Who rides a Vespa?

This is an actual print ad of Vespa Piaggio Australia (ad agency: JWT Sydney).  It demostrates the ease of riding a Vespa (or any bike/scooter for that matter) especially during rush hours and traffic congestions.

This Christmas, beat the rush. Ride a scooter.

’nuff said.

-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA

john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com

That is actor Phil Daniels (Jimmy) in a scene from the 1979 British film “Quadrophenia.” Said movie was inspired by The Who’s double album of the same name. After filming finished, the ‘Jimmy Bike’ was sold to scooter dealers Rafferty Newman and put on display in the window of their shop in Portsmouth. It was subsequently purchased by Eddie Harris who then sold it on to Paul Marsh, both these owners being Portsmouth residents.

Although far too young to be a ‘Mod’ in the 1960s, the vendor caught the post-Quadrophenia revival in the early 1980s and was on the lookout for a scooter to buy. Quite by chance he spotted ‘KRU 251F’ lying in a front garden in Southsea, Portsmouth and, recognizing the registration number from ‘Quadrophenia’, knew that he had found Jimmy Cooper’s old bike. (It should be noted that as ‘Quadrophenia’ was set in the early 1960s, the registration’s ‘F’ suffix denoting 1967 was removed for the filming). A sale was negotiated and the Lambretta collected together with its accessories, which had been removed for safekeeping by the owner, Paul Marsh.

The machine’s restoration was commenced almost immediately but would not be properly completed until 1995, by which time the vendor was running his own scooter shop – Allstyles – in Portsmouth. In June of that year the ex-Jimmy Cooper Lambretta was pictured on the front cover of Scootering International magazine and featured in an accompanying article. Since then it has gone on to win various concours awards and been used for a host of promotional events, photo shoots, trade shows, etc, as well as featuring in other publications. When ‘Quadrophenia’ was re-released in January 1997, ‘KRU 251F’ attended the premiere in Brighton where it was reunited with Phil Daniels and other members of the original cast. Later that same year the ‘Jimmy Bike’ was used for filming at The Who’s Quadrophenia concert in Hyde Park, London and on location in Brighton.

See how the restored scoot looks at the time of the auction. Read the rest of this entry ?

The “Night of the Wasp” event held last Friday was a success.  Congratulations to Nonoy Versoza of Mini MotoGP Co. Ltd. for mounting the first ever bikers’ night at the Liberty Center along Shaw Blvd. (Mandaluyong) and for having the Vespa boys in mind for the first of a series of bikers’ nights.  Heard that the one for the big bikers is coming up in December.  I’m sure that one would be equally fun.

Here are some more images taken during the event as taken by Darwin Andres — talented photographer and a proud Vespa Club member. Read the rest of this entry ?

It’s been four months ago since I blogged here.  Though I’m not completely back from hiatus, I just can’t let this day pass without posting this.

You see, today — October 26 — is the exact date of my 10th wedding anniversary.

To celebrate this milestone, I’ve decided to renew my wedding vows to my wife. And since I want to gather as many people to witness it as possible, ballooning guestlist will not be of a primary concern in this situation. Luckily, the chosen venue would be able to accommodate all of you who care enough to share the significance of what TODAY really means to me.

This serves as your invitation.

Cheers!

-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA

john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com

P.S. Don’t forget to RSVP! hehehe