If you fancy 4 seasons in a single day and some breathtaking views, all you need is Innocenti’s finest moped and a thirst for adventure.
Potted History
In the 1960s, Innocenti was envious of the excellent Vespa 50’s success. They wanted a slice of the action. At first, they made the Lambretta J-range. It was a copy of the pressed-steel Vespa concept, but made badly and much uglier. Few celebrated*
In the mid-1960s, realising their error, Innocenti decided to get a proper designer to have a go. The result was the space-age Lui, styled by genius pen-flinger Bertone. Not everyone likes the unique Cometa-Vega-Lui line, but all those people are wrong. Supercar stylist Bertone was no mug. Even today, they look modern.
As a result, the Lunas have a cult following and enthusiasts look for silly things to do with them.
This is all sounding good already, isn’t it?
Where?
Italy has the well-established Dolomiti Tour as a mass mountain rally for Luna-tics. In the UK the closest we have to that kind of terrain is in Cumbria. The roads are narrow, steep and more unkempt than those in the Dolomites. You could argue that the Six Passes is more of a challenge of unfit man and unsuitable machine than the Italian one; even if it’s only over a single day.
The course this year was 110 miles starting at the Basecamp Café on the A66 near Penrith at 8:30 am for a fine breakfast. We then tackled no less than seven passes, even if the event mentions six.
The scenery is as rugged as a member of the East German ladies’ shotput team from around the same period as a Lui was built. As were the vast majority of riders.
Note: I don’t do gags or references for millennials. Sorry, but not sorry.
What
The featherweight Luna-line has always had sporty acolytes. Old school tuning involved lots of J125 parts and even taking those barrels out to 140cc with a Japanese piston. These tunes are plenty quick enough for fun in a chassis that weighs less than your last bowel movement, but the donor parts needed are rare.
Towards the end of the last decade, everything changed for the Luna and J-series engines. Casa Performance brought out their CP One35 kit; closely followed by the little brother CP One05. Gran Turismo Performance also jumped into this market with a reedvalve cast iron 140 kit and a 110cc version for the Lui 50. All these options are well-loved.
The kits brought a swathe of other developments: electronic ignitions, crankshafts, exhausts, gearboxes and clutches. Like anything, tuning done with the best parts is not cheap.
If your budget is more limited, then the 50cc motors can be simply and cheaply upgraded with Casa Lambretta 75 or 80cc kits.
Now, all of a sudden, you can make Lunas actually move with reliable modern kits. Luis and J-ranges have suddenly become practical propositions for more than a trip to Asda.
Who
The vast majority of those in Penrith were using the CP One35 kit, which, if set up right, will give you 70mph performance. That’s ample in a machine with pressed steel forks.
As I know well from previous escapades with the RLC crew around Greece and Albania, you can have a completely fab time, and conquer any road with everyone on equal 75cc standard engines. I’m sure a few of those tales will make it into Dean Orton’s forthcoming memoir “A Life in Lambretta”.
One of our team from those adventures – Marco from RLC – was in attendance on his own 135; thanks to Jon from JG Scooters who brought it to the UK just for this event.
Jon and chief organiser Sal (Stephen Salvin) of DIVISIONE MOTORI LUNA RIDERS also clubbed together and got all the attendees a free T-shirt for the event and some pizzas at the lunch stop. For an entry price of feck-all, that’s not a deal that you can moan about.
Nifty on a fifty?
In prior raids, we were never stupid enough to try touring on a 50cc Lui, though. The standard 50cc makes insufficient power to drag a slippery man out of bed. For tackling Britain’s steepest road, a stock fifty is manifestly not up to the job, but not everyone got the memo.
Sharron was on a J50 fitted with a 75cc Casa kit; which just about cut sufficient mustard. Connor, however had just obtained an original Lui 50 non-runner, and gave it the last-minute Lazarus treatment. It still had the original 1960s oil seals, ignition and gearbox oil.
Would it amaze us all by making it around the circuit?
No. Obviously not.
On some of the steeper hills of the first passes, Connor would have to get off and run alongside to get it back in the ‘power’ in 1st gear. On others, I’d grab him by his rucksack and try to drag him up the steeper sections using my Quattrini smallframe-engined Lui. Then, at every petrol stop it would cut out until Connor fitted a different ignitor from his retirement pocket for old spark plugs.
After the final breakdown, and a major navigational error, he eventually cut his losses and rode back to the starting point.
If you do the maths: 110 miles at an average of 15mph, plus stops, you realise that this was perhaps a Calder Bridge Too Far for a stock 50.
If you don’t like British weather, wait 15 minutes
The rest of the tribe battled on through brr-chilly and occasionally moist and slippery conditions until the lunch stop at the bottom of Hardknott Pass: Britain’s steepest road. At which point the sun came out and I had to shed about two layers.
Everywhere the colourful Bertone carnival went we were greeted with amazement and waves, and left a blue smog. Very few Brits know what these vehicles are, but they won’t forget the smell.
Crazy cyclist
Going down the far side of Wrynose Pass, an absolute madman on a mountain bike decided he was going to overtake some of the scooters. He then overshot one of the corners. I found him sat waving and laughing in the ferns when I went past. He was ok and remounted in time to overtake Sarah and some of the other stragglers further down the steep descent. Loon.
When people ask what these passes are like, I describe the hardest sections as like a set of stairs in a hospital or carpark, only perhaps a tiny bit less steep and bumpy.
It’s fine in the dry if you get a smooth run up without oncoming vehicles. In the wet, with obstacles, it requires skill or it’s a clutch killer.
I love this sort of challenge, and the scenery of the Langdale Pass that followed was outstanding. Admittedly, you get little time to take it in when trying to navigate little wheels around deep sheep, rain-wash and wandering potholes.
Alternatively, you could stay safely at home and watch other people enjoying themselves on social media.
I know which I prefer.
Next year
If you want to take part next year, then Sal is talking about making it a 2-dayer and starting in Yorkshire. If you have a Luna and you want to know more, keep an eye on this Facebook group. If you don’t have a Luna, then perhaps you should give one a try. They really are a lot of fun in a Bantam-weight package.
*Innocenti actually sold quite a lot of J-ranges and a few perverts even like them
Words and photos: Sticky
Video and edit: Alex Parnham, filmed from the back of his Sledghammer using Insta 360.
The need for speed
The aerodynamic benefits of fitting a screen have been known about for many years. If you need some extra speed from your funky moped, SLUK make this screen especially for all you Lunatics.
