PIAGGIO & VESPA – Genuine spare parts and Replacement Parts at SIP Scootershop
PIAGGIO & VESPA – Genuine spare parts and Replacement Parts at SIP Scootershop
PIAGGIO – Made in Italy. Since 1884. The company that became a legend and laid the foundations for the development of the global scooter scene. It is now impossible to imagine cityscapes without the Vespa scooter. Italian passion and the Italian way of life have gradually won over the hearts of the world.
Made in Italy
75 years of Vespa tradition
Over 6,000 items in the range
Constantly new products
PIAGGIO – on land, at sea and in the air
The company's seat was in Sestri Ponente, Genoa, and the young Rinaldo Piaggio took over the business from his father in 1884. He soon recognised the limited growth potential of the sector and, at the start of the 20th century, expanded the business into the construction and repair of railway vehicles. Rinaldo Piaggio had a talent for leadership and was able to recruit first-class engineers and mechanics for his company.
From 1915 onwards, Piaggio increasingly turned his attention to aviation, and two years later the company took over Pegna-Bonmartini. The gifted engineer Giovanni Pegna developed seaplanes, monoplanes and the four-engined P108. After the First World War, Rinaldo took the next major step and, in 1924, purchased Costruzione Meccaniche Nazionali in Pontedera. The site developed into one of the most important production centres for aircraft engines and other types of vehicles.
Rinaldo remained a magnet for talent in the best sense of the word, and he was able to attract outstanding minds such as Giovanni Gabrielli, Giovanni Casiraghi and Corradino d’Ascanio to his research and development team. Corradino d’Ascanio, in particular, went down in history when he designed one of the world’s first helicopter prototypes in 1930. From then on, the abbreviation ‘PD’ stood for ‘Piaggio-d’Ascanio’ and was used to designate various vehicles.
PIAGGIO – the birth of the ‘Vespa’
Rinaldo’s son Enrico took over the management of the company after the Second World War. The Allied powers categorically barred Piaggio from producing armaments, and Enrico not only had to rebuild the completely destroyed factory in Pontedera, but also had to tap into new business areas.
Mobility was in high demand during Italy’s reconstruction. Enrico made it his mission to ensure that everyone should be able to get about independently. The first versions of motorised scooters were produced under the names “Moto Piaggio” MP1 and MP5. These models were nicknamed“Paperino”– the Italian Donald Duck. Once again, it was Corradino d’Ascianio who brought the scooter to market. In 1945, he designed the MP6 prototype, which would become a legend a year later: the Vespa 98 went into production in 1946 and was unveiled to the public at the Rome Golf Club. Its success was unstoppable …
In 1947, PIAGGIO entered the world of motor racing with the Vespa 98 Corsa Circuito for image reasons, and Giovanni Cau became the first rider to take the scooter onto a race track. That very same year, he won the Monte Mario Hill Climb on the ‘burning ball’, as the red Vespa was known. This marked the beginning of a very long success story in motor racing, which continues to this day with the Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia brands.
PIAGGIO – a name that has travelled the world
The Vespa 98 was a resounding success, and before long the streets of Italy were teeming with scooters. Enrico Piaggio continually expanded the product range and grew the business across Europe and the rest of the world.
In 1967, the Ciao was launched. A moped that remained in production, virtually unchanged, until 2006. In 1969, PIAGGIO entered the motorbike market with the takeover of Gilera. Further takeovers followed: Puch (1987), Derbi (2001), Aprilia and Moto Guzzi (2004) – to name but a few.
With the Hexagon in 1992, PIAGGIO turned its attention to maxi-scooters. In 1996, the Liberty scooter was launched, featuring 14- and 16-inch wheels. This marked the start of a product range with engine capacities ranging from 50 to 500 cc. This was followed by the Beverly (2001), Carnaby (2007) and Medley (2016). In 2006, the company unveiled a completely new concept with the three-wheeled PIAGGIO MP3.
But of course, the Vespa remains PIAGGIO’s flagship model, and 1996 saw the start of the ‘Modern Vespa’ era with the Vespa ET2/ET4. These were the first models to feature a two-stroke engine and direct fuel injection.
In 2021, PIAGGIO is celebrating the Vespa’s 75th anniversary with a special edition: the Primavera 50 and 125, as well as the GTS 125 and 300. You can find out more on our blog.
PIAGGIO – in the 21st century
Climate change is forcing the world to rethink its approach, and PIAGGIO has also been breaking new ground for several years now. In the MP3 Hybrid, the interplay between the combustion engine and electric motor is varied to optimise performance and range. With the Vespa Elettrica, the Piaggio Group is continuing its efforts in environmental protection and the reduction of exhaust emissions and noise.
The ‘Piaggio Advanced Design Centre’ (PADC) in California, USA, has played a key role in these developments since 2013. There, PIAGGIO researches and develops new mobility trends, materials and energy concepts. The first result was the Vespa 946, which featured numerous aluminium components and high-tech electronics.
In 2015, the Piaggio Fast Forward development platform was launched in Massachusetts, also in the USA. There was a demand for new product design, and the WI-Bike and an e-bike with smartphone connectivity were the first fruits of this platform. To quote the PIAGGIO website: “By perfecting its vehicles through the introduction of electronic management systems, smart Apps and new ideas in the field of electric mobility, Piaggio is looking to the future with greater optimism than ever before.”
PIAGGIO & VESPA at SIP Scootershop
SIP Scootershop currently (as of 04/2021) stocks well over 6,000 original Replacement Parts. From Helmet to Belt, from Brake Drum to Sport Seat – there’s virtually nothing you can’t find for both Classic and Modern Vespa models. Piaggio not only manufactures in its own factories but also has a large network of suppliers. Consequently, it may happen that PIAGGIO bags contain products that we also stock directly from these OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) suppliers.
Spare parts that PIAGGIO discontinues are, in some cases, replaced by SIP’s own products.
A selection of interesting PIAGGIO items at SIP Scootershop:
Conclusion: The vast range of products from the iconic manufacturer PIAGGIO speaks for itself.
