Modern Vespa

I came across this photo on the web, and wondered what the piece is at the bottom of the glove box side cowl. The photo was not high quality, so zooming didn't offer any insight to me.

Just curious.

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Pillion foot rest. Saw lots of them on the vintage machines of the Vespa Club of Siena when we rode with them this past June.

I thought it might be a footrest, but wondered why it wouldn't have one on the other side???

its for riding sidesaddle

Because it would be un-lady like for your girl to straddle your ride. (er..um...yeah) It's for sidesaddle...which to me is an insane way to carry a passenger.

Cool stuff. I like it.

don't know that I would trust my lady to balance herself that way! Better stick to the foot pegs I already have

its for the elegant lady around town .. that likes to ride pilloin in a long dress

As others have already saided, this is for side saddle. They must've chosen this side to offset the engine's weight and to avoid the heat and moving parts.

Also, it's a stronger cowl than the vented right side.

And on a horse side saddle the riders legs go to the left side, because you always mount from the left side. Just like the Vespa stands operate from the left, as do every motorcycle I ever saw, even the British ones.

It probably all goes back to the Romans one way or another. Like the railroad track gauge.

hmm a side sadel similar function to java footstep i saw a lots here among the puristy, defenitly for gal in long dress



normal side sadel


60's java sidesadel and cowl bar


the repop parts

Are these available as retro reissues? I've never seen one in the typical outlets. Pretty neat, if not unneeded.

here all puristy that love play original normaly equip their bike with such stuff even in the fact they barely never use the function properly unless to help make their bike look older with older stuff

here's the example

While these may be great for "sidesaddle", we did see a couple of scooters in Italy with them on both sides for "normal" pillion use.