Well-known Manchester scooterist, Howard, recently moved to Croatia. He quickly found the local scooter scene, and he’s already reporting on local events for us.
Here’s his write-up on Cro Vespa…
After moving to Croatia earlier this summer, the first thing I made sure I could do was meet up with like-minded people, i.e. scooterists, so I hooked up with members of the Vespa club of Dubrovnik.
Annual event
They’re a great bunch of guys and girls who love all things Vespa. This year, it just so happened that they were hosting the Cro Vespa Rally, an annual event backed by the National Vespa Club of Croatia. Different Vespa clubs up and down the country have been hosting the event since 2007.
Love Bar
The date was set for the weekend of September 12, 2025, with a meeting and registration at the Love Bar in Gruz Harbour, which was once part of an old factory.
Goody bags
Lots of scooters, vintage and new, from all over Croatia and its neighbours arrived. Friends met, people drank, and we all got one of the best goody bags I’ve ever had at any rally, home or abroad!
350 scooters
There were over 350 scooters from over 50 clubs and regions, as far as Poland, Bulgaria and Macedonia, to name just a few. Well done to all for riding the distances they did.
Ride out
The next day, a ride out had been organised from Gruz Harbour to Konavle Valley and a viewpoint up in the mountains above. The ride was led out by the local police with blues and twos flashing, and with the help of great marshalls, we set off up the coast road. It has some spectacular scenery looking down on the old town of Dubrovnik.
Bird’s eye view
Then we took a turn off and up a very twisty mountain pass to get to the Eagles View, one of the best organised rides I’ve ever done, everyone smiling and enjoying themselves.
Our man in Dubrovnik, Howard (pictured right) with beers in hand…
Later, we went on to Moto Klub Dvjie Rote for a BBQ and refreshments. As the sun was out in force, it was a welcome break. Afterwards, I went home and had a quick cool-down dip in the sea on the way (God, I miss Manchester!).
Holiday vibes
At night, there was a gala dinner and disco arranged at Lazareti in the old town. I hooked up with Chris and his wife from the Doomhamers in Scotland; they were on holiday. We all enjoyed the food and entertainment.
Awards
During the evening, there was an awards ceremony, and I was given a thank-you note, which was a pleasant surprise. It showed that they appreciated my support. I met up with lots of fantastic friends, new and old, including a big hello to Rafael President of the Vespa Club of Croatia. It was great chatting about all things scootering, and I’ll see you on the road soon. The evening finished with a great band and a DJ.
Fancy it next year?
The next day was coffee and goodbyes at Love Bar again. What a great weekend put on by a great club. Well done and a big thank you to Vespa Club Dubrovnik for making me feel so welcome.
That’s some rally to beat but I believe next year the event will be held in Novi Vindolski. It’s a great place to visit if you fancy a cheeky few days away.
You can follow the Vespa Club of Dubrovnik on Facebook…they have some great rides and events over the year!
See you all at Llandudno
Cheers Howard
