Honda 125GP FALC Carbon Fibre Vespa

Despite its clear sprint-race design, this monster has a Jekyll & Hyde power delivery, first lulling you into a gentle sense of security... before ripping like a wild animal. Check out the Moto Mekanic Vespa...

Christian Giarrizzo brings us a mouthwatering cover scooter.

Vespas are scooters which are immersed in everyday Italian life as well as being a basis for Italian culture. They are intended to stop at every junction, commute through traffic, and all the while flaunt their stylish lines. But on the other hand, there are machines such as the V54MMK16 which seem tailor-made for the life of the scooter bandit! Part original Vespa, part wild animal and painted black. It is a Vespa, that when used in city traffic, would be like trying to raise a tiger in a small Italian apartment. It is a scooter which could allow bandits to escape in a matter of seconds from the scene of any crime if such a utopian underworld existed. In short, the V54MMk16 is a beast.

This creation comes from Cristian, a mildmannered mechanic based in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in the province of Udine, northeastern Italy. Cristian has fused a Vespa 50-Special with the top end assembly of a FALC-made Honda 125GP kit, using a bespoke pipe, PVL ignition and Dellorto race carb. On paper it is a fierce character, a true Jekyll and Hyde, pleasant yet psychotic, especially when coaxed into life upwards of 10,000rpm via the throttle. Thankfully the Stage 6 brakes, suspension and alloy-trellis brace help to keep it in shape... as best they can!

Cristian is very reserved, typical of the people from the Friuli region who are known throughout Italy for their cold Nordic ways. A perfect example which captures the essence of the Friulianos people is the memory of the earthquake of 1976, a disaster which devastated the entire region and brought everyone to their knees. From the farmers