Sommaire pour August 2019 de Scootering

North or south, Vespa or Lambretta, now’s your chance to show your love of football and raise money for a good cause. In completely separate initiatives two scooterists have decided to visit all English Football League grounds by scooter, each trying to raise money for their chosen charity. In the northern corner riding a Mugello 185 kitted Series 3 LI is Mick Wattam. Mick’s already made the 3,000-mile trip and has so far raised £1,300 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Riding his GTS 300 for the south is Steve Gray. Steve’s chosen charity is The Bucks Buoys, who are rowing the Atlantic unaided in aid of McMillan Cancer Support. Steve’s ongoing efforts have a twist in that donations can ‘support’ a specific team, pushing them up or down his own…

Right from the 1950s there was the desire for scooterists to compete against each other in different ways. At the start it was High Speed Trials… to see if riders could keep going at a (relatively) high speed over many hours and hundreds of miles. Those machines were not hugely fast, but it was also about consistency and reliability. In 1969 those races developed into the early versions ofcircuit races as we know them today, with the scooters and rules being cleverly developed over the years by various organising bodies. We’ve now arrived atthe modern set of rules where the machines still look like scooters, but are permitted huge developments which give both speed and reliability, and have contributed massively tothe development of fast and powerful road engines. So, in…

Name: Col Westfield Scooter club & town: Scunthorpe Silhouettes First interest in scooters: When I was about 15 years old. Scunthorpe has always had a healthy scooter scene and growing up surrounded by iconic scooter clubs such as the Road Rats and Pathfinders, and scooters to match like Lil Deuce Scoot, Time Trouble & Money, Dellorto Twins…the list goes on it didn’t take long to get hooked! Your first scooter: LD150 1981-82 £25 First rally or event: Scarborough 1983 Favourite and worst rally: Favourite has to be Great Yarmouth back in the day and Cleethorpes in the present. As for worst I can’t say I’ve ever had a bad one. Scooters, beer and good music... what’s not to like! Favourite Scootering magazine feature: Tech articles and featured scooters Favourite custom…

Family Affair Darren Bygrave and his 10-year-old son, Ethan, and cousins Steve Nuttall and Chris Dockherty. “Ethan and I did 1,700 miles on my series 2 last year. Ethan’s favourite scooter is the Lambretta GP, which is something I’m organising for him,” explained Darren. Steve was on his Crusaders-themed PX and Chris was on his Mod accessorised PX. “Chris and I are cousins and I’m the brains of the outfit!” said Steve. “Yes, I’m his carer, and I’ve got a full-time job. I help him tie his shoe laces and put his tent up!” Chris laughed. Early arrivals Tom Gralton, Nige Ford and Tony. Tom explained that he’d recently completed the D-Day landings 75th anniversary scooter ride on his series 2. Nige was on his GP, ‘In between days’. “I…

1. Geoffrey Bottoni (a.k.a. ‘Jo Kerr’ – Joker) and Olivier Courtois (a.k.a. ‘Babos’ – which loosely translated means ‘Hippy’). Geoffrey and Olivier had ridden in from the French town of Montbeliard near the German/Swiss border. The fellas set off on the Thursday and had taken a leisurely approach to the 1030-mile round trip using Olivier’s laminated route map! At the event, Geoffrey won the award for furthest travelled male as he’d taken a slightly longer journey when he set off to meet Olivier at their rendezvous start point. 2. Darrell McPhee from Yalding. Darrell had made the short ride in on his beautifully restored 1959 Lambretta Li150 Series 1. Darrell explained that he’d had the nearside side panel signed by Phil Daniels when Phil was over in Brighton in October…

Alfie…meet Alfie Here’s a couple of pics of son Alfie aged nine – who’s been coming on the back of my scooter since he was four years old – with Shane Richie at the IoW Lambretta Day. This year we dropped off his own Italian Lambretta S3 to be painted. It was a special occasion for us when Alfie Newton met Shane Richie (aka Alfie Moon)! James and Alfie Newton Sidewinders say goodbye Gavin Casey sadly lost his battle to MND in April 2019. He was a true gent and will be sadly missed. Thirty-five scooters from the Sidewinders Scooter Club of Yarmouth, and more from Norwich and Ipswich, proudly escorted Gavin on a final ride out alongside a family member riding Gavin’s scooter. RIP. Damian Prendergast Life in the…

The problem with owning a Lambretta was no matter how competent a mechanic you were, anything could go wrong and at any given time. Even if everything seemed okay once out on the open road, if a part wanted to fail it would. Usually it was going to do so without any prior notice. One benefit, though, was that you could often do a roadside repair or bodge to keep the thing going. Just enough perhaps to limp home. There were times though, when it would be terminal and that's when the real issues started. For years the major breakdown organisations looked upon the Lambretta as a loss-making exercise. If they provided recovery to someone owning a scooter, who was a member, then more than likely it would cost them…

Make: Lambretta Model: Li Series 2 150cc Year: 1960 Engine: Standard rebuild with SSC 5 plate clutch and 175cc top end Handmade Fiaam high rise triple pipes 22mm Dellorto with K&N filter Specialist parts: 12-litre tank with double-sided filler caps Bespoke handlebar assembly and custom order cables Acma gear shifter and throttle assembly Vintage Chaly headlamp Ld-style legshield toolbox Nanucci front mudguard Handmade wooden floor sections Twisted side stand Meshed flywheel cover Custom black and orange Sidewinder Unknown origin vintage rpm and speedo gauges…

JULY 19-21 National, BSRA #5 LLandudno 19-21 Summer Scrum 9, by Driffield Midnight Runners SC. With Skandals, Extra Specials and Eddie Soulfinger. Camping £10 call 07868 050620 19-21 Modafest 4, Whittingham Sports Club, Preston. Ska Face playing live. Info 01772 28444 19-21 Tin Soldiers, Rally, Milton Keynes, MK3 5BX 26-28 Resurrection Rally, The Second Coming by Prodigy SC. Ashton on Mersey RFC, Sale, M33 5SL 26-28 Rocking The Heifer, by Tyke SC at The Rock and Heifer Inn, Bradford. BD13 3RH. £10 weekend, £5 day pass. 26-28 Solent Cougars SC, Annual Weekender at BTC Football Club, Eastleigh, near Southampton 26-28 ScootAyr rally, Ayr Racecourse, Whitletts Road, Ayr. 27-28 Parkas In The Park, by Hope n Glory SC. Dungannon Swifts FC, BT71 6PP. 28 Alfreton Classic & Custom, scooter show with…

When Innocenti designed the Lambretta, its styling was compact and enclosed. Part of the process was to position the gear change system on the handlebars. Though, in theory, this made changing gear easier than the traditional foot control method, it did create its own set of problems. Most of these issues stem from the fact that there are far more linkage points, which can all suffer from wear. By the time you actually get to the gear selector in the engine, this ‘loose play’ can have been greatly exaggerated, the result being severe play on the handlebar control itself. Even if the gear cables themselves are in perfect condition, each part of the system needs to be checked and overhauled where necessary. Handlebars Working along the chain of linkage points,…

Name of scooter & reason: Cadbury’s Dairy Milk – I love chocolate What other themes did you consider: It was always going to be a Cadbury’s related theme, when my hubby bought me a huge Cadbury’s Easter egg on the box there were foil-covered chunks of chocolate melting away I knew I had found my theme Scooter model: Lambretta GP 200 Date purchased & cost: 2001, £1,000 Time to build & by who: Original build - Grand Prix Leicester, 6months Paintwork & murals done by: Paint done by a mate, Simon Goddard, who owns Simons Bodyshop in Burton. Murals by Carl, Burton-upon-Trent What was the hardest part of the project: Patience In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently: Got it on the road years ago instead of…

I managed to return to Hayling this year, back on a Lambretta again, after a three-year break. Apart from some gear change issues and a puncture at Langston on the outbound ride, the run from Bordon via Liphook, Petersfield, East Meon and Clanfield through the leafy lanes was really nice in the sun. Got on to Hayling just in time to photograph the 12.30 ride out and collect some bits, including a new inner tube for the spare wheel, which was duly changed on the grass under the trees. Afternoon band was No Lip and played a great set. Due to the weather there was a large turnout of people and, of course, scooters! I have a soft spot for Hayling as we holidayed there as a family in the…

A Euro adventure can take many forms. Rather than making a straight line trip to the event, Stuart, Rob, Neil, Tom and Pete of Leeds opted for a tour that started and ended in Florence, taking in Vienna, Ljubliana, Maribor, Zanka (World Vespa Days), Zagreb, Zadar, Split (ferry to Ancona), San Gimiano (Vespa Museum) and Pisa. “We used Eurobiketrans in Manchester to freight the scooters over, flew in and collected them at their depot outside Florence,” said Stuart. “It was an unforgettable experience.” www.eurobiketrans.co.uk…

What do you get if you cross a hard-edged punk band, all distorted guitar and powerhouse drums, with rapid-fire lyrics from an ex-Grime rapper? Welcome to Riskee &The Ridicule, one of the biggest names kicking down doors on the punk underground. Their incredible second album, Blame Culture, helped swell their fan base both here and abroad, while their electrifying live shows have converted the uncertain, and here’s the follow-up, one which should be assured of getting the same reception. In many ways it’s a direct descendant of Blame Culture, with tracks referencing their previous material (even down to sampling themselves on For Old Times Sake, and In The Dark We Dwell feeling like a Stranger Things-type flip side to the brilliant Hipster from the last release), but it’s not a…

Stu Smith Vespa & Lambretta owner, scooter obsessive, amateur home mechanic, rally goer, Mod sympathiser, music lover and general all-round good egg. He writes your rally reports, be nice to him. Christian Giarrizzo From Italy to Australia, this man get the miles in and has ridden some serious roads in his time. A dedicated journalist who meets the most interesting characters along the way. Paul Green Vespa & Lambretta scooter enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg. Our Paul has a long history of scootering both on the road and on the track, with the breakdown bills and crash scars to prove it. Stuart Owen LCGB ‘life member’, 100mph LambrettaClub owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just…

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 over 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’s the law in relation to stopping after an accident? Do you still have to stop if nobody is injured? Do you need to report it to the Police if you have stopped? A: This is a sore point for us. Our lovely WildWood Legal scooter was knocked over outside our office a…

With 130 years of experience Michelin know a thing or two about tyres, so the fact that they’ve launched a motorcycle Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) suggests there’s aneed. Whats the problem? Anyone who’s had a blowout will confirm that it’s no fun. According to the AA, in 2015 almost a third of accidents in the UK in which vehicle defects were a contributory factor were due to under inflated, defective or illegal tyres. With only a few square centimetres of rubber holding us to the road, tyres are one of a scooter’s most important components, yet also one of the most neglected. What’s the product? Although they’re standard equipment on many new cars and high-end touring motorcycles, most two-wheelers aren’t fitted with a TPMS. Marketed as ‘fit2go’, Michelin’s solution…

The Allan Tester Best in Show: Vespa GS - 346 GKO Best in Show: Lambretta cut-down / chop OJE 62J Best Lambretta: ‘Midnight Oil’ Best Vespa: ‘Hammer Horror’ Best Auto: Lambretta Ld – 806 YUP Best Chopper: Lambretta - ‘Illusion’ Best Ridden Classic Scooter: Lambretta Series 2 – 755 CYR Best Street Racer: Vespa UKL 698X Best Mod Scooter: Lambretta TV175 – VAS 334 Best Rat: Vespa – CR854VN Furthest Travelled by Scooter (Male): Jo Kerr (‘Joker’ – 515 miles – France) Furthest Travelled by Scooter (Female): Karen Soulsby (290 miles) Best Attended / Turned Out Club: South Coast Pirates (17) Big7 Dyno Shootout: Daz Macken (Donald Trump S.C.) GP Cassa SSR 250 (90mph)…

Py in the sky! Deep in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, myself and my best buddie ‘Pygy’ set off from the club on a solo run around the hills. Great idea we thought, we were all camping in Burnsall. So off we go, taking in some splendid views of the area. Now I can’t remember the name of this certain village, but I recall from previous runs there was a left-hand ‘cut back’ turn to die for. So as we approached it I said to the Py-man, “Hold on!” He laughed and just said, “Yeah ok Phil.” Py was my regular pillion as he couldn’t ride himself, so I slowed down, geared down and took the bend beautifully. I then accelerated up the very steep hill… the 200cc engine…

Their business may be Classic Scooters, but SIP can’t be accused of living in the past. This year sees the launch of their BFA 306 engine for the Vespa PX, and there are highly developed plans to significantly expand their range of Lambretta components. “A major development in the company’s history is planned for our anniversary year,” said Ralf. “We’ve been working with some excellent web developers to re-launch our store’s website. The current system is almost a decade old and doesn’t reflect our vision. The new site will have a vastly improved search function, enabling the correct parts to be found and ordered with ease.”…

“Scootermoda came about because of our love of Lambrettas,” said Peter. “All three of us are keen riders, but we also recognise that classic scooters are increasingly expensive to buy and maintain. There are some really capable modern autos out there, but they lack character. Scomadi was created for the enthusiast who wants something stylish, affordable and reliable. Everyone involved in the project, whether it’s in design, production or distribution, is an enthusiast. That’s why Scomadi will continue to innovate. After all, it takes an enthusiast to understand the needs of an enthusiast.”…

How did it all start? “After attending Bolton’s Cromwellian Club in the late 60s and Blackpool Mecca in the early 70s I started a Friday Northern Soul Night at Wigan Rugby League Club in 1971, before transferring to the much bigger Wigan Casino with three rooms and a capacity of over 4,000. I ran the events every Saturday; midnight until 8am. Once a month there was also an ‘oldie’ allnighter and early sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.” Between 1973 and 1981, how many people do you think visited Wigan Casino? “There were over 500 all-nighters and 1,600 early sessions. There were approximately 100,000 members. The average all-nighter attendance was around 3,000 and the early session attendance was around 1,250. Weekly attendance, with oldies all-nighter included, was over 10,000 –…

It has been a busy year so far for us all here at the Vespa Club of Britain, more especially the competitions which have been in full flow. We have had record numbers signing on in the Attendance Championship, and the Riders Regional Competition has over 200 members taking part. A lot of riders have completed their own region and other regions as well, which highlights perfectly the demand for these events. These competitions are open to all Vespa Club of Britain members. Vespa World Days was a fantastic event with many members covering hundreds of miles to get there on their scooters and a lot also ‘doing the double’ and attending Vespa Alps Days on the way back. Further details of these events will be in a separate write-up.…

Power hungry yoof I always used to be the guy chasing more bhp, it was my quest… I loved the challenge. Within tuning, the expansion chamber is king. It can tame a motor with peaky port timings and deliver a tonne of low-down torque, or it can allow the engine to sing-on at high revs, and reach its full potential. Box-pipes, however, are functional items, built to be robust, compact and effective… as emission and sound silencers. But over the years, as we look back at the classic lines of the Lambretta scooter, we have to acknowledge that the clubman-style exhaust is part of the iconic styling silhouette that we lust after. I recall when the new Lambretta V-Special was released and they had neglected to fit the link-style forks…

Name: Sam Wileman (a.k.a. ‘Mrs Cad’) Job: Company secretary Scooter club & town: White Lions S.C., Swadlincote, Derbyshire First became interested in scooters: I was approximately 15 years old. I used to hang around with older friends who already owned scooters and were into the scene, and used to ride up and down past the local arcade, where as teenagers we hung out. My older brother was a big fan of The Clash and punk music, so I was always forced to listen to it at home as a teenager First scooter: I wasn’t fortunate enough to own my own scooter until 2001, which was an orange Lambretta GP and I still own it to this day Favourite scooter model: Lambretta GP and Vespa small-frame First rally or event: Great…

After nearly six months of planning, the day came and then in the blink of an eye… it was all over. Scooters had started arriving at Wall Island, the meeting point, ready for the noon departure, but so had about 100 Harley Davidsons, meeting at the same place and departing at the same time. In the end, however, they did agree to leave 15 minutes earlier. Around 177 scooters were counted leaving together en route through Lichfield Town Centre for Lichfield R.F.C., our venue for the afternoon where, at a guess, there must have been in excess of 250 people. The weather stayed kind and the sun was shining all afternoon… and my Lambretta ran well without any cock-ups, which is unusual. Unfortunately, there were a couple of mishaps with…

Twenty years ago, a member of Area 51 SC (Paul Labelle) thought, ‘I know, let’s go and piss off the bikers at Boxhill with a scooter ride.’ So after chatting with Lost Souls SC, the Boxhill Ride-out was born. There were two meeting places, one in Worthing and one in Surrey, and this built up over time with other clubs. There were many clubs from around the southeast, sadly way too many to mention, but a heartfelt thanks to all of them as they know who they are. The first time we arrived, the bikers at Ryka’s were not amused and some even left (ha, ha!). However, over time it was generally the ‘plastic fantastic’ that buggered off, leaving the true bikers to chat and join in. At the first…

This is a durable waterproof jacket for the modern-day classic scooterist, traditionally styled with four pockets and belted waist adjustment, which is removable. The Heritage Tech is made practical with the use of a breathable waterproof liner system, and removable thermal liner making this jacket a great year-round option. Constructed with dry wax cotton using durable nylon overlays to ensure protection. The back of the jacket features a side-entry zippered poachers’ pocket on the rear of the jacket. The front of the jacket is designed to protect the paintwork of any machine the owner rides, as there are no snap fastenings present on the front of the jacket. Also, the quilted waist belt can be fastened around the back of the jacket when riding. It also has a removable neck…

The Lambretta GP200 and the Saturn V rocket have several things in common, believe it or not. They were both built at the same time and both did the same thing – move humans from one destination to another. Okay, so the Saturn V needed to burn 15 tons of fuel and required 50,000 technicians just to get it moving, this compared to a thimble full of petrol and one person prodding the kick-starter to get the GP200 in motion, but its horses for courses, as they say. There is one more thing that they both had in common and perhaps the most important of all: they were both more powerful than their predecessors. Why is that so? Well, the Saturn V needed it so it could escape earth’s gravitational…

Name of scooter & reason: Sole Racer (Adidas Spezial). Two items crossed off my bucket list: DTC paint job and Adidas-themed street racer! Scooter model: GP125 Date purchased & cost: 2012 Inspiration for project: On-going obsession with Adidas trainers, particularly the Spezial (SPZL) collection Time to build and by who: Built by myself from dry build to finish, only exception being Maca on paint, Darrell on top end build and Austen/ Stuart for welding Any specialised parts: Flywheel cowl altered for better airflow and removal; splash plate trimmed; horn casting badge; petrol tap and choke blanking badged; extra holes in frame loop for cooling; wiring harness through the frame tube; end can strap re-shaped; all mods done by myself Engine spec: Kit: Taylor Tuned RB20, AF Mammoth Head, Ignition: Casatronic…

Owner: Simon Tipper Club: Undecideables S.C. Portsmouth Hometown: Portsmouth First interest in scooters: “When I was 16 years old and I first watched Quadrophenia; it all started then!” Scooter: Type: Lambretta GP200 Engine Spec: Kit: RB225 Crank: 60 mil race Exhaust: JL Clutch: Upgraded Is it reliable: Yes Having circulated the main field over the course of Friday and Saturday, I’d already picked out potential winners of the ‘Campsite Custom’ award. With these scooters in mind, on Saturday afternoon I developed the ‘narrowing down’ stage of the decision by checking to see if any of them had been entered into the official rally custom show. Having viewed the custom show I discovered that two of the scooters I’d had my eye on had been entered, which left me with a…

Martin Meuser and Paula Thomas are heavily involved in the South East scooter scene. Martin supports the Big7 S.C. with the custom show judging, and Paula also featured as the scooter rider sticking her boot out in the 2018 Big7 poster! This year Paula won’t be giving Martin the boot or telling him he’s a t#*t(!) because on Saturday, July 6, just after the Big7, the happy couple got married in Greatwaldingfield, Suffolk, and honeymooned in Brighton. Apart from each other, Paula’s pride and joy is her Lambretta Series 1 and Martin’s is his Lambretta Series 2. Congratulations from Scootering Magazine and all our readers!…

1989: Alex and Ralf begin their involvement with scooters 1994: SIP established in a rented basement; first sales stand at the Scooter Drive in Aachen 1996: Move to premises in the old Landsberg Barracks, product range 2,000 items 1997: With T-shirt producer Sgotter, SIP organise a Custom Scooter Show in Landsberg am Lech, attracting 1,500 visitors 1999: First parts for modern autos are added to the catalogue; SIP Performer tyres launched 2002: Additional warehouse space rented 2005: SIP/Stoffis Racing Team founded 2007: Additional warehouse space added; 50 employees are dispatching 4,000 parcels a day 2009: SIP appointed as exclusive distributors for Malossi in Germany; SIP road exhaust launched 2013: Customer magazine Curve is published; first in a range of digital speedometers (Vespa PX) is launched 2014: SIP exhibit at the…

Butlin’s Skegness Northern Soul Weekender: 8,500 Soul lovers, 10 top acts, 30 top jocks and five venues: September 20-22. Thoresby Hall, Nottingham weekender: October 4-6. As well as Russ, DJs include Ian Lavine, Alan King, Brian Rae, Di Herring, Stuart Russell and Clive Jones. Also, between October 23 and 27 Russ will be joining Phillip Dick and the rest of the guys for Motown’s 60th birthday celebrations in Detroit. (Check out Detroit a Go Go).…

Scooterboys: The Lost Tribe - Martin ‘Sticky’ Round - Carpet Bombing Culture Part of the Carpet Bombing Culture ‘Two finger salute’, aimed at casting a spotlight on British youth sub-culture which, over time, have become truly worldwide entities. Scooterboys – The Lost Tribe, joins Mods: A Way of Life, and Skins: A Way of Life as the third part of the publisher’s trilogy (so far) of books. Previous two titles were both by Patrick Potter, with Martin ‘Sticky Round’, the author of this, the third. Scooterboys, and scootergirls, were arguably the last of the great British youth cultures of the 20th century. Yet, with few exceptions there is little documentation from outside of the close-knit scene that has been recorded by the mainstream media during the heyday of the…

Follow the palm trees swaying in the breeze to this industrial part of Los Angeles county where you’ll find a museum filled with the tapestry and kitch of vintage scooters. Owner Harmik Nazarian has spent the last four years of retirement building his impressive collection of scooters, an ambitious project which forever evolves. Harmik’s dad was an inventor, hence his propensity to crafting objects. Harmik himself is a retired spacecraft mechanical design engineer. Born in Armenia, he immigrated to the US when he was 16 and quickly adapted to southern California. As a kid he saved his money to buy a camera, a road bicycle and a two-stroke motorcycle. He’s been riding since he was 19, and continues to ride daily. I grew up in LA as well, but for…

During the past few years, my scooter and I have had plenty of adventures. Most recently, Istumbled upon a whole series of characters well worthy of respect and a good mention in these pages. Never before this moment though, have I encountered such a singular and eccentric-minded person as this one I’m about to describe... Squeezed between two of the most touristic Italian regions (Lazio and Toscana) is a village near the mountain in which Nicolai works as a humble vehicle bodywork specialist. I met him during one of my last explorations in the deep South, since passing through his village is a sensorial experience. Travel tip: If want an authentic taste of Italian passion and gesticulation, visit the ‘osteria’ or ‘frasca’, not ‘bar’ or ‘trattoria’. The former are establishments…