Out with the old, in with the new?
With some new kids on the auto block, perhaps it is time to think about trading up
Don’t misinterpret the headline. I’m not suggesting that we all ditch our beloved classic 2-strokes and become neutered versions of our former selves. I’m not that crackers. No, I simply mean that many a staunch, classic scooterist has warmed to the looks, reliability, availability, price and reduced maintenance of modern machines, and that right now is a good time to be interested in classic-inspired autos. I have been using the Sei Giorni 300 as a long-term test bike over winter, whilst my classic Lambretta has been undergoing its transformation (see StreetSleeper series in the mag). If I haven’t already made it clear in the columns I’ve been writing over winter, it’s a bloody good tool.
I was never previously a fan of modern machines, as my scooter garage ‘Scooterotica’ only housed classic geared 2-strokes. However, after having borrowed Big Stan’s GTS300 one year to attend the Kelso Rally on, I became a convert.
I’d already given the beast a cheeky dyno to see what the power was, and though the manufacturer claims 22hp (presumably at the crank), I was seeing 18hp at the rear wheel. Still, when cruising on the open road I was able to get 120 miles out of a single tank. The top speed was around 75mph, acceleration past cars was a breeze, and the looks of the Sei Giorni are, even to the staunchest of classic enthusiasts, stunning. So, despite the (actual?) rear wheel BHP being a slightly lower number, the on-road performance was great.
The whole marketplace for classicinspired autos has boomed recently. The GTS was already established – though maybe not universally accepted – when Scomadi brought out the TL50 and TL125 as the first introductions to their range. I was delighted when they did this, as it covered the learner end of the market; those that first step on the ladder, and ultimately helps grow the market. Lambretta have re-invented the V-Special, even if it’s not to everyone’s taste. Royal Alloy have their own range of 50, 125 and 200 variants, whilst Piaggio have upped the stakes with their new high performance engine units for the GTS range, which, by all accounts (please see Stan’s write-up on the HPE GTS elsewhere in this issue), feels like a far more powerful machine than the suggested 2bhp power increase implies. At some point in the not-too-distant future, I also expect 300cc or bigger units to be mass produced by Royal Alloy, Scomadi and Lambretta, and possibly other brands, too. It’s a booming market, indeed.
The additional good news is that all this activity helps create a buoyant used market. With plenty of machines in circulation, owners trek to dealers with upgrades in mind. Possibly, there is another benefit to the new range of modern machines. I’ve met plenty of people in my time that have been forced to dig deep and buy classic 2-stroke machines at rapidly increasing prices, due to supply and demand shortages, only to find that they are not cut out for a life of tinkering, fumes and maintenance.
These modern machines alleviate that issue, are in plentiful supply, have dealer support and finance packages and, therefore, leave more classic 2-strokes in the open market for those that love them as much as we do. Every cloud!