| The Reitwagen/Hildebrand & Wolfmueller | | | | shape was elegant. By 1949, 35,000 motor scooter |
| The history of motor scooters dates back to the | | | | units had been produced and a million by 1960. By that |
| 1800s. Gottlieb Daimler's Reitwagen of 1885 was one | | | | time they were also manufactured in Germany, Great |
| of the earliest scooter models but only served as an | | | | Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, and of course, Italy. |
| experimental application for the engine. It was not | | | | Vespa has had several images. It was first the |
| manufactured in a series or developed any further. | | | | two-wheeler of the post war economic boom, then, |
| The first well-documented and successful example of | | | | during the anti-Vietnam war years, a symbol for |
| motor scooters that was available for purchase was | | | | revolutionary ideas and social alienation. |
| the Hildebrand & Wolfmueller. This scooter was | | | | The Lambretta |
| patented in Munich, Bavaria. The Hildebrand & | | | | Back to early scooter beginnings, Innocenti, in |
| Wolfmueller was one with a step-through hollow tube | | | | collaboration with Pierluigi Torre, went on to produce |
| frame which used a twin cylinder water-cooled engine, | | | | the Lambretta, which made its first appearance at the |
| both of which were well advanced for that day and | | | | 1947 Paris Motor Show. When gasoline was strictly |
| age. The rear wheel was driven by pistons similar to | | | | rationed, the new Lambretta was highly economical |
| those of a train, and used heavy rubber bands to | | | | getting better than 160 mpg. With a 123cc engine and |
| provide a return impulse rather than rotational inertia. | | | | achieving a maximum speed of 45 mph, the new |
| Only a few hundred of this model were ever built. This | | | | scooter was extremely successful. |
| scooter though not a significant commercial success, | | | | Scooters in Asia |
| did pave the way for power driven transportation. | | | | In Japan, Taiwan, Tailand, and much of the Orient, |
| Apart from the high purchase price, there were some | | | | motor scooters rule the roads. Taiwan has a |
| technical issues with the model such as absence of a | | | | population of 23 million, of these 23 million 11 of them |
| clutch. This venture ended up as a financial failure for | | | | own registered motor scooters. |
| both Wolfmuller and Hildebrand, and no further | | | | Scooters in America |
| improvements were made until post WWII. | | | | Following Cushman in the 1950s, many manufacturers |
| The Vespa | | | | all over the world have come out with fascinating |
| Following our second world war when technological | | | | designs for the American scooter market. The Italian |
| advancements and development were at an alltime | | | | scooters Vespa, Lambretta, Benelli, Piaggio, Gilera, and |
| low in Italy, financial support was granted by the Italian | | | | Malaguti followed a grand tradition but were later |
| government to companies which were engaging in | | | | joined by China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Spain, England, |
| producing innovated vehicles. Ferdinado Innocenti of | | | | and Germany who produced such scooters as Honda, |
| Milan brought forth the modern scooter. Along with the | | | | Yamaha, Suzuki, Phantom, Aprilia, Annata, Roketa, |
| designer Corrandino D'ascanio, Piaggio's engineer | | | | Peugeot, Tank Bandit, and many more. |
| designed, constructed, and flew the first modern | | | | What to Buy Now |
| helicopter, and based on the earlier military | | | | The is a current battle between the revival of the |
| motorcycles, the first blueprint designs were produced | | | | classic motor scooters ; the somewhat cheaper |
| of a motor scooter resembling the one that we know | | | | established brands of Japan and Taiwan: Honda, |
| today. | | | | Suzuki, Yamaha, Kycmo, with their dealers and |
| D'Ascanio couldn't stand motorcycles, so he set out to | | | | worldwide support; and several inexpensive lines of |
| design a simple, sturdy, and economical vehicle that | | | | Korean and Chinese scooters. Support with some |
| was comfortable yet elegant. The first Vespa was | | | | imports can be irregular and sometimes non-existent, |
| produced in 1946, and had a 98cc engine and a top | | | | so it is essential for one to do business with a |
| speed of 47mph. In 1948, the first 125cc Vespa was | | | | reputable dealer who will handle registration and other |
| manufactured. Upon seeing the vehicle, Enrico Piaggio | | | | details. The Chinese models, Roadrunner, Tank, |
| remarked "Sembra una Vespa!" ("It looks like a wasp!"), | | | | Phantom, Annata, Roketa, Rascal range in price from 1 |
| because it did not at all resemble an uncomfortable | | | | 3 to 1/2 those of equivalent Japanese models. |
| and noisy motorcycle. The steel frame's shape | | | | Roadrunner, Tank, Annata, Roketa, Chaunl, and |
| protected the rider from road dirt and debris and the | | | | Phantom come from reputable companies. |