NK1 Vespa
chopper
pedigree
jaw-dropping cut from a different cloth
with a racing and a crew to match
Reghams Dominator classic northern
powerhouse
reborn
#386 August 2018
PLUS
Cerberus
Eclipse
Custom that delivers unforgettable looks and incredible engineering!
PLUS: Beginner Tech Tips: The spares
you need to carry
EUROLAMBRETTA PUT A LID ON IT! AND VWD REPORTS AVG FACTORY VISIT
STAN DOES THE NEED A NEW HELMET? DOUBLE AGAIN! WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Big 7 and Animal Antics rally reports ■ 1970s scooter racing: a snapshot in time ■ Moscow Vespa Club ■ ‘Subs Extra’ exclusive benefits for subscribers ■ Readers’ Rides ■ Scooter Trader ■ Events Guide and more …
WELCOME Editor: Dan Clare Email: dan@scootering.com Publisher: Dan Savage Designer: Charlotte Turnbull Picture desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Production editor: Dan Sharp General queries and back issues: Tel: 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Mon-Fri 8.30am-7pm, Sat 8.30am-12.30pm 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 48 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 48 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 Gary Thomas – gthomas@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529417 Emma Buxton-Rockley – ebuxton-rockley@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529410 Divisional advertising manager: Zoe Thurling 01507 529412, zthurling@mortons.co.uk ADVERTISING DEADLINES The advertising deadline for the next issue of Scootering (September 2018) is Thursday, August 2, 2018 On sale in newsagents Thursday, August 23, 2018 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. Postmaster: Send address changes to SCOOTERING, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595. chris@ classicbikebooks.com
Welcome to the August edition of Scootering
F
ame and fortune don’t visit everyone, but as the saying goes… every dog has its day! It was interesting to edit articles which showed two distinct sides of the same scooter racing coin during the build up to the press day for this month’s magazine. On the one hand, Stu Owen waxes lyrical regarding the great success of legendary racer Richard Wilfang at his peak during the mid-70s scooter racing scene. Whereas on the other hand, Russ Machin reflects in a rather more informal manner on his chance meeting and subsequent interview with lesser known 70s racer Laurence Moore. Two names from the same era; both talked about and reflected upon during this edition and both great examples of success in their own right. Bridging the gap from 70s to present day, we also take a look at the prices of yesteryear – and make some comparisons of how scooters and scootering items measure up financially, then and now. Was a TV200 really better value back then? When was the best time to buy a TS1 kit, and HOW much am I paying for petrol?
Stu does the maths, so you don’t have to and it makes for an interesting read. Another connection from way back when to the present day that I want to make mention of is, of course, the beautiful feature scooters which we have to marvel at this month… particularly the NK1 Vespa and the Reghams Dominator. These both reinforce the notion that something from the past can be reborn as something just as good, if not better than the original. The final link from past to present is the celebration of 60 years in business for Ron Daley. Take a look at our special features on the man, his business, his scooters, and the legacy he is forging. So hopefully you’ll find an inspiring balance of old and new in this month’s magazine… a nod to the heritage of some of the items which make up our scene, and acknowledgment of those people, ideas and products which keep it alive. There’s a ton of other stuff besides, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself. Anyway, that’s enough of my ramblings, it’s another belter this month… enjoy the issue. Dan
SCOOTERING is published by: Mortons Scooter Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd © 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. ISSN 0268 7194 Distribution: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU. Tel: 0203 787 9001. Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton
The Professional Publishers Association
Member
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 & 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, well-travelled rally rider since the 80s, and founder of the once notorious Scooterboy World online 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
Life member of the LCGB, 100mph LambrettaClub owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Scooter rider, rally-goer, racer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach.
Jordan Lewis Dave Oakley Hard-riding, rally going scooterist representing the Young Guns SC. He might be young in years, but this lad has already covered more miles than most and represents his club at the BSRA meetings.
Riding and building scooters since 1983, Dave has been a contributor to Scootering since the 90s. His builds include chops, cutdowns, street-racers, autos and the most infamous custom of the 80s!
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 from 03Welcome the Editor
A warm welcome to the August issue of Scootering.
halcyon days of 1970s 62The scooter racing A Vespa enthusiast and an ex Lambretta racer set aside brand allegiances for one common bond… the love of scooters.
06Kickstart
67The price is right (or is it?)
14Eclipse
72Reghams Dominator
The upfront section with all the latest news, views and product reviews! Winning trophy after trophy, this scooter is something to behold, delivering unforgettable looks and engineering.
Reports: 21Rally EuroLambretta & VWD
The big two single marque clubs’ annual European rallies; and for the second year running Stan managed the double!
31
Rally Report: Big 7
Ev erything was cheaper back in the day, wasn’t it? Was it really though? Sometimes, an original design is so good it can’t be bettered, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be brought up to date… the Reghams Dominator is reborn.
a lid on it! 78Put AVG factory visit
Thinking of buying a new helmet? Stan gets an insider’s view on what to look for when choosing a new lid.
With the dates of so many other events clashing, some thought that the Big 7 National Scooter Rally might suffer. They were wrong.
83Club Do’s & Events
Report: Animal 35Rally Antics
88Scootering Words & Sounds
Armthorpe Animals SC’ s Rally delivered an ‘old skool’ alternative scooter rally with a modern twist!
38
Cerberus
Since it appeared on the custom scene, Dave Stewart’s fantastic custom chopper has attracted lots of interest and debate… for all the right reasons.
44Mailbox
Readers’ letters, laughs, feedback and fury – get it off your chest man!
46
Show Us Your Scoots
48
Subscriptions
The best of our readers rides this month as sent in by you. G et your mag delivered straight to your door, save money, and gain access to all the benefits of the exclusive ‘Scootering Ex tra’ subs-club.
51Quantum Leap
Though scooter racing had dropped out of the limelight by the mid-19 70s, championships were still there to be won, and Richard Wilfang was in it to win it. This is his story…
56NK1
The legendary NK1 – Vespa Racer. This is a scooter with a true racing pedigree, developed and constructed from a special relationship.
4 | SCOOTERING | AUGUST 2018
78
Y our essential guide to the scene – What, Where & When! The best of scootering words and music as reviewed by Nik & Sarge.
91VCB Club page
G ary Robertson tells us about the forthcoming Two C hannels Dash.
92BSSO Report – Lydden Hill Pa ul G reen brings us his actionpacked report from Lydden Hill scooter racing weekend.
Focus: 60 years on, 97Dealer and still going strong One in a handful of 19 5 0s dealers still active, Ron Daley gave us an insight into his family business.
King is Dead, Long 100The Live the King Scooterists everywhere mourned the end of PX200 production but thanks to Ron Daley it’s still possible to buy a new example of this iconic machine.
Never miss from only £20 an issue Subscribe today on page 48 Focus: 118Club Vespa Club Moscow
During his trip to Russia, Rik went to meet up with the thriving Vespa C lub of Moscow to check out their take on the scooter scene and Vespa ownership.
121Scooter Trader
All the sales and classifieds for you to peruse.
Tech Torque: Essential Dave’s Nostalgic 107 scooter maintenance 128 Custom Corner with Stu Owen Y ou never know when you might have a breakdown, so what parts and tools should you carry ‘ just in case?’ Stu reports...
Nostalgia master Dave Oakley, pulls out another stunning blast from the past – this month it’s The G reatest Love of All. It nearly didn’t make the cut though...
112Batman Returns
130Reader’s Ride
F orget Keaton, C looney and Bale. For Scootering readers, Lightfoot may be the greatest name yet to be associated with the C aped C rusader...
Our favourite road ridden scooter this month, it’s always something special. Take an oil company and remove one letter – it’s Hell!
118
97
72 WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 5
KICKSTART
IS SILENCE GOLDEN?
M
aking its debut at VWD was Retrospective’s prototype electric conversion. E lectric two-wheelers are a growth industry but Retrospective’s solution is believed to be unique in that it allows conversion of a classic scooter to electric power in a way that’s entirely reversible, the design brief being ‘ no welding, no cutting’. Although it’s currently only available for small-frame Vespas, a P X conversion isn’t too far away. But the big question is what’s it like to ride? F irst impressions are that a lot of thought’s gone into making this look completely stock. The hub motor’s hidden behind a dummy plastic crankcase and a mock expansion chamber means that when parked up it’s very difficult to tell this from a standard machine. The power cell is mounted beneath the seat and is removable so it can be charged indoors. Once you’re astride the machine everything looks standard, the gear selector is fixed, and the clutch lever’s redundant. U nlike ‘ new builds’, which are based on automatics, Retrospective’s conversion retains the standard floorboard mounted rear brake. Startup is simplicity itself – turn the key, wait a second for the battery to check itself and then wind open the throttle. At first it’s an eerie experience, very similar to freewheeling downhill, as speed gathers
The quietest Stan’s been for a while.
rapidly. The prototype motor is a rough equivalent to 5 0cc but it feels much more like a 125 . U nlike petrol engines there’s no ‘ lag’ with an electric motor as power delivery is instant. Torque abounds, in fact the design team are restricting the amount of torque as it’s quite possible to flip the ‘ 125 ’! I’m a big fan of two-strokes but there’s something mesmerising about being propelled along in complete silence. One downside to the
GTS ADDS A LITTLE WEIGHT… As the speed and power output of scooters continues to rise, little things like wheelbalance become increasingly important. Last month Stan attended Pi aggio’s press day and although there were no new scooter announcements he did notice that the Sei G iorni on test handled particularly well. A quick glance revealed that its wheels had been balanced and a few calls to dealers suggests that this has recently become standard factory practice. Wheel balancing has long been a neglected aspect of scooter performance, mainly because finding someone to balance small wheels has never been easy (W e featured a DIY solution in Ed ition 290). However, the rise of maxi scooters means it’s being offered by an increasing number of specialist tyre fitters. J udging by the positive effect on the Sei G iorgi’s handling, next time a fresh set of rubber’s in order it may be worth seeking out their services.
6 | SCOOTERING | AUGUST 2018
The project’s safe in his hands; electrical engineer John Chubb.
conversion is its range, currently around 3 0 miles, but that can be increased by adding an extra battery pack. Theoretically Retrospective’s kit can be adapted to suit any scooter, enabling anything from 19 5 0s barn finds to G TSs to attain zero emission status. The potential for recycling existing machines is massive and if society’s serious about conserving resources surely re-use of existing frames has to be a good thing? More info: www.retrospectivescooters.com
LAMBRETTA SPEED RECORD ATTEMPT PASSES ITS FIRST TEST The SRP Racetech streamliner attempted its first proper run out at E lvington airfield in Y orkshire on J une 19 . The team, led by P aul Baker and Stuart Day, were there to give the machine a shakedown test and check performance. This was the first time the streamliner had made a full one mile run, with the intention of checking all of the systems, so if any problems arose they could be ironed out before a serious attempt is made. The weather on the day was fine with no heavy crosswinds which might seriously affect the handling. The first run was rather timid in its approach at a moderate 61.3m ph but it must be remembered that the engine can’t be run in on the road, only out on the track. With everything looking fine the throttle was opened up slightly more for the second run which achieved 83.6m ph. It soon became apparent that the engine was running way to rich as it wouldn' t pull in fourth gear or get into the power band. U nfortunately, someone forgot ( no names mentioned) to pack the full set of jets to clean the carburetion up. Nevertheless with what was available to hand it allowed the engine to rev out more on the third and final run of the day.
With a recorded speed of 107.5 mph, this was a real statement of the potential this machine has. Stuart Day said: “I t did this speed at 7600rpm in top gear so it has plenty more to go.” Though the gearing is being kept secret at the moment, it must be presumed that it will rev out past 10,000rpm so those of you who are technically minded can work out the potential top speed. One of the most important tests was the handling and whether it would actually ride in a straight line. There were no reports of any problems or speed wobbles, which can happen when running with a full front fairing. Though there were one or
two small issues such as the jetting, overall the team were very happy with how everything performed. As mentioned in the previous report preparing and testing a machine for a top speed record attempt is a very laborious and long one. Not only does it have to be designed and built but then tested before everything is right to make the attempt. That’s why others in the past have failed but thankfully this team are taking the correct approach to achieve their goal. F urther runs are planned for later in the year. We will keep you informed of progress and be there when the proper attempt takes place.
WIN! CORAZZO POSTALE GENTS JACKET WORTH £149 FROM VE (UK) THROUGH SCOOTERING EXTRA Simply log into your subscriber account here and enter the competition online. The jacket has removable CE Rated Armour in shoulders, elbows and back, Cordura® abrasion and water resistant shell, reflective 3 M Scotchlite™ trim for night time visibility, superior venting for warm days, zip out fleece vest liner and YK K® high-grade zippers throughout. Login in to win: www.scootering.com/ extra
VESPA LARGE-FRAME PINASCO 250CC CRANKCASE FROM VE(UK) While no official specifications have yet been released, you can rest assured that P inasco has worked extensively on reinforcing critical areas of the casing, worked on the porting to offer the best possible performance, and made other refinements to give the highest quality of finish to the product. This new engine casing will require a new cylinder kit and crankshaft, which are currently in development. Scootering will publish full details and specifications as soon as they are available.
WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 7
Music and lowrider looks were what inspired the creation of Bob Ball’s fantastic scooter, Eclipse. We think he achieved his goal... Two subjects blend
Bob had always wanted to build a lowrider scooter, which would be reminiscent of the American 1950s lowrider look and have a paint theme based on The Eclipse, the first legal all-night ‘rave’ club. You could be forgiven for wondering how the two subjects blend together but it’s simple: don’t over-think it because Bob has done it, and it works perfectly.
The way it should be seen
“I’d been thinking about how to go about delivering the looks and the feel of the scooter,” Bob explained. “I wanted it to be perfect and choosing the right model in the first place was critical. The bodywork needed to lend itself to the lowrider look, and the scooter needed to have the space for the artwork. The slim-style body shape wasn’t right for the project; it didn’t
14 | SCOOTERING | AUGUST 2018
give the right feel, but the more generous broad-style of the Series 2 was perfect.” In January 2016 Bob got on with things and purchased an API Li150 Series 2, which would provide the blank canvass for him to work on.
Love no matter what
To get the lowrider looks it was obvious that Bob would need to lower everything, which would present a real challenge at every stage. Not satisfied with giving himself a fabrication mountain to climb; to get the 1950s lowrider feel absolutely perfect Bob decided he would add louvres to the bodywork, which enhance the look of the scooter and serve as a practical addition to cool the engine compartment.
An engineering masterpiece.
Creating the love and the atmosphere.
Developing the look
WhenB ob setab out theb odywork,al lt heb ody panelson t hes cooterr equiredv ariousad justments. Theou triggersw ered roppedb y2 in, asw ere the legshieldsan dh orncasting. The frontm udguard wasgi ven anex tended‘ skirt’al l roundi tan d to create the‘ droppedl ook’at ther earof t hes cooter theb acken dof thes idepanelsw as alsoex tended. Int he meantime,B obm adeh isow n jigt o jig outt he forks and shortenedt hef orks temb y 2int o maket hems iti n perfectal ignmentw ith thef ronten d.
Seeing the bigger picture
Theu nder-seatf rames ectionw as extended width-wiseb yon e inchat each side.T o compensatef or theex traf ramew idtht her ear footboardsn eededt ob e extended,an das a result theki ck-startern eededt o be‘ swannedou t’. In turn, thel oweringof theb odyworkm eantt hat thes tand had tob es hortenedb yt woi nches. Thel ouvresw eret henp ainstakinglym ade by hand. Ah olew asd rilledat each en dof eac h louvre’s positionan dt hen,w iths elf-tapping screws,an MDF t emplate wasat tached to theb odyp anel. Aftert he template had beenat tached tot he bodywork each louvre wast heni ndividuallyt apped outi ntot he shapeof t het emplate. “T heal ignmentof each l ouvre had tob ep erfect,an dt hes hape of each oneh adt om atcht heon es at eithers ide ofi t.T here wasn or oom for erroran dt herew eren os econdch ances; each oneh adt or ight firstt ime or the lookw ouldb et otallycom promised,” Bobex plained. Thel ouvreds idepanelsw ere then weldedt ot heu nder-seatf rame section tocr eateas ingler ear frame/ body panel,w hichl iftson ah inge situatedb ehind ther earw heel.
Intelligent thinking
Thes upport att he rearof t hes eati s made fromaS eries3 f rontm udguard and blends intot heb odyworkp erfectly.T heu nder-seat fuelt anki s a one-offi tem fabricated by Bob.
WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 15
The attention to detail is outstanding; Bob has welded a vertical tube-way through the tank, which allows the choke and throttle cables to run through it to the carb without obstruction. The under-seat tank also sits purposely slightly out of centre on the frame to allow room for the ‘up-and-ov er’ high-level exhaust, which was hand-crafted by Bob from what he believes to be a J anspeed item he picked up at a parts fair. The exhaust runs perfectly through the engine compartment and when the frame is closed only the very end of it can be seen emerging downwards from behind the rear of the extended sidepanel.
Spray booth
To get things going with the paintwork, Bob built himself a spray booth and set about adding the colour. He chose to put cherry red on top of silver, and then metal-flake base, which was followed by nine coats of deep red candy and finished off with six coats of lacquer. With the initial deep red base-coat completed the panels were handed over to Dewey Fr anklin for the artwork to be added. Dewey had initially suggested that the artwork should be completed in black and white, but Bob was adamant that he wanted coloured images. “I believed coloured images would support the rave scene better as they would show the DJ s in action, the lasers shooting around the dance floor and generally capture the atmosphere of the scene perfectly.” On the top of the headset, the artwork shows two fingers reaching towards each other with a spark connecting them blended into the gem light. The ‘Eclips e’ graphic on the offside legshield is taken from an ‘Eclips e’ event flyer. The front mudguard shows a mural of The Eclips e night club. The inner legshield fuel tank shows an image of DJ Sasha working the dance floor, which is filled with rave goers dancing to Alison Limerick’s Where Love Lives. The graphic, ‘Las t Rhythm’ appears above the mural on the back end of the scooter, which shows Saffron from ‘N -J oi’ commanding the dance-floor over a packed room.
16 | SCOOTERING | AUGUST 2018
His head’s ‘gone west’.
Rear end lifts effortlessly.
A pictorial guide through the full
story of the build 4 4A
2
1A
1
2A
3
3A
6
5
6A
5A
7
7A
8
8A
1: The scooter as purchased. 2: Lowering the sidepanels to create the low-rider look. 3: Other side not so easy. 4: Louvring the sidepanels. 5: Li mudguard behind the temporary seat. All had to be lined up by eye. 6: Initial bridge fitting. 7: Completed front mudguard extension. 8: Body panels ready. 9: Back on the bench. 10: Checking the finish. 11: One-off high level exhaust fits perfectly into its surroundings. 12: Engine coming together with powder coated finishings. 13: Beginning the build. 14: Testing and shaking down.
OWNER DETAILS
9
9A
11
13
11A
13A
10
10A
12
12A
14
Name: Bobby Ball Scooter club & town: Dougies Stamford Scooter C lub. How and when did you first become interested in scooters: In 19 79 ish… seeing older lads on scooters and Q uadrophenia. Your first scooter: Li 15 0 Series 1. I had it when I was 14 and bought it for £ 10, I did it up and sold it for £ 100! Favourite scooter model: SX 200. Favourite style of custom scooter: C reatively engineered ones. First rally or event: Y armouth 19 8 1. How did you get there: I persuaded the local Y MC A to organise a trip there… they said never again! Any stories: ’8 3 Weston-super-Mare. It was a very hot day so we put all the coats etc. in the van and rode out of town in just our T-shirts. Of course we then lost the van and when the sun went down we’d never been so cold in our lives! We tried to steal coats from a pub on the way home but couldn’t get any so we had to grin and bear every mile we rode. Our arms had never been so numb! The van driver wouldn’t show his face in town for a month afterwards. Favourite rally: C leethorpes. Funniest experience with a scooter: On one of my scooters, I started it up, revved it high, let the clutch out and went flying backwards, it started up the wrong way round! Furthest you’ve ever ridden: Isle of Wight. What do you like about rallies: C ustom shows and the night do’s if there is a variety of music.
14A
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