Some lucky bastard is scootin' to work in Bondi Beach every day.

One of the benefits of having an Australian wife is that visiting the in-laws for the holidays means a trip down under to the flip side of the world where an NYC Winter quickly becomes a Melbourne Summer.

This year I had my scooter-eyes on to bring back a brief report on – and a few snaps of – the scootering scenes in Sydney and Melbourne.

First off, let me give a serious hats-off to anyone riding a scooter in either of these cities. Take it from someone who rides in Gotham traffic everyday, you guys, and gals, have some serious brass balls. Car drivers in Melbourne, and especially in Sydney, have a way of flipping around bends at terrifying speeds that put NYC cabbies to shame. Add to that the twists, turns, and hair-pins of Sydney’s rolling hills of traffic and it’s enough to shake the nerves of even the most seasoned rider.

Melbourne doubles-down on the danger with the presence of the city’s ubiquitous trams, slippery tram tracks and local traffic nonsense, the infamous “Hook Turn” that I swear was designed for the single intent of testing the mettle of foreign tourists.

Let’s just say that, while the balmy weather is appealing, I’m not sure I’d want to be out there in either city on a scooter in everyday commuter traffic.

Dedicated powered-two-wheeler parking in Sydney downtown (AKA The Central Business District.)

Scootin’ in Sydney
Our first stop was a few days in Sydney for New Years Eve 2011/2012.

If you’re a foreign scooterist visiting Australia, one of the first things you might notice on local Aussie scoots are the ubiquitous “L” and “P” plates and we saw plenty of both in the city.

An "L-Plater" in Watson's Bay, Sydney.

“L” (or “Learner”) plates are worn by scooters ridden by scooterists in their first few weeks on two-wheels following the passing an initial online test at the local licensing center. Riding as an “L” means the requirement to be accompanied by another rider with appropriate licensing, either riding two-up or accompanying on another scooter or motorcycle. The system works much like the provisional licensing in New York but with visible notification to other drivers (and the cops) that you haven’t quite got your scooter “Sea Legs” yet.

Once you’ve gotten some miles behind you, you can apply for a “P” plate, which includes some restrictions including not being able to carry a passenger before easing into your full license. A system similar to the one I grew up with in England, and something I would love to see introduced in the States for all drivers. I’m convinced it leads to safer streets (my comment about corner-whipping down under aside.)

Attached to these plates my wife and I saw a good range of the usual scooter suspects naturally including a healthy dose of modern Vespas, Yamahas, Kymcos, and Hondas.

It might not have been in production for long, but at least one "La Vita" made it to Sydney.

In addition, much like last year’s trip to Paris, I was also pleased to see a decent amount of modern Peugeot scooters, another company with a historic pedigree, that currently offers a terrific portfolio of bikes that are disappointingly not sold in the US.

From a vintage perspective, if you find yourself in Sydney, do yourself a favor and swing by to check out and support S.S. Scooter Engineering who have been representing the vintage love in Sydney since 2006. They’re a much warmer friendly bunch of folks than their name suggests. The S.S. recently moved to a new workshop in the Alexandria neighborhood and are the local go-to guys for vintage repair, restorations and under-the frame performance pimping.

Finally, if local ride outs are your thing, if you have a couple of days in Sydney you’ll want to reach out to the local scooter clubs before planning your trip. In Sydney, your first stop for trip planning should be the website for the Sydney City Scooter Club that houses an active forum including the usual chatter, smack-talking, wrenching, and silliness that comprises all great scooter forums.

A Peroni billboard in Melbourne tips the hat to other Italian icons.

Movin’ in Melbourne

After a quick domestic flight, a few days in my wife’s hometown of Melbourne provided a great opportunity to swing by local legend, The Vespa House in the Collingwood neighborhood.

While Melbourne has a healthy number of scooter shops these guys deservedly wear the nostalgia crown.

The Vespa House has ruled Melbourne in the very-same location since 1956, founded like all great scooter shops by a guy called Tony from Italy. In addition to being a Piaggio, Vespa, and Gilera dealership, the jewel in the crown of the Vespa House is the fantastic workshop that drips with history and continues to actively take care of the vintage and four-stroke bikes of this very busy city.

The shop, now in its third generation of the same family, includes Giovanni (Johnny) Scriba who has put in an incredible 40-plus years as the in-house Vespa mechanic.

Outside The Vespa House in 2012.

The same location back in the day. Spot the Lammy. Photo courtesy The Vespa House.

If you’re into vintage bikes of another pedigree, don’t hold-your-breath for a sight of a Lambretta however. While the workshop does service Innocentis, its website claims that the business has seen four times as many Vespas than Lammys, particularly back in the rivalry heydays.

For a sense of the history of the place, check out the gallery over at the Vespa House website which includes some fantastic images from the past 50 plus years.

Customer bikes inside The Vespa House.

If you’re looking to soak up some more Italian nostalgia in Melbourne, the city is home to some terrific Italian coffee houses that put American coffee to shame, including – but by no means exclusive to – the “Little Italy” neighborhood stretch on Lygon Street where you’ll occasionally spot a vintage scoot or two, even if it is sitting there for display purposes propping up a couple of Cappuccinos., or better yet, some of the best Gelati on the planet. Personally, operational or not, I’m always happy to see a scooter in any shape or form. Seeing an old bike as décor always brings a smile to my face.

Like Sydney, Melbourne is also home to a number of active scooter clubs including the Vespa Club of Melbourne, Melbourne Crusaders and the Vintage Vespa and European Motor Scooter Club and if you ask nicely through their forums, they’ll no doubt set you up with an experience in the city.

If you find yourself joining one of the local clubs for a ride out, you may also want to check out Melbourne Vespa Tour who offer modern Vespas to rent for city traversal.

All said and done, we had a terrific trip and I can’t wait to head back to the Southern hemisphere to check out more on the active scooter scenes of these two terrific cities. If you’re also fortunate enough to make the trip, not only will you have an amazing time you’ll also get to experience modern scooter culture at its best. A warm “G’Day” and “How yer goin’” to all our Aussie NYCS readers.

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You can't have enough light.

As many of you know, my 1975 Serveta Jet 200 spent much of the last half of the Summer and the first half of the Fall on the bench.

The insane ride it took down to Wildwood, NJ as part of this year’s first East Coast Classic scooter rally, put the final nail in the proverbial coffin. I got there and back safely but within a week or so of the ride, the bike was belching smoke and fouling plugs left, right, and center. These symptoms immediately pointed to a blown oil seal, the seal that among other things – and I’m over-simplifying here – keeps the oil in the crank case away from the combustion chamber.

Thankfully, we still have experts like Gene at Scooters Originali in Orange, NJ to come to the rescue when faced with repairs beyond the roadside. Gene did a fantastic job addressing the oil seal, and giving the entire bike a once over. Given I didn’t know the provenance of the engine, I was keen to know what he was going to find under the hood. As perhaps expected, he found a thirty-five-year-old engine under the hood, and the oil seal was not the only issue that needed addressing.

Given I was now looking at the costs associated with “splitting the cases” to get inside the engine, I realized that this was the ideal opportunity to invest in a popular Lambretta upgrade, the famous 12 volt conversion. The Jet still had it’s original 6 volt wiring, and even with a rare 6 volt halogen bulb in the headlamp, I could barely spit out more light than a 1990′s cellphone.

The 12 volt conversion can be performed on all battery and non-battery Lambrettas and is done by using a new regulator to upgrade the output of the flywheel an additional 6 volts. Typically this is done using a – ssshhh so you’re Lammy friends don’t hear – a Vespa PX or P200 regulator.

I’m no electrician, though it is true that I am the son of an electrician, so I can’t begin to explain the details of how this works. If you have the know-how and you’re interested in learning more, the Lambretta Club of Great Britain have a concise article on how to perform the conversion yourself.

What I can attest to however is what a difference it makes. I can’t tell you how much I was beaming (no pun intended) from ear-to-ear last night as I pulled up behind an SUV to see my headlamp reflecting back at me from their rear. The old 6V bulb barely lit past the end of the front fender.

Additionally, of course, the entire electrical system has been upgraded so that means that the squashed duck that is the Lambretta horn has put on a few pounds and squeals a little more loudly, and perhaps more important even that the headlamp, the tail and brake lights now shine out in the dark for fellow motorists to see me when I pulled over in the dark waiting to make a left-hand turn.

All-in-all, I can’t recommend the conversion enough. Unless you’re a purist looking to keep your Lambretta absolutely stock, the conversion is the way to go. I’m a daily rider and I feel sooooo much safer knowing that in a world where drivers say time and time again that they just don’t see two-wheelers, that I’m a touch more visible.

Oh. And not belching smoke is nice to. Thanks Gene.

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With Halloween behind us, it’s time to start turning our collective attention to the holiday season, and the season means presents.

Looking for a present for the scooter lover in your life? (Yes, it’s okay if that’s you.) Scottish artist Christine Berrie started drawing vintage scooters when she first moved to London and became enamored with the various Lambrettas and Vespas she saw tearing around.

After a period of time, with twenty five drawings under her belt she decided to put together a beautiful print that collects the bikes together. The limited edition signed prints are available in two sizes starting at $50 for a 14″ x 11″ edition and 20″ x 16″ for $200. Both sizes are available framed or unframed and are printed on 100% cotton rag paper using archival inks.

Head on over to Christine’s page at 20×200.com to learn more and part with your credit card details.

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UPDATE: We got an anonymous tip on the bike from someone who has recently seen it which just goes to show that “buyer beware” is never more true than with vintage bikes.

“The bike originated in Vietnam and has some frame issues. The GP engine however appears to be good and the bike should only be bought for the engine.”

It’s lucky for you that I don’t have $2800 burning a hole in my pocket right now because if I had, I wouldn’t be posting this puppy to the world and would be in the process of snapping it up right now.

After a quiet summer, several Lambrettas have begun popping up for sale in the Tri-state area. Case-in-point: for sale right now in Summit, New Jersey is a very tasty looking TV175 with delicious red and white livery.

The bike comes complete with a sensible 12 volt electrical upgrade, a replacement GP200 engine under the hood with only 30 miles on it, and the paperwork that legitimizes the upgrades. As always, CraigsList photos are fuzzy, but the bike looks to be in a very nice shape.

Contact the seller through the original CraigsList posting here.

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Style on 3 wheels.

Although I have never owned a Piaggio Ape or Innocenti Lambro, I have always loved their functionality.  When I finally made my first pilgrimage to Italy, the little 3 wheeled vehicles were everywhere.  Well, for those of you who love all things classic Italian, there is another famous moto-manufacturer who had a 3-wheeler of it’s own.  Back in the 1950′s, Ducati, makers of extremely cool motorcycles, made their own version of the beloved trike.  They made 3 versions, a 48cc (called the Fattorino), and 175cc and 200cc versions (both called the Muletto).  I would love to cruise the streets of Williamsburg in one of these babies!  Function AND fashion…

Bike Exif has the full story and some great photographs.

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2 Stroke Buzz continues with more Lambretta LN 125 finds that spin both sides of the battle over the prestigious brand name.

From the red corner we have the Lambretta LN manufacturers first jab in the ring, as their PR agency Life Longari & Loman brings their heavyweight teaser video to the canvas. I have to say, I think the video does a fantastic job of romancing the lines of the bike and playing up its continued heritage in Italian design even with a Taiwanese engine under the hood. It’s certainly raised an unexpected eyebrow here at NYCS Towers:

From the blue corner, defending the all-important Lambretta title comes the Lambretta Consortium in the ring to fiercely defend their title, and ownership of the brand name. It would seem that the LC is very unhappy about the handling of the brand name. The consortium are claiming that the LN and accompanying LS models are “unapproved and unlicensed for the global market as a full inspection of their authenticity and quality has not yet been conducted by Lambretta Consortium.”

The consortium is warning dealers to avoid taking a financial stake (e.g. stocking) these models at this point in time with the Lambretta name allegedly being used illegally. No doubt legal action will soon follow which may impede the expected European launch.

We’ll keep you posted as the battle continues, so stay tuned.

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UPDATE: We’ve referred to the Lambretta LN as a “Plastic Lammy” several times now. The new PR video for the bike reveals that the chassis/frame is actually a metal monocoque steel construction along the lines of Vespa. While for purists this moves away from the tubular steel approach to the original Lambretta, an all-metal chassis for a modern Taiwanese bike is to be commended.

We’ve reported on this before following it’s appearance at last year’s EICMA show in Milan, but now the Lambretta LN 125 rebirth of the Lambretta brand has moved one very very significant step closer to reality.

The Lambretta brand name has floated around a number of owners since Scooters India Limited (SIL) broke production in the Nineties and has since appeared on everything from socks to (shock) the occasional scooter, always much to the chagrin of die-hard Lambretta enthusiasts. What makes this week’s news different is this is the first time an attempt has been made to build upon the much-loved aesthetic of the original range of bikes.

Love it or hate it, enthusiasts will soon have something else to argue over as 2 Stroke Buzz have unearthed the initial French coverage of the official European dealership unveiling of the Lambretta LN 125 in Paris this past week.

We’ve known for some time that this is essentially a plastic “interpretation” on the classic Innocenti Lambretta Series 3 design covering an Asian power-plant. We now know that the bike is essentially a SYM scooter under the bodywork and powered by a SYM Fiddle engine, itself a stylistic “interpretation” of the current Vespa LX range.

The new photos reveal more of the bike’s details, in particular showing that the Lammy looks like it’s put on a little weight since we last saw it out on the road with a wider profile more in keeping with a Vespa P-series than a Lambretta slimline. Taste is subjective of course, but personally I hate the headset which feels needlessly large in its effort to enclose both the master cylinder for the front disc brake and the turn signals. I would have rather seen those elements sit exterior to the headset even if they complicated the lines. Also, using an independently turning front fender flies directly in the face of the classic Lammy fixed fender.

The Lambretta LN 125 will hit French dealerships next month at 3799 Euros (A shockingly high $5400 USD.) No word yet on whether the bike will make it stateside at that price or any other. No doubt its success or lack thereof in Europe will be closely monitored before a move to the US is considered.

We’ll keep our eye on reviews as French riders get to test out the beast for real in a couple more weeks. In the meantime, you can click on through for more photos.

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One of several 196os Simson Schwalbes I spotted. You don't see many of these in the US.

One of the benefits of my job is that I often get to travel (I’m writing this from Portland, OR.) Occasionally that travel takes me out of the country and last week I was lucky enough to spend three whirlwind days in Munich, Germany.

Munich is quite the two-wheeled city with one of the most extensive bicycle path networks in the world. Between traditional pedal-pushers to roller-bladers to our favorite form of transport, scooters, it’s a city with more on its mind that the fine cars of German automobiling.

Typical of any European city, the scooters I saw were a mix of vintage, modern, oddities and the expected. But one thing I was not prepared for was just how many beautifully restored vintage Vespas there are in the Bavarian city. The Germans have a very active restoration and customization scene, as any reader of the UK magazine Scootering can attest, but boy was I still surprised at some of the beauties I saw even in my quick trip.

Seriously, I saw more painstakingly restored Vespa Rallys, Primaveras, and 50 Specials whiz by me on the street, than I could catch to photograph at the side of the pavement. For seventy-two hours I was in Vespa heaven.

Most of these restorations – no doubt – are due to the superb Vespa maintenance and restoration shop in the southern ward of the city, Vesbar. Vesbar has a fantastic collection of oldies in stock and for sale from beautiful patina originals to shining ground-up restorations and three-wheeler Piaggio Apes. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the city and the pleasant thirty minute walk from the central old town area is a welcome chance to duck away from the tourists for a couple of hours. Entering the store feels like every last vintage bike has been sucked out of nearby northern Italy, flowing through Vesbar as a clearing house for the rest of the world. If you’re a German speaker you can also follow Vebar’s activities at their Facebook page.

Following is a quick selection of bikes I was able to snap during my brief stay in the city:

A blinged up Vespa P200.

One of several PK50s I spotted.

An Aprilia Mojito modern / retro scooter.

A beautiful side-street find!

I have no idea what's under the custom fur trim, but I love it. Any guesses?

A 50 Special waits patiently for its owner outside a sidewalk cafe.

A department store display for Italian coffee.

A beautifully restored Primavera.

Just like everywhere else in the world, the P-series are the workhorses of Piaggio. Check out that load.

Another beautifully restored 50 Special.

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Photograph courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

If you’re one of our west coast readers, or planning a trip to the City of Angels in the months ahead, be sure to set some time aside to stop by La Brea on your travels.

LA’s Petersen Automotive Museum is hosting a dedicated scooter exhibit, “Scooters: Size Doesn’t Always Matter” for the next calendar year through May 28th, 2012 giving you plenty of time to get your saddle-sore ass over to the left coast.

While the show is already underway, the museum kicks off the exhibit properly on Saturday July 9th with a “Scooters and Supercars” day at the museum celebrating in it’s words, “two extremes of personal transportation.”

Meanwhile, back here on the East coast, the New York Times has a nice piece on the exhibit revealing that the show goes beyond the expected vintage Vespas and Lambrettas and has a sizable showing on American-made oddities. One section of the exhibit is dedicated to scooters manufactured in the LA vicinity alone. Further, the show includes a full one hundred years of scootering from the latest 2011 model from Piaggio all the way back to an New York built “Autoped” from the 1910′s.

To learn more about visiting the museum for either the year-long exhibit or the kick-off event, head on over to the Petersen Automotive Museum’s website. The website includes a fantastic in-depth article on the history of our favorite two-wheeled conveyance. This is a rare opportunity to see so many great scooters heralded on US soil.

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Another rally means another patch for D.C. scooterist Mark Bennett.

We laughed, we cried, we certainly got lost. We did not however break down.

This weekend, Jersey Shore’s faded glory beach resort of Wildwood saw two independent and equally strange subcultures descend on it’s beach, bars, and boardwalk. East coast scooter rally goers in attendance for the first annual, “East Coast Classic,” and a national “Elk” convention and I rode down to take part. In the rally that is, not the convention.

With fellow riders Melissa, Patrick, Zach, Nick, Oz, Maya, Kurt, and Kristed; I braved what turned out to be a mammoth ten hour ride down from Brooklyn through Staten Island and down the Jersey Shore to Wildwood, south of Atlantic City on Friday to arrive just in time for the kick-off event on Friday night.

What should have been about a six hour, one-hundred-and-seventy-or-so mile, journey – long enough in itself – was stretched further by a missed turning leaving Staten Island as we took a meandering, though pretty, route 35 instead of the more direct route 9.

No doubt our heads were still fuzzy following the first hurdle of the day. Crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on our Italian ladies’ shopping bikes in high winds. Heads-down and hearts in our mouths. As Oz – who has only been riding for a few months – put it in videogame parlance, “Achievement Unlocked.” Achievement unlocked indeed.

Yes, we crossed this on scooters on a windy day.

Next highlight? Stopping for gas only to find out that Zach’s seat on his 60′s Lambretta Series 3 refused to budge, blocking access to the gas tank. An hour and several borrowed tools and scooterist ingenuity later and the seat was finally opened and the locking pin mechanism removed for the remainder of the weekend.

Next hairy moment. Zach’s side panel flying off at 50 miles an hour only to be picked up by Melissa playing sweeper at the back of the pack. Sorry again Zach, my bad on failing to correctly secure the panel.

A few more rest stops for gasoline, stretching, and bad road food later and we raced against the sun like vampires-in-reverse for the final stretch of road to finally arrive around 9 o’clock to check in for the rally.

Check in took place at the kick-off party at Wildwood’s restaurant-cum-bar-cum-disco-cum-Tiki bar, “Flip Flopz.” As concise a slice-of-life of the Jersey Shore as I could ever describe.

Scooters lined up outside "Flip Flopz" on Friday night.

Dropping off our bikes at our motels following the check-in was promptly followed by cab rides back to “Flip Flopz” for a night of chit-chat, beer, food, and more beer.

Saturday morning saw the day starting at the Starlux Motel meet-up which acted as rally central for the weekend. License plates gave evidence of a hundred or so bikes from New York, New Jersey, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. as we downed coffee and bagels, caught up with old friends, and talked shop.

Scooterists gathering at the Starlux Motel.

A wide slice of scooters were represented with the usual selection of Vespas (vintage and modern,) Lammys, Hondas, and more. GS classics with side cars to souped up TS1 racing Lambrettas. Rat bikes to paint jobs and chrome. Scooters filled the Starlux parking completely and overflowed into the street causing a good deal of interest from passers-by.

What scooterists love to do best. Talk scooters.

Saturday lunchtime saw a leisure ride south to the beach at beautiful Cape May at the very southernmost tip of New Jersey led by Philly’s Rabble Rouser Scooter Club member Tedford. An hour at the beach gave plenty of time for souvenir shopping and lunch. The ride back was punctuated by New Jersey rider Clinton driving into the weekend’s official photographer. In true scooterists tradition the photo bug was more concerned about Clinton’s SX200 than his own wellbeing.

Gathering for a photo under the "Wildwoods" sign before heading out to Cape May.

Taking a break from the ride-out to fix stuck throttle cables and lose exhausts.

Saturday afternoon gave the Brooklyn gang and myself a chance to take to the boardwalk and ride the roller coaster. At $5.50 the Verrazano had given a significantly cheaper thrill-ride but the $8 wooden “Great White” coaster was a thrill all the same.

One of the many great Vespas in attendance.

Saturday evening and it was back at “Flip Flopz” for a buffet, drinks, and the all important raffle. Trophies, some as big as the scooterists themselves, were also awarded to riders who had participated int he CORSA and Corsette (Ladies’ small frame) gum-ball races down to the rally. The raffle consisted of plenty of goodies culminating in the grand prize of a 1965 Allstate acquired, stripped, and restored by East Coast Classic participants with discounted parts generously supplied by rally sponsors.

The raffle grand prize. A 1965 Vespa Allstate.

Sunday morning and following a brief stop for a stomach full of carbohydrates at “Uncle Bill’s Pancake House” and it was time to wave goodbye to the rally and start out for home. Route 9 provided a straight shot home over the next few hours avoiding the Verrazano and plumping for one last roller-coaster of rides, Route 1-9 into Jersey City. This last six hour ride thankfully provided one last memorable moment that summed up the weekend: Pat bringing his Fireball Stella to a screeching halt, grabbing wildly for his helmet and throwing it off his head onto a neighboring lawn somewhere in mid-Jersey. Why? A hornet had decided to take the inside of his helmet along for a ride. Nice one pat. Good to know you are cool under pressure.

Three days and eighteen hours or so of total riding down and I’m left with happy memories and blisters from keeping the throttle pegged. One last thing? I went to jump on my trusty Jet 200 this morning for work. The bike that had made it effortlessly there and back again without a hitch. Pulled in the clutch, put it in first to pull away and the gear cable snapped. How’s that for being seen home safe by the scooter gods?

For a whole load more pictures from the weekend, check out the official NYC Scootering Flickr set for more.

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