Scootering December 2020

A vaccine is coming… yeeha! Literally on the day I wrote this column, it was announced that a Covid vaccine is to be rolled out by Christmas… this must surely be a sign from the scootering gods, yes? Dare I even begin to ponder whether this means that come spring 2021 there will be ‘new hope’ on the horizon, perhaps a buzz of positivity? Will the old rhythm of the rally scene return? Will the year continue to build to a huge scooter rally-induced crescendo? Who knows, certainly not me, I can but dream. The hope of a vaccine and all that it could bring is so tantalising, that you can’t help but speculate about all the social possibilities which may return, both scooter and non-scooter related, things we took…

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 Cosa sympathiser, 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 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. A Vespa and Lambretta enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg. Stuart Owen Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach. LCGB ‘life member’, 100mph Lambretta Club owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Rik Bardsley More flamboyant than Liberace and more manic than a mouse…

DALEY EXCLUSIVES The team at Barnsley-based Ron Daley continue to scour the world for useful additions to their range of parts and accessories. Recently added to their catalogue are two items, for which they hold the exclusive rights to UK distribution. Of interest to GTS owners is the Cuppini mini backrest in satin black. Cleverly designed to fit on to the standard rear rack, it’s perfect for either de-chromed machines or any of Piaggio’s ‘black’ editions. Priced at only £55 plus postage it’s a cost-effective way of adding some comfort to your passenger’s riding experience. For riders who prefer a little more bling the backrest is also available in bright chrome at the same price. Owners of classic Vespas may recall that earlier this year we featured the Vespa Survivor Kit’s (VSK) launch.…

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. Can you tell me what is the legal minimum age for a pillion passenger? A. Surprisingly, there is no minimum age for pillion passengers on scooters. The law says that they must be able to reach the foot pegs/running boards, they must be capable of sitting astride the seat properly and be able to…

When it comes to the automotive world the word ‘classic’ is often used and a lot of the time misrepresented. If you’re talking about a Ferrari 250 GTO or a Ford GT40… then yes, the meaning fits perfectly – but putting an Austin Allegro in the same context? Then possibly not. A lot of the confusion is down to insurance definitions, in that when a vehicle is more than 20 years old it is termed as a ‘classic’… but that doesn’t mean to say it is revered by everyone. Perhaps the phrase should be changed to avoid confusion so vehicles that do carry the ‘classic’ tag can be regarded as such without everything else being in the way. So that brings us to scooters and, ignoring their age, what makes or…

If things go as promised, by the time you read this we will be close to the end of this second lockdown period, to try and stem the upward curve of Covid infections. This has certainly been a year that pretty much everyone will want to forget about, I think, but fortunately the rules for this second national lockdown are a little less draconian than the first and we are at least able to do a little more, get out on our scooters, and our kids can go to school! In the last eight months, for many, the world has changed beyond recognition in terms of what we can and cannot do, as well as where we can even travel to, and who we can travel with. It is very restricting…