Christmas Colour Scene OCS fly on the wall footage
Can’t Get Over These Memories
super soul
scooter revisited
Rare
prototype
foldaway Lambretta resurfaces
#379 January 2018
Castle’s Rocket Jaw-dropping Quattrini powered steampunk custom – ooosh!
MILAN & NEC SHOW REPORTS ALL THE LATEST NEWS!
Sei Giorni
old and new
PLUS
ITALIAN TEST RIDE
Evel Knievel custom ■ Ritchie Lunt shoots Hush scooter ■ Scooter Boy Tales ■ Talk Talk fat boy Vespa ■ Stu Owen tech ■ VWD Belfast guide ■ tribute bands ■ racing ■ your scooters ■ 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 and Angie Sisestean 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 team leader: Zoe Thurling 01507 529412, zthurling@mortons.co.uk ADVERTISING DEADLINES The advertising deadline for the next issue of Scootering (February 2018) is Thursday, January 4, 2018 On sale in newsagents Thursday, January 25, 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 January edition of Scootering
N
ew Year, new opportunities! I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the scootering year of 2018. The past two years of being editor have taken up a lot of my time in ‘repositioning’ things here at the magazine but I can now honestly say, I feel things are quite balanced at the moment, not perfect… but balanced. So I want to now focus on the year ahead, and see what new challenges we have to look forward to. I don’t want to give too much away at this point, but two recent projects I’ve been putting in the groundwork on have been particularly enjoyable for me, especially due to my soft spot for tech-stuff. The first project was to be invited down to Replay Scooters by owner Paul ‘Chalky’ White, to strip down his BSSO race winning engine, with the intent of laying it all bare in the magazine. It’s a very rare, in fact almost unique, occurrence that a scooter builder/ tuner lets you through the door and tells you, well, everything – port timings, ignition settings, component choices, component failures… the lot. But Chalky did, and we have the information and images for you next
month. The second project which was enjoyable for me, was to work on the Quattrini Lambretta 210 kit report, because we managed to cover this in two key stages. Firstly, Max Quattrini himself took our reporter Christian in for an ‘all Italian’ interview, and secondly I was invited over to Chiselspeed, to be the first UK scooter journalist to test-ride their Quattrini 210 Lambretta. You’ll have seen the Max Quattrini interview already in last month’s edition, and next month will see the Chiselspeed test day report, complete with comparative dyno graphs against other small block kits on the market and info on their bespoke exhaust range. It’s not all fun and games behind the scenes – there’s a lot of hard work which goes into making the magazine – but it’s days like these that make it worthwhile for me (Stan might argue it was his Month in Italy, but there you go). But in either case, I’m looking forward to a lot more days just like that in 2018. Anyway enough of my ramblings, it’s another belter this month, have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and most importantly of all… enjoy the issue. Dan
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 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.
Christian Giarrizzo
From Italy to Australia, this man get the miles in and has ridden some serious roads in his time. A dedicated journalist who meets the most interesting characters along the way.
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.
Darrell Taylor Dave Oakley 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.
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 03Letter from the Editor
64Hush
06Kickstart
68Talk Talk
A warm welcome to the January issue of Scootering. The front section with all the latest news, views and product reviews!
14Castle’s Rocket
Probably one of the best custom scooters we have seen in a long time. Something special.
22
Special Report: Showtime!
A bonanza of scooter industry news from the EICMA Italian trade show and the NEC in Birmingham. Stan sniffs out the facts, updates, news and gossip from these two major shows.
33
Dealer Profile
This month Stu Owen takes a look at the amazing history of Scooter Restorations – one of the UK’s longest standing importers and pioneer of SIL Lambretta spares.
Legendary scootering lensman Ritchie Lunt captures this current custom scooter in its best light.
Take a second look at this fat boy scooter, some serious fabrication work lays beneath the shiny exterior.
– resurrection 74666CRK of the devil
Stu Owen outlines the details behind the resurrection of this classic Supertune scooter – the original Low Line.
80Club Do’s & Events
Your essential guide to the scene – What, Where & When!
87
Scootering Words & Sounds
The best of words and music as reviewed by Nik and Sarge.
88Making a good impression
Readers’ letters, laughs, feedback and a modicum of fury – just get it off your chest man!
Scooters and the world of music are inextricably linked. But with our heroes now f-f-f-fading away, how else can we stay close to the tunes which shaped our era? Andy Gray finds out.
on the 42Standing shoulders of giants
95Evel Knievel Lambretta
48Subscriptions
Torque: Lambretta 101Tech performance review Pt 3
41
Mailbox
Stan takes a trip to the historic racetrack to pay homage to the original Sei Giorni Vespa, and test ride Piaggio’s tribute and latest offering.
Buy one now! Get your mag delivered to the door, earlier than newsstands, and save money… cool.
Italian stallion Christian Giarrizzo takes a look at this stunning custom machine, a tribute to the stunt rider Evel Knievel, in his own unique and artistic way.
The best of our readers rides as sent in by you
Can you translate success on the track into performance on the road? Stu Owen, one of the UK’s most successful scooter sprinters, continues his winter series on Lambretta performance analysis with a look at weight-saving.
55Market Force
115Scooter Trader
50Show us your scoots
Wondering about the when, the where and the why for next year’s VWD in Belfast? Stan’s gives another top tip in his ongoing series.
56
Can’t Get Over These Memories
Your sales and classifieds section – including Specialist Services and At A Glance.
Nostalgic 128Dave’s Custom Corner
We revisit this beautiful classic custom and find it looking better than ever, truly a scooter with soul.
This month it’s the controversial classic custom Messiah, once upon a time known as Electric, which is under Dave Oakley’s nostalgic spotlight.
61The folding prototype
130Reader’s Ride
A rare and only vaguely documented prototype foldaway Lambretta resurfaced, Stu Owen investigates.
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42
Our favourite reader’s scooter this month. Carbon & Black LC Vespa street racer… nuff said.
Never miss from only £20 an issue Subscribe today on page 48
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88
56 WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 5
KICKSTART SUBSIDISED SCOMADI RACING
F
ollowing a decision made at the recent BSSO Annual General Meeting, Scomadi has announced a single make class of racing for the 2018 season. The Scomadi Cup 200 challenge is aimed squarely at newcomers to racing and as an incentive a heavily subsidised package is being offered via Dave Wilson at Retro Tech Racing. The package includes a fully race prepared Scomadi 200 TL200, tuning kit, wet and dry race tyres, spares support and a dyno run at PM Tuning. Scomadi’s Paul Melici told Scootering: “The full package has a value of £5700 but riders can take advantage of our subsidy to purchase it for
£3764.” Providing the scooter competes in two thirds of the meetings the machine will become the property of the racer, with an easy conversion to full road specification if they so desire. “As all machines will be identical this will be a challenge where victory is determined by skill, not the size of someone’s wallet,” said Paul. “It’s an ideal opportunity for individuals or a group of friends to try racing for minimal outlay.” Only 20 machines are being made available at the discounted price and these will be sold on a first come first served basis. Further information can be obtained direct from Scomadi or Retro Tech Racing. www.scomadi.com
DAVIDA GO FULL FACE British helmet manufacturer Davida chose Motorcycle Live to unveil its first ever full face helmet. The Koura retains all the traditional elements of its open face range with the added safety of a full face design. The distinctive louvers feed a ventilation system that excludes rain but ensures a clean flow of air across the optically clear visor. Prices are to be confirmed but when the Koura becomes available in early 2018 it is likely to retail in the region of £435. www.davida-helmets.com
LAMBRETTA CONCESSIONAIRES BOOK SIGNING Author Stu Owen recently signed 50 copies of his book, which has been very well received, and these are available exclusively though www.scooterproducts.com so if you wish to get your hands on one of these limited edition copies, get your skates on – they are going fast!
AFSC BLEMSA ALL-NIGHTER For two decades the Armed Forces Scooter Club’s favourite charity has been Blesma, which is an Armed Forces charity supporting limbless veterans by providing rehabilitative activities, support, and some financial aid. The AFSC makes a big effort yearly to raise funds so it was natural that Simon Cuerden, the club president, when approached by a northern soul promoter
6 | SCOOTERING | JANUARY 2018
offering to run an all-nighter, jumped at the chance! The British all-nighter scene is as complex and multi-layered as the scootering scene, with many crossing over from one genre to another. Northern soul is stitched tightly into scootering so this project may be of great interest to our readers. Brent Howarth who runs the Swinton Manchester All-nighter
gave his venue over for Blesma but within the first few days there were speed bumps and a clash with another popular all-nighter. Mick H and Brent graciously agreed to compromise and now the Nottingham Irish Club All-nighter on Saturday February 24, 2018, will be where we can dance for Blesma The Limbless Veterans. For more info, contact Simon Cuerden via FB.
LCGB 70TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER Lambretta Club Great Britain held a celebration dinner at the National Motorcycle Museum in the West Midlands to commemorate 70 years since the first Lambretta rolled off the production line at the Innocenti factory in 1947. The event, which was formal dress only, was open to any member of the club and their partners. In total, just over 200 people were in attendance, which was slightly disappointing given the large membership and that the event marked was such an important milestone in Lambretta history. Nevertheless, those who were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed the evening, which consisted of a three-course meal followed by band and DJ. Notable guests included Bob Wilkinson – the original man in charge of the LCGB – and Maurice Knight who was the sales manager of Lambretta Concessionaires during the 1960s. Also in attendance were Kevin Walsh and Nigel Ashbrook who were responsible for resurrecting the club in
1977 following its demise in the early 1970s. Tony Tessier, who also played an important part of club events in the 1960s, flew in from France to be there sharing a table with Norman Ronald, one half on the legendary Ronald Brothers. The highlight of the evening was the introduction of a new award, the Bob Wilkinson trophy. The first person to receive this honour was Kevin Walsh for his sterling work not only in resurrecting the club but also guiding it through hard times over a period of three decades. Receiving the trophy to a standing ovation, Kevin gave
an emotional speech as he duly accepted the award. All those present received a silver medal to mark the occasion which was a touching tribute to round off a great evening’s entertainment. The committee organized the event in a very professional manner with everything running very smoothly throughout. The next major milestone will be 70 years of the club itself in 2022. Let’s hope that more of the membership can be present on what promises to be a special occasion in the club’s history. Stu
A PROBLEM
SOLVED Every so often a product is launched that’s so simple and effective that it’s impossible to believe no one’s thought of it before. Such is the case with the ‘SLUK Clip’ sent to us by Sticky for testing; a simple and inexpensive fix for the awkward Lambretta bridge piece fitting. The clips are simply pushed into place, the self-adhesive rubber washer applied and their captive thread aligned with a thin screwdriver. No drilling or modifications are required. It really is that simple. The price for saying goodbye to burnt fingers and scraped knuckles is £11.99 plus postage. Visit www.scooterlab.uk
JOHN SCRUTTON RIP Legendary scooter sprinter John Scrutton recently lost his brave battle against cancer. During the 1980s John, on his highly tuned Lambretta sprinter, was untouchable. He not only achieved great times and speeds but at one point held national records over several disciplines. John’s exploits influenced many other sprinters to follow in his footsteps and challenge his records, some of which remain unbroken to this day. He was a quiet and unassuming man but very popular – always ready to help or share his vast knowledge on the subject of the Lambretta. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him and is a great loss the world of scootering.
WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 7
KICKSTART
VESPA PX: WE SAY ‘CLASSIC’… PIAGGIO THINK ‘ARCHAIC’
It’s the question on most readers’ minds but Piaggio isn’t keen to discuss the PX, writes Stan. It feels like I’m asking after an embarrassing relative whenever I raise the issue but I continue to raise the issue at every opportunity. After piecing together various conversations with Piaggio’s great and good, here’s my take on the likelihood of a new PX. Firstly, do I think Piaggio considered a Euro 4 compliant PX? Yes, in fact for most of 2016 it was very much an off/on project. I’m also confident that the development file’s waiting for a transfer to the archives. Why? Look at it from Piaggio’s point of view – they’re in the business of making a profit and the PX was a labour intensive machine to build that didn’t play nicely with the corporate parts bin. If that weren’t enough only the UK and Germany were really interested and only around 5000 PXs sold there in the final year of production. We may think we’re the centre of the universe, but in 2016 a total of 696,500 scooters were sold across Europe (of which the
Review
UK accounted for 36,100). Compare that to Asia where 12.3 million scooters were sold in the same period and it’s easy to see where Piaggio’s aspirations lie. Is there any hope this may change? Yes – but only if every hipster in Asia decides they need a PX. Brace yourselves though because even if that proved to be the case it’s likely that it would borrow much from the Primavera. That would mean a four-stroke auto, possibly with 12in wheels. It’s a prospect that would fill neither enthusiasts nor commuters with joy. Put simply, Piaggio doesn’t need to saddle itself with an archaic design that needs heavy investment to keep it legal. Any half decent accountant would realise PX production makes no financial sense before finishing their morning espresso. No-one wants to hear this but my advice is simple. If you’ve got a good PX – hold onto it. If not, find one soon. I hope I’m wrong but it seems doubtful there’ll be any more coming out of Pontedera.
BILTWELL LANE SPLITTER
I had the pleasure of reviewing the Biltwell Gringo range of helmets the other year. The helmets were stylish, lightweight, comfortable and quiet. They were, however, not road legal in the UK as they did not meet the required safety testing. As much as I love my own Gringo Helmet, you only get one head and it offers considerable comfort to know what you are wearing is
up to the job. Anyway, fast forward and Biltwell has now released the Lane Splitter range of helmets with full ECE approval. Let’s just say I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one! KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid! Keeping it simple is something Biltwell does very well. There’s no highly technical flip up this, flip down that, it’s just a helmet.
Never miss an issue 8 | SCOOTERING | JANUARY 2018
However, it’s also more than ‘just’ a helmet… this lid is incredibly comfortable and its lightweight ABS outer shell means it is a pleasure to wear while munching the miles. I’m surprised at how much more beefy the padding is internally (only a good thing) yet this has not added much weight when in use. There’s nothing worse than a heavy lid! The shape screams ‘scooter
from only
£20
boy’ and nods towards the classic ‘Bandit’ for style cues. Again, the outer shape is simple without anything for the wind to reverberate off, making for a nice and quiet helmet. To surmise, two words spring to mind – solid and simple. It’s a high quality lid with simplicity in its DNA. Jordan For more info: www.biltwellinc.com
Subscribe today on page 48
KICKSTART
TEN THOUSAND MILE TESTS Part 1 Stan doesn’t believe in regurgitating press releases or novelty video reviews. He believes in getting the miles in – 10,000+ this year alone to be exact. When working for a magazine it’s easy to get sucked into testing the most expensive kit on the market, but real life isn’t like that. This year he took mostly mid-range products from a variety of sources and pitched them against everything from searing heat in Italy to torrential rain in Germany. Here’s how he got on…
TOMTOM VIO SAT-NAV What they say “Designed for scooters, controlled by your smartphone. Upgrade your scooter to make it smart, better looking and connected. This scooter sat-nav is a waterproof smartphone second screen for your ride with at-a-glance navigation, traffic avoidance and caller display. That means faster commutes, easier exploration and your phone can stay tucked away safely.” What Stan says I’m not a big fan of sat-navs. I prefer maps and the joy of unexpected discoveries but there are times when firm directions are needed and the Vio fills that gap nicely.
For clarity this isn’t simply a screen for any existing map apps installed on a smartphone. A specific TomTom app needs to be downloaded and it’s to this software that TomTom maps are stored. Full European coverage is included with the device, the main advantage being that navigation no longer saps mobile data. The downside is that some maps require a lot of storage and while testing it across Europe I found myself navigating to border towns where I’d change maps and move on. In fairness the Vio isn’t designed for such long trips and it took me through Luxembourg City (my personal
travel nemesis) without a wrong move for the first time ever. The maps are clear, it’s easy to mount and as Dan didn’t send me the instruction book I can confirm that setup is intuitive. The head unit drains itself of power after four hours of constant use but my iPhone’s bluetooth connection failed in half that time. USB fitted scooters won’t have any such problems but Luddites like me can get a full day’s ride out of the Vio by fitting a power bank to the phone and only switching the Vio head unit on when directions are needed. In a sentence I’m converted. For city
navigation, checking waypoints and finding the hotel at the end of a hard day’s ride it’s invaluable, just remember to take the head off when getting parked! The knowledge RRP £149.99 www.tomtom.com
DRAGGIN JEANS ‘REVZ’ TCX STREET ACE What they say In a sentence WATERPROOF BOOTS “Draggin is the world leader The ideal summer and round in motorcycle fashion since 1997. Draggin founder Grant Mackintosh, literally put his arse on the line to prove the quality of his product in the famous drag test. The latest Revz design uses the very latest Draggin lining with more than 70m of slide. Constructed with coated denim that is highstretch for comfort, when you want to look smart on every part of the ride.”
town riding jeans. The knowledge RRP: £219.99 www.draggin.co.uk
What Stan says I’ve used Draggin jeans for years and in their latest incarnation they are thinner and much more comfortable to wear on arrival. I’ve stopped short of throwing myself off the scooter to test Draggin’s claims of a 70m slide but with all vulnerable parts protected by Kevlar I’ve every confidence they do exactly what’s claimed.
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What they say “The Street Ace shoe’s full grain leather upper has suede inserts. Underneath this stylish yet sturdy exterior sit reinforced toe and heel counters and full malleolus protection. The waterproof and breathable lining makes these the ideal riding trainers.” What Stan says This is my second pair of these, my first having given five years of service. They’re strong enough to protect, yet casual enough to wear. This latest incarnation has an improved sole and other minor design changes but remains comfortable in all weather conditions. In a sentence Leader of the pack, safe, waterproof, comfortable in all weathers, there’s nothing more to add.
The knowledge RRP £124.99 www.nevis.uk.com/ products/tcx/urban_line/
Next month: The 10,000+ mile report continues with candid assessments of Furygan Sympatex Gloves, SIP Glovebox Bag, Oxford Mondial 3-in-1 Textile Jacket, HJC FG-ST Helmet and more…
An electrifying
idea...
A switch to electric-only vehicles in the future has been announced, but just how much of a threat is this to our scene?
R
ecently the government announced that by 2040 the sale of combustion engined vehicles will cease and there will be a switch to electric power only. This raised eyebrows within the classic vehicle industry, but what does it mean for our classic scooters? Should we be concerned by this ruling, and just how much of a threat is it to us? Only last month we reported on the electric Vespa, so how long before problems start to manifest? There are a lot of things to take into consideration; it’s not just a case of ‘on that date we can’t use petrol powered engines any more’. To be honest, it’s a bold statement for the government to make in the first place. Whether they could actually even implement the changes by then is highly debatable. The technology to build electric vehicles already exists but is a long way from being perfect. The range of these vehicles is still limited to a certain degree, not forgetting the length of time required to charge them. There will need to be charging points/stations built, not just in cities but in rural areas too. It’s no good living in a remote village and not being able to use your vehicle because there is nowhere to charge it. The infrastructure required will take years, if not decades, to build. Let’s face it, it takes our government an age to agree on building an extra runway in London, which pales into insignificance compared to electrifying the entire country. Then there is the cost, which will run into billions; so where will the money
Above left: Iconic they may be, but are these destined to become museum pieces one day? Above right: Electric Vespa… silent assassin?
come from? There are many far-reaching issues which need addressing – more than you might think. Possibly the most telling point though, is the strain it will place on the national grid. Electric vehicles need electricity. The strain of taking all that resource from our already overstretched supply would be too much with things as they stand. The solution is to create more electricity but that would mean building more power stations, again taking decades and huge funding to achieve. Probably the most worrying aspect though is road safety. You can hear a petrol engine vehicle coming down the street, even more so a scooter, but not an electrically powered vehicle. Surely that problem would need to be addressed, otherwise it would be a disaster for pedestrians. There are thousands of classic vehicles on UK roads and in private ownership. Though not used for regular day to day travel, they play an important role in our society. It is estimated that the industry
Probably the most worrying aspect though is road safety. You can hear a petrol engine vehicle coming down the street, even more so a scooter, but not an electrically powered vehicle.
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alone is worth five billion pounds to the UK economy each year. Combined with events and products to support it, that figure is even greater, not to mention the people employed within it. What would happen to all those vehicles? Would they just become museum pieces because they were banned and there is no longer the fuel available to run them? Nearer the time that these plans are due to be implemented, it’s possible that market values (including those of the Lambretta and Vespa) may crash, as people attempt to cash in. Even so, petrol will need to be produced for years after any electric revolution happens. Not every country will be able to electrify its vehicles, some third world countries may never be in a position to do so. With fuel available there is bound to be a dispensation for classic vehicles to still run on petrol, it’s worth too much to any government to ignore it. Whatever happens regarding this situation, don’t get too concerned. Even if our government got its act together and met the 2040 deadline (which I doubt) it would be at least another decade after that before a total ban (which could happen one day). That’s over 30 years away from now and even if any of us are around to see it, we would probably be going around on mobility scooters by then. That’s if there is enough electricity to go round of course.