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Nov. 7 - Nov.14, 2004 |
Vespa buzzes into Toronto
Toronto's own Eric Conforti imports vintage scooters from Vietnam to Canada
By Francesco Riondino
Originally Published: 2004-08-22
The Dolce Vita, the great Roman times when Cinecittą was the Hollywood on the Tiber River. The Sixties, Via Veneto, the Stars and the paparazzi... Thousands of photos that made news around the world, most of them with one thing in common: the Vespa.
It's been few years since those "vintage" pieces made their debut on Toronto's streets, and now the arrival of the newer model of popular scooter, as well as the success of the "historic pieces," is turning into a phenomenal trend.
Many of us spent our youthful winters fixing the Vespa in the "officina" next door in Italy, probably adding the "so cool" Polini muffler or filling the original with plaster to achieve the "Polini effect." For this group of Vespa fanatics the appeal of the vintage model never ends.
Unfortunately there are not many left in Italy to be imported in Canada; and in the U.S., the "vintage" is having a great comeback. But Eric Conforti, a young Canadian of Italian heritage has solved the problem; he is bringing perfectly restored vintage Vespas from the largest market in the world for these scooters: Vietnam.
"I found them during a vacation in the Far East; at that time I wasn't even interested in the scooter world, but the Vespa was always present in my father and nonno's memories," Conforti explains. "In Vietnam there are thousands of them so, if you search well you can find some pieces that are well maintained, ready to be restored and than imported."
Conforti brings to Canada almost 150 Vespas a year and soon he's planning to try even the Lambretta and perhaps the Ape.
For more information you can visit www.vivavespa.com or call Conforti at 905-717-7511.
A Vespa History
The Beginning
Vespa's timeless design comes from an equally timeless company - Piaggio has been a distinguished innovator in the field of transportation for nearly 120 years.
Piaggio was founded in Genoa, Italy in 1884 by 20-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio. Rinaldo's business began with luxury ship fitting. But by the end of the century, Piaggio was also producing rail carriages, luxury coaches, truck bodies, engines, and trains.
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