Innehållsförteckning för June 2024 från Scootering

On page 68 of this month’s issue you’ll find Electronica, the first custom electrically powered Lambretta we’ve ever featured. Surprisingly it’s not its powerplant that fascinates me, nor is it the amount of tech that’s been loaded by its computer-savvy owner. What intrigues me is the use of a QR code on the toolbox that, when scanned into a QR reader, links to the word ‘electronica’. Admittedly that’s not the most exciting use of a QR code I’ve ever seen, but it did set me thinking about the potential to really engage with viewers at a custom show. At one end of the spectrum a custom or restored scooter could have a QR code that links to a page which contains build photos and more information about the subject matter.…

Back in our December 2023 issue we reported on the innovative PiperMoto 690cc hyper scooter prototype. If you want one, now’s the time to buy as John Piper is moving the project on. Based on a KTM Supermoto, the PiperMoto J Range is truly a work of art. Unfortunately due to other projects John is unable to devote the time and resources needed to bring the machine to market. The road-legal prototype is being offered with full rights to the design, all the design and engineering data including the Engineering Solidworks CAD files, the hard copy drawing records, the detailed Bill of Materials, the prototype frame jig and prototype bodywork moulds. The asking price of the project is £45,000 (US $55,000 or €54,000) not including any packing/transportation costs, tax or…

Roadskin, a leading British innovator in motorcycle gear, is proud to announce the launch of its latest creation for bike enthusiasts: the Rainskin waterproof motorcycle jacket. Main features of the waterproof motorcycle jacket are sealed seams to keep riders dry and protected, even in the heaviest of rains, with a reflective logo and piping to ensure riders are visible even during night rides or in low-light conditions. A mesh lining enables airflow for a comfortable ride. The jacket complements Roadskin’s existing waterproof overtrousers with both being available through Roadskin’s official website. The jacket is priced at £39.99, with the trousers retailing at £29.99. Alternatively the pair can be purchased as a bundle, with free travel pouch, for £69.98. ■ www.roadskin.co.uk…

Oxford Spartan The Oxford Spartan Air boot is an entry level, short, breathable boot for urban warm weather riding. This boot is designed to be great on and off the bike. With CE approved protection (EN13634), this ankle boot has a PU reinforced toe and heel and breathable construction for enhanced airflow. Manufactured from a microfibre and Cordura upper with an all-terrain rubber sole, it also has a lacing fastening system. RRP: £89.99 ■ More information www.oxfordproducts.com Alpinestars Stella Tourer W-7 V2 Drystar Glove The Stella Tourer W-7 V2 Drystar Glove is a warm, insulated, winter glove designed for long range riding under any conditions and the perfect glove for women touring riders braving the cold. With a compact construction to fit inside or over the jacket cuff, the Stella…

The Lexicon of Scooters #30 Whether it’s because of Harry Potter, Death in Paradise or the latest Ghostbusters film, an entire generation of non-riders has been introduced to the products of Watsonian-Squire. In fact, it can be argued that as the world’s oldest sidecar manufacturing company, Watsonian isn’t a manufacturer of sidecars but the manufacturer of sidecars. Can I squeeze up your passageway? In 1912 Tom F Watson, a Birmingham builder and sidecar enthusiast, realised that keeping a sidecar outfit on the street outside his house wasn’t particularly secure. If he could take it around the back of his terraced house he would sleep much better at night, but unfortunately the only way to do that was through a narrow passageway. Having given the matter some thought and realising that…

The Outrigger was a small club, dimly lit with a poky dancefloor, but for a short period it became the place to be for Mods. Situated in the centre of Birmingham, weekends saw it packed out with the sharpest dressers and cleanest-looking scooters lined up outside. The next generation of Mods, who were still at school, would look on in envy, waiting for their chance to join this elite group. None more so than a young skinny-looking lad dressed in a Millets parka and sporting a ridiculously high bouffant haircut. By his own admission, he was an annoying little fucker, but there was no doubt he was dedicated to the cause; his name was Bioux Hayes. Start them young By the age of 10, Bioux was already being influenced by…

It’s 60 years since the general public in Britain first became aware of two rival motorised youth factions ruling the roads: namely the Mods and Rockers. I detailed the history behind this phenomenon, and how they first came to clash in Clacton, in Scootering ’s April issue. Now, here’s a look at the anniversary rally held in the town. The Clacton run is in fact an annual event that’s been organised for many years by Robin Quartermain of VCB fame and the legend that is Del (Derek) Ansell (an original scooterist who was actually at the Clacton ’64 gathering being remembered here). It has run successfully in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK for the past 30 years. Being predominantly supported by scooterists from Essex, Suffolk…

TRADE FOCUS Situated on the outskirts of Pontedera, the bustling Tuscan town that has been home to Piaggio since the early 1920s, the Vespa factory of today is a far cry from that of early Vespa production. During the recent Vespa World Days event, thousands of Vespisti made a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage behind the scenes to see where their Vespa was born. The site comprises several units including research and development, which now concentrates on electric vehicles, an engineering shop, paint shop and a massive assembly hall. It was the latter that featured on our guided tour and it’s fair to say that the scale is impressive. At more than 1.5km in length, the hall encompasses 270,000 square metres of floorspace and has six assembly lines, including a dedicated area for…

A star-studded weekend awaits visitors to Stafford in October as motorcycle legends Carl Fogarty and Frankie Chili have been announced as guests. The roar of stunning machines and motorcycle chatter will once again fill the air at the Stafford County Showground following the announcement of guests at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash. Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty, a name synonymous with grit and determination, will be joining the event. With his four World Superbike Championship wins, Fogarty remains a fascinating figure in the hearts of racing enthusiasts worldwide. Also revving up the show as a guest is former British Grand Prix and World Superbike race winner Frankie Chili. A true legend of the sport, the Italian racer’s presence promises to elevate the event to new heights of excitement…

148cc Lambretta and Bambini Practical scooter sidecar outfit, brisk in city traffic; open road cruising at over 30mph with 12-stone passenger. Ten years of increasing popularity have confounded the critics who predicted an early death for the small-capacity motor scooter. But even the most ardent supporters of the type can scarcely have foreseen its adaptation for sidecar duty. Four hundred miles’ experience of a 148cc Model LD Lambretta harnessed to one of the new Watsonian Bambini plastic lightweight sidecars, however, shows that a scooter sidecar outfit is an eminently practical proposition, provided that the limitations on performance against wind and gradient are accepted. Not that there was ever any suggestion that the Lambretta was being overstressed by the task of hauling the Bambini and passenger. In fact the performance figures…

I woke up on the Saturday morning and was pleasantly surprised that the weather forecast for decent dry conditions had not been a dream. After a hearty breakfast I set off for the short ride to the rendezvous point at Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, accompanied by Peter Sampson and Cathy Stern from Norfolk, the only lady riding in the event, although Wendy Naylor was on the back of Richie Lunt’s scoot and Sue was again a dedicated and willing pillionist on the back of Dave Sheppard. As we arrived, the car park was already filling up nicely with the other VVC members who had entered the event and the styles and variants of classic geared two-stroke machines was very impressive, creating a wonderful visual feast of 60-plus years of classic…

With the second meeting following on quite quickly from Round 1, there already seems a momentum building for the season. The first of two visits this season to the spectator-friendly Lydden Hill Circuit saw the weather being very cold, some sun and inevitably some rain just to make things awkward for riders! There was a bit of everything after an initial delay to the first scooter race after oil was laid pretty much all around the circuit. This led to a lot of lost time, with track officials having to emergency clean things; which was a little bizarre as the same thing happened at the first round! As usual, first up was the Standards grid with Production Class. The expected battle between Steve Wright and Nikita Donoghue didn’t look like…

The 125cc scooter market is seriously competitive. From delivery drivers looking for a way to ferry their wares around town and city-dwelling commuters sick of public transport, through to rural-residing teens with no other way to get to college, there’s a huge amount of demand for affordable, efficient and hardy scooters that’ll start on the button every time. All the biggest names in the game have their own slightly unique take on what exactly that means, but there’s also a whole host of slightly lesser-known firms who have something to offer. One of those is Sinnis. We’ve always been pleasantly surprised with the level of quality of the bikes and scooters imported and distributed under the Sinnis name. But would its latest cut-price commuter live up to the expectation? We…

In next month’s issue: We pay our respects to The Sopranos with a stunning PX that’s managed to stay completely off the radar during its build. Our Lexicon feature profiles the early shaft-driven Lambretta A and B models and we continue our Vespa World Days coverage with the story of how we fared with the latest modifications to our long-term Project Polini PX test. With the rally season under way we’ll bring reports from Tenby, Kelso and SIP’s open day. Of course, all that’s accompanied by our usual technical features, product reviews and so much more. On sale Thursday, June 27.…

While conducting some research into Lambretta history recently, something cropped up that I’d never previously considered; the contemporary use of aftermarket spares by authorised dealers. It must be remembered that this was at the time of full Lambretta production, when any part was readily available from the factory. Using aftermarket spares or those not made by Innocenti was technically banned, rendering the warranty of a new machine void. The reason, they said, was so that quality control could be maintained as well as customer safety. If a part failed, it could give Lambretta a poor reputation and be potentially dangerous. It was tempting for a dealer to use aftermarket spares because they were much cheaper, something that’s always been the case in the automotive industry. More money could be made…

Sue started out (like a lot of us) in the Mod revival, but her love of the fashion of the Sixties endured, her collection grew and grew, eventually turning into a business enabling her to dig out and arrange alterations to them for like-minded people who love their style of clothing old and new. Sue explained: “The story of the shop happening was a bit bizarre. I already had a lot of clothing and in 2022 my mum passed away. I started collecting clothes a lot more; some people eat food in a crisis, I was buying more clothing. I’d been on all the vintage sites and then I looked and thought, I’ve got a lot of stuff here. “So I started to sell with people buying off me from…

Regular readers with a long memory may recall that way back in 2012, we featured a story about two brothers, Thom and James Elliot, who wanted to start up their own pizzeria. The normal route to doing that would be to attend some cookery classes, but the brothers were made of sterner stuff than that. Instead, they flew out to Italy, bought themselves a Vespa Ape and drove it back to London where it was converted into a mobile pizza oven. Over the 4500km trip they learned the art of pizza making and built up a network of contacts to secure the very best of ingredients. Their odyssey felt like a pilgrimage to the world of pizza and so their business Pizza Pilgrims was born. Since then, it’s fair to…

For Darryl Braga, the journey towards becoming a serial builder of trophy-winning scooters began with a friend of his, who’d been into scooters since the 1980s and was active on the Northern Soul and Mod scenes. At that time Darryl was more into motorcycles, but he loved the lines of his mate’s scooter and always kept in touch with his scooter pals. The transition to small wheels came in the form of an Li150, which was ‘dressed’ as an SX200. It was on this scooter that he attended his first rally and fuelled his desire to build custom machines. His first custom scooter was intended to be an Italian Job tribute but, thanks to his pal, this soon morphed into a Wigan Casino theme. Not content with building that, Darryl…

The opening round of any race season always sees a mixture of excitement and trepidation in equal measure on the faces of the competitors and this year’s first round was no different! Numbers were a little down on recent years with a few faces missing, but there was still plenty of high-quality track action from some of the UK’s top riders. Croft is an old airfield circuit so frequently windy, but this was wind on a different level with gusts well over 50mph making conditions tricky to say the least for the riders, and a disaster zone for awnings and gazebos! Qualifying was in damp or wet conditions after a fuel tank split in the previous session, leading to fuel being dumped on the racing line around virtually the whole…

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 GP200. These should allow comparisons between ‘then and now’ and help anyone switching from classics to modern scooters, or vice versa. We’ve started with models from the usual suspects but over time we’ll be adding more models to widen the range of information available to you. The data Most of the data is taken from manufacturers’ websites. This can vary between manufacturers depending on what methods are used to test their machines. For example the type…