Innehållsförteckning för September 2022 från Scootering

It’s been a while since my last ‘off’, which is why it came as a surprise to find myself sliding down a country road in Scotland recently. Although I’d managed to avoid colliding with one of Bambi’s relatives who’d emerged from the murk to say hello, my manoeuvres had seen me clip the soft verge with predictable and rapid results. Fortunately, this all happened at relatively low speed and the only bruising was to my ego; the jury is still out on the GTS. As I drowned my sorrows in the hotel bar that night, it wasn’t Bambi that I was cross with but the state of my riding gear. Understandably my waterproofs were shredded but my new gloves and favourite riding boots looked like someone had taken a grinding…

Whether it’s having a beer with friends or just waiting for recovery to come and collect you, there’s nothing like the comfort of your own chair to sit in. Unfortunately most camp chairs are far too bulky to carry as part of a weekend’s kit, something that Oxford has recognised and addressed with its new scooter-friendly camping chair. It has an ultra-compact, foldaway design, making it easy to stow away ready for use. At 0.9kg it’s lightweight and comes complete with a carry case. RRP: £49.99 www.oxfordproducts.com…

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has fired its first shots in response to the motorcycle ICE ban consultation which has been launched by the Department for Transport (DfT). The consultation, entitled L-category vehicles: ending sales of new non-zero emission models, proposes the end of sales of all new internal combustion engine motorcycles by 2035, with sales of smaller petrol motorcycles up to 125cc to be banned by 2030. Having taken time to consider the consultation’s contents MAG arranged an initial meeting with (DfT) officials on July 21. Firstly, officials confirmed that the consultation will not consider questions of ‘if’, only of ‘when’. ‘When’ is proposed to be 2030 or sooner for 125cc and smaller bikes. For larger capacity bikes the proposal remains as no later than 2035. Arguments for dates…

If Ska’s your thing and you’re in the Cambridge area over the weekend of September 24, Cambridge Junction could be just the place for you. The event is headlined by The Equators with support from local Ska legends Big 10 and Rudesix, and Frontline DJ sound system will also be part of the night. If the Equators’ name sounds familiar they formed in Birmingham way back in 1977, being closely aligned to the two-tone era, signing a deal with The Beat’s management in 1981. They released four singles on Stiff in the early 80s, plus the album Hot in 1981. Notably they backed the legendary Desmond Dekker on his Black and Dekker LP. The Equators split up in the 80s, reforming 30 years later. The Cambridge Ska Festival is the…

Though it had been a long journey for the six Lambretta riders travelling to Milan from the UK, remarkably there had been no breakdowns to talk of. Quite an amazing statistic considering the summer of 1990 was hotter than it had been for a long time and certainly not the ideal conditions for running an air-cooled two-stroke. While the euphoria of getting to Milan was being celebrated there was a nagging voice in the back of everyone’s mind that it was also a long way back home and that anything could still happen. These were the days when we carried spares such as plugs and cables but very little else, each of us clinging on to the hope that what Innocenti had built a few decades previously would survive the…

After two disappointing but fully understandable Covid-19 cancellations, the return of European Vespa Days (EVD) was always going to be a roaring success. In recent years Piaggio has decided to broaden the reach of the long-established World Days, rotating between different hemispheres across the globe. EVD has filled the vacuum nicely for European riders and this year around 6800 Vespisti from 30 different countries made their way to Portugal. If music be the food of love… With official daily tours, the Vespa Museum, cultural events, stalls and numerous Vespa artworks displayed around the host cities, any European Vespa experience is certainly unique. For me the most fascinating cultural experience is the host country’s idea of musical entertainment put on at the Vespa Village. In previous years we have been enthralled…

★ STAR LETTER ★ Setting Sons survived Hi Stan, I read the Gareth Brown article in August’s Scootering and saw the picture of my Rally with the Setting Sons album inner sleeve and your comment: “We believe parts of this are still out there.” ‘Parts’ is pretty accurate... I bought the scooter in 1985 and used it for rallies for many years until it unfortunately succumbed to terminal rot and the rear shock made its way out of the frame. Which was an interesting day out! This is what’s left of the frame and lives on the wall in my shed. Also attached are a couple of pics of when I used it in the 80s and what it became as some of the original parts are still in use…

Introduced in March 1968 to take advantage of an Italian law that effectively treated 50cc motorcycles as pedal cycles, the Lambretta CL50 featured a 49.8cc engine, a three speed gearbox and developed 1.48hp through a box type exhaust. With those specifications you could be forgiven for thinking that it didn’t really sound much good for anything, but as it could be legally ridden by 14-year-olds it found an eager audience among style-conscious Italian teenagers. Elsewhere the space age design was greeted with less enthusiasm, but as with all underdogs it attracted a devoted following. Game for a challenge they set to improving its performance. The race to create the ultimate Lui continues, with the latest entry being Tino Sacchi’s Super Lui engine casing, a development that Mike Friend simply couldn’t…

All Lambretta models produced by Innocenti had one thing in common, they were controlled by cables. When working perfectly it’s fine... but when they’re not it becomes difficult to operate the controls, potentially preventing you from being able to ride your machine. Not only do the cables have to travel a long distance from the headset to the engine, their journey involves crossing over from one side of the frame tube to the other, and this requires the smoothest route possible. Over time there have been lots of improvements in cable design; by way of the cables themselves being manufactured from better material or solutions to make fitting them easier. Regardless, it’s a difficult task to get all the cables working perfectly... so here are a few things that will…

✎ Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ ✉ mauspencer@classicscooterist.com ☎ 01507 529408 A lifelong partnership Myself and my girlfriend (and later my wife) Elaine pictured in 1971. We’ve been together now for 49 years. John Rosindale My family, then and now My daughter Nicola and my son Mark on my 1960 Series 2 Li150, which has finally been refurbished after 25 years. Photographs were taken more than 20 years apart. Ian Lofthouse Thirty-five years between Just a couple of snaps – one from 1985 at Clacton showing a young Ricky Adams (me) on my 150 Super and Dave Craddock on his Rally. Fast forward 35 years to Margate: me on my GP300 and Dave on his TG300. Richard Adams DISC ‘86 Two of my favourite customs from…

ALTER NATIVE SCOOTER SPORT If you’re any kind of petrolhead then this is a must-see event with dozens of hot rods, custom cars, classic Harley-Davidsons and other two-wheeled machinery, including more importantly, three classic scooters all racing head-to-head on an eighth-mile sandy track! While we were definitely in the minority, the scooters seem well received by the majority of the other participants whether we beat them or not! Once again, I dragged the modified Lambretta LD on to the beach and was joined by Steve Aquilina on his T5 fitted with a Pinasco 166 kitted PX125 engine and Ian Littler on his Lambretta Series 3 Li fitted with an RB20 engine. This was Ian’s first trip on to the sand, but I’m sure it won’t be his last, as…

Believe it or not, Halloween’s on the horizon and to celebrate we’ve assembled a ghoulish selection of scooters. Our cover scoot vamps up All Hallows’ Eve in style, while inside we’ve carefully chosen a few prize specimens that dared to be different. If you like your Lammies with nitrous, or your Heinkels with Yamaha power valves, then we’ve plenty of very trick treats. There’ll be unrivalled coverage from the Isle of Wight and Cologne shows and Sarge chats with the arch Mod, Mark Le Gallez. That’s not to mention all the best news, opinions and reviews from the world of scooters. You won’t find this content anywhere else, so why not subscribe? You’ll save money and never miss an issue; that’s right, we’ll spirit it straight to your door.…

Comfortable, rated AA for protection and available in a wide range of sizes to fit men and women, Ridge jeans from Weise bring the benefits of riding in denim to everyone. Made using 11.5oz stretch denim, which is ideal for wearing in warmer temperatures, Ridge jeans fit from the first time they’re put on and ensure freedom of movement on and off the bike. Lined with abrasion-resistant aramid fibre, with CE approved armour at the knee and hip, and seams that are either double- or triple-stitched, Ridge jeans are tough enough to be rated AA for protection and suitable for riding on the open road, as well as in town. They come in a choice of classic black or blue and in an extensive range of sizes to accommodate most…

Keith Terry has been involved in racing for longer than many can recall and a few short years ago put together a scooter endurance race in the UK after experiencing such an event in Europe. Despite ‘them’ telling him it couldn’t be done, the British Scooter Endurance Club is now firmly established and 2022 sees the club running a three-round championship. The final race was held at Teesside, and pushed the previous six-hour challenge up to a solid eight hours of challenging two-stroke adventure. In my opinion endurance racing is brilliant and has a bit of everything to draw you in. I spent the eight hours with Team #41 and despite a little mishap at the start pushing them down to last they kept fighting back, slowly and consistently, and…

I’m always suspicious of travel books that feature a scooter in the title, particularly when the story hangs around a man approaching middle age who wants to ‘discover Italy’. More often than not the scooter’s been chosen because market research says that it’s a good thing to do. However, despite being a well-known travel writer Peter Moore is the real article. He’s a scooterist and from the first few pages it’s obvious that we’re in good company. Although the books can be read independently, to do them justice it’s best to start with Vroom With a View. In the opening paragraphs we meet Peter, watching late-night telly at home in Australia munching crisps and feeling at peace with the world. Suddenly he’s confronted by an advert for an exercise DVD…

For years the description ‘shed built’ conjured up images of hurriedly thrown together scooters, rattle can paint jobs and sub-standard parts. More recently it’s become a badge of honour, with some show-winning efforts emerging from sheds and home workshops across the country. Among the finest of these builders are Gary Holmes and Eric Jarvis. Although you can find them on Facebook as ‘West Yorkshire Lambretta Restorations’, their painstaking work is very much a side hustle to their day jobs. However, don’t for one moment make an assumption that part time means halfhearted. At first sight the pair are mismatched: Gary is a giant of a man, outgoing and confident in his abilities as indeed he should be. He served a full apprenticeship at Leicester City Transport in the days when…

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Having been formed way back in 1952 the Vespa Club of Britain (VCB) is justifiably proud of its status as the oldest scooter club in Britain with an unbroken existence. Like most organisations with such a long history it’s had a few ups and downs but there’s no doubt that the present membership share the same passion for the Vespa marque as their predecessors. Their annual gathering, British Vespa Days (BVD), is always well attended but with an anniversary to celebrate and the promise of a superb location, this year’s event was always going to be something special. The Llangollen Pavilion in North Wales is no stranger to scooterists. It’s best described as a baby O2 arena, set in its own grounds, with on-site shower facilities and plenty of camping.…

It’s easy to assume that running a scooter dyno is all about big exhausts, monster engines, and huge horsepower tuning. Obviously, there’s a lot of that, but on a day-to-day basis there’s far more ‘bread and butter’ basics than you’d imagine. Some of the most rewarding gains I see on the dyno are when an engine has been incorrectly set up. Sometimes just a few simple tweaks can make a world of difference. This month, I had three classic examples of this, so I’ll explain what was wrong on each and what changes were made to get things set up properly. Until next time, Dan GAUZE FILTER Complaining of lacklustre performance, a customer came to us seeking a dyno tune. After discussing the scooter history, current specs and what problems…

✎ Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ ✉ mauspencer@classicscooterist.com ☎ 01507 529408 Scooter World – third time lucky After much preparation last year for the annual Scooter World show halls at the Newark Winter Classic, Boris dealt the dreaded Covid restriction blow at the 11th hour. All the preceding months of hard work done to produce the best show possible ended up being thrown out of the window. So having missed out on having a show in both 2021 and 2022, organisers have already started preparations to make the 2023 event go as smoothly as possible. You can expect to see event favourites like the fire-up sessions, club stands and privateer entries in abundance; you’ll also be able to listen to all-day scooterist-friendly music while you relax…

This information is provided by Stephen Hattersley, of WildWood Legal, a firm of solicitors specialising in claims for injured scooterists. Stephen, a qualified solicitor for 25 years, has been riding scooters for more than 30 years and has acted for injured riders across the UK. He knows the tricks and pitfalls that insurers use and pulls no punches in his dealings with them. He rides to work every day and understands the challenges you face out there. Q. What details do I need to give if I am involved in an accident? A. We can do all we like to try and avoid them but they do happen sometimes. It can be difficult to know what to do at the scene, especially when there’s a degree of shock, so it’s…

Although there are several artists offering scooter themed work, finding someone that understands our world that also has the necessary skills to create a stunning image isn’t easy. Fortunately Helen Crowder, proud owner of a Model C Lambretta and member of Dartford Social SC, may just be the answer if you’re looking for something unique to decorate your home, workshop or office. Working mostly in acrylic, with some pen and pencil work, Helen’s portfolio includes everything from memorial commissions to cartoons. Her commissions start at £150 but she also has a range of prints which are priced at a very reasonable £10. To see more of her work go to her Facebook page, ‘Helens Scooter Art’ or on Instagram ‘helen_art_71_’ If you’ve any questions or want to place an order…

Imagine the scene: it’s a beautiful afternoon and you’re on a ride in the countryside following your mate along some lovely country lanes. Suddenly, and without any warning, a car pulls out of a junction. Your mate runs straight into the side of it, being catapulted over the bonnet. At the same time his girlfriend, who was riding pillion, is thrown over a hedgerow by the side of the road. You stop, run over to your mate and find him lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. He’s unconscious and laid in a strange position. Because he’s wearing a full face helmet it’s difficult to tell if he’s breathing or not and although you can’t see his girlfriend, you can hear her close by screaming in pain. The car…

The Only Way Is Essex Little did I know when we decided to organise a meet for scooterists in Essex it would turn into such an amazing experience. The impact of Covid left the scooter scene very scant in terms of weeknight meets, I only knew of a few local clubs meeting up. The first meet was at a pub in Old Leigh on July 29 and it was great to see about 30 scooters there. The seeds were sown and several different Essex clubs offered to host a meeting on ‘their turf’, ensuring that everyone had a local pub to attend at some point. At the last meet in Hanningfield, scooterists came from all over Essex and even one from Kent – 93 people in total, surpassing all expectations!…

PRACTI CAL SCOOT ERING TECH TIPS I’ve lived with my early 300 for a couple of years now and have found it to be a tough little scooter. I’d become comfortable with the usual pre-ride checks being a lot simpler than on one of my traditional rides (oil, air, lights, brakes all okay?) and not having to carry a shed load of spares when I went away. Sadly, all good things come to an end, and on the way back from Tenby she came to a sudden and silent halt. I’m still trying to work out what caused the cessation in procession but, to cut a long story short, I’ve managed to really break it. The gudgeon pin has been torn out of the piston, bits of piston skirt…

As we went to press, controversial roadworks were taking place in Ryde to improve vehicular access to the pier, as well as the construction of a shared use footway/cycleway alongside Western Gardens. It’s all being carried out as part of a £10 million government grant for various improvements on the IoW, which included a clause that these works needed to start and finish over an agreed timespan (hence them taking place now) which includes the August Bank Holiday weekend. Other areas are affected on the Isle of Wight, including work being carried out from The Green and King Lud areas, with it continuing along Ryde seafront to the Ice Rink and on to Western Gardens – all of which are favourite scooterist haunts. Don’t panic! We are being told…

✎ Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ ✉ mauspencer@classicscooterist.com ☎ 01507 529408 The Bluesman Hi Mau, I was reading through Classic Scooterist, issue 157, while on holiday recently and came to the article by Ian Johnson entitled The Bluesman. I am a member of Ipswich Vespa Club (cog 9) so was very interested to see he was from Ipswich also. I have been trying to research any information about the Vespa Club in Ipswich from its early years, but have had no luck to date. We found out that they were named the Flying 9s and I have seen an old legshield banner with wings coming from the 9, which would back this up. I wondered if it would be possible to put me in touch with…

BUCKS SPARTANS MK SC Based in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Spartans MK SC is a well-supported club. Info: Ray Reader mobile 07969 263840 or 01908 395961 or Lyn Tofts 07831 383377 (for clothing and general info). Facebook: SPARTANS MKSC TIN SOLDIERS SC Meet every Saturday from 9.45am at Captain Ridley’s Shooting Party (Wetherspoons), MK2 2ED. Monthly meet at same venue, but first Thurs each month from 7.30pm. Info via Facebook: Tin Soldiers Scooter Club. DORSET POOLE INNERCIRCLE SC We are a mixed club of Lambrettas and Vespas. We meet at the New Inn, Poole on the first Wednesday of the month with a rideout every month. Info via Poole Innercircle Scooter Club on Facebook. ESSEX WRITTLE INTERNATIONAL SCOOTER COLLECTIVE All scooters welcome. Info via Facebook ‘Writtle International Scooter Collective’. FLINTSHIRE…