People who are passionate about "ancient bees"

(Baonghean) - Vespa is a fashionable scooter line from Piaggio, considered one of the most perfectly designed scooters, inspired by a bee.

It's not just a means of transportation, but also a form of entertainment for many people in their stressful and hectic lives. When it comes to vintage Vespas, no one in Vinh City who collects vintage vehicles doesn't know Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tien.

The small house of Mr. and Mrs. Tien, located on Pham Ngoc Thach Street in Hung Dung Ward, has become a meeting place for those who are captivated by the elegant, sophisticated, and distinctive beauty of the "vintage Vespa." Having been loyal to vintage Vespas for over 30 years, he has become a master "specialist," able to treat most common "ailments" of this type of vehicle.



For Tiến, repairing scooters is a way to admire the beauty of vintage Vespas.

My friend, a die-hard fan of vintage Vespas, said: "These bikes rarely break down, but when they do, only Mr. Tien in Vinh can fix them." Without a sign or a prime location, his repair shop is right in his yard. The small yard looks like a scrap metal yard, cluttered with tools and even old, dilapidated bike frames.

He said, "This is already a small number. In the 1980s, the vintage car craze died down, people rushed to buy new models and turned their backs on vintage Vespas, but I bought them. Back then, they were very cheap, only a few million dong each. I felt it was a waste to keep them, so I bought them and piled them up in the garden, using them as a fence around the house. My wife grumbled all day about this 'pile of scrap metal,' but I ignored her. At that time, I didn't know what I was buying them for, I just thought they were beautiful. I bought them to keep them, and whenever I had free time, I would take them out to admire them to my heart's content." Having worked as a bus driver on the North-South route, he had seen many beautiful vehicles on the road. Mr. Tien added that initially, he was captivated by their delicate appearance, then by their distinctive engine sound. "When you sit on one of these, there's an indescribable feeling of joy," he said.

Over the past ten years, the classic car collecting trend has revived, with people eagerly hunting for vintage cars like treasures. He began to take out his old "pile of scrap metal" and try to restore it. He wandered the internet to learn about the workings of the engine.

Driven by passion, perseverance, and hard work, he has become a "specialist" in vintage Vespas. For years, he has quietly researched, studied, and repaired these rusty, rough "scrap metal" vehicles, transforming them into gleaming, eye-catching machines. He says that buying these vintage scooters is difficult, but selling them is even harder. Not everyone understands their true value. Therefore, he doesn't sell to just anyone who asks to buy one. "It has to be someone who understands and loves it before I can confidently entrust it to them. Vintage scooters are antiques; buying them is a gain, selling them is a loss. For him, price isn't the most important issue. If you want to do business and make money, you can do something else; this is just to fulfill his passion. On average, he earns a few hundred thousand dong a day, and luckily, he works from home so he doesn't have to pay taxes."

According to you, when I met with veteran Vespa enthusiasts in Vinh, everyone admired Mr. Tien. He had a simple, scruffy appearance but was incredibly approachable and calm. Over cups of coffee, everyone discussed the styles, sounds, and engines of their bikes. My friend suggested forming a vintage Vespa club in Vinh to connect people with the same passion. "If we're going to form a club, we have to think about how to operate it in a meaningful way."

Mr. Tien enthusiastically added: "Every year, there must be activities with social significance. If any family members or friends are sick, they must be notified so that everyone knows to come and visit and offer encouragement. There must be a concrete plan; it can't be rushed. If it's simply to raise money for entertainment, I don't agree." If that were the case, the ancient beauty of these "ancient bees" would not only exist as a passion of a certain group of people, but it would also carry a profound humanitarian meaning…

Nguyen Le