Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
MILAN TO TOKYO on a Vespa scooter, to bring a Europe Vespa Club trophy to the President of the Olympic Games Committee as a good will gift for the great athletic event: this the “mission” successfully accomplished by Italian racing driver-journalist Roberto Patrignani.
For the three-month, 8070-mile motorized marathon Patrignani used a series 150cc machine fitted with a second fuel tank behind the legshield (capacity 4.5 gallons) to supplement the usual 2.1-gallon tank under the saddle, thus insuring a cruising range of about 500 miles. The bigger tank had inner diaphragms to avoid excessive fuel movement and a handoperated pressure pump to transfer fuel to the smaller tank. The 50:1 lubricated engine had no special tuning, though it had been thoroughly waterproofed.
Fixed on the footboard with elastic bands were a 5-quart plastic can for water and a 2-quart plastic can for oil. Made-to-measure front (folding) and rear carriers were provided for the spare wheel, camping equipment and luggage, making for a weight of 88 lbs. and a total, in running order, of 353 lbs. In spite of the weight distribution, no difficulties with stability or handling were experienced.
The route wound through Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong. Japan. Of course it wasn't possible to go through Burma and China so, from Singapore, Patrignani had to fly first to Hong Kong and then to Tokyo.
From Italy to Teheran (Iran) the travel was difficult due to extreme heat (the trek started early in July). The roads were all asphalted, however, including one which crosses the Iraq desert to Baghdad and is 621 miles long. The worst part came from Teheran to Kabul, Afghanistan — about 1242 miles of bad road conditions and poor facilities for eating and sleeping. Other problems were encountered in India because of the May-September rainy season; many roads were flooded or interrupted. Total fuel consumption for the marathon trek was 114 gallons; only troubles with the machine were a puncture in Syria and a fouled plug in India! •
