Royal Alloy GT 125
‘For scooter riders who want retro looks but with the convenience and reliability of a modern machine.’
One of the most popular two-wheel trends in recent years has been for the retro-styled bike, of which there has been a plethora of choice. While this has seen an influx of café racer styled motorcycles, the choice for scooterists has mainly been limited to modern interpretations of the classic Vespa scooter. If it was purely about money, the keenly-priced Royal
Alloy range has to be a winner, as it comes with a choice of design and metal/plastic body options.
The exception to this was the fairly recent introduction of the Scomadi scooter range, based on the old Lambretta GP model of the late 1960s. Initially, the Scomadi was produced at the Hanway factory in China, although after a few legal wranglings (some still ongoing) Scomadi production has now transferred to Thailand. The Hanway factory now produces another scooter brand – the Royal Alloy (aka the ‘RA’).
The normally bulletproof single cylinder four-stroke GY6 SOHC engine fitted is the same one that can be found in many mass produced Chinese bike ranges which RA claims has been tuned to ‘deliver smooth economy while packing a punch’. It’s a fairly mid-range set up producing 7.1kw/9.5bhp which should be good for around 60mph-plus once run-in and under the right conditions (especially as the scooter only weighs 130kg anyway). Fitted with ABS, stopping power is provided by 220mm disc brakes front and rear. Suspension at the rear is a single spring shock unit, while at the front end there’s a twin shock set up, which is also adjustable (a fairly unusual, but very useful, addition for a scooter in this price range).
The scooter comes with an inner legshield glovebox fitted as standard; useful when it sinks in that unlike the majority of other modern autos, there is no underseat storage space (therefore nowhere to hide your helmet when parked up). Also, at 770mm, the seat height is fairly low in the scheme of things, so at a standstill an average height person can plant their feet flat on the ground. However, because of the 12in wheels (usually 10in on a classic Lambretta) and the way the engine fits in the chassis, the ‘feet-up’ riding position means your legs (and knees) sit fairly high and if manoeuvring through tight spaces in heavy traffic, you have to be careful your knees don’t foul the handlebars.
Don’t be put off by that, it’s just a case of getting used to the scooter’s quirks; it more than makes up for this in other ways with smooth handling and good brakes. It also corners really well on those (almost countrified) chunky tyres.