Vespa Club Malaga celebrates 70 years of classic scooter passion

The organisation has moved a long way from the pomp of its early years, when it even published a monthly magazine about its activities. Today it has a smaller membership and describes itself as an organisation free from bureaucracy. What has not changed is its members' passion for the iconic Italian scooter brand and their enthusiasm for exploring new places on two wheels.

The club's history is full of unusual stories, including that of González Esesumaga himself. Originally from the Basque Country, he has been interested in motor vehicles "since I was 14, it runs in the family", but once regarded the Vespa as a "piece of tin".

That changed when he had to borrow his father's Vespa to work as a night-time courier in Bilbao. He was eventually won over by the scooter's capabilities.

In the 1990s, he travelled to Malaga for what was supposed to be a one-week stay. The trip proved to be a turning point and he never returned to his homeland.

"I fell in love with this city," he says proudly.

His passion for two wheels eventually led him to the Vespa Club, where he formed a close friendship with its former president, Sergio Durán Ordóñez. They took part in three Scooter Tours and made three separate motorcycle trips around Spain, travelling along secondary roads. They also travelled to Morocco and former Spanish territories such as Sidi Ifni.

They had planned to visit Equatorial Guinea as well, but those plans were abandoned following Durán's death from illness.

Durán, a lawyer by profession and an honorary member of Vespa Club España, which he helped found, died in 2017. His death meant the Malaga club needed a new president and González Esesumaga was elected by acclamation.

He has since worked to keep the association going. It now has around 85 members, although only about half are active.

Joining is straightforward because, as González Esesumaga explains, "there are no membership fees or obligations". Members communicate mainly through a WhatsApp group called 'Rutas en Málaga con Vespa', while prospective members can contact the club through its Facebook page or by email at vespaclubmalaga@gmail.com.

González Esesumaga, who owns 18 motorbikes, is calling for greater institutional support for the club. One of its main activities is a ride around the province on the first Saturday of every month.

The starting point changes and is always somewhere in Malaga city. The group originally met in the central Plaza de la Merced, but says the city hall refused to allow them to continue using the location. They subsequently moved between several meeting points, including the area around La Rosaleda, the Automobile Museum and Torre Mónica on the Huelin seafront promenade, where they currently meet.

González Esesumaga is calling on city hall to pay more attention to motoring enthusiasts, a group with a large following across Spain that he believes could also generate significant income for the city.

To mark the club's 70th anniversary, members organised a night-time ride in August called 'Vespeto', a name combining Vespa with the 'espetos' shared by those taking part, a reference to the traditional skewered sardines associated with Malaga's coastline.

In June, more than 60 enthusiasts took part in the Ruta de los Puertos Deportivos, a journey from Puerto Marina to Puerto Banús which followed the coast using secondary roads and travelled through residential areas further inland.

The club has also launched a range of anniversary merchandise, including key rings, T-shirts and stickers, with the proceeds helping to raise funds for its limited coffers.

In the past, members attended the Retro Motor show in Malaga with their own stand, although they no longer plan to take part. They have also participated in various classic vehicle gatherings over the years.

Their next planned outing is a group trip to Carratraca, where a former member aged over 80 lives. He is regarded as a living link to the club's early years in the 1950s and the members plan to pay tribute to him.

Meanwhile, the club hopes to attract more members and continue sharing its passion for Vespas and other classic motorbikes, with the exception of Vespinos, due to what González Esesumaga describes as "old feuds" between enthusiasts.

Joining the group does not require much beyond a willingness to enjoy winding roads and get in touch with the club. On the first Saturday of each month, its motorcycles will be back on the road.