I’d put money on the fact that virtually every one of Scootering’s readers has at some stage touched a Dellorto carburettor. Even if you’ve not attempted a roadside repair, or pretended you know how to tweak it, you’ve probably had one pass through your hands for one reason or another.

Many of us have tinkered with the setting of a Dellorto carburettor at some stage in our life, whether to gain speed, reduce the amount of petrol being spat out, or simply to get a scooter running again. Jet sizes are memorised and repeated by some like an insane automotive mantra, while the amount of turns an airscrew must be rotated learned off by heart.

All have had jets in our mouth to blow them clean, petrol soaked hands and the bitter taste between our teeth a regular feature of some rallies. Slide springs flying off into next week off when trying to rebuild a 30mm for your 185cc cutdown, or over-tightening the Vespa carb on your PX, distorting the body and causing the slide to stick. Where did that jet come from that you always find in the bottom of a toolbox or tray and which never relates to any carburettor you’ve owned? And why, no matter how many 30mm PHBH carbs you’ve had, do you never have the correct size main jet for it?

Much more in the current issue of Scootering Magazine.

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It was back in February 2008 that friend and fellow member of the Veteran Vespa Club and VCB, Roger Smith, first suggested that we organise a ride to two European Vespa rallies to be held in August in Denmark and Belgium. The most appealing part of his plan was that we travel via Norway and that we both ride our 1959 Vespa GS150s, without any backup support vehicle.

Roger has owned his GS since 1963 and over the years has ridden it many times into Europe and on several occasions over the Alps. So it was obviously in pretty good nick! My GS is also in good condition and has been regularly ridden by me in the UK and Europe, including rides over the Col de l’ Iseran and the Col du Galibier from France into Italy for EuroVespa in Turin in 2006.

Both Vespas are completely original, without any modifications, and have kilometre speedometers, so any references to distance and speed in this article are first in km. As they are both 50 years old we agreed that if we were to have any chance of completing the trip, from our homes on the south coast of England, to the north of England, across to Norway (by boat), north from Bergen (Norway) to the fjords and glaciers and then south through Denmark, Germany, Holland and Belgium, we would have to treat these old girls with respect. We would ride them as though running in.

Much more in the current issue of Scootering Magazine.

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You may remember a few years ago in Scootering we published a request from one Graeme Aldous who was searching for fellow scooterists that remembered scooter scrambling on Elstead Common in Surrey back in the 1960s.

Apart from renewing old acquaintances, Graeme’s plan was to make a DVD about scooter scrambling at Elstead, which he has eventually managed to do. Includings ome period footage you may have seen else where on the Sporting Scooters video, together with old photos from members of the Bats SC plus memories of former riders revisiting the circuit and reminiscing about the bumps, jumps and electricity pylons, those involved with the DVD discuss the scooters and how certain machines of disputable origin were built and allowed to compete.
To find out a little more, Scootering asked Graeme about this forgotten scooter sport that looks to have claimed many of the old D and LD Lambrettas sold in the UK.

Much more in the current issue of Scootering Magazine.

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COMPETITION 1 -
WIN a Scooter Techniques' Vespa Engine Rebuild DVD!

We have three copies of the Vespa Engine Rebuild DVD to give away, courtesy of Scooter Techniques. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a copy is simply answer one question!

- To enter the competition >>

DVD Review

I must confess that I didn’t have time to watch all five-and-a-half hours of this extensive two-disc DVD in time to get the review in this issue. Instead I dropped in and out of a few chapters as someone rebuilding their scooter might. Each section is available through a well laid-out DVD menu system which helps access the info you need quickly.

As usual the chaps have done a good job, using a late model PX200 electric start engine as a base. The DVD is full of useful tips and tricks, tackling more than simple strip and rebuild, but also dealing with more advanced tasks like the rebuilding the notoriously fragile P-range cush-drive unit which is often a culprit in clutch lurching.

Both early and late type 200 engine components (ie clutch and gearbox differences) are covered, with references to the differences found on 125/150 engines. While the DVD improves on what a book can deliver in terms of graphically presenting how things are done, there’s no facility in this format to cover specifications so for things like shimming the gearbox, so you may still need a paper manual for detailed reference.

As with the Lambretta engine DVD, Norfolk-based mechanic Sausage continues to relax into his presenting role. This one is probably the best of the series so far in terms of camerawork, with two hand-held cameras and a fixed overhead camera giving enough angles to show each job clearly.

Unlike the marathon Lambretta engine rebuild DVD, Scooter Techniques have managed to get both PAL and NTSC formats onto the two Vespa DVDs by using a double-sided disc. This means that this edition should play worldwide.

The Vespa Engine Rebuild DVD costs £21.50 including p&p to the UK. As a Christmas stocking filler it’d be brilliant – though perhaps not as ace as five hours with Halle Berry.

For more details on which of the two you are more likely to get for Christmas see www.scootertechniques.co.uk

Sticky

COMPETITION 2 -
WIN Trail Tech!

MB Developments are kindly offering a complete kit for a Scootering Christmas draw. To enter the competition simply answer one question!

- To enter the competition >>

Trail Tech

MB Developments and Lambrettaspares.com are pleased to announce that they are now exclusive distributors for Trail Tech speedos, HID lights and electrical components. Their waterproof Vapor digital speedo and rev counter pictured has these functions that include bar graph and digital rev counter, maximum revs, maximum speed, air, oil or liquid cooled display, gear change warning light, temperature warning light, distance odometer and clock. The speedo simply works from a magnet pickup off the hub and is programmable to the tyre size, the rev counter works with a wire wrapped around the HT lead and is all powered by AC (simply plug into your lighting wire circuit) or a DC if you want. And before you ask, as we speak MBD are finishing off the mounting brackets.

These units retail at £68.50 plus VAT and are available from www.lambrettaspares.com

COMPETITION 3 -
Win tickets to the Bristol classic bike show

To celebrate the forthcoming 29th Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show on 14-15 February 2009, Classic Bike Shows are offering six lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets in our free prize draw!

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