Retro Tech Archives

Lambretta Series 3 fitted with an Öhlins rear shocker.

How to set-up scooter suspension: with Öhlins for Lambretta | TECHNICAL

Are you one of the ‘posh’ people who has a scooter shock with some adjustable features on it? Well done on entering the 21st century. Now you need to set it up… With the arrival of the new Öhlins rear shock for Lambretta, we now have a shock with as…

iggy-grainger15 December 2025

Clutch Assist for Lambretta, a handy kit that makes the clutch lever 50% lighter. Available from ScooterLab.

Retro Retro Reviews Retro Tech

Lambretta Clutch Assist: review and set-up | TECH

Tired of your heavy Lambretta clutch? There are so many solutions available now, but none are cheaper or easier to fit than Derek Dowling’s Lambretta Clutch Assist (pictured above). As part of my preparations for the publication of the 4th edition of The Complete Spanner’s Manual: Lambretta Scooters, which is scheduled for publication later this…

iggy-grainger29 May 2025

Ratio Zero gear driven CVT system being held.

Modern Modern Tech Retro Retro Tech

Is gear-driven CVT coming to scooters? | TECH

Ratio Zero gear-driven CVT prototype (Credit: Driving 4 Answers YouTube). At the moment most scooters have one of three sorts of transmission: Classic scooters have manual gears and a manual clutch Modern automatic scooters have belt-drive CVT (Continually Variable Transmission) Many electric scooters have direct drive without any form of…

iggy-grainger9 December 2024

A beautiful Vespa GS160 in silver, owned by Matthew Philips.

Retro Retro Features Retro Reviews Retro Tech

New product: SIP GS150 cylinder kit | First impressions

The Vespa GS is without a doubt one of the most stunning Vespas to look at but it needs more performance for modern day riding. SIP have come to the rescue with their new cylinder kit. We had a pre-production version to fit, dyno and ride.

iggy-grainger19 September 2024

Retro Retro Tech

ANOTHER WAY: Crankshaft bearing collar removal | TECH

How many times have you fought to get a flywheel bearing collar off a Lambretta or Vespa crankshaft and thought ‘There must be an easier way’. Well it turns out, there is… The Universe Provides Just as I start looking for new tips for the 4th version of The Complete…

iggy-grainger12 August 2024

Vespa W1 Racing clutch next to a Vespa Cosa clutch.

Retro Retro Tech

Vespa Largeframe Clutches: W1R Proto | TECH

White One Racing’s Proto clutch (right) compared to a banded Cosa 2 clutch (left) Does W1R’s lightweight largeframe clutch offer any advantages? I can remember back to a time when the best option for a tuned PX was stronger springs for the original 7-spring clutch; fitted with a reinforcement band…

iggy-grainger24 June 2024

Spanish Eibar in original blue and grey paintwork being ridden.

Retro Retro Features Retro Tech

Part 3: Catching up on SLUK Projects – Quattrini M210

Back in 2018 I imported this very original, one owner from new Spanish Lambretta Li 150.It was at this time that the new Lambretta small block Quattrini M210 kit was released. Having bagged an early test ride on the Chiselspeed demonstrator I knew instantly what my engine choice was going…

iggy-grainger28 March 2023

Retro Retro Features Retro Tech

Part 2: Catching up on SLUK Projects – Pinasco 251

A couple of weeks ago we caught up on the Lambretta RT 225 engine we built. In this second part, it's time to find out how my Pinasco 251-equipped Vespa street racer is going. It’s not so long ago when Vespa PX owners had a limited choice of tuning options, with…

iggy-grainger28 February 2023

Lambretta Series 2 in cream, Vespa PX street racer in black/silver and a Lambretta Eibar Series 2 in blue/grey.

Retro Retro Features Retro Tech

Part 1: Catching up on SLUK projects – Lambretta RT 225 | FEATURE

As we get close to the start of the main scooter rally season I’m sure many of you are busy tinkering with your scooters. We thought it was a good time to have a quick recap on some of our previous projects to see how the engines are doing. Previous…

iggy-grainger13 February 2023

Retro Retro Features Retro Tech

SLUK’s Race-winning Quattrini M1L 60 ‘S’ engine build PART 4 | FEATURE

Quattrini M3-150-S exhaust... Forgive them lord for they know not what they do So, when it came time to fit the engine to our SS90 chassis we encountered a problem with the M3-150-S exhaust. This exhaust design is specific to the M1L 60 S cylinder because it fits to the…

iggy-grainger20 December 2022