In July of 1948 an agreement between Piaggio and the Indian Motorcycle Company was on the table to import and possibly manufacture the Vespa in the USA, but the deal fell through soon after. The big three, Ford, GM and Chrysler all showed interest in importing the Vespa, but cost was significant compared to the compact motorbikes being sold by Harley and Indian at the time. In 1950, Martin Selfridge of Sears, Roebuck & CO., (the largest commercial retailer in America) got off a train in Pisa, and began a never to be forgotten Italian Vacation. He traveled 1865miles of town and country roads, in the dust and rain on a Vespa. He was sold, but Sears had a long list of things they considered “unnecessary” which would make the retail price more acceptable for the US market. These included the horn, anti-theft device, rubber stripping, baggage rack, all the chrome work, electrical circuit, and the front brake. When this reached Enrico Piaggio desk, he OK’d the bits and pieces but dug his heels on the brakes and electronics. In the first four years Sears sold 20,000 Vespa Allstate’s. They sold the Allstate badged 125cc from 1952 to 1965. In 66 they sold both a 125cc and a 150cc Sprint minus the Allstate badge, which was replaced with the Sears blue badge. The success of the Allstate allowed Piaggio to open up Vespa dealerships in the US…
Found this photo on Flickr, by some dude named Bagel. It was taken at the 2003 at the Santa Cruz Classic. This is a 1966 Vespa Sprint Sears blue badge…
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