Ilario Lavarra - the longest journey ever on a Vespa

"210,000 km and 100 countries traveled (so far) with the VESPA since September 2017 NON STOP". This is how Ilario Lavarra's social media greets all Vespa fanatics who dream of long-distance travel. But long-distance travel takes on a whole new meaning here, explained briefly: The whole world!!!

He celebrated the 100th country of his journey in October 2023 and sent us this beautiful postcard, so we wanted to pay tribute to him by telling a little of the story of a #RealScooterist, in this case: the traveler! ;)

"To my friends from SC who are supporting this Grand Tour around the world on a Vespa! A big hug from this incredible country, my #100 non stop"

Ilario Lavarra

"First" long trip

"21 Americas" - solo trip on an old Vespa-

How we met Ilario

As thousands of kilometers turn out to be thousands of friends, I was one of the lucky ones to cross his path :) Back in 2010, when he was in the middle of his journey: "21 Americas" on a 40 year old Vespa (Sprint Veloce), 82,000 kilometers from the Arctic to Antarctica and back (here the video). He entered Colombian territory, and for us he was one of the first travelers to visit us. As it usually happens, we all gathered to hear the countless stories he had accumulated along with his kilometers and our friendship was sealed. 7 years later it was my turn to make a bigger Vespa trip, unfortunately not with my Vespertine (my PX over there). But thanks to him, we rode through Modena, Bologna, Verona and Rome. That's how I found out about his plans for a new trip, but this time a "little further"...

Current journey

"Le Grand Tour'" - The longest journey ever on a Vespa

"Le Grand Tour'" was the name given to the educational journey that became fashionable at the end of the 17th century. An excellent name if you ask me, because there's no better way to know the world than to experience it! and it describes it perfectly like this:

"It's a personal journey of knowledge across cultures and latitudes. And this knowledge makes me happy."

He is now in the 2/3 part of the journey. Europe and Africa are already done! and now he is in Bhutan, country number 100 as part of the Asia and Oceania phase, later he will repeat America.

The Vespa chosen could of course be none other than a Granturismo, the GT 1968 with the name: Ardimentosa

here the video of his Vespa GT

The first 100,000 km

and as a small summary of his 100,000 km, Ilario tells us the wonders he has seen:

"I love this Vespa, called Ardimentosa, gliding over the world meter by meter. Slowly, joyfully. And me with her. On the icy Scandinavian tundra with the lights of the northern lights. In the autumnal warmth of the African deserts of the Western Sahara. On the gravel roads of Bissau and Conakry. On the Atlantic coast as far as Nigeria. In the war in Cameroon and the rainforests of Gabon and the two Congos. In the colors of the deserts of Namibia and on the reefs of South Africa. In the scorched savannahs of the eastern part, in the villages with huts and on the banana plantations of the thousand hills. In the warm silence of the lava rocks of the Horn of Africa, in the Coptic monasteries, at the pyramids. On the fairy chimneys and on the peaks almost 5000 meters high in Central Asia. On the snows of the Kingdom of Persia and now on the Gulf off the Arabian Peninsula. One hundred thousand kilometers. Ole!"

Ilario

A new chapter - INDIA

At this time in India, Ilario was informed that the Scooter Center had been there some time ago to make some purchases for his NOS department, and when some engine problems arose, he did not hesitate to contact us. But what a surprise for both of us when I received his email, because he didn't know I worked here. He has a philosophy of no sponsors so he can travel freely, but we responded, not as sponsors, but as partners, and the best way we can help fulfill his dream is with the parts he needs. In the middle of the Indian jungle, he sends me a message, tired from the hard journey: "I am preparing to cross Tibet, I will start from Nepal to get to Laos. As Tibet is a Chinese problem area, it will take some time to get my visa. In Tibet I will be driving for a week at an altitude of about 5000 meters, probably in October/November. The Chinese authorities will require winter tires, which are mandatory in Tibet in winter."
So we send him some other parts he needs:

Tires -IRC SN26 Urban Snow

Intake manifold

Fastening set for carburetor

Diaphragm plate under SI carburetor

Pickup

Headset

And believe me, India is not big, it is huge!!! INDIA IS A WORLD, the country with such diversity and density of cultural, religious, ethnic, geographical aspects etc. which are IMPOSSIBLE to find in any other country. From Ladakh in the heart of the Himalayas at 8000 m altitude, to Buddhist Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim so close to Tibet, East India and its tribal areas with bamboo villages under hard to reach mountains (that already seems like being in East Asia), to Sickh Punjab and the endless super populated plain of the Ganges, to the rural and fascinating rural Hindu states of central India, and then the Muslim majority regions near Pakistan or Bangladesh, to the high tea plantations of Christian Kerala, to finally jump to the southern apex that is Kanyakumari. An infinite puzzle with billions of pieces, each different from the other, to be savored one by one. Slowly.

We wish him the best of luck, although we know he is surrounded by it thanks to the magic of Vespa, his charm and his wonderful story.

He will keep us posted on his journey. In the meantime, you can keep up to date with his videos and posts, which are not only amazing but also entertaining.

You can find the latest news about his journey on his website: Vespanda.com and his Instagram: @vespanda_ilario.lavarra and Facebook: vespanda