We love scooters and more and more people leave their petrol guzzling four wheels at home and again take a scooter, for the drive to the office, around town - or best - just to go for a ride.
With so many new (electrical / hybrid) and more ecologically friendly four stroke scooters coming to the market lets take a look back how it all began. The beautiful Lambrettas from Innocenti or the old Vespas from Piaggio that after the second World War were the only mean of transport available to many Europeans.
By now they have reached cult status, modded or plain original versions parked somewhere most of the times get you into a chat with some people admiring them. You get a happy smile on people’s faces reminding them of great times and a new start in the life of many.
Today you often find scooters prominently placed in advertising for products that have nothing to do with scootering. But for the real thing there are a few clips and videos that bring back the time and let you feel the wind in your hair. Those clips and videos we tried to find and the best ones we have listed below.
Ride on…
Click on the images below for the links
Lambretta Twist
Italian commercial from the 1960’s.
Has a great cheesy retro feeling - weird and funny - in one word : great
(if there’s some interest we’ll post a translation)
Concha Velasco - Vespa
Concha Velasco from “El águila de fuego”.
It’s a song from a Spanish musical but how could you better advertize the Vespa scooters than having 7 girls singing and riding vintage Vespas while “doing gymnastics”.
As one commentator put it - a bit like synchronized swimming but on Vespas.
NSU Lambretta
German commercial from 1955 mixing real images with drawings.
Watch the bear turning the crankshaft and people flying around the engine and other parts.
(if there’s some interest we’ll also post a translation for this one)
Vespa King Kong Ad
Not really a vintage ad but it’s so hilarious we had to smuggle it into the list.
One of our absolute favorites. Must watch
go Vespa go
Old English Vespa commercials compiled into one clip.
(Female) lifeguards in short no skirts. Driverless Vespa.
Get ahead on a Vespa!
continue reading the story after the jump
Vespa Stop Motion
A stop-motion video featuring some vintage Vespa advertising.
Author says it took six months to complete the clip - when you watch it you know why - just beautiful, great retro look.
Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals
Actually a music clip from the outstanding British Band - but it has lots of scooters in it.
riding, riding, riding….
How To Setup A Lambretta Service Station series
A vintage film (25 minutes) showing how to setup a Lambretta repair shop - great original images.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Lambretta LI Stripdown 60s How-to series
A total of about 30 minutes on how to strip down a vintage Lambretta completely (includes reassembly, so you don’t need to wonder where you have forgotten to put in these leftover parts).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Lunapop - 50 Special
No scooter video list would be complete without this one - the anthem for Vespa riders:
Lunapop - 50 Special (Italian)
and the Spanish version
and the English Version
(Note: The small image at the beginning of this post is from an old Scooter Magazine cover found at the Lambretta Club USA web site)
*** Other Great Scooter Stuff ***
Some more outstanding clips, images and links we found:
Pictures, Compilations:
Lots of vintage Vespa pictures from the 1950’s compiled into a video
another great compilation of Vespa pictures
and another one
More Videos and Clips:
Great new scooter ads: Roketa and Vespa Grandturismo
Into Tomorrow The Best Bit (there is also a part two )
The Lambretta Story Nice 6 minute compilation of various clips on Lambrettas. The second part is here
Vespa GS160 (Vespa, Vespa, Vespa, Vespa…)
Vespa advertising for young people
Discovery channel documentary on Vespa
My Husband says, “No!” — What do you think?
Blogs:
(just some samples to get you started)
Scooter in the Sticks
Who rides a Vespa?
Scootering USA
April 20th, 2008 at 21:09
Could you post the translation for the first clip - (Italian)
Great list
Thanks
April 20th, 2008 at 21:26
#1
and the german (NSU Lambretta) too please
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:12
fun on wheels…
How does the rss feed work so I can get updated on your blog?…
July 2nd, 2008 at 16:21
@fun on wheels:
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Hope that helps
fpp