Directory Introduction

The Lambretta and Vespa  scooters are the most accessorised vehicles ever to exist.  The Italian people and manufacturers were under heavy financial constraints after World war 2 and two scooter makers unwittingly corned the world market by producing reliable, basic but beautifully designed machines that were ‘naked’ to keep costs at a minimum. Piaggio’s Vespa did not even supply a spare wheel or passenger seat to ensure the sale price was as low as possible.  Innocenti’s Lambretta was built on a design of scaffold tube design and the lower prices charged for the basic machines would secure the ultimate victory in the competitive scooter market for the Italian big two. 

A thriving accessory market naturally followed firstly supplying basic utilitarian things.  A seat for a passenger, a spare wheel holder to carry an extra wheel for the inevitable disaster and a luggage or cargo holder.  Some accessories were supplied by the manufacturers as optional extras but were bought in and Piaggio and Innocenti for the purpose and they had enough to do to keep up with demand for the actual scooters.  When one considers that 1 million Vespas alone had been manufactured by 1956 it is possible to imagine the sheer scale of the requirements.

Thus a huge industry of accessory manufacturers emerged across the world, particularly in Europe.  Competition was at times fierce and as in any market and it attracted some surprising mainstream manufacturers as well as dedicated cottage industry enterprises who all noticed profits were there to be made.

This directory contains the details of almost every company that supplied the market and is bursting with facts.  There are over 250 companies listed with accurate historical records, place of manufacture and much more to help you identify the accessories.  

This is the first book of its kind to study the subject in depth and has been collated with the assistance of a large number of experts on the subject.  Further editions are planned and readers are welcome to make observations and send information for future editions to the contact email address.