Scooter Rally Toscano 2024: Back with a Bang on Elba Island!
What could be better than a scooter meeting in the home country of Vespa and Lambretta in Italy? Maybe on the beach? Even under palm trees? On a marvellously beautiful island? With an international audience, lots of visitors and a great party atmosphere?
No problem, it's all there. The "Scooter Rally Toscano" on the Italian island of Elba was legendary for its location, visitors and atmosphere. However, fans of this event had to wait 13 years for a sequel. But at the beginning of May 2024, the time had finally come: the Green Onions Scooter Club, with the help of Scooterismo.it, once again enveloped the holiday island off the coast of Tuscany in a beguiling two-stroke scent. Lambretta and Vespa riders from all over Europe rolled off the ferries and headed for Morcone Bay, a small beach on the south side of the island with an adjoining campsite, beach bar, palm trees, deckchairs and plenty of space for scooters and exhibitors.
We arrived on Thursday so that we could use Friday for a longer tour around the island. Elba offers picturesque coastal roads and narrow winding roads up the mountains. Again and again, you drive through small villages and pass by bays with turquoise water. Unfortunately, the condition of the roads is not that great, so watch out for what's round the next bend. But with so much to look at, you're just cruising anyway.
Let's party!
When we arrive at "Mandel 2", the beach bar on Morcone Beach, early on Friday evening, the car park, beach and bar are already completely full. The entire access road is lined with scooters, around 700 of which are said to have travelled to the island. We spot licence plates from many European countries: Italy, England, Germany, Austria, Ireland, France, Scotland, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands. The atmosphere is very good. The morning was rather cloudy, but in the afternoon the sun finally appears and some scooterists dance in the evening sun in front of the beach bar to the soul and ska beats of a DJ.
The evening programme takes place both Friday and Saturday in the "Mandel 1" club. Shortly after the start of the night, the thoroughfare in front of the door looks like a scene from Quadrophenia. There are scooters to the right and left as far as you can see. It's too crowded inside at first. At first, a live band heats up the Scooterists. Later on, when there is a little more space on the dance floor, the atmosphere rises. After selected soul for connoisseur ears initially only attracts a few insiders to the dance floor, there is a change at the DJ booth. Soul, ska and punk rock hit the turntables. This is exactly what the dance-hungry majority of the audience has been waiting for and turns the dance floor into a madhouse. It goes on until the early hours of the morning - an extremely good party atmosphere. The programme is repeated on Saturday. This made the Scooter Rally Toscano a real reference on the dance floor too.
The day's programme took place on Saturday afternoon: There was a small dealer mile and a custom show on site. Anyone who had problems with their scooter could have it expertly repaired. There was even a tattoo artist offering his services. In front of the beach there was a beer stand, a Grill and long rows of seats where people could chat, get to know each other and make international contacts. Others spent the day on the beach or on the covered dance floor. In the late afternoon, there was an excursion with Aperitivo in a nearby village. Saturday ended in the early evening with the awards ceremony, hosted by Gegio.
We had come to Elba with high expectations. After a 13-year break, the meeting was supposed to pick up where it left off, with visitors 13 years younger than us. And yes, it did! Unfortunately, I wasn't there back then, but the comeback was a bang! A big bang! I really hope we don't have to get 13 years older to meet again on Elba. Many thanks to the Green Onions and Gegio from Scooterismo.it for this unforgettable weekend.
Various awards were presented. Here are the winners:
Best Lambretta: Stefano, Lambretta S1 150 5 "Speed Fred Perry"
Best Vespa: Luca Fonio, Vespa Faro Basso 1953 180cc, converted by Scabarocchio
Best Custom: Federico Stival, Ingestibili SC, Lambretta S2 Acid Green Satin
Best Street Racer: Russell (UK), Lambretta LD 300cc "Bring Me Sunshine"
Best Smallframe: Filippo Artuso, Lambretta Lui 135cc 70s Helmets
Best Restoration: Big Bad John (UK), Lambretta TV1
Best Preservation: Sam De Coussmaker (B), Lambretta S1 150cc
Best of Show: Carlos Newberry (UK), Lambretta TV200 Cutdown "I am the resurrection" SSR265 LC
Best Outsider: Dean Orton
Best Scooterboy: Aldo Barbieri Lebowsky SG
Best Scootergirl: Kim Orton
Biggest Group SIR: Lebowsky SG Valcamonica
Biggest Group Italy: 3Lambda
Largest Group Europe: German scooter club with an unpronounceable name
Longest Journey Italy: Mattia Mazzola, 721 km
Longest Journey Europe: Sarah & Ricky Wiltshire (UK), 2500 km
Loyalty Award: Hotwheels SC Siena
Video: Scooter Rally Toscano 2024
Picture gallery: Scooter Rally Toscano 2024
