Monthly Archives: October 2015
Fairground attraction…
A cute set of three bikes, one of them clearly based on a Lambretta, from a 1960’s fairgorund roundabout. Some scrapes and knocks, so if ‘it’s gotta be perfect’ maybe not for you (see what I did there?) but you might think, for a bit of period fairground memorabilia for £875, (for all three) ‘It’s gotta be worth it’.
Check them out on eBay here.
Silly money?
The price of Lambretta scooters seems to be reaching new heights, as a quick glance at eBay will confirm. A TV175 Series 3, for the best part of £15k, an SX200 for a ‘buy it now’ price of £12k, and an Italian GP for £7,779… All very nice looking scooters… but that’s a lot of your hard earned cash to spend on a scooter.
The first one is, admittedly a beautiful machine, and the only one of the three I’ve seen in the flesh. Restored by the world famous RImini Lambretta Centre… so you know everything will be done to the highest standard. But still… that’s a lot of dosh. Check it out on eBay here.
The second is another very desirable scooter; a British Registered SX200, in champagne and white, still with it’s original Ken Cobbing seat. Matching frame and engine numbers and original panels and bodywork. Bit still… a little steep at £12K?
Here it is on eBay
If GP’s are more your thing… there’s a nice, 1969 original Innocenti 200. Restored to a high standard, and looking lovely in yellow ochre. A steal at just £7,779? If it’s for you, here’s the eBay link
And it’s not just the more desirable models that are getting expensive… here’s a 150 LD going for £4800… something that would have seemed, if not unthinkable, an “ambitious” price, just a few years ago. Here’s the eBay link to the LD
So, are these machines actually worth these price tags? They’re all very desirable scooters, and look like they’ve been restored to a high standard. So, ultimately, the market will decide. It’s hard to see prices dropping in the future, so a classic Italian scooter may be a good investment, even at these prices. But remember, these machines are always better ridden than hidden.
There are still plenty of more affordable Lambrettas out there, but they may be either less cosmetically attractive, needing some work, or complete ‘projects’. I suppose it’s good news if you already own a Lambretta, or are in a position to buy and restore one… but the downside is it’s getting increasingly difficult for youngsters to get involved in our scene.
Solo electra
Cool german electric scooter from the 1970’s. Found on The Marquis, an equally cool blog about vintage motoring, and motorcycle, culture.
Music Monday: The Invisibles; (Could you) Get Lucky…
My latest musical discovery is a dutch ska / rocksteady band called The Invisibles… Watch the video above, and you’ll get a good idea of their vibe.
They do some great (unexpected) covers, and their own stuff too. There’s a whole bunch of videos that I highly recommend that you check out. Check out their YouTube page here.
A Suffragette… on a scooter!
Embed from Getty Images
I came across this image of early woman’s right campaigner Florence, Lady Norman (nee McLaren, 1884 – 1964), travelling on her motor scooter her office, circa 1916. The scooter (a birthday present from her husband), was an Autoped, was an early example of a motorised kick (or toy) scooter. There’s cleary a direct line between the Autoped and the folding paratrooper scooter that were said to have inspired the first Lambretta.
So could Florence actually be described as the first Scooter Girl? Probably!
Incidentally, I toyed with several alternative headlines for this post… “Go with the Flo” and “SuffraJet200” were two of my rejects…
(Photo by Paul Thompson/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Santa Clara to Pasadena along the Pacific Coast Highway
On a Lambretta, naturally! Tom,Ted,Tino,John, Lincoln and Tim ride from Santa Clara to Pasadena on the way to The LCUSA Lammy Jammy 2015
Lohner Legal…
Anybody remember that post I did about the Lohner Lea, a while back? At the time it was just at a ‘concept’ stage… albeit an advanced one. Now they are apparently ready to start manufacturing. “The Lea is elegant and calm of its distinctive design, the driving behavior, safely and silently. …for the urban man who wants to enjoy cruising in city traffic properly.”
It’s an ‘interesting’ looking scooter, although design wise it does rather remind me of a ball of Edam. But I am rather cheese obsessed, so that might be just me.
If you want to see one for yourself, there is a “pop-up store” (does anybody else hate the term “pop-up as much as me? Pop-up should refer to books. Not shops. Or restaurants. Or whatever.) In Vienna, on Thursday 8th October, between 5pm and 8pm.
The address is Lohner Pop up Store, 1010 Wien, Neuer Markt 8.
Updated with the Lohner Website details here or go to the Facebook page here.
Lambretta – the rise and fall of an Italian Miracle…
I don’t know much about this DVD (If you publish it, send me one, and I’ll write a review), but I think the title translates to what I’ve put in the blog post.
Here’s Google Translate’s attempt at the (Italian) Amazon translation… “After the war almost all automakers tried to develop new models of scooters, but the only one that was able ‘to develop a vehicle competitive with that of Piaggio was the innocent with his scooter. the success of the two models proceeded hand in hand and development for all the fifties and sixties. I was born so ‘categories of Vespa and Lambretta, constantly competing with each other, each willing to swear on the superiority’ of their vehicle to the antagonist.”
It runs to 52mins, and has English and Italian subtitles. If you want to take a chance (it’s only £8, at the moment, anyway) here’s a link to the DVD below;
Lambretta – Ascesa E Declino Di Un Miracolo Italiano – On Amazon
lambrettista.net 