Category Archives: Not a Lambretta

Automatic selection

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Another couple of nice scoots on eBay at the moment… if you like auto’s that is. Ok… they are not everybody’s cup of tea… especially the purists… but were a broad church here at Lambrettista, and I don’t mind them.

After all… where does ‘tuning’ stop. And if you can get “Lammie looks with automatic reliability” which is often the way these things are sold… well… why not.

Anyway. on to the machines. Bike one is the more classic Lambretta looking scoot… Classic SX good looks with a very smart Abarth paint job and a Typhoon 125 power unit. A nice touch is the bar end indicators. Neatly done. It’s had a few bids, but if your desperate to get your hands on it, the buy it now price is £4000. Here’s the link.

Lambretta Abarth Auto

Lambretta Abarth Auto – Front view

$T2eC16Z,!)QE9s3HFhhmBR0y,2TDb!~~60_12Bar end indicators

The second bike is a bit more radical… and there’s a bit of an issue with the photo’s on eBay, so maybe you can see them here and then stick your bid in if your interested. Built on a Lambretta Innovations frame, it runs on 13″ wheels. The power is provided by a Gilera lump with a Mallosi 172 top end. It will (allegedly) “sit at 80mph all day long” and has all round disc brakes to bring you to a swift halt if the need arises. If Kawasaki Green and a swift ride is your thing, you might want to get a bid in on this scoot. Here it is on eBay. Even if you’re not interested, and you’ve got five minutes, check it out because it’s written in a thoroughly engaging style. I like what he’s done with the shed, too.

GP Gilera Auto $T2eC16h,!yUE9s6NGYqzBR2R(3HwEQ~~60_12 $(KGrHqNHJDkFG)SOV-ppBR2RT,Zv4Q~~60_12 $T2eC16V,!zoE9s5nf!FGBR2RVLE3)g~~60_12

My only caveat about autos is, being a hybrid, when things go wrong… where do you take it? A Lambretta specialist? A Gilera (or whoever has made the engine) specialist? Hopefully back to the place that built it. But the permutations of things that could go wrong rise rapidly. Saying that, if you’re even thinking about it, your probably a little handy with the spanners yourself, and a little tinkering may not worry you. If that’s the case, go for it.

The Ultimate Back-up Vehicle? 1943 VW Schwimmwagen

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VW SchwimmwaggenSo it’s not a Lambretta, not even a scooter. But it is cool as… well it’s just cool. The futures retro, low tech, and amphibious dude. You could probably bung an Lammie in the back, push comes to shove. Genuine, restored WWII Schwimmwagen, also the perfect escape vehicle for the forthcoming zombie apocalypse. Yours for only (cough) $150,000. Here; on Old Bug

20100603-IMG_7050 20100603-IMG_7037 24543_412878127628_151352572628_5477781_4144922_n 1943-Volkswagen-Schwimmwagen-3 1943-Volkswagen-Schwimmwagen-2 1943-Volkswagen-Schwimmwagen-1

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Scrooser… hipster electric scooter

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So, what do you get if you cross an electric scooter, with a kids toy, push along scooter… and add a bit of Harley Davidson ‘bobber’ aesthetic into the mix?

Scrooser-Electric-Scooter-1The Scrooser, that’s what.

And they call it an “Urban Mobility Scooter” rather than a hipster electric scooter.

Scrooser-Electric-Scooter-4 Scrooser-Electric-Scooter-3Although it doesn’t actually exist as a product you can buy – yet – it looks pretty well advanced. If you like it, you can be part of the story by funding it on Kickstarter… chip in anything from $1 up… if you contribute $3950 you’ll get a Scrooser, early backers edition, personally numbered (2-25). If you stump up $10k you get the Scooser ONE, the first one off the production line.

I don’t know if I love it or hate it… LOVE the fat wheels, clean lines, and lack of visible engine… HATE the hipsters riding it all over the pavement… can see that going down well!

Scrooser-Electric-Scooter-2If it was road legal, and had decent performance and range, it would be way cool, and probably knock the Zoomer/Ruckus off it’s spot as my favourite modern scooter.

Via: HiConsumption blog

Find a full review of The Scrooser over at Electric Scooter Expert – a blog focused on this kind of scooter… if you like the Scrooser, check the site out here.

Innocenti Mini

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Innocenti MiniBrowsing the Nerves Autos site I mentioned yesterday I found a couple of nice Innocenti items. A 1971 Mk2 Mini, and an Innocenti Small.

The mini is a lovely little car, resprayed in it’s original pea green colour, and restored to the high standards demanded by FIVA, and the ASI Targa Oro (Gold Plate) …only given to vehicles restored to original condition.

Innocenti Mini Mini-1001-0001 Mini-1001-0006 Mini-1001-0002 It’s in lovely condition throughout, I particularly like the original “Mille Miglia” wheels, and the small, Italian front number plate – I don’t know the rules of keeping this in the UK, but as a historic vehicle, your might be ok. I think it’s a bit of a bargain at €5.700.  More here.

Innocenti Small 500 LSThe other car an Innocenti Small – a 500cc dating from 1993. While not as immediately attractive as the Mini, it’s got a late 80’s/early 90’s appeal all of it’s own… a future classic, and an steal at €1.900. Maybe.Alfa-Romeo-Junior-1300-GT-Scalino-1972-0000

Unfortunately sold, and rather more to my personal taste, is a rather nice 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, but there’s a lovely 1970 Giulia GT 1300 Junior Scalino still available. And you won’t find many small, sporty saloons prettier than that.

Does your scooter smell of mint?

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Lamby PoloThat’s because it’s a polo! Boom boom! Ok, dad joke out the way… here we have a very rare 1991 Lamby Polo, an Indian evolution of the SIL Lambretta. The seller reckons there are only 12 registered in the UK. I’m surprised it’s that many.

Lamby Polo $(KGrHqZHJCYFGgOOi0gUBRqygmy29w~~60_12 $(KGrHqFHJEgFGpP4!2McBRqyg2pQpg~~60_12 $(KGrHqFHJFYFGWM7O,QoBRqyg5I1ZQ~~60_12Because it may be rare, but it sure is ugly too. Some designs grow on you after time. But I thought the Lamby Polo was ugly “back in the day” and I think it’s ugly now. If you want an object lesson in styling …or rather how to take a classic design and wreck it, just take a look at this scooter. To put things in context, this was the era of the PX and PK V#spa, and the Polo was trying to bring a 1960’s design (well, late 50’s really) into the 80’s. But sticking on big ugly indicators, a horrible headlight and PX style horncasing, as well as a turning front mudguard (just use the lovely Eibar style one ffs!) and casting a bizarre, “go faster” shape into the sidepanel just doesn’t work.

Ok, it was for the Indian market, not here, but it didn’t cut it over there, by all accounts.

The best thing about this scooter, IMHO, is the seat. And that looks awful in this scooter. Who would put orange with lime green and turquoise. But it would look fine on another scooter.

Anyway, you probably got it by now that I don’t like this scooter very much. But it is a Lammy, sort of. And it might float your boat. Or you might be a collector who fancies it for rarity value. Or your Indian, and you want to relive your youth. Well, you can put a bid in on eBay, here.

If it was me, I’d buy it, take off eveything that makes it look like a Lamby (store all that carefully), stick on a standard S2 headlight and horncasing, and you’ve got a cheap(ish) Lambretta.

Build your own scooter trailer

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ImageI’ve been seeing a lot of fully laden lammies getting ready for Avignon. It’s pretty amazing how much luggage you can carry on a standard Lambretta with a bit of ingenuity! Now, I’ve seen a few classic scooter trailers over the years, but if they come up for sale, they’re not cheap. So when I saw this article on building your own trailer over at instructables.com, I thought it may be of interest. There is a certain amount of fabrication skill needed, but not so much it would be beyond many Lambrettisti. You would need a scoot with a bit of power… but if you are doing any long distance touring, you’ve probably got one of those. And it would look better behind a Lambretta!

UPDATE: If you fancy tackling something a little more ambitious than a trailer, why not go for a full blown “teardrop”?

Here the link again.

Via Scooterfile.

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The true spirit of motorcycling…

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These days, when I’m out on my Series 2, I get more “thumbs up” from riders of BSA and Triumphs than modern auto scooters… funny how things change. Anyway, this video raised a smile. After yesterdays horrific events In London, I need something to make me smile.

I think that’s a Cezeta… I don’t think Innocenti had much to worry about on the design front! And a petrol tank built into the front fender? Who’s bright idea was that!?

Fail.

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LAMBRETTA L47 100ml EDT and 150ml of body wash gift set
I’ve vented about this before; here. But this is worse. It’s a freakin’ V•spa for chrissakes…

 

What all this Ruckus?

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Honda Zoomer-Ruckus-Pics htup_1006_24_o 2009_honda_ruckus headlihgt_shot htup_1006_29_o 2009_honda_ruckus front_view htup_1101_02_o 2004_honda_ruckus rear_right_side_view htup_1101_03_o 2004_honda_ruckus exhaust htup_1101_09_o 2004_honda_ruckus front_tire htup_2101_05_o 2004_honda_ruckus right_side_viewI’ve expressed my admiration for Honda’s Zoomer (or the Ruckus as it’s known stateside) before now…  I think, design wise, it stands head and shoulders above most of the modern scooters on the market. But what has it got to do with the Lambretta? Not a lot to be honest. There’s a kind of back-to-basics early Lambretta aesthetic (Models A-F) about it I suppose. And, from day one, there has been a bit of a scene upgrading and customising the Zoomer. That’s pretty much where it ends. But that’s enough of an excuse for me to post these pics from Honda Tuning Magazine.

I’ve got to admit, my knowledge of todays scoots isn’t that great. What else is out there, modern scooter wise, that deserves a mention? Let me know. If I like it, I’ll post it!

KTM Electric Scooter

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ImageImageI’m not usually one to post about modern scooters, with a few notable exceptions (Honda Zoomer/Ruckus some ItalJets, and *gasp* the forthcoming Vespa 946 ) I’m generally not a fan. They’re either pretty generic… or poor retro style rip offs of classic lines of Lambrettas and Vespas. But here’s something that looks like it’s come straight from the futre… and being electric, it probably does herald the future for scooters. Unlike (most) other electric vehicles, this one seems to have the performance to back up it’s looks too… Performance comparable with a 125cc Petrol Scoot.

Though not for me, I like my scooters a bit more traditional… but if I were a young ‘un… maybe this is the sort of thing that would turn my head.

Find out more at Scooterfile.

If, like me, you like you’re scooters with classic italian lines, check out these previous posts:

EcoLa: An electric powered Model D

Ebretta: Classic Lambretta looks with an electric powertrain