30 years of SIP Scootershop

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Ralf and Alex in front of the first shop in Hessenstraße in Kaufering in 1994

DEAR SCOOTER RIDERS!

it's been 30 years since we founded SIP Scootershop in a garage. The first goods were stored between Alex's father's beehives. Due to a lack of employees, we took the parcels to the post office ourselves on a Vespa. Those were the days ...

A lot has happened over the past three decades: We have made many right decisions and a few wrong ones. We have met people who have become friends. We have been able to look at the topic of "scooters" from many different angles. There were exhausting moments when we sat in front of the keyboard in the cold former barracks in Erpftinger Straße at two o'clock in the morning, wearing jackets and Gloves, and came up with descriptive texts for the next Catalogue. There were moments of great happiness, for example on road trips with friends and colleagues, when we arrived at the seaside after travelling 1000 km with road dirt on our faces and toasted with an ice-cold beer. We laughed, pondered, celebrated and mourned together. This chronicle tells these stories, shows milestones in SIP's history and reports on the big and small things that have made us the company we are today. In the future, we would also like to manage the balancing act that has been important to us over the last 30 years: on the one hand, to be an efficient, modern company and, on the other, to be an authentic, honest family business. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees for their dedication and passion. We would also like to thank all our customers for their trust and loyalty to our brand over the years. Without you, there would be no SIP Scootershop.
We hope to be able to welcome and meet as many of you as possible at our events in the years to come. Here's to the next 30 years!

Have fun and an accident-free scooter season
Ralf & Alex
SIPScootershop

Video 30 years of SIP Scootershop - the best Vespa moments 1994 - 2024

2023

Vespa Cross MATSCHO KARATSCHO
Vespa Cross MATSCHO KARATSCHO

As every year, our Open Day in May 2023 was the start of the season. More than 2000 visitors came in the best summer weather. Here are report, pictures and SIP TV video.

Then we took part in the legendary GIRO DEI TRE MARI in Bari, Italy, for the first time with a 5-person SIP team. A fabulous multi-day tour on a Vespa through southern Italy and Albania, we have brought back our great experiences in the form of a blog, enjoy reading and watching!

In our popular report series "Sexiest Workshops", we visited Marco Fumagalli Vespa Paradies and presented it for you in a report and video, be sure to watch it!

And of course there was also a Vespa Road Trip in 2023, this time to picturesque Switzerland for the Vespa World Days in Interlaken. Together with our friend and customer Eugene from Scooter Depot Manila (Philippines). Have a look here

SIP TV Video Vespa Cross Matscho Karatscho Landsberg

2022

SIP Open Day again at last: May 2022
SIP Open Day again at last: May 2022

For two long years, we were forced to cancel our traditional and popular "Open Day" at SIP Scootershop due to the conditions caused by the pandemic. We watched the developments at the beginning of this year 2022 with bated breath and when it became clear that events could be held again, the anticipation was immense. On 28 May 2022, the time had finally come: SIP Open Day 2022.

Jochen has been working for us as a dispatch manager for many years, despite an accident that left him in a wheelchair. We created a portrait of Jochen in 2022, which is well worth reading.

There was also a Vespa road trip in 2022, we travelled to the beautiful Dolomites and, as always, brought along a report, pictures and a SIP TV video.

We also organised a SIP Vespa Joyride in 2022, which was probably the biggest ever with more than 450 participants.... There are also plenty of good memories in the form of a blog, pictures and video.

2021

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Winter fun around the SIP Scootershop headquarters in February 2021

The year 2021 started with a lot of fun: we built spikes on two Vespas and milled through the snowy landscape around the building, more about this in the blog - including a video.

Yes, and then we were nominated for the Best Workspaces Award 2022 - we're very excited to see what comes of it. But everyone who works for us knows that we have exceptionally great workspaces in our new company building anyway.

2021 was the anniversary year for VESPA: 1946-2021, the elegant, sensual lady from Pontedera will be 75 years old. We have a nice blog about it and wish her a happy birthday and a very long life!

We have also built a custom Vespa in 2021, this time a Vespa Rally 200 as a real everyday vehicle, but still extraordinary. Enjoy reading here in the blog and watching the pictures and video.

And there was also a SIP Vespa road trip despite corona, we scooted to sunny southern France. There is a detailed report, lots of pictures and a SIP TV video.

The 2021 scooter season actually ended for us with the roll-off in Augsburg in sunny but cold autumn weather. Another great opportunity to meet lots of familiar faces and put a few extra kilometres on the clock. Here is the report, lots of nice pictures and a short SIP TV video.

We are looking forward to the 2022 scooter season!

2020

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Keep your distance - stick together!

2020 will go down in the history books as the year of the coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately, we at SIP Scootershop were not affected by any closures and were able to deliver very well throughout the year thanks to generous stock levels. Unfortunately, some much-loved events have fallen victim to infection control, such as our Open Day in May and the SIP Joyride in July. Next year, however, the anticipation will be all the greater!

At least our annual SIP Vespa Road Trip was able to take place at the beginning of August, this time we travelled to Corsica with 21 SIP team members on old Vespas - a dream tour. We have brought you a detailed report, lots of pictures and a SIP TV video.

2019

SIP Scootershop turns a quarter of a century old. What began in a garage in 1994 is now celebrating its 25th birthday! In addition to the printed chronicle in a collector's edition, there will be an open day to mark the anniversary, a second edition of the TACHO KARACHO acceleration race, a joyride around Lake Ammersee in July and a scooter pilgrimage in September.

There are also some great limited edition anniversary products for "25 years of SIP Scootershop": the handmade helmets at 70s Helmet, the 25 years of SIP T-shirts, the high-quality handmade enamel Badge, the Patch and of course the Piaggio 6-corner sticker. Have fun with it! Here's to another 25 years of performance & style!

The SIP Vespa Road Trip took us to Champagne in France in 2019! As usual, we brought along a SIP TV video:

2018

For all those who come to us in person with their scooter, there is a SIP Pass Sticker in the style of an Alpine Pass badge. Ask for it at the counter with your Helmet under your arm! In addition to the Open Day, there will also be a dealer day for selected specialist dealers for the first time. A whole SIP collection of clothing for scooter riders will be launched: T-Shirts, hoodies, Socks. The first After Work Aperitivo takes place in the SIPERIA, from now on once a month on Thursdays from 5 Clock. Under the name TACHO KARACHO, the first DBM acceleration race takes place directly in front of our building. In the Italian scooter championship TROFEO MALOSSI, SIP is the first foreign racing team ever to win the northern championship.

2017

In 2017, the 2nd SIP Open Day will take place at the new location at Marie-Curie-Str. 4 in Landsberg.

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Poster of the SIP Open Day 2017
SIP Open Day 2017

2016

SIP introduces the SIP PRIMO shipping option for customers in Germany and Austria. The principle is simple: pay a one-off annual fee of 20 euros and order free shipping for twelve months. In addition, every shipment is sent as SIP Express shipping and there is a one-off 1 litre of Oil as a welcome gift.

In March, the big move to the new building goes surprisingly smoothly with many night shifts and a great team. SIP Scootershop now has more than four times as much space as at the old location and a 300 square metre flagship store with an Italian bar/pizzeria called SIPERIA. Modern logistics, a large Bearing and modern, light-flooded workstations make the company fit for the future. A grand opening inaugurates the building for the public in May, attended by 1,400 visitors, friends and customers.

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The SIP Open Day in May 2016
SIP Open Day 2016

2015

Planning has been underway for two years, with the ground-breaking ceremony in May and the topping-out ceremony for the new logistics and administration building in September, around 1 km away from the old site in Graf-Zeppelin-Straße in Landsberg. The constantly increasing need for space, especially for goods but also for the now almost 100 employees, made the complete new building urgently necessary. SIP once again found a competent planner for industrial and commercial construction in the architectural firm Ott from Augsburg.

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The shell of the new SIP administration and logistics building in summer 2015

2014

20 years of SIP Scootershop, who would have thought that when Alex and Ralf converted the basement room of Ralf's parents to start their first attempts at selling scooter parts there and at various scooter meetings? SIP exhibits for the first time at INTERMOT in Cologne, directly opposite the PIAGGIO stand. In the same year, SIP is verified as a manufacturer by the Federal Motor Transport Authority, which opens up the possibility of developing products with ABE or parts certificates.

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SIP Open Day May 2014

2013

In addition to the new customer magazine Curve, which will be published for the first time in summer 2013, SIP Scootershop is also putting its weight behind events. While the SIP team welcomed around 1,500 international guests to the Motorscooter Customshow in Landsberg in spring, a visit to the EICMA (for the first time as an exhibitor) rounded off the year successfully. In summer 2013, the SIP shop in Landsberg is given a completely new interior with lots of old wood and even more love.

Vespa launches the Model 946 in a limited edition.

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SIP introduces the first digital Speedometer/Rev Counter for Vespa PX, with many more models and functions to follow.

2012

The team worked on it for a year and a half. in 2012, it finally arrived: the SIP Scootershop Classic Catalogue. 940 pages packed with products, technology, pictures... the 'SIP Bible' is published in German and English - and because it was so great, a proprietary product, Lambretta and Modern Vespa Catalogue follow in the months that follow. The SIP Classic Catalogue is awarded "Catalogue of the Year" at NEOCOM 2016.You can download the 2012 Classic Catalogue as a PDF here.

2011

The coming years will be characterised by increasing internationalisation. After the USA and Asia, SIP boss Ralf travelled to Russia. On a Vespa mission, of course. Other team members are also keen travellers and go on a scooter tour together for a week every summer. To Italy, France, Croatia, Sardinia, Spain, Austria. Switzerland ... only to come home with the same realisation every time: No matter where you go, the love of Vespa and Lambretta connects people all over the world. To honour this, the SIP webshop goes online in 10 languages in 2011.

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SIP Vespa Road Trip Croatia

2010

Scootercross is still a hot topic in 2010, with teams forming in the SIP Team to build off-road scooters. Demons of Scootercross takes place at the motocross track near Landsberg, a real battle of equipment....

2009

in 2009, Landsberg not only celebrates the company's 15th anniversary, but also looks to the future, as a close cooperation with one of the most important suppliers of high-quality Replacement Parts and tuning is planned for the following year: SIP Scootershop is to take over the exclusive import of MALOSSI for Germany. The Scooter Cross Landsberg will be a more down-to-earth event in the same year. The SIP team ventures off-road for the first time and organises a Scooter Cross race in Landsberg.

In the same year, there is a small trade fair stand at the Amerivespa in Los Gatos, California.

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Ralf at the Amerivespa 2009 in California, USA

2008

There is a SIP TV video of the roll-on of the Rollerkö Augsburg from 2008 - have fun with it!

2007

2007 brings an extension of 600 square metres of high-bay warehouse up to a height of 10 metres. This means that 2,500 square metres of storage space and more than 400 square metres of offices and shop are now available. At the same time, the merchandise management system is converted to a new, self-developed system. Together with a modern logistics system, this has created a significantly higher parcel throughput since spring 2007, thus ensuring short delivery times. The 50 SIP employees now dispatch up to 400 parcels per day at this time. In Kathrin Brand, SIP Scootershop trained the best wholesale and export saleswoman in Bavaria in 2007.

Vespa presents the Vespa S50 - 125

The 2007 SIP Team Tour leads to the Eurovespa in San Marino, the small city state near Rimini. There is also an early SIP TV video of this Vespa road trip:

2006

Bavarian television broadcasts a report on SIP Scootershop as part of the PROFILE business magazine programme.

The 2006 SIP Team Tour leads to the Eurovespa in Turin, Northern Italy. There are pictures and already a SIP TV video of the tour:

2005

The STOFFIS / SIP SCOOTERSHOP Racing Team is founded and successfully participates in countless classic races within the frame of the European Scooter Challenge until 2016.

in 2005 Vespa introduces a new large touring scooter, the GTS.

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The Stoffis / SIP Scootershop Vespa racing team

2004

SIP Scootershop celebrates its 10th anniversary! 1994-2004, the first decade after the company was founded....

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Report in the Augsburger Allgemeine from 2004

2003

2003 a new classic Vespa accessories catalogue is created

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the new Classic Vespa Replacement Parts Catalogue 2003

2002

in 2002, it's time for a new chapter in the SIP story. The premises in the former barracks are bursting at the seams. Various external warehouses are therefore rented and an old Ape TM from the 60s is used to transport everything back and forth. Although this is great fun and pleases the neighbours, it simply takes too much time in the long run. A new building with enough space for a large Bearing, offices and shop was needed. After an intensive planning phase, the company is finally able to move into its new headquarters in the Landsberg industrial estate shortly before the Christmas holidays. The commercial building wins architectural awards and is featured in several magazines.

SIP Scootershop has been the exclusive distributor of the GRIMECA Disc Brake for retrofitting to Vespa Models since 2002.

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The new shop in Graf-Zeppelin-Straße in 2002
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Helpers wanted....

2001

In 2001, the new SIP Scootershop website goes online with a significantly improved webshop.

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the new SIP Scootershop website from 2001

The two VESPA Customs are completed and presented to the public. To date, they have won more than 10 trophies at shows and exhibitions.

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SIP Vespa PX Racer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vesparacer/
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SIP Street Racer Vespa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vespacutdown/

2000

Thanks to an ever-expanding product range and 15 motivated, scooter-enthusiastic employees, SIP Scootershop GmbH is already entering the 2000s as one of the largest mail-order shops for scooter accessories.

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Advertisement in Scootering magazine at the beginning of 2000

The two Vespa PX Customs in yellow and silver are in the making, painted of course by the master from Austria Marcus Pfeil.

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from left to right: Marcus Pfeil, Alex, Ralf, Moritz

1999

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Relocation to the old Ritter-von-Leeb barracks in the former team dining hall

in 1999, the decision is made to include replacement Parts for automatic vehicles in the range. SIP Scootershop also has to expand in terms of space and so, in addition to the NCO centre, it also rents the former team dining hall and other rooms covering around 1,000 square metres.

1998

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the first SIP Scootershop website 1998

In 1998, the first SIP Scootershop website was created, already in German and English and with a first webshop that was linked to our MS-DOS ERP system via ASCII data record export. Even back then: live stock for several thousand items.

Back then, SIP Scootershop also sold used Vespa scooters that we regularly brought back from Italy. Not only did many scooters come north over the Brenner Pass, but friendships also developed that have lasted to this day, e.g. with Cao from 70s Helmets or Mamo, industrial designer for Lamborghini, who has also designed one or two of our own products for us.

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from left to right: Alex, Mamo and Cao

There was also a new Catalogue in 1998, performance & style on almost 100 pages....

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1997

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Poster for the SIP Customshow in Landsberg 1997

On 1 March 1997, SIP Scootershop, together with T-Shirt producer Sgotter, organised the international Vespa & Lambretta Customshow in Landsberg am Lech with 1,500 visitors.


in 1997, larger premises were also rented in the former NCO's quarters of the disbanded Ritter-von-Leeb barracks in Landsberg. Every year, the start-up SIP Scootershop compiles a German and English (because demand is also increasing beyond language barriers) mail order Catalogue to present its product range of around 2,000 items.

The SIP Performance Racing Exhaust is the first pure stainless steel exhaust system to be launched on the market - it is still available today.

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1996

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Landsberger Tagblatt November 1996

in 1996, larger premises were therefore rented in the former NCO's quarters of the disbanded Ritter-von-Leeb barracks in Landsberg. Every year, the start-up SIP Scootershop compiles a German and English (because demand is also increasing beyond language barriers) mail-order Catalogue to present its product range of around 2,000 items. The SIP Catalogue from 1996 can be browsed online here.

The SIP Performance Racing Exhaust is the first pure stainless steel exhaust system to be launched on the market - it is still available today.

VESPA introduces the first Modern Vespa models, the ET2 and ET4.

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the renovation of our first shop in Landsberg in the former barracks

1995

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The SIP shop in the basement had an impressive 35 square metres

In the summer of 1994, the two decide to turn their long-standing hobby and passion of "scooter riding" into a profession. The idea hits like a bomb and within a very short time the 35 square metre basement shop in Kaufering becomes too small.

Practically the first product is the SIP Sport Seat made of GRP and carbon for Vespa PX Models.

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the first price list was distributed by hand at scooter meetings

1994 - the founding year

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The zero hour: the first sales stand at the Scooter Dive in Aachen in 1994

Alexander Barth and Ralf Jodl have been tinkering with Vespa scooters since 1989. Dissatisfied with the range of tuning and custom parts available at the time, they developed their first special parts, which were distributed in small quantities to friends and acquaintances. Close contacts were established with many tuners and suppliers in the scooter scene at the time, such as Stefan Onken from Nordspeed Tuning, Paul Melici from PM Tuning and Jim Lomas from JL Exhausts. Good connections to Italy ensure the supply of high-quality Replacement Parts.

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Parcel delivery by the management in person
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