PROJECT POLAND!
This year Vespa World Days and EuroLambretta are separated by one week and 270 miles. Stan will travel to both of them, to see how various machines cope with the journey...
The past few years have seen unprecedented growth in the number of tuning products available for both Vespa and Lambretta. With every manufacturer claiming that its products are the best available, it’s a confusing world for both novice and experienced riders alike. This winter we’re building three scooters and this summer we’ll pit them against each other to see how they perform in a ‘real world’ long distance road test. Our aim is to ride from the UK to Zanka in Hungary for Vespa World Days then on to Zakopane in Poland for Eurolambretta before heading home. There’ll be a backup van but every mile will be ridden and reported on both in the magazine and on social media (see Dan’s videos regarding the components list and engine specs on the Scootering Facebook page). We’ve never tried anything like this before and there’s no guarantee of success, but that’s the point. We’ll take a more detailed look at the scooters we’re using in future editions but the candidates so far are:
Quattrini 218 Lambretta
It’s no stranger to long distance trips but as reported in Scootering 389, Stan’s realised that he needs a little more punch than the ultra-reliable Casa 185 that’s been fitted for the last few seasons. Most of the parts have been gathered together and further information on these can already be found in video form on Scootering’s Facebook page. As we go to press he’s still assembling parts, with Martin at Chiselspeed on standby to work his magic with the build.
TS1 200 Lambretta
For two decades the TS1 has been the kit of choice for Lambretta tuners worldwide. What better way to see how Quattrini’s kit performs than to pitch the new kid against its established cousin? The scooter in question is a Series 2 that’s proven to be so reliable that, other than a quick service by owner Brad, it’s all set for the trip.
Polini 210 Vespa
Polini’s 210 kit’s been around for a while now and has secured a reputation for good power delivery across the whole rev range. It’s a great touring solution and we’ve a choice of two scooters to make the trip. In the black corner is Stan’s 1985 Motovespa that retains its standard carb and clutch while in the blue corner is the KAS race scheme PX disc featured in Scootering 388. This machine has a more sporting set up with Polini carb and banded clutch. Both are currently on the workbench and we’ll decide nearer the time which one’s heading east.
It’s an exciting prospect and we’ll bring you all the latest news on progress both in the magazine and on Scootering’s Facebook page. Words & Photographs: Stan