Lambretta Street Racers: The Builder’s Guide

Hot off the press and straight in at the top of the Amazon books bestsellers’ chart within days of publication is Stuart Owen’s latest book, Lambretta Street Racers, The Builder’s Guide.

Regular Scootering magazine contributor Stuart Owen is a prolific writer of books about scooters – predominantly, but not exclusively, with Lambrettas as the subject matter. There’s a series that looks at all the aspects of every Lambretta model produced from Series 1 to Series 3.

Others spotlight technical developments and innovations, as well as an in-depth history of certain aspects of the one-time worldwide scooter phenomenon.

During his time as a competition rider, both racing and even more so as a sprinter,

Stuart formed the 100mph Lambretta Club; his latest book draws on much of his own, first-hand experiences, supplemented by more recent developments. The Lambretta Street Racer style of scooter has its roots in the late 1950s and early 60s when competition riders would use their scooter for transport on weekdays and ride to and from scooter sport meetings to take part on the same machine. Dealer specials, from the likes of Eddy Grimstead, Arthur Francis and Supertune, among others, were also key to the evolution of the street racer scooter.

This new book is broken down into seven sections, namely Design, Paint, Engine, Wheels and Brakes, Fabrication, Additional Equipment, and Performance

Enhancements. There’s also a gallery section featuring accompanying photographs of Lammy street racers or specific parts of them, each with informative text. There is plenty of very handy advice and guidance (well it is a guide!), on which options and choices to make during each of the seven stages are covered. Equally helpful as to which direction to follow during a build are sections on which modifications are best to avoid like the plague, and why. Lambretta street racers are arguably one of the more complex, albeit under the surface, styles of custom scooter with options ranging from the built-on-a-budget, basic look with a mildly tuned engine to money-no-object, tarmac-burning beasts of a machine. Both ends of the spectrum and all points in between are covered in depth.

This is the fifth book in Stuart’s Lambretta Technical series, and is a must-have for anyone planning on building a Lambretta street racer. From the first-time novice builder to experienced serial builders of street racers, there’s something for everyone within the pages.

Sarge

■ Available worldwide through the Amazon platform, ISBN: 9798389453326