Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Scootering

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 had an accident a few years ago and my solicitor was absolutely rubbish. I am sure I should have got significantly more but various points weren’t raised by him. Can I bring a claim against him or is it hard to get a solicitor to sue one of their own? A.…

The previously named Manchester Scooter Alliance ran from early 1984 to 1989. “It was basically a collaboration between the clu ubs in Manchester and the surrounding areas. We’d meet up at Horner’s Scooter Shop in the city, everything was done by word of mouth and after it ended that all stopped,” explained Martin Holland. In 2014 Martin was involved with the Mystery Tours SC. “We used to meet up in our hometown of Rochdale, which is on the border with Greater Manchester. From there we would be joined by members from other clubs and ride out on Thursday evenings to meet up with scooterists in Bradford, Halifax, Hudders H field and Leeds.” Recently, as the rideouts became more popular, Martin and several members m of the Yorkkshire clubs held a…

Name of scooter & reason: RB230 ‘65. Scooter model: GP200. Date purchased & cost: 2013, £3k. Inspiration for project: To take an existing street racer to the next level. Time to build & by who: Overall around 18 months. Any specialised parts or mods: Thumb-choke (fabricated by me), USB port, clock and exhaust gas temperature gauge. Engine spec Kit: RB220 (230). Crank: Tameni with Yamaha RD350LC 110mm con rod. Carb: Mikuni 35mm. Exhaust: German import. Clutch: AF cassette. Gearbox: Standard GP200. Porting work by: Shaun Fairhead. What brand of oil do you run: Exol Optima Racing (4%). Chassis Spec: Tyres: Schwalbe Weatherman (F), Schwalbe Raceman (R). Rims: AF tubeless. Suspension: BGM (F) Chiselspeed adjustable (R). Speedo: SIP Seat: Tony Archer (Halifax) re-covered with orange piping. Fuel tank & Tap: Seventeen…

“I want you to ride around the block and I will step out into the road and raise my clipboard, at which point I want you to safely and swiftly bring the vehicle to a halt.” If this story starts anywhere, it is with the Government’s decision that, even though I’d passed my driving test in a car and had been riding a 200cc scooter for several years, I was now no longer capable and had to pass a test to prove my proficiency. I didn’t book the test until the last minute. If I’m honest, I think I was hoping the problem would just go away. It didn’t. On the day of the test, I arrived at the test centre; because of my experience I was not concerned at…

Synthetic Petrol Production Hi Dan, As a Lambretta and Vespa enthusiast (Series 2 and 3 Li and GP) I’m concerned that the existing unwelcome and further increase in ethanol content of petrol and the future quality of petrol may result in unnecessary problems. With the Government’s pledge to cause Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to cease manufacture from 2030 a pre-event ripple might affect petrol supplies. From the Government’s announcement I suspect the existing ICE production will exponentially shrink with a corresponding growth of electric motor vehicle manufacture. This trend has just begun in the motorcycle/ scooter industry. Although electricity must rank as one of the most important discoveries made by humans, I believe there still remains a purpose and need for other forms of energy. I’m sure an electric,…

Name of scooter & reason: Johnny Love Motorsport 4.0 – Johnny Love Motorsport is my private brand name. 4.0 stands for my 40th birthday where my wife, my clubmates and further good friends gave me a voucher for a professional paint job. Before, I had always painted all my scooters by myself with the can. Scooter model: Lambretta Innocenti – 150 DL. Date purchased & cost: Bought in 2013 for €800. Inspiration for project: After two decades of matt black, it was time to build something special. An eye-catcher which should look striking and fast. Time to build & by who: About 20 months. I’ve built it by myself, but with a lot of help of good friends. ENGINE SPEC Kit: TS1. Crank: BGM Pro HP 60/110. Carb: Mikuni 35…

Scootering for Mark Hodgetts (aka ‘Hodge’), who is the owner and founder of Supersprint Restorations, started when he was a kid. “Around 1979, just after Quadrophenia had been released, I saw some scooters parked in the Village Inn car park in Wednesbury and they looked fantastic.” At the time Hodge was only about 13 or 14 years old and of course too young to ride his own scooter. So, with this in mind he decided to customise his Raleigh Chopper bicycle. “I customised it with lights, mirrors, a whip aerial and plywood flyscreen with my name on it!” he laughed. Service As well as already having a ‘fledgling’ custom project under his belt, Hodge’s dad was a coachbuilder. “During my childhood I’d seen his craftsmanship, which had left a lasting…

Name: Joulan Greenhalgh. Job: Carpenter and builder. Scooter club & town: Rugby. First interest in scooters: Seeing photos of my dad in the late Sixties and wanting one. First scooter: Li125. Favourite rally: Isle of Wight. Least favourite rally: None, love them all. Funniest experience involving scooters: Watching a mate handle his scooter during a blowout. Favourite Scootering magazine feature: Mark Kendall’s Kendall Motor Oil rat. Which insurer do you recommend: Adrian Flux. Most useless part you’ve ever bought for a scooter: Too many bling bits. What would make the scene better: No Covid.…

The heart of rural Warwickshire is an unlikely place to find one of the UK’s, if not the world’s, most accomplished four-stroke scooter tuners. Yet it is here that seven years ago Dave Wilson established Retrotech Racing. Since then, he’s had a credible performance in the BSSO Championship, developed his own range of tuning products and worked closely with Scomadi on prototype development. It’s surprising to learn, therefore, that someone with such impressive credentials came into the world of scooters relatively late in life. “Like many people my age I had a scooter when I was younger,” he began. “I enjoyed riding them, had a few laughs and moved on.” For Dave ‘moving on’ meant a successful career in both powerbike and enduro racing. “The problem with that type of…

For owners seeking to get the best out of their Scomadi, Dave has a simple piece of advice: “Take care of it.” A surprising number of machines that come through his workshops suffer from a lack of general maintenance. “Simple things such as dry bushes or binding brake calipers can have a surprising effect on performance,” he advised. “There’s no point spending money on an upgrade if the front wheel’s binding.” For TT owners seeking a definitive guide to maintaining their machine, Dave’s produced the only Scomadi workshop manual currently available worldwide. Copies can be purchased directly from the Retrotech office.…

It seemed an easy task to put together, however, despite our initial excitement, it handed us something of a curveball. Despite Mod being a household word for well over half a century, cinema has rarely mined the lifestyle in any great depth. Quadrophenia in 1979 was an obvious choice, but digging deeper for other Mod-centric films – especially during the 1960s when the Mod lifestyle was arguably at its strongest – threw us into something of a quandary. Despite its strong imagery, Mod has rarely been a dominant factor in UK cinema. While British Rocker culture had been handsomely served by Sidney Furie’s excellent 1963 flick, The Leather Boys, Mods were afforded no such prize during the 1960s. As has become the stuff of legend, England’s prototype Mods had already…

The press release for this album makes a very large claim: “If you only ever buy one ska revival compilation, make sure that it’s Staring At The Rude Boys.” Given the amount of collections that there are out there, this is a pretty big statement. Let’s see what there is here that makes it such a beast then, shall we? First up, check the big names are present, and see what songs represent them. The Specials, The Selecter, Bad Manners, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers are all here, as you would hope. But the compilers of the album have strayed off the beaten track when it comes to choosing the songs. The founders of the 2-Tone label are not represented by one of their many brilliant singles, but by a…

Landsberg to Tokyo on a vintage Vespa In 1964, the XVIII Summer Olympic Games were held in Tokyo, Japan. One man dressed up as a motorised torchbearer that year and set out on a very special journey: the Italian Roberto Patrignani. He rode from Milan to Tokyo on a 150cc Vespa in 85 days, covering 13,000km. Arriving at his destination, he presented Daygoro Yasukawa, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, with a trophy donated by the Vespa Club d’Europe. Roberto Patrignani died in 2008, but his spirit is still in the books he left behind: stories of dreams and adventures that have also influenced others. One of them is Fabio Cofferati, who wanted to repeat the historic feat of Roberto Patrignani. When he arrives in Tokyo, Fabio will present a…

BLUE MOON PLAQUE UPDATE Hi Mau, Following on from my last message, here’s a couple of Blue Moon-related items which might help illustrate the Blue Moon Reunion Group past and present. The scooter montage features actual Blue Moon members and their scooters, circa 1966. These are some of the machines that would have been lined up outside the club on the big nights. Also shown is a short account of how we came to install the plaque. We would dearly love to get a picture of that line-up for our proposed book – we always say: “Surely somebody took a picture” – but none have turned up yet! Dave Jackson (BMRG) [If you have nostalgic pictures taken at the Blue Moon Club, then please send them in to mauspencer@classicscooterist.com and we…

Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire has been well documented for its thriving scooter scene for many years; and after the rattle can era of the 1970s and early 1980s, local paint sprayers are finding themselves busy repainting vintage Vespas and Lambrettas. Another medium that has become popular in recent times is the process of powder coating. The process is widely used in many industries to protect metal products – anything ranging from a steel cabinet to a scooter frame or wheels – and this gives the scooters protection from the relentless weather elements when they’re out on the road. There are numerous companies providing this product throughout the UK and looking locally (for me anyway), Scunthorpe Powder Coating is probably a good place to find out some facts about the process,…

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 sti 11 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…

Scooters are a passion that a lot of us have had for all of our adult lives, but many have other interests too. More often than not, where scooterists are involved, those interests are joined together, and the end result is a custom scooter of some kind… a mix of the two, if you like. Every now and then that other interest is football; ask any supporter and they will always give you the same answer, that following their club has been a passion for life. A dedication that has highs and lows, depending on how good the team is, but one that never leaves you. Blue is the colour For Mark Tidy, Kilmarnock FC is his team and, despite having to live in the shadow of Glasgow Rangers and…

Least crap snap…

Name: Martin Zeller aka Maddin. Scooter club & town: Kelten Rollerclub, Ostholstein. First interest in scooters: It started in the soccer youth at the age of 14, when one of the older ones came to the training with a loud and f*cked up Vespa PX rat. From that point on, all was lost - no money left over for girlfriends, alcohol or drugs LOL. First scooter: Vespa PX 80. Favourite scooter model: Lambretta GP and Vespa Rally. Favourite style of custom scooter: From my point of view, there is no need for a special style. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cutdown, a skelly, a full-body, a chopper or a racer, everything which is special and individual is great. First ever rally: Kelten Run 1995, Schürsdorf, Baltic Sea coast, Germany.…

The town of Rugby in Warwickshire, like many cities, towns and boroughs across the UK, has been holding an annual carnival for many years. The town of Rugby is also known worldwide as the birthplace of the game of rugby football, when in 1823, at the public school that shares the town’s name, during a game of football, pupil William Webb-Ellis caught the ball in his hands and ran with it – in the process single-ha handedly dedl inventing i e ti g egg-chasing. The carnival held annually in the market town has little, if anything, to do with the public school, except perhaps when public school pupils make their own rules up to suit themselves, when playing sport, they end up creating their own kind of carnival. Or carnage.…

One of the questions Dave’s most often asked is: “How do I make my 125 Scomadi go faster?” Unfortunately his answer isn’t always popular. “There are plenty of products that can give the smaller-capacity Scomadis more torque and power, but these will only affect acceleration.” For scooterists reared on a diet of two-stroke geared machines this seems counterintuitive; everyone knows that more power must equal a higher top speed. However, as Dave went on to explain, with auto scooters this isn’t always the case. “All Scomadis are fitted with a continuously variable transmission, or ‘CVT gearbox’. This is a very effective way of ensuring that a scooter is always in the correct ‘gear’ based on road speed and engine rpm. In really simple terms it works by using a belt…

With Covid-19 still trying to drag out its effect on us, it’s good to see that some sort of normality is at last resurfacing from the abyss. Not only are there scooter rallies and music events on the calendar, but also there’s a welcome return of the various types of scooter sport. One of them – track racing – is featured inside this issue and if you haven’t seen or heard of it, make sure you address that problem as soon as you can – especially if you’re an adrenaline junkie. It’s an alternative scooter sport that only really started to come to the fore a few years back before Covid threatened to put an end to it. But if it’s nostalgia that floats your boat, then there’s a number…

Here we are again, with another false start to the long-awaited scootering season (in relation to the major rallies anyway, with more and more being cancelled or rescheduled as we go to print). Much thanks and respect must go out to all those of you who’ve worked so hard to try and put something on for us all to look forward to and enjoy, but which has once again become an event that has had to be postponed, or even cancelled, due to circumstances beyond your control. To those organisers, I’d like to say, I know first-hand how much effort goes into being responsible for hosting such an event, so please stay positive. When we eventually do get to the events and parties we all long for so much, they’ll…

Supplements have long been our way of offering readers that ‘something extra’, to ensure we always offer the best value for money possible and to put out the highest quality information we can. To date, we have received an overwhelmingly positive response to all the supplements we have published, from the ‘how to’ guides on painting and airbrushing to the service guides and tuning supplements. However, when Covid struck in 2020, we were unable to produce these extra-value items for you due to all the associated carnage Covid brought with it to UK businesses. So it obviously gives me great pleasure to have these items firmly back on the table and to able to provide these supplements for you, this one being the second of the year. The Lambretta &…

Not the top-shelf newsagent type, but no less desirable, is a new range of clothing from Yorkshire-based Scooterporn. Created and owned by local scooterist Adam Ramoth, the new venture features a range of designs, all inspired by Adam’s own riding and rally experiences. Printed on high-quality cotton, the shirts are produced using a water-based system which is both environmentally friendly and hard-wearing. As Adam explained: “I always wanted to do something scooter related in business. I’m never going to be a mechanic as I don’t have the patience, I can paint but I leave that to the geniuses out there. I’ve always been interested in graphic art and during lockdown 2020, Scooterporn was born. “My original designs represent the lifestyle that I’m proud to be part of and I’m always…

New York-based American-Italian soul singer, actor and entertainer Dean Parrish (real name Phillip Anastasia) passed away aged 79 in June. He was best known, especially on the northern soul scene, for 60s recordings such as Skate, Tell Her, Determination and Bricks, Broken Bottles and Sticks, plus of course the record that is synonymous with Wigan Casino allnighters, I’m On My Way, which was the last record played at every allnighter held there, bar the very last one. Of course, Dean Parrish’s records were, and continue to be, popular plays at scooter rallies everywhere. During 2006 he was the singer with Lord Large on the Acid Jazz released single, Left, Right and Centre – a track written by a young Paul Weller, several years before The Jam signed to Polydor Records.…

FLYING START QUARTER MILE 210cc Geared Scooter – Adrian Horrocks, Vespa: 98.04mph 250cc Silhouette Scooter – Eric Cope, Lambretta 250cc: 114.87mph 300cc Geared Scooter – Dean St Leger, Lambretta SSR Casa: 108.69mph FLYING START HALF MILE 210cc Geared Scooter – Adrian Horrocks, Vespa: 96.98mph 250cc Silhouette Scooter – Eric Cope, Lambretta 250cc: 112.44mph 300cc Geared Scooter – Dean St Leger, Lambretta SSR Casa: 107.12mph STANDING START HALF MILE 210cc Geared Scooter – Adrian Horrocks, Vespa: 97.26 250cc Silhouette Scooter – Eric Cope, Lambretta 250cc: 105.03mph 300cc Geared Scooter – Dean St Leger, Lambretta SSR Casa: 104.05mph…

Name: Martin Holland. Scooter club & town: Square & Compass SC – Rochdale. First interest in scooters: Since I could walk! Mum and Dad were keen scooterists in the late 50s and 60s and I’ve been brought up around them throughout my life. First scooter: Vespa PX150. Favourite scooter model: Lambretta SX200. Favourite style of custom scooter: Street racer or vintage classic with tradition and history. First ever rally: Probably Morecambe or Scarborough in 1981 or ’82. How did you get there: Vespa PX150. Favourite rally: Kelso. The location is great, the craic you get is fantastic and it’s got the old-style 80s rally feel. Least favourite rally: Southport 1983 because when I was on my way there a lad on a Vega knocked me off my scooter. His handlebars…

Back in the day there were two main organisers of scooter racing: LASCA in the south, EMSA in the north. There were other smaller clubs of course but these were the main two. Many towns and cities have had their own stronghold for scootering and one of those was Carlisle Racing SC, and a guy from that area, who had been on the scene since the mid 70s, was Dave Harrison. In a 25-year racing career he had won both Group 6 race and sprint championships. In the late 1980s, along with Andy Scott, he took over the reins of EMSA and organised racing at a range of circuits, mainly in the north, including what became adopted as the ‘home’ circuit… Three Sisters near Wigan. Dave was very influential in…

LML/Cosa/PX/something…? Hi lads, Can anyone help me with any info on this oddity? The V5 states it is a Douglas Vespa 123cc 1999 registration. The frame parts are not compatible with the Cosa. The panels fit on the PX. The forks are unique to this machine. Again, they don’t fit on a Cosa and shorter than the PX. Kind regards Jim Hi Jim, We have various opinions… Nik Skeat suggests: “It’s a standard machine using a PX crane and Cosa ancillaries. Think it may be called the Royal or something? Thought it was Bajaj but LML though. Probably wrong on that... “Quite rare in this country, I’ve only seen a couple and then only in photos.” Sarge surmised: "Maybe a re-registered bitza? But weird that it has Douglas on the…

Name of scooter & reason: Daffy’s Speed Shop – another take on a rat rusteration. Scooter model: 1961 Li125. Date purchased & cost: Bought by Mark in January 2021 for £2k from Paul Casey – Mutant Series 1 and 2 Lambretta Club. Inspiration for project: Seeing my pal Paul’s scoot he bought from Mark Kendall. Time to build & by who: Four months by Mark Kendall – Banbury Scooter Club. Any specialised parts or mods: Front disc, lever choke and SIP speedo, double Raydyot spots and toggle switches mounted on legshield toolbox. ENGINE SPEC Kit: RT195 with MB reed valve from Chalky at Replay. Crank: GP 58x107mm crankshaft, 0.7mm base gasket. Toque: Barrel and head nuts torqued to 22Nm. Squish: 1.35mm. Gearbox: Li125 gearbox – 46 crown-wheel and 17 front…

An agricultural region famed for the wines it produces, and its crisscrossed vineyards, Napa is an ideal destination for those who enjoy beautiful long curvaceous roads and fairy-tale architecture. There are more than 300 wineries ranging from ultramodern to rustic faux chateaux. Wine tasting isn’t free these days, and the estate-bottled vino sells at retail, but it’s worthwhile tasting at least one label to appreciate what Napa Valley is all about. So it was extra exciting to join the Napa Valley Scooter Club for a day of cruising through the dramatic scenery of California’s premier wine appellations. These were scooter mates I’d not ridden with in more than a year; 30 scooters representing three clubs in the Bay Area. Louie Milgrom led the way on his two-stroke Stella. He exclaimed:…

If you want to play with rocking horse poo, be prepared to pay for rocking horse poo…. Throughout this build I’ve done my best to keep things the closest to a Mk1’s original specification as humanly possible. Although the base machine was largely untouched, one thing has proven elusive – the exhaust. From the factory T5s were fitted with a Piaggio-manufactured expansion chamber. Over the years most of these, including ours, have either rotted away or been discarded in favour of aftermarket options. Although many of these pipes improve performance there’s nothing that recreates the factory set-up and Piaggio haven’t supplied a replacement in years. I’ve never put so much effort into finding a standard exhaust but an advert on Facebook finally tracked one down that’s almost unused. It didn’t…

While it’s fascinating talking to the person behind any tuning kit, ultimately there’s only one question that matters. “How does it ride?” We sent Stan to find out: On the way to the test ride I went over my experience of small-block piston-port kits and realised that over the years I’ve accumulated plenty of saddle time on them. If I’m brutally honest my expectations weren’t high. These kits aren’t intended for racing; they’re designed to bring the humble125/150 into the 21st century. They aren’t generally too exciting, but they always have a positive impact on the experience of Lambretta ownership. Having kicked the TV into life I was rewarded with a pleasant exhaust note and what appeared to be a very free-revving engine. Although this demonstrator is fitted with one…

SC: What influences helped you develop This Way of Life (TWOL)? Spencer: “Influences is probably the wrong word. TWOL is more an accumulation of events and emotions, which I and many of my peers experienced during the turbulence of the 1980s. Those moments defined who we are and what we would become as we transitioned from the exuberance of youth to the apathy of adulthood.” SC: What were you seeking to create when you decided to write TWOL? Spencer: “Writing TWOL was about raising awareness of the Modernist scene and lifestyle with young people, while also offering a nostalgic reminder to our generation of the great times we shared; memories which we hold so dear. I guess in some way I was trying to get Mod back into the British…

A day at the seaside TThese pictures were taken late 1960s. Shown aare my then girlfriend and I (Bob and Marian) w with my Series 2 Lambretta TV175; there’s also aa picture of my friend Keith and his girlfriend on aa Series 1 Lambretta Li – pictures taken on our aarrival at Camber Sands. Bob Baines Terryy the Mod Here’s me as a 23-year-old Mod in 1964 on my Series 2 Lambretta Li150. Fast forward all those years and here’s me (plus wife) on my Series 2 Lambretta Li125/180. Terry Hunt North Wales invasion  Here we have Joe Pulizzi (far right) with friends, ready to leave for Rhyl in 1973. This was an annual event held every Easter and attended by the Stokeon-Trent Mods. Fast forward 47 years to 2020…

The original owner and painter of the scooter was an incredible artist and David wanted to do the man justice by re-creating his work as much as possible. I did some research and managed to track down the airbrush artist – Rowland Towler – who lived over the Humber Bridge in Hull. After contacting him and mentioning ‘Night Blues’ we had a conversation about the scooter and how it came about. ‘Roly T’ was the signature on the side panel and he explained that sometime in 1980, he was returning from a Scarborough rally weekend and the riders came back via the very steep Staxton Hill. He was riding a Lambretta with his wife on the back and as they climbed the hill a new Vespa flew past them. There…