Innocenti, who produced Lambretta scooters, was the main competitor for Vespa in Italy.  An assortment of models was produced from 1946 to the close of the Milan factory in 1971.  Most of what is known today about the production and models of Lambretta motor scooters is due the painstaking efforts of Mr. Vittorio Tessera

Vittorio Tessera is undeniably the international authority on Lambretta past history and current restorations.  His book Innocenti Lambretta The Definitive History, published in English in 1999, is the master text of all Lambretta information and details.  His home, shop (Casa Lambretta) and museum are located near Milan in Rogano, Italy.

I visited his shop in 1999 with my friend Tony Garbarino.  Hours flew by as we examined the Lambretta nostalgia and watched two skilled mechanics put final touches on beautiful Lambretta restorations in the small shop.  Vittorio’s staff boasts of completing about 30 restorations a year. 

I looked out the window and discovered a vast "bone yard" out back.  Most of the neglected Lambrettas in the rows outside were complete and looked like they would start and ride with very little work.

Vitorio talked of having a museum some day to display his vast scooter collection.  He showed us upstairs to a large attic room and a display of about 30 Lambrettas from the model A to rare racing machines.   He must have been pleased at the sight of our mouths hanging open because he asked if I would like to see more.  More, was an understatement!

We went to an underground parking area with rows of single car garages with flip up doors.  The Italians call them a "box".  Vittorio had four or five boxes stuffed wall to wall with vintage scooters of all makes, rare parts and stacks of the parts he produces for restoring Lambrettas.

He wheeled a few of the rare scooters out of each box for our viewing. It was still difficult to see all that was stored in those underground treasure chests.

A recent acquisition he talked about with pride was a Russian Vespa, Vjatka. He and his wife had recently adopted a son from Russia. Vitorio was elated that he would have a scooter from his son’s, homeland when he grew up.

Mr. Tessera is a very gracious and patient man, even when he is running around frantically locating rare parts in his shop and warehouse, often for two or three customers at the same time.  His knowledge of all aspects of Lambretta, and exactly what parts are right for each one is unsurpassed!

After buying every part we needed for our Lambretta restorations, we were off to Imola Formula One racetrack for the largest scooter and motorcycle swap meet in Italy.  But, that is another story…

Once again, at the prodding of Tony Garbarino, we returned to Italy in February 2002 for another fast paced, scooter related, search/road trip.  The plan was to see the Piaggio Vespa Museum, some private collections, parts suppliers and finish with the annual swap meet at Novegro.  8 days, 7 cities, 6 hotels and a shitload of scooters and parts!

The first stop on the adventure was to visit Vitorio, who had become a fast old friend since our last visit.  The pace of work going on in the shop was unchanged as was Vittorio's mad dash to get parts for everyone visiting him.  One distinguished visitor that day was Nigel Cox, the Lambretta expert from England.

Vitorio told us that the museum he had dreamed about was almost finished and scheduled to open to the public in a month.  Best of all, it was located right across the street!  We were all invited for a private tour.

The facility, formerly a small elementary school,  now serves as a community center.  The Scooter  Museum occupies the largest hall in the center.  Vitorio can maintain the museum there as long a he wants, rent free, and the local council ( Comune di Rodano) pays all the utilities!  That is a testimonial of the historic and cultural value of Vitorio Tessera  to the Italian community!

The extraordinary display of classic vintage scooters were restored by Vittorio himself, in his "spare" time.  As exhausted as he was with the shop, restorations, parts sales, the Novegro parts meet and building the museum displays he still had deadlines for himself to fill the walls with his rare technical posters and artwork, much of it from the former Innocenti factory!

Vittorio contacted the Innocenti family after the closing of the factory.  He had heard that much of what was left in the old buildings was going to be destroyed.  He got permission to retrieve what he could.  When he arrived he found men cleaning out the buildings.  They were throwing drawings into a fire and using a large mechanical claw to dump scooters and parts.  He stopped them and collected all the drawing and scooters he could.  That included a couple of rare prototypes.

Vittorio Tessera is known internationally as "the" Lambretta authority. Yet his collection of scooters is uniquely diverse.  He has a surprising number of rare, and beautifully restored, American scooters in his collection, including Cushman, Motoscoot, Salsbury and Lightning

The technical knowledge and attention to detail that is the trademark of a Vitorio Tessera Lambretta restoration has been painstakingly applied to every scooter in this international display.

Vittorio now has a representative for Casa Lambretta USA located in Florida.  There is, however, no substitute for the awesome display presented by the man himself.  Take the chance, make the trip and visit Mr. Lambretta, Vittorio Tessera, in Italy.  His doors and his heart will be open to you!