Vespas in the Mud

Jerome - Within 2 months our dreams of conquering Sani Pass had become a solid reality with the target date set in just over 3 months’ time, training began in earnest.

Left to Right: Marlene PX150, Jerome ET4 150, Magda GTS250ie, and Charlie GTS250ie

Charlie and Jerome the Vespa Ninjas

 Magda - Preparation for Sani took place at Breedsneck Pass near Hartebeespoortdam. Marlene felt that the terrain would make good practice ground for the rocky inclines of Sani and she was right. Just getting to Breedsneck Pass itself was challenging in itself as the back route on a farm road to there was quite muddy.

Jerome - Muddy wasn’t the right word for it as it has been raining for weeks leading up to today and there was more mud than Glastonbury. Sophia in the mud with me.

Mud Glorious mud.

Jerome - Is this mud ever going to end? But thankfully it did end as the mud was replaced with rocks. The end of the rocks couldn't have come any sooner as the road started climbing up over the Magaliesberg Mountains at the Breedsneck Pass. 

Jerome on the Rocks

Dudley and our Support Vehicle

Marlene, Charlie, Magda, and Jerome at the top of Breedsneck Pass

Vespa 2014

With the eTolls implemented in Gauteng, and majority of the Highways becoming Payways, the daily commuters have to either tighten their belts or take to the side roads. Commuters in other cities won't be spared either as this corrupted eToll system will be implemented in Cape Town and Durban too.

With the clogged side roads, will 2014 be the year we see a shift to the motorcycle mode of transport? In preparation, this year we saw Vespa SA bring in the new 3 valve 150cc motor and the eye candy Quarantasei 946.

So what does Vespa's 2014 line up look like? Although only the 125cc Vespa 946 landed on our sunny shores, will we see the 946 with the 150cc 3 valve motor purring inside or even the all new Primavera?

Vespa GTS 300 se Super Sport and Vespa GTS 300 ie

Vespa GTV 300 ie

Vespa 946

Vespa Primavera

Vespa PX 150

Vespa LXV 150 ie

Vespa LX 150 ie

Vespa S150 se Sport and Vespa S 150 ie

Giorgio Bettinelli, Mh Way

Owning a Vespa doesn't end there. Like Africa, a Vespa creeps into your soul and doesn't let go. Eventually the wanderlust takes over, you hanker for riding the long road to nowhere slowly and dream of becoming like the legend Giorgio Bettinelli.

It is probably easier to list the countries; Giorgio did not visit raking up over a million kilometers from Rome to Saigon, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, from Melbourne to Cape Town, Chile to Tasmania and around the whole of China. Sailing over deserts with no roads and along jungle paths, crossing the Equator 9 times with no major incident except one close call with death. Somewhere in the Congo, Giorgio was stopped by guerrillas, judged and sentenced to death as a government spy. But that didn't stop Giorgio.

It is when you finally put your feet up that life tends to catch up. Sadly after putting his feet up for 4 years in Jinghong, China, on the banks of the Mekong River with his beautiful wife Yapei, Giorgio departed for the windy road in the sky. Yes at a young age of 53 on 16 September 2008 after 16 years of travelling around the world on a Vespa with a guitar and a backpack, he was called to ride up there on a Vespa.

If anyone would like to give me a present, how about any of Giorgio’s 5 books:

• In Vespa Da Roma a Saigon (On a Vespa from Rome to Saigon)
• In Vespa oltre l'orizzonte (On a Vespa beyond the horizon)
• Brum Brum (Any Vespa lover would know this sound)
• Rhapsody In Black In Vespa dall’Angola allo Yemen (On a Vespa from Angola to Yemen)
• La Cina in Vespa (China on a Vespa)

We members of the Posers Scooter Club sure do dream and long for the spirit of Giorgio Bettinelli as we yearn for the open road on our Vespa.

When asked what he did if his Vespa ever broke down, he replied "You wait. Someone comes, someone helps. A car, a truck, a camel, a day. Someone comes, someone helps."

Buon Viaggio Giorgio Bettinelli (1955-2008), Brum Brum

Vespa 2012

With 2011 coming to an end, Vespa did well with the re-introduction of its iconic PX 150, bringing back the classic Vespa shape packed with up to date technology. Even though it has a 2 stroke motor, the 2 smoker meets all the European emission standards.

With Italy reeling from the current economic crash and Piaggio's stock exchange figures are falling so fast that we can only wonder if Vespa can survive. But Vespa has been here before and have managed to turn it all around. And now the news is coming out that Piaggio will be re-entering the Indian market which hopefully may help.

So what does Vespa's 2012 line up look like? As you can notice no 250's and I am not sure if the rumours of a 350cc Vespa is true but I will keep my ears peeled. Please note that not all these models will be brought in by Vespa South Africa.

Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport and Vespa GTS 125 Super Sport

Vespa GTS 300 IE

Vespa GTS 300 Touring

Vespa GTV 300 Vie della Moda and Vespa GTV 125 Vie della Moda

Vespa LXV 300 Vie della Moda and Vespa LXV 125 Vie della Moda

Vespa Quarantasei 150 and Vespa Quarantasei 125

Vespa PX 150

Vespa S 150, Vespa S 125, Vespa S 50 4V and Vespa S 50 2V

Vespa LX 150 Touring, Vespa LX 125 Touring and Vespa LX 50 Touring