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33 Articles

Variety is the spice of life

I think I’ve previously mentioned that when asked what my favourite style of scooter is, I usually reply: “One that the owner loves” and that’s not a lie. Whether it’s a Chinese auto with a few eBay stickers, a well-ridden rally hack or a full-blown custom, I never tire of listening to owners who view their scoot as a member of the family. However, anyone looking at my own machines will see that I have a definite preference when it comes to spending my own cash. Whether it’s my original paint GP, the recently deceased Motovespa Iris or my current PX200, it’s obvious that I have a leaning towards standard looking machines. Standard looking yes, but always with a hint of mischief under the panels. However, that preference was shaken…

Variety is the spice of life

Although this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this idea executed, I do think that it’s possibly the tidiest finished product that I’ve come across. In nobody’s wildest dreams could it be mistaken for something like a factory prototype; it’s unmistakably the creation of someone who knows how to make one-off machinery that could never be mass produced. I hope he won’t mind me saying this, but owner Richard Lavender is an interesting character. He has a foot in both custom bike and scooter territory and doesn’t really differentiate between the two. He just likes something different from the norm and has been responsible for a couple of tidy motorbike chops in the past. The problem is that, as he’ll happily admit, while he has a head full of ideas,…

Winter wonderland Winter Classic Show, Newark, January 11-12, 2025

As the first show of the season, the Winter Classic at Newark Showground is both the perfect antidote to the post-Christmas blues and a reminder that good times are just around the corner. This year’s attendees braved weather conditions that felt more like the Arctic than Nottinghamshire; and that was just inside the hall! However, the scooter and club displays more than compensated for this. Notable attendees were members of the Veteran Vespa Club, who once again received a well-deserved trophy for Best Club Stand, although the pair of mining-themed scooters caused many to stop and take in their glory. Elsewhere, the custom Lambretta named Creepy had emerged from its winter rebuild to reveal a level of detail that we’ve never seen before and the Scootering stand featured two very different…

Winter wonderland Winter Classic Show, Newark, January 11-12, 2025

The Knowledge They’ve got your NUMB3R

Every vehicle licensed for use on the road must display its registration mark and that must conform to certain standards. Now, we all know that there’s the legal standard and there’s real life. There are plenty of plates out there that don’t conform to regulations, but just because people are getting away with it doesn’t mean they’re legal. Ask anyone who was riding 20 or 30 years ago, and they’ll tell you that it was possible to get a handful of ‘producers’ in one night; now it’s rare to see a traffic car and even rarer to get a random stop. That’s because most enforcement is now managed through cameras, and that means an increasingly dim view of non-standard plates. Outside of MoT time, you’re likely to get away with…

The Knowledge
They’ve got your
NUMB3R

Endurance is key to crash recovery

When a new year dawns, I always have a feeling of optimism that it’ll be better than the previous year, which in my case had ended quite badly and I was glad to see the back of 2024. I’d thought about new year resolutions, and I had a few plans formed in my head revolving around scooter racing and two-wheeled travel. Last year, I was lucky to be part of the SRP Taffspeed endurance race team and we were 2024 champions, so I was looking forward to riding with the guys to defend the honours. This involved a loose plan to give my historic Group 4 racer a few more outings to get track time. I’ve also been doing a lot of kart racing which helps to keep the racing…

Endurance is key to crash recovery

Budgeting for success

No one can deny the impact the Lambretta had at home and abroad, helping mobilise people around the globe. While Italy revelled in Lambretta’s splendours, the UK wasn’t far behind, so much that a third of all production ended up here. It didn’t matter what model Innocenti produced, once they’d been imported, shops sold them in huge quantities. No one expected it to happen as it did, not even Innocenti, who at times were unable to cope with demand in the UK market. However, there was one aspect of the Lambretta that struggled here, not once, but several times. These were the budget models, the cheaper versions that were built to compete against their rivals. For Innocenti, the concept began with the Models E and F, both of which were…

Budgeting for success

Challenge to motorcycle parking charges

Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has reported that the expected court case between Save London Motorcycling (SLM) and Hackney Borough Council has been pushed back. Hackney’s proposed motorcycle parking charges, which would place motorcycles on a par with cars, were due to be challenged in court on January 23, but the court date has been pushed back beyond March 3. The case is of national importance as it would set a precedent that would enable other local authorities to impose disproportionate charges for motorcycle parking. While a delay to resolving this legal challenge is frustrating, a spokesperson for SLM has said that this delay was agreed by them so that additional evidence can now be considered by the court. It was the only way to make sure the evidence could be…

Challenge to motorcycle parking charges

Driving licence reform to go ahead?

They discussed the future of motorcycle licensing and the broader role of the industry in achieving the UK’s road safety, mobility and decarbonisation goals. The minister confirmed that the Department for Transport (DfT) is considering conducting a review of motorcycle licensing, as proposed by MCIA’s ‘A licence to net zero’ campaign. While a review is not yet confirmed, the minister’s comments mark a significant step forward in aligning government policies with the goals of reducing emissions and improving accessibility to sustainable transport options. The minister acknowledged the motorcycle industry’s pivotal role in shaping the way forward, stating that industry’s contributions have been invaluable in helping the Government evaluate potential reforms. She and officials commended MCIA for its constructive approach and recent evidence-based proposals, which she described as vital to the…

New tees from JB

Well-known fabricator Jon Betts is now offering some tasty merchandise. Fresh additions to his 2025 range include a Delinquent Scooterist T-shirt based on the original Dell’Orto logo and printed on a high quality Gildan T-shirt. It’s available in sizes Small to XXX-large and the cost is £21.50 plus postage. If you did the rallies back in the 70s and 80s ‘No scooterists served’ would have been a familiar ‘welcome’ at various roadside cafes. This particular sign was placed outside the transport cafe on the A17 heading towards King’s Lynn and is available on a mug, priced at £10 plus postage. ■ Both items can be found at: www.JBfab.co.uk…

New tees from JB

Royal Alloy range grows

When Royal Alloy announced the arrival of its commuter-friendly GT 2, sceptics shouted that this was the end of the manufacturer’s classic range. How wrong they were… Although we’ve known for some time that a Series 1-influenced Royal Alloy was in development, only recently has confirmation been received that production is going ahead. Although it will be known popularly as ‘the Swan’ (it’s based on the S1; say it a few times…), the correct designation will be the JP-S. Having moved away from the old Lambretta designations with the TG (Tigara Grande – the ‘big point’ that the brand was intent on making with the model) ‘JP’ is said to stand for ‘Just Perfect’, a big claim for them to live up to. In essence this will be a TG…

Royal Alloy range grows

CONNOISSEUR'S CHOICE

Nestled in the Hertfordshire countryside, not far from where the M1 and M25 meet, is a purpose-built outbuilding, crafted during lockdown by ‘Stephen’ with one intention in mind: to house his collection of Lambretta scooters and associated memorabilia. A Rolling Stone Before getting into the collection, it’s worth introducing Stephen, who for obvious reasons is a little cagey about revealing the location of this superb cache. A teenager at the time of the late 1970s Mod revival, like many of that era he was seduced by the revival’s music, sounds and culture. For a while he rode an SX, a scooter he always regretted selling, not simply because it was a beautiful machine but because he never fulfilled his dreams of going ‘full Mod’ with its appearance. Instead, as a…

CONNOISSEUR'S CHOICE

JOBOXERS: JUST GOT LUCKY (THE COMPLETE WORKS 1983-86) Although only known for a pair of singles, the sublimely soulful Just Got Lucky and the old rally favourite, the anthemic ‘let’s see if we can get the DJ’s needle to skip’ footstomper Boxerbeat, JoBoxers were a prolific recording act during their short existence. Sadly, despite cutting three albums’ worth of material, only one was released at the time. Their debut album, Like Gangbusters, sold respectable numbers and reached the top 20 of the UK chart. A mixture of genres that were underpinned by a jazzy, soulful feel, they seemed destined for bigger things. Despite this initial success, they were sidelined due to internal wranglings at their record label. Regardless of this, the band cut two more albums, Skin & Bone and…

But then again…

The early days Stu: “I’d like to talk to you about the development of The Chords. How did that begin?” Chris: “I grew up in Catford, south-east London. I picked up the guitar at 14 and then at 16, I met Billy Hassett and Martin Mason through an advert in the NME. In early 1978 we started playing in local pubs and bars doing covers of 60s Brit pop and 70s punk songs. We renamed the band The Chords in the summer, and I started writing original material for the group that autumn.” Stu: “What were your influences when you decided to form the band?” Chris: “I grew up at a great time in music, the 1970s. Originally, I was into glam-rock (T-Rex, Slade). I first heard The Who in…

But then again…

The way we used to do it Part Three – Lights out

The ignition and lighting system on a Lambretta was a basic affair, but by the time the Series 3 machines were introduced, it had been developed enough to cope with the demands put upon it. The problem was that by the 1980s, the components had aged somewhat and had become less resilient to the stresses we bestowed on them. There were two main components: the big heavy wheel that spun fast and the mass of copper coils that sat behind it. That’s all it meant to most owners, but little did we realise how important it was in making an engine run and how it performed. Sparking into life The ignition was separate from the electrical system, even though they shared a place on the stator (the copper coil thing).…

The way we used to do it Part Three – Lights out

Show us your Scoots

WIN a smart Scootering T-shirt with your photo For your chance to win a stylish Scootering magazine T-shirt, email us your HI-RES pics to: suys@scootering.com and the least crap snap wins! For full terms and conditions, visit: www.scootering.com/comptc DATA: Protection of your personal data is important to Mortons. Your data will be stored securely and only be used for the purpose of processing the competition and notifying the winners. Data will then be destroyed. Least crap snap From the archive The July 1989 issue of Scootering carried the bad news that the price of a brand new PX200E had risen to £1319 and featured this selection of assorted characters. If you recognise yourself, we’d love to hear from you: email stan@scootering.com…

Show us your Scoots

TELL US WHAT YOU’RE THINKING

Message of the month Next generation Dear Stan, I’ve enjoyed reading the next generation articles in Scootering and thought you might be interested to see Eevie. She’s 11 years old and hers is the black Vespa. We’re restoring it together and she’s decided it will be black and grey. So far, she can start it and change the sparkplug. All the best Kevin Alabaster (by email) Hi Kevin, That’s great to see, and also that Eevie has some good old-school overalls to work in. Please keep us updated on her progress. Stan Hi Stan My question is, if I fit my 125cc scooter with a 135cc engine, do I need to contact the DVLA or other government department to make sure the scooter is road legal ? Antony Allen Hi…

TELL US WHAT YOU’RE THINKING

Send Us a Postcard

This month we look back on a summer pilgrimage to the UK taken by The Monkeys from Switzerland to the August Bank Holiday events. Vespa can be like religion. There are religious wars (Vespa vs Lambretta), fundamentalists (gearshift scooters) and reformers (automatic machines), Vespa gods and Vespa disciples, Vespa blessings and Vespa pilgrimage sites. In my opinion, passionate Vespisti should make at least one pilgrimage to the Vespa World Days, the Vespa Alpdays in Zell am See and the August Bank Holiday weekend meetings on the Isle of Wight and Brighton. To me, these are the holy trinity for Vespa disciples! We are the Monkeys SC and are based in Switzerland. In the club we are incredibly lucky to have Andy D, who emigrated from England to Aargau and is…

Send Us a Postcard

Boing boing Baggies!

When you stop and think about it, it’s a bit strange that there are so few street racer scooters based around the Mk1 T5. It seems that all the other scooters with a hint of racing about their heritage, such as the smallframe Vespa and Grand Prix Lambrettas, have endless examples of this style, but a scooter that was built as a sports model? Few and far between. It’s hard to understand why this is; the T5’s more angular lines lend themselves to aggressive race graphics more than the more curvaceous P Range, and the motor is a better starting point than a kitted P125, even without being played with. Dave Shepherd thought this too when he came to build up a scooter that he’d acquired from a good friend,…

Boing boing Baggies!

The Before We Forget tour: The view from the van

For scooterists of a certain age, the 1980s was a decade to remember. Starting officially in 1981 and going on right through the decade, there were a number of national scooter rallies each year; from the Isle of Wight to Fort William and from Great Yarmouth to Newquay. At these rallies lifelong friendships were forged and fantastic memories made. Back then, scooterists were not the richest, nor the tidiest folk on the planet; which meant that, unfortunately, they weren’t universally loved either. This is a far cry from today however, where we ‘ageing scooterists’ have more than attractive disposable incomes and are welcomed back to some of those same towns, year after year. Sadly however, with age, friends and family fall by the wayside and memories fade. So, in 2024,…

The Before We Forget tour: The view from the van

A DELIGHTFUL DOUGLAS

When the final Sportiques rolled off the production line in 1965 at the Kingswood Works in Bristol, their tiny 8in wheels left behind a legacy that has grown over time and become something of a legend within the classic Vespa movement. However, Douglas (Sales and Service) Ltd did retain its connection with the marque as the company continued to be the official importer of Vespa scooters for a further 17 years after its manufacture of machines had ceased. Douglas or Piaggio? Having mentioned this fact, now is an ideal time for me to explain Douglas’s connection with the Vespa scooter and the subsequent confusion caused by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre (DVLC as it was known until 1990, and DVLA since), not keeping its house in order. As previously…

A DELIGHTFUL DOUGLAS

SAIGON SUPERSTORE

The very mention of ‘Vietnam’ is enough to send shudders down the spine of most experienced scooterists. While there are some very dubious restorations emerging from its back street workshops, there’s also a good guy out there, and his name is Pat Joynt. The history bit Anyone who wants to know the full history of Saigon Scooter Centre (SSC) can find it in our April 2019 edition, but the short version is that its owner, Pat Joynt, has led an interesting life. A scooterist from Wigan, Pat landed in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City to be correct) in the spring of 1997. He’d been part of a group that had travelled overland to India from the UK in an old Land Rover, but that hadn’t quite satisfied Pat’s wanderlust. Having…

SAIGON SUPERSTORE

This month in the garage…

We had three Lambrettas and two Vespas to dyno for a customer (Pat) who owns his own dyno set-up (also an MJP dyno like mine). However, due to various technical issues with his equipment, he needed to get these scooters done asap and asked us to jump in and help, which we were pleased to do. It’s not often I get a dyno owner bringing me their scooters to tune, and there’s an added pressure to work under the watchful eye of someone else who has the same setup. But there’s also the comfort of knowing that when I explain the technical aspects of what I’m seeing and doing on the dyno, that they understand and absorb the information clearly, which is helpful for all. A couple of the scooters…

This month in the garage…

ROLLING WITH RHODZ

Every month you ask our resident tyre expert, Rhodz, sales manager at Cambrian Tyres (the UK’s largest motorcycle tyre distributor) and dedicated PX rider for his recommendations. This month we talk about tyre pressure! Q: Hi Rhodz, I have recently purchased a pair of tubeless rims and 350/10 tyres for my Vespa Rally 200 and I’m wondering about what tyre pressures to run. I’m getting conflicting information, ranging from 26psi front 28psi back… to 30psi front and back. Any thoughts please? Kind regards Kenneth Welman A: Hi Kenneth, The ‘original’ factory suggested tyre pressures for this machine, if you believe what you read online, should be 16-18psi front and 20psi rear when riding solo and, with a pillion, the rear should be 32psi. I can only assume that this pressure…

ROLLING WITH RHODZ

Out with the old – in with the new?

When Stan announced his latest PX200 purchase and informed me that we had an aftermarket kit and head to be tested on the dyno, I was initially quite delighted – I love this sort of ‘before and after’ testing. However, upon arrival, we suffered a disappointing setback with his new machine in the form of an ignition fault (see last month’s Vespa tech), which caused a few delays but was eventually sorted. The next disappointment was to find that we would not be testing some new ‘super-duper’ high-end race kit, no. Nor would we even be testing a mid-range touring kit. What we would in fact be testing was a like-for-like aftermarket kit, a direct replacement for the original item. But why? Why would anyone want to replace a standard…

Out with the old – in with the new?

Italian stallion rolling revival

This is the second half of our component inspection and selection process, to see if any of the standard components are broken, worn out or just no longer fit for purpose. The latter point will be decided by whatever the final power output of the motor is, and what upgrades we need to make to accommodate that extra power. A low-spec rebuild with a fairly nominal power increase could feasibly use many of the standard components if they are still in good, usable condition. But, as the scales of power increase, we will need to replace certain items in favour of more modern, suitable and robust components. The usual suspects that are up for exchange are 6v points ignition kits (although we already upgraded that) in favour of a modern…

Italian stallion rolling revival

Gran Turismo Sport HPE300

“I can make sense of this very simple upgrade, which is reputed to add around 10% to the top speed of the GTS300” To some, the concept of tuning a two-stroke cylinder, fitting the right exhaust pipe and dialling in the jetting on a carburettor all seems like some sort of dark art or mystical event, but to me it’s very straightforward. It’s the modern electrics, remapping of ECUs and suchlike, that baffles me! If I can’t see a ‘hands on’ mechanical reason as to why something is happening then I’m a bit lost with it all. I also find that some of the tuning options for modern four-stroke autos can be a bit sterile and limited; but it is what it is, and we adapt! This month though, I…

Gran Turismo Sport HPE300

RACE CHAT Bouncing back

No matter which end of the grid a rider is, scooter racing is fast and furious, and over a race career most riders will crash themselves or get caught up in someone else’s crash at some point. When racing on four wheels, going over the limit may involve a spin and of course a driver will only truly know where their limit is when they go over it. However, on two wheels, when that limit’s surpassed a rider will find themselves sliding down the track and bouncing off various bits of their anatomy! It is an uncomfortable truth but if you ride fast then you’re very likely to crash at some point. Many times you’ll slide or bounce, being protected by leathers, body armour, gloves, boots and of course a…

RACE CHAT Bouncing back

Buyer’s guide

How to use the guide We’ve divided the market first by capacity, and then alphabetically within each category. We can’t possibly give values for every classic scooter, there are far too many variables for that, but we have included data for three of the most common machines: a Vespa smallframe, Vespa PX and Lambretta GP 200. These should allow comparisons between ‘then and now’ and help anyone switching from classics to modern scooters, or vice versa. Models from the usual suspects are featured and we’ll keep adding more to widen the range of information available to you. The data Most of the data is taken from manufacturer’s websites, this can vary between manufacturers depending on what methods are used to test their machines. For example the type of riding carried…

Long-term Quattrini love affair

Incredibly, it’s now six years since we embarked on what was then called ‘Project Poland’. The idea was to build a Quattrini 218 engine and ride it to that year’s Eurolambretta. While family life got in the way of attending the rally, later that year I took the engine, by then firmly lodged in my DL, to Zagan, site of the Great Escape. For a Second World War history nut it was the ride of a lifetime. On the way I called in at the Mohner Dam, Colditz and Arnhem. It’s a hard life…. Since then, with only Covid getting in the way, the Quattrini has continued to clock up the miles both at home and in Europe. In May last year, the Quattrini was pressed into service for a…

Long-term Quattrini love affair

The terrible two tattoos

The history of scooter clubs might go back to the 1950s but, as far as we were concerned, it was now – 1982 – that it mattered most. That’s because this was the year our club was formed and, with more than 30 members, it was going strong. This was the decade when the scooter club philosophy was at its greatest, engrossing the entire nation, and whether you owned a Vespa or Lambretta, you had to be part of it. It became a territorial thing, not in terms of warfare, but in identifying where you were from, and those from other towns respected you as you did them. It was slightly different for us because we came from a big city with several scooter clubs where rivalry was more intense.…

CLUBS, DO’S AND EVENTS

MARCH 1 Secret Affair/Purple Hearts, Sheffield, Leadmill 1 (March of themods) incl. Rude Boyz, Tall Faces, The Rics, Skafull, Manchester, Band on the Wall 1 (March of themods) incl. Thick as Thieves, The Clashed, Magic Beans Hartlepool, Supporters club 1 (March of themods) incl. Man Made Soul, All Weller Band, Grey Skies Liverpool, Bentley Suite 1 The Signatures, Hunstanton, Princess Theatre 1 (March of themods) incl. Darron Robinson, Fallen Leaves, The Hornets Guildford, Holroyd 7 The Signatures London, Pizza Express Holborn 7 Block 33, Newcastle, The Cluny 7 Purple Hearts Edinburgh, Le Belle Angele 7/8 (March of themods) incl. Maze, 48Ks, Great Train Robbers, Brentwood, Essex Arms 8 Purple Hearts Nottingham, Rescue Rooms 8 The Signatures Heythorp Park, Warners Hotel 8 Block 33, Glasgow, Slay 8 Small Fakers / Steve…

CLUBS, DO’S AND EVENTS

Would you like to have the final word? Send us a couple of high-res images of you and your scoot, together with a few details about it, and we’ll do the rest. stan@scootering.com Having previously developed a show-winning machine, Yambretta veteran John Birch decided to take things up a level with his new project, so we asked Stu Smith to find out more… Sc: What was the inspiration behind this project? JB: “I got restless and found myself looking for another challenge. I wanted to see if I could develop a more modern machine. Having developed a strong friendship and working relationship with Yambretta aficionado Gary Hancock, who built the first Yambretta I owned, I knew I was always going to be on a good footing...” Sc: You say you…

In next month’s issue: We’ve a bonanza for fans of accessories with a stunning Series 2 that’s been scooping up its own silverware. Continuing the theme, Dave Dry takes us through the history of our collective fascination with chrome and we catch up with Colin Bunn, the original ‘Chrome by Colin’ icon. As we approach our 40th anniversary issue we track down Slapstick, which first graced our cover in 2001 and is still going strong. All that plus Burton Brewers and the usual selection of technical features we know you love. Our April edition really is the accessory to be seen with. On sale Thursday, March 27.…

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