorised two-wheelers. There are about 32 million mopeds and motorcycles on Europe’s roads, of which 8.6 million in Italy alone. Turnover for manufacturers with production plants in Italy has been estimated at 3 billion 700,000 euro (53% of European turnover); companies located in Italy have about 15,000 employees (56% of the European workforce). The turnover of companies producing parts and components for the two-wheeler market is even more significant: 1 billion, 600,000 euro (66% of European turnover), with 14,600 workers (71% of workers employed across Europe). Overall, the two-wheeler market (+50cc registered scooters and motorcycles) shipped 157,011 vehicles from January to September 2014, down 1.4% from the year-earlier period.

THE PIAGGIO GROUP UNVEILS ITS NEW ENTRIES FOR THE NEXT SEASON
EICMA will provide a stage for the launch of the most eagerly awaited models from the world’s top two-wheeler constructors (about 20 world premieres are planned). The Piaggio Group will be present with all its brands (stand G 70, hall 10), offering fans an opportunity to see and touch next season’s most desirable motorcycles and scooters. The enthusiasm and excitement generated by the new products will extend to the rich selection of accessories for the Group’s prestigious brands.

INSIDE THE SHOW: THE SPECIAL AREAS

The EICMA halls will include areas dedicated to the history of the top motorcycle manufacturers, for the initiative “100 years of history into the future”: because motorcycling also means culture, advances in technology and design, epic stories and great champions. Among the champions, some of the top Superbike and MotoGP names from past and present will meet visitors at a series of events to be announced on the official eicma.it website. Outside the halls, the traditional Motolive event with road and track races, to be held from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9, will bring together supermotard, supercross and enduro stars, notably multi-time world trials champion Toni Bou.
The many new initiatives planned for the centenary show will include the Temporary Bikers Shop, a new exhibition area where visitors can purchase the best two-wheeler accessories from recent collections, in a large outlet offering great prices and helpful staff.
EICMA Custom is the special area hosting the International Custom Bike Show. The Lady Custom Bike Contest, for which qualifying rounds have been held in Italy throughout the year, will crown the winner. The Artist Contest promises great emotions, with live work on the theme of 100 Years of EICMA and 100 Years of two-wheelers. Indian Larry Motorcycles, David Uhl, Kevin Bean're, Charlie Gnocchi and Charly Castro are just some of the guests who will be there.
The Green Planet area, in cooperation with the InSella monthly, will take a new approach: organised not as a specific space but as a “distributed” event with display of a stamp denoting the manufacturers showing electric vehicles. Visitors can use the official EICMA app to follow a special route through the halls and stands to look at green vehicles.
The Safety area is an institutional space for infrastructures and products that help improve road safety.
The EICMA website provides constant updates on the packed show program.
INFO. www.eicma.it

VISITING EICMA 2014



DAYS AND TIMES

Press and trade:
Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 November: 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Public:
Thursday 6 November: 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Friday 7 November: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday 8 November: 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Sunday 9 November: 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

TICKETS

Full price: 18 euro.
Groups: 14 euro.
Children (0-6 years): free.
Students (7-16 years) and over-65s: 12 euro.
Evening (Friday after 6 p.m.): 12 euro.
Friday 7 November free entrance for women.

INFO. www.eicma.it
Event
MANTUA

A VISIT TO MOTOPLEX,
THE BIG PIAGGIO GROUP STORE

CELEBRATIONS DURING FESTIVALETTERATURA 2014, WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW OUTDOOR AREA. TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE STORE WITH THESE VIDEO CLIPS


This year once again the Piaggio Group was one of the sponsors of the Festivaletteratura literary festival in Mantua (from 3 to 7 September 2014), and a partner of an event in Piazza Castello: the preview of a play by and with Beppe Severgnini, "La vita è un viaggio" (life is a journey). On Friday 5 September, the spotlight was on Motoplex, the Piaggio Group’s first and largest concept store, officially opened at the Boma in Mantua last June, during the extraordinary Vespa World Days 2014.

Motoplex. Aerial View
During Festivaletteratura, the Motoplex store opened its new outdoor area with a happy hour party offering the typical flavours of the city once ruled by the Gonzaga family. The evening’s music was organised by internationally famous DJ Mirko de Crescenzo. Meanwhile, two smart white Ape Calessino three-wheelers were used to shuttle visitors between the centre of Mantua and the Motoplex store.

Motoplex. The Event
The evening was a chance to admire Italy's most impressive motorcycles and scooters and to try local produce; bikers were also able to register for the two-wheeler caravan that, in mid-September, took part in Open House Moto Guzzi 2014, in Mandello del Lario (Lecco): a three-day celebration of this most noble of motorcycle brands (read about the Open House in the Wide Event column, Motorcycle section).

INVITATION TO MOTOPLEX.

PHOTO GALLERY

A paradise for two-wheeler devotees, Motoplex is a window on the future of the Piaggio Group. It is dedicated to the Group’s top names – Vespa, Piaggio, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia – and to the millions of customers, owners and fans who follow the brands all over the world.

Motoplex. The Store
Not just a store (vehicles and accessories) and a showroom – now enhanced with a large welcoming outdoor space – but an important meeting place for scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts: 1,300 square metres with 46 vehicles on display, and two lounges complete with bar, where visitors can relax and follow events live on web streaming on the two 138” videowalls.
Come to Motoplex: it’s a unique experience.

PHOTO GALLERY

INFO. Motoplex, piazza Vilfredo Pareto 1/2, Mantua. Showroom opening hours: Monday 15.30-19.30; Tuesday to Saturday 9.30-12.30/15.30-19.30.
Telephone: +39-0376246911. Email: motoplex@dealer.piaggiogroup.net
FB: www.facebook.com/motoplex.mantova www.motoplex.it
Event

MIAMI: VESPA 946, STAR OF THE “BELLISSIMA NIGHT”
AT CAVALLI

Miami Beach, Florida, July 31, 2014 – Miamians partied their Thursday night away in full on Italian style as they headed to Boutique at Cavalli Miami (Restaurant & Lounge). Upon arrival, guests were greeted by a fabulous presentation of the new Vespa 946 “Bellissima” 2014 Edition, which caught the eyes of everyone with its sleek new look, shown in two great colors: Grey Metallic and Blue Midnight.
After checking out the hot new ride (and photo shouts by Ryan Troy), the crowd headed up to the lounge the get the festivities rolling. Between the high-energy dj set by Danny Tavella and an overflow of delicious cocktails there’s no wonder this night carried on until the wee hours of the morning.

PHOTO GALLERY


After the international debut in April in Milan, at the party Vogue Italia & Vespa; after the launch in Oslo in June, followed by the inauguration of the great Piaggio Group concept store "Motoplex" in Mantua, on the occasion of the Vespa World Days 2014 (articles, photos and videos on Wide 4-2014), the new Vespa 946 “Bellissima” was granted a summer night like a true star at the Cavalli Club in Miami.


Nigthlife photos by Ryan Troy.
(Fonti: worldredeye.com; miami.cavalliclub.com).
ART & CULTURE
A MEETING WITH THE AUTHOR

BEPPE SEVERGNINI:
LIFE IS A JOURNEY

FIRST PLAY BY THE JOURNALIST AND WRITER (A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER): NATIONAL PREVIEW AT THE “FESTIVALETTERATURA” IN MANTUA


Two travellers, a cancelled flight, the Lisbon airport departure lounge turned into a stage for an encounter between two generations. These are the ingredients of “Life is a journey”, the first play by and with Beppe Severgnini, which had its national preview at the “Festivaletteratura” literary festival in Mantua on 4 September, in Piazza Castello. With Marta Isabella Rizi and Elisabetta Spada, directed by Francesco Brandi; the play was a sosia&pistoia production.
The play – one of the most popular events at the Mantua festival, which this year celebrated its 18th edition, attracting distinguished international figures from the arts and literature – was partnered by the Piaggio Group as sponsor of one of Italy’s most important arts festivals, with a packed schedule.
A leader writer for Il Corriere della Sera and a well-known author (New York Times Bestseller in 2006), Beppe Severgnini was presenting his first play, “Life is a journey”, based on his eponymous best seller.

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Severgnini played a paternalistic fifty-year-old waiting in the departure lounge of a small airport, where he meets a very young traveller, a disillusioned jobbing actress, who is leaving her country to start a new life. At first, as they wait overnight for their delayed flight to be called, they study one another, with a touch of diffidence. Then their enforced proximity changes the mood: they discover they are both seasoned travellers, and begin talking about arrivals and departures.
Their conversation becomes animated as they discuss crucial life issues: ambitions, tenacity, talent, the importance of guidance and points of reference. And the wisdom of finding satisfaction in simple things, where the talk considers the things we take with us and the items we could leave behind, what we leave behind and ought to take with us. The night hours pass. As the two travellers chat, their conversation questions the commonplaces underpinning a society geared increasingly to individualism, which has lost sight of the primary objective of individual realisation. The two learn to listen to each other and to appreciate the differences age and experience bring to their viewpoints; as they eventually discover, they share the same basic aspirations and objectives, in the journey of life.
Great applause from the packed audience, for a play that made them smile and think.
INFO: www.beppesevergnini.com

“ARRIVEDERCI” UNTIL FESTIVALETTERATURA 2015



A success foretold, whose winning formula has been confirmed with each new edition, this year’s Festivaletteratura (3-7 September) closed with an increase in its vital statistics: more than 200 events (conversations with famous and new authors, presentations, shows), 66,000 tickets sold and 53,000 participants at the free events.

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The literary festival always attracts a large number (more than 700) of young volunteers, eager to give their time and enthusiasm. Here are some of them “on duty” on a Piaggio Porter.



The festival’s “virtual plazas” – from the website to the social accounts – also attracted large numbers, with a high level of interaction: thousands of tweets among the public, authors and editorial volunteers; on Facebook more than 60,000 people commented, clicked and shared news about Festivaletteratura, reaching a total of more than 700,000 users.
The next Festivaletteratura (the 19th) will be held in Mantua from 9 to 13 September 2015.
INFO: www.festivaletteratura.it
ART & CULTURE

“THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS FORWARD”
THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE
GAZZETTA DI MANTOVA

IT’S THE ITALY’S OLDEST SURVIVING NEWSPAPER. AN EXHIBITION AT THE PALAZZO TE ORANGERY UNTIL 31 OCTOBER


This is one of those records in which Italy takes great pride: La Gazzetta di Mantova, a daily newspaper founded in 1664, is celebrating its extraordinary achievement as Italy's oldest newspaper still printed on paper with a special exhibition. “The event is a unique account of an observatory that has been watching the world for 350 years: an alliance with the city created by the Gonzaga family that constitutes one of Mantua’s most exciting stories,” write Daniela Ferrari (director of the State Archives) and Cesare Guerra (director of the City Library), who curated the exhibition and edited the catalogue published by Publi Paolini.
Housed in the splendid setting of the Orangery at Palazzo Te, the exhibition was designed and promoted by La Gazzetta di Mantova, in cooperation with the Mantua City Council, the Ministry for Culture & Tourism and the Mantua State Archives. It is sponsored by the Piaggio Group.
The exhibition can be seen until 31 October 2014. It was officially opened at the beginning of September (in the Davide Loggia) by the editor of the Gazzetta, Paolo Boldrini, the Mayor of Mantua, Nicola Sodano, and the curators Daniela Ferrari and Cesare Guerra. The vernissage was well attended, with guests from the arts, business, institutional and media communities, as well as Piaggio Group top management.

INSIDE THE EXHIBITION
Ferrari and Guerri take up the story: “The Gazzetta was founded in Mantua in 1664. At first, it circulated in the form of newsheets, or ‘notices’, with which since the 1500s the menanti – paid reporters – had been informing the Gonzaga family, the rulers of Mantua, about events in the rest of Italy and Europe. In June 1664, however, the Osanna, the ducal printers since 1588, received exclusive authorisation from Charles II Gonzaga-Nevers, Duke of Mantua, to print newsheets, at their expense. These sheets, sold in Venice for two soldi, were commonly known as ‘gazzette’, from the name of the coin that was local legal tender, which had a magpie – a gazza – on one face.”
The exhibition displays the first known copy of the Gazzetta printed in Mantua: issue 48 from 27 November 1665. The opening article is a report on the visit of the Duke of Modena’s ambassador to the Court of Mantua, when Charles II died. The other articles relate to foreign capitals, notably Vienna.

The curators continue: “This exhibition looks at the history of Italian journalism as well as the history of a city that, for centuries, had one of the most international profiles in Europe. It shows 160 items: old and new editions of the paper, prints, portraits, views of the city and its monuments, medals and coins, photographs, as well as the linotype machine used until 1981. Visitors can also see pages reporting major events in Mantua: the canonisation of St. Luigi Gonzaga (1726), the beginning of construction work on the dome of the basilica of Sant’Andrea (1732), or the visit to the city of a very young Mozart for a concert at the Bibiena Theatre (1770).” The exhibits also illustrate the changing face of the city as new monuments were built, such as the Academy, commissioned by the government of Maria Teresa of Austria and designed by architect Piermarini, or the Teresiana Library (1780), named after the empress. Always a newspaper with an international dimension, in the 18th century the Gazzetta was published with the title “Ragguagli universali d’Europa e di altri luoghi” (universal information on Europe and other places) and was even read by Sultan Mustapha III in Constantinople.

MANTUA, INTERNATIONAL AND WELCOMING
“This exhibition is an opportunity to read the history of an entire country through the development of a single enterprising city, famous around the world today for its art treasures, notably Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te, and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Mantua has been enhancing its heritage since the 1960s, and the Gazzetta has been reporting on its progress in this area, beginning ideally with the Mantegna exhibition in the castle of San Giorgio in 1961, which, with 250,000 visitors, fuelled the development of modern cultural tourism. Today, Mantua also hosts the Festivaletteratura literary festival, a successful formula all over the world. In addition, Mantua has an extraordinary centuries-old rural and agricultural tradition thanks to its location in the centre of the Po Valley, on which, not without difficulty and sacrifice, it successfully based an industrial vocation after the Second World War”. The Gazzetta was an attentive witness to the creation of the first great factories.

On many occasions, the Gazzetta di Mantova was also the first paper to report events that became worldwide news. History has passed through its inked pages. Many people still remember the tragic accident in Guidizzolo during the 1957 Mille Miglia race, which led to a permanent ban on the competition. One of the first people to reach the accident site was Gazzetta reporter Paolo Ruberti, who helped those injured together with photographer Quinto Sbarberi, whose photos were seen around the world. Or the death of Ayrton Senna (1 May 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola), “foretold” by the driver himself in a video filmed by a Gazzetta reporter: Senna can be seen, in the heats, flagging a bend in the circuit he considered dangerous, the exact spot where the fatal accident later occurred. The exhibition displays the exclusive sequence of photos published by the Gazzetta.
Visitors can also watch the projection of a selection of the more than 3,000 photos taken by Sbarberi from 1950 to around 1970, donated by the Gazzetta to the Baratta Library. The exhibition sound track is taken from the “I racconti del lago” cd, composed by Stefano Gueresi ( www.stefanogueresi.com).
The event has been marked by Poste Italiane, with a celebration stamp and six special postmarks.

INFO. Entrance is free and the exhibition is open until 31 October 2014. Visiting hours: Monday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
www.gazzettadimantova.gelocal.it/mantova
ART & CULTURE

ROME: “A FLOWER REVOLUTION” PHOTO SHOW
DEDICATED TO THE WOMEN OF VIETNAM



The lights, colours and, above all, the lush nature of Vietnam invaded Rome’s Palazzo Incontro in September, in a display of 34 photographs with a common theme, women. The show “A Flower Revolution” is an audio-visual project by Paolo Belletti.
The planner and co-producer was Gattinoni maison Chairman Stefano Dominella, who presented the show, together with the Vietnamese ambassador to Italy, Hoang Long Hguyen. During the presentation, Dominella noted that “Italy is widely admired and appreciated in Vietnam for its fashion and the Vespa, because everyone uses a scooter.”
Organised as part of the ABC Art Beauty Culture Project of the Lazio Regional Authority, with the Piaggio Foundation among the sponsors, the exhibition is one of the events in the series “Vietnamese Culture Days” held in Rome for the second time (with a fashion show by four Vietnamese stylists at Palazzo Braschi) after the 2013 edition, which celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations between Italy and Vietnam.

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Adventure

ALEXANDER EISCHEID’S
“VESPARICANA”

FROM GERMANY FOR A “GRAND TOUR” ON THE VESPA ACROSS THE AMERICAN CONTINENTS. FROM CANADA TO ARGENTINA: 22 MONTHS ON THE ROAD. ARRIVAL SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2015


In his blog, German Vesparado Alexander Eischeid from Cologne recounts how his project for a fantastic adventure on two wheels began: “I’m a dedicated Vespa traveller: I’ve ridden my scooter through Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, England, Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, Corsica, Greece and Turkey. I’ve covered over 62,000 miles on my travels from 1998 to 2013. I began more than 15 years ago in Greece and the Mediterranean on my Vespa PX 200. Trip after trip, I gradually wore the scooter out. During a tour of Ireland last year, I realised I would have to change it. My mechanic friend Dave from Power’s Garage, which specialises in repairs and restores vintage scooters, supplied me with a 125cc yellow Vespa (a version configured for the Spanish Post Office), carefully restored by Dave (“My Vespahero”).



“My new scooter became the star of my great Vesparicana tour: North, Central and South America in 22 months, from Canada to Argentina, which I expect to reach in February 2015.”

NORTH AMERICA: FROM CANADA TO MEXICO

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Alexander continues: “In June 2013, I flew my Vespa out to Vancouver, in Canada. I relaxed on Vancouver Island for a couple of weeks, and then the great two-wheeler adventure began. Saltspring Island, British Columbia and Canada, heading to the northern USA. I took the Alaska Highway, the world’s most northerly motorway, then the Dalton Highway to the Arctic circle, to reach the Arctic Ocean. I had a quick dip, then collected some seawater to take with me to the end of my journey to the southern tip of Argentina, where I plan to pour it into the Antarctic ocean. I crossed Alaska and travelled down through Canada, back to Vancouver where I crossed the US border. Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, heading for Mexico. When I reached Baja California, I took a ferry back to the mainland and said goodbye to the States.”

San Diego, California - Alaska to Argentina on a Vintage Vespa!


CENTRAL AMERICA: FROM BELIZE TO PANAMA

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“I began 2014 by crossing Mexico, the Chiapas and Yukatan mountains, and reached Belize. Travelling slowly, with my back to the Pacific, I rode through El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Here I stopped and worked for a month, then I took a sailboat to the San Blas islands and reached Colombia. I was in Colombia for more than two months, and then went on to Ecuador. I spent two wonderful weeks in the Galapagos, before riding on to Peru.” The great thing about travelling on a Vespa, says Alexander, is that you meet Vespa friends everywhere, members of Vespa clubs, dealers and repair shops ready to give your scooter a quick “scrub”. Alexander and his “great Vesparicana tour” have attracted the interest of newspapers, websites and social media as he travels through the continents.

SOUTH AMERICA: FROM COLOMBIA TO BUENOS AIRES

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From here, I’m travelling south, down the west side of South America: Rio and São Paulo, heading south along the Brazilian coast to Bolivia and Paraguay. My plan is to cross the whole of South America: then from Uruguay to Patagonia, and the southernmost tip of Argentina. I expect to get there in February 2015, and will pour the Arctic water into the Antarctic. Then I shall be riding north, into Chile and back to Buenos Aires, in Argentina, where I’ll look for a boat to take me and my wonderful Vespa home to Europe. That’s the plan, but we’ll see what happens. It depends how things go, perhaps I’ll find other interesting destinations and change my arrangements. As a traveller, my second name is Mr Flexible.”
Good luck Alexander: go where the wind blows, on the saddle of your sun-yellow Vespa.
INFO: www.vesparicana.jimdo.com
Interview

FRANCISCO SEPULVEDA’S
SOUTH AMERICAN GRAND TOUR

A YOUNG MEDIC WITH A LOVE OF ADVENTURE TOOK OFF ON HIS VESPA “BALITA” TO TRAVEL THROUGH 12 COUNTRIES AND CLOCK UP MORE THAN 30,000 KM. HE LEFT FROM HIS HOME TOWN OF CUENCA IN ECUADOR, WITH 500 DOLLARS IN HIS POCKET. HERE, HE TELLS WIDE ABOUT HIS TRIP, SOMETHING HE’D BEEN DREAMING ABOUT SINCE HE WAS A CHILD


This is how he introduces himself on his Facebook page: "My name is Francisco Sepulveda, and my dream is to travel through South America on my Vespa ‘Balita’, from 1997. ‘Hasta donde te llevan tus sueños’ (As far as your dreams take you) is my project to visit Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay then back to Ecuador, on my scooter, for a total of more than 30,800 kilometres. My ‘Travesia Vespa’ tour aims to show there are no limits to our dreams and that anything is possible. In January 2013, I’ll be leaving with Ivana Recalde, from Argentina, who is travelling with me, and together we’ll go off on the Vespa to discover South America."

A fantastic project, Francisco! Now you’ve whetted our curiosity and surely our readers’ curiosity too, we have to ask: did you achieve your dream?
“Yes! It’s a dream I’ve had since I was 5, when my father gave me a small 50cc two-wheeler. Ever since then, I’ve dreamt about travelling around South America on two wheels. When I completed my university studies, it was the right time: in 2009, I bought my Vespa (assembled under Piaggio license in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1997). My scooter is called ‘Balita’, which means grey. In my country, Ecuador, when someone or something is really good, we say ‘it’s a bullet’, like my Vespa, which I fell in love with straightaway: I knew it was perfect for the trip, even though it was small I loved it. So the adventure began on 25 January 2013, when I left from my home town of Cuenca in Ecuador, with 500 US dollars from a number of people and businesses who sponsored me, and that was all I had with me.”

Tell us about yourself. Where do you live, what do you do?
“Well, that’s easy: my name is Francisco Javier Sepulveda Palacios; when I began the trip I was 25, now I’m 26. I was born and live in Cuenca, Ecuador, I’m a doctor and I have a passion for adventure; I’m so happy I decided to realise my dream, in South America.”

When did you set off for your South American tour, and where from?
“I left on 25 January 2013, from my home town of Cuenca in Ecuador, after going to the scooter mechanics shop of Carlos Escobar in Guayaquil, where they got my Vespa ready for the trip. The first stretch was 175 km from Cuenca to Machala, a town on the border with Peru.”

TRAVESIA VESPA Cusco - Macchu Picchu

How many months were you on the road?
“I travelled for about a year and five months to achieve my goals; I left alone and completed the trip with a passenger: my girlfriend Ivana and I rode together for about six months.”



How many countries did you visit altogether, and how many kilometres did you cover?
“There and back a total of 12 countries, in order: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, for a total of 30,807 km. We encountered a number of unusual situations with the Balita, riding on tarmac, earth, sand, mud, snow, ice, rocks, rivers, clay, and so on.
We rode the most difficult roads in America and the world, including Bolivia’s ‘Death Road’, a border pass at an altitude of 4,800 metres, and the Abra La Raya in Peru. We also tackled the world’s most arid desert, the Atacama in Chile, the snow of Bariloche in Argentina, and also the world’s longest road, in Argentina.”

TRAVESIA VESPA Cusco Puno Desaguadero


Which of the countries you visited did you like best, and why?
“All the countries I saw have their attractions, but the ones I liked best are Peru, because of its diversity and the people, who are great, like the members of the ‘Lambrespas’ club; then Argentina, which has wonderful roads and people; and Brazil, where we had a lot of help from all the Vespa, scooter and motorcycle clubs, like the Heredeiros group, and Free Willy, a Vespa spare parts shop in São Paulo, a city with beautiful streets.”

TRAVESIA VESPA, Rutas Nazca Cusco

Did you see many other Vespa scooters on the roads in South America?
“Yes, Ivana and I met a lot of people riding Vespas; I want to mention friends from a number of Vespa clubs: Peru, Lambrespas Lima. Chile, Santiago Vespa Club. Argentina, Scooteristas Marginales; Vespa Club Mar del Plata; Vespa Club Buenos Aires; RGB (the network of Argentinian Vespa riders). Uruguay, Club Vespa Los Antiguos Montevideo. Brazil, Grupo Herdeiros do Passado (extraordinary people); we received a great deal of help from the Stello family; Club Vespa Valle do Sinus; Confraria Vespa Club; Club Vesparana; Scooteristas de Curitiba; Scooteria Paulista; the Free Willy shop in São Paulo. Paraguay, Vespa Club Paraguay. Ecuador, Los Avispones Vespa Club; Club el avispero Ambato, and Quito”.

Travesia Vespa Encuentro Vespista en Chascomus

What was the best moment of the tour, and the most difficult?
“The best was when I achieved my goal in full; the most difficult was in the middle of the Andes at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres, when the scooter had one problem after another: we had a puncture, then the accelerator cable broke and after that the clutch cable. That was one of the worst days.”



Why did you choose the Vespa for your adventure?
“It was a question of attraction; as many travellers say, you don’t choose the vehicle, it chooses the traveller! My Vespa and I fell in love straightaway, as soon as I bought it. Yes, now I really can say that I’m a Vespa devotee, a fan of all the models, although I have a particular weakness for the vintage scooters, as do many enthusiasts I’ve met. But now I’d like to have a new one. For me.”



Now you’ve completed your mission, what’s your next dream?
“Now I want to go North, perhaps on a new 300cc Vespa. I hope to raise the funds to buy one soon, so I can cross the continents and carry on travelling. I invite scooter enthusiasts to follow our social networks, to find out more about our adventures and tell other people about them.”

INFO:
www.facebook.com/travesiavespa
www.twitter.com/travesiavespaec
www.youtube.com/travesiavespa

THE TRIP IN NUMBERS



Journey time: from January 2013 to July 2014.
Kilometres travelled: 30,807.
Total fuel: 1,852 litres.
Total oil: 56 litres for a two-stroke engine.
Tyre sets: 2.
Tyre punctures: 5.

FRANCISCO AT THE PIAGGIO MUSEUM

His wanderlust not satisfied by almost eighteen months on the road in South America, this summer Francisco came to Europe, where Italy was one of his stopovers to see the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, Tuscany. Here are the photos of his visit to the “kingdom” of the Vespa.

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People

OREGON: THE VESPA PROVIDES DIRECTOR
SCOTT PALMER WITH INSPIRATION
FOR SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION

16TH CENTURY COMEDY SET IN 1960s ITALY, RECALLING FEDERICO FELLINI’S “LA DOLCE VITA”


Find Shakespeare’s plays difficult to understand? Director Scott Palmer, a native of Hillsboro, Oregon (USA), is an expert in making them appeal to modern audiences. His latest production is an adaptation of the British Bard’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, first staged on 25 December 1597 and published the following year. One of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, the play is a tale of love and courtship beset by intrigues and misunderstandings, masquerades and final revelations among the noblemen and women at the court of Ferdinand, King of Navarre.
Scott Palmer, artistic director of the Bag&Baggage Productions company (B&B, founded in 2005), put on his new summer comedy in July and August, at the Tom Hughes Civic Center in Hillsboro. With a surprise for the audience: the actors came on riding scooters (not Vespa originals, however), co-stars in this modern adaptation of the 16th-century play, set by the director in the 1960s. The visual inspiration, for the stage design and costumes, comes from Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” (which “stars” real Vespa scooters ridden by paparazzi).

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Scott Palmer enjoys entertaining audiences by giving a modern touch to classic works, so that everyone can understand them. In 2010, he set "Twelfth Night" in the Roaring Twenties of F. Scott Fitzgerald; in 2009, he directed “The Comedy of Errors” with characters from Loony Tunes.
Through his adaptations, Palmer hopes to make Shakespeare less of a stranger to modern audiences: “Some people say, ‘I don’t understand Shakespeare; it’s too difficult to follow’. I try to make the plays more accessible by modernising them, and Shakespeare’s work is so powerful and so beautiful that it can sustain my adaptations. “Love’s Labour’s Lost” is no exception: the play has remained largely unknown due to its confusing plotline, dense language, and obscure cultural references, which even Shakespearian scholars have a hard time understanding,” Scott Palmer explains.



So Palmer had to “thin” the text down. “The play we’re producing is half as long as the original, with half as many characters. The archaic inside jokes have been removed, leaving only the hilarious romantic comedy, which any audience can understand." The play is about three noblemen who, to please the king, make a pact to give up women for three years and devote themselves to their studies, only to have their pledge put to the test by the arrival of three beautiful noblewomen (who ride around on Vespa scooters). Smart, strong and independent, the women outwit the men, who eventually have to give in to their feelings.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST
On the road
PIAGGIO CIAO

FROM AOSTA TO BARCELONA:
HENRY’S “GRAND TOUR”

YOUR FIRST TRIP ABROAD ON A MOPED, AT 18, IS SOMETHING YOU NEVER FORGET. THIS IS THE ENDEARING STORY OF A COMMITTED YOUNG MAN WITH A PASSION FOR MECHANICS


“Dear Piaggio, I have been living my dreams for a while thanks to your brand. My name is Henry, I’m 18 and I live in Gressan, near Aosta. After years spent dismantling my dad’s Ciao moped to get it to “go faster”, I’ve learned a lot about mechanics. Older engines are simple, and after learning to make basic repairs, I decided I was ready to take a long trip with the Ciao. With my friend Ludovico Botalla, who is 18 like me, we rode from Aosta to Barcelona, almost 3,000 kilometres, Ludovico on his Vespa 50, me on my Ciao. We had 18 unforgettable days of adventure and freedom, from 28 July to 14 August 2014, learning to adapt to roads of every type so long as we could carry on. Onward and upward! Our two-wheelers are rather elderly, so they did have a few problems, but we managed to sort them out as we went, often with makeshift repairs. I just want to thank you for what you do, and will continue to do.” Signed: Henry Favre.

This is the letter we received from the “young adventurer” pursuing freedom on a simple Piaggio Ciao moped. His endearing story is worth telling to counter the general view that young people today spend all their time in the virtual world of the web and social media. Henry and his friend Ludovico are great kids, ready to take on a challenge, to meet life head on with the enthusiasm and the pinch of recklessness typical of eighteen-year olds.
Just take a look at their Facebook page, with the quirky tale of their trip on their two-wheelers: 2,853 kilometres in photos and stories. Here is a sample complete with photos.

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DREAMING OF THE NORTH CAPE AND THE STATES

The Wide editorial staff received the phone call one September afternoon: “It’s Henry, the Henry who went to Spain on a Ciao. I’m visiting the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera.” After looking at the collections of vintage vehicles, Henry comes to see us with his parents: a charming couple, Alessandro and Patrizia, who run the Pinguino ice-cream parlour in Gressan. We find out some more about Henry: he is studying mechanics; he loves his dad’s Ciao (from the 1980s), which “started life blue, but is now painted original Guzzi red”; Alessandro used the moped to go to work, but it was “requisitioned” by his son years ago. Henry has been “tinkering” with the Ciao since he was 10, they tell us, always on his knees, grease on his hands, taking it apart and putting it back together again (with tips from his father, an amateur electro-mechanic). Over the years, Henry has made his name in the neighbourhood as a “young mechanic”, helping other people repair their two-wheelers: he is familiar with all the Piaggio moped models (he even “customised” a sidecar version of a Ciao).
Henry’s first trip with his Ciao was to Rome, at Easter, for a bet (which won him a free dinner). Then this summer he and Ludovico decided to make a longer journey, to Barcelona. They travelled at a leisurely pace, riding a daily average of 150-200 km, taking the basics with them (tent, sleeping bags, tool kits, fuel tank), visting sites of interest, crossing France and Catalonia, meeting up with Vespa friends along the way and riding a few miles with them.
With their youthful enthusiasm and their diminutive two-wheelers (complete with Italian flag), Henry and Ludovico attracted great interest (a number of papers published articles about their trip); a restaurateur in Catalonia offered them free paella in exchange for posting photos of his restaurant on their FB page.
So what ambitions does Henry have next for his Ciao? “A trip to the North Cape, the northernmost tip of Europe, and perhaps a ‘coast to coast’ in the USA.”
Henry, why do you like the Ciao so much? “It’s simple, fun, light, it performs well, it can be personalised and it ‘drinks’ very little fuel. As far as I’m concerned, the Ciao is everything!”
On the road

A PLUCKY PAIR OF SCOOTER RIDERS

WITH THE PIAGGIO BEVERLY, BEARS AND BISON IN CANADA’S YUKON TERRITORY


Surprise: the Piaggio Beverly, the best-selling “urban” three-wheeler, has a secret vocation as a great traveller. If you don’t believe it, read this account from two Canadian friends, Martina and Roy Lorayes.
“Three years ago, we had an unforgettable experience we’d love to tell you about: an 11,000 kilometre trip on our 2006 Piaggio Beverly 250 scooter. We rode from Toronto, Ontario, to Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon, making it there and back in two fantastic weeks.” Roy adds: “During the journey, we had to deal with rain, fog, heat and cold, and every kind of road. Yet we didn’t have a single technical problem with our luggage-laded Piaggio Beverly, a truly reliable travelling companion.” Here is a clip from their trip.

FROM TORONTO TO WHITEHORSE


DISCOVERING YUKON

The Yukon is the westernmost of Canada’s three federal territories; its capital is Whitehorse. It takes its name from the Yukon river, the “great” river, which flows through the Yukon, crosses Alaska and drains into the Bering Sea.
Having been part of the North West Territories for three years, the Yukon became a separate territory of the Canadian confederation on 13 June 1898. A region of rich natural beauty and spectacular scenery, it has many still largely unexplored areas, which proved so testing for the prospectors of the great Klondike Gold Rush at the end of the 1800s. The territory abounds in fauna: moose, bison, bears, lynx, coyote and wolves, while its lakes and rivers are full of arctic char and salmon.

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INFO:
www.gov.yk.ca
www.tc.gov.yk.ca
www.yukonwild.com
Style

AUTUMN IN COLOUR:
THE NEW VESPA HELMETS

VJ AND VJ1 ARE THE NEW ACCESSORIES MADE IN ITALY. AVAILABLE IN EVERGREEN COLOURS OR NEW TWO-TONE VERSIONS. STYLISH HEADGEAR, FOR A DISTINCTIVE LOOK ON THE ROAD

Vespa GTS

VJ: DOUBLE VISOR

This ABS crash helmet is an exclusive model for Vespa in a modern new design. Quality details and finishes, a long transparent visor and a short retractable sun visor, strap with micrometric buckle, removable washable linings in breathable fabric. Made in Italy. ECE 22.05 type approval. Fits into the Vespa GTS compartment beneath the saddle.

VJ1: NEW DESIGN

This ABS crash helmet is an exclusive model for Vespa in a modern new design. Quality details and finishes, a short retractable sun visor, strap with micrometric buckle, removable washable linings in breathable fabric. Made in Italy. ECE 22.05 type approval. Fits into the Vespa GTS compartment beneath the saddle.

FOR LOVERS OF THE BROWN LOOK


Vespa Primavera

If you prefer the colours of autumn, take a look at this gallery of accessories in brown and tobacco, for a “total brown” look: a leather jacket for him and her, sunglasses, a vintage-look leather bag, and an original plaid kit. And the perfect finishing touch, the two-tone VJ helmet in beige-brown. By Vespa. A guarantee of style and quality.

VESPA FRAGRANCE.
THE RANGE





An icon of chic creativity, the Vespa scooter is synonymous with the Italian lifestyle: this extends to scent, an expression of joie di vivre and freedom. Two fragrances are available, for her and for him. Now the original “scent of freedom” range has been enhanced with a selection of tempting new products.

FOR HER


Eau de toilette (50 and 30 ml), deodorant body spray (150 ml), deodorant natural spray (75 ml), hydrating shower gel (200 ml).

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FOR HIM



Eau de toilette (50 and 30 ml), deodorant body spray (150 ml), deodorant natural spray (75 ml), hair & body wash (200 ml).

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Exclusive gift ideas, by Vespa.
Visit the website:
www.vespafragrances.com
Community
HCMC, VIETNAM

DA NGUYEN: THE BLOGGER WHO LOVES THE VESPA


The Scooterist SC. A photo from their trip to Lý Sơn island, Vietnam. From left: Da, Thịnh, Hoàng. Their slogan: “LIVE YOUR LIFE, IT’S FREE”.

Youngsters with a passion for getting away, for travel, for discovering the world from a two-wheeler, preferably a Vespa. Their “adventures” are amply illustrated with photos and video clips on Da Nguyen’s blog, “The Scooterist”: an opportunity for us to make a virtual tour of their country, Vietnam, and to share a passion for scooters with the many other fans around the world (of whom there is no shortage: Da’s blog has attracted more than 600,000 visits). The blogger (who owns a red Vespa P200E from 1980 and dreams about the new Vespa 946 “Bellissima”) and his friends from The Scooterist club (set up in 2010) win people over with the enthusiasm they put into their adventures. Here is a sample.

SEPTEMBER RIDE 2014: 5,000 km on the road with the Vespa, travelling for 22 days, from Saingon, to Nha Trang city, along the Ne Mui coast, towards Quy Mhon and beyond, from the coast to the mountains of the interior; fully kitted out to deal with sun and rain, equipped with extra fuel to cope with the absence of service stations for more than 200 km. The team: 4 Vespa scooters and 7 friends (including Catie and Awang, two Vespa friends from Malaysia).

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  • TRIP TO LY SON ISLAND-MAY 2014
  • 1ST MAY 2014-LABOUR DAY: SURABAYA MODS MAYDAY


INFO: www.thescooterist.com

VIETNAM MEMORIES

The Scooterist website includes a fascinating section – “VN on 2 wheels” – presenting a collection of old photos showing Vespas, scooters, bicycles and other vehicles in the streets of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), South Vietnam, in the 1960s and 70s.

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UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS

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The Belgian Vespa Days 2014: the videos



  • Belgian Vespa Days 2014
  • Vespa belgian days 2014 parade
THE BEST VIDEO OF THIS ISSUE

HO CHI MINH: “LIFE IS BETTER WITH VESPA”



For the delight of all fans of the legendary Italian scooter, British youngsters Matt and Jessica, who describe themselves as “Vespa friends”, posted this delightful clip as a souvenir of the two years they lived in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), in Vietnam.

LIFE IS BETTER WITH VESPA
The video is a boy-meets-girl story: her moped breaks down, but luckily he is passing by on his Vespa, offers her a helmet, and off they go through the busy city streets. Originally, Ho Chi Minh was a small fishing village (Sài Gòn in Vietnamese), but over recent decades it has grown into a city where tradition and modernity live harmoniously side by side, the skyline dominated by the skyscrapers that loom over the districts of the old town.

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MY VESPA MOVIE

BUDAPEST-PONTEDERA:
1.300 KM IN 9 MINUTES

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 new 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 new 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.

Invia la tua clip video a: wide@piaggio.com

Traveller and Vespa enthusiast Sean Jordan, 35, a Canadian from Chatham, Ontario, writes: “Armed with a GoPro HD Hero 2 and a few litres of two-stroke oil, I set out on the last-ever ride on my Vespa PX – aka the Hamburglar – a scooter that had become very special to me. For years, it had taken me round the world (well, a big chunk of it at least, not including Australia or Africa, much to my eternal shame). This Vespa, my precious Hamburglar, was set to be retired in the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, Tuscany. And so I jury-rigged the GoPro on the back of the scooter, set it to take 1 frame every 5 seconds, and hit the road in Budapest (where I live and work) bound for Pontedera. This is the result. Enjoy!”
SEAN JORDAN’S WORLD VESPA TOUR



Three years ago, Sean Jordan began a “Vespa 360” grand tour, leaving from Belgrade in Serbia (June 2010). The trip was planned in three macro-stages: Eurasia, The Americas, Europe. This clip shows him arriving in Budapest (Hungary) in December 2011, where he was welcomed and celebrated by a crowd of fellow Vespa devotees.
INFO: www.vespa360.com