Modern Vespa

Just returned from a fabulous vacation in Italy, half spent in Rome, the other near a small town outside of Florence.

First, visit the Piaggio museum in Pontedera. Easy to get to from the "FI-PI-LI" superstrada, got there with my son navigating without any wrong turns. (Did not have that experience trying to find the train station in Empoli. ) The museum in free, takes about 30 - 45 minutes to visit and has virtually every Vespa constructed on display. There is also a Gilera display which includes a 1907 model with a belt drive that looks like it came from a combine. The bike could do 100 kph, yet had a rudimentary! front suspension, a rear suspension consisting of springs on the saddle and no braking system discernible to the untrained eye!

Quick impressions. Scooter drivers in Rome are amazing. Filtering at speed so that a line of scooters always takes off first from red lights. Saw maybe two riders wearing ATTGAT, everyone else in street clothes, footwear included sandals and high heels. Open helmets and very tall windscreens. The variety of scooters was amazing, even saw a Burgman 125. Also, the "Stella" is called the "Star" in Italy -- go figure.

BTW -- rented a FIAT "Croma" to drive from Rome to Florence and back to Fiumcino. A "big" car by Italian standards but smaller than my Mercury Mariner. Plenty of room inside, held 3 suitcases and got good mileage with a 1.9 liter diesel engine. Course at 1.12 euro per liter of diesel -- it better. Not impressed with the non-toll "super-strade" in many areas -- no shoulder and an imposing guardrail along the left -- passing -- lane. If you have an accident there, you are going into something unyielding very quickly. Also, the lanes are narrow and some of the commercial trucks are approaching North American size which means they literally occupy a lane from white line to white line which makes passing at 120 kph between them and the left hand guardrail "interesting".

Thank you for the information. I just wish I could use it someday.

Paul

What is the story on the Stella

Read Rover Eric's post for some history on the Star/Stella.

Actually, it is probably more accurate to say that the "Star" is called "Stella" in the US, as it appeared in the US after other markets. But, who cares?

Al