Globetrotting Vespa scooter-riding Italian author dies in China

Fri, Sep 19, 2008

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(Addio Giorgio Bettinelli amico mio, addio)

Rome – Italian author Giorgio Bettinelli and recording artist, who clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles travelling the globe on a Vespa scooter and then recounting his adventures in books, has died in China. He was 53. Bettinelli, who together with his wife, had been living in southern China since 2004, died on Monday, a spokeswoman for his publisher, Milan-based Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore said Wednesday.

Bettinelli, whose latest book La Cina in Vespa (China on a Vespa) was published in earlier this year, was known to have been sick, but the spokeswoman said she had no further details (source).

Born in 1955 the northern Italian city of Crema, Bettinelli undertook a mammoth ride from Rome to Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam on his tiny Vespa – the subject of his first book in 1997.
Giorgio Bettinelli is arguably the greatest scooter-riding world tourer. He has ridden around the world numerous times on a Vespa PX. However, he apparently recently upgraded to a Vespa GT200. He has vowed to ride through every country in the world on his Vespa.

Bettinelli believed “The Vespa is like a bridge to tolerance and sympathy.”

Surprisingly, Bettinelli has few repair skills. When asked what he does when his Vespa breaks down, he replied “You wait. Someone comes, someone helps. A car, a truck, a camel. An hour, a day. Someone comes, someone helps.”

He has written books about his trips, but unfortunately for us English-speakers these books are only available in Italian (source).

“Thank you” to Aki, who had the pleasure of meeting Giorgio twice during his travels, for filling us in on this sad loss for the scooter community.

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3 Responses to “Globetrotting Vespa scooter-riding Italian author dies in China”

  1. Vespa-House Says:

    I met Giorgio a few years ago at Christmas time when my brother Frank Tonon
    from Vespa-House Melbourne Australia brought him around for Christmas Lunch .
    Vespa-House had serviced his scooter
    whilst in Melbourne, and I think he was at the end of his journey here in Australia and was returning home.

    He was a most likeable person and had lots of tales to tell regards his Vespa trips.
    I particularly remember when he was held captive and robbed in Africa somewhere, and his life was at stake.
    His captors threatened him with his life and finally released him in the heart of the bush.
    Just as he was running for his life they called him back and that”s when he thought they were playing games with him and were finally going to shoot him.
    Fortunately for him they were in a good mood and threw his passport back to him and told him to get lost and never come back.

    He hit the road minus his Vespa and all his belongings and finally made his way to a small village to let people know he was still alive.
    He finally made it to a bigger city an was able to get the local Consulate to help him with monies and lodgement.
    You can imagine how difficult it would be for a white guy to be stuck in the middle of Africa with no monies or belongings.
    He was very thankful to the beautiful indigenous local people who helped him to get home especially during these trying times.

    Good luck Giorgio wherever you are for being such an inspirational human being and a peace loving citizen of the world.

    My condolences to your wife and your family.

    Bruno and Frank Tonon Melbourne
    Vespa-House AUSTRALIA

    Reply

  2. zaldy5 Says:

    my sympathy to the death of fellow vespa rider! condolence to the family…

    Reply

  3. geno Says:

    I used to travel on vespa scooter and now on bajaj chetak. sorry to hear about the death of a fellow scooterest. my sympathies to his family.

    Reply

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