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Category Archives: Not a Lambretta
Fido Electric Scooter – Now On Sale
Readers with good memories may recall the Fido Electric Scooter concept that reminded me of the original ‘Model A’ Lambrettas*. Well, it’s not a concept anymore, and you can buy one of a limited edition of 25, hand assembled “Model 1’s” for a downpayment of $5,250. That’s 50% of the full purchase price, which makes them a not inconsiderable $10,500.
It’s not cheap, it will only do 45mph and has a 35mph range, and (at the moment) it’s only available in the USA. But I like the aesthetic, and think it’s a glimpse of the future. Once a main production run is up, (and that is scheduled for 2017) prices should start to come down. I know it’s going to be of limited appeal to readers only interested in old, noisy 2-stroke – you can buy a pretty decent Lammie for $10.5k – but I wish the guys at Fido well. It’s been a long road for them, I hope their hard work starts paying off.
The Fido is also a world away from some of the frankly amazing stuff coming out of Italy at the moment, such as the Casa Performance 350cc twin casing, but the guys over at Scooterlab have got that pretty much covered.
Find out more about Fido here.
*All early open frame Lammies actually, scroll down to see Marco’s D for example (or
Sunny, a Curryburner Cento.
Came across this oddity on eBay. We all know SIL made Lambrettas after production stopped elsewhere. Known in the halycon days when you could pick up an Italian S2 for £50 as “curryburners”, today Indian Lammies are just accepted as part of the mix. There were other Lambretta based oddities like the Lamby Polo and Kelvinator Avanti, both featured on the blog before. But here’s a new one on me, the SIL Lambretta Sunny.
Looking like a Cento with a SX / Serveta style headset, a grotesquely oversized seat and the ugliest horncasting that’s ever been bolted to a scooter it would be a real talking piece.
I like the kickdown rear footrests… although they’re branded Bajaj (the Indian company who made Vespas under licence) so I guess they’re an aftermarket addition.
It’s available on eBay for a smidge under £800. Here’s the eBay link.
If you fancy something a bit prettier, and more, er, Italian, for about the same money (£100 cheaper actually!) There’s this J50 Delux. It’s got 50 less cc’s but it is in what’s probably my favourite Lambretta colour, Mela Verde (or Apple Green). You’ll need to be a bit handy with the spanners, because although it seems to be complete, it’s in bits. Here’s the link for that one.
Limited Edition Scomadi 200’s Available Soon!
Word has reached Lambrettista Towers that the first 100 Limited Edition FP (First Production) TL200 Scooters have arrived at Scomadi HQ. The are being hand finished before being rolled out to the Scomadi dealer network over the next couple of weeks. If you fancy one though, I’m afraid you’re out of luck… this batch are all reserved for those that made a pledge via the Scomadi Crowd Funding Campaign. I’m sure more will follow shortly though!
Czech this out!
The Cezeta is back – and it hasn’t changed a bit (apart from being electric!). The distinctive Czech scooter has returned in a design virtually unchanged from the original models produced in the ’50s and ’60s. And it’s all the better for it. You’d be hard pushed to spot any difference between these new models and the originals – in fact, you’d be on a hiding to nothing as the prototypes shown are originals, modified to fit the new power unit.
That’s the one BIG change. As mentioned… she’s electric! Some will mourn the passing of the original 175cc 2-stroke engine, but this is the 20-teens and an electric power unit is the way forward. She’s got a top end of 50mph and a range of 60 miles (extendable to 120m). That’s plenty to commute in style.
Regarding the styling… it’s certainly unique. I’ve been less than kind to the Cezeta in the past, but I’m warming to the Cezeta’s idiosyncratic looks. Perhaps is years of conditioning so my brain thinks a Lambretta is the way a scooter should look. There’s something quite hipster (in a good way) about them, and they’re far more attractive (and authentic) than the majority of modern attempts to create a retro scoot.
Although by nature I’m a bit of a traditionalist, I’m also firmly in the EV (Electric Vehicle) camp. I think this scoot marries the best of both. Retro styling, with a modern, clean power unit. There was talk of an Electric Scomadi a while back, (last I heard it they are still “working on it”) and, although unlikely, maybe – just maybe we’ll see an electric version of the “new Lambretta” the L70 on launch (more of that later!).
There’s a ton of more information, including a road test and an interview with one of the guys behind the revitalised Cezeta brand (brit Neil Smith) over on the ScooterLab site.
It’s great to see these ‘lesser known’ (in the UK anyway) scooter marques making a comeback, with Cezeta joining the likes of Lohner and Cushman. Find out more at the Cezeta website, where you can reserve yours today, or pop over to Prague and visit their shop.
The video’s worth a watch too…
The World’s Most Exclusive Scooter?
There are many scooters labelled as ‘rare’. (especially on eBay!) Among the rarer Lambretta models are the Eibar Winter Models, GP Electronics, TV200’s (especially Spanish ones) which have a justifiable claim to the tag ‘rare’.
Of course, it’s not just Lambretta models… the Vespa SS90 springs to mind from the Piaggio stable. And if we move away from the ‘big two’ the rarity value may step up a notch… with all the motorcycle (and car) manufacturers who tried to jump onto the ‘scooter boom’ of the fifties… Triumph, BSA, Peugeot even Harley Davidson and Ducati tried to get a piece of the action. But I honestly think I found the most exclusive scooter ever. It’s Italian (always a good thing when it comes to scooters), and is one of the most iconic marques in automotive history… Maserati.
The story of the Alférez – the ONLY Maserati scooter in existence, starts when Maserati began a collaboration Iso Rivolta. Iso are probably best known today for developing the Isetta bubble car, but also had a history of producing sports cars, motorcycles and scooters.
Together, Maserati and Iso Rivolta produced two concept / prototype scooters in 1957, the M1 (now unfortunately lost in history, but probably a 125cc) and the M2 – the 150cc Alférez.
Although a ‘prototypes’ you can tell from the pictures that this scooter was not far from being a finished production machine. Stylistically it’s not a million miles away from a Series 2 Lambretta, with more than a hint of Vespa around the front wheel set-up. The only thing that jars a little with me is the headlight, which is not quite as elegant as that of a Lambretta Series 2… but then again this model was out two years before the Series 2.
The frame and engine numbers are simple “M2”, and the Maserati logo on the crankcase are worth taking a second look at. The horncast Maserati badge is unique too… with a red racing car alluding to their Grand Prix heritage, and the name Alférez… a link to the Maserati founders name (Alfieri), but tellingly translated in Spanish… a hint to their ambitions in Latin America, where scooters were popular, but prehaps the Lambretta and Vespa names were not so embedded as Europe or the USA. But a promotional trip to Mexico ended badly, Maserati abandoned the scooter market. The M2 prototype remained too, finally ending up in Texas, where it resides today.
Iso continued making scooters, and while being less commercially successful than Innocenti and Piaggio, are one the few manufacturers a run for their money in styling – in my humble opinion of course.
Find out more about Maserati M2 here, where it’s for sale, if you have deep pockets. To quote from the website “The value of the scooter, a unique part of the history of the ‘Made in Italy’ is for serious collectors to personally judge, the reason why I leave the scooter price open to fair / reasonable offers. As this is a unique collector’s item, I will not answer openly low offers.”
If you want to put in a (serious) offer in here’s the website again Update: the original site has now disappeared, I guess the scooter has been sold! If anybody knows of it’s current whereabouts / ownership, I’d love to know. If you’re the new owner, I bet you’ve got some other lovely scoots too (or perhaps a Maserati collection?) care to share some pics on the blog?
FIDO Update…
It was so long ago I originally wrote about the FIDO that it was on a previous blog… (and this blog’s been running since 2013). The ME electric scooter I posted earlier today reminded me of it so much I thought I’s check up on it… Well, it’s looking more like an early Lambretta than ever… which is a good thing! Full post coming soon, but for the moment, I’ll tempt you with some pics and a link to their website: here.
No apologies for all this electric stuff. It’s the future! But, don’t worry, normal, 2 stroke service will be resumed ASAP!
ME Electric Scooter
After yesterday’s electric Mogan three-wheeler, and with continuing dire warnings of an impending 2Stroke ban, I thought I’d continue the theme with this funky little electric scooter.
Electric scooters are now pretty commonplace, but most are blandly generic, cheap and Chinese. It’s innovation that sets the ME electric scooter apart. Designed by a group of Italian engineers – it’s back to basic aesthetics are reminiscent of the early open-frame Lambrettas. Rather like the FIDO I featured a on my previous blog, and the Dutch Q scooter that was at EICMA in 2013. Constructed out of Sheet Moulding Compound, a sturdy composite material that offers structural support, the ME is a cost-effective, lightweight alternative to its metal counterparts.
The ME is fitted with a lithium-ion battery, with a range of 80 km, fine for a daily commute (especially if you can plug it in when you get to work!) Its electric motor takes the scooter from zero to 45 km/h in six seconds.
Support the project by visiting the ME electric scooter’s crowdfunding page.
With the promise of ” A New Lambretta” in May… and all we know is the model name “L70” could we expect an electric Lambretta? To be honest, I doubt it. I think we’ll get a reworking of the LN, with a four-stroke engine in 125, 150 and maybe 200cc’s. But I’m only guessing, I haven’t heard anything!
Retro electro
I loved the Morgan ThreeWheeler when it originally came out. I thought I’d written a post, but a quick search reveals that was one of my ‘imaginary posts’ (there’s a bunch of posts I’ve planned, started, and ultimately either abandoned or forgotten. I’ll stick one up about the ‘standard’ petrol powered 3 Wheeler at some point.
So, forgoing my usual spiel about ‘it’s not a Lambretta, it’s not even a scooter, but I do like a microcar as well’ and jumping straight in… This is the future. And the past. All in one gloriously eccentric, old skool, retro-futuristic package. The Morgan EV3 looks like something from a 1930’s racetrack – or a 1950’s Sci-Fi movie – but being built from composite carbon panels with a Lithium battery and a digital dashboard it’s pure 21st Century Technology!
This is the final pre-production car… and the performance stats look pretty impressive – a top speed of over 90mph and a range of over 150 miles… Morgan has looked at the world of zero emissions differently and asked ‘What if an all-electric vehicle was bespoke made, hand crafted and exhilarating to drive?’ The EV3 embraces new technology, delivers responsible driving excitement and continues to celebrate traditional British motor manufacturing – The carbon bonnet, tonneau cover and side pods are made in the UK, and much like the remaining aluminium panels, are (in tradional Morgan style) hand worked over an ash wood frame.
The ‘face’ of the EV3 is designed to function. Brass conductive cooling fins encase the batteries and an off-centre tri-bar headlight adds to the overall asymmetry of the design. Bonkers, but beautiful. I love it. I really love it. Well done Morgan.
Find out more, and register your interest here.
And if it’s an electric Lambretta you want, check out this post. And this one.
Vespa “Sei Giorni” Race Replica
I don’t normally post Vespa’s. This is a Lambretta blog! But this I spotted a pic of this gorgeous machine on Twitter, and found a few more online. And it’s a superb looking machine, completley up my strasse. It’s for sale on eBay at the moment, in Germany.
I don’t know anything about it, other than it is called a “Sei Giorni” Race Replica… Now, my limited Italian translates “Sei Giorni” as Six Days, and that automatically get me thinking of the Scottish 6 Day Trials, but I may be completely off beam here. There were probably a ton of 6 Day Competitions back in the day. Any Vespa enthusiasts / knowledgable scooter sport historians on here can shed any more light? Please let me know in the comments.
There’s a german website address on the eBay page, but it doesn’t seem to work for me.
I’ll include it in case you have more luck http://www.scooterequipment.de
Here’s the eBay link
Normal Lambretta Service will be resumed shortly.
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