There are stories that explain the passion for motorcycles much better than any survey on the mobility habits of young people. And one of them comes from Pradamano, a town in the Italian province of Udine, where 3 boys between 13 and 14 years old decided that they wanted to buy their own moped. A Piaggio Ciao.
Curiously, they weren’t exactly thinking about a modern scooter or an electric motorcycle. His objective was much more special, to find a Piaggio Ciao second hand. And to achieve this, during the “days of august“They set up a small stand in the patio of a house, near a town square. “They served lemonade, water, coffee and some sweets,” letting each customer contribute the amount they considered appropriate. Which amounts to “their will.”
The initiative worked. According to the information published about the case, they managed to gather around 100 euros. An amount still very far from what they need to buy the Ciao what they are looking for, but enough to show that they were willing to earn the money for themselves. The problem came when some “illuminated“He brought it to the attention of the authorities.
The police intervened because the sale of food required the corresponding authorizations. That is to say, the problem was not that 3 kids wanted to save up to buy a moped, but that they had turned their improvised lemonade stand into a small sales activity without the required permits. That is, bad.
The most curious thing, as we will never tire of repeating, was the vehicle chosen by the 3 of them: a Ciao. What comes to be in the Piel de Toro, “our Vespine“The Ciao was discontinued two decades ago, it was presented in 1967 and remained in production until 2006. For almost 4 decades it became one of the most popular mopeds in Italy, with around 3.5 million units sold. Which are not few.
This is a Piaggio Ciao
Its recipe was as simple as it was effective: a small 49 cc, 2-stroke engine, belt transmission, an extremely light construction and an aesthetic that was more reminiscent of a bicycle than a conventional scooter. Its weight was around 40 kilos and one of the keys to its enormous ease of handling. He Ciao It was designed as a simple, economical and accessible vehicle. But, as time went by, it also ended up becoming an icon for several generations of young Italians.
And therein lies, precisely, the most curious part of this story. The 3 boys who now want to get one were not even born when Piaggio stopped manufacturing it. For more “INRI“, for years these small mopeds could be found for very little money. But, the classic market has changed the situation. Now, the Ciao It has become a sought-after model by fans and collectors and units in good condition are no longer exactly a gift.
The current references on the Italian market place the simplest specimens around the 500 euroswhile units in good condition can easily exceed the 1,000 euros. Therefore, the 100 euros they got from their lemonade stand was just the beginning of a sum that would still have to grow considerably.
But perhaps that is precisely the fun of the story. Instead of waiting for someone to buy them the motorcycle, the 3 decided to make a living to get it. And it does not seem that the police intervention has put an end to the project. One of them explained that he did not feel fear when the agents arrived, but disappointment because he believed that they were doing something good and wanted to continue with their initiative.
After closing the position, the young people thanked the support received and assured that they would look for another way to get the money. Curious, in the middle of 2026, 3 teenagers still see in a small 49 cc moped manufactured during the last century, something special enough to spend their holidays selling lemonade to get it. Without a doubt, except for the “being of light”, a beautiful story.
