https://vimeo.com/83098639
Beautifully, really beautifully shot video of the Italian National Lambretta Rally. Lovely piano soundtrack, that really works. Stunning. Watch it in full screen, please. That’s it, other than I found it on Vimeo, and it’s by RDigital Salerno
Oh, they had style back in the day. The men wore suits, and the ladies rode side saddle. Or looking backwards! When it was on the stand, anyway… those were the days.
This is a first. I generally don’t post pictures of Vespas. I’ve got nothing against them, other than a general low-level bitterness that out of the two GREAT Italian scooter marques, Piaggio’s Vespa survived and the clearly superior Lambretta didn’t. And I’m not a “scootist”. Some of my best friends ride Vespas. In fact, Vespas are (probably) my second favourite scooter marque. But they are all over the web, and there’s some great sites covering both (try Scooternova) or that cater to the poor deluded souls who actually prefer Italy’s second best scooter (my personal favourite, being this one; Vespamore). And, much as I may have huge gaps in my Lambretta knowledge (I literally learn something new nearly every day), I am a complete ignoramus when it comes to the Vespa. I’ve never owned one*, and I’ve never even ridden one. So I can’t really write abut them.
Anyway, this long, unfocused and rambling diatribe is needs to get back on track. Here we go. I generally don’t post pictures of Vespas. But occasionally, I come across a picture so good it’s hard to resist the urge to post it. Above is one such shot.
So… here’s the deal. Should I post the occasional pics of a Vespa, or are they truly off limits on a Lambretta site. This is your chance to vote, below.
*I nearly bought a GS160 before I saw my current Lambretta – this would have been a very different blog!
I don’t know what to make of this video. Partly because it’s in German. And I don’t speak German. But, it’s quite basic German, (even I could understand the basic story) which initially had me thinking it’s a language learning film.
Anyway, there’s some nice period footage featuring a NSU Lambretta Prima (their licensed version of the LD), a road trip from Germany through the Dolomites, ending in Venice. So that’s good enough for me. About 21 minutes in there’s a ‘technical section’ with nice cutaways of how the engine works (I for one didn’t know German cranks were ‘bear powered’!). At 23 minutes there’s a folky type Lambretta song in German, which is nice. Then the video shows the various attractive shades of beige and brown you could order your Prima in.
At 24 minutes were out of Lambretta territory, and into the rest of the NSU range; which runs so smoothly Hans can ride without Hands. This continues to about 26 minutes, when, weirdly, the video starts to repeat the first part, with half the screen covered in a red gel. I’m not sure if this is the original footage, that has been cleverly restored to full colour, or there’s another reason I can’t think of, but I’d skip that bit :).
Found this great original promo video on YouTube… A quick tour round the sites of Rome on a J-Range Lambretta. Fantastic.
Via cInemaimpresatv
I diari della Lambretta is a fantastic blog by Silvia about her travels on a Series 2 Lambretta, with her partner Marco. As she says “Local storytelling and slow travel, two wheels and small gatherings”. What she doesn’t say is there is beautiful, evocative photography, charming hand-drawn maps, and wonderful descriptions of the places she goes and the people they meet.
Don’t just take my word for it, follow her blog here.
All images and content from the blog is copyright © Silvia Benedet, unless otherwise indicated
I mentioned this pic in my Capri post… and Dave, who shot it, asked me if I could ID it. Easy I thought. It’ll be one of those lesser known marques, like a Zundapp Bella, or a Durkopp Dianna. Maybe one of those gallant british failures like a Triumph Tigress or a BSA Sunbeam. Virtually all the major motorcycle manufacturers tried to get in on to the scooter boom in the late 50’s / early 60’s. Marques like Puch, Ducati and even Harley Davidson all jumped onto the scooter bandwagon. So, If it’s not something I recognise straight away, I’ll be able to find it online, or in one of my scooter books.
Well. I was half right. In so much as it’s like a Zundapp Bella. Like being the operative word. The front end anyway. The back end got more of a Zundapp R50 look about it, or even Lambretta J-range. It’s definitely NOT either of these thought!
So… can you identify this mystery scoot? Let me know!
As before, the pic is from davepcv’s flickr, here.
Well done Seb, for identifying it as the Austrian KTM Ponny II Super IV
Pic from Classic-Motorbikes.net
My last post featured a cracking “Rat Racer” Series one… and I thought it was just about perfect. Something I’d love to own. There would be a few little tweaks I’d make… and that’s the way it is with most of the scoots I find. Nearly perfect, but with a couple of tweaks… a bit of chrome there… an accessory added, or removed… but that’s the joy of Lambretta’s. The machines rolled out of the factory, close to perfection… but somehow owners (and dealers) managed to improve them.
But, I think I’ve found a machine where I wouldn’t change a thing. And it’s this stunning SX. Well, an SX 150 S-Type GT 186 to be precise. Everything from the paint colour, to the Ancillotti exhaust screams perfection for me. The raydots at the Smith chrono all add to the package. It’s a classic look, and I don’t think it’s been bettered, to be honest. Perfect.
This lovely scoot was shot by Christian Gentilini, and you can see more of his photography, here, on flickr. He’s a member of the Lambretta Club Teste Cromate S.C.
The pics are copyright (Christian was kind enough to allow me to use them here) so please respect that.
Oh. I’ve spotted it. The tweak I’d make to this scooter. The crankcase side panel has something missing… it needs “Owned and run by Crocodile Jock” discretely signwritten on it. Small in the bottom right corner. And maybe a small enamel union flag badge under the sprint rack. There you go… proved… Lambrettisti just can’t help tinkering with perfection!
Browsing 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.
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.
The 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.
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.
I found this for sale on Car & Classic, and this one had me scratching my head…
I thought it was a 50’s racer when I first saw it… but it didn’t look like any 50’s racer I’d ever seen before. And Model D based racers were either 125’s or 150’s surely… Closer inspection threw up more questions than answers…
The machine in described as a 50 DL… (I mistakenly thought the D bit of this referred to a model D) As you probably know, what was marketed in the UK as a GP was sold in Italy and other markets as a DL. So, at least part of it is from a GP as we know it. But DL/GP’s were 125/150/200cc… But, a Lui was 50cc… which brings me to the forks and wheels… which are distinctly Luna line.
So. It’s a bit of a mongrel, put together from different parts of different models. But it has been done rather nicely, and it looks pretty good, if a little underpowered at 50cc. Legal if you are 16 though… there’s a thought.
Personally, I’d lose the rack, it doesn’t work on a “racer” for me, but otherwise this is a good looking, fun scooter. Not for everyone of course. If you fancy a 50cc with a Innocenti heritage, and the ability to turn a few heads (and make a few people scratch theirs too), it’s for sale here.
The site that Car & Classic links to is Nerves Auto, an Italian site featuring some lovely sports and classic cars.
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