June 2026 (G.T.) – Benedetta Macchi, President of the Vespa Club Pontedera, is one of the protagonists of the book “Vespiste e Motocicliste – Donne con una marcia in più” (‘Vespa and Motorcycle riders - Women with an extra gear’) by journalist and writer Paola Scarsi. A book brimming with wonderful stories of passion for the world of scooters and motorcycles, told from a female perspective, with the sponsorship of the FIM-Italian Motorcycling Federation (Erga Edizioni, 2025). A valuable publication that provides a series of portraits of strong, independent women, united by a spirit of adventure and a real desire to get stuck in. Because, as we all know, travelling on two wheels, whether by scooter or motorbike, is a wonderful way to experience and enjoy freedom, regardless of age or gender. And it is just as exciting - although no doubt more complex - to run a Vespa Club.
Benedetta Macchi at the opening of the exhibition ‘Buon Compleanno Vespa’ (‘Happy Birthday Vespa’), curated by Filippo Lotti, which can be visited at the Piaggio Museum until 30 June 2026 (https://www.museopiaggio.it/).
(Wide mag photo).
(Wide mag photo).
Benedetta smiles and nods in agreement: alongside her family, she has lived and breathed her passion for two-wheelers, and the Vespa in particular, from a very young age, having inherited it from her father (“my super dad Franco”, as she calls him). And this is her story.
Two biographical notes: a Tuscan native from the province of Pisa, she is originally from Perignano and has lived in Lari for twenty years; she is a dealer manager for a company supplying orthopaedic equipment to hospitals, and travels all over Tuscany for work. In her spare time, she enjoys touring on her beloved Vespa Sei Giorni and, for over a year now, has been chairing and organising the activities of the Vespa Club Pontedera.
Benedetta Macchi in front of the Vespa Club Pontedera headquarters, of which she has been President since February 2025 (square in front of the Piaggio Museum). (Wide mag photo).
Benedetta recounts: “My father Franco, who is now 91, worked for Piaggio in Pontedera from 1951 to 1987, in the materials inspection department. He won his first Vespa in a company raffle for employees. He and my mother, Franca (a skilled seamstress) were always out and about on their Vespa. My brother Andrea also had a Vespa, a silver-grey PX 125.”
From the family album: Benedetta’s father, Franco Macchi, a lifetime on a Vespa, right from a very young age. In the photo on the right, father and daughter at a viewing point along the Vespa parade route (Vespa World Days 2024, Pontedera). “My father had made a sign that read ‘Welcome, from a Vespa rider forever and always’, featuring the ‘historic’ photo you see here. For four days, he battled bad weather to greet the thousands upon thousands of Vespa enthusiasts from all over the world who share his passion.” Photo courtesy.
Benedetta continues: “My first time in the saddle of a moped was on the evening of my 14th birthday; then I had a Beverly and, at the age of 40, a Vespa Sprint 150 (a wonderful gift). Once I got on the saddle, I never got off again: the freedom, autonomy, independence are priceless for me. Over time, I have also become involved in the life of Vespa Clubs: I have been a member of the Pontedera club (the birthplace of the Vespa) for more than 15 years. The club has a lovely friendly atmosphere and gives us all a sense of belonging; we all share the same passion. I have so many memories and have enjoyed such wonderful trips, including tours of Elba and Corsica. We would all set off together, sharing wonderful experiences and forming lasting friendships. And you never felt alone: if you had a flat tyre, everyone would try to help. The Vespa Club community is a real family”.
Benedetta Macchi in the saddle of her Vespa Sei Giorni; on the right with her father Franco, who was trying out his daughter’s Vespa.
A NEW COMMITMENT. Benedetta fondly recalls her experience as part of the team of volunteers at the Vespa Village during the Vespa World Days 2024 global rally, which was held for the first time in Pontedera. “I was with Luca Cervelli, who served as President of VC Pontedera for eight years; he is a real Vespista, as is his wife Eleonora, and we have become close friends. It was truly exciting to meet Vespa enthusiasts from all over the world. An unforgettable experience”. When the board of directors was up for re-election, Benedetta decided to put herself in the running: “I stood as a candidate to make my contribution to this great club, which was first founded in 1953: with 600 members, it was the largest club in Tuscany by 2025, with members from overseas (as far as Australia) and from other Italian regions, keen to get their hands on our club membership card”. There was a high turnout in the elections of 21 February 2025: Benedetta was elected President, the first woman to lead the Vespa Club Pontedera. “How did I feel? Pride in the recognition, which I had hoped for but not expected; it made me very happy, but I was also aware of the great commitment and the responsibility that the role entails”.
From the right, President Benedetta Macchi with two members of the VC Pontedera executive committee: Stefania Profeti (head of merchandising) and Eleonora Ghelli (treasurer and secretary), at the welcome desk of the European Vespa Rally 2025 in Pontedera. https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
The Club’s new executive committee took office on 25 February 2026. The VC Pontedera is a member of the national Vespa Club d’Italia (Vespa Club of Italy, ed.) association; it organises rallies and takes part in regional and national championships. A few examples: it won the 2025 Regional Tourist Championship as the best Tuscan club, hosted the Italian leg of the European Vespa Rally in October 2025, and organised the rally celebrating Vespa’s 80th anniversary in April 2026.
European Vespa Rally 2025, Pontedera. https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
When Benedetta carried the Olympic Flame:
https://www.vespaclubditalia.it/2025/12/unaltra-vespista-ha-portato-la-fiamma-olimpica-benedetta-macchi-presidentessa-v-c-pontedera/
The rally poster designed by Masi; participants at the start, on Viale Piaggio in Pontedera (Pisa province, Tuscany), home to the Piaggio Museum and Foundation, and the company that created the Vespa, 80 years ago. https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
THE NATIONAL RALLY CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF VESPA. The President explains: “Every year, the VC Pontedera organises an event or a rally to celebrate Vespa’s birthday (which falls on 23 April, the date the patent was originally registered). And work on organising a major rally to celebrate Vespa’s 80th anniversary (1946–2026) began as early as last year.”
Parade of Vespa riders along Viale Piaggio, passing in front of the company headquarters.
https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
“We called it 80…voglia di Vespa, and was held over two days, Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April 2026, sponsored by the municipality of Pontedera and under the auspices of the Vespa Club d’Italia. We chose the current cultural centre Centrum Sete Sóis Sete Luas, on Viale Rinaldo Piaggio, as the registration point and special venue for Saturday’s dinner; as well as being of historical significance (it is a former Piaggio warehouse), it is also close to the Piaggio Museum, which the Vespa fans who registered for the national rally were able to visit and enjoy. The rally was extremely well-attended: we expected around 400 Vespas, but this rose to 600 for Sunday’s parade, with over a thousand participants from all over Italy and abroad.”
https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
It was a major undertaking from an organisational perspective, juggling the various safety considerations and working with local authorities… “Of course there were some nail-biting moments: for example, in the historic centre of Lari (in the municipality of Casciana Terme), which had never before welcomed so many Vespas. Or in Peccioli, another beautiful Tuscan village: the procession of Vespas was so long that I couldn’t see the end of it. And then there were the restricted traffic zones, traffic lights, and permits to sort out…But in the end, everything went well: the participants were satisfied, and all of us at the club were delighted with the excellent cooperation of the team, the volunteers, the sponsors and the local authorities. A team effort!”. A word from the President.
The parade of Vespa riders in Piazza del Duomo in Pisa (known as Piazza dei Miracoli), a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its four monuments: the Leaning Tower (which is the cathedral’s bell tower), the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Baptistery, which is the largest in Italy, and the Camposanto Monumentale, the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa. Photo courtesy.
SOCIAL MEDIA CORNER – VESPA CLUB ITALY FACEBOOK.
https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubditalia/?ref=embed_page#
“A great celebration in Pontedera to mark the Vespa’s 80th anniversary, with a rally organised by the local Vespa Club: yesterday and today, 25 and 26 April 2026, riders set out on two tours through the hills of the Valdera, passing through the villages of Peccioli and Lari, before the final lunch in Vicopisano.
Secretary Alessia Galiotto was there to represent the Vespa Club d’Italia,
here with the President of the VC Pontedera, Benedetta Macchi.”
And the next challenge? “The Vespa Club Pontedera already has 70 members signed up for the major global event ROMA 2026 (25–28 June, Foro Italico), to take part in the huge celebration marking Vespa’s 80th anniversary. I can’t wait: finally I’ll be able to enjoy a major international gathering just as a Vespa fan, and not as club president!”
VESPA CLUB PONTEDERA (founded in 1953):
https://www.vespaclubpontedera.it/
https://www.facebook.com/vespaclubpontedera/
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
