Scooter Enthusiasts

[Barry]

Its been a while since I had a German scooter, and back then spares weren't that good even from the homeland.
Especially the bacolite ignition switch for my NSU Prima D, it would have cost more than the scooter was worth  
Since then I stick with Italian if I can.

Your GP I take it was a 150.
I have only ever seen 1 Orbit Orange in the flesh.



I was building this as a 'rusteration'.
But my mate who owns a massive scooter collection had been after one for 20 odd years, so I gave in and sold it to him.
Only for the British market, and rarer than a rare thing.
Yours from the pic looks to be orange rather than Ochre (ginger) that the majority were painted.

Another rare British only colour is the GP200 in red,
Which I managed to find an original one last year (part of why I let the orange one go).



Has yours a black plastic toolbox and petrol flap, what with it being a '71 J.
Or is it a late reg one like my red one. ??
Mine has grey lalstic toolbox, and red metal petrol flap.

Shaun.

Looks like my one (GP150 - 1971) was orange.  It belonged to my brothers Father-in-law.  He was an Architect and used it in his early years for travelling around sites.  He upgraded to a Morris 1000 and left the scooter in his garage.  He is still about and is very happy to see it restored.  It was never painted before I got it.
It has a black plastic tool box and petrol flap.  The horn cover was black plastic and I will return it back to that one day.
I thought it was on of the last UK Italian Lambrettas.  The red and the orange came into the UK right at the end of production I think?  Grey toolbox came in before or after black?

I like your red GP - restore or leave it alone?  My one was just a bit too far gone to leave.

[skootashaun]

Wow Barry.
You seem to have stumbled across one the rarest colour Lambretta's produced.
You are right, Black followed grey.
The fact you have a plastic fuel flap with the wider hinge, means yours is the last of the last before India picked up production.
You would also most likely have had bolts in the sidecase not studs and nuts.

My red one is a '69 built but sold and reg: in '71 so I have grey plastic and the metal flap etc, with studs.
I am leaving as is, I changed the piston rings, clutch, points, condensor and coil.
Runs like new, lush to ride and a joy to own.
I last month turned down £7000 for it, there is no chance of ever replacing it, so it is staying.

The SS90 rep is a monster like your new kit, I do struggle to keep the front wheel down in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and haven't had the nerve to open it up in 4th yet 

[Barry]

Thats nice to know Shaun.
I have the original engine in tact but with 12v electronic ignition.  I still have the original stator and flywheel.
I was going to rebuild, tune up and fit my TV200 engine but it was better to leave that engine original.
In the end I found an Li 150 engine and added the GT186 kit etc.  Only a 25mm carb at the moment because I wanted it to breath on the correct side (kept the battery tray).
30mm manifold breathing on the correct side is being developed.
running a full circle race crank and TV175 gears.  The clubman exhaust gives power lower down the revs but peaks at about 7,000rpm so no point in taller gears (more teeth on the primary).
Anyway, I want to be able to use 4th at 30mph.
Once it is run-in I will look at an expansion chamber, 30mm carb and changing the primary gearing to match max bhp at about 7500 to 8000rpm.
But, as you know it becomes much harder to ride and enjoy with only four gears and a narrow powerband further up the revs.

At the rate I am going it will probably take a couple of years to run-in anyway!

My front wheel doesn't come up because I weigh too much!

Not worth selling these last Italian built Lambrettas.  You just can't replace them and they are a joy to own and ride.

[jean-do]

 yes i love them too ....^^

[Barry]

Looks like your gonna need a bigger barn Jean-do

It's good to see that others also have the same illness!

Lovely

Would be great to see a list of what you have so that we know what is missing.

[jean-do]

the question is: would it be faster and easiest to write the actual list than the missing scooters list ....... ^^

[skootashaun]

@Barry, fully agree.
keep the Italian stuff, more useble with a brilliant local spares back up and all the tuning bits you could want 

@Jean-do, Wow.
That is an impressive collection 
I spotted a nice smallframe, early square badge, and a couple of what look like Lambretta LD's.
The fully accessorised one in the middle, is it a 'Mayfair' or 'Riviera' by any chance??
Or is the yellow headlamp telling its a French LD??

Shaun.

[Barry]

Lambretta passed it's MOT yesterday.  Only 101miles since last year so it should do I suppose!  should have it run-in by the time I retire.

[Jonathan Poll]

How's this for a scooter!
http://www.bikeexif.com/art-deco-custom-motorcycle

[jean-do]

for shaun, and others, from left to right ...
cezeta, heinkel, piatti, scootavia,babymoto, agf, lefol, simard ,babymoto, manurhin, jonghi, mercier, raider, monet goyon,
 in the far  away, mini ld racing, scoto, velostyle, ardent ,
then alcyon, speed, puch, motobecane 57 ...55...53 peugeot s 57c; s55 , bernardet y 52 .. bm 250 .. c50...a48 ... v5sa , vespa 1952 ..
in the middle french ld 57 and missing ld 56 ...

[Big Al]

How's this for a scooter!
http://www.bikeexif.com/art-deco-custom-motorcycle

Brutsch Mopetta gets aggressive. Also there is nothing new in vehicles after 1914, or some such saying.

[Big Al]

for shaun, and others, from left to right ...
cezeta, heinkel, piatti, scootavia,babymoto, agf, lefol, simard ,babymoto, manurhin, jonghi, mercier, raider, monet goyon,
 in the far  away, mini ld racing, scoto, velostyle, ardent ,
then alcyon, speed, puch, motobecane 57 ...55...53 peugeot s 57c; s55 , bernardet y 52 .. bm 250 .. c50...a48 ... v5sa , vespa 1952 ..
in the middle french ld 57 and missing ld 56 ...

A satisfying collection with some real rare and unusually styled machines. It is as much the interest, even art, of some designs that make them desirable over riding them. Then what can be better than art you can drive?

[Barry]

Back to the beginning - both Troll scooters passed their MOTs today.

I can recommend the guys at Washbrook motorcycles near Copdock

http://www.washbrookmotorcycles.co.uk/

They are on the old A12 near Ipswich.  The old dual carriageway is now a deserted country road.  Loads of British motorcycles.
One of the guys remembers his first week in his new job as a trainee mechanic (aged 15) The garage had been a Heinkel agent and he had to help to clear out and scrap all of the heinkel spares including bodies.  Thousands of spares he said.

Next I need some UK registration numbers.

I have German papers from the glove box but the scooters  have changed hands in England long before I got them.
They have been in the country for quite a few years.

[Bob Purton]

Well done Barry. Now what are you going to do with them?

[Barry]

That depends.........

Just building some new sheds so that I can clear the garage and turn it into living accommodation.

Will the sheds hold all of my toys?    Not for long!

Talking about sheds - For Al perhaps:-

I was in Framlingham and there in the Estate agents window £15,000.  A massive timber barn (not old) for sale.  You just have to dismantle it and take it away!
Also a big complex of workshops to let - £2500 per annum.

http://www.akermans.co.uk/Commercial.aspx

Akermans website is not updated so they would need to be called.