Scootering October 2020

The peaks and troughs of Covid have been a cruel mistress to us all. Lives have been lost, the globe is in turmoil, the scooter rally scene is decimated and companies across the world have suffered. Like so many other businesses, Mortons Media, owner of Scootering magazine, has had to make some tough decisions over the last six months. Our print division was affected, while the shows division became almost defunct overnight as event after event had to be cancelled... and these are only just starting again now. That has affected us all here, and those cutbacks also meant a tightening of the belt in the publishing division too… but among all this, there has been a glimmer of hope; it has been the publishing (magazine) division which remained buoyant. As people…

LAST EVER LML P-RANGE FRAME SETS! The nice people at Scooter Center have secured the last ever LML P-range frame sets, which are available in six different colours and with a choice of LML T5 headsets or P-range headsets for brake or hydraulic disc. The quality is far away from a custom paint shop, but perfect to build a daily driver as they are, or put some TLC into the paint and bodywork and get the LML factory finish. The prices range from €799-€899 (incl. VAT). Shipping costs to most European destinations are between €49-€99 depending on location. These painted frame sets won’t last long, so grab yourself a bargain now, while stocks last. More info: www.scooter-center.com CLASSIC ELECTRIC CONVERSION Whether you like it or not, the time has come to consider alternative methods…

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 was knocked off my scooter at a roundabout by a car that cut across my lane. I didn’t get his number plate. I presume I can’t make a claim? A. Wrong, you can and should make a claim. The claim will be against the Motor Insurers Bureau. They handle claims against drivers who…

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a piston ring, a bearing, or even a badge. When we can’t get the part required to finish off a scooter repair it can be really annoying. The sheer frustration knowing it is all that is holding the job up can lead you to vent your anger. Pointing the finger of blame may make you feel better, but it doesn’t solve the problem. Unfortunately, the only answer is to wait it out until the part becomes available. Though that may seem like pointless talk, it must be remembered when it comes to spares that scooter parts manufacturing is still only a cottage industry for many. From a Vespa point of view things aren’t so bad, with Piaggio still producing machines. Spares, certainly for the current models, are…

“Imagine if the Government created a simple twist and go 125cc scooter class, with a power limit to, say, 50mph. That’s enough speed to keep up with traffic safely on the commute into towns and cities, but the machines are dead easy to ride and only require basic knowledge and skills to operate.” I was talking recently with friends, in regard to how people get to work in urban centres while avoiding public transport with its obvious strong possibility of spreading Covid. As a society affected by climate change we don’t really want to be encouraging individuals to use cars for commuting but we also don’t want to encourage everyone back on to public transport. It seems obvious to me therefore that encouraging people on to two wheels makes perfect sense.…

No one can mistake the identity of a Formula 1 car. In the world of paintwork, their schemes are colourful, eye-catching and covered in more logos than you can shake a stick at. They need to be – the logos are of the team’s sponsors who pour in millions of dollars to keep it all afloat. All this just to have their name emblazoned across TV screens via the rear wing or side pod of the car for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon. Travelling at speeds of more than 200mph it’s not easy to focus a camera for long as the car flies past. Therefore, it’s critical to get the design just right so the logo has maximum exposure to the world. Teams spend huge amounts of money…