Vespa 946 Quarantasei

Previously I posted the Vespa 2012 roundup at the end of last year. One of Vespa's displayed was the Vespa Quarantasei now known as the Vespa 946. This sexy Vespa 946 aka Quarantasei which means 46 in Italian, has being confirmed for the North American market late 2012 or even 2013. The Vespa 946 represents the new generation of Vespa scooters.

Sounding like a Porsche 946, the Vespa 946 will be way much cooler with a choice of 125 and 150cc single cylinder 3 valve air-cooled powerplants. Piaggio claims that the 125cc produces a maximum output of 11.7hp at 8250rpm and the 150cc version 13hp at 8000rpm.

Soweto in a Vespa

A number of Vespa heads decided to head out to Soweto, Johannesburg for a morning ride in the sun. And what fun did we have with 15 Vespas, 6 LMLs and 1 Lambretta, not to mention a huggle of other bikes joined us.

Filling up our babies before heading West then South

Meeting up with the West Rand Chapter

Heading South

Caught up to a large group of Hogs who weren't too impressed with us hogging their turf

Finally on the highway

Then off to ride pass Soccer City

And then into Soweto proper

One LML's accelerator cable broke about here and with a Vespa escorting they headed back north

Finally drinking beers in Vilakazi Street, the one street where two Nobel Peace Prize winners stayed, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. 

Below are all the scoots except the two which headed back

We ate lunch at Winnie Mandela's family restaurant and 

even Winnie herself came round to look at our scoots.

Then we headed for Lebo's Soweto Backpackers Hostel

After beers we then headed back home

This is Lebo on his Gomotor

And finally till next time, happy scootering....

The Unconventional Vespa

I found this photo online somewhere and wondered if this chap had just crossed the English Channel in a Vespa. If anyone has anymore on this Vespa and what happened, please let us know. Click on image for larger view. 

More Info: In 1952 the Frenchman Georges Monneret built an "amphibious Vespa" for the Paris-London race and successfully crossed the Channel on it.

Harties with the Mates

A group of mates decided to join the annual scooter rally held at Hartebeespoort Dam. It was a fun outing. Enjoy the photos.

From left to right is good looking me (Jerome) representing the Posers SC on the black Vespa ET4, Bruce from Aces SC on the copper plated Vespa P200E, Shawn from Vesparados SC on black Vespa Sprint, John on a silver LML Star Deluxe and James from Aces SC on a cream Lambretta TV175.

Our first sight of the dam

Well there has to be at least one photo of the Super Villain, me.

Meeting up with the other Vespa riders from Roodepoort

Meeting up with too other Posers, Duds and Charlie

Now what do we have under Charlie's seat?

 

The Vespacar