45 years old Vespa scooter sets a Guinness record
The 1979 Vespa scooter set a new Guinness World Record for the furthest distance traveled in 24 hours on a 50cc scooter.
Covering 1233,07 kilometers, the 1979 Vespa 50 Special not only surpassed the previous record set in 2005 by Australian Mark Brown by 305 kilometers, but also made it even more impressive.
The record-breaking Vespa was driven by none other than Valerio Boni, an experienced test driver and journalist who, 45 years ago, at the age of 20, had already set an unofficial record by driving 941 km on the Pirelli test track.
It is noteworthy that the same Vespa 50 Special was used for the record ride as 45 years ago. The old scooter was completely restored in 2015.
In an effort to cut costs, Valerio chose the abandoned Terramar oval in southern Spain, built in 1923, for his race. Despite its less-than-ideal condition, the 2-kilometer circuit with its hairpin turns proved suitable for the Vespa 50, allowing it to reach top speed without compromising safety.
For 24 hours, Valerio practically did not stop, taking only short breaks to wash off the dirt. Refueling was done “on the fly” with the help of his Spanish endurance racing friends Ivo Vizcasillas and Cristian Nogueras, via a hose at 60 km/h. “Rambler” reports this.
