Not a lot of description on this one, so if you’re interested, I’s suggest a little personal research… I spotted this Model A on the Italian eBay site. Now it’s obviously where it all began for Lambretta… so this is an important machine. They don’t come up that often, so this may be your chance to own a bit of Lambretta and automotive history!
Happy Thanksgiving Colonials! Enjoy your pre-Christmas Turkey!
I’ve written about the marvellous Scooters & Style magazine before, but no apologies for mentioning it again on the blog. Whilst being a heavily ‘Vespa centric’ issue – so plenty there for the Wasp lovers – and only featuring one Lambretta this issue – the one they do feature is an absolute cracker – and rightfully the cover star. There’s also a piece on a bizarrely modified Bernardet scooter, a real curiousity!
It’s Daniele Savare’s TV175 Series 1, tastefully modded and restored by the Rimini Lambretta Centre. Daniele is a well-known face on the mod scene, and owns six scooters, including three Lambrettas. The TV1 is his favourite, however, and it’s easy to see why.
The fine scooter photography really benefits from being seen on the superior paper (or stock as we ‘in the trade’ call it). It’s the production standards of Scooters & Style magazine that sets it apart from the competition. This is a real quality product. If you want to have a sneaky peak at the content of the mag, they’ve got a ‘portfolio‘ section on the website which is worth checking out, but doesn’t give you the tactile feel and even smell of the real printed magazine. The website, by-the-way, is (like the mag) dual langauge, with both French and English versions. Which is helpful for those of us with just CSE grade 2 French.
You can get your mitts on a copy here. I’d highly recommend it.
Here’s a bunch of useful links;
The Scooters & Style Website
The Scooters & Style Facebook Page
Scooters & Style on Instagram
I’ll admit now to not always having been the biggest fan of Bertone’s little late-sixties space age Lambrettas… the Luna range. I used to think didn’t have the elegant lines of a classic Lammie for me.
I’ve since grown to realise that they were future classics – designed ahead of their time, and the world wasn’t quite ready. Today, I think they’ve a great 70’s retro futurism vibe about them… kinda like the Bond Bug.
There’s a nice example on eBay… a 1970 Lambretta Vega 75s. It was restored in 2005, and is a UK registered bike with all the proper paperwork. It needs a little tidy up, but it’s in pretty decent nick. It’s priced at £2,500.
I don’t often cover ‘The Wasp’ on here, but there is big news today out of Milan. At EICAMA (the Milan Motorcycle Show) today The Piaggio Group announced what the future may look like for Vespa… and it looks pretty much like the Vespas of the last 70 years (which is a good thing!). But it’s electric. Which, I also think is a good thing.
I know, I know, we all love our smelly old 2-strokes. But that ship sailed a long time ago, and electric is the future. And if you can balance style, performance, range and price you’re on to a winning formula. The Vespa Electtrica is has got the styling nailed –it’s based on the successful current Primavera model.
To quote from the official Vespa site “Introducing the Vespa Elettrica project, the new mobility solution according to the most elegant and beloved two-wheeled brand in the world that takes a step into the future in complete consistency with the values that have accompanied its history.
The Vespa Elettrica will, first and foremost, be a true Vespa, bringing the very latest in electric technology to a vehicle that will retain all the features that have been vital to its success. The style, agility, ease of use and riding pleasure will be the same as the Vespa we have always known, with the addition of technological and innovative connectivity solutions. A perfect mix of excitement, technology and environmental friendliness that only Vespa can create. Like it has always done in its first seventy years of history.”
So not a lot of hard facts about performance, or range then. Or price – though, if on launch the government ‘plug-in’ grant offering a £1,500 rebate on the cost of electric scooters / bikes is still in effect, that will help, big time. They have got the styling sorted. If you like Vespas, of course : ).
It’s not the first time that Vespa has explored the world of electric vehicles, as The ScooterNova blog points out. They are also where I first read about the Electric Vespa, so stay tuned to them for further updates. I’m sure ScooterLab and Scootering will be all over it too.
The official Vespa site is here.
If you want to take your mind off the US elections, here’s a picture of a couple pretty girls on a Lambretta. You’re welcome.
On the Italian eBay site is this rather lovely LC and sidecar combo. It’s €12,500, which bearing in mind the state of the pound, is a little on the steep side. If you’re not lucky enough to live in Italy, he’ll ship it internationally.
Now for something completely different… a Puch DS 60 Cheetah from, amazingly in my opinion, 1960. Why amazingly? Well, to my untrained eye, it looks so much later, presaging Japanese mopeds like the Honda Cub and monkey bikes from the 70s. There’s also a hint of the Rumi Formicino in the styling. Not as curvy and sinuous as a Lambretta or a Vespa, but a very pleasing design – tidy, solid and compact. It was described, back in the day, as a ‘scooterette’ – or ‘baby scooter’. The 59cc Cheetah was the ‘deluxe’ version, with a more stripped down 50cc bike called the Nomad as it’s entry level stablemate.
The Austrian company Puch are perhaps more remembered these days for their mopeds (such as the Puch Maxi), and small motorcycles, and maybe even push bikes (especially BMX’s), but they made very highly regarded scooters in the 1950’s. The Puch RL from 1953 had more traditional scooter styling, and had a good reputation amongst it’s owners, the less than sparkling performance being offset by a reputation for exceptional reliability.
The 59cc 4 speed sports engine on this Cheetah produces 4.5 hp. It’s been restored to ‘as new’ condition with a professional respray (love the silver and bright orange combo!), the engine rebuild by leading vintage Puch specialists in Austria. The aluminium casing, brake drums and shock absorbers are polished to mirror finish. It has a refurbed original seat, new brake linings, wiring, exhaust system, rubbers and tyres. Rebuilt by a restorer rather than a rider, the bike has covered only 3 miles since. The V5 is present and it has 12 months MOT.
The bike is available for sale here:
‘Original condition’ may be a synonym for a bit rough. Just as ‘patina’ has become a synonym for what I used to call an RAF scoot – Rusty as F••k. But IMHO there’s a lot to like about this SX. For a start it’s all there… (well as far as I can tell from the pics, barring the rear frame badge, which shouldn’t be a problem). The panels look like they’re a good snug fit. Of course it needs a bit of TLC. And the engine will need a tinker with. Ok, it’s not a 200, but it IS an SX, a genuine one, not an LI dressed up, and it’s not silly money. It’s not cheap… but at todays prices, £3,550.00 looks like pretty good value to me. You could go either way with this one, a ‘conserved restoration’ or a a full nut and bolt shiney shiney job. Your call.
Here it is on eBay
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