The 1979 Piaggio Vespa 50 Special has just set a new world record for the longest distance traveled in 24 hours on a scooter with a 50cc engine. The record was recorded by Guinness World Records and is 1233.07 kilometers, which is approximately 305 kilometers more than the previous record set by Australian Mark Brown in 2005.
The second factor that makes the new record unique is that the record holder is the same driver who set an unofficial record 45 years ago, covering a distance of 941 km in 24 hours at the Pirelli test track. His name is Valerio Boni, he is a tester and journalist who was 20 years old in 1979 and is now 65!
Even the scooter that was used for record-breaking races is the same now and 45 years ago. The old Vespa 50 Special was completely restored in 2015. To reduce the cost of renting a track, Valerio chose an old abandoned oval in the south of Spain, near Barcelona, for the record race. The 2 kilometer long Terramar circuit was built in 1923 and features very high banking corners.
The restored Vespa 50 Special was carefully checked and prepared for the feat, and then sent to Spain. The old track is not in perfect condition, but its concrete surface is strong enough to allow the Vespa 50 to travel at top speed without any safety issues.
Valerio drove for a day, almost continuously, with short stops to wash off the dirt from his face. Refueling was carried out “in flight” with the help of Spanish friends Valerio, Ivo Vizcasillas and Christian Nogueras, specialists in endurance competitions. Refueling took place through a hose at a maximum speed of 60 km/h.
The grueling marathon lasted for the planned 24 hours. The scooter performed very well thanks to its ultra-reliable 2-stroke small air-cooled engine. and also thanks to Valerio’s ability to sit on his iron ass without a break.
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