Fill that hole!

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There’s a lot of thing that are better riding a scooter second time around. Mobile phones. Not having the local greaser waiting at the top of my road to kick me off. Breakdown/recovery service as part of your insurance. General goodwill from most of the population, including bikers. But, there is one thing that is definitely WORSE. The state of the roads.

I honestly can’t remember our roads ever being in as bad a state as they are now. Potholes are bad enough if you’re a car driver… but if you’ve knackered your suspension, had a puncture, or damaged a wheel, maybe you’ve got off lightly. For Motorcyclists, scooterists and cyclists potholes can be nothing short of deadly. I had one little spill this winter on a corner… spotting a pothole half way round I changed my line, lost grip and hit the tarmac, being narrowly missed by an HGV. Not much damage, and just bruising so pretty lucky really, but it could have easily been so much worse.

Local authorities put the state of the roads down to tight budgets and a harsh winter. But c’mon… it’s MAY now. And it must be cheaper to get the roads fixed than to pay out compo to damaged cars, and dead scooterists. And they have a DUTY to maintain the roads.

I got sent this link: Fill that hole the other day, and while it’s run by the ctc, the national cyclists charity, it works for scooterists too. If you’ve got a bad pothole near you, REPORT it (you can easily do it on the site), it will be logged on the site, and check the status… whether it has been fixed or not. It all helps pile the pressure on the councils.

So if you’ve got a pothole on your ride, REPORT it. You can even download an iPhone, Android or Blackberry App to your phone, and do it on the go. In the meantime, ride safe.

Link: http://www.fillthathole.org.uk

Café culture

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Café culture

Lovely old shot of an Italian street scene… early sixties… maybe later, the Series 1 looks quite beaten up!

80’s Scooter Rally

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This video starts off with some footage we’ve all seen a million times before, mods at the seaside in the 60’s… which is always good for another watch. But the real gem is when it switches to the Scarborough 1983 rally… the scoots, the clothes, the hair… brings it all back.

Oh and incidentally, it kind of reinforces my last post about the Serveta Lynx and the Vespa P-range… ONE Lynx and a ton of PX’s and P200E’s… To be fair, the Lynx wasn’t launched until 1983, and the P-Range had been around since 1977… (although tbh, I hadn’t realised it was as early as that).

Lowlanders SC 15th Anniversary Run

RIght, so the blog has seen a dearth of updates lately… largely due to work and family commitments. In fact, this is my first post of 2013, which makes my personal target of at least one good post a week seem little a little poor.

Anyway… on to the good news. With the worst of the winter behind us (surely!!) and the days getting longer, if not that much warmer… the 2013 scootering season is kicking off. One of my plans for teh blog is to have a calendar of events, and here’s one for your dairy to start things off. It’s not until the middle of June so there’s plenty of time to make arrangements!

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One of the reasons I’m posting this is that I designed the flyer… well, after all that’s my day job. BTW, if you run a club and want a logo, t-shirt or flyer done… drop me a line. Or if you’ve got an event you want publised, do likewise. email crocodilejock@gmail.com

My mate Iain, now resident in the beatiful Scottish borders rides with the Lowlanders, and it’s a part of the world I know reasonably well… having relatives in the wonderfully named village of Ecclefechan. I’ve holidayed near Portpatrick too… and it’s a great little harbour town… but they won’t know what’s hit them when the scooters arrive! So if you fancy a run away from some of the more usual destinations this summer bear it in mind.

There. First post of 2013 done. Wasn’t hard was it? More to come soon. Promise.

Twitter? Here’s some scooter people you may want to follow

Instead of a regular #FF (Follow Friday – where you post links of other Twitterers you may think of interest to others), I thought I’d complile the ultimate scooter related list. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, UK, US, Europe, Worldwide, Shops, Clubs, Blogs, Forums and Individual Scooterists; I should probably sort it into some categories, but that’s for another day.

If you’re not on it, you probably don’t follow me on Twitter (@CrocodileJock – if you want to follow me I’ll add you to the list). If you don’t want to be on list, let me know, I’ll take you off. 

@ScootSafely, @NScutt, @bostonlambretta, @Stellin0, @BMGscooters, @littlerascal356, @silviabes, @PhxScooterClub, @RetroScooterG, @anjieto, @cf31bloobird, @TgSoul82, @Lambretta_Store, @ScooterGeek, @TurdyBoyScooter, @LondonMod, @JacquesCockin, @LambrettaImages, @lambretta_man @PXVespaRider, @scooter italia, @scooterandstyle, @vespabretta, @Vespa_King, @oilyblog, @meekmeister, @lambrettagp205, @luvmylambretta, @joker_79, @indoscootermagz, @DaveSexton7, @lambretta_sx200, @PhilwArcher, @JahSeagrove, @lambrettaparts, @scooture, @ScooterNews, @LambrettaSuits, @lionssc, @ZenosScooters, @love2sc00t, @ScooterBritain, @viajandoenvespa, @Scooter_TShirts, @Scooter125net, @LambrettaClubID, @Mod_Generation, @VespaScooter1, @petethemod66, @MonkeyPicks, @vespasurrey, @LambrettaColin, @SportiqueScoots, @scooternation, @KCScooterRiders, @Vespablog, @vespaexperiment, @nohoscooters, @ celesteisella, @rapidoscooters, @vespagal746, @scooter_boi, @fanaticscooters, @vespa online, @ StoneheadsSC, @SportiqueDenver, @ModWorldGallery, @VespaDetroit, @Marishka, @vespalexington, @SurreyScooterSv, @Novox_e_scooter, @VespaVita, @Bumpstart, @scootrev, @cooperdmev, @daveVespa, @southbayscoots, @LaVidaVespa, @a1zeno, @scootrva, @vespa_org_uk, @NEScooterClub, @scooterclubbog, @VespaofLA, @zenx13, @barnsleysime, @wadotone, @MalossiUSA, @th_capn, @uvscooters, @GVVR, @Michael_Stirra, @VespaClubBern, @scootarded, @Mod_Shack, @scooterjenn, @vescooterspares, @heru_hw, @lambretta60, @2StrokeSmoke, @lambrettaspain, @LamMag, @ScooterLounge, @ScooterWrecker, @scooterchrome, @scootnashville, @SpiParts, @scootnz, @scooterpinups, @Doug_Turner, @RVDMScootPDX, @dtc54, @joneoz, @GazParry66, @ukscooterclub, @ThePilgrimsSC, @RBSCScooterClub, @TitansScooterC, @ScooterCrowd, @topmod63, @scootsuitsboots, @scootercenter, @LincolnMOD, @Retrovespa, @ClassicScoots, @SeattleVCOS, @dougmcp, @ThatVespaGuy, @MRTScooters, @bluerichard67, @Dj_IMOD, @The_Robster_, @SCOOTERATTITUDE, @ scooterclasico, @VespaLand, @Ciaoparis, @ZootScoot, @brayscooters, @innocenti42, @ScooterMercato, @LambrettaRev, @eastsidescooter, @BluevsGreyRally, @vespaloversclub, @redstickscoot, @sipscootershop, @Amerivespa, @vespabk, @scootcats, @ScooterForumUK, @ScootPhilly, @scoottheroute, @ScooterCenter, @Scootr_magazine, @SShipstone, @Salford_Knights, @MalcolmLong, @scootermod, @lollkieran, @scooter_andy, @jgrightnow, @Modtheaceface, @Paella_Pete, @LambrettaClubUS, @mapcy, @TheRealDealSC, @trojan_sc, @trojan_sc, @BhamScooterSynd, @ScootervilleMN, @POCscooters, @ScootClubUSA, @scooterlandusa, @iamascooterist, @Scooterspot, @Scooter_Maniac, @fatcatscooter, @Scootabaker, @stuartbumford, @scootertech, @LambrettaClubCh, @LambrettaStore, @casalambrettauk, @Lambrettaman, @scootrally, @lambretta, @ScooterDiva, @ScooterAlert, @scoot3r, @ScooterCult, @nyscooterclub, @scooterguy09, @scootinoldskool, @deadbunnysc, @ScooterGrooveUK, @PhillyScooters, @scrmovie, @ScooterLust, @jet200lambretta, @metromoto, @JoDaines, @VivoScooters, @Corazzo, @SittKnightsSC, @ChiDistrict_SC, @scootmagapril, @VespaUSA, @vespafans, @SCOOTERIASP, @nycscootering, @Chicago_SC, @mainroller, @ScootRS, @ScooterworksUSA, @old_scoot, @thescooterspace, @scooterism, @davesx200, @rockersvsmods, @stacie_stewart, @lambrettaowners, @DaveModculture, @CrocodileJock, @ScooterLife150

A New York scooter rideout

<p>A NEW YORK DAY TO FAR ROCKAWAY from Naoto Ono on Vimeo

From NYC to Rockaway beach, beautifully shot. Looks like a fun day fellas. Nice soundtrack too.

Amphibious Lambretta

I’d seen this video a while ago… but it’s worth a post if only for it’s “Mr Chummley-Warner” style narration! 

New record for riding a Lammie no handed

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Don’t try this at home kids!

Lussio Lisarelli from Gubbio, in Italy had a liver transplant a few years ago. He wanted to show the world what 70 year old transplant survivors could do. So he decided to go for the world record for riding a Lambretta, without using your hands. Like you do. 

Suffice it to say, he did it, travelling 1,150 metres, and exceeding 13 minutes. No handed. On a Lambretta. For the technically minded who wnat to work out how he did it I’m going to cut and paste directly from the “To lead 2 stroke” (Italian) vintage scooter blog where I found the story.

“Lucio part, meshes with the gears up to the 2nd or 3rd as needed, and then locks the knob with a rubber band already rolled up on the handlebar”

You might understand that, but I’m none the wiser. Sounds dangerous enough without locking your knob up with an elastic band… but I think it may just be lost in (Google) translation 🙂

The London 2012 Olympic Ceremony – from the back of a scooter

Told you there’d be scooters. Amazing vid from one of the lucky few who rode around the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night.

What’s YOUR dream Lambretta collection?

The post I stuck up the other day about an entire Lambretta collection up for sale probably wouldn’t be the eight machines I’d put together in a collecton. Actually, there’s no probably about it – it definately wouldn’t. Got me thinking though… if you had the resources to by your dream Lambretta collection, what would it include? I’ve half done mine in my head a few times, and it comes out different each time… so come on, get involved let me know.

Rules… You’re ‘budget” is £50k… use your estimating skills, and give each of your selections a “guide price”. You can throw in one “wildcard”, ie. a non-Lambretta scooter. All models from 1947 onwards, and from any country manufacturing under licence acceptable. All styles and modifications acceptable.

Once I’ve pinned down my ideal garageful I’ll post them up here. But what would YOUR dream Lambretta collection consist of?