As a young lad, Si Asquith was stung by the Wasp, and still hasn’t managed to shake off the side effects… Big Chris reports.
The sting of the Wasp is like a rare, tropical, infectious disease, and in some people, the reaction to the sting may begin to cause symptoms immediately. In others, it may be like a recurring infection that comes and goes, or it may lie dormant for years, only causing a reaction when triggered by the sight or smell of a classic scooter. Passion for the Vespa never really leaves once infected, and the reaction upon seeing, hearing, or smelling one can bring back memories of good times shared with mates and many a smile, as we remember the times and places the scooters took us… and the daft things we got up to. With a full-blown ‘outbreak of Scootering’, only ever just one reaction to a classic Vespa away!
Simon Asquith, or Si to his mates, was one such victim of the sting. Now just 55 years young, Si began his story with the Vespa at the latter end of the 1980s, when he was a member of the Brain Damage Scooter Club from the Batley area of West Yorkshire. As with many, Si followed the natural progression of Vespa scooters: from the age of 16, on a V90 Smallframe, then a P125, then a matt-black cut-down with an over-engine exhaust fitted. Oh, the shame of it now! By the time he was in his 20s, he had enlisted for a career in the forces, passed his bike test, and, as he was based in Norfolk, opted to use a motorcycle for trips back home for practical reasons.
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It’s always there
Although Si did, and still does, enjoy riding big motorcycles, he states that they are more of a tool for a specific job: travelling long distances in the shortest time possible. His real passion is still, and has always been, for the Classic Vespa. And over the last few years, whenever his career has allowed him to return to England, he has sought out and collected many projects. He carefully stored them all, wrapped in plastic, for when the time came that he was back home for good and could dedicate the time and effort to completely rekindle his passion and get some old Vespas back on the road where they belong. In 2016, it was a Vespa Sprint, but since then, many have been restored, modified, and improved. From tuned Old Timers to this beautifully restored Motovespa, that is the feature of this article.
Madrid 1952
The popularity of our little Vespa moto scooters must in some way be attributed to the fact that the parent company, Piaggio, over there in Pontedera, Bella Italia, very cleverly marketed its product and granted many licences to manufacture the Vespa well beyond Italian borders. Douglas in the UK, initially Bajaj and then LML in India, to name just two, with the Wasp being produced in many other countries. This has most definitely created a certain level of national pride in each different country and in their very own home-produced Vespa. The same can be said of the Motovespa-produced machines, which were made under licence with Piaggio from 1952. The factory was almost centrally located in the country, in an industrial area of Madrid called Ciudad Lineal/Julián Camarillo.
This licence/partnership to build the Vespa scooter for the Spanish market ran from the early 1950s until the 1990s, when Piaggio took full control of Vespa production, which was then rebranded as Piaggio Spain.
The Motovespa P-range
This particular machine used to belong to Adam Sheridan, a true gentleman whose name many of you will recognise, as he is one of the faces on the scooter scene. He purchased the scooter from Spain and, like so many of us, added to his ever-increasing collection of projects. (It most definitely is a disease, of which as yet there is no known cure.) Several years back now, Adam was quite badly hurt, but thankfully made it through and is still with us. But this did make him think about things in a slightly different light, and he decided to part with a few of his projects.
Si had previously purchased one of these from Adam during one of his visits back to the UK, so when this particular machine became available, he dived straight in and purchased it as well. More or less, going over to collect it from Adam as soon as he exited the airport from his flight home. This was back when Si was still working away, so he did his usual trick of wrapping everything up in plastic to protect it and storing it at his Mum’s house. That was until he found the time to get stuck in and do a full restoration job, completing as much of the work as possible himself.
Once back in the UK full time, Si rolled up his sleeves, pressed play on the cassette player in the garage, and began to knock, bump, and bang, and, very occasionally, mutter the odd traditional scooter builders’ obscenities, until all hours of the night, whilst listening to the inspirational theme from the A-Team to keep him motivated and in the zone.
And by gum, what a beautiful machine Si has produced. All standard, just as it should be, and according to him it rides super smooth and is totally reliable. I can bear witness to that, as up at the recent Veteran Vespa Club rally to the Yorkshire Dales, as featured in my last Classic Corner, Si very kindly loaned this stunning machine to a fellow club mate, whose own scooter had broken down. On the roads we rode in the conditions that mother nature threw at us, it really did prove to be bulletproof.
Another classic Vespa lovingly restored, back on the road and used as it should be, creating memories of great times doing what we love. And Adam, the previous owner, approves of what has been done; so, all is good with the world; well, the Scooter World anyway. The rest of it has gone crazy!
Words: BigChris!
Thanks to: Sue and Si Asquith for the pictures
