No wonder that it was so popular with the Mods. It was born at the same time. The classic Vespa scooter was 60 in 2006 and remains a chosen form of transport for the discerning traveller or commuter. The Italians still love it so much that they organised an exhibition for it in Riccione, the popular Adriatic resort still visited by youngsters because of the night clubs in the district and the city centre.

Vespa is Italian for wasp. Some say that it sounds like one but its popularity far outweighs its detractors. Originally it was popular in Italy because it gave people a chance to travel cheaply. This transferred to Britain at a time when most young people were poorly paid and the British economy was more likely to sink than improve. But why did it become the icon for Mods? Well, on a practical level long parkas were much more likely to become entangled in motor cycle chains and stuff. This raised the possibility of an Isadora Duncanesque demise. In addition, to some eyes at least, the covering of the internal bits of a two wheeled vehicle was and remains a more attractive design. After all, only a few of us want to deal with the oily bits.

If you want to see lots of Vespas together, try looking on the Internet for a rally. Alternatively you could watch the film “Quadraphenia”.
An English translation of a book about the Vespa is published in 2006. The title is “The Cult of the Vespa". Published by Ginko Press it is priced at £17.99. BabyboomersUK.com members can get a 15% discount on this while stocks last, if they buy at www.brockwells.co.uk [1]