Please forgive the rubbish photo. Here’s my 1981 P125X ‘Dino’ parked up at work, next to my colleague Gerry’s well sorted mid-70s Rally. I’ve just got Dino back on the road after almost a year on a SORN-enforced holiday. I can only afford to run the one scoot at the moment, so for now my beloved 1973 Sprint ‘Bella’ remains asleep under tarps and a good drizzling of ACF-50. Dino’s indicators make him a more practical vehicle for 21st century traffic than a Sprint, though the lack of turn signals on his Rally doesn’t bother Gerry. Unlike me, Gerry is a full-time scooterboy and a veteran of the early 80s mod revival. He rides to work on the terrifying A13 from Thurrock, year round and in all weathers. “Being on a scooter is much nicer these days” says Gerry. “I don’t need to keep a cosh under the seat to fight off Bikers.”
Ten-Inch Wheels 
The very first Vespas came out in 1946 – and so have now reached official retirement age! But like any good pensioner will tell anyone who will listen: there’s life left in them yet!