Vespas buzz into town

The soaring price of gasoline has made that postwar icon of hip mobility more attractive than ever.

Vespa motor scooters get nearly 75 miles per gallon, making them an ideal choice for people who like having that extra dose of fresh air while saving on fuel.

This weekend, dozens of Vespas will be scooting around the region in the local Vespa club’s annual Spokane Scoot.

“They are just fun,” said Mark Selzler, president of the Minions Scooter Club in Spokane.

As many as 100 motor scooters and their owners are expected to convene at 6:30 p.m. Friday for a “greet and eat” kickoff event at the Park Plaza eatery and bar, 107 W. Ninth Ave.

“I’m sure we’ll have people from all over the state and the Pacific Northwest,” said Scott Leinen, a member of the group.

A series of rides and gatherings will continue on Saturday and Sunday with a closing event – the “last lick” – at the Scoop ice cream shop, 1001 W. 25th Ave. Members of the public are invited to stop by the various events to check out the cute little scooters.

The Vespa was the brainchild of an aeronautics engineer who was asked to come up with a simple means of mobility for Italians rebuilding after the devastation of World War II. The classic Euro look was inspired by aircraft designs of the period but quickly became a symbol of grace and class.

When the first Vespa was produced in 1946, the company owner, Enrico Piaggio, is said to have exclaimed that the scooter looked like a “vespa,” the Italian word for wasp, according to a Vespa Web site.

Even though other companies like Yamaha and Honda have sought to produce similar products in the scooter market, the Vespa remains the gold standard in small motorbikes.

“There is a lot more craftsmanship to them,” Selzler said. They are easier to turn and more nimble in traffic, he said. In fact, their maneuverability is so superior that some Vespa club members are going to give them a try on dry and bare winter roads.

The cute little scooters invariably attract attention. Owners are often asked questions about their mode of mobility while stopped at intersections or while parking.

They aren’t cheap. Prices range from about $3,000 for the entry models to nearly $7,000 for the higher-powered scooters with automatic transmissions.

Scooter club members frequently can’t resist collecting Vespas.

Leinen and his wife, Karen, own five Vespas. All of them have custom paint jobs that Scott Leinen applied in his spare time. One of his favorites is a Creamsicle scheme of sherbet orange and vanilla colors.

Charlotte Hastings rides a robin’s egg blue model, a 2002 version of the ET4 with an automatic transmission that is known by Vespa enthusiasts as a “twist and go” for the action applied to the handlebar to shift gears.

The lineup of Spokane Scoot events this weekend starts at the Park Plaza to be followed by a moonlight ride Friday evening.

On Saturday, the group gathers at Thomas Hammer, 122 N. Wall St., for a short ride to the Satellite Diner, 425 W. Sprague Ave., for breakfast.

From there, the Vespas will venture out on a pair of rides, eventually returning to Spokane for another rendezvous at 2 p.m. at Vespa of Spokane, 2405 N. Division St.

At 7 p.m., the group goes to Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave., for dinner and dancing.

Sunday’s events start at 10 a.m. at Huckleberry’s, 926 S. Monroe St., and end at the Scoop at 2 p.m.