Introduced in 1948, the Piaggio Ape is a three wheeler designed for light commercial purposes. What you may not expect to hear is that the Ape is still in production! Ape translates to “bee” in Italian, and it was named to evoke the productiveness you think of with ‘busy as a bee’.
It’s basically a Vespa with an extra wheel and bodywork, but it’s quite charming. Engine options ranged from 50cc to 175cc, though nowadays you can either get an Ape 50 (49.8cc gas engine) or Ape TM (218cc gas or 422cc diesel). This is an “Ape C”, which got a redesigned 150cc engine and was the first Ape with an enclosed cab. Check out this article on Jalopnik to follow along with a ’69 Ape that is currently used to deliver salami and cheese – how Italian is that?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much in terms of details for the specific Ape, but it’s claimed to be very nice. I think Bike-urious needs a new shop truck. Find this Piaggio Ape for sale here on Craigslist for $14,500 or best offer in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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