what is the last year that vespa imported a 2 stroke model to the us

Until recently, that same Vespa was on permanent display in the centre of the entrance lobby of the Akij Group corporate house in Dhaka. He did not forget his trusted Vespa even when became a billionaire. The founder of one of the largest business conglomerates, Akij Group, in Bangladesh, Sheikh Akij Uddin used a Vespa VBB in his early days to run around in pursuit of business. There are a few four-strokes among the vintages as well but they are few and far between. Most vintage Vespas that still roam the streets of Dhaka do have the smoke-emitting two-stroke engines. It is as popular as ever to a set of select people who adore the timeless style, name value, reliability and camaraderie from the other users. And even after 76 years, these two-wheelers have been zipping people around the globe. Rather its pleasingly curved, almost sensual, pressed steel monocoque body does not look outdated. No angular fibreglass body kits and anthropomorphic headlights are bolted on to the basic body to put on the kind of feral, aggressive look to give them a marketing edge these days. It doesn't have the wide 18 inch tyres of the growling beasts that weave in and out of the maddening Dhaka traffic, rather these ride serenely on two ten-inch by 4 inch tyres, in old-fashioned terms, some of the even older ones ride on mere eight-inch tyres. His missus would give him a peck on the cheek and he would shift to 1st gear with a thunk and pass through the gate gaining speed with the rising whine typical of the two-stroke Vespas.Īs two-wheelers go, this one doesn't have the crowd-pleasing features that one is used to seeing on the roads today. Blue smoke filled the air as he sat astride his scooter in his impeccable suit ready to leave for office. Mr Whitbread used to work in Adamjee Jute Mills and like clockwork, every morning at 6:30, he would wheel out his blue Vespa VBB to the lawn and kick it to life. When I was growing up in Dhaka in the '60s, my downstairs neighbour was one Mr Patrick Whitbread and his wife.

What is the last year that vespa imported a 2 stroke model to the us