Road-testing the Vespa LX 50: Europe in 1946 was in a sorry state. Years of war had destroyed much of the transport infrastructure.
Munitions orientated manufacturing capacity, what little was left, and its attendant labour force was redundant. One of the most urgent necessities was to get people moving again.
In the almost silent and deserted Piaggio aircraft factory an aeronautical engineer with no experience of motor-cycles took up the challenge. The result was a monococque construction, two-wheeler, heavily dependent on aircraft production techniques, bearing little resemblance to anything previously seen in the motorcycle world. And so, named after the wasp-like buzz of its exhaust note, the Vespa was born.
The birth of the original Vespa marked the most significant development the world of motorcycling had ever been - the emergence of a different kind of powered two-wheeler aimed, not at enthusiasts, but the man and woman in the bus queue.
The Vespa established the formula which, with often less sophisticated variations on a theme to circumvent patent infringement, every scooter maker has slavishly followed for the past 49 years.
It was radically different from anything previously seen. It was clean, unbeatable in traffic, cheap to run and utterly user-friendly. It provided transport for millions who previously would never have considered a motorcycle.
It just shows what can happen when someone goes right back to basics, starts with a clean piece of paper and uses the best available technology.
It was an instant hit. Its smooth, clean lines decently covered all the messy bits. It was so easy to master for complete beginners. Today, there are almost as many makes and models of scooters on the market as there are motorcycles.
In those 49 years there have been numerous, relatively minor changes to the general Vespa idea. Yet throughout all, the very distinctive style and construction has remained. The greatest change came in 1996 when, on the ET series, Piaggio replaced the quirky 3-speed hand change gearing with automatic transmission.
Now there's the LX, the replacement of the ET series. It retains that iconic Vespa look, but represents a significant improvement. For some the clean lines and absence of lurid graphics and "go-faster" stripes will have a distinct appeal.
The wheels are now 11", a significant improvement on the 10" ones of the ET. The front brake is now a hydraulically operated disk, the rear brake remains a drum-type. There is a useful anchorpoint for a security chain under the offside floor pan.
The spring-back side stand is slightly awkward to use, but the centre stand is delightfully effective. Electric start is standard but the traditional kick starter is retained.
The front scuttle has a small locker, useful for various odds and ends. Under seat stowage is around 12 litres, enough for a full-face helmet or a day's shopping.
On the road the LX is thoroughly vice-free and well behaved. Excellently placed mirrors give a superb rear view.
Thinking back to the ET, we were surprised at how much punch this machine has. Basically, 50cc machines will never be awe-inspiring or gut-wrenching when it comes to performance - power output, if it can be called that, is so meagre that keeping up with the traffic flow remains "in-your-dreams" even when flat-out.
Not so, with the LX 50. It pulls away from a standstill with an alacrity that would do credit to a larger machine. We achieved an indicated top speed of 66km/h, which considering an officially designed maximum of 45km/h is pretty good. This meant that we were not constantly being overtaken. Indeed on a couple of occasions we were able to do a spot of overtaking ourselves.
The way in which it develops its power lifts the LX 50 from the bottom of the food chain to the level of a thoroughly effective and civilised form of urban transport.
At €2,750, it's not the cheapest in the moped category but it's an intelligent choice for looks, construction, performance and potentially better resale value.