Scootering April 2020

Well, I have to apologise… my usual ‘upbeat’ writing style seems to have eluded me today, in lieu of more serious topics, I promise not to make a habit of it though. Just when the Brexit drama had stopped dominating every bloody TV and newspaper report, and a sense of ‘normality’ had returned, the C-word has now taken over. Yes, coronavirus (COVID-19). As I write this column, it seems that every aspect of our day-to-day lives may well be in for a very sudden and unpleasant jolt. The spectrum of severity will range from a stark impact due to the heart-breaking loss of life, whatever the scale, through to the less important but still very real disruption to our daily working lives and any events we choose to attend in…

Stu Smith Vespa and 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. Nik Skeat Vespa P-range obsessive, well-travelled rally rider since the ’80s, founder of the notorious Scooterboy World forum. He’s also a brilliant beer-brewing bearded Scootering feature writer. 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 Lambretta Club owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach. Darrell Taylor Two-stroke tuning guru, scooter engine building maestro, technical aficionado,…

NEW! Super Hoodie 2.0 Despite the safety risks, we know that many scooterists still ride scooters in a pair of trainers and a flight jacket… such is life. So for those who like the more ‘casual’ approach to riding gear, this Oxford Super Hoodie 2.0 offers a great compromise. It is a reinforced riding hoodie with CE protectors and 100% DuPont Kevlar fibre included in the construction. The Oxford Super Hoodie has a cotton construction with hidden structure stitching and Kevlar Fibre included. DuPont Kevlar is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibre which is highly cut/abrasion resistant, and is used in a variety of clothing, accessories and equipment to help make them safer and more durable. With five times the strength of steel based on an equal weight basis, it’s the go-to fibre…

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. I want to bring a claim but I am worried about having to pay costs if I lose as I can’t afford it. A. Until a few years ago, if you brought a personal injury claim and lost at court, you would indeed run the risk of having to pay the other side’s legal…

It was 1985 when we were sat in the Craftsman Pub in Coventry and decided that we should form a committee, set up a bank account and have a go at running the All or Nothing Scooter Club. To understand what was going on in the broader scooter scene we would need to join a few scooter associations such as the NRC (National Runs Committee), who at the time co-ordinated all the national rallies, and we became the Coventry branch of the VCB (Vespa Club of Britain). We also affiliated to the FBSC (Federation of British Scooter Clubs) as several members had an interest in scooter sport activities. Several of us had also signed up for subscriptions to the new Scootering magazine. Roll on February 2020 and we now find…

No matter how successful an automotive company is, selling its brand to other countries has always been the answer to real success. Once established in Italy, Innocenti did just that as the Lambretta made its way to mainland Europe. Once it reached the UK there seemed to be no stopping them. Around 70% of all Lambrettas ever exported from Italy were sold in the UK which considering the size of the country is quite remarkable. So you would think to be so popular and well-liked that conquering the biggest market of all, America, would be a piece of cake. Innocenti was determined to do just that and if successful it would have made the Lambretta a globally recognised brand. Key to all this was setting up the most direct trade link…