So I guess I should start by explaining the story of how I became to be the owner of my 1963 Vespa.
It was the summer of 2007 when I was talking to the lad who lives across the road from me about an old scooter he had in the garden shed. Although he had a newer (modern) scooter, he had bought this "old scooter" a couple of years previous with the intention of riding it. He said he managed to get it running once but that was a while ago, and would be looking to breath some life into the old bike again.
I mentioned to him that I had some mechanical knowledge from working on my old VW's and would happy to take a look at it with him and hopefully help him out. On that note we hotfooted it to his shed and dragged the classsic out, it was beautiful albeit a little tired looking.
After about an hour of tinkering, plug cleaning, new fuel it was revving its little heart away and sounded awesome. With air in its tyres we were riding around the village before we knew it, and of course with huge smiles on our faces.
Now, I have never been into scooters and never really showed an interest in them before, but after working on his bike I was in love with it - and wanted one!! I immediately had a browse on ebay and found a couple of scooters which fitted the kind of bike I wanted - old and in need of a little TLC, but even these were out of my price range, so it would have to be something I would like to have, but would probably have to save for, and more than likely never actually get to purchase (im not all that great at saving).
And so.... it all went quiet.
My wedding was on August 22nd 2008, and after a night of beer with my best two pals, Iain and Brian I stagger downstairs on the morning of the wedding, to peer out into the garden through bleary eyes, only to find a 1963 Vespa sitting there with a big bow attached to the handle bars!
My first thought was "which inconsiderate drunken fool has parked their motorbike in my garden", a few seconds later it had dawned on me that as my wedding present - my beautiful wife had bought me the scooter - and it was the scooter from the lad from across the road!
Needless to say, I was gobsmacked, extatic and incredibly excited, and of course, even more happy to be marrying my bride later that day (as if i wasnt already).
It turns out that in a hungover state, my two best buddies had got up before me, and wheeled the bike over the road and and neatly position it in the garden - all under instruction from my wife to be!
This is how I became the owner of a 1963 VNB 125cc Vespa Scooter, and so..... it begins!
