For those riding a vintage bike in Italy... One of the most common failures is the charging system or battery. A couple years ago I bought a battery charger in Italy, it was huge to lug around, but saved my day a couple times, allowing me to charge my battery overnight.
In the past it has been impossible to buy a charger in the USA that will work on a vintage 6V battery in Italy, as the Italians use 220 VAC. Surfing the web this fine New Year's morning, because my old battery charger failed last week, I just found a manufacturer that makes a charger that may work in the USA and Italy. Find the specifications here:
http://www.power-sonic.com/site/doc/prod/146.pdf
They appear to be available at various vendors online.
I should note these chargers are for SLA batteries, and you do need to pick the correct type of charger for your battery! These won't work well for all battery types. Google around to understand the differences and make your own choice. I have had problems with battery chargers "boiling" and overheating vintage 6V batteries, so be careful.
If one of these chargers will work for your battery, I recommend bringing on with you to Italy! Along with the proper plug adapters, of course.
Carl
