Category Archives: Lambretta Life

The Scooter Diaries

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The Scooter Diaries

The Scooter Diaries

Great pic isn’t it?

It’s not the SLS (Special Lambretta Service)… It’s Ron Bowman, and his mate, about to set off on the journey of a lifetime.

In November of 1959, Ron Bowman quit his job as a newspaper reporter, sold his car and bought a 150cc Lambretta scooter. He intended to ride it from his hometown of Thorold, Ontario, Canada all the way to South America. As far as he knew, no one had ever made such a journey, but he was gong to try. Along the way, he proposed to his girlfriend of three weeks, and married her. This is the story of Ron and Tove Bowman and their epic adventure romance through Latin America on a motor scooter, during a time when such a journey was virtually unheard of. No crew. No support vehicles. Just two crazy Canadians in love on a Lambretta, discovering the world, discovering each other, and having the greatest adventure of their lives.

Their son, Gordon, recently found his dad’s manuscript and knew he wanted to share it with the world. He’s written a book and is planning to get it published through Kickstarter to crowd-fund it’s printing. He’s got a website with all the details, here and you can follow his progress on Facebook too. The Kickstarter page doesn’t appear to be up yet, but I’ll post a direct link to that too, when it is.

UPDATE:The Kickstarter page is now live, you can help make this book a reality HERE.

I’ve already added it to my Christmas reading list!

My Beautiful Laundrette…

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Wash Windsor Laundrette VanLambretta influenced Laundrette design… check out the website here!

Peer Pressure

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House of Lords TV175Spotted this article on the Huffington Post site, about a ‘pimped up’ TV175 parked up in reserved parking at the House of Lords. So who’s the coolest Peer of the Realm then? And are they a Lambrettista reader? Get in touch if you are M’Lord!

Brettas, Badges and Blog…

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20130417_161444Lambrettista is back after a short break (at the seaside with the family in sunny Broadstairs, Kent… highly recommended!) Now I’m back, I’m kicking off with a blog recommendation… check out the “You Don’t Need Speed” blog here… Scooters, music, style and more from Lambretta riding Pete, based in The Steel CIty… Sheffield. As well as putting together a very enjoyable blog, Pete can sort you out with enamel badges for you club or event… and has a nice stock of Punk, Ska and Mod button badges in stock here too. As well as the more commonly seen Trojan ones, I love the ones from the more esoteric ska record labels… Bigshot, Doctor Bird and Treasure Isle… bang on. Aces badge 3

Lammie Drive 2 Update

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LammieDrive2A lot has happened since my original post. There off! In fact, they’ve been going for over a week now… and it’s been eventful to say the least. A broken collar bone, and some severely stressed scooters that have needed a fair bit of work on them. But it was never going to be easy was it? The team Siobhan, George (A Harley and Triumph rider who’s first experience of Lambretttas was day one of the trip!), Tino and Oreste (on a Vespa) have got as far as Cairns.LammieDrive2 Cape York

 

Follow their progress here: lammiedrive.blogspot.co.uk

LCGB 60th Anniversary Run Shipston-on-Stour

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Remember that rather good video I posted a wee while back of EuroLambretta in Avignon? Well, Woody, who shot that, has made another mini masterpiece with this film of the Lambretta Club of Great Britains’ 60th Anniversary Rally. Enjoy.

Rockers. For Mods.

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Lambretta RockerSo the headline was a bit obvious, and as Lambrettisti, we sometimes get a bit wary of all being tagged as mods… Anyway, on with the post. I’ve seen this sort of thing before… but as a much more generic type scooter. This is identifiably a Lammie. Made to order, to your spec, colour and model for a mere £140, this isn’t some piece of plastic tat… It’s an opportunity to indoctrinate your offspring (or niece, nephew, grandchild, godchild… whatever) in the way of the Lambrettista.

UPDATE: Gordon Robinson, who makes these has been in touch, there are some more pics, this time of an SX. Made to order, they take about a week to ten days from deposit to delivery. Lambretta SX Rocker 59627_386789491401968_1844803806_n 547044_386759164738334_1553254771_n

On eBay here, or phone Gordon on 07411986016 for more information.

Rock on!

Kölner Nachtfahrt

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So… From Colombia to Cologne… A Nachtfahrt translates as “Night Crossing” …think I prefer Nachtfahrt! Another nice rideout vid, anyways. So, read Lambrettista, and you get to see the world, and some scoots, from the comfort of your armchair! Nice to hear that extended cut of Move On Up again too.

Manizales Scooter Classic, 2013.

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No apologies for my second post of the day from Colombia. Here we have the Manizales Scooter Classic… Now, I knew where Bogota was, but my Colombian geography is not that good, so I had to look up Manizales… and I found out it’s all about coffee. In fact, they claim to be the world capital of coffee. Who said this website wasn’t educational? Anyway… they have a classic scooter rally there too… as you’ll see from the above video. Some nice lammies too. Judge Dread doing the honours on the backing track.

Moonstomp Riders SC… Bogota!

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I find it amazing how countries around the world have adopted the scooter scene ethic… often with the same music and fashions as those originally found in the UK. I know the scooters are Italian, and the music is Jamaican, but the culture is pure British. Except it’s not. It’s GLOBAL. As this video from Bogota (that’s in Colombia, South America for all you geography dunderheeds). And I think it’s pure brilliant.

BTW, As well as Colombia, this blog has readers in Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. Most of South America in fact. So if you own, ride, or are just interested in Lambrettas and you live in Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Bolivia or Paraguay… please get in touch, send some pics, let me know what’s happening in your neck of the woods. There are a few places around the world untouched by the “Lambretta virus” but, as I’m finding out… not many!