VESPA SCENE IN VIETNAM

The scooters

Once the epitome of ‘50s Roman jazz-age cool, the Vespa experienced something of a fall from grace between the 1970s-1990s. No longer considered hip, most were reduced to the scrap heap or left long forgotten in storage bins or family garages.

Why Vietnam ?

During the 1960s, Vietnam was the biggest export market for Piaggio (Vespa) and Innocenti (Lambretta). To an old statistic, fifty nine thousands scooters had been exported to Vietnam by Piaggio Corp, Italy. It included all model from Lambrettas, VBBs, VBCs, VLBs, GS, ACMA, 50cc, 125cc, 150cc, 175cc, 200c,…. Vietnam have never produced these bikes and will never.

Fast forward to the present day and the humble little scooter is undergoing a global revival. In Vietnam where the Vespa never truly died off, because people couldn’t afford to replace them, retro scooters from the 50’s-70’s are more popular than ever.

Vietnam’s streets are jam-packed full of your run of the mill models, the Honda’s Dylan, @, SH, Suzuki’s Hayate and Yamaha’s Nouvo that all clamor for attention in some of the world’s most bizarre urban waves of traffic. But it is the chic old models that have been custom painted and fitted that are turning heads in HCM City.

However, it’s not all easy trails with the old Italians and French, they are up to 50 years old and require some pampering from time to time. They are generally less convenient than the newer models and are prone to problems such as difficult start-ups, frequent breakdowns and stalled engines. Enthusiasts say its all part of the charm and the little acts of maintenance love they dote upon them make the relationship that much more special.
 

With decades of restoration work under their belts, Vietnam’s scooter restorers have gained a reputation as some of the best in the business. The interest has sparked a new cottage industry in the country as buyers, dealers and collectors from abroad flock to the country’s shores in search of a good deal and a rare find.

We only restore genuine Italian built scooters - not the license built copies made in India or Indonesia. 

Italian scooters have been a regular site here since the early 1950s.

In most countries around the world, these scooters have been regarded as a throwaway item. Hence, earlier models are extremely rare and hard to find in restorable condition. In Vietnam, a 200% import duty on all new vehicles means that motorcycles and scooters are the main form of transport for most families. War has also devastated the Vietnamese economy - so it follows that older scooters are cherished and looked after like in no other country.

Scooters have played a major part in everyday life in Vietnam for generations

The most popular models we restore are the Vespa VBB, VLB and VBC models.

These scooters are remarkably nippy and cruise comfortably at speeds of up to 58mph, making them ideal commuting vehicles. Both the Vespas and Lambrettas have high revving, quick accelerating 2 stroke engines, giving the unmistakable exhaust note that gave Vespa its name - the Italian word for Wasp.

With their unique stylish design, many of our customers choose to display them indoors as a piece of artwork, using them mainly for sunny summer touring! Either way, what you get is a depreciation-proof investment, along with the knowledge that you own one of the best classic scooters available worldwide.