Dec 2013/Jan 2014
Editor: Mau Spencer 01507 529408 Email: mauspencer@classicscooterist.com Group production editor: Tim Hartley Publisher: Steve Rose Contributors: Rich Addison; Andy Butler; Henry Byer; Derek Cooper; Dicky Dawson; Dave Dry; Siobhan Ellis; Chris Frost; Paul Green; Ashley Lenton; Stuart Owen; Rob Savage; Scootertoons; Dick Smith; Ian BrownSweeting; Phillip Tooth; Phil & Dawn Walker; Steve Wright. Apologies to anyone we’ve forgotten. Some of the articles within these pages express the opinions of the contributors and are not necessarily those of Classic Scooterist. Design: Sarah Scrimshaw Reprographics: Simon Duncan Divisional advertising manager: Sandra Fisher sfisher@mortons.co.uk Advertising: Jo Scarbro 01507 524004 jscarbro@mortons.co.uk Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Production manager: Craig Lamb Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Associate director: Malc Wheeler Managing director: Brian Hill Editorial address: CLASSIC SCOOTERIST MAGAZINE PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ www.scooteristscene.com General queries and back issues: 01507 529529 (24hr answerphone) Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk Next issue published: Jan 15, 2014 Editorial deadline: Dec 1, 2013 CLASSIC SCOOTERIST (ISSN:1756-9494) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $36 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC SCOOTERIST, Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 Email: chris@classicbikebooks.com www.classicbikebooks.com Distribution: COMAG Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE USA subscriptions: $30 per year (Six bi-monthly issues) available from Motorsport, 31757 Honey Locust Road, Jonesburg MO 63351-9600m USA Periodicals postage is paid at Jonesburg MO. Tel. 636-488-3113. Fax 636-488-3196 Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton © Mortons Media Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced without prior written permission.
Independent publisher since 1885 Member of the Professional Publishers' Association Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine? Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month?
4
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
You name it and Piaggio’s Ape Harvey’s unrestored 26 has probably carried it 30 Wayne Lambretta LDB Riviera
to Vespa… to Tarmac! A dream comes true: John 34 Honda… Michael Briers’ Vespa Rally 200 36 Carter’s scooter collection
Lambretta v Ferrari – a 40 behind-the-scenes look
Siobhan Ellis and friends travel 52 even farther on Lammie Drive 2
The trials and tribulations of a magazine editor I feel I need to apologise as I’ve been in a dilemma over this issue. The way magazine deadlines work meant that this issue was effectively sitting, waiting to go to the printer, on the Friday prior to the Bridlington rally – which is very important to scooterists; not only because it’s arguably the best UK custom show of the year, but also because it’s the place that the BSRA holds its AGM to decide on national rally dates for the next season. Many clubs rely on this information before organising their own events which might clash. If I released this edition for printing, then whatever was decided at Brid would miss this issue. Yes, there’s Facebook and internet forums, but not everybody visits them. So the decision was made to hold a page open to
include this information (which can be found on page 64). I’d have liked to make it more pages, but there were also space issues – there just wasn’t room for more). Consequently we have loads of pictures that haven’t made it into print – but fear not, you can find some on our website (www.scooteristscene.com) and the rest on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ ScooteristScene). Having said all this, I haven’t left myself with a lot of space to talk about anything else, but let me just say that if you have something interesting to tell everyone and we like what you say, then you could win yourself a £75 Rock Oil clothing package in our new regular competition. So get typing, or get your pens out now.
One final note. Christmas is only just around the corner so if you’re lucky enough to get an iPad or a tablet for Christmas, don’t forget that a digital copy of this magazine can be downloaded from the outlets advertised on page 13. Put it on your Christmas list now!
www.classicscooterist.com
Chris Frost rides through the 58 Alps to the Piaggio factory
2013 scooter circuit 76 The racing season closes
ARE YOU A SUBSCRIBER? Fill in the coupon on page 6 and take advantage of our money-saving offers.
Groovy Kind Of Love: Hinsley’s Mod Lambretta 22 APeeJay
to get the best out of your Lambretta disc brake 78 How
IN DETAIL
9 What’s new?
36 Ocean Colour Dream
14 Rated or hated?
40 The Ferrari challenge
A round-up of the latest gossip and gadgets New products on test
17 Mailbox
Readers express their views, ask questions and show us their pictures
22 “I was there in ’66”
PeeJay Hinsley’s tribute to the halcyon days of the 1960s
26 The Piaggio Ape
From garbage trucks to pizza delivery, the Ape range has done it all
30 That Riviera Touch
A fantastic scooter collection, a job in a brewery; Wayne Harvey has it all…
34 Vespa Rally 200
Restoration projects can be expensive, but the rewards are worth it
mauspencer@classicscooterist.com
The Mechanical Wonder of John Carter’s scooter collection It’s over a decade since Stuart Owen challenged to race a Ferrari F40. We go behind the scenes
60 Talkin’ ‘bout My Generation
More news from the younger scooterists
62 Rallies and rideouts
A roundup of all the latest scooter events
74 BSSO scooter racing
The last two scooter circuit races of 2013
44 New chapter for a GS160?
78 Lambretta front disc strip
46 Back in the Day
80 Scooter clubs
Dick Smith’s scooter dilemma
Joan Thorne earns herself the title of 1967 Scooter Girl
48 The return of #49!
Paul Green experiences the Déjà vu effect
52 Even further on a Lammie
Siobhan Ellis rides an even longer way in aid of charity.
58 Pontedera on a PX
Chris Frost goes to meet his scooter’s maker
How to get the best out of yours Meet and greet your local club
81 What is it?
Identify the object and win a free subscription
82 What’s going on?
The latest news on rallies and events
86 Scooterist classifieds
For all your wants and needs
90 Ecological sustainability Or a load of old junk?
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
5
A Groovy Kind Of Love
PEEJAY’S LAMBRETTA An iconic Mod style scooter from the halcyon days of the 1960s
22
A
rguably one of the most soughtafter Lambretta scooter models ever made, the Lambretta SX200 model has effectively become a scooterist ‘status symbol’ during its production lifespan. Whatever you think of it, there’s no hiding that fact that this model has become a rare, collectible (for that read ‘expensive’) breed. The SX200 was effectively a replacement for the hastily introduced TV200, another rare Lambretta model (nicknamed the GT200 – although they were never actually officially badged as such). The TV200 achieved a notoriety which centred on its engine vibration problems and high top gear ratio. These issues were addressed in the later ‘smooth as silk’ SX200 version. Visually, the SX200 was also given an individual look by the introduction of a unique style of side panel.
Pete ‘PeeJay’ Hinsley bought his SX200 in 2000 as an Italian import and had it restored by Allstyles Scooters in Portsmouth. At this period of time it looked like a standard production Lambretta with the main colour being diamond white with red panel flashes. PeeJay freely admits that at the slightest hint of rain the scooter wasn’t used much and it stayed in his garage with a blanket over it. However, his long-term aim was to ‘bling it up’ in a 1960s Mod style, although that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon… …It was 2009 before work was started in earnest and PeeJay’s first job was to source the period-style accessories – however, there was a problem. Chromed steel just isn’t viable in the UK climate, so PeeJay wanted to go for stainless. Easy (or so he thought), all he needed to do was to get out his cheque book – wrong! It soon became obvious that this just wasn’t possible.
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
23
Don’t Stop Movin’
LAMBRETTA v FERRARI
It’s over a decade now since Stuart Owen took up the challenge to race a Ferrari F40 in a televised quarter-mile drag race. That footage is now an internet hit worldwide; Classic Scooterist goes behind the scenes to reveal what really happened on that eventful day…
S
tuart Owen is well-known in classic scooter circles for his sporting achievements and tuning skills; he is also one of an elite band of ‘ton-up’ scooterists who have managed to officially clock speeds in excess of 100mph. In Stuart’s case, that top speed was 117.3mph, making him the third-fastest classic scooterist on the planet. So who better to race a classic Italian sports car? Stuart takes up the story: “It all started back in the autumn of 2000 when a random email was received from a researcher acting on behalf of the BBC. It appeared that a ‘spin-off’ series from the popular BBC TV programme Top Gear’ was to be produced, covering different aspects of motorcycle culture around the world; it was to be a six-part series that was going to be fronted by Radio One presenter,
Basic in design, but described as the best car Ferrari ever built
40
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Mary Anne Hobbs (who later became cofounder of Loaded magazine). “Curious to find out more, I spoke to the lady researcher who outlined they were working on over 200 different stories to be narrowed down to a final 30; apparently they were making contact because they were excited to hear that a scooter could do over 100mph. “Having explained that it was in fact, a Lambretta capable of a quarter-mile in under 13 seconds, there was strange silence. Firstly the researcher didn’t know what a Lambretta was; and secondly, couldn’t grasp what a sub13 second quarter-mile meant? Trying to find common ground, my reply was simple: ‘If you put the Lambretta in a quarter-mile race against a Ferrari, the Lambretta will win.’ Despite her still struggling to understand what the hell I was on about, the possibility of some sort of dual sounded good… “…With no contact for six months (and having completely forgotten about it), out of the blue came a phone call confirming that this was one of the chosen 30 ideas. Pretty excited about being on television – and realising the potential to get sponsorship money to fund my racing – what could be easier? “Working together on the project, it was arranged for the race to take place at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire. With the benefit of using
the facility regularly (this being the track where I had set my fastest quarter-mile times), confidence was sky high. A date was set in early May 2001 to allow a better chance of good weather (bearing in mind that to hire the facility and get the insurances sorted, the last thing you wanted was for it to be rained off ). During the week prior to the event, the bike was set up to perfection and every conceivable spare part readied – there was no way I was turning up unprepared! “Several days before filming commenced, the script arrived (apparently you must be happy with content of the story). Everything was fine – well nearly everything. Having raced several road-going Ferraris at Santa Pod in the past and being considerably quicker, presumably that was what I would be up against. You have to remember though, that the BBC is a big corporation (we all give it a lot of money each year), so it can get what it wants. In this case it had hired the skills of a man named John Pogson. Not only was he three-time British GT champion, but he would be racing a Ferrari F40! Knowing what I did about the Ferrari mark, this was its answer to a Formula One race car, but on the road; doubts started to creep in. These were confirmed when enquiring about John Pogson’s race history and the F40 in question. Not only had it been lightened, but the power output had www.classicscooterist.com
The story was so comical we couldn’t stop laughing
Two of Italy’s finest creations prepare to battle it out
been raised to a staggering 550bhp! It had all seemed so good a few months ago with my ‘Put me up against a Ferrari and I will beat it’ speech. It was too late to back out now, and why worry? After all, there was only a mere 500bhp difference between us to deal with! “Sunday, May 6, 2001 was a beautiful spring day in north Yorkshire; the conditions were perfect for the most mismatched quarter-mile showdown in drag racing history. Arriving at 8.30am to be greeted by a crew of 12 BBC staff, there was no time to spare in getting ready. Italia Autosport (the team behind John Pogson) duly arrived with its beast of a car appearing shortly afterwards. “A meeting with the director, camera crew, sound engineer and Mary Ann Hobbs was quickly sorted. Now it was time to check out the opposition, one of Ferrari’s finest ever creations. Having followed motorsport all my life, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity of getting close-up. This was one serious piece of kit (a quarter of a million pounds worth to be exact) and it didn’t disappoint. Everyone around stood in awe as the rear cover of the car was removed. What could you say? The engine on its own was bigger than my bike. Feeling more bewildered than ever by now, little did I know that I was about to turn the tables on them. Though they had been told they were racing a Lambretta, in their minds they were thinking it was some sort of ‘Modmobile’ with mirrors, lights etc. When the bike was brought out of the van, they started to look a bit worried and they stared at the bike, not only wondering where the ironwork was, but the fact that it was stripped to the bare bones – soon it became apparent that the BBC hadn’t told them everything. “Initial filming consisted of onboard camera footage from both machines’ perspective. This was a fairly simple job to set up on the Ferrari mauspencer@classicscooterist.com
dash, but I had to carry the battery pack on my back. Having to run the power lead up to the handlebars seriously hampered any movement and it took several attempts to get right. Unfortunately there are only a couple of seconds shown in the final film cut, but somewhere deep in the BBC vaults, the full run still exists. “Once that filming had finished, attention was switched to the actual race. The idea was that we traded the lead several times to the background of engine noises and the customary heavy guitar music (standard Top Gear procedure). The film crew would follow us parallel, hanging outside of a people carrier as we progressed up the track. However, there was a problem – they couldn’t manage more than 40mph and keep the filming steady. At that speed both the Lambretta and the Ferrari struggled, constantly stalling. To keep the race flowing every time one of us stalled, we had to start again. With problems firing my bike up (it takes three people to bump start), combined with the turnaround angle of the Ferrari, this was going to be a long procedure. “One hour and 14 attempts later, they finally got their footage – well nearly. By this time, both camps had grasped that this was going to be more staged than the X-Factor. The film crew then asked me to go across the finish line at over 100mph and wave a fist in the air (as if to celebrate the win). Looking at them in bewilderment and replying: ‘You have got to be joking! This bike is unstable at the best of times, but at that speed, one-handed – never’! So it was back up the strip again to shoot the victory salute – but this time at a mere 40mph. “Having completed most of the track shots, we switched to the stage show that was to be the challenge. With the director constantly changing his mind with angles and script, plus the fact we couldn’t stop laughing at the
“Honest, it’s easy to ride,” despite stalling five times
Preparing to start filming; Mary Anne Hobbs and the director admire the glorious F40 CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
41
n i k c a B ay... the d
Joan Thorne of Bristol Lambretta Club The Neptunes earned herself the title of Scooter Girl at the 1967 Manx Scooter Rally, winning the Lycett Rose Bowl trophy. This wasn’t the first time Joan had won a competition, as she was crowned Scooter Girl at the 1966 Earls Court Motorcycle Show. We don’t know any history in relation to The Neptunes SC... perhaps someone out there can enlighten us? Picture courtesy of Mortons Archives (www.mortonsarchive.com)
RALLIES & RIDEOUTS
VVC 50TH ANNUAL RALLY
(CANTERBURY, JULY 2013) It’s good to report there was glorious sunshine the entire weekend; it’s been a while since we could say that. Best of all, ‘Mr Canterbury’, Peter Mickelburgh, made many of the arrangements and it really showed in the organisation. Peter (a publican in old-town Canterbury) arranged for hordes of descending club members to get free food at ‘The Dolphin’ after a short rideout from Canterbury Rugby Club on the Saturday. He’d also arranged for special tours of the Canterbury Cathedral grounds and some adjoining streets (you have to do something like this to gain any real appreciation of the place’s historical importance). One guide mentioned that the Dolphin and immediate area was the rundown province of drug dealers before Peter moved in and turned it around. That’s what I call the respectable face of scootering. The meal was followed by a further rideout to the agreeable climes of Whitstable seafront with its many oyster restaurants. Not only had
Peter agreed with the local council for us to park up on the harbour front, but it had even put up a poster advertising the fact. It sure is hard being a renegade scooterist in the VVC! Who’d have imagined 50 (or even 30) years ago that seaside towns would consider visiting scooter hordes to be a tourist attraction? The evening meal in the rugby club was well-attended, with Peter Mickelburgh reprising his publican role as quizmaster. Other weekend activities included the tombola and gymkhana (the latter with a new twist this year – the ‘slow’ ride). Actually, this is a revival of a very old idea, and requires a deceptive amount of skill to do well at. In the event, Warren Jopson fended off all-comers. Everything considered, this was a really successful rally – Roger and Veronica Smith’s usual painstaking groundwork being enormously enhanced by the extra effort Peter Mickelburgh put in to make sure we all had a good time; and we did! AL
MID-CHESHIRE SCOOTER RALLY The organisers of the mid-Cheshire charity scooter rally and beer festival have announced that a final total of £12,700 was raised at their recent inaugural event. The rally custom show was judged by former LCGB general secretary, Kev Walsh. There’s also photographic evidence of Kev spending a pound on the ‘roll-a-dice’ (he thought the prize was a night out with gorgeous Gill from North West Air Ambulance)!
62
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Local MP Graham Evans was also in attendance and there was good financial support from town councillors – a great help. The rally brought a lot of new trade to the area and the organisers are hoping for their support again next year. The 2014 rally will be held on July 11-13 at the same venue. Tim Henshall, event organiser, and a member of the Rotary Club of Northwich Vale Royal was grateful to all the sponsors. He said: “We are delighted with the results of our first rally; we are already planning an even bigger event for next year. We would especially like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors – Rock Oil, Lexham Insurance, Bike it, EBC Brakes and J&S Accessories – some have already pledged their support for next year. “However, we’d really like to hear from more companies in the industry who would be willing to offer sponsorship or support, in these tough days of austerity charities need as much help as we can give them.” Tim can be contacted on 07774 430145 or by ringing Cheshire-based wholesaler and Rock Oil distributor GMA Wholesale on 01625576138 (gmawholesale@btconnect.com). www.classicscooterist.com
Visit www.facebook.com/ScooteristScene to see more photos
VVC ON VIEW AT MOZZINO (1951-61 SCOOTERING EXHIBITION IN SOHO) Getting out and meeting the public with a positive image of scootering takes on many forms. This summer the Veteran Vespa Club tried something a bit different, staging an outside display of Vespas to mark the start of a six-month exhibition at Espresso Bar Mozzino. Situated at the junction of Carnaby and Broadwick Streets – right in the heart of Soho – the exhibition had 1950s club scootering as its theme. This was intended to provide a contrast to the more 1960s scooter theme that prevails elsewhere in this area. There was once a thriving Soho branch of the Vespa Club of Britain, and this was commemorated by an image of its badge and a couple of rare photographs of the club float at the 1957 Soho Carnival. In addition, Darren Bradbury had tracked down an early Rod Model Vespa that had originally been bought from a car showroom in Soho – this being the means by which
mauspencer@classicscooterist.com
Douglas got its initial sales drive off the ground. The scooter was placed in the cafe window, and will be there for the whole six months. Elsewhere, the exhibition consisted of many period photos and continuous loop CDs of 1950s rallies – all provided by the VVC. One interesting aspect of the bar decor was confirmation that the current shabby-chic trend of using old industrial artefacts as decorative items has now extended to scooter parts. In this new (to some) world, a clutch basket can become a light fitting, while a Vespa lubrication chart and a GS headset compete for attention behind the bar with an old clock. Moving on to the display outside, Darren brought along his splendid Vespa VS1, while Peter Harris provided an Italian VN1 and a really striking red 92L2. But the most attention was afforded to Warren Jopson’s
French Ape that he had actually ridden from Brentwood, and which was used for a modelling session later in the day. Among the impromptu activities was an acoustic set in front of the scooters by Mod band, The Beat Movement, that was really rather good. This slightly subverted the 1950s theme, but since the Soho tour guides had already loudly pronounced that their flocks were witnessing ‘the annual Soho Mod Exhibition’, it hardly mattered. You can’t just stick a load of old scooters in a top tourist location without going through a load of hoops, so kudos to Tobie Anderson of Espresso Bar Mozzino for persuading Westminster council to let us do it. It was certainly worth it too – excellent weather, loads of tourists and passing scooterists. What a great day! AL Veteran Vespa Club
CLASSIC SCOOTERIST – DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
63