Iconic Quadrophenia scooter sold

25 November 2008
BBC News

The Lambretta scooter ridden by actor Phil Daniels in the iconic 1970s film Quadrophenia has sold at auction for £36,000 - more than had been expected.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7747557.stm

Buy one - get one FREE!

At scooterhire.co.nz we like innovation:

A new ‘buy one car and get a scooter free’ offer has been introduced as a solution to fight the current economic crisis.

As the car industry continues to plummet, Workington car dealer, Percy Clark, 69, of PLC Trade Sales used the new approach as a bid to encourage car sales. He said: ‘The car sales business is in the doldrums. We have recognised a massive change in needs, and after a lot of consideration we have decided on giving away a free scooter with selected cars.’

According to Mr Clark, the cost of running a scooter has more financial advantages than the cost of running a car. Road tax, fuel prices, car insurance and maintenance costs for a scooter are lower than such costs for family cars. He said that a scooter will also help save the planet. ‘If 1,000 people left their cars at home and went to work on a scooter, it would make a vast difference.’

Early this month, dealers were offering supermarket style ‘buy one get one free’ offers on the new Dodge Avenger SXT 2.4i as a desperate bid to increase car sales.

Managing director, Simon Epsom of Broadspeed.com said last month: ‘The motor trade is beyond desperate - it's in crisis. Because of the credit crunch, many people are struggling to get the finance they need to buy new cars - they simply can't borrow money anymore…Dealers are becoming more and more desperate and that's why we get deals like this,’ he added.

http://www.onlyfinance.com/Car-Insurance-News/12754728-Car-dealer-introduces-buy-one-car-and-get-a-scooter-free-offer.aspx

Jimmy's Lambretta scooter from Quadrophenia up for auction

A piece of movie history is going through Bonham's auction room later this month - the scooter rode by Jimmy Cooper in the cult mod flick Quadrophenia, complete with its original KRU 251F number plate.

It's a Lambretta Li 150 Series 3 scooter, originally dating from 1967 and being sold by current owners Allstyles in Portsmouth. The bike is on its third owner since the movie finished, but has been overhauled to a high standard fairly recently - although this does mean some of the original parts have been replaced by modern spares. Its recent used has been mainly confined to shows and press events of late - a possible money spinner should you want to invest in it.

And it might need to earn its keep, with a hefty estimate being quoted by Bonham's, between £20,000 and £25,000. Check over the page for a picture of the bike in the movie or check out the Bonham's site for more on the bike. The auction is being hosted at the Knightsbridge branch on 25th November 2008.

http://www.retrotogo.com/2008/11/jimmys-lambrett.html

Bonhams auction details...

Rock & Roll Memorabilia

1967 Lambretta Li150 Series 3 Scooter,
Registration no. KRU 251F

As ridden by Phil Daniels ('Jimmy') in the film 'Quadrophenia', 1979, Manufactured by the Italian industrial giant Innocenti, the Lambretta motor scooter, together with the rival Piaggio-built Vespa, mobilised an entire generation of Italians in the immediate post-war years.

The scooter gained instant acceptance everywhere, its cleanliness and convenience in particular appealing to those who regarded the true motorcycle with suspicion. Scooters would eventually surpass their strictly utilitarian origins to become an integral part of British youth culture in the 1960s as favourite transport of the fashion-conscious ‘Modernists’, or ‘Mods’. The scooter’s enclosed engine and decent weather protection meant that its rider could arrive at a club, doff his parka and look like he’d just stepped out of a taxi, which was a definite advantage within a dandified sub-culture that placed a premium on smartness of appearance.

Introduced in 1947, the Lambretta scooter went through a series of mechanical and stylistic evolutions before arriving at the ‘Li’ series in 1958. One of Lambretta’s all-time greats, the Li resulted from the relative failure of the unreliable TV 175 Series 1, which forced the company to go back to the drawing board. Built in 125cc and 150cc capacities, the classic Li used the bore/stroke dimensions of the preceding ‘D’ Series but housed its entirely new engine in modern bodywork similar to that of the TV. The Li subsequently underwent a series of styling alterations, the Series 3 being readily distinguishable by its handlebar-mounted headlight and ‘slimline’ styling, embodying what for many enthusiasts is the definitive Lambretta look.

Estimate: £20,000 - 25,000.

The Lambretta Li 150 Series 3 offered here is the actual machine ridden by Phil Daniels’ character, James 'Jimmy'' Cooper in the 1979 film, 'Quadrophenia', inspired by The Who’s double album of the same name. After filming finished, the 'Jimmy Bike' was sold to scooter dealers Rafferty Newman and put on display in the window of their shop in Portsmouth. It was subsequently purchased by Eddie Harris who then sold it on to Paul Marsh, both these owners being Portsmouth residents.

Although far too young to be a 'Mod' in the 1960s, the vendor caught the post-Quadrophenia revival in the early 1980s and was on the lookout for a scooter to buy. Quite by chance he spotted 'KRU 251F' lying in a front garden in Southsea, Portsmouth and, recognising the registration number from 'Quadrophenia', knew that he had found Jimmy Cooper’s old bike. (It should be noted that as 'Quadrophenia' was set in the early 1960s, the registration’s 'F' suffix denoting 1967 was removed for the filming). A sale was negotiated and the Lambretta collected together with its accessories, which had been removed for safekeeping by the owner, Paul Marsh.

The machine’s restoration was commenced almost immediately but would not be properly completed until 1995, by which time the vendor was running his own scooter shop - Allstyles - in Portsmouth (It should be noted that, as is the case with most motorcycle restorations, some parts were replaced during the rebuild and prospective purchasers are advised to satisfy themselves with regard to the extent of this machine’s originality before bidding). In June of that year the ex-Jimmy Cooper Lambretta was pictured on the front cover of Scootering International magazine and featured in an accompanying article. Since then it has gone on to win various concours awards and been used for a host of promotional events, photo shoots, trade shows, etc, as well as featuring in other publications. When 'Quadrophenia' was re-released in January 1997, 'KRU 251F' attended the premiere in Brighton where it was reunited with Phil Daniels and other members of the original cast. Later that same year the 'Jimmy Bike' was used for filming at The Who’s Quadrophenia concert in Hyde Park, London and on location in Brighton.

For the past few years, 'KRU 251F' has been kept carefully stored inside the vendor’s house and is to the same specification today as it was back in 1979, including the Ken Cobbing sports exhaust system. The machine remains in excellent condition, although a certain amount of re-commissioning - new battery, carburettor clean, fresh petrol, etc - will be required before returning it to the road. Offered with current SORN and Swansea V5, 'KRU 251F' represents an exciting opportunity to acquire the 'Jimmy Bike', one of the most famous Lambrettas of all time.

Make a bid by clicking on the following link!

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=lotdetailsNoFlash&iSaleItemNo=4117506&iSaleNo=15844&iSaleSectio%3Cspan%20style=#

Real men do ride scooters

At scooterhire.co.nz we love the heritage and style of Vespa scooters. We are still mourning the demise of the Vespa PX that was the last of the 4-speed 2-stoke classics that was put to rest due to political correctness. Vespa goes some way to claw back the aura and the pizzazz by creating a new modern classic. Here's an article on Vespa's latest and biggest production scooter that we would love to own.

By Mark Hinchliffe

www.news.com.au

October 31, 2008

SCOOTERS may be an economic imperative for some, but those buying the Vespa GTS 300 Super want more than frugal commuting.

With a displacement of 278cc, it is the largest-capacity Vespa yet and Australian brand manager Simon Gloyne reckons the "super scooter" will appeal mainly to "sporty" men.

"The family with a couple of kids is not going to fork out almost $9000 for a Vespa to save them some money on fuel," he said last week at the national launch of the 300 in Sydney. "But those who appreciate a bit of performance and the ability to carry two people with ease, yet still save money on fuel, that will be the market for this scooter.

"We're talking more about a want rather than a need.

"If everyone bought a car for need rather than want, we'd all be driving Corollas." The Vespa is no Corolla.

Oozing style and history, it is basically a GTS 250ie, but with a bored and stroked engine, stiffer suspension, a few styling modifications (chromed rear grab rail, black wheels, vented rear fender, all-analogue instruments) and a firmer seat with retro white piping.

However, whether these will be enough to warrant the extra $1000 will depend on the buyer. The differences are more about performance and handling:

• Where the 250 bump-steers and tram tracks, the 300 steers true and stable.
• Where the 250 lags in take-off, the 300 has power from just a tick over idle.
• Where the 250 struggles a little on hills or with a pillion, the 300 powers on.
• Where the 250 has a soft ride but bottoms out easily, the 300 is less compliant but takes a fair whack before it bottoms out.

By boring and stroking the engine, it now features 3Nm more torque at 1750rpm less and, while it has the same maximum power, it comes on much earlier.

Despite the power boost, the scooter is still classed as a Learner Approved Motorcycle in most states. In Queensland, learners and first-year licensed riders will not be able to ride it.

Mr Gloyne said the Italians wouldn't say what they had done to the suspension, except to make it more "sporty".

The springs are now red, but they must also be stiffer and maybe better damped.

Mr Gloyne said the gender mix of scooter buyers was 60 per cent male, which grew more male-oriented as the capacity of the scooter increased.

He expected up to 75 per cent of GTS 300 buyers to be male, mostly upgrading from the 250.

The 300 costs $1000 more because the 250, which will remain in the range, is being offered at a special price. Mr Gloyne said the price of the 300 was held down, but it might rise, depending on the exchange rate.

"We actually had an offer from Piaggio to buy all our November and December stock before the dollar fell," he said.

"In hindsight, we should have taken them up on the offer."

The biggest Vespa yet comes in white or black with red coming in February or March.
A top box with padded pillion backrest will be available at $450.

Vespa GTS 300 Super

PRICE: $8990
ENGINE: 4-stroke, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 278cc single-cylinder
BORE X STROKE: 75 x 63mm
POWER: 15.8Kw @ 7500rpm
TORQUE: 22.3Nm @ 5000rpm
FUEL: 95 RON, 9L tank
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable with torque server, auto centrifugal dry clutch
SUSPENSION: dual chamber hydraulic shock absorber with coaxial spring (front), two dual-effect shock absorbers with adjustable preload
BRAKES: 220mm (front), 220mm (rear)
TYRES: 120/70-12 (front), 130/70-12 (rear)
DIMENSIONS (mm): 1930 (l), 755 (w), 1370 (wheelbase), 790 (seat)
WET WEIGHT: 148kg
EMISSIONS: Euro 3
WARRANTY: 2 years

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24570567-5010760,00.html