Riding two wheels....

Tom, yes it is very easy to obtain spares for all Lambretta models nowadays as long as the model is known.

I have lots of friends who would be most willing, (they are much more knowledgeable than me), to advise on any restoration project.

Lambreatta's have a reputation for unreliability, unlike Vespa's, (Lammy's just look the business though), but a lot of the parts that are available now are designed to the original spec but with modern reliability.

There is a scooter scene in the US but to be honest I've never really paid much attention to it.

If you can't find any info here www.scootering.com... , please let me know and I should be able to dig something out for you.

Originally posted by Freeborn
Scootering. A Way Of Life.

Kelso 2007

Isle Of Wight 2007

Fantastic! I used to love going to the Isle Of Wight on my series 3 Li150 Special. There's something brilliant about having 6000 scooters riding around a little island on a bank holdiday weekend!

I used to have a ZXR750(j1)and I loved that feeling of feeling free on the road.Of course the power to weight ratio ment these type of sports bikes picked up speed quickly!Used to kill my wrists on long trips,but worth is when you opened the throttle

having a full bike licence also makes me more aware of the bikers on the roads these days.After a friend died on his GSXR600 I hung up my leathers and stuck to 4 wheels

Trouble with bikes is that any car you get in(unless its a super car!)will feel like a snail compared to the performance you where used too!

reply to post by Paul


Sorry for delay in responding, not been around much recently.

The Scooter scene is really vibrant at the moment with lots of old scooterists returning to the scene.

There are events every weekend up and down the whole of the UK but my particular favourite is Bridlington which is always held on the last weekend in October.
The weather is, well, what you expect on the coast of the North Sea at that time of year but wtf, with thousands of scooterists all out on their last National Rally of the year, the best Custom Show, it is just a fantastic weekend with lots of 'do's' all over the town.
The Stirling Castle and The Harbour Lights on Saturday afternoon and evening are not to be missed.
The Saturday is being held at the modernised Spa this year and I can't wait.
Sorry, got no details of who is playing yet but I'm sure they'll be top notch!

reply to post by Freeborn


Glad to hear the scooter scene is still healthy. I've been away from it for a about 3 or 4 years, as I had to sell my pride and joy to finish the restoration of the house i bought, and have yet to get round to (find the money to) getting my lammy back.
Never been to bridlington myself, but always hear good things about it, my mates who've been really rate it!

I've got a Roketa 250cc that I recently purchased. Had a Honda 550 years ago. Pretty scarey wreck and ICU observations made me quit riding. Gas prices recently have helped me overcome my hesitation to ride bikes again.

Starting out slowly with the smaller version "twist-n-go" as it was referred to earlier. It has a shorter wheel base so steering takes some getting used to. Can go 70MPH (so says the instruction manual) but I haven't gotten it over 50. Supposed to get 70MPG but I may need to have my gauges checked out.

It's a cheap, made in China scooter with the instructions translated by someone who did not have a good grasp of the English language. lol. Still, it's nice to fill up for less than 4 bucks and drive all week or longer compared to my van that fills up for 70 bucks and drives around about 3-4 days.

They're very affordable at less than 2k but you do have to go sit in the DMV ALL day to take the test to get your license. PIA!

On the plus side, my (9 y/o) son and I go out in the cool of the evening and ride around the neighborhood. He has his own helment and safety gear. Nice bonding time for mother and son.

I just got my first streetbike back in dec 07. I got an 04' YZF600R. I love it, 50-55mpg, goes 160, 1/4 mile in 11 flat. I dropped one tooth off the front sprocket and it accelerates better now, it prolly lost some off the top speed, but who needs to go that fast anyway. Got a good deal, it was 3500$. It had 9,000 miles on it, and hadn't been wrecked.

I have ridden dirtbikes for years, and used to be a desert racer, and I even did a little motocross/arenacross.

I am hooked on streetbikes now. I have ridden 21,000 miles on my bike since december!! There is nothing better than on ramps, off ramps, and turns. It makes it easier to wake up in the morning knowing that you get to haul ass on a crotch rocket all day. Since my job involves me running around town all day, it is awesome.

You really have to watch people, and pay attention, or you will die.

I kind of got the impression that you are more interested in scooters than motorcycles. Motorcycles can be accessorized to carry pretty much whatever you might need, but there are a lot of scooters that will carry everything as it is in stock trim. I rode a Lambretta 150 back and forth to a job 70 miles round trip. That was 40 years ago on an interstate highway when the speed limit was 55 mph. The thing topped out on level surfaces at 52 mph and only got 50 mpg. At 35 mph it got 100 mpg. I've got an old Honda Helix that tops out at 75 and gets 70 mpg at 70 mph. I also have a Chinese 250 and it has been a hassle. I think that if you want a scooter it is best to go Japanese or Vespa. Motorcycles are the same, Japanese or BMW. The Japanese are very dependable and powerful but BMW bikes are more so and have a lot of character. BMW has scooters being released in Europe in the near future but not here. I don't think a nine thousand dollar scooter will sell well over here if they were available here. Puchs and Tomas mopeds are pretty cool, especially when hotted up. The first motorized 2 wheeler I ever rode was a Puch and that was 47 years ago.

reply to post by hypervigilant


yes,

I do ride a scooter now days though I also have two cars and a truck. I recently purchased a Honda Ruckus and like it a lot. I did not know that Honda also had out a vehicle like it called a Big Ruckus at some 250cc sized engine. A Lot more expensive of course.

For the 8 miles that I must take to and fro work it works out well for me though I also have two Tomos Targa mopeds as well. The big advantage of this mode of transport, in addition to the gasoline savings, is parking. It makes parking very easy compared to parking my car or truck out in the North Forty somewhere. Been riding two wheels to and fro work for a number of years now. Hope to keep it up for many more.

I do like riding two wheels a lot but never really considered for my uses ...getting a full sized two wheeler.

I am however giving some thought to a 400 t0 500 CC dirt bike as a bug out vehicle down the road. A type of on/off road compromise tire on it.

I just enjoy the feeling/sensation of having the road to myself...going home from work on 2nd shift. Most of the traffic is nowadays up on the interstate instead of the local roads so it makes riding on the way I take home very pleasurable. The oversized tires on the Ruckus helps a lot too.
A little music from my Sony Walkman helps a lot too.

I get a lot of my local trips done on it as well. As long as I don't have a lot to carry I enjoy it. I have fabricated a double wide milk crate onto the back of this Ruckus.


Thanks,
Orangetom

Being an ex biker I have seen it all from heads being shoved into the rib cage to total beheading so they do have a lot going against them ,my oldest daughter not long ago totaled her bandit due to a prat pulling straight out of a side road from her left in a white van in Liverpool , she suffered brain damage and now has to wait several years before she can if ever get her license back depending on the extent of the brain damage, yes bikes can be fun and cheap to run but with the state of the roads and pathetic driving skills that a lot of motorists have these days makes it a very dangerous form of transport.

reply to post by hyundisonata


I have lost several friends, both on scooters and motorbikes and my heart goes out to you and their families.

But there is something about it that keeps on bringing us back.
Two wheels and the road.

I wish your daughter a speedy recovery.