Scootering April 2017

Classic race-rep ce-rep

scooters

Liquid-cooled

the Norrie Kerr story

Sculpting a scooter

Naka Design #370 April 2017

0 0 2 B R K D D

c ustIoT, m LOVE IT!

CHILL IT, SIP

Uni-Auto

PLUS

INSIDE STORY New 200cc Lambretta casings

SCOMADI TL200

STAGE 4

FRIJJ VESPA

SMALLFRAME TUNING PACK THAT REALLY

REVIEW MOO-VES

Bargain Hunt: Lambretta trio ■ Burton Brewers show ■ Meltdown review ■ DNCC Death Stalker ■ Readers’ Rides ■ Scooter restoration guide ■ Scooter Trader ■ Events Guide ■ Your scooters ■ BSSO season preview and more…

WELCOME Editor: Dan Clare Email: dan@scootering.com Publisher: Dan Savage Designer: Charlotte Turnbull Picture desk: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Production editor: Dan Sharp General queries and back issues: Tel: 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Email: help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Archivist: Jane Skayman Tel: 01507 529423 Email: jskayman@mortons.co.uk Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 40 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 40 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Customer services number: 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm Distribution: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU. Tel: 0203 787 9001.

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Welcome to the April edition of Scootering

I

had my mind on costs recently, mostly because I’m attempting to put all my recently accumulated knowledge on paint spraying into effect. The subject matter is my 1969 GP125 and I’m now trying to practise what I preach. The ‘guide to painting’ series we ran was well received, and I encouraged readers to give it a go, so now I’m having a crack myself. Anyone who’s done a full restoration will know just how easy it is to let costs run away with you when you want to fit all the newest and shiniest bits.

I am therefore determined to reuse as much of the original machine as I can and stick to the budget. With this in mind, it is rather timely that we’re running the ‘Bargain Hunt’ feature on page 52 this month, in which owner Gary Powell has repeated the ‘budget’ mantra and built up a lovely trio of scooters for a price lower than some owners spend on a single machine!

I intend to do an old school bore and porting job to the 125cc cylinder, to see what I can get out of it… but every night when I go

to sleep, all I see is cylinder kits and expansion chambers. Stay strong young Jedi!

But that’s enough of my budget-related ramblings, this month we’ve another jampacked edition: the lead scooter is the stunning ‘Rattler’ painted by DDK and owned

by Scootermaniacs club member Dave Ridge.

The paintwork is so good I worked up a thirst just looking at it! Bodger is back on the rant this month too; I’ll leave you guys to respond via the letters page as usual.

Jamie brings us the highlights of the Scooterist Meltdown in Germany, and Paul Green enters ‘Scootering Room 101’. Stan’s been busy too – getting up close and personal with Manish Mittal of Uni-Auto to get the latest on their new range of Lambretta and Vespa products. It’s great to see so much quality stuff being produced and our Dealer Spotlight at Buzzsolomoto is filled with Spanish gold. There’s a ton more besides, but I’ll let you unearth it at your own pace. It’s another belter this month… enjoy the issue.

Dan

SCOOTERING (USPS:020-245) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ USA subscriptions are $60 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries.

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715-572-4595. chris@classicbikebooks.com SCOOTERING is published by: Mortons Scooter Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd © 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. ISSN 0268 7194 TRADE ADVERTISING Gary Thomas – gthomas@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529417 Emma Buxton-Rockley – ebuxton-rockley@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529410 Divisional ad manager: Martin Freeman 01507 529538, mfreeman@mortons.co.uk ADVERTISING DEADLINES The advertising deadline for the next issue of Scootering (May 2017) is Thursday, April 6, 2017 On sale in newsagents Thursday, April 27, 2017 Free ads, personals, club do’s & events These are all to be booked via the website at www.scootering.com or via post to: Scootering Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ The next free ads deadline is Thursday, April 6, 2017

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T H I S M O N T H ’ S S C O O T E R I N G M AG A Z I N E WA S B RO U G H T T O YO U W I T H T H E H E L P O F. . .

Big Stan Reaches the parts other scooter journalists can’t reach.

Darrell Taylor Two-stroke tuning guru and scooter dyno specialist.

Sarge Key player in the Scootering editorial team since the 80s.

Stuart Owen 100mph Lambretta Club owner & scooter restoration expert to boot.

Christian Giarrizzo Travelling scooter journalist, living the dream.

Nik Skeat Brilliant beer-brewing bearded feature writer.

Jordan Lewis Hard-riding scooterist representing the Young Guns SC.

Paul Green Scooter enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg.

Dave Oakley Resident nostalgia master, bringing the old school scooters back.

CONTENTS 03Letter from the Editor

A warm welcome to April issue of Scootering.

06

Kickstart

The front section with all the latest news, views and product reviews!

14

Rattler Custom Scooter

DDK kicks out another stunning paintjob on the RB200 custom.

23

Scooterist Meltdown Germany

A ‘superlative’ report from band member Jamie.

28Burton Brewers Belter!

Stu reports back from the Burton Brewers event.

a scooter: 92Sculpting Naka Design

Italian stallion Christian Giarrizzo checks out ‘Speed Up’ Vespa and the man behind its curves.

99Tech Torque

Dan delves into fitting and dyno of the ever-popular Malossi 210 this month.

103Frijj Smallframe 108Tech Torque

A moo-ving feature scooter.

Stu Owen brings us Part 6 of his Lambretta Restoration Guide.

114Tech Torque

Darrell Taylor keeps us up to speed on the latest sprinting info.

33An interview with Uni-Auto 119BSSO Update Stan finds out about all the new components from Uni-Auto.

Paul Green gets us race ready just as the season begins.

36Letters

123Scooter Trader

43Show us your scoots

136DNCC

Feedback and full throttle responses from the readers.

The best of our readers’ rides as sent in by you.

spotlight: 46Dealer Buzzsolomoto

You won’t believe your eyes when you see what Buzz has stashed!

Your sales and classifieds section – including Specialist Services & At A Glance.

Dave O brings us another classic blast from the past: Death Stalker.

138Reader’s Ride All or Nothing – one man’s passion.

52Bargain Hunt

A trio of beautiful yet affordable Lambretta scooters.

59Liquid-cooled The Norrie Kerr Story

Thought you knew everything about Norrie? Think again. Stu Owen interviews the man himself.

65TL200 Stage 4 Tuning Kit Stan test rides and reviews the new Stage 4 kit.

70Race Rep Heaven

Two stunning race-rep feature scooters, simply gorgeous.

80Club Do’s & Events

Your essential guide to the scene – What, Where & When!

Words & 85Scootering Sounds

The best of words and music as reviewed

by Nik & Sarge.

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46

59

65

33 Never miss from only an issue £20 Subscribe today on page 40

70 WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 5

KICKSTART JEN’S A WINNER!

T

hanks to the nice people at winningame.com, Sheffield scooterist Jen Priestnall is the proud owner of a fully restored 1960 Series 2 Li. Despite fierce competition, Jen achieved the high score in winningame’s first competition.

“I still can’t believe it’s mine,” said Jen. “Right up to the last minutes of the competition I was only a few points ahead of the runnerup.” The Li joins the TV and GP 200 already owned by husband Steve, making a very desirable collection. Flying over from Italy to make the presentation at Armandos

Scooters on Saturday, February 18, were winningame representatives Andrea Pradella and Maurizio Corradi.

“We are delighted to make Jen the winner of our first competition. The Li is only the start of the exciting prizes to be won by playing our online games,” said Andrea. Although Jen currently rides pillion to Steve, the Li has rekindled her desire to pass her test. “If I won Steve agreed to buy the Li from me but I’ve not seen any money yet,” joked Jen. From the look on Steve’s face, he knows that there’s a hefty price to pay before he gets his hands on the scooter… www.winningame.com

SCOOTERS COME TO SANTA POD Whether you ride a classic geared scooter, or a modern auto, Race, Rock ‘n’ Ride should provide you with the perfect opportunity to see how fast you can go down the Santa Pod sprint track. If you don’t want to enter your scooter for the event, then there’s still the opportunity to come along to see all the action.

You can even visit the scooter pits, to see all the scooters close-up and maybe get a chance to chat with the owners about their individual machines.

Supported by both Classic Scooterist and Scootering magazines, the scooter paddock area will be controlled by the scooter sprint gurus who run the 100mphscooter club; they will also be coordinating the scooter entries.

Anyone who rides a scooter can join in, whether you’re a learner, a regular rider, or an experienced scooter sprinter, you can enter your machine. Contact pete@100mphscooter.com or go online for more: www.racerockride.co.uk/scooters-come-to-santa-pod

100+MPH SCOOTERS OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED 100mphscooter.com are officially recognising anyone who genuinely reaches a speed over 100mph on their scooter by awarding a certificate to mark their achievement. They will also be included on the club’s top speed roll of honour.

Riders must do two things to qualify; firstly you must do 100mph on your scooter, obviously.

Secondly, you must be able to validate it with a timing slip from an official timed meeting. The slip must include the time, date and place where the event was held at.

The exact discipline doesn’t matter, so it could be over a quarter mile or one-mile distance, just so

6 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2017

long as you do it. It is open to any make of scooter, Lambretta, Vespa or any other for that matter.

100mphscooter.com was founded in 2009 by long time sprinter Pete Newbold to cater for the growing number of people who wished to get into sprinting and top speed events. It is open to anyone, no matter the make of scooter.

The website events page displays not only quarter mile sprints but also anything else from hill climbing and circuit racing to special one-off events. If you think you might qualify, why not check it out? It’s free! Go to www.100mphscooter. com and fill out the contact form to join.

Imminent rally, ride and race dates

STEVE’S 2017 TWELVE CORNERS CHALLENGE Starting on July 17 from his home in Leicester, 77-year-old Steve Gibbs will attempt to drive his 198cc genuine Indian Bajaj rickshaw to the 12 cardinal points of mainland England, Scotland and Wales – a distance of over 3000 miles – in under 21 days.

Steve is raising money for the charity Healing Little Hearts which provides free heart surgery in countries without a developed health service, saving the lives

of babies and young children with lifethreatening heart problems.

Steve says: “Last year I did the four cardinal points of mainland UK but this time the challenge will be much harder, really pushing the limits of the Tuk Tuk which has a max speed of 40mph.” If any scooter clubs or individuals fancy riding alongside for any part of the journey your support will be most welcome. Contact steve@espepe.co.uk or 07740 410808.

SECRET AFFAIR It was a family affair when Secret Affair visited Go Full Throttle in Kilmarnock recently – Scotland’s largest Scooter showroom. The band’s spokesman commented: “Quick stop at the coolest scooter outlet – Go Full Throttle before heading to our gig in Ayr.” Go Full Throttle is the largest dealer for Italian Vespa scooters from its well-stocked modern showroom. Go Full Throttle, owner David said: “Secret Affair are one of my favourite Mod bands. What a combination – Vespas and Secret Affair.

“So glad that my wife and son were here to meet the entire band. The guys gave a great performance later that evening in Ayr.”

CHART SUCCESS FOR SCOMADI Now boasting 16 dealers and 20 service centres across the UK, Scomadi’s growth was recognised officially at the end of 2016. Beaten only by the Honda PCX1 25 and BMW R1200GS Adventure, the Turismo Leggera 200 was placed third for two consecutive months in official registration figures.

Kirsty Bryson, Scomadi’s customs relations manager, told us: “This is fantastic news for Scomadi and we’re very grateful for the support of both our customers and dealer network which now extends to 19 countries worldwide. Scomadi continues to grow as a brand and there are lots of new and interesting products planned.” www.scomadi.com

March 24 BSSO Mallory Test Day April 1-2 BSSO Croft April 1 Ginger’s Egg Run, 30th Anniversary, Leigh Miners Club WN7 4EF April 2 VMSC Extravaganza, Custom and Classic Scooter Show Ryton-on-Dunsmore CV8 3FL April 2 Knaresborough to Wetherby Run Starting from Conningham Hall car park at 11am and going to the Engine Shed, Wetherby April 9 Midlandscooters Easter Egg Run Leaving from MacDonalds, B10 0RJ April 14-17 Scarborough National Rally April 15-16 BSSO Mallory April 23 York Inset SC and Bikes & Bits Annual Mods and Rockers Charity Ride April 28-May 1 Weston-Super-Mare National Rally

BSRA 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP INVITE

The BSRA championship is open to all makes and models of scooter, so if you’re a VCB or LCGB member competing in your respective club, why not sign on for the BSRA as well? All solo riders and clubs are welcome.

All you need to do is to send in your name, address and postcode via the BSRA website. You will then get your signing-on card, which you need to present at each BSRA Rally. Prizes from Tucano Urbano, VCGB, LCGB, SWSC, VFM and main sponsors Lexham Insurance. If you’re a rally-going club or solo rider, have a go.

It’s based on mileage and all you have to do is choose seven from nine BSRA rallies. Send your details via the BSRA website or come to the Lexham stall at Scarborough. Signing on is on a Saturday between 9am & 1pm at the custom show unless notified otherwise. Ride safe.

Ann & Rick

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KICKSTART

ARMANDOS’ LATEST FINDS

B

rothers Giulio and Guido of Armandos in Sheffield are back from their latest Italian buying trip with a host of desirable items. It’s difficult to pick out favourites from the wide selection of Series 2 and 3 machines but there are a couple of standout items including a Series 1 Li150 Frame-breather.

Subject of an older style restoration, this machine’s desirability increased after research revealed it dates from the first two months of Li production. At the other end of Innocenti’s spectrum is an exceptionally scarce DL(GP) 200 Electronic which is still fitted with its full factory ignition system.

Closer to home the brothers have uncovered more rare parts from their extensive stock

including TV175 MK1 speedo bezels and some original chrome embellishments for Series 1/2 machines. Giulio said that, despite their best efforts, they didn’t return home with any Vespas. “Vespas are very fashionable in Italy at the moment and prices have risen considerably, particularly on small-frames. If prices climb much more we could find ourselves sending UK registered machines back to Italy!”

For prices and availability contact Armandos on 0114 273 0464 or visit www.armandosscooters.com

Never miss an issue 8 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2017

from only

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KICKSTART NEW

VESPA T5 PINASCO CRANKSHAFT

Pinasco has developed a competition crankshaft for the Vespa T5. It is designed to work perfectly with both the standard crankcase and Pinasco’s new master and slave crankcases.

The new crank has a standard 52mm stroke length, with increased inlet timing to boost performance and is suitable for both rotary and reed valve induction.

The fitted con-rod has an H-shaped cross section for reduced weight and increased strength. A silver-plated big end bearing supports the polished con-rod. To order or for more info visit: www.ve-supermarket.co.uk

NEW

TUCANO GLOVES WITH DIFFERENT STYLES…

BUT THE SAME BENEFITS.

Both Swift and Rockers gloves are made for all year round riding being both waterproof and breathable thanks to a HYDROSCUD® inner membrane.

They are perfect for cold days, thanks to their long cut on the wrist, which stops any icy draughts or rain trickling up your sleeve. In addition the Italian brand has also included a fleece lining on the inside of the back for maximum warmth and a microfibre lining in the palm for extra sensitivity on the controls.

As with the Swift, the Rockers feature D30 armour and ‘touch screen’ compatibility, so you don’t need to take off your gloves to access your phone or satnav.

Both gloves are available in sizes XS to XXL, retailing at £64.99 (Swift) and £69.99 (Rockers).

For further info visit: www.tucanourbano.com

NEW HEADLAMPS FOR CLASSIC SCOOTERS Owners of Classic Vespas and Lambretta GPs will be interested to learn about the range of specialised polycarbonate headlamps available from VE (UK).

They offer owners the benefit of running brighter halogen headlamp bulbs with a higher wattage, without the fear of discolouring or melting their plastic headlamp glass. Another added benefit is that the models available for Classic Vespa scooters also feature a perfectly clear lens giving their classic machine a more modern look akin to the PX disc headlamp.

All the headlamps are supplied with bulb holders for a complete solution.

To order or for more info visit: www.ve-supermarket.co.uk

SCORPION EXHAUSTS FINALISES DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM FOR YAMAHA’S POPULAR NMAX 125 A full system is now available for the NMAX 125 Scooter which comes complete with header pipe, link pipe, precision bracket system, quick release springs and the famous Serket parallel silencer which has two sleeve finishes, brushed stainless steel and black ceramic which is new to the scooter range.

The dyno developed system is specifically designed for the NMAX, meaning it’s a fit and ride installation with no remapping required. Not only does the Scorpion product massively improve looks, it increases power and throttle response as well as producing the soundtrack that’s associated with Scorpion.

It’s available to order at your nearest dealer now.

Brushed stainless steel £349.

Black ceramic coated £399.

10 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2017

MOVING FORWARD

BY LOOKING BACK Inspiration and admiration for the scooters of the past, the nostalgia we crave also serves to fuel future ideas and incarnations.

Stu Owen explains...

L

ook on any internet forum or social media site and its crammed full of old pictures displaying scootering from years gone by. Whether it’s a group shot of club members in a pub while on a rally or someone’s pride and joy in the back garden shed it doesn’t matter. There seems to be a growing obsession as we indulge more and more in nostalgia from the past. Every picture is scrutinised in great detail from a period exhaust and paint-job, to the old Ford Transit van in the background, parked opposite in a neighbour’s driveway.

Not that it’s a bad thing, we thrive on looking back at our memories, or something that reminds us of a time when we were younger. With the advent of countless places to post such images more and more people are unearthing dust-covered shoeboxes full of old photos from out of the loft. It is a process which provides page after page of images for all to see and comment on.

We now live in an age where even a simple camera phone can capture an image in crystal-sharp detail, offering the splendour of magnificent colour. However, there seems to be as much pleasure gained by looking at some old grainy and faded Polaroid from the 1970s.

When it comes to the subject of scooters themselves, that’s a totally different story altogether. Old photographs somehow manage to capture the imagination more than anything when looking for inspiration. Many custom scooters or just ones repainted in general, now seem to take a big influence from those done in the past. Not that they are

Metal flake, chrome or ‘S-types’ are re-created time and time again, but we never get bored of seeing or building them.

necessarily being copied, more a case of being updated. Quite often when thinking of a new project or paint design for your beloved scooter it can be quite difficult to know exactly just how to go about it. A quick scan of some old images on the internet can soon throw up plenty of ideas.

So is it wrong to do so? I don’t think it is. How many films or songs from decades ago have been remade or re-recorded?

They don’t always better the original but in some cases, they do and quite often embellish it. That’s exactly the case with scooters whether it is a Lambretta or a Vespa. Still, to this day the AF ‘S’ Type is constantly reproduced time and time again. No one ever gets bored of seeing a new reincarnation of this timeless classic.

The same can be said of engineering, for

When someone tells you they have seen that idea or scheme before, don’t worry too much. As long as it’s your own take on it, that’s all that matters.

12 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2017

example, the air intake on a side panel.

By looking at how it has been done before can give you an idea of how to improve it or make it look better on your project.

When looking at an iconic scooter from the past it is easy to replicate it. Quite often, during that process, extra touches are added, making that subtle difference from the original. To come up with something new when building a scooter is getting more and more difficult, that’s why people often refer back to what has already been done.

When someone tells you they have seen that idea or scheme before don’t worry too much. As long as it’s your own take on it, that’s all that matters. Even manufacturers do it to a certain extent. Suzuki has used the same colours on its GSX series for 30 years or more but still makes it look slightly different every time.

So next time you are stuck for an idea of how to paint or layout your next scooter, have a browse on the internet, or through some Scootering back-issues at some images from the bygone days. By looking back to the past, you can find inspiration for what you do in the future.

Words & Photographs: Stu Owen