I have no doubt anyone who owned a Lambretta back in the 1980s will remember the build-up to the launch of the TS1. Various snippets of news were carefully fed to the scootering media before the launch of such a ground-breaking kit, ready to revolutionise Lambretta ownership, according to some reports. There was one phrase quoted just before its official release and one that is still talked about today. I’m sure many can remember it: ‘The rider laying prone to the machine rocketed up to 92mph.’ Whether or not it was a true statement didn’t matter and at the time wasn't even questioned. The thought of possibly being able to achieve such speed was all that mattered to most potential owners.
If anything that statement seemed to create a new fashion. All of a sudden the only thing that mattered was how fast your scooter could go. If anyone dare have a tuned engine in their Lambretta, even if it was mild, there was only one question on people’s minds: ‘How fast does it go?’ It didn’t take long before speeds became greatly exaggerated. If someone said 75mph then the next said 80mph and so on, with claims of top speed continually rising. It didn't take long before 90mph+ was the standard industry figure. After all, if AF Rayspeed were claiming it with their new kit, why couldn't anyone else with an engine built by a local tuner?
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Scootering.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Scootering.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Dealer Spotlight Scoots And Soul
Scoots and Soul are relatively new kids on the block in the great scheme of things. They are what could accurately be described as specialist dealers manufacturing in-house, handmade Lambretta seats, with comfort as a priority.
The Bob Keeler Sportsman Combination
Bolting a cumbersome sidecar and unwieldy chassis may not be the most obvious of choices for a performance machine, but for many it was the conversion of option for track-oriented action without sacrificing family friendly practicality.
Mersea Island Scooter Rally 2019
Carnage… absolute carnage. Mersea Island Scooter Rally 2019 was as bonkers this year as it has always been. Jamie Godley illuminates…
Horses For Courses
The scooter tuning market is big business. It seems the bragging rights have changed though, from speed… to simply how much power you have got!
The Clubman Vespa
The Merton Parkas once sang ‘A man ain’t a man with a ticket in his hand… you need wheels’. What better way for a man to make himself outstanding amongst his peers than to enhance the machine he rides?
From Bond Movies To Vespa Restorations…
Omar Niedenthal made his first outing in the custom show circuit by showing three of his beautifully restored Vespa small-frames at the VMSC extravaganza. As we all know, the competition in the VMSC custom show is strong and the judges have a keen eye for detail. In the face of all this Omar walked away with a trophy. We were interested to find out more about him…
Vespa Twin: Doing The Boxer Beat
When images appeared of Motorino Diavolo’s Vespa twin they were dismissed as photoshopped nonsense but, as Stan discovered, it's real and this Boxer packs a punch.
Scooter Racing Comes Home
BSSO riders have a love/hate relationship withThree Sisters. Its tight, twisty and a great leveller, where riding skills count as much as engine power.
Sixty-year Love Affair The Lambretta Series 2
1959 would see the introduction by Innocenti of the Lambretta Series 2. In what would be the company’s glory years this machine led the way.
Pure Gold
For over a decade it was one of the UK’s most popular custom Vespa scooters and now Atlantic Gold is back, reinvented for a new era.
