Forty years ago, my aunt Claudia bought herself a brand new, bright red Vespa P 80 X.
A few years later, Claudia got a proper motorcycle and gave the Vespa to my dad, who used her every day to drive to work. When he finally got a real car, the Vespa got stored in an uncle’s garage and didn’t see daylight for a good decade or so.
Ten years ago, I got a motorcycle license (yes, you need a specialized license in Germany to operate motorcycles and scooters over a certain size, which this one is). I learned to ride the Vespa, took her to the uni classes I was auditing while I was still in school, and generally had a great time.
Since I moved away to go to university, though, I used the Vespa less and less, and in the last four or five years I essentially didn’t get her out of the garage once.
And neither did my dad really. She’s still perfectly road-worthy, she went through the bi-annual check-up without a hitch, but my dad was starting to talk about selling her to someone who would get more enjoyment out of her. And I agreed. I practically cycle everywhere, I haven’t sat on the thing in five years, what would I want with her?
A few weeks ago, my aunt Claudia (who moved to the United States in the 90′s) and her family were visiting us for a week. Towards the end of their stay, Claudia asked about her old Vespa, since she hadn’t seen her since the 80′s. So, one of her daughters and I cleaned the dust and cobwebs off our assortment of helmets, my dad charged the battery, and then my aunt and I taught her daughters how to ride a Vespa.
And I don’t know what exactly it was, but something changed. And not an hour after kicking the old girl off her stand for the first time in five years, I knew: I wanted to keep her!
So, some logistical considerations, a pair of new tires, an appointment for some general maintenance of her electrical system, and a lot of cleaning later, I am now the proud owner of a very loud, very smelly, gloriously beautiful bright red Vespa! (Currently owner in spirit, next year owner in name.)
And in an extremely fitting turn of events, we found the old paperwork back from when my aunt first bought and registered her.
Guess what?
So, of course, I had to bake her a cake and celebrate her birthday!
Here’s to Loreley (or Lory, for short), my new vintage Vespa, soon to join me in my hometown (once we figure out how best to transport her the 250km 😅).
(And yes, for those of you who are curious: When I showed my Star Trek: Picard friends pictures of this scooter, their universal reaction was “She’s red! Like La Sirena!”
And what would be a better name for a German siren than Loreley? Also, Loreley was more famous for her beauty than her dulcet tones, so I suppose that tracks 🤣😂 )
