Italy is known for creating some of the most beautiful and iconic vehicles in the world. Companies such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ducati, and Lamborghini have all built cars and motorcycles that are universally hailed as some of the most stunning in their class.
Understandably these vehicles also tend to be pretty expensive, and some of the most famous Italian motorcycle designs start at $100,000 which puts them in a class that really can’t be considered aspirational.
There is a true iconic and beautiful classic vehicle from Italy that can be bought for an affordable price. That vehicle is the Vespa.
The Vespa was Italy’s answer to the need of affordable transportation for the masses. Sure, there were cars available after the war but most of these were beyond the means of the average Italian consumer. Yes, there were several affordable motorcycles that were designed during this period but what if a person wanted something that offered better protection from the elements, a bit more stylish than a motorcycle, and was both reliable and easy to ride.
The Italian aerospace firm Piaggio felt that they had the answer to this problem, and in 1946 the very first Vespa motor scooter left the line. This turned out to be just the answer that not only Italy, but the rest of the world was looking for.
The Pick of the Day is one of these scooters from what many consider the golden age of the Vespa, a 1961 Vespa that is advertised as a 150 Sprint (but is actually a VBB 150) located in Houston, Texas.
The reason I reidentified the bike is because a sprint is a different model and being a bit of a Vespa geek, I thought that identifying it properly was something I had to do.
The ClassicCars.com dealer offering this Vespa goes into the history of the Vespa in the description but fails to offer much in the way of info on this exact scooter.
Looking at the pictures I see a very nicely restored Vespa VBB in red, which is a perfect color for these wonderful scooters. I had a VBB a number of years ago that I bought while on a trip with my friend, and publisher of Grassroots and Classic Motorsports magazines, Tim Suddard. I used it to ride around the Carlisle Import Show all weekend; it was the perfect way to get around. A VBB is capable of a 50 MPH top speed and is a stylish way to motor about and living “La Dolce Vita.”
The price for this 1961 Vespa VBB is $10,000 which might seem a lot for a scooter, but I will tell you from experience that to properly restore an average rider quality Vespa of this vintage will cost as much as this.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
