Men and Motors
  • 8 months ago
Whether your interest in Scooters is nostalgic or contemporary this programme truly has something to suit every taste. Enjoy a flavour of classic scootering from the past before coming right up to date with such technological advances as the magnificent Suzuki AN650 Bergman. So sit back, relax, and let this "Scooter Revolution" take you on a fascinating journey of discovery.

Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss a video!

------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!

Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!

---- Social Media ----

Follow us on social media by clicking the link below to elevate your social media experience by connecting with us!
https://menandmotors.start.page

If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com

© Men and Motors - One Media iP

Category

🚗
Motor
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:30 Mention the word scooter, and you're
00:33 sure to raise a smile with just about any age group.
00:38 For 16-year-olds, it's the first step
00:41 towards the freedom of the open road,
00:44 while those who've remained at the age of 21 for more years
00:49 than they care to remember, memories of the swinging '60s
00:53 when customized Vespas and Lambrettas
00:56 were the epitome of cool will come flooding back.
01:02 There's something rare about the scooter that
01:04 is both contemporary and at the same time nostalgic.
01:08 And this remarkable mode of transport
01:11 seems to reinvent itself for each new generation
01:15 of two-wheeled travelers.
01:17 Scooters are in fact popular the whole world over,
01:23 particularly in Italy, where the stylish designs of the Vespa
01:28 and Lambretta originated, transforming
01:31 this highly practical way of getting from A to B
01:35 into a veritable fashion icon.
01:40 And where popular culture led, the rest of the motorcycle
01:44 industry followed as the scooter revolution quickly
01:48 gathered momentum.
01:51 Over the course of the next hour,
01:53 you'll see the very best of scootering,
01:55 from the early classics right through to the very latest
01:59 technological advances, as typified by the Suzuki AN650
02:04 Bergman, a machine that without doubt
02:08 deserves the title Super Scooter.
02:12 So without further ado, it's time to hit the road
02:16 and enjoy a top-notch selection of scooters in action.
02:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:23 Hi, my name's Nigel Cox, and I've
02:39 got the world's biggest collection
02:40 of Lambretta scooters.
02:42 Let me show you around.
02:45 Right, this all started, I think,
02:47 back in about 1986, when, like everybody,
02:51 I saw an SX200, which was a scooter that I really wanted.
02:54 And that's what started me going.
02:56 But as we walk around, I'll show you some of the scooters.
02:59 This one here, TB175 Series 3, this
03:01 is a classic scooter with all the mod accessories on it.
03:05 And this is a sort of era that I remember back in '67,
03:08 people would have the scooters, and then you bought bits,
03:11 mirrors, lights, and everything, and every spare bit of money
03:13 you had.
03:15 Moving on to this, another classic scooter, a TB200.
03:18 This is very nice condition.
03:20 This is actually done less than 5,000 miles.
03:22 It's completely original.
03:23 And I've not seen a nicer one of these.
03:26 Right, moving on from that, this is still in the '70s now,
03:30 or the late '60s, '70s.
03:31 We've got the Vega or the Luna range.
03:34 This is a range of sort of step-through scooters.
03:36 Today, they look fairly fashionable.
03:38 But in the time when they was being sold new, in fact,
03:41 they were sold for £99.
03:42 So really, Lambretta lost a lot of money on these scooters.
03:46 Had they been around now today, I think they may have sold.
03:49 Now, you'll see two scooters here,
03:51 the green and the brown one.
03:52 These are the Model A model, or the 125M.
03:55 This is how Lambretta started.
03:57 And these were actually designed just after the war.
04:00 1944 was the prototype.
04:02 And they actually came onto sale in 1947.
04:05 And although the scooters have got tiny 7-inch wheels,
04:09 they've got a three-speed gearbox with a foot gear change.
04:13 Very unusual.
04:13 It's the only Lambretta that had that.
04:15 No suspension.
04:16 They had rubber bushes in the front.
04:18 And the back was just solid.
04:19 And they just relied on the tires.
04:20 But basically, this was just to get people moving.
04:23 After the war, they wanted to get their nation rolling again.
04:25 And this is what happened.
04:27 You had Piaggio, which was about six months before them in 1946.
04:30 They'd already got a scooter.
04:31 And this is what Lambretta came back.
04:34 Like everything, anything new, they
04:36 didn't keep this model very long.
04:37 In 1948, they brought out the B model.
04:40 Similar looking scooter, although many, many things
04:41 are different.
04:42 You upgraded to 8-inch wheels.
04:44 You now had a hand gear change like all the other Lambretta
04:48 scooters.
04:49 You had suspension now.
04:51 You had suspension on the front, which was cantilever.
04:53 And you had a torsion arm suspension or a push suspension
04:57 on the rear.
04:59 All these are 125cc scooters.
05:01 Top speed of 40, 45 mile an hour.
05:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:08 Here I am with Vittorio, who's giving me
05:10 a sneak preview of the new museum that
05:12 will be open in a week.
05:13 We're very privileged.
05:14 And he's also here to help me if I make any mistakes
05:17 and to point them out to me.
05:19 This is a 1969, 1970 J125 Super Starstream.
05:29 It has a false horn casting here,
05:31 a turning front mud guard, more closely trying
05:34 to resemble the Vespa, I guess.
05:37 Two-tone paintwork.
05:38 Had an awful lot of money spent on the advertising campaign
05:42 to try and get it to sell.
05:43 Not many machines were actually built.
05:46 But this is a fantastic example of one.
05:50 This was the last in the line for the J-Range series.
05:53 [MUSIC PLAYING]
05:56 Cento 100, done in a lovely ivory.
06:03 Is this paintwork original?
06:06 Original paintwork.
06:07 Lovely shine for original paintwork.
06:10 Not perfect, but very good enough.
06:12 The handling on these isn't particularly good.
06:14 Was it the steering is very light.
06:16 The steering head bearings are really small on them.
06:19 And they're fiddly.
06:21 Getting the cables through the frame
06:23 is-- that's an advantage of a Lambretta.
06:26 It shouldn't be a disadvantage which
06:29 you get with the J-Ranges.
06:30 What we have here is a cutaway.
06:32 These machines were actually used for publicity purposes
06:36 back in-- well, when the vehicles were being produced
06:39 in order for people to be able to see how they worked
06:41 and how they've been put together.
06:43 A lot of-- hey, it all turns over.
06:47 Look at that.
06:49 We can get the camera in here.
06:52 We can--
06:53 Sorry, no gasoline.
06:55 There's no petrol in it.
06:57 But we can get an idea as to how the engine runs.
07:01 Piston up and down here.
07:03 Vertically, obviously, rather than forwards and back.
07:07 We've got the clutch here.
07:09 The gearbox.
07:11 The kickstart mechanism.
07:13 LD kickstarts.
07:14 Not my favorite.
07:16 No, nobody's favorite.
07:19 And the shaft drive.
07:21 No chain on here.
07:22 And you can see the shaft in the center here.
07:25 Here we have a beautiful 1947 Model A Lamboretta.
07:33 Foot gear change.
07:36 Nice bare handlebars.
07:38 That will tell you straight away it's an A and not a
07:40 Model B, which we have next door.
07:43 Absolutely beautiful machine, this one.
07:45 You've got the gear selector up here.
07:48 We have a look in here.
07:49 We've got first, second, third.
07:52 As you twist, this indicator moves up and down.
07:55 Same frame, but something that's been introduced to this
07:58 one is the rear suspension.
08:02 If we look down here, this is our suspension.
08:07 Other differences, we've obviously got the gear
08:10 selector box here.
08:11 Now this one stayed the same and was carried through onto
08:14 the rear suspension.
08:15 Gear selector box here.
08:17 Now this one stayed the same and was carried through onto
08:20 the early Model Cs and LCs.
08:23 Nice machine.
08:24 In this sort of condition, this sort of original
08:27 condition is really rare.
08:29 And a real privilege to have a look at.
08:31 And if it wasn't for machines like this, you wouldn't
08:33 actually have a guide in order to be able to restore these
08:36 in the future.
08:37 Just little things.
08:38 We're seeing zinc plated, nickel plated, nuts, bolts.
08:45 Fantastic.
08:47 The front wheel here was also enlarged from a seven inch to
08:52 an eight inch wheel.
08:53 And was held in place by the front mudguard, rather than
08:57 what we would know as an ordinary set of Lambretta
09:00 forks, where the wheel would be bolted in tightly into two
09:03 links on either side.
09:04 At the moment, we're driving down the
09:13 Napoleonic Grand Corniche.
09:15 I'm about 15, 20 minutes away from Italy.
09:17 We're just over the frontier.
09:19 We've been tipped off that there's a small auto jumble.
09:22 Hopefully there's going to be loads of interesting parts
09:25 there, and probably a couple of bikes as well.
09:27 You never know.
09:28 There could be loads, there could be nothing.
09:30 It's a chance you take.
09:33 We can't get our hopes up too much.
09:35 In all my visits to Italy, I've never actually seen a
09:38 Lambretta riding down the road.
09:41 It's more of a historical phenomena.
09:43 A phenomena, nevertheless.
09:45 And the passion for it is still alive.
09:47 With any luck, we'll be able to find the remnants of a once
09:54 thriving culture.
09:56 You've got to remember, there's 30, 40 different types
09:59 of Lambretta and Vespas.
10:00 You're not going to find everything that you look for
10:02 is your one and one stall.
10:04 But you can find one bit.
10:06 You might not find anything that you're after.
10:08 But the great thing about these Italian auto jumbles is
10:10 you've got more stalls over here.
10:12 And more stalls over the other side.
10:16 They're great.
10:17 For people who really are serious about the
10:19 restorations of their bikes and want original pieces,
10:22 these are the places to come.
10:24 Now this is a bit of a find.
10:33 Not much of a find, but a bit of a find.
10:35 This is obviously an LD125.
10:37 It's a Mark 3B.
10:39 Well, you can tell that.
10:40 You look at the cowlings on the handlebars.
10:42 The only other ones to have cowlings as standard were
10:44 going to be the Mark 4 French LD.
10:46 Slightly different design on the ferrule.
10:49 Was it the horn casting?
10:50 Slightly different.
10:50 No badges there.
10:51 But this is generally a pretty complete bike.
10:55 It's OK.
10:55 The mudguards dented around.
10:56 Try and find an LD mudguard that isn't.
10:58 It's a bit of a pain in the ass.
10:59 You buy something like this, you're going to expect it.
11:02 It is a rare old gem.
11:03 And it's the sort of thing that in a few years time,
11:04 you're not going to find any of at all.
11:06 So if they're there, you've really got a bit of a historic
11:09 duty, really, to try and get it and try and preserve it.
11:11 Grazie, signore.
11:18 Perfetto.
11:19 Amazing.
11:20 Goodbye.
11:21 I've been looking for one of these.
11:22 It's a Luna 50 headlamp rim.
11:24 All over England.
11:25 I've had no luck whatsoever.
11:27 I just strolled up to a store.
11:29 Here it is.
11:29 Problem over.
11:30 Job done.
11:31 I've still got change.
11:32 Fantastic.
11:35 Oh, wow.
11:36 Got a Lambretta Series 2 here.
11:38 Now, this is the first bike I ever owned.
11:40 And I think they're absolutely fantastic.
11:42 First thing that attracts me to this one, the fact that it
11:44 looks straight, it's clean, the mudguard isn't bent around.
11:47 You've got this nice little sort of stripey, tutti frutti,
11:49 handy leg shield rubbers.
11:51 You've got a floor mat on there.
11:53 Well, everything's reasonably solid.
11:56 It's complete.
11:56 It's had a blow over.
11:57 You could be forgiven.
11:58 You look at this and you think, wow, it looks all very
12:01 original.
12:01 That must be worth a packet.
12:03 Reality is, it costs a packet.
12:05 But it is an original paintwork.
12:06 Things you look for, like the bolts here on top of the
12:09 forks, they've been painted.
12:10 Little bits of over spray on the running strips here.
12:13 This is pretty much your bog standard model.
12:15 Produced between 1959, 1961.
12:19 Very popular here.
12:20 Very popular in England.
12:23 Now, this is interesting.
12:25 This is the size of the wheels.
12:27 A seven inch wheel from a Model A.
12:29 [SPEAKING ITALIAN]
12:30 Yeah.
12:31 [SPEAKING ITALIAN]
12:33 [SPEAKING ITALIAN]
12:33 Wow.
12:36 Now, this was bought in the morning.
12:37 This is a 350 by seven tire.
12:40 Only myself and people like myself think
12:43 this is incredible.
12:46 Now, the end of the day.
12:49 It's getting a bit chilly now.
12:50 We've put an extra layer of clothing on.
12:52 It's worth hanging around and carrying on.
12:55 Because you never know.
12:56 Another five minutes, I might find that
12:58 carburetor for my GS.
12:59 I may find a light switch for my Model B. You never, ever,
13:03 ever know what you're going to find in these things.
13:06 Here I have an exhaust for my Lunar 50.
13:08 Brand spankers go straight on there.
13:10 I'm really chuffed with that.
13:12 I've got a rather tatty exhaust for my Model LC here.
13:15 But I need one.
13:16 It only costs a couple of quid.
13:17 And I can get the thing on the road now.
13:19 That's absolutely amazing.
13:20 As far as I'm concerned, this is a great day out.
13:23 When I got my first Lambretta at the age of 15, and I
13:27 started restoring it, and got it ready for my 16th birthday,
13:32 the Lambretta Commeta registered dodgily as a 50cc,
13:36 I'm sure anyone in England will understand.
13:41 I never thought that 18 years on, I'd be driving to the
13:46 very factory where it was built.
13:59 Funny that I'm feeling emotional about this.
14:03 It should be just a factory.
14:04 But one thing's for sure.
14:11 I'm really excited about it.
14:13 We're outside one of only four remaining buildings at the
14:22 old Innocenti plant.
14:24 This is the main gate and office area.
14:26 [MUSIC PLAYING]
14:39 Mixed feelings now.
14:41 It's exciting to be here.
14:43 But it's also rather sad when you look at the state of the
14:45 building now.
14:48 You can imagine painters, polishers, assembly plant
14:54 workers, cleaners, chromers, everyone flooding through
14:59 these gates, dispersing throughout the
15:02 whole of Milan.
15:03 It's just a shame that something like this factory
15:16 that built motorcycles that, certainly for me, and for many
15:23 other people as well, brought so much fun and so much
15:26 happiness.
15:27 Those darker adolescent moments.
15:32 You just go outside, and you go and work on your Lambretta.
15:41 Those joyous moments, the meeting a new girl and taking
15:47 her out on your bike.
15:51 She might not have cared.
15:54 She might not have known what she was on.
15:57 But you did.
15:58 And all throughout my life, certainly.
16:04 If I've had long hair, short hair, dreadlocks, Mohicans, as
16:11 an accountant, as a foreign student, I've
16:18 always had a Lambretta.
16:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
16:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
16:51 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:42 I started off being a mod.
17:43 And then, of course, you couldn't have a motorbike,
17:45 because that wouldn't be mod, would it?
17:46 So I just went with that scene with a scooter.
17:52 And they were quite cheap to buy, if you could buy a
17:55 second-hand one.
17:56 So a friend of mine, he bought a brand new GS with the chrome
18:00 bubbles and racks and everything.
18:02 And he paid some serious money for it.
18:05 And he must have had a reasonably good pay to be able
18:09 to buy that and run that.
18:12 But he had whitey-wally tires and everything on it.
18:14 We thought this was like a Rolls Royce.
18:15 I mean, I remember him when he pulled up on it.
18:17 It was an absolutely amazing thing.
18:19 So metallic, dark blue, everything chrome, racks,
18:23 white-walled tires, wheel trims.
18:25 You name it, he had it.
18:27 And it was as well as my 40-pound scooter, which was
18:31 quite satisfying in a way, because I'd done it all
18:33 myself, rebuilt it, what needed doing, knew every nut
18:36 and bolt on it.
18:38 And it was so reliable.
18:40 I used to carry a certain amount of spares that I could
18:43 fix on the side of the road, cables.
18:46 I was a bit of a boy scout like that.
18:48 I was always prepared for breakdowns, which they very
18:51 rarely did.
18:52 They very rarely did.
18:53 They were very, very reliable.
18:56 We set off all over the place on them with the knowledge,
18:59 usually, that we were going to get there and back
19:00 somehow, you know?
19:01 It was brilliant.
19:08 We used to just drift out of London.
19:10 And there was times when I actually left North London,
19:13 about six or seven of us.
19:15 And the time we crossed Foxhall Bridge and going out the
19:18 other side of London, there'd be 50, 100, hundreds of us.
19:21 We used to be just across the road.
19:23 Nobody would bother with you, because there
19:24 were too many of us.
19:26 And the times when we were going down to-- it was Margate,
19:30 one year.
19:31 And on the outskirts of Margate, we were coming up to a
19:33 junction about four or five of us.
19:35 And these rockers, or greasers, we used to call them at the
19:38 time, and the motorcycles.
19:39 And one with a sidecar.
19:42 And they sort of sheltered us.
19:44 We went past.
19:45 And the next thing I looked behind, and this one stood up
19:46 in a sidecar, swinging a big bicycle chain.
19:50 And he chased us.
19:51 I think my scooter had never gone so fast.
19:53 It is like--
19:55 it was just amazing things like that
19:57 happening all the time.
19:58 There's conflict with the rockers and the mods.
20:03 Thank god nobody I know personally got really injured.
20:06 I had the usual run-ins with the rockers.
20:09 But that was mainly hyped up, and things like that.
20:14 But in general, it was brilliant.
20:16 It was the first time, really, that young people had had the
20:19 mobility for low cost.
20:25 I mean, you could buy a scooter at quite a reasonable
20:27 price and be fully mobile, as they said.
20:31 And it had become a sort of a way of life.
20:35 Well, they used to call them scooter boys, didn't they?
20:37 But it was a way of life.
20:39 And I think it's a great thing.
20:41 It's a great thing to be able to do.
20:43 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:45 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:47 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:49 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:53 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:57 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
20:59 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:01 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:11 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:13 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:15 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:21 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:23 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:25 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
21:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
22:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
23:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
24:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
25:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
26:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
27:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
28:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
29:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:46 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:48 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:50 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:52 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:54 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:56 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
30:58 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:00 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:02 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:04 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:06 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:08 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:10 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:12 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:14 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:16 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:18 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:20 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:22 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:24 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:26 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:28 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:30 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:32 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:34 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:36 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:38 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:40 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:42 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:44 And it's a great thing to be able to do.
31:46 All the way, always.
31:48 Scooters.
31:50 What could you be?
31:52 Since I was 16 it's been part of my life and it will always be there.
31:54 It's in there, isn't it?
31:56 Fun. Good fun.
31:58 Basically good fun and that's it for me.
32:00 Basically good fun and that's it for me.
32:02 Enjoy it.
32:04 I treat them all as a way of life.
32:06 I regularly use my scooter all the time back and forth to work.
32:08 It's a regular way of life for me.
32:10 Basically my daughter is getting into the scene as well now.
32:12 She's nine so I've started her off as well now.
32:14 I've seen her buy her t-shirts and stuff.
32:16 So I get her a scooter when she gets old enough.
32:18 It's a way of life for me.
32:20 Right, a train.
32:32 It may seem a bit of a strange place to start a story about a Vespa.
32:34 It may seem a bit of a strange place to start a story about a Vespa.
32:36 But it's taken us to the airport where we're going to jump on a plane and fly down to Italy.
32:38 But it's taken us to the airport where we're going to jump on a plane and fly down to Italy.
32:40 And show you what it's all about.
32:42 But to save you all the rubbish of airports.
32:44 Here we are.
33:00 We're just approaching Pontedera.
33:02 And the hallowed territory of the Vespa factory.
33:04 And the hallowed territory of the Vespa factory.
33:06 It's a very exciting experience.
33:08 It's a very exciting experience.
33:10 I can't believe we're actually going to be here.
33:12 I can't believe we're actually going to be here.
33:14 Pontedera started producing Vespa scooters in April of 1946.
33:16 Pontedera started producing Vespa scooters in April of 1946.
33:18 Pontedera started producing Vespa scooters in April of 1946.
33:20 Pontedera started producing Vespa scooters in April of 1946.
33:22 And has constantly and consistently been throwing out the best scooters in the world for the last 56 years.
33:24 And has constantly and consistently been throwing out the best scooters in the world for the last 56 years.
33:26 And has constantly and consistently been throwing out the best scooters in the world for the last 56 years.
33:28 And has constantly and consistently been throwing out the best scooters in the world for the last 56 years.
33:30 A testimony to the incredible history of the Vespa scooter.
33:32 A testimony to the incredible history of the Vespa scooter.
33:34 A testimony to the incredible history of the Vespa scooter.
33:40 I guess we must almost be there.
33:42 I guess we must almost be there.
33:44 I guess we must almost be there.
33:46 Here I am in Piaggio Street.
33:48 Here I am in Piaggio Street.
33:50 I have Piaggio behind me.
33:52 I have Piaggio to my right.
33:54 I have Piaggio to my right.
33:56 To my left as far as the eye can see.
33:58 We've got Vespas being loaded up onto trucks now.
34:00 This is where it all began.
34:02 This is where it is happening now.
34:04 And goodness knows when it's going to stop.
34:06 This is really exciting. Let's go.
34:08 Here we go. I'm really excited.
34:14 And you're going to be excited too.
34:16 This is the heart of Vespa.
34:18 This is the Mecca. The temple.
34:20 The everything.
34:22 There is nothing here that you could want for.
34:24 There is nothing here that you could want for.
34:26 Here we have the whole story.
34:28 And it starts right here.
34:30 The very first prototype.
34:32 The Papparino.
34:34 The Donald Duck.
34:36 Absolutely amazing little machine.
34:38 A new design. Piaggio was looking for a way of moving away from aircraft design.
34:42 Aircraft engines were very expensive to build.
34:44 Nobody really wanted to buy them in the post-war economies.
34:48 This was the first idea.
34:50 We notice we've got a bicycle pump here.
34:52 Press steel construction.
34:54 This was Piaggio's baby.
34:56 The press steel construction.
34:58 This however was thrown back.
35:00 Obviously because it did look like Donald Duck.
35:02 It was a particularly ugly machine.
35:04 And didn't handle at all.
35:06 The job of redesigning was given.
35:08 To an aircraft designer.
35:10 Who came up with this.
35:12 Now this design was taken on board.
35:14 This was totally revolutionary.
35:16 If we look here.
35:18 We've got the front fork set up.
35:20 Now this wasn't really to change too much.
35:22 Up until the present day.
35:24 Refined certainly and a lot better.
35:26 But the whole idea of having this aircraft landing gear type set up.
35:32 With the wheel that could just be taken off.
35:34 Was absolutely fantastic.
35:36 Air cooling.
35:38 Through the side panels here.
35:40 That was something that was done away with as well.
35:42 But we have the precursors here.
35:44 We have little aluminium floor strips here.
35:46 Which will be repeated in later models.
35:48 Which we'll get to a little later.
35:50 But certainly the whole concept of Vespa.
35:52 Was there right from the start.
35:54 Now this is what you could call a case history of Vespa.
35:56 From the beginning.
35:58 A 1951 Vespa 125.
36:00 The interesting thing about this.
36:02 Is that the rod gear change mechanism.
36:04 Was changed for two flexible cables.
36:06 Still in use to today.
36:08 Vespa ET3 from Avera 1976.
36:10 Lovely model.
36:12 Electronic ignitions.
36:14 Very fast. Fantastic.
36:16 1953 Vespa 125U.
36:18 This was the economy model.
36:20 We have screwed on side panels here.
36:22 The first of the Vespa 98's of April 1946.
36:24 We've got very little chrome on there.
36:26 No rubber inserts on the strips.
36:28 Just plain aluminium.
36:30 As we saw on the Ape earlier on.
36:32 Here we've got a Vespa 150.
36:34 This was the second year of production.
36:36 Of the rotary valve engine.
36:38 And the rotary valve induction system.
36:40 Improved reliability and performance.
36:42 All round and is still in use to the present day.
36:44 We've got another Vespa ET3.
36:46 We've got the unique.
36:48 Vespa 125 circuit of 1948.
36:50 This is absolutely unique.
36:52 There's nothing like this anywhere else in the world.
36:54 Never was. Never will be.
36:56 Now, find the refinements that you find here.
36:58 Is a completely redesigned front hub.
37:00 We've got a different suspension set up here.
37:02 It's like a little extra.
37:04 It's the sort of thing you find on 1950's motorcycles.
37:06 It can be adjusted to strengthen, loosen.
37:08 Do whatever you like.
37:10 There's also one of these on the engine inside here.
37:12 That we won't be able to see.
37:14 The carburetor looks like it's a turbo.
37:16 It's a turbo.
37:18 The carburetor looks like it's a 30 God knows what.
37:20 Millimeter carburetor.
37:22 With strange filters.
37:24 Tubes.
37:26 The handlebar set up here.
37:28 Seems to be a stack.
37:30 Of handlebar joints.
37:32 I have no idea.
37:34 Why anyone ever thought that.
37:36 That was a good idea.
37:38 But it's here and it's now.
37:40 And it's in front of us.
37:42 This is just absolutely incredible.
37:44 We have a reinforced frame.
37:46 We have specially made panels.
37:48 A moulded in petrol tank.
37:50 And this huge great hoofing great trumpet.
37:52 Of a straight through exhaust.
37:54 Absolutely awesome.
37:56 Terrifying machine.
37:58 And if you were to take this on the road in England.
38:00 I'd give you five minutes.
38:02 Before you lost your license.
38:04 We're screaming down a 200 year old road.
38:10 Along the Cote d'Azur.
38:12 Just over the.
38:14 Just over the border in Italy.
38:16 We've got a small little auto jumble.
38:18 Where.
38:20 If we don't find any Vespas.
38:22 I'll eat my hat.
38:24 They're everywhere.
38:26 The country's obsessed with them.
38:28 It's a passion.
38:30 A passion the like of which.
38:32 I haven't found anywhere else in the world.
38:34 Not even England.
38:36 It's different.
38:38 It's different here.
38:40 It's more.
38:42 It's more family orientated maybe.
38:44 This is what I love about.
38:48 These sort of auto jumbles.
38:50 You've got old Mercedes.
38:52 You've got people who are into Lambrettas.
38:54 Talking to people with motor guzzies.
38:56 You've got people with motor guzzies.
38:58 Trying to sell their Vespas to other people.
39:00 Everyone just has a really jolly time.
39:02 And just trades stuff about.
39:04 Was it selling this and selling that.
39:06 But the reason was that I'm here now.
39:08 Is because of scooters.
39:10 This one.
39:12 This one I guess would be a 1954 Vespa 125.
39:18 Absolutely incredible.
39:20 You'll tell that it's a 125.
39:22 We've got gear cables here.
39:24 This was introduced in about 1952.
39:28 It was a great improvement on the old rod mechanism.
39:30 Which didn't really function particularly well.
39:32 It was a little extra.
39:34 That weren't fitted as standard.
39:36 Things like a speedo here.
39:38 With the Vespa logo on it.
39:40 It's really very rare.
39:42 It's a lovely little extra if you're going to restore a bike.
39:44 This is the sort of thing you really want to put on there.
39:46 And it's as rare as hen's teeth.
39:48 You just don't find them anymore.
39:50 You look at the wider frame.
39:52 You look inside here.
39:54 We've got the tool box there with the carburettor inside it.
39:56 Absolutely incredible machines.
39:58 And with the headlamp low.
40:00 Now this machine was produced in England by Douglas.
40:02 But because of legal regulations.
40:04 The headlamp had to be moved up to here.
40:06 And it's known as a GL or a GL2.
40:08 This one next to it.
40:10 Is a series 1 GS160.
40:12 Now yeah if you're watching this.
40:14 You'll be thinking great I'd love this machine.
40:16 But it is really very expensive.
40:18 And Italy isn't the sort of place to buy these things anymore.
40:20 You're talking about £1200 for something like this.
40:22 It's complete.
40:24 But you can get that sort of deal in England.
40:26 Sometimes you're better off actually buying one.
40:28 That's already restored for a couple of thousand pounds.
40:30 It's going to cost you £800 to do one anyway.
40:32 But this is a lovely example to find.
40:34 And more importantly.
40:36 A lot of the British models.
40:38 You'll find they're rusted out underneath with the weather.
40:40 You come to Italy.
40:42 And you do find the rust free examples.
40:44 Things to look out for here.
40:46 Straight mudguards.
40:48 Straight leg shields.
40:50 You look at the switch here.
40:52 And that automatically tells you straight away.
40:54 That it's a GS160.
40:56 The classic mud bubbles at the back.
40:58 It looked great in chrome in the 1960s.
41:00 This is about a 1962 model.
41:02 In 1962 you had all the mods riding around.
41:04 Up and down the sea fronts.
41:06 Fighting with the bikers and doing their things.
41:08 And they were getting there on things like this.
41:10 Cheap affordable transport.
41:12 A pair of Sprint Veloces.
41:14 Absolutely fantastic machines.
41:16 A step up from the GL that we saw earlier.
41:18 These ones have got triple transfer ports.
41:20 It means that the miles per gallon goes down.
41:22 But the speed is about 20km/h more.
41:24 Absolutely fantastic.
41:26 These will be about late 1960s.
41:28 This one's slightly earlier.
41:30 Because it has the trapezoidal headlamp on there.
41:32 This one, the later one.
41:34 We've got the Rally headlamp on there.
41:36 Nice big headlamp.
41:38 Plenty of light.
41:40 You can see where you're going.
41:42 Makes a change.
41:44 Certainly a step in the right direction.
41:46 This is a lovely engine sound.
41:48 The guy who owns this bike has just come over.
41:50 Second kick.
41:52 She starts up.
41:54 She ticks over.
41:56 There's no mucking about.
41:58 It's a lovely place.
42:00 You find them all over the place.
42:02 They're always pleased to see you.
42:04 Get invited back to people's houses.
42:06 Offer bowls of wine.
42:08 It's fantastic.
42:10 It's great fun.
42:12 I just love it out here.
42:14 It's the next day.
42:20 We've got about half an hour before we get to Rimini.
42:22 And the Italian National Motorcycle Museum.
42:24 Where there's another auto jumble going on.
42:26 Here we are at another auto jumble.
42:28 The first thing I find when I get in here.
42:30 Is the most amazing collection of Vespa literature.
42:34 We've got the brand new Vespa Tecnica manuals over here.
42:38 Which is just absolutely incredible.
42:42 And amazing.
42:44 Other stuff.
42:46 You've got so much literature here.
42:48 You've got Vespa from Milan to Tokyo.
42:50 A little travel documentary.
42:52 The workshop manuals.
42:54 A couple of the books are in English.
42:56 Most of them are in Italian.
42:58 It really is worth learning in Italian.
43:00 I actually learnt my Italian.
43:02 From an Italian workshop manual.
43:04 And it's fantastic.
43:06 Ask me how to ask for a cup of tea.
43:08 I wouldn't know.
43:10 Ask me the name for a primary drive cog.
43:12 And I'll be able to tell you.
43:14 This is a 1954-55 Vespa 125.
43:16 It's absolutely fantastic.
43:18 Really nicely done.
43:20 Good solid paint work on there.
43:22 The horn's not right on it.
43:24 You've got gear cables.
43:26 Which is an important thing.
43:28 That makes life a lot easier.
43:30 You've got this strange pillion seat on the back.
43:32 Was it a little bit naughty to sit on?
43:34 Or a bit dirty to sit astride a motorcycle?
43:36 So you sat on these side saddles.
43:38 And would generally have a little plate along here.
43:40 Was it for your wife to put her feet on?
43:42 This is a 1952 Vespa 125.
43:48 1952 Vespa 125.
43:50 It's covered in rust.
43:54 But a lot of it is surface rust.
43:56 Now this is the sort of bike I would go for.
43:58 You can end up paying two or three times more.
44:00 For something that's still got a solid layer of paint on it.
44:02 And the cables a bit more complete.
44:04 The brakes work and stuff like that.
44:06 But if you're looking for a restoration.
44:08 Then that doesn't really matter.
44:10 It's all going to have to be stripped down anyway.
44:12 It's all going to have to be shot glassed.
44:14 All the cables are going to have to be replaced.
44:16 The stuff, like the headlamp.
44:18 You don't really need.
44:20 The problem with this one is the fact it doesn't have a seat.
44:22 Now if you're going to an Italian auto jumble.
44:24 You will find a seat.
44:26 If you had this in England.
44:28 It would be a complete and utter nightmare.
44:30 Now this is similar to the rod type.
44:32 We saw yesterday at the auto jumble.
44:34 And it's got an awkward engine.
44:38 The engine doesn't turn over.
44:40 This one is seized.
44:42 They can be a right pain in the arse.
44:44 A bit of a mystery.
44:46 Difficult to get bits for.
44:48 Seized engine. Missing the cowling.
44:50 Lovely side panel. I missed that one.
44:52 Completely cut away.
44:54 Definitely a '52 model.
44:56 Absolutely fantastic.
45:00 Rear light's missing.
45:02 You can buy the rear light. You can buy the front light.
45:04 It all comes new. You get all the reproduction parts.
45:06 The stand's all bent and knackered.
45:08 It's probably the brackets underneath.
45:10 But they can be bent back.
45:12 It's not. What a bonus.
45:14 In fact.
45:16 Cast iron brake pedal.
45:18 That's interesting.
45:20 I didn't realise they had them.
45:22 Overall, if you were looking for a bike to restore.
45:26 This is the sort of thing you should be going for.
45:28 Was it buy something cheaper?
45:30 Don't bother buying a bike that's going to be
45:32 halfway decent already.
45:34 Buy something with the bare bolts.
45:36 Because that's all you need to start a restoration.
45:38 Absolutely incredible.
45:40 Let's have a look.
45:42 Let's see if it's got all it's bits and bobs.
45:44 Side panel clips are missing.
45:48 But that doesn't really matter.
45:50 They're only little strips of metal.
45:52 You can make them yourself.
45:54 Unless you can get hold of a proper set.
45:56 Separate rear suspension back here is a nice little touch.
45:58 While we've got the side panel up.
46:00 Interesting side here.
46:02 You haven't got your integrated unit that came in a couple of years later.
46:04 No coil.
46:06 Straight out of the Magneto.
46:08 Nice little bike.
46:10 I'd be tempted to do this myself.
46:12 I love these sort of machines.
46:14 And collectors love these sort of machines.
46:16 But they're just not popular in Britain.
46:18 It's a shame that they're not.
46:20 Because there are still plenty of this sort of thing to get hold of.
46:22 Absolutely amazing.
46:24 Another little thing to check with these.
46:28 Tiny little petrol tank isn't it?
46:32 It's great.
46:36 Put your hand around inside the tank.
46:38 A little bit rusty.
46:40 But this is generally a clean bike.
46:42 Appearances are deceptive.
46:44 This is your perfect restoration bike.
46:46 If you want to buy one.
46:48 To restore.
46:50 Somebody used this.
46:52 Was it back in the 1950's?
46:54 To go to parties.
46:56 To get to work.
46:58 To do their job.
47:00 To get on.
47:02 To mobilise Italy.
47:04 Really at the end of the day.
47:06 Well worth getting hold of.
47:08 And well worth restoring.
47:10 I wish they were more popular in England.
47:12 I really do.
47:14 I see Lambrettas all day long.
47:16 The old Vespas.
47:18 Well worthy.
47:20 Look the way they're put together.
47:22 The way the frame pressings go together.
47:24 The design hasn't really changed that much in 50, 60 years.
47:26 It's incredible.
47:28 What a design feat.
47:30 I've just been lent a Vespa.
47:32 A 1959 Vespa.
47:34 We're just about to go round town.
47:36 This is what it's all about.
47:38 What absolute scream.
47:40 There we go.
47:46 A hairpin bend.
47:48 Watch how the Vespa takes it in its stride.
47:50 I'm going to have to get a bit of a break.
47:58 [Music]
48:00 That's it for us now.
48:20 We've been everywhere.
48:22 We've been to the factory.
48:24 We've been to the museum.
48:26 We've covered these things in garages.
48:28 We've ridden up mountains, down mountains.
48:30 Two bars. We have done everything.
48:32 But at the end of the day,
48:34 this is what it is all about.
48:36 It's friendship, having fun,
48:38 riding around,
48:40 and having a drink at the end of the day.
48:42 It's a real shame,
48:46 but this is the end of our Vespa quest.
48:48 And I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
48:50 Let's go.
48:54 [Music]
48:56 When Suzuki invented the hybrid super scooter in 1998,
49:12 which took the best elements of a scooter and a motorcycle
49:16 and combined them,
49:18 an interesting machine was created.
49:20 Result? The Suzuki AN250 Bergman performed well.
49:24 They then developed a 400 version,
49:28 and the competition for this niche market
49:30 began to close in on them.
49:32 In 2003, they unveiled the Suzuki AN650 Bergman,
49:42 the biggest, most powerful,
49:44 and most luxurious scooter on the market.
49:46 [Music]
49:48 This super scooter has a big bike performance
49:54 by adopting the latest advanced technology
49:58 and sits it within the framework
50:00 of a conventional, fully automatic scooter.
50:02 The combination of high technology performance,
50:06 an innovative drive system,
50:08 maximum comfort,
50:10 and unmistakable styling
50:12 blends together to create a whole new hybrid.
50:16 The power behind the Bergman 650
50:20 comes from a 638cc V-twin engine
50:24 that's centrally located, motorcycle style,
50:26 for optimum weight distribution and handling.
50:30 With plenty of power from the engine throughout its speed range,
50:34 it's got the ability to leave a four-wheeled vehicle
50:38 behind at the traffic lights.
50:40 The Bergman 650 has three separate modes of drive,
50:44 each available at a flick of your left thumb
50:48 by a sophisticated transmission system.
50:50 The Suzuki Electronic Constantly Variable Transmission
50:54 is the first of its type ever developed for a scooter.
50:58 Three different modes of operation are on offer to you
51:02 and your left thumb;
51:04 normal automatic, power automatic,
51:06 and five-speed manual.
51:08 If you select power mode,
51:10 the engine picks up and delivers a bit of a kick.
51:14 Finally, select manual mode
51:16 and you can manually shift up and down the five gears
51:20 for motorcycle-like control.
51:22 With the largest displacement engine in its class,
51:28 this super scooter offers both low and mid-range cruising power,
51:32 ideal for two-up touring.
51:34 The 638cc twin-cylinder, four-stroke liquid-cooled engine
51:40 has dual counterbalance shafts to minimise vibration.
51:44 Surrounding the twin-cylinder heart is a tubular steel frame
51:50 designed with strength and agility in mind.
51:54 The top speed is well above the legal limit,
51:57 therefore it's very easy to overtake safely.
52:02 The scooter carries its weight easily due to the low centre of gravity
52:06 and has perfect low-speed control
52:08 for getting through crowded town centres.
52:11 The telescopic front forks provide easy wheel travel
52:16 for sport performance and a comfortable ride,
52:19 whilst the stainless steel exhaust system provides quiet operation,
52:24 featuring a chrome muffler end cap for high heat resistance
52:28 and improved appearance.
52:32 The rear suspension of the Suzuki AN650 Bergman
52:37 features twin preload adjustable shock absorbers
52:41 and a separate aluminium swingarm,
52:43 which in turn allows optimum engine placement
52:47 and forward weight distribution.
52:49 As a result, the scooter is very easy to use
52:57 and is very easy to operate.
52:59 As mentioned previously, the scooter borrows
53:04 from the big brother world of motorcycle technology.
53:07 In this case, the borrowing is of an advanced fuel injection system
53:12 that features a computerised engine management system,
53:16 or ECM for short, which helps to lower emissions.
53:20 The oxygen feedback system, with a catalytic converter attached,
53:25 is a very efficient combustion chamber,
53:28 getting an efficient air-fuel mix.
53:31 The Suzuki Bergman AN650 has been praised
53:35 because of this environmentally friendly engine system,
53:39 as the emissions fall well below the European requirements.
53:43 The instrument panel is very much like your average car,
53:50 with its large and easy-to-read digital LCD display.
53:54 The instruments within the panel are a speedometer,
53:57 an odometer, a trip meter, a rev counter,
54:00 a water temperature meter, a fuel level meter,
54:03 a clock and key indicator lights.
54:06 The storage space is a treasure chest of 56 litres under the seat.
54:11 It'll hold up to two full-face motorcycle helmets with room to spare.
54:16 At the front of the scooter, three small compartments
54:20 ready for handlebars provide storage for valuables and essentials,
54:24 with the main compartment being lockable for safety.
54:28 The main compartment also contains a DC outlet
54:32 to allow you to recharge your mobile phone whilst riding.
54:36 And it's whilst riding that you realise an added bonus
54:40 to the scooter's performance is the comfortable riding position
54:44 on an ultra-soft saddle.
54:47 The low seat height and supportive moulding of the saddle
54:50 adds comfort to any long journey,
54:52 and it's got an adjustable backrest too.
54:55 In fact, the high level of comfort is matched
54:58 with the seductive way the scooter looks.
55:01 Trim and stylish, it has a front fairing
55:04 that combines a protective windscreen,
55:06 integrated rear-view mirrors, multi-reflector headlights
55:10 and floorboards that are elegantly disposed of
55:13 for problem-free stops and easy foot placement.
55:17 It also boasts flush-mounted front turn signals
55:21 and a large combination tail light and brake light.
55:25 As the press release for this super-scooter so succinctly put it,
55:33 "Every so often, there comes a machine so far advanced
55:37 that it redefines a category.
55:39 The Suzuki AN650 Bergman is just such a machine.
55:44 Capable of comfortable cruising at highway speeds,
55:47 responsive, sporty and fun,
55:50 that is the Suzuki style."
55:53 And that truly does say it all.
55:56 [Music]
56:21 [Music]