NEWS & PRODUCTS
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Scooter Trader website relaunched It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally revamped and subsequently relaunched the online Scooter Trader website.
Scooter Trader first started back in the days when we at Scootering were based in Weston-super-Mare. In that time it’s carved itself a niche as the place to go to buy, sell and swap all things scooter online... but to be honest it was beginning to look a little long in the tooth, what with it not being updated really since day one. Not only that but the technology behind it was so old we spent more time keeping the Viagra spammers and those offering container loads of Chinese mobility scooters at bay than anything else! Anyway, like all good A-list stars, there comes a time when only a decent makeover will do – and if you can add a couple of extra features at the same time, well then everybody’s happy! So it is with great pleasure that we announce the relaunch of Scooter Trader online, which is not only brighter and more secure than it was before, but you can now add photographs of your scooters for sale too, making it bigger and more colourful as well – how good is that? There are now various options for both private and business sellers to use Scooter Trader, and as it has always been, the basic 30 day listing price for a private seller is free. For that you get what you’ve always had; a texted listing of what you want to flog. Simple, eh? If you want to add a photo, then that will cost you just £4.99 – which actually allows you to add two photos. And if you really want
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to sing and dance about your scooter then for only £7.99 you get your scooter’s details together with 12 images and one video up on the website for 60 days. Now without naming names, I think you’ll find that’s a better deal than a certain online auction website that many people use… So if you’re a regular use of Scooter Trader,then you’ll already know that
www.scootertrader.com is the place to go for all your scooter trading. And if you’re not, then now you do know. The site is easy to use with step by step guide for selling your scooter, but if you have any queries (or you’re a trader who wants to know more) then you can call 01507 524004 or send an email to enquiries@scootertrader.com
Vespa rally 200 Silver Jubilee Special Fact or Fiction?
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| As some owners of Vespa Rally 200s may have heard, there have long been suggestions that in 1977 a limited edition version of this scooter was sold in silver to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, but is this actually true?
B
ack in the 1990s I purchased a Vespa Rally 200 from Glen and Stuart of the Speed Demons SC, who at the time were running a little cottage industry shop from one of their grandmothers’ houses. I think I swapped it for a rather tired Pinasco kitted PX200 that had been finished in Suzuki Pepsi race colours.
Back from black The Rally was kind of matt black when I got it, but hadn’t been done well. A simple case of washing it revealed most of the previous colour, which was silver, so I grabbed a rattle can of silver paint from the shed, covered over potential rust zones and began my first of many years of happy scootering on a Rally 200. As an aside, I still think the Rally 200 is the best Vespa ever made and proudly own another one today. The only fly in the ointment is the poor quality metalwork which I’ve been led to believe is the result of industrial action in Italy during the 1970s which also led to the Alfa Sud cars having a less than gleaming reputation and rusting away before you could say ‘ferrous oxide’. Anyway, eventually, after at least one new floor, a badly abused engine and a flying rear wheel which caused me to cartwheel it two up, the time came to sell UGW 209S. I was sad to see her go, but hopefully the new owner was kinder to it than I was.
rumours and Quadrophenia During the latter part of my ownership of UGW 209S, a number of people mentioned this almost mythical ‘Silver Jubilee Limited Edition’ Vespa to me, suggesting mine may have been one of them. However, the best evidence I could come up with was that the Vespa 125 TS, which was nigh on identical to the Rally 200 except for the engine, was finished in silver. Fast forward to the 21st century and a few years ago I spotted a Rally 200 being advertised via an online auction with a sales pitch suggesting it may be a ‘Silver Jubilee Special’. With some of the numberplate visible I knew it was only a couple of numbers away from mine, a fact confirmed after a little time on the DVLA website. Having recently bought myself another Rally 200 however, I left it at that. Until the Strictly Scooters rally last month that is, where lo and behold the same scooter was in the custom show there. I got talking to the owner of UGW 205S, also called Andy, who until then was also unsure about the jubilee link. So we set about like a couple of anoraks debating the story, Andy even managing to add that a Union Flag sticker or badge may well have been attached to the legshields when new. Incidentally, the 125 TS and Rally 200 are the scooters believed to make up the
The other Andy’s Rally 200, customised with chrome panels and mudguard, Strictly Scooters 2013.
My old Rally 200 back in the late 1990s. five or so that were used as the GS Ace Face rode in Quadrophenia, although the only scooters to have surfaced since with any traceable history to this have been two Rally 200s (see Scootering December 2008 and February 2009). One of those scooters once belonged a chap in the North West named Gilly. That was VOY 802S and according to DVLA was registered on November 15, 1977 in north west London, the local DVLA office to Sterling Scooters which supplied the Vespas for Quadrophenia. My old Rally, UGW 209S, was registered on August 17, 1977, and Andy’s UGW 205S (both south east London numbers) was registered September 28, 1977.
Myth busting Interestingly, both of our S-reg Rally 200s have Femsatronic ignitions. However, 1977 was the year the new Vespa P-range was launched, and the Rally 200s immediately prior to the P-range had Ducati ignitions, so were the ‘silver’ Rally 200s an old batch that had been hanging around for a while? Did Douglas Sales & Service create a Vespa Rally 200 Silver Jubilee special edition to get rid of old stock? Or was it just a dealer special at the time? So dear readers, can anyone out there shed any light on this story? Please get in touch by writing to us at the address on page 5 or emailing editorial@scootering.com if you have any information relating to these scooters, or even better if you have any evidence that can substantiate what we still don’t know to be fact or fiction. Andy
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20 | scootering | sePteMBer 2013
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| there’s something about a Series 2 Lambretta that is ‘just right’, if you know what I mean. the lines are perfectly curvaceous, it oozes style rather than speed, and I think it’s no coincidence that the Series 2 was the most produced model for Innocenti back in the day.
ScootER DEtAILS
S
cott Turner agrees with the ‘just right’ verdict, as you may imagine, for it is he who owns the example gracing the pages here. His is the TV 175 model Series 2, probably the most desirable of all Italian Series 2 Lambretta scooters both now and back in its day. The Li 125 and 150 models may have been all right for everyday commuting, but it was the 175 that those with sporting or touring ambitions were after. Of course while the 175 was okay in its time – and is still arguably more useable today than the 125 or 150 Lambrettas – having a little extra at the end of a throttle cable on 21st century roads can never be a bad thing. And so it was that Scott’s project scooter had more than a cosmetic makeover when entrusted to Disco Dez and Nathan Warriner. Both gents have established reputations for producing quality scooters over the years, Nathan working for Dez when he used to own Gran Sport in Birmingham a few years ago. After selling that business and having a few
years off, Dez has returned to building such scooters, and after a sabbatical back in his native South East, Nathan has joined him once again to turn out machines as gorgeous as you see here. Keeping it in the Midlands region, so to speak, the lads fitted a GT 186 kit to the TV Series 2 engine, and for added reliability naturally chose a GP crankshaft and 12v electronic ignition too. The scooter now inhales through a 25mm carb (using the standard airbox) and expels its waste fumes via the tried and tested AF big bore exhaust. But I suppose it’s the finish that has caught your eye, and indeed why not? I spoke to Nathan about the scooter and while he told me it was he and Dez who set about collecting the required accessories, it had to start with Scott. “I really wanted him to come up with a colour to begin with, so we could work around that,” Nathan explained. “We talked about black, and the original British Racing Green – which is almost black, then Scott came in with this apple green from a Mk.I Ford Escort Mexico and we went from there.”
Scooter model: Series 2 Lambretta TV175. Inspiration for project: Always loved scooters. I chose the colour from an Escort Mk.I Mexico apple green with gold stripes up and over the roof. Time to build: Eight months by Disco Dez and Nathan Warriner. Specialised parts: Side panel sickles with inserts by Nathan, number plate surround, rear rack via Rimini Lambretta Centre, snakeskin Pegasus seat, Ulma double legshield trim, Disco Dez repro Ulma legshield toolbox, candy cable covers, golf ball horn embellisher, bubble grips and lever covers, Gran Sport chrome hub caps, repro clamshell, fork boot covers, old style switch on toolbox for Carello lights. Engine: TV175 with GT 186cc kit, 25mm carb through air box, AF Clubman, GP crank, 12v electronic. Paintwork: Via Disco Dez’s man, Terry Hale. Chrome: Via Dez. Favourite dealer: Disco Dez. Thanks: Disco Dez – for his expertise, Nathan Warriner – built the scooter from a pile of bits and fitted every nut and bolt himself, created a fantastic work of art. James Mobberley for all his help and knowledge finding original bits and for being a great mate.
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The
Stray Bullet |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| It all started in September 2012. During a party a friend from Norway offered Marek Nachlik this scooter and as he’d long had the wish for a wide-frame Vespa in the back of his mind – and the scoot was in the back of his friend’s station wagon – it took a millisecond to make his decision.
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SCOOTER DETAILS Owner: Marek Nachlik. Scooter: 1956 Vespa VL2T. Engine: PX 80 machined to fit a 177 Quattrini kit. Gear: PX 200 Lusso with a short fourth from the 125. Clutch: Scooter and Service CNC EVO. Intake: Tassinari Reed Valve, Scooter & Service manifold. Carb: 28mm Keihin with Ram Air filter. Crankshaft: Scooter & Service 60mm. Ignition: Vespatronic with a GP1 milled fan on the flywheel. Exhaust: Scooter & Service Newline Silent. Front tyre: Schwalbe Raceman 90-90 x 10, 4in wire wheel. Rear tyre: Schwalbe Raceman 130-70 x 10, 4in Scooter & Service kit. Front damper: BGM F16 adjustable. Front spring: Standard. Rear shock: Bitubo, adjustable. Front brake: Four piston Stage 6 caliper, Polini/Braking floating wave disc. Piaggio Hexagon cylinder. Rear brake: Standard Speedo: Motogadget MST vintage. Electrics: Motogadget m-Unit.
T
he scooter was completely dismantled but complete. The paint was stripped off and the whole body had heavy corrosion. After two weeks of thinking what to do with it the plan was set up. This scooter had survived for years like that and I decided that no matter what I did with it the corrosion scars, the dents and scratches would have to be a part of this project and should stay visible. I must admit that I am not very fond of the original engine for this model; three gears and less power than a sewing machine! I decided to fit a P-range engine with a 177 Quattrini kit, a Vespatronic, a Tassinari reed valve and a 28mm Keihin carb. All the other parts I got from from Scooter & Service in Hamburg, like the CNC milled Evo clutch, 60mm crankshaft, new-line silent exhaust, reed valve housing and the 4in rear wheel kit. The steel bushes, which are necessary for the P range engine mount, were fabricated to eliminate the offset generated by the wheel kit and were welded in. No subframe was used. By doing this the 130-10 x 70 rear wheel is perfectly central.
BEFORE
It was rough to begin with, but anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
A couple of plastic prototypes of the fork link and caliper mount were made first.
The bare hub.
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The Bats’ 60th Anniversary
Rally & Scramble
July 19-21, 2013, Aveley, Essex
I
n the far-off, perhaps far simpler days of the late 50s and early 60s there were English acres aplenty on which to indulge in the budget grassroots sport of scooter scrambling. Nowadays, with swathes of previously sacrosanct greenbelt land under threat of the developers, so called ‘waste ground’ is getting scarcer by the day and mostly only any good for feral kids to trash nicked ’peds ’n’ scoots about. Just try finding a suitable venue for an off-road themed rally and you’re soon up against a brick wall of rules, regulations, and sheer logistics. Even so, by late spring the flyers and adverts for the Bats’ 60th Anniversary Rally and Scramble had appeared, and, as promised, a week or two before liftoff I duly dug out the ‘Scrambella’ Zundapp off-roader and original Vega scrambler. I’d also provided a stator plate to rejuvenate the gnarly grasstrack Luna of Yarmouth Wasp, Mr Brooky, who scooted down on the Thursday to help mark out the course; which got him straight on the guest list!
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We found the venue pretty easily and arrived at late-o’clock, benefiting from much cooler (but darker) travelling conditions. A beautiful full moon and some arc lights lit our endeavours to put up some vintage canvas, though the baked stony ground produced more bent tent pegs then a weekend camping with Uri Geller. At the do the dancing party was still in full swing and there was still time for a few jars with familiar faces. Wandering back much later I noticed several exotic Stingray scramblers casually parked up. Talking of stings, or rather bites, I discovered we’d camped on an ants’ nest, which at least got me up early to experience the hive of activity that developed in the paddock area as the Stingray people and original scrambling folk put up a great display of archive photos etc. round their gazebo. I delivered the rusty DKR rim (actually from an Excelsior Monarch) to Christine Jackson which I’d promised to lend her so she could fit a knobbly tyre to her road-legal
Stingray. I mentioned that some DKR rear set-ups weren’t the easiest of wheel changes and took no pleasure in my correct prediction when chain and rear sprocket had to come off. Luckily the pit crew sorted it eventually while Christine and helper William set to putting knobbly tyres on her trusty mustard Vega. Graham Fisher and clan rolled up with a solo Maicoletta and his old grasstrack combo with its monstrous crosser-engine conversion. Tony Higmott had brought along the ex-Stanford Hall Museum Stingray and his latest Special complete with Maserati moped tank. Ex-Luton man, John Taylor was champing at the bit to add his recently renovated Stingray to the mix and, like a Luton glutton, also had his vintage write-off Yellow Peryl for general hooling about. Two other Luton Lambrettas had been dragged along, including the so-called club bike that the late Pete Mullinder used to ride to such good effect. Somebody commented that it was just like the old days with all that lastminute spannering.
To add to the general vintage off-road atmosphere I propped the ScramBella and rust-ravaged Vega on bits of wood, and struck the latter up just for annoyance and amazement, since it looks like it shouldn’t go! John and Cherry Truluck were there with his superb four-stroke BSA Bitsa Trials machine (featured in last month’s Scootering) which he couldn’t ride as he was temporarily under doctor’s and not starter’s orders. Still I struck that up for him so the copper end cans could roar a bit and add to the general din. Granted there weren’t vast numbers of takers, but my pick of the bunch was DVD man, Graham Aldous’ gloriously unrenovated LD wrecker: man that mutha motors! After the obligatory walking of the course the action began in earnest. Sadly, officialdom had put paid to any kind of racing but the format of individual timed laps nevertheless provided great entertainment
for spectators and competitors alike. With a series of large hillocks or jumps, the underlying rubble on the course proved a punishing challenge for both riders and machines. Star of the riding for me was the irrepressible 80 years young Jack Reeder, who in fairly impromptu riding gear (more suited to light gardening) stormed round the rubble-strewn course in fine style on a Noys Stringray. Graham Aldous looked just like an extra from the old archive film footage in his ancient Belstaffs, skidlid, and goggles. Much credit must also go to lady rider, Christine Jackson, for tackling the course on her standard Vega. After the highlight of the day’s scrambling events came the fun and games of the gymkhana as well as a film show and talk in the clubhouse about the heyday of scooter scrambling. Later, bands, including the effervescently cheeky Scam ’69, entertained the rally goers, while the vintage scrambling
folk had a reunion dinner at a local eatery. Traditional scooterist disco dancing then rounded the rally off nicely. On a warm, moonlit summer’s night we ventured on to the balcony of the upstairs ‘Belfry Bar’, overlooking the large busy patio area thronging with happy drinkers and looked out into the distant lights of the wider M25-land. It was the ideal moment to reflect on what a memorable little rally it had been with a real vintage scrambling twist. In all brutal honesty the massive amount of work building the course was not technically reciprocated by masses of sporting participants. I don’t want to dwell on the major headaches created when thousands of tons of waste soil and rubble are dumped on the lovely grassland... sometimes things are done out of sheer dedication and love of scootering, so maximum respect to Barry the Bat and the club for all their hard work. John, the Comedy Gymkhana Specialist
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BSSO scooter racing
Round 5 – July 27-28
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Welcome to Lydden Hill, situated in the Garden of England, Kent. This weekend we have four championship races and the Elbows Uffindell Memorial Race. With only one small change to my Vespa but a complete new engine for my Gilera, things could go either way for me this weekend, so here goes!
The Elbows Uffindell Memorial Race; (51) R Conneely, (88) Redman and (52) Woods.
Auto race 1
Race 1 With a slightly damp track we all line up only for the start lights to fail. Oh well, start on the Union Flag it is then. Doug Turner takes the early lead, closely followed by Joe Ravenscroft. Mikey Bonnett makes another rocket start and leads the Group 4 charge, but he too is closely followed, by the DKS Team Conneely brothers. I’ve made a decent start and have plenty of company. The only other Vespa racing this weekend, ridden by Stewart McKenzie, is just in front of me but after a few laps, the lardy large frame is tucked up behind me. Looks like his new reed block works after all. As the race goes on, we catch a couple of more Lambrettas and get caught by a slow starting James Campen. Turns out he
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couldn’t get first gear on the start line and was dead last when the rest of us left. As usual plenty of close racing... but all too soon it is over. 1 Turner, 2 Day, 3 Ravenscroft, 4 Bonnett
Mike Bonett leads Joe Ravenscroft.
As I said before, I’ve got a new engine in the Runner. It’s a PSN tuned, PM Tuning barrelled flying machine. The flag drops and we’re away and to my amazement I’m near the front. Damon Tunnicliffe leads from Ryan Clipstone, then it’s Scott Chapman and me. After a couple of laps, Ryan’s Zip appears to be slowing and before long we’ve passed him. Mind you, I’ve still got Rob Rees snapping at my heels so I can’t relax for a second. Meanwhile, there are four way battles going on behind in the Zip class where the action is always close and at the flag Chris Cook and Mark Hardy finish 0.10 seconds apart. Damon takes a flag to flag victory with ease. 1 Tunnicliffe, 2 Chapman, 3 Woods, 4 Rees