Welcome to the March edition of Scootering
Ithought about placing a disclaimer sticker on this month’s magazine, as it comes with a free reprint of the 1997 February/March edition of Scootering. The disclaimer would read: “1997 prices no longer applicable”. You might be thinking, yeah… we know! But I was surprised by how many phone calls we got from traders and advertisers last time we did a free reprint.
They had genuinely been inundated with readers trying to buy a TS1 kit for £235, or a Malossi 166 kit for £99.50 and so on. You couldn’t make it up. However, despite today’s price hikes in both parts and scooter values, I can honestly say… I don’t think we’ve ever had it so good. We carry the all the best bits and nostalgia from our scene along with us, and constantly develop everything else to move forward as required.
The magazine these days is bigger, brighter and packed with more articles and information. The custom scooters we see vary wildly in shape and form, nostalgia recreations and new ideas alike. The firms we deal with are striving to provide a better service and better products. New scooters are being accepted into the scene more readily, as old scooters are still being restored and brought back to life. There’s always a moment to remember the old days through rose-tinted glasses, or pick-out a problem here and there, but I like the balance of where Scootering (the scene and the magazine) is sitting right now, and long may it continue.
But that’s enough of harking back to yesteryear. This month we’ve another jam-packed edition: young Jordan bring us his ‘six of the best’ tyre review, I move the Vespa Tech series away from engine improvements for a short while and focus on suspension, and Stu Owen starts to draw his Lambretta restoration series to a close. Anyone looking at a factory visit during this year’s Lambretta 70th celebrations will benefit from Stan’s guide, and Tim takes a ride on the other side of the world with the Osaka Mods. I’ll let you take in the beauty of our cover scooter ‘Bones Returns’ and the other feature rides for yourself, but I’m sure you’ll love them. Anyway, it’s another belter this month… enjoy the issue.