VIEW FROM THE SEAT Delivered with key and separate fob, the electric opening of the seat is controlled from a button, or by pushing the helmet icon on the fob itself. All good, except that you are not going to be able to store two helmets, or even one unless it’ s a smaller open face, and upside down. It’ s tight in there, and the glove box is a joke, they all are nowadays, you could get a phone in there to connect to the onboard USB, but decent gloves or anything other than your passport – out of the question. I thought the dash might grow on me, it didn’ t – and that’ s just a personal taste thing – but it is modern, clear and bright, and the menu is vastly easier to use than Vespa’ s plodding system on my bike.
ITALIAN VS ITALIAN Engine-wise I was expecting perhaps a bit more fire than there is, and maybe that was unfair. The bigger capacity Lambretta has a 330cc engine producing 25hp and its good- smooth without being dramatic- and will bustle you along up to about 125km / h.
Comparison-wise, and this is a trifle unfair as the Vespa has 9000km on the clock and the Lambie had less than 300km, so it needed a bit of loosening up, but the Vespa 300 definitely seems quicker off the mark. Top speed is almost identical with the Vespa governed to a max of 129km / h.
PLUSH-AS So, very similar on an engine front. However, the suspension and the brakes of the Lambretta are much better. The Lambretta’ s ride, with the twin sprung front is, frankly, plush, and handles nasty pot-holes and road humps with an aplomb that the Vespa will never attain. The steering also seems smoother, but less engaged too. But the brakes are simply, electrifyingly good. Hands down, they’ re the best I’ ve encountered on any scooter ever, and most motorcycles too, frankly. Seat height will accommodate practically anyone, at 790mm, and I loved the simple, almost flat-plane, solid functionality of it, especially when it looks so finely wrought and engineered.
42 KIWI RIDER