Vespa Wheelie: Crash course with Nicola L'Impennatore
Nicola L'Impennatore 's Vespa stunt show was certainly one of the highlights of our 30th anniversary celebrations at the SIP Open Day in May 2024. The positively crazy Italian enchanted the audience with lots of tricks and a good dose of humour - fun and action are key components of his show. Of course, the classic wheelie, i.e. riding on the rear wheel, is also part of his repertoire. And he tries to teach our young racer Elvis how to do it in six steps. Caution! Only partially recommended for imitation.
Nicola L'Impennatore - the man who makes the Vespa fly
Nicola L'Impennatore, known as a Vespa stunt rider, has had an extraordinary career in show business. What began as a youthful dream is now a show sensation that thrills people all over the world.
"When I was 15 years old, I rode my first Vespa and my passion was immediately awakened," says Nicola with shining eyes. "It was the mid-1980s, and the Vespa meant the possibility of being free and independent for us young people." Back then, on the streets of Empoli, he attempted his first tentative wheelies - small feats that have now matured into true masterpieces.
Over the years, Nicola has taken part in numerous European Vespa rallies, constantly expanding his range of tricks. Today, he can perform over 30 spectacular stunts in his shows. However, his absolute masterpiece came at the renowned Daboot Park, where he performed the first backflip on a Vespa in history - a daring feat that challenged the limits of what was possible and earned Nicola worldwide recognition.
Vespa wheelie: Six steps to the championship
SIP junior racer Elvis has been attracting attention at a few races recently and has excellent control of his Vespa on the circuit. But he hasn't yet been able to conjure up a wheelie on the tarmac, so he was highly motivated to take part in Nicola's lesson.
Step 1: Protective clothing
Of course, you can't skimp here, so you have to choose the right Pants, Gloves and Jacket with protectors. Not to mention a Helmet. With common sense and the SIP Scootershop range, the right precautions are quickly taken.
Step 2: Vespa
Elvis chooses a "normal" Vespa PX200 without any modifiers, which Nicola decides is suitable. The Throttle Grip must be soft and easy to control. It must be possible to pull the Clutch with two fingers in order to have a firm grip on the Handlebar. According to Nicola, you can theoretically do a wheelie on any Vespa. OK, we haven't fully tested that yet ;)
Step 3: Balance
The tyre pressure must be adjusted accordingly for this stunt. The right balance can only be achieved through practice and repeated testing.
Step 4: Sitting position
Nicola explains the optimum seating position and how the Seat should be designed to master the wheelie safely.
Step 5: Brake
Like the Throttle Grip, the brakes should also be smooth and easy to modulate. A little sensitivity in the wrist and ankle is definitely helpful.
Step 6: Have the courage!
Now it's time to recondition your brain - different rules apply to the wheelie and firmly anchored behavioural patterns must be discarded. The recipe is: practise, practise, practise ..
Watch the video to find out if and how Elvis succeeds. Have fun!
