c1956 Vespa 125cc Scooter

The name Vespa when translated, means wasp and this label was applied by Enrico Piaggio to his scooters when they first appeared in 1942, both for their appearance and the buzzing noise of the two-stroke engine. Production of the Vespa was soon in full swing, capitalising on the post-war economic boom in Italy and sales had surpassed the million units by 1956. Although the basic design remained intact, constant development saw the Vespa evolve over the years and major changes included more powerful engines along with revisions to the styling. As the Vespa's popularity around the world grew, thanks in part to extensive advertising campaigns, the scooter was produced under licence from Piaggio in various countries around the world and a bewildering variety of models were sold. The French-made Vespas, built under licence in Forchambault, near Dijon, by ACMA were broadly similar to their Italian-made cousins, differing only in minor details. Current from 1951 to 1955, the 125 had cast headlamp bolted onto the handlebar, used either Dell'Orto or Guertner carburettors and 8-inch wheels. With the recent resurgence of interest in the classic Vespas, as people look to scooters once more as an ideal mode of transport in crowded cities, nicely restored examples have proven a solid investment as well as a great way to get around.