Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i Scootering

What a year 2019 is set to be. There are so many anniversaries for clubs, DJs, bands, scooter models. It makes it a difficult choice to decide which articles to feature. This month we make mention of Leicester Phoenix SC, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary, as well as legendary Wigan Casino DJ Dave Evison, who is celebrating 50 years in the music business! That number puts Dave in good company, as Stu Owen takes a look at 50 years of the Lambretta Grand Prix. As Stu points out, half a century has passed since Innocenti released its final piece of scooter design, one which has endured the test of time and achieved legendary status. A certain GP in particular, though, which I am delighted to see back on the…

Based just outside Mansfield, British clothing manufacturers RST have an enviable reputation amongst sports motorcyclists for providing high quality clothing at affordable prices. For 2019 the company are casting their eyes towards the rider of classic machines with a selection of more traditional designs. Amongst these is their Classic TT Wax jacket. Made from heavy-duty water resistant 12oz wet wax cotton, the jacket also features CE approved armour, three inner pockets, four outer pockets, press stud neck closures and a removable thermal lining. The lining also celebrates RST’s close relationship with the TT Races, being finished in Manx tartan. Designed in-house and produced at RST’s own factory, the TT jacket exudes quality and Stan reports our test sample as being “the most comfortable jacket I’ve worn in years”. The TT…

In July 1994, the Brazil national football team dedicated their World Cup victory to Senna, and collectively held a banner on the field after defeating Italy in the final. Senna had met various members of the squad, including Ronaldo and Leonardo. Throughout the rest of the 1994 F1 season, Senna was commemorated in various ways. Damon Hill, along with Michael Schumacher, dedicated their individual successes to Senna, with Hill's victory in the Spanish Grand Prix and Schumacher's world championship victory in the Australian Grand Prix.…

Recently a scooter buddy posted something on Facebook that made me stop, pause and read again. I wasn’t alone in doing so, because the sentiment in Darren’s post hit several people in the same way. Curly was an old friend and Darren had grown up with him, but Curly had recently passed away and Darren had just attended the funeral. As we grow older the cycle of funerals seems to accelerate for many of us, but this one had clearly touched Darren. With his kind permission I have included an extract from his words… ‘So yesterday we said goodbye to an old friend, Curly, acouncil estate kid who epitomised the Mod ethic of clean living under difficult circumstances! A poignant, reflective, but otherwise cheerful day with old friends reminiscing as…

It was around 1984/5 when I was 14 years old when we (mum, dad and my sister) took a trip from Norwich to Coventry to visit friends we had met some 10 years previously. I enjoyed these visits because it was the chance to catch up with Steve, who I looked up to. He was around three years older than me and I always thought he was cool! Arriving in Coventry, we were greeted and welcomed into the house. I was eager to see what Steve was up to, but unfortunately he was out with his mates. After a short time he returned along with various engine sounds, some louder than others! When I looked, Steve was leading the way on a burgundy-coloured Vespa 50 Special along with his mates…

Saigon Special Name: Kenny Woods Home: North Wales Time in Vietnam: three years Job: importer of Atlantic sea foods Scooter: Vespa VBB 1964 “I had scooters back home in the 1980s. Saigon is the ideal place for a two wheeler, anything else doesn’t make sense. I use a twist ’n’ go for my daily ride but love this little VBB. It’s in original specification apart from the 12-inch wheel conversion which is a must-have given the state of the back streets here. Unusually for a Vietnamese scooter this has a full provenance going back to first registration in the Mekong Delta. I look at it and wish it could talk.” Name: Tania Home: Australia Job: teacher Time in Vietnam: six years Scooter: Vespa VBB 1964 “We’ve always had motorcycles and…

Imagine a two-wheel motor holiday which caters to you. A summer camp with alcohol. A culinary adventure into creative cuisine. Brewed tea, regional coffee and local beer. Our group of 10 riders went to bed at night delightfully exhausted after each adventurous day left us dusty with dirt and sweat, and rarely a hot shower. Phil Paoletta and Matt Christie began running scooter tours through West Africa in 2017. They are the ultimate rough riders who laid out the red carpet for us. Phil is focused, an easy-going native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a middle school teacher in Washington D.C. Matt’s hails from Queensland, Australia, and has spent a number of years in the tourism industry. Together they own a hotel called ‘The Sleeping Camel’ in Bamako, Mali. Phil…

APRIL 19-22 National, BSRA #1 Scarborough 19-21 Le Beat Bespoke Festival, London. The Seeds (USA), Daddy Long Legs (USA) & The Jackets & more tba + International DJ line-up, Guest Club nights, Film, Exhibitions, Market & Record Fair. www.lebeatbespoke.com 19 Crossfire (Northern Soul & Mod Club night), London, 11pm-4am @ 229 The Venue, Gt Portland St. 3 rooms of musical perfection. www.newuntouchables.com/tickets 20 Blow Up, Easter Special. Featuring Big Boss Man, Alfa9 at The Railway hotel, Southend. 26-28 Bangers and Mash, at MFN Club, Eastwood, Notts. (see main ad) 25-29 Skamouth, Vauxhall Holiday Park, Gt. Yarmouth. www.skamouth.co.uk(see main advert) 26-28 Undercover Festival 2019, Boston Music Room & The Dome, Tufnell Park, London. Further details. www.undercoverfest.com 27 Irish Egg Run, Meet Knockerin car par, Blessington from noon, for a 13.30 departure…

More people riding scooters... I’m pleased to say that this is definitely the case here at The Vespa Club of Britain, with a lot of members now clocking up hundreds (actually, more like thousands) of miles in the Regional Riders Competition. Several members have completed their own region and are already clocking up the points in other regions. We’ve taken pride in the fact that the competition has really taken off this year and is becoming very competitive (in a friendly way… honest!). So we wanted to say a big thank you to all the people who have entered, because we couldn’t do it without your support, and are delighted you have embraced it so vigorously. Talking of being competitive, the championship trophy for signing on at selected events is…

Back in the 1980s, virtually every tuned Lambretta had an Amal Carburettor fitted. At one point they were so fashionable it seemed no engine could do without one. Like anything in great demand, there comes a time when that something eventually falls out of favour. This is exactly what happened to the Amal, most probably down to the fact that better carburettors were being introduced. Though they have their drawbacks compared to their modern-day counterparts, they can still offer very good performance. Originally Amal was part of IMI industries based in Witton. A popular choice, they were fitted to virtually every British motorcycle made at one point in time. Despite the company being sold off to Grosvenor Works Ltd in the 1970s, production still remained in Birmingham. This finally ceased…

During the 80s custom golden era, it seems the main basis of the Lambretta genre was the GP model. Of course, there were some exceptions, but I would guess that the GP dominated 90% of the market. I'm not sure if this was just scooter snobbery or down to the way the cleaner lines offered a better 'canvas', but I’d like to think it was the latter. However, as stated earlier, there were exceptions to the GP rule, and one such scooter that bucks the trend, and was right up there as a classic during that era, was the luscious ‘Sweeter than Wine. Based on a Servetta, it had one of the most striking paint jobs ever, which stood out as much then as it does now… and certainly holds…

Name: Martin Reeves Town: Havant, Hampshire Club: Railway Scooter Club Best Memory: The Isle of Wight in 1984, watching King Kurt and finding that my scooter had sunk so far into the mud it had to be dragged out by a car! Scooter: Ghost Hunter Type: Vespa T5 Classic Engine: 172 upgrade, standard crank, Cosa clutch, 28mm carb with reed valve, Revolver exhaust Paint: Tom Ashley and Steve Levitt Anything else to add: murals on the floor Thanks to: Steve Rowe, Tom Ashley, Steve Levitt and hello to Brett McAvery…

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, so 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 and 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…

Available in either rotary valve induction or reed valve induction, the cylinder kits are manufactured from aluminium with a Nicasilplated bore and have a capacity of 160cc. The head has been upgraded to use a five-stud configuration to secure it to the cylinder, and is to be used with a 57mm stroke crankshaft. Both cylinder kits are suitable for fitment to the wide frame Vespa models that use a three-stud cylinder configuration. More info: www.ve-uk.com…

At some point we’ve all stepped off a scooter and struggled to hear clearly, yet the prospect of permanently damaging our hearing is something very few of us stop to consider. Tests conducted by the University of Portsmouth revealed that at speeds over 40mph the noise generated by air flowing over a rider’s helmet exceeds that generated by the engine and riders are routinely exposed to noise levels of over 90dB. Of course, those figures are based on production machines and don’t even begin to take into account the effects of riding with a baffle-less Fresco! Putting all of that into perspective, at 80dB an employer must provide hearing protection and at 85dB protection must be worn. Fortunately, the solution to avoiding permanent hearing loss is straightforward, inexpensive and painless.…

The organisers of the former Formula One Grand Prix street circuit in Adelaide, South Australia, renamed the first chicane the ‘Senna Chicane’ in Senna’s honour in 1994, and a road in the Adelaide suburb of Wingfield is named ‘Senna Road’. A shortened version of the Adelaide circuit (which remains the site of Senna's last Formula One win), the chicane also remains in use for local motorsport events, and a commemorative concrete plaque installed in 1995, bearing Senna's signature and hand prints, is also located there.…

Name: Mark Nickell-Lean Job: HGV driver How and when did you first become interested in scooters: 1982 when older lads on my backstreet had scooters What was your first scooter: Vespa P200 What is your favourite scooter model: Lambretta GP What is your favourite style of custom scooter: GP with murals, chrome and engraving First rally or event: Colwyn Bay 1983 Any stories: As a 15-year-old, on my first rally finding it manic. The caravan we were travelling in was owned by a tattooist, so messing about with the equipment whilst travelling on a motorway left some odd-looking tattoos Favourite and worst rally/event: Favourite is Bridlington. Don’t have a worst unless it’s raining What is the funniest experience with a scooter: Trying to impress alass on the pillion on a…

Our generations Dear Dan Please find four photos taken at the same family address at Beechdale Estate, Walsall, West Midlands, but taken nearly 60 decades apart. The black and white photos were taken in 1960-ish. That's our mum Jean and me on dad Jimmy’s NSU Prima. The colour photos, taken in 2019, are of my brother Ian and our niece Eden on Ian’s Vespa PX 125. I hope you find these photos and short story interesting. Regards Colin Joesbury Hi Colin, Lovely pics and story. Glad you are keeping the scootering bug alive, and passing it on to the next generation! Regards Dan Brewer April’s addition whilst on holiday in Dubai. Great magazine and as the spine states, ‘If God were a scooterist, he’d be a Brewer’. Although not a…

“Take your time, don’t lose heart and definitely do a full dry build first!” Owner and builder Danny Roberts, from Boston, started out with a fairly basic 1970 GP200 in November 2016. When time allowed he set about the six-month transformation to the ‘Red Dragon’ you see here! First the bodywork and engine were separated, and both were prepared for battle. The frame was strengthened where required, and metal removed to accommodate the fitment of an open carb and race expansion, done very neatly so as not to ruin the beautiful flowing lines of the GP. Once he was happy with the bodywork base, it was sent to Paint Supremacy in Lincoln for paint. The use of related logos, racer numbers, block work and pin striping is classic to the…

Jerusalem by Pete McKenna pb New Haven Publishing (ISBN 9781910705865) The recent fictional novel from the prolific pen of scooterist, soulie, writer Pete McKenna is a typically hard-hitting tale. Anti-hero, skinhead Johnny Hodges, the main character, has not long been released from a four-year prison sentence. A sizeable part of the story is spent on looking back at why he was sent down and his time spent behind bars. Under the mentorship of Northern Soul girl, prison officer Jackie Hayhurst, Johnny is teamed up with D-Wing daddy Micky Fuller, an association that has an eventual explosive influence on his future life. The book is set in a semi post-apocalyptic Britain portrayed as a bleak country plagued by cultural and racial differences, exacerbated by wars over drug-dealing 'rights'. Johnny Hodges…

A nuts and bolts history Paul (Eccy) Eccleshare is an ordinary bloke who’s crafted some extraordinary machines. His family has long been involved in customising, engine building and general fettling and creating. Paul’s affair with tinkering started when he was just about six months old on holiday in Blackpool in 1968. His dad wanted to undo the bolts on the window of the caravan they were in, so whilst Paul’s dad had turned his back for a moment, Paul had undone them all and thrown the nuts out of the window. The natural progression was Meccano, and helping his dad with his stock car and drag-racing a Mk 1 Cortina. Through that (and model kits), eventually he got into custom paint work. Scarborough was the scene of Paul’s epiphany. On…

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: I was knocked off my scooter recently and was badly injured. The vehicle that hit me did not stop and the Police have not been able to trace it. Is there any way I can make a claim? A: Sorry to hear that and hope you are ok. The good news is that…

Over the past 12 months there have been several changes to the management committee membership of the Veteran Vespa Club, the most recent being the appointment of a new Membership Secretary. Martin Sambrook, a VVC member for several years and a keen classic Vespa enthusiast, has taken on the post, and is warmly welcomed by his committee colleagues. Martin comes with the necessary pre-requisite of a love for classic scooters. He currently owns, and has previously owned, several classic models. Amongst those held currently and previously are a 1958 GS150, 1965 180SS, 1965 Douglas Sportique Supreme and 1959 Series 1 Lambretta. There is one other major change that has occurred recently, with the launch of a new VVC website at the beginning of March. The look and feel of the…

Name: Darryl Braga Job: Service Engineer Scooter club & town: Mercia S.C. What was your first scooter: Lambretta SX200 replica based on an Li150 What is your favourite scooter model: Classic Vespas ‘Faro Basso’ etc and Lambretta TV Series 1 &2 What is your favourite style of custom scooter: ‘Mille Miglia’ Sir Stirling Moss tribute Lambretta Series 1 What is the funniest experience with a scooter: When I was a kid I used to ride them around on the fields just for a laugh! Your favourite custom/featured scooter of all time: Too many, they’re all brill’ If you had to recommend one scooter part or item of riding kit what would it be: A good helmet What’s the most useless part you’ve ever bought for one of your scooters: Nothing.…

Name of scooter & reason: Senna Tribute Scooter model: Lambretta GP150 Date purchased: October 2018 Inspiration for project and theme: Hero Time to build & by who: Approximately three months by Rob Miller at Simply Retro Any specialised parts or mods: TS1 engine (Simply Retro), Fabricated parts (Keith Newman), Carbon dip (Mick Thompson), Seat (Corky) Engine spec: Kit: TS1 225 Crank: AF Performance 58x107 Carb: TMX Mikuni 35mm Exhaust: TSR EVO Giannelli end can Clutch: AF Cassette Road Gearbox: Italian GP200 46/19 Paintwork & murals done by: Paintwork – Mick Thompson, Artwork and graphics – Top Secret What was the hardest part of the project: Getting the right balance and getting the right exhaust to match Do you have any advice or tech tips for anyone starting a project: Take…

■ The Grand Prix 200 produced 11.74bhp and was officially quoted with having a top speed of 69mph ■ It was launched in the UK in April 1969 and because of its slightly lower front end was quoted ‘to suit the fair sex’ ■ The Grand Prix 200 would initially cost £244.10 when it first came out and only be available in yellow ochre to start off with ■ A total of 45,699 machines were produced across the three derivatives, according to official Innocenti production figures ■ The Grand Prix 200 Electronic was built towards the end of production, but no official figures of how many were actually produced have ever been found ■ The whole production line was sold off in its entirety to SIL in India in 1971.…

Where’s ya tool!? Hi Dan, The Oiltek layshaft holding tool is really tidy (Oiltek's Toolbox Tools, Issue 394). The one I use is made from an old sliding-dog and a length of bar and was welded by my good mate Dicko. Unfortunately, it's far too big to go in my toolbox! Tony Banks - Ready Steady Go! S.C. Hi Tony, Great letter, thanks. We love to see these ‘home-made’ tools and improvisations, too. Keep them coming. Regards Dan The writer of our Star Letter wins a Premier Cool helmet worth £119.95. Light and practical, with a wide visor, retractable dark internal visor and removable lining. Find out more at www.thekeycollection.co.uk…

Mention any scooter dealer and people will associate them with a certain style or brand they are connected with. It may be a famous custom scooter they have created or a type of cylinder kit they build their engines around. Mention AF Rayspeed though, and the list is not only endless, but also hugely varied. They have done so much within the trade over such a long period of time, it would be quite easy to devote a whole magazine to what they have actually achieved. Where did it all start? I don’t think anyone who owns a Lambretta or any other scooter for that matter hasn’t heard of Ray Kemp, the driving force behind AF Rayspeed. Even Ray had to start somewhere though, and he learned his trade as…

Owner: Danny Roberts Job: Specialist supplier to agriculture and industry Scooter Club: Boston SC & LCGB Name of Scooter: Hannibal, due to the induction noise! Mrs just calls it Red! Model: GP200 Inspiration: Legendary street racers from across the years Cylinder: Taylor tuned Monza 238cc Crank: 60mm/110mm Carb: Delly 28mm PHBH Clutch: AF 6-plate Gearbox: GP200 Porting & Dyno: Darrell Taylor Cruising/Top Speed: 60mph/Unsure yet! Paint: Paint Supremacy in Lincoln Overall cost: Stopped counting! Hardest part of project: Nothing’s easy, is it? Advice: Take your time, don’t lose heart and definitely do a full dry build first! Favourite Scootering feature: Featured scooters and Tech articles Thanks: Sandra, my missus, for ignoring the dwindling bank account. Darrell for the tune and advice and Mark for the paint, both top guys!…

Dave Evison, who was resident DJ at Wigan Casino northern soul all nighters, radio DJ, compilation album compiler, original scooter-riding 60s Mod and legendary DJ on several scenes, reaches a personal landmark this year – his golden jubilee as a professional DJ. We caught up with Dave for a quick look back at some of the highlights from his five decades on the wheels of steel. Tell us about your teenage years as a scooter-riding Mod, and how your music taste developed? Like many of my mates, as well as countless others of a similar outlook all across the country in the latter part of the 60s, football (Stoke City FC for me), scooters, fashion and music were high on my interests at the time. I had a blue and…

Connections Founding member Kev Holden had held a fascination for scooters since seeing a group of Mods in Skegness back in 1963 when he was only six years old. Kev’s scootering interest was rekindled in the 70s when his friend, Paul Gaskin, got himself a Mod-style scooter. With Kev’s passion reignited, he bought himself an LD 125 Lambretta and then a Jet 200. Having taken to the streets on his scooter, Kev parked up for a while in the city centre and by luck was later joined by another scooterist, Adie Astell. Unbeknown to Kev and Adie, elsewhere in the city other scooterists including, Mark ‘Gibbo’ Gibson and Simon ‘Simo’ Titchener were riding the streets. One night Kev rode to the Blaby Fair, where by chance he met Gibbo and…

The last few ‘major’ components of the build finally turned up, the most important being the inboard disc brake unit. I’ve always been an advocate of ‘proper’ disc brakes with outboard discs and hydraulic Nissin-style callipers, the sort of thing which drops like an anchor and stops you dead. I guess this stems from my love for expansion chambers, big carbs, race-style tyres, uprated suspension and fast engines. In essence… street racers. However, this is a different kettle of fish, and a full 180-degree turnaround for me. Instead of going all street racer, I’m going all street sleeper. So this is definitely the style of unit I want for this project, and I’m going to have to get to grips with it. These units are not renowned for being as…

Name of scooter: Lesney model 36 Lambretta Scooter model: 1960 TV series 2, 1960 ‘S’ marked Bambini sidecar Inspiration for project: The Lesney Lambretta model Any frame modifications: Original Watsonian sidecar chassis uprated and Lambretta hub conversion for wheel Any specialised parts: Lambretta hub conversion on sidecar Engine spec: 186cc barrel conversion with ports optimised for torque, 22mm carb, 125 gearbox, casa big bore exhaust, uprated clutch, adjustable rear shock, 12V electronic ignition Any other unique details: Early T-Bar Pegasus seat and chair interior covered to match each other Top speed and cruising speed: Cruising around 50 on the flat; top speed a little more Paint work: Paint matched to jewelescent model colour and tinted for an increase in scale Hardest part of the project: Learning how to lay flawless…

This year none of the defending champions are racing a full season for various reasons, so there is an excitement that it will give some different riders the chance to shine. Standard class made up the biggest grid of the day as usual, with Vespas making up a quarter of the grid, showing a bit of a renaissance for the marque. Nikita McNally returned to upset a few more people this year, as did veteran racer Mark Shirley on his Piaggio Zip. Indeed, in Group 10 autos, it was Nikita McNally who took a trio of wins over the weekend from Mark Shirley, showing her natural talent! Although only sporting 80cc, they showed a clean pair of heels to a number of 200cc geared scooters. Group 4 is leaner this…