There are negatives about the scooter too. The side hand grips, weirdly buried beneath the seat, are almost impossible to reach with gloves on, so lifting while putting it onto the main stand is difficult. I foresee seat problems ensuing. It seemed a tad thirsty when taken on the motorways at 100km / h or so speeds, and running it hard might run down the 9.5 litre tank faster than you expect. But the smile on your face will more than make up for it. Coming in three colour ways the choice is perhaps limited, but the Italian style factor means any one of them is smart, and appealing. Looking at the price differential between the new Vespa 300 GTS and the Lambretta there isn’ t one, it will depend what your struggling dealer will be prepared to lose to help encourage you aboard.
RETURNING RIVAL The new, old rival’ s return means the top-end scooter field just got a lot more competitive in the cool and groovy stakes. I loved the Lambretta, I hope the manufacturer support is strong for the importers and dealers, as the Vespa crowd are fiercely loyal to their brand. I’ d be hard-pressed to pick a favourite, surprisingly, but the Lambretta should win a lot more followers of its own because it’ s certainly delivering the goods with this package. I’ ll stick with my trusty 300, for now, but those who have owned Lambrettas in the past will recognise the brand immediately, and the delivery and quality should ensure the brand once again creates a fervent loyal following.
KIWI RIDER 45