There’s something bizarre in telling the story of a Vespa that left for Vietnam from the Piaggio facilities in Pontedera Pisa, in 1969, and which then returned home in 2008.

We had the opportunity of speaking with Mr. Fulvio Bisaro, who talked about his purchase through the site Powderscooter.com. At the beginning he wasn’t very calm - as you can imagine he was concerned about being well ripped off. But the desire to have a Vespa like that in the photo, at a price not too exorbitant, and the professional and speedy nature of response to his request, convinced Fulvio to try it out. And we can say it all went well.

Vespa and Lambretta have made Vietnamese motoring history. Despite the sturdy and trustworthy Italian models, time and climate take their toll and it’s easy to pick up frames and parts to restore. The work is managed by the family who set up the site and the low cost of parts explains why it can be convenient to buy in Vietnam. Below, Fulvio tells his story.

I got a 1969 Vespa Sprint that was perfectly restored. On the site it’s possible to see all the phases of restoration and new components used are indicated, such as the engine, electronics, cables, brakes etc. In particular, my Vespa has a 12 volt system with electronic ignition: it starts straight away and the lights have a lot of power. A few negative points though, are that the bolts and screws tend to rust a little and the engine, while new, is not very powerful and has a harder clutch. I’m hoping that after running it a little, it will improve.

Making payment from Italy wasn’t easy. You can pay half with a direct deposit, but you need to evaluate commission on your payment. Also, my bank had difficulty comprehending the banking details from Vietnam. You can pay with PayPal, which is used on Ebay (with an extra four percent for Powderscooter), and if your credit card doesn’t have a high enough limit, you can pay in two instalments.

I also recommend you request photos of the body and engine number prior to delivery. My Vespa’s number is difficult to read and this can create problems for the automobile authorities in Italy. Once you have the numbers, you can contact Piaggio and see if they coincide with the Vespa model. You can also find out when the Vespa was exported to Vietnam.

The trip from Vietnam to Italy by ship can take one to two months. The delivery arrives carriage free, which meant I had to pay all customs and any storage fees. You should also pay attention to the amount declared on the invoice as the taxes you pay are relative to that amount. Powderscooter sends the cancellation of registration in both original language and English, and you could probably avoid the fees on customs clearance. Whoever has the time and energy to manage this on their own, would save a fair amount.

Fulvio now only needs to do some final steps in registering the scooter so he can use his Vespa in Italy. Until now expenses have arrived at 3,000 euros. We’ll bring you the happy end to this quirky Vespa story later on Two Wheels Blog.

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