Category Archives: Not a Lambretta

Lambretta. Not.

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Whatever you feel about the Lambretta LN and it’s siblings, at least some attempt has been made to echo some classic Lambretta styling. Which is more than can be said for this monstrosity. When I saw it, I got a little bit of sick in the back of my throat. It’s marketed as “Brand new Mod Vintage Lambretta ‘PATO’ Scooter Blue 151CC RRP- £3,900.00… Limited Vintage Edition Grab One For Yourself” I’d highly recommend that you DON’T.

This has less Lambretta DNA than a Lada, and all the street cred of a Disney character comedy tie. 

Get a proper Lambretta, get a LN, get a V*spa, for gawd sake… get a cheap Chinese twist’n’go… but avoid this. Seriously. I’m not going to even stick the eBay link up. 

 

Ultimate oddball scooter collection up for grabs…

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We’ve all been there, garageful of scooters (I wish!) and a nagging missus… when you going to get rid of those bloody things… you never ride all of them… Well one guy (it’s got to be a bloke really) is selling his collection of Scoots and Microcars on eBay. 47 of them. That rather puts the Lambretta collection I posted previously fade into insignificance. 

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There’s a huge collection of what I, rather patriosingly, call “oddballs”… everything from Bernadet’s to Zundapps, and everything inbetween. Well, nearly everything… there are a couple of famous marques, notably Lambretta and V*spa, missing from this collection. I bet a) he doesn’t like V*spa’s, and b) he’s keeping his Lambrettas :). (Although there is an NSU Lambretta in the mix) Many of the scoots are sidecar combinations and/or trailers. There are even a couple of microcars in the mix, a Goggomobile Coupé and a Goggo Limousine. I’m uncertain as to what a Goggo Limousine is (although I’m guessing limousine is probably overegging it somewhat), but a Goggo Coupé is one of the prettiest microcars made, in my ever so humble.

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So if you fancy a Czeta 502, a IWL Berlin, a Maicoletta or MV Augusta… or one of the 43 other scoots, stick your bids in here. There’s a fairly decent British contingent in there; a brace of Triumphs, a Velocette and Osa. You’ll need fairly deep pockets though, as it’s currently sitting at € 46,000 Update:  it’s up to € 52,000 and I don’t think that’s STILL anywhere near the reserve. And no, he doesn’t want to split them.

I reckon this lot will be snapped up by a transport museum somewhere… probably in the states.

Full details are worth checking out, even if you’re not going to put a bid in! 

I may just buy an extra lottery ticket this weekend. You never know.

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Ape cross!

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I’ve not written much about scooter racing on this blog, is something I’ve always wanted to do. The guys that push Lambrettas and Vespas to their max on the track are a special kind of rider (the word nutters was actually the first one that came to mind). In fact the only sporting event I’ve covered is an old Scooter Scrambling event from the sixties and the Red Bull Lingotto Special, where classic scoots race around the roof of the old FIAT factory in Turin. That vid is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet!

But here’s a scooter sport that I’ve never come across before. Ape cross. Watch the video, which explains it better than I could. I know Ape’s are Vespas… but I’ve always had a soft spot for them.(See my Tuxi post) If there is a Lambro version of this sport, I’d love to see it!

Isle of Nan TT

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Bit of fun, via ScooterFile blog.

Fancy something a little different?

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Right. First off, this clearly comes under the “That’s not a Lambretta” header. But until I get round to writing a proper piece about Lambro’s, this’ll have to do you. I’m not sure it even comes under the category of scooter. It’s actually a BSA Ariel 3.

Being a proper moped (notice the pedals you have to use to start it) It wouldn’t be quick. I can’t imaging that once you loaded up the ‘luggage area’ (that would take lttle more than your average topbox) you’d be breaking many speed limits. Even going downhill, with a tailwind in a 30mph zone. In fact, it would be one of the few vehicles on the road I would stand any chance of overtaking.

As with most items in those halycon days before the PC brigade had any say, the advertising shots featured a girl in a bikini. Although, to be brutally honest, I can’t remember a time I saw a vehicle with less sex appeal!

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And it’s for sale. So why not get yourself a piece of British motorcyle history? The downside, The Ariel 3 is ugly, slow and impractacle. The upside, it’s rare, and actually it’s SO ugly, it’s strangely attractive… and it’s proper 1970’s… right down to the baby-poo and white colour scheme. Biggest upside though is it’s cheap. It’s on sale on the Car&Classic website for a mere £450. So if your a hipster with a thing for the seventies… like three wheel but can’t quite scrape together the cash for a Bond Bug, you may be able to bag yourself a bargain.

Hover scooters

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Well it’s 2012, and I’m a bit pissed off. Where are the flying cars we were promised on Tomorrows World? Instead 2012 cars are pretty much like 1960’s cars, except with air con, ABS, an lots less personality.

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Then there were the hoverboards from “Back to the Future” …although I was never good enough on a regular skateboard to make having a hoverboard part of my wishlist. A hover scooter though… hmm… that’s a different kettle of fish… wouldn’t mind one of those. Mind you, I don’t think I’d fancy owning the one in the Pathe movie… it’s more “back to the drawing board” than “Back to the future”!

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Credits:

Video via: Visordown Flying cars from: Plus4Chan Hover scooters via: RideTheMachine

BMW eSetta concept

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I know, I know, it’s been a while. And back I come, not with a Lambretta post at all, but another microcar. What can I say, I love ’em. Messerschmitt’s and Isetta’s particualrly. And like the Smite that I have written about previously, the concept I’m posting about today has obvious DNA of one of those originals, but this time the Isetta.

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It’s the work of Tony Weichselbraun, a recent graduate of the University of Applied Arts in Viennna, the eSetta was part of his Diploma, I can’t put it any better than the man himself, so here’s what he says about it on his coroflot page:

“The eSetta is an urban electric vehicle indended as a car sharing platform. It is inductively charged at sharing hubs, thereby eliminating the unfound fear of limited range through empty batteries. Its design is inspired by the legendary BMW Isetta. The front door slides and rotates, allowing passengers to enter and exit the vehicle via sidewalk. By giving the car a highly recognizable and friendly appearance, I intended to reinforce the positive aspects of car sharing.”

Well, I certainly think he’s pulled off freindly… it’s got more than a hint of puppy dog about it… I’d almost expect a wagging tail!, and while I always prefered the 3 wheeled variant of the original Isetta, four works pretty good here, I can see that it uses the available cabin space better. Tiny wheels though! So, would I choose this (in the unlikely event of it ever going into production), or my pevious favoutrite, the Smite? A bit of an accademic question, as neither look like they’ll be on sale any time soon. But if they both were, lets just say it would be a close run thing.

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Tenuos Lambretta link? (apart from the “etta” suffix), this kind reminds me of the way the Fido electric scooter concept kinda looked like a model D, as I poster way back. 

After the return of the Lambretta… iconic US Cushman scooter makes a comeback

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That’s right folks. I never saw this one coming! Cushman’s are being made again in the US, by K-Jack Motors in California. And they look pretty good too. Those that know their Lambretta history will know the original Lambretta’s owed more than a little to the Cushman, who were around since the early 1900’s… and their “Airborne” model scooter, dropped with US paratroops in Italy during WW2. When Innocenti (and Piaggio) had to re-engineer their factories from making military vehicles and armaments, many regard the lightweight Cushman scooters as a spark of inspiration for both these companies.

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The rest is history. The two italian firms went on to dominate scooter production in the 50’s and 60’s, firstly in Italy, then Europe, and finally worldwide. Without the styling elan of the Italian models, the Cushman became regarded as a bit of an oddball… at least in Europe. Even in the US, Italian scooters were seen as sophisticated and cosmopolitan.

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But the world has changed… and in an era of generic, plastic scooters these re-engineered Cushmans have more than a little elan of their own. They are certainly stylish, and certainly look much more like the original Cushman than the new Lambretta’s… look to their predecessors.

There are two models, (see EDIT / UPDATE) the Highlander and the Step Thru. Equipped with modern engines – up to 400cc, disk brakes front and rear, and an all steel frame, they are nippy, and sturdy too. The styling that I used to regard as laughably clunky and boxy now looks (to my eye, anyway) funkily utilitarian, and retro chic. The day of the Cushman may finally have arrived!

EDIT / UPDATE: Jack Chalabian of K-Jack has been in touch to tell me there are actually FOUR models of the Cushman II in the pipeline…  the Highlander, Step-Thru, Eagle, and Trailster. They will have a 9 or 14 horsepower overhead cam engine with electric start in all the models. While trying (and succeeding, I reckon) to keep the original look with modern DOT requirements; they are compliant throughout the United States… including California.

via Visordown

Find out more at the K-Jack Website, or Facebook page.

Vintage video… TV2 and Bubblecar

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Vintage film of a young guy riding his Lambretta TV175, Messerschmitt KR, and Honda 50 Sport.
Love the Lammy and the Messerschmitt… I’ll pass on the Honda, maybe have an MV Augusta instead… 🙂  

Via Firstpost

Vespa 46

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I know, I know, this is a Lambretta blog, but sometimes you just can’t ignore what the ‘old enemy’ are up to. And there’s no arguing with the success of a company that have sold over 17 million scooters in their 65 year history. And at their best, I’ll make no apologies for saying they’ve made a couple of the best looking scooters ever. Even the most ardent Lambrettista would find it hard to pick fault with the beautiful organic lines of a GS 160. Well, I think there’s another classic in the pipeline, in the shape of this lovely “Vespa 46” or (and it sounds SO much better in Italian) The Quarantasei has been unveiled at the EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan, and is due to be on sale in 125 and 150cc versions before the end of 2012.

From EICMA.it Via ScooterDiva.