Scooter Enthusiasts

[Barry]

My two IWL Troll scooters.  1964 and 1966.  Ready for an MOT at last.  UK Registration next...............

(Admiration of the trailer is not necessary)

[Bob Purton]

I have always secretly admired that pair! Will you keep one and ride it?

A friend drop by last week on a newly acquired 1970's vespa 50 scooter, he offered me a ride of it which I accepted. All I can say is that whatever it has had done to it, it ain't no 50cc scooter anymore!! Far too fast for a such a light, short wheel based scooter and in my view quite dangerous..

[richard]

nice sturdy trailer a little ott for the job - is it an old caravan chassis ?



actually just joking am not the slightest bit interested . love the scooters seem to be the ones featured in mike websters lovely little book

[skootashaun]

Absolutely stunning Barry 
Hopefully we will get some nice weather so you can put some miles on them 
Are spares hard to come by for them??

@Bob

Smallframe Vespa's are the best for tuning, and 'cos of the small wheelbase make for brilliant handling and cornering.
This is my SS90 rep:



Now a 125cc water cooled beastie.



When set up on the dyno it was 20bhp at 68mph in third.
But not had it at that sort of speed on the road yet.

 

[Barry]

I have always secretly admired that pair! Will you keep one and ride it?

A friend drop by last week on a newly acquired 1970's vespa 50 scooter, he offered me a ride of it which I accepted. All I can say is that whatever it has had done to it, it ain't no 50cc scooter anymore!! Far too fast for a such a light, short wheel based scooter and in my view quite dangerous..

Surely a 50cc (or even 70cc) can't be that nippy Bob.  I know what you mean though when the bike is so light.
The Trolls will probably have to go in the reshuffle, a shame because they ride very well.  Low down 'soft' power with plenty of torque. Nice solid handling.  Built like tanks.  I haven't been out on the open road yet but I get the feeling they will be nice and lazy to ride - no panicking through the gears, a gentlemans machine.  
However, my Lambretta scares the pants off me.  It looks demure but it sucks in air with a lovely induction howl then growls and barks as it accelerates in a very antisocial manner (even when running-in)  Quite unacceptable unless your ears are tuned into that type of music. It really is surprisingly fast for a scoot - the throttle is only just open at my running-in speed of 50mph.
I will keep the Lambretta.  Working on the Heinkel next.

[skootashaun]

Is your GP an original Orbit Orange Barry??
Or is it just a similar colour??

Shaun.

[Barry]

I was told it was the right colour Shaun......................It was orange originally not that mustard colour.
I have never compared it next to another one.

This scan of an old photo before the restoration makes it look mustard!  Typical.

[Barry]

nice sturdy trailer a little ott for the job - is it an old caravan chassis ?



actually just joking am not the slightest bit interested . love the scooters seem to be the ones featured in mike websters lovely little book

I expected some admiration of the trailer which was indeed once a caravan.  Another Richard carefully and painstakingly modified the caravan chassis to accept an Invacar model 70 (oops I just swore) The level of engineering is quite remarkable and many people comment on it.
If you want a similar trailer I can contact him to see if he can make another!

I don't think I have seen Mike Websters book?

[Barry]

Absolutely stunning Barry  
Hopefully we will get some nice weather so you can put some miles on them  
Are spares hard to come by for them??

@Bob

Smallframe Vespa's are the best for tuning, and 'cos of the small wheelbase make for brilliant handling and cornering.
This is my SS90 rep:







Now a 125cc water cooled beastie.



When set up on the dyno it was 20bhp at 68mph in third.
But not had it at that sort of speed on the road yet.

 

Spares are pretty easy from Germany as there are quite a few about still.  MZ 150 engine with 9.5hp.  Cooling fan only engages when the engine gets hot.  Over engineered in many areas but very utilitarian.

Your 125cc Vespa is magic.  
My Lambretta contact 'The Lambretta Doctor' Steve Last, had told me all about the small frame Vespa tuning potential.  The carb ends up bigger than the engine.  His girlfriend (I think) had a tuned one and it could easily keep pace with his Lambretta.

[richard]

sorry it wasn't mike websters excellent book -

[skootashaun]

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.

[richard]

it was this -

[richard]

14 pages of info. but mainly stylish photo's of IWL amongst 100 pages of others

[Barry]

sorry it wasn't mike websters excellent book -

I have this book somewhere.. I will have a look.

[Barry]

14 pages of info. but mainly stylish photo's of IWL amongst 100 pages of others

I have this book somewhere too!  I will have a look.