Scootering - April 2020 - Preview

Lambretta ide Maintenance Gu

FREE Lambretta Maintenance Supplement

Scomadi

Wasted ‘Tuning’

The Preston Panther Returns

Darrell Taylor dyno tests reveal the truth!

New factory, fresh vision & £7.5 million investment

PLUS

and n to engine mounts and tool selectio to know!

From gearing nt – all you need sprocket alignme

THE HUSTLE T

CHEEKY POOL-THEMED VESPA WITH A KICK IN THE BALLS

PRODDY RACER STRIP DOWN

MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIPWINNING DSC PRODDY RACER UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Weller Life In Pictures ■ SH Carb Strip & Service ■ Mailbox ■ Readers’ Rides ■ Show Us Your Scooters ■ Music Reviews ■ New ‘The Way We Used To Do It!’ Column ■ Events Guide ■ Oxford Products Insider ■ Tech Tutorials and more…

No.406 APRIL 2020

£4.40

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Editor: Dan Clare Email: dan@scootering.com Publisher: Tim Hartley Publishing Director: Dan Savage Designer: Chris Abrams Picture desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Production: Pauline Hawkins, Sarah Spencer General queries and back issues: Tel: 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Lines open Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 Email: jskayman@mortons.co.uk Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 26 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 26 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Subscription Manager: Paul Deacon Circulation Manager: Steven O’Hara Marketing Manager: Charlotte Park Commercial Director: Nigel Hole TRADE ADVERTISING Emma Buxton-Rockley – ebuxton-rockley@mortons. co.uk Tel (01507) 529410 Gary Thomas – gthomas@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529417 Divisional Advertising Manager: Tom Lee – tlee@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529412 Group Advertising Manager: Sue Keily ADVERTISING DEADLINES The advertising deadline for the next issue of Scootering (May 2020) is Thursday, April 2, 2020 On sale in newsagents Thursday, April 23, 2020 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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The Professional Publishers Association Member

Welcome to the April edition of Scootering!

W

ell, I have to apologise… my usual ‘upbeat’ writing style seems to have eluded me today, in lieu of more serious topics, I promise not to make a habit of it though. Just when the Brexit drama had stopped dominating every bloody TV and newspaper report, and a sense of ‘normality’ had returned, the C-word has now taken over. Yes, coronavirus (COVID-19). As I write this column, it seems that every aspect of our day-to-day lives may well be in for a very sudden and unpleasant jolt. The spectrum of severity will range from a stark impact due to the heart-breaking loss of life, whatever the scale, through to the less important but still very real disruption to our daily working lives and any events we choose to attend in our leisure time. Within our scooter community, we have a full calendar of various events, rides, local club rallies, and national rallies which engage thousands of scooterists across the land. So I’m sure a lot of head-scratching and speculation is rife among both the organisers and potential attendees right now. Hopefully a sensible and balanced approach will prevail. We will keep you informed of the facts via both the

magazine and Scootering.com website, as they come to us from event organisers, and quash any knee-jerk/scaremongering rumours which tend to surface and circulate rapidly on social media during these times.

Depending how this situation unfolds over the next few weeks, that will probably set the tone for the rest of the year. Not just for scooterists, but for practically every major event where people gather en masse in close quarters.

Still, if we can get through the year, come out of this in good shape and ‘live to ride another day’ then any short-term measures which seem level-headed and balanced will most likely be a small price worth paying in the long term.

On a more positive note, let’s move forward and focus on this month’s mag. As always, we’ve crammed a plethora of cool stuff into these colourful pages, from a nostalgia-based column on p23 and previously unseen images of Paul Weller on p80, through to the abundance of stuff coming out of the new Scomadi factory on p33 and the continuation of Darrell Taylor’s quest to run back-to-back dyno tests on as many ‘tuning’ methods as possible on p98. There’s a tonne more stuff besides, but as always, I’ll let you wade through it at your own pace. Anyway that’s enough of my ramblings, it’s another belter this month… enjoy the issue.

Dan

S C O O T E R I N G WA S B R O U G H T T O Y O U W I T H T H E H E L P O F. . .

Stu Smith

Vespa and Lambretta owner, scooter obsessive, amateur home mechanic, rally goer, Mod sympathiser, music lover and general all round good egg. He writes your rally reports, be nice to him.

Nik Skeat

Vespa P-range obsessive, welltravelled rally rider since the ’80s, founder of the notorious Scooterboy World forum. He’s also a brilliant beer-brewing bearded Scootering feature writer.

Paul Green

Vespa & Lambretta scooter enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg. Our Paul has a long history of scootering both on the road and on the track, with the breakdown bills and crash scars to prove it.

Stuart Owen

LCGB ‘life member’, 100mph Lambretta Club owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach.

Darrell Taylor

Two-stroke tuning guru, scooter engine building maestro, technical aficionado, and dyno tuning specialist. When it comes to a true understanding of scooter engine top-ends, he is THE man.

Big Stan

’80s scooterboy turned long-distance rider.

Be it local, national or international, he’ll ride anywhere in his quest to bring you the tastiest scooters, best roads, trade interviews and hidden gems.

Sarge

With over four decades of riding, rally-going and competing on both Lambretta and Vespa scooters under his belt, this former Freddie Mercury lookalike is still going strong.

He’s a top DJ too, don’tcha know.

CONTENTS letter 03Welcome from the editor

A warm welcome to the April edition of Scootering.

06Kickstart

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

Scooter: 16Feature M3 Lambretta

Maic Tilch has set the bar high with this incarnation of the motorsport theme.

25Mailbox

Readers’ letters, laughs, feedback and fury – get it off your chest man!

26

Subscriptions

Get your mag delivered to the door, earlier than newsstands, and save money…cool. Plus – gain access to all the benefits of the ‘Scootering Extra’ subs club.

Reader’s Ride: 57’80s Flashback

Every single scooter has a personal meaning to its owner. Peter Martin tells us his journey through the ’80s in the artwork on his Vespa PX200…

Profile: 62Dealer Percy Badbrush

Andrew ‘Percy’ Percival a.k.a Percy’s Bad Brush Dezigns has been on the custom paint and fabrication scene for more than 30 years. We sent Stu Smith to find out about his work with scooters.

Report: 66Rally Meltdown 2020

A scooter weekend in a never-used nuclear power plant? Episode 8 of the international scooter extravaganza left little to desire...

80A life in pictures: Weller

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

Nicky Weller has delved into her archives to share some personal photographs and memories of life chez Weller before and after their world became a stage.

Return of the 33Scomadi: Preston Panther

Tech: 84Targa The Targa Lives!

28Show us your scoots!

With a £7.5 million investment, a new factory and a fresh vision… Scomadi is heading back to the showroom! Stan paid a visit to see what the future holds.

38

Feature Scooter: Empire Garage S7

The ideas and inspiration for the development of this scooter started a long way back; well before its conception and build were even a consideration…

44

Safety in mind

Oxford Products is a leading global supplier of products for those on two wheels. Stu Smith went to its HQ to find out more about the company and what it does...

48

Reader’s Ride: A Smallframe Named Alan…

Brendan Farrell has been brought up around Vespas since he was a young lad; and the smallframe was the model that captivated his heart, soul and mind…

52

Rally Report: Burton Brewers

Everyone at the Burton Brewers’ Do is always given a warm welcome; and year in, year out, the event just keeps getting better and better!

4 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

With our Targa Twin finally bursting into life it’s time for Stan to add the finishing touches.

Tech Torque: Dell’Orto 90SH carb strip and service One of the most commonly used Lambretta carburettors is the Dell’Orto SH series. Ideal for standard engines and easy to maintain.

Part 2: Proven 98Tuning results, or a waste of time?

Darrell continues his dyno testing of a few well-known and time-honoured traditions when it comes to tuning two-stroke engines.

Proddy Racer 108BSSO Strip Down

Team DSC race supremo Darren Scott offered to strip his multiple championship winning LCGB Production Class engine in front of the camera. We took note.

Feature Scooter: 118 Greater Than The Sum of Its Parts Best known as the creator of bespoke custom components, Keith Newman’s no stranger to completing his own scooter builds.

118

44

33 Forever in Debt Scootering | #405 March

35 years maintaining an ’80s classic

Lord of the Rings

Vespa HPE300 tuning transformation

Hellraiser scooter This was born to raise hell

2020 Scootering 2020: Power,

SSR265cc ‘Double Dip’ Lambretta

Performance & Paint…

A new standard in custom scooters?

2020 SCOOTERWORLD OF THE

PLUS

www.scootering.com

THE FIRST SHOW BEST OF SEASON AND THE BRITISH SCOOTERING

DO ALL ‘TUNING’ METHODS WORK?

TUNING GURU DARRELL TAYLOR PUTS WELL-KNOWN METHODS TO THE TEST!

Classics Hanoi Road Trip ■ K2 SIP Pordoi Racer ■ SSC Rides Boy Tales ■ Readers’ Dealer Profile ■ Scooter ■ Music ■ Readers’ Letters ■ Show Us Your Scoots de and more…

Review ■ Events Gui

No.405 MARCH 2020

£4.40

Never miss from only £20 an issue Subscribe today on page 26

80 WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 5

KICKSTART Super Hoodie 2.0

NEW!

Despite the safety risks, we know that many scooterists still ride scooters in a pair of trainers and a flight jacket… such is life. So for those who like the more ‘casual’ approach to riding gear, this Oxford Super Hoodie 2.0 offers a great compromise. It is a reinforced riding hoodie with CE protectors and 100% DuPont Kevlar fibre included in the construction.

The Oxford Super Hoodie has a cotton construction with hidden structure stitching and Kevlar Fibre included. DuPont Kevlar is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibre which is highly cut/abrasion resistant, and is used in a variety of clothing, accessories and equipment to help make them safer and

more durable. With five times the strength of steel based on an equal weight basis, it’s the go-to fibre for protective apparel and accessories. For rider protection, CE Certified Level 2 protectors have been included for the elbows and shoulders. They are also flexible so that they are comfortable when off the bike. The hoodie has a pocket for a back protector to be added if required. Additional features include belt loops, hood adjustment, soft edge cuffs and a comfortable collar.

It’s not a ‘full on’ piece of safety clothing, but if you’re still wearing a nylon flight jacket, or a cotton parka… it’s certainly a step in the right direction!

Colours: Camo, Grey or Black Sizes: S – 5XL Price: £119.99 More info: www.oxfordproducts.com

PM TUNING STAINLESS STEEL POWER PIPE FOR ROYAL ALLOY GP/TG 300S Hand-crafted PM99 X-Tech performance slip-on exhaust, the end product of PM Tuning’s technical know-how dyno research and development.

In-house dyno developed by the team at PM Tuning Racing Products claim to extract an additional 2.5bhp @ 60mph over the standard exhaust, and they tell us it’s road tested for superior throttle response and linear power increase throughout the entire speed range. Hand-crafted in the UK from high-grade polished 304 stainless steel, precision butt TIG. Welded lightweight construction, no variator roller adjustments required, 2T aesthetic looks, great performance and sound, single point quick release rubber void bush mounting and spring-retained slip joint. Remove the old system, fit and go.

Includes all necessary fitting hardware.

RRP £272.42 For more info: www.pmtuning.co.uk

NEW!

6 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

Buzz Solo – panel fasteners, horncastings and headsets Fresh in stock at Buzzsolomoto is a range of rear panel fastenings for Series 1 and 2 models. The increasing rarity of these machines means that frames which would previously have been consigned to scrap are worthy of saving, even if the rear frame area has rusted. The replacements are made in the UK and exclusive to Buzzsolomoto. The full bar is made from pressed 1.2mm steel while the ends are pressed from 3.2mm steel.

All have been produced using specially manufactured tooling that ensures both strength and rigidity. In addition a bolt-on clip has been produced which greatly assists in tyre removal.

Priced between £7 for a single weld-on bracket to £50 for the full bar assembly, they’ll be invaluable for any serious restorer.

Also due to arrive at any time are pressure-cast headsets and horncastings for Series 3 Lambrettas. Prices are still to be confirmed but with perfect threads and what promises to be a factory-fresh fit, these are set to fill a very large gap in the market. www.buzzsolomoto.co.uk

LEGAL Q&A This information is provided by Stephen Hattersley, of WildWood Legal, a firm of solicitors specialising in claims for injured scooterists. Stephen, a qualified solicitor for 25 years, has been riding scooters for more than 30 years, and has acted for injured riders across the UK. He knows the tricks and pitfalls that insurers use and pulls no punches in his dealings with them. He rides to work every day and understands the challenges you face out there.

Q. I want to bring a claim but I am worried about having to pay costs if I lose as I can’t afford it.

A. Until a few years ago, if you brought a personal injury claim and lost at court, you would indeed run the risk of having to pay the other side’s legal costs – a scary thought. Solicitors could arrange insurance cover to protect against this but that was expensive and not always worth the paper it was written upon.

Fortunately, the situation has now changed. We have Qualified One-Way Costs Shifting – a mouthful of a phrase which means that if you lose a personal injury case, you will not now have to pay the defendant’s costs.

The only exception is where there has been ‘fundamental dishonesty’ in bringing the claim. That can result in the situation reverting to the old rules whereby the unsuccessful claimant has to pay the defendant’s costs. There have been cases

Keeping it straight A scooter is only as good as the frame it’s built around and Chiselspeed can now offer frame straightening to its extensive range of other services. As proprietor Martin Cooke explained: “We can fit any series 1, 2, 3 or GP frame on to our very heavy-duty, multi-point jig and get your frame back to factory condition. If there was any deformation, the result will be far more neutral handling, with bodywork that fits properly.”

The standard cost is £180 including VAT with a normal turnaround of one day. If major surgery such as the removal of a steering column is required the shop’s normal hourly rate will apply. Booking in advance is essential, although a ‘while you wait service’ is available for those who don’t live locally to the workshop.

More info: www.chiselspeed.co.uk

in the press recently where people have been found (often through their social media accounts) to have lied about their claims and they have paid a heavy financial price.

The moral is – bring an honest claim and you have nothing to worry about!

If you need advice on a scooter-related legal question, email stephen@wildwoodlegal. co.uk. The best Q&A will be published in Scootering magazine in confidence.

Collection for sale Sheffield-based Armandos Scooters has recently been commissioned to dispose of a small, but perfectly formed, Lambretta collection. Although some require a few finishing touches, all of the machines have been restored to a very high standard and are being sold on behalf of a private client. First arrivals at the shop include a Series 1 LI and two yellow ochre GP 200s, one being a stunning example of the scarce Electronic variant.

Although the scooters aren’t being given away they are, to quote the old advertising slogan, ‘priced to sell’. Further information can be obtained on line or by contacting the shop directly.

More info: www.armandosscooters.com

WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 7

KICKSTART Polini Fuel System – Vespa PX 125/150 Polini has announced its brand new fuel system for Vespa PX 125/150 which includes a bigger universal 30-CP carburettor and reed valve. The kit is higher performing compared to the original fuel system. The die-cast light alloy aluminium carburettor has an alloy flat-slide to improve the throttle response.

Every single CP carburettor undergoes testing to ‘level control of the fuel in the bowl’ with the aim to always ensure the same parameters of fuel delivery within the carburetion. The supplied reed manifold has two main features: the first gives the possibility to house a bigger carburettor, if required, and the second allows the use of the engine, even with a worn intake valve.

Item Code: 177.0094 RRP: €290,00 + VAT More info: www.polini.com

NEW!

REPRODUCTION CADILLAC GRILLE KIT FOR SALE

Eddy Stacey, owner of the fantastic 1961 custom Vespa GS150 which we featured in the February 2020 edition of Scootering magazine, is now offering for sale an authentic Ulma reproduction Cadillac grille and horncasting cover kit. Eddy explained that the kit has taken four years to develop; it has been moulded from original items and is professionally spray chromed, which he

says delivers the same quality finish as chrome itself. An original Cadillac grille on its own would set you back somewhere in the region of several thousand pounds! But Eddy’s offering his kit, which includes the grille, horncast cover, authentic period badges, trims and fixings for £900 plus postage and packaging.

More info: eddystacey@yahoo.co.uk or phone: 07432 087217.

RON DALEY SCOOTERS – THIS IS IT! As if legendary scooter shop Ron Daley’s didn’t have enough strings to its talented bow, the shop is now working with Scooter Center Cologne to stock BGM and Moto Nostra parts in the UK. To find out more about the new range of products, and the shop’s already extensive range of genuine Vespa spares,

8 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

visit the website to see what’s on offer.

More info: www.rondaleyscooters.co.uk

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All Or Nothing othing SC 35th Anniversary

I

t was 1985 when we were sat in the Craftsman Pub in Coventry and decided that we should form a committee, set up a bank account and have a go at running the All or Nothing Scooter Club. To understand what was going on in the broader scooter scene we would need to join a few scooter associations such as the NRC (National Runs Committee), who at the time co-ordinated all the national rallies, and we became the Coventry branch of the VCB (Vespa Club of Britain). We also affiliated to the FBSC (Federation of British Scooter Clubs) as several members had an interest in scooter sport activities.

Several of us had also signed up for subscriptions to the new Scootering magazine. Roll on February 2020 and we now find ourselves celebrating our 35th anniversary with a night-time event held at the Standard Triumph Club in Coventry.

To assist us with the entertainment we had enlisted the services of local DJ Sam Evans with live music being provided by the 3 Sixties. With all the various storms and flooding taking place, we expected a low turnout, but ended up having a really good turnout with a good crowd of people. Leicester Phoenix SC had turned up in numbers, we had several from Northampton, as well as the Rugby Individuals, Bedworth Saints and the Bleeding Hearts SC, to mention just a few.

Sam got the party started with a variety

10 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

of tunes to keep the dance floor flowing.

We decided the band should do two sets, giving us some time to sort out the raffle in between the sets. At 9.15pm the room was filled with the sounds of Hawaii 5-0, as the 3 Sixties began their first set, banging out tune after tune giving us that authentic sound of the Sixties. During the interlude, we drew the raffle, with a selection of prizes on offer. Stan and the band then returned to the stage and continued the sound of the Sixties. There was some great audience participation, and it was great to observe people singing along to familiar tunes, and as part of their encore the band gave a great rendition of the Small Faces’ number one single All or Nothing as a thank you to the hosts.

If you’ve never seen the 3 Sixties, I would thoroughly recommend them either on their own or as part of the Swinging Sixties Show (www.the3sixties.com). Sam continued the entertainment, keeping the dance floor flowing through the night. A big thank you to Matt and the team for guiding us into the new decade and to everyone who has supported us over the past 35 years, Thank you. Thanks to Sam Evans, DJ, the 3 Sixties and Graham the sound man. A special mention for Mototech Auto Services and Fargo Scooters for their continued support and sponsorship.

Words: Brian Forde Pictures: Kingy and John Coles

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The shattered American dream No matter how good a brand or product is, trying to make it big in America is never an easy thing to do!

The accessory and

N

o matter how successful an automotive company is, selling its brand to other countries has always been the answer to real success.

Once established in Italy, Innocenti did just that as the Lambretta made its way to mainland Europe. Once it reached the UK there seemed to be no stopping them.

Around 70% of all Lambrettas ever exported from Italy were sold in the UK which considering the size of the country is quite remarkable. So you would think to be so popular and well-liked that conquering the biggest market of all, America, would be a piece of cake.

Innocenti was determined to do just that and if successful it would have made the Lambretta a globally recognised brand.

Key to all this was setting up the most direct trade link and the nearest that a concession was set up was in Long Island City, New York. This would be the base from where the Lambretta would be distributed.

Motorcycle dealers along the length of that East Coast soon became agents, as well as some new businesses catering specifically for scooters. Innocenti realised that there would be no overnight success but was confident that it would soon break into other parts of the country.

The first real attempt was made in the late 1950s with the Series 1 taking up the challenge. Despite moderate sales in some towns and cities, trade never really picked up. Pressure built up on the concession to do better and with the right infrastructure in place, it was disappointing for Innocenti to see such poor sales figures. Determined to succeed the company pressed ahead, not only advertising but introducing new models once they were in production. No matter how much they tried, somehow the Lambretta and scooter concept never quite caught on. With the introduction of the TV200, the most powerful Lambretta to date, it was thought this would finally be the key to unlocking the true potential, but it didn’t. In a last-ditch attempt, a large consignment of SX200s was shipped over to see if it could make an impact on falling sales. Most dealers had given up with the

12 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

spares department at Long Island.

Perhaps not the most organised way to do things!

Lambretta by this time and by 1967 just a few remained. Not long afterwards the concession was wound up, sealing the Lambretta’s fate and sadly for Innocenti its American dream was over. By why did one of the world’s finest scooters fail in what would have been by far its biggest market?

Many companies have tried before and since to crack America and only a few have ever succeeded. Though the Lambretta was a good machine it had its limits. The SX200 was capable of almost 70mph, which seemed plenty fast enough at the time. With a range of around 100 miles on one tank of fuel ample enough as a touring machine, perhaps there lies the answer. One hundred miles in Italy, Europe and certainly in the UK will get you to many destinations.

America is so vast that 100 miles there may not get you from one town to another. Let’s face it, back then cars in America were huge-capacity gas-guzzling machines capable of long distances. They needed to be, as driving 300 or so miles to a destination was accepted as the norm.

Attempting it on a tiny two-wheeled machine was going to be far more difficult to achieve, let alone how uncomfortable it would be.

What about luggage? It seemed every car built had a boot big enough to easily fit a Lambretta in it, so the tiny rack on the back of an SX200 simply wouldn’t suffice.

Those that chose two-wheeled transport would use a huge-capacity motorcycle.

Harley-Davidson got it right with their low revving but thumping big engines built for cruising. Compared to a small 150cc two-stroke screaming away, there would only ever be one choice. To prove just how unsuccessful the Lambretta was, many original examples have been found in recent times scattered along the East Coast, still in good running order, but with only a couple of thousand miles on the clock, and some only in the hundreds. This evidence suggests that the idea of travelling far on one soon became redundant. So perhaps that’s where Innocenti got it wrong;

SX and TV200 scooters still exist there in greatt with original condition, this pair were found recently clock. the on only a few hundred miles

though it had a good product it wasn’t suited to the vastness of such a big country.

Quite oddly, Serveta tried the same thing again in the early 1980s and it too suffered exactly the same fate. Again, many low mileage examples exist there to this day, proving the point. So what about Vespa?

Could Piaggio have found the answer where Innocenti didn’t? In a way yes it has, by realising the potential of its product. The Vespa does sell in America but only in moderation and will never gain a massmarket there. Perhaps seeing how Innocenti failed has taught Piaggio a lesson. Knowing its limits but realising its strengths. The scooter is an ideal commuter vehicle in any large city and America is no exception. Piaggio now has a network of dealers in many of the country’s biggest cities and it sells well. If Innocenti had taken on the same idea then it, too, may have made a success of it. Sadly that is only a distant dream now and one that got shattered.

..,

INSTANT QUOTE & COVER

Nobby know-it-alls You’ve perhaps met one, you may have one in your club, or you’ve probably seen him on Facebook. He’s the expert. He knows it all.

Y

es, we’ve all come across them, know-it-alls. I saw a Facebook thread a while ago, the subject of the ‘discussion’ was, which is the best Lambretta SX in the UK and its various merits. There was a long and tortuous thread with a whole bunch of people wading in with opinions. It is quite clear to me that very few people can actually claim to be any kind of definitive ‘expert’ in scooter brands, whether it be Lambretta or Vespa. They have been produced over many years and in many countries, with many versions, variants and factory anomalies. Surely not that many people could all be true experts and know absolutely EVERY last detail? I personally know a very small number of people, whom I’ve met over my 40 years tinkering with scooters, who I would consider to have an immense and detailed ‘expert’ knowledge… but that is often of a particular single model or small range, whether it be Luna Line, GPs or smallframe Vespas. There is someone who has maybe become a prolific collector and has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge, and could well tell you that the kick-start bolt is wrong, or the style of washer on a petrol tank is incorrect.

Hardly anyone else would know, but one of these guys will. When customisation was the new ‘big thing’ this kind of interest and knowledge waned, but now, as ‘true’ restoration is a current trend peaking again, then more people have started to rediscover and attain that knowledge. They are collecting original literature, official drawings, factory blueprints etc., and that is helping them build this knowledge.

They have built small collections or even museums. It is fantastic for us all to have these people in our midst.

However… for every one person that really is a true expert (or close to it) there are many more who are not true experts, they just think that they are! Sometimes those fellas can become bloody annoying as they impose their opinions on the rest of us, whether that be in person or on social media. I remember a dealer (well

14 | SCOOTERING | APRIL 2020

known for Vespa) who once made my ears bleed when he repeatedly and aggressively told me that I needed two springs for my stand when I was trying to buy a single (nice shiny) chrome one. I told him I didn’t need two, but he would not have it.

He even became angry when I told him I thought he was wrong. He seemed to have the idea that because he was an expert (in a different brand) that of course his knowledge was superior. Being an impressionable 18-year-old, now doubting myself, unbelievably I walked out with two chrome springs! When it comes to dealers you would also naturally expect them to have a decent knowledge, by the fact that they are scooter dealers, but it’s certainly not a given. Not all dealers are created equal, I can tell you! I’ve heard dealers sprouting some absolute tosh over the years. One springs to mind who knew very little about the scooter world but had some rather deep pockets and ambitions to be an entrepreneur, and probably just saw scooterists as a ‘quick buck’. Of course, it all went very wrong for him in the end… but sadly also for a few customers along the way.

There are a couple of guys that I can think of, who have a truly amazing

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, especially if that’s all you have... a little.

knowledge of particular models and a pretty good knowledge of the general ranges. I’m not just talking about what panels fit what, but can mentally recite knowledge like frame number sequences for year of manufacture, and whether it had type X or type Y air filter for that frame number sequence. If I was building or restoring a Luna Line model I know exactly who I would ask about the details, for example. But overall, I think my 40 years of experience have shown me that there are very few true experts of our chosen form of transport. You could probably fit them all into one room. But there are a tonne of people a couple of levels down who think that they know a heck of a lot… and many of them indeed do. But, unfortunately, there are infinitely more that really don’t… and they all seem to have a platform on Facebook! It might be an age thing but I find these frauds get easier to spot as I get older and I’m sure you’ve probably spotted some of them too.

As far as the purchase of my two springs goes… I don’t think I ever did fit that extra chrome spring, it was hung on a hook above my workbench for many years. A constant reminder to this day.

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