Welcome letter from the editor
A warm welcome to the February edition of Scootering.
Harking back to my column in the December edition of Scootering, I used the phrase: “It’s gonna get worse before it gets better” in regard to the timing of the Covid vaccine being released, but still facing the juxtaposition of an imminent spike in winter cases. As I write this column, we are at the pinnacle of that spike, and it definitely FEELS like anything resembling happier times is but a distant memory (or as Bob Mortimer would say, not so much a memory… more like fingerprints on an abandoned handrail). However, despite being in the eye of the storm right now, I remain optimistic that 2021 will be a better year for all of us. It may be off to a slow beginning, and not the ‘explosive launch from the starting blocks’ which we would all have liked, but I sincerely hope that the benefit of the vaccine rollout continues to build, and every month from here on is at least one step closer to the better times we all crave and deserve.
In terms of other changes which 2021 has brought us, the Brexit debacle and last-minute ‘deal’ only served to cause mass confusion, delays and double charges for many customers importing scooter parts from Europe. To that end, we launched Big Stan on a fact-finding mission, so that we could deliver the hard facts of the matter to you, the reader. The fundamental ‘broad stroke’ headlines are: UK dealers are largely stocked up and waiting for your business, EU dealers are now not charging VAT, but you will get a ‘tariff bill’ with your goods moving forward. Any losses encountered due to the combination of Christmas post delays and/or new ‘last minute’ Brexit policy will be dealt with by the dealers involved, who (from all the stories I have heard so far) are being VERY accommodating and helpful. Things will s settle down in due course, but in the meantime, read our full and detailed report on the matter on p99.
Last but not least, please take the time to soak up this fabulous edition of the magazine, scootering sunshine on a rainy day. Our cover scooter The Great Space Race is an absolute stunner; the imagination, thought and detail that has gone into this high-spec custom is simply stunning. I hope you like it as much as we do. We’ve also started a new tech series, and it’s a mammoth one! We are, month by month, ploughing through as many Vespa and Lambretta performance items as we can to give a helpful overview on as many aftermarket tuning items as possible. It’s a huge task, but one which we enjoy doing. Hopefully it will act as a guiding light for anyone making a purchase in this ever-expanding market.
Anyway that’s enough of my ramblings, it’s another belter this month… stay safe and enjoy the issue.