Tag Archives: Indian

Ladies & Gentlemen. We have a winner!

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Now, one of the reasons we all love Lambrettas is their beautiful, classic lines. I’ve written about the Lambretta derivative Lamby Polo before (here) and how an 1980’s attempt to ‘modernise’ these classic lines, (in what I suspect was an attempt to compete with the contemporary Vespa – or more likely on the subcontinent, the Bajaj).

Now, often my somewhat forthright opinions soften with age, and what I once considered ugly, I now think are not so bad. Not so with the Polo unfortunately. A truly unfortunate looking scooter, made so much worse by the fact you can see the ‘beauty that lies beneath’. The guys at API (Automobile Products of India) were obviously quite proud of what they’d done, proclaiming proudy that it was designed by Miyazu of Japan, and going on to boast about it’s “Aerodynamic Elegance” – “Computer-aided design and ideas by Miyazu of Japan, the specialist to Honda, Suzuki, Toyota, Nissan, General Motors, Volkswagen & Ford. So you can count on spacious longevity of the Polo even after a lifetime of use”. Well, I think they either ‘had an off day” or they gave this to the studio junior. I know this was ‘a product of it’s time’ but at least on this project they were certainly no Bertone!

So, to return to my headline, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner. The World’s Fugliest Lambretta! – Unless you know different of course 🙂

Now, I’m not saying the Polo is the fugliest scooter… there are many contenders for that title. Just the fugliest Lambretta. They’ve taken a beautiful design and fuglified it. And for those of you now shouting at the internet “That’s a Lamby, not a Lambretta” I know, I know. But it’s a Lambretta derivative, so, in my head at least, it still counts. My blog, my rules!

Thank you to regular contributor Darrin. Cheers for all the pics mate!

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Rare ‘Indian Papoose’ Parachute Scooter

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Indian-Papoose-HeroSpotted this rarity on eBay – a Genuine 1954 Indian Papoose Brockhouse Corgi. Now, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know anything about these scoots… but there’s a little bit of history below…

Indian-Papoose-1

The Indian Papoose started out life in 1942 to be used during the 2nd world war known as the Wellbike, then was redesigned named Corgi under the creative ingenuity of John Dolphin, changing the engine to an Excelsior Spryt, built under licence by Brockhouse Engineering Southport Ltd.

Brockhouse was invested in the Indian company and began to re-badge the Corgi with the Indian Papoose decals along with re-painting the little folding motorcycle identifiable with the Indian Colors to market the Papoose as an Indian in the United States in 1948. Around 28,000 of the folding motorcycles where sold from 1948 to October 1954.

This is a ‘super rare’ scooter for collectors – and I’ve got to say, I’ve never seen one before! on eBay for a Classified Ad Price of £5,989.00

80’s Style… AF Rayspeed Super S-Type

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AFRaySp_SuperS_Marigold-1
This isn’t an 80’s scoot. It was imported from India in 2008. But, for me, it’s got that 80’s feel about it. It’s the type of scoot I’d have wanted more than any other in the ’80s. An Arthur Francis Super S-Type. Built, and signed by Ray and Ben Kemp. In orange (ok, “Red candy over marigold”).


If you promised yourself one like this in the eighties, and you can afford one now, wtf is stopping you? Here’s the eBay link.
AFRaySp_SuperS_Marigold-3

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Sunny, a Curryburner Cento.

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LamSunny

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.

LamSunny-3

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.

J50Delux-2If 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.

Fancy an Indian?

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Harley Davidson… you’ve got some competition. The japs have tried, but, Honda Goldwing aside,  have never quite puled off the big cruiser thing. I’ve been keeping half an eye on Indian motorcycles over the last few years, and it looks like 2014 might be the year they’re back with a bang.

They’ll certainly turn a few heads. But what’s this got to go with Lambrettas? Nothing really. I’ll occasionally post about another marque that catches my eye. They’ve got a cool logo. And my Grandad used to ride one, way, way back. Enough reason for me.

Indian Motorcycles

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.