Innehållsförteckning för February 2025 från Scootering

One of the founder members of the club, Andy was pivotal in making it what it is today and will be dearly missed by us all at the Old Muckers. Andy was very well respected within the scooterist and Mod community, not just in the West Midlands but around the country and many of us were privileged to call him our friend. Andy was always smartly dressed, welcoming, had a great sense of humour, and was just an all-round genuine person who would do anything for anybody. May he rest in peace in the knowledge that every time we fire up the scooters, he will always be riding with us, in style of course. Our thoughts and love go out to his family and all that knew him at this…

Despite glimmers of hope in the first half of 2024, the general election marked a change of trajectory for the fate of UK motorcycling. Riders saw early promise with motorcycle licensing reform on the agenda and a default motorcycle access in bus lanes consultation. But hopes were dashed after the general election with a shelving of licence reform and what MAG describes as a shocking refusal to accept the overwhelming evidence in favour of consistent national policy on bus lane access. The bus lane access consultation outcome issued in November carried a comment that was heard loud and clear by all riders around the country. “At present, the Government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles.” This statement has been repeated directly by Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood in…

Now in stock at Oxford’s dealers is the Toronto 1.0 suit, a multi-season jacket and trouser combination. The Toronto 1.0 combination is a lightweight, adaptable adventure jacket and pant capable of tackling varying weather conditions with ease. A high performing Dry2Dry waterproof membrane offers downpour-beating performance, while its breathability (rated at 20,000g/m2/24hrs) ensures a sweat-free ride. The removable thermal liner adds extra warmth on cooler days while the jacket’s shorter torso length reduces fabric bulk around the midsection, making it ideal for riders favouring bikes with sportier riding positions. The trousers feature zippered vents above the knee that can be held open using snap fasteners to create a flow of fresh air. ■ Jacket RRP £149.99; trousers £129.99 ■ www.oxfordproducts.com…

Another month has flown by in the garage and once again we’ve had some interesting scooters through the door. One of the first was a cutdown that came in a couple of months back to be set up on the dyno. The customer had used a decent brand of expansion chamber, but his Casa 200 just didn’t have the cubic capacity to carry the bottom end or mid-range until the pipe came on song at 5000rpm. Sure, once it hit the powerband it roared into life and hit a decent 24bhp at 8250rpm, but below 5000rpm, it had less power than a standard GP200 Stage 4. A conversation ensued, and I explained that this pipe was a very good pipe, and that I’d seen it absolutely sing on a tuned…

I’ve stripped and rebuilt more Lambretta engines than I can remember and (when things go right) it’s a process I really enjoy. Once I get to this stage, where everything is stripped out and the casings are back to bare bones, I then undertake a component inspection and selection process; everything is looked at from the casings themselves, through to each individual component. There are two main aspects to this part of the process, the first is obvious: which (if any) of these existing components are either broken or worn out and are no longer fit for purpose. The second aspect is: what type of motor am I building, and what horsepower will it have? Because, for example, a standard factory-style rebuild may well use many of the ‘lesser’ spec…

For some years I’ve noticed that while scooters are very much a lifestyle thing in our community they are by no means exclusive, and many scooterists also own and enjoy motorcycles. Part of the original design philosophy for scooters was a clean, simple and easy-to-use machine, and this was obviously a key reason that the humble scooter caught on so well. The original scooters were smaller cc, geared machines, lightweight and could be nippy rather than fast. They were not really designed for long distances, being almost always two-stroke 150 or 200cc engines. But quite quickly a community of enthusiasts was built and the humble scooter was used for longer distance rides, rallies and events. In the modern age the scooter evolved into predominantly automatic geared machines. Generally, they’re fitted…

The scooter I currently ride, a 1960 Lambretta Li150 Series 2, was restored in 1995 and eventually exported to Japan by Derek Askill, better known as Disco Dez of the British company, Gran Sport Scooters. I purchased it in 2007 from a Japanese dealer, Jungle Scooters, to whom the previous owner had consigned it. I had previously bought a Lambretta TV200 from the same source in 1994, but later sold it. At the time I was a college student working part-time at a construction site, as were some childhood friends who also liked the stylish Mod scooter look. The truth is that I wasn’t very good at saving money and would often splurge it at vinyl record stores, so ended up being the last of my group to buy a…

This month we take a trip to Australia, to a scene that’s familiar and yet has its own take on what a scooter rally should be. The Winter of dis-Content: Queensland, Australia, July 26-28, 2024 The Winter Scooter Rally was as far away from the phrase made famous by Shakespeare and forever associated with the British strikes in 1978-79 as could be possible. Organised by Ziko Hart, an eclectic character hailing from Lancashire, the Winter Scooter Rally has become an absolute favourite event among Australian scooterists in the south-east of the country. It’s held at the iconic Apollonian Pub on the shores of Lake Cootharaba in Boreen Point, where for a few days each year the locals play second fiddle as the smell of two-stroke fills the air and the…

The Richardsons and their ever-changing stable of fine Lambretta machines are well-known within the pages of this publication. Chris and Polly really do go all out to produce some very fine examples, which are usually just a step away from standard trim. Nothing full blown or crazy custom, just to their own tastes; individual and pleasing upon the eye of the classic scooterist who has witnessed their efforts. The motors of these automotive artworks are like the rest of the build, and of a quality that you would expect. These tend to be in standard or fairly standard trim, which is absolutely fine and goes well with the couple’s enjoyment of the marque. You can therefore understand my shock, and my interest in finding out more, when Chris informed me…

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 old tyres that look new! Q: Hi Rhodz, I have bought a barn find Heinkel Tourist (dry stored for 30-odd years on its wheels against some junk) which I plan on doing an oily rag restoration on. The old tyres look like new and hold air when inflated. Surely, I can keep these on as they look fine? Kind regards Libby, Helston A: Hi Libby, Unfortunately, those tyres, despite looks, will be scrap now. Firstly, the age of the tyres is against it, because, as mentioned in previous articles, the average shelf life of tyres is five years.…

The GTS is a good-looking and capable machine even in stock trim, and when you have one that is such a clean and low mileage example like this one, it almost seems a shame to start tinkering with it. But it’s in our nature… I guess it’s compulsive behaviour! One thing that struck me last month, as I was outlining the various BGM bits that we have to fit, is that the largest majority of them are power-based mods, which will do wonders for performance but don’t really add very much by way of aesthetic improvement. Sure, the speed ring, super-torque converter and variator kit will all bring a level of performance gains to the party, but the hose and water-pump housing kit is hardly going to offer much by…

It’s with great regret that I must announce the sad departure of my faithful companion. Yes, the Motovespa Iris that’s hosted our Polini motor for the past few years and dragged my fat backside around Europe in the process is no more. As anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to ask me about the scoot at any point in the past couple of years will testify, in fairness it’s been a long time coming. My dad, who was a car guy, always said that the day anyone became emotionally attached to a vehicle was the day they should sell it, as after that point any logic went out of the window and that’s certainly been the case here. It was a few years ago that I first noticed signs of the…

The owner of this Vespa smallframe, Sonni Howe, is a fortunate young man. He’s had the benefit of being brought up in an environment surrounded by scooters and the scooter scene. His dad, Jamie, recently featured in Scootering with his amazing Lambretta street racer, The Beast from the Green Hell, which was inspired by the Nürburgring racing circuit. With influences like that it doesn’t take a genius to realise that Sonni’s developed a preference towards fast, high-performance scooters. Sonni’s introduction to two wheels started when he had motocross bikes in his early years. This then sparked his interest in tuning and two-stroke mechanics, which then led him into his teenage years and to his first scooter. During that time Jamie was also taking him to scooter events. As Sonni explained:…

At Scootering we’re big fans of Keis heated clothing and its latest power pack is a big bonus for riders who regularly clock up the miles in colder conditions. The new 5000mAh portable power pack is the largest capacity pack in the Keis range, designed to power the company’s heated jackets, vests and bodywarmers. It makes Keis’ heated kit even more versatile, removing the need to ‘hard wire’ garments to a 12v battery, making it ideal for riders of classic machines. Weighing just 262 grams, it is 25% lighter than the previous model, and more compact too (105mm long x 70mm wide x 25mm deep). Its rounded-edge casing is less intrusive and makes it easier to get in and out of the dedicated pockets built into Keis garments. An LCD…

PHK: SANCTIMONIOUS SUE/THE LUVVIES BRIGADE PHK is the latest musical excursion for Paul Hooper-Keeley. Those of you with long memories will probably remember him originally from his work with the very popular late Eighties Mod band The Threads, before resurfacing with Makin’ Time’s Mark McGounden (among others) in The Deep Six and The Mark Three where he worked with Mark Le Gallez and Emma Page. With that background, you know what to expect. A driving Mod dancer with a strong rhythm that calls back to the Sixties as well as the second wave of revival bands. Opening with a harmonica riff that catches you unawares, it immediately piles into a foot tapping, head-nodding dance track. (The multilayered vocals are all by Paul, as are the various guitars, harmonica, handclaps, keyboards…

Within months of Lambretta production starting, Innocenti began building factory racers. Entering them into endurance races was seen as a great way to promote the Lambretta brand by proving their reliability and strong build quality. This continued for some time with the open-framed C and D being the most commonly modified models. Following them down the production lines were the E and F, but by the time of their introduction, the factory had stopped the development of race machines as the brand was so successful and they were no longer required to generate publicity. It was a shame, as no doubt they could have continued to build some stunning examples, but it is doubtful if the E and F would have been included even if race development had continued. The…

As Stan’s latest purchase rolled up at the garage, we intended to have a look at an alternative ‘stock’ cylinder kit, to see how it compared to the original Piaggio item. However, on arrival, it became apparent that all was not well with the new purchase. Initially, a preliminary chat with Stan indicated that he’d been out for a brief spin on the local roads and was very happy with the scooter. It was a good, solid and clean example; with lovely clutch action and gear change, plus all suspension and brakes operating as they should. The mission was simple: would I just check over the engine before we commenced any technical upgrades? No problem, I thought, it’s a standard factory scooter, what could possibly be wrong? But something cropped…

The thrill and enjoyment that came with the experience of riding a scooter never stopped. From getting out on the road aged 16, every ride was like the first time over and over again, come rain or shine. Even in winter, when it was freezing cold and maybe snowing, nothing would stop me, so great was the pleasure of riding. The only thing this thrill prevented me from doing was taking my car driving test. In my eyes there was no need to do so, because the scooter was a perfect mode of transport. However, the old man had other ideas, and on my 18th birthday, there they were, 10 driving lessons, his present to me. On the envelope, an inscription “Pass your bloody driving test”, which was mandatory as…

On the face of it, Harry’s GP is a very tidy 80s-inspired street racer, but this is a Lambretta he’s known, and desired, for almost four decades. How and when did you get into scooters? In 1980 when I first saw a group of around 15 ‘junked-out’ Lambrettas being ridden. There was no bodywork, no baffles and no regard whatsoever for man nor beast: I was simultaneously terrified and smitten; from that day on I was hooked. Several years after that, in 1984, I bought my first scooter, a Vespa Primavera ET3. It cost me £80 and it was painted in rattle-can silver with hand-painted dragons. Tell me about this scooter. I first set eyes on it in the mid-80s after a school friend of mine, who lived a couple…