Riding down, literally

After 75 years and 19 million Vespa scooters, we thought we’ve Vespas ride on practically every road. From the freezing weather of the northern hemisphere to the scorching Sahara desert, a Vespa scooter has already been there.

So what terrain is a Vespa yet to conquer? Vertical.

Just recently, Austrian stuntman, Günter Schachermayr, took his Vespa for a ride. This is no trip to the local store, mind you, as Günter rode his Vespa down a chimney — a really tall one. The 361-foot chimney (110 meters) he chose is part of an old factory in Slovakia.

Because Vespas weren't designed to operate vertically, some precautions had to be taken. It's very easy for a Vespa to simply fall off the chimney. To actually ride down it, Günter and his Vespa were strapped with safety harnesses and ropes as they slowly but surely rode down (more like rappelled down). At one point in the video, we can see Günter struggling a bit to keep the Vespa’s wheels planted as he rolls down with the scooter.

The stunt is just one of the many record attempts Günter will be trying to add under his belt, as he tries to become the man with the most number of world records riding a Vespa.

The most Vespa-related records

Günter is no stranger when it comes to pulling off some crazy stunts with Vespas. Günter is a holder of some of the craziest Guinness World Records. For example, he is the record holder for changing a wheel while in the middle of a race, delivering an omelet while doing a wheelie without the front wheel, and having a Ferrari pull his Vespa scooter up to 201 kilometers per hour.

Catch this crazy Austrian’s exploits on his official Youtube channel.

stunt riding vespa youtube