What makes a scooter a classic?
There have been many scooters designed and manufactured over time – but what is it that turns certain ones into a classic while others don’t get elevated to that status?
When it comes to the automotive world the word d ‘classic’ is often used and a lot of the time misrepresented. If you’re talking about a Ferrari 250 GTO or a Ford GT40… then yes, the meaning fits perfectly – but putting an Austin Allegro in the same context? Then possibly not. A lot of the confusion is down to insurance definitions, in that when a vehicle is more than 20 years old it is termed as a ‘classic’… but that doesn’t mean to say it is revered by everyone. Perhaps the phrase should be changed to avoid confusion so vehicles that do carry the ‘classic’ tag can be regarded as such without everything else being in the way.
So that brings us to scooters and, ignoring their age, what makes or turns them into a classic. The problem is there is no defined set of rules that gives them this status, it’s us as individuals who put them on that pedestal that does. Is it the design of the bodywork, the clever engineering, or the performance that makes a certain scooter a classic? Quite often it is, but there is one other governing factor… its rarity. Like anything in this world, if something is deemed to be rare then it must have some sort of greatness about it, but I don’t agree with that. Rarity can be because intentionally only a few were ever made to make the item in question exclusive, but on the other hand, some designs were pure rubbish, and no one bought them so only a few exist.
That’s when prices of certain machines start to have the same effect, with those that command a higher premium having a certain air of kudos about them which people buy into. The sort of “it must be a classic because it’s worth so much” scenario takes hold. A good example of this is the Lambretta Series 3. When first introduced in 1962 the Li125 Series 3 slimstyle was a revelation with its distinctive sleeker looks, lower centre of gravity and superior handling. There was no other scooter on the market like it and instantly its design would go down in history as revolutionary. Eight years later the GP200 Electronic was introduced and no one can argue that its speed, performance and looks made it a great machine. What’s forgotten is it was only a natural development of the Li125 slimstyle. The same chassis, engine and general layout just improved on – but if you ask anyone which they think is the classic, then the GP wins hands down every time.
That is reflected in the prices, the Li125 perhaps £2000 at best whereas the GP Electronic costs several times that amount, often fetching a five-figure sum. You can argue that there were many more examples of the Li125 so the supply is greater, but not many are restored simply because it isn’t revered in the same light as the GP, even though it was a ground-breaking design. Though some reading this may not agree with me I think it is the Li125 that is the classic, and the GP is just a good upgrade of what is, in essence, the same machine.
The other contributing factor in a scooter becoming a ‘classic’ is time. Back in the 1980s the Vespa PX was seen as nothing more than a scooter to get you about on. Available to buy from new, it was reliable and trustworthy and regarded at the time as the easy way out in scooter ownership compared with an old Lambretta that required constant attention. Now, that thinking has changed completely with people taking great pride in restoring them and prices reflecting the fact. It’s the same with the T5; it seems like only five minutes ago they were being ridden out of showrooms to be driven into the ground like a consumable. Now regarded as the must-have classic Vespa, dare I say it carries more respect than the GS in certain circles. Even scooters like the Serveta Jet 200 and the Indian GP – for years regarded as junk – are now thrust into the same light.
There were many other makes of scooter around at the same time as the Lambretta and Vespa that were just as well-made and had some great mechanical designs – popular among their devotees but never quite achieving classic status. What it proves is though something may be ground-breaking in its technology, or may have great performance, it doesn’t mean it will be regarded as a classic. The only way any scooter can is down to what owners, in general, dictate – which over time gets reflected even more. Taking the Lambretta as the prime example, imagine if it had continued to be in production. Would the GP200 Electronic be regarded as the ultimate classic Lambretta if they had produced several thousand of them instead of just a few hundred? Perhaps the model or models that would have superseded it may have been regarded as the best, depending on what they would have been like... there’s food for thought.