Scootering May 2021

All the signs and signals that we will emerge via the Government’s published stages from this lockdown are aligning and starting to click into place. I’m seeing an increasing number of social media posts, of people finally getting out and about on their scooters and meeting up in small ‘Covid-compliant’ numbers. Indeed, my own solo ‘test and development’ rides on the TargaTwin have now progressed to ‘butty runs’ out to various chip shops for lunch, and to meet up in a socially distanced manner with other scooterists. What a small step it may seem, one that we all previously took for granted, but I liken it to a bloke who used to frequently dine out and regularly complain that a particular restaurant didn’t have enough choice on the menu, but…

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 swimming…

We have all dreamed of stumbling across a forgotten stockpile of scooters, a dealer’s cache frozen in time. Go back 20 years and such discoveries were made every few months but most people agreed long ago that the chances of uncovering such a gem were slim to none. That was until now. Here at Scootering, we are preparing to feature the find of the century. The collection, a selection of parts, tools and machines, the size of which is unparalleled in recent times, has been uncovered by one of the best-known names in the business. Yes, there are rare spares. Yes, there are SXs. Yes, there’s a GS, yes, there are SS180s and yes, there are TVs galore. There is no point looking anywhere else for updates, you are only…

The Spitfires recently unveiled four live dates during July. They are July 16 – Chinnerys, Southend; July 17 – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes; July 22 – The Horn, St Albans; July 23 – The Suburbs, Guildford. Tickets available from https://linktr.ee/TheSpitfires. Originally scheduled for April/May this year, due to lockdown restrictions, their Life Worth Living spring tour of the UK has been moved to October and November this year. Original tickets remain valid; tour and ticket details from: http://bit.ly/SPITFIRESTOUR SPITFIRESTOUR…

For reasons best known to themselves, when Piaggio designed the filler cap for their range of modern scooters they failed to account for the ham-fisted nature of most scooterists. Because the cap isn’t fixed to the scooter with a cord, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve kicked my filler cap across the forecourt. On one particularly memorable occasion I even managed to leave it behind on the pump. A helmet tub full of fuel vapour made for a nervous ride home. Having endured similar experiences, the good people at SIP have come up with a rather neat solution in the form of a CNC magnetic cap. Not only is it available in various memory-jogging colours, it is also supplied with a handy self-adhesive, magnetic pad. This will stick to…

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 broke my leg quite badly in a scooter accident. It’s a lot better now and I am back at work but it’s not perfect. My employer might be making some lay-offs and I’m worried about finding another job if I lose this, as I’d have to mention about my ongoing leg problems. A.…