It seems like lots of SLUK readers want to win a new SIP speedo for their T5! You can see the first eight entrants in part one here.
And if you want to find out how you can enter just have a read of this post from last week. More info on the product can be found at SIP.
Here’s part two of our entries. We had it confirmed yesterday that the speedos will be in stock at the end of February. So you’ve got a bit of time to save up if you aren’t lucky enough to win.
Let’s show you some more of the entrants…
Entry #9
Hey guys, I bought my T5 way back in 1996. It’s a 1992 Standard T5. Which makes it 32 years young.
I’ve resprayed it twice since I’ve owned it. The latest respray and murals were done by Eirart Ireland back in 2016 in the colours of Shamrock Rovers FC. Irish champions now 4 years in a row.
I did two nice trips recently, rode from Dublin to Belfast in 2019 for World Vespa Days. But my more memorable one was shipping the T5 to Porto in Portugal and riding to Guimaraes for European Vespa Days 2022. The trip was amazing on my own T5 in Europe.
Shipping to Italy next year for the same event.
Cheers
Darragh
Entry #10
One of the best T5s, 1985, 172cc have owned it since 1987.
Cheers Mick Talbot
Entry #11
Entry #12
Entry #13
Hi, my name is Helen. I’m 50 years old and have been into the scene as long as I can remember. However, I’ve never owned my own scooter although my husband has had many.
This year I decided since I’d turned 50 ‘let’s do all the things I’ve wanted to do’ and owning my own scooter was one of them. So let’s forward to November and after contemplating a Royal Alloy I decided that wasn’t really my style, so what could I get that would be classic, stylish and both easy to ride and maintain? My husband said a mk1 T5 would be perfect. Lo and behold the perfect one came available, a beautiful unspoiled Spanish Moto Vespa Elestart Sport, which after some research only 800 of these were made.
Entry #14
Found in Spain, restored by myself, full engine and nut and bolt rebuild using all the original parts I could save.
Owned for 2 years, it had been in a building in Spain for 32 years. 3,500km on clocks.
Rare Italian electric start version
Stuart Drury
Entry #15
Good evening from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
T5s in any condition are rare in North America, let alone Ontario, Canada. I have only heard of three rotted or parted T5s among scooterists in neighbouring clubs. I haven’t seen any at rallies, or posted on scooter club social media pages. So they are as rare as hen’s teeth. In 2016 a friend of mine messaged me saying he imported a mk1 T5 from Italy to Canada. Said that he couldn’t get it running and wanted to restore it.
I was in awe when he showed me a picture. It was all original. Unmolested. I offered to get it running for him if I could take it for a ride. I also strongly advised him to leave the paint alone because we know things are only original once.
We chatted over the years about the Vespa but he never rode it because of resignation/licensing issues. I offered my help and guidance but he never followed through. I did throw out a few crumbs asking him to keep me in mind if he ever decided to sell.
Fast forward 6 years and I get a phone call. “Hey Nello. Want to buy my t5. I need to sell. I don’t know what I’m doing with this thing”.
My heart started to race. So I asked him to send me a picture. He does. The bike was ruined. Flash rusted, all badges off, no seat, work tyres, clapped out shocks, damaged cowls. Dirty!
I went to look at it. It wouldn’t start. Didn’t help that he had the wrong kickstand on it. His story was that he hired a painter to restore it and he removed the original paint with paint thinner and a wire wheel. What a sacrilege!
So I bought her. Or as I justified it to my wife: Liberated her. Saved her. She’s in a good home now.
I got her running with a carb clean and some fresh gas. Bought the correct carb and kickstart and took her for a few runs around the block. She handled like a beat dog and I couldn’t find a consistent idle. So I parked her. Then started to think about what to do with this scooter.
This year, after selling another project bike, I decided to take the plunge and restore the T5. This would be the first start-to-finish nut and bolt restoration I’ve taken on. I’ve rebuilt engines and replaced parts on other scoots but never from start to finish like this. The cost is secondary to the glory that will be restored on this magnificent scooter. Not only is the T5 rare in Canada but to see it beautifully restored and running will bring tasteful smiles and maybe some envy from scooterists who know what they see. It will also bring me a sense of pride that I have given new life to that machine.
The first step is disassembly and take inventory of usable and unusable parts.
Assess body work required.
In the process of sourcing all chassis pieces from Europe, including a new headset and speedo.
Once the bike was stripped I brought her to be sandblasted and primed. They did a wonderful job. Currently, the scooter is at the body shop to have some body work done and paint will be applied in the new year.
I took a gander at the engine. It has a Polini 152 top end with a Sito Plus exhaust. Score!! But engine bolts were missing and they had a 20mm carb on it. Poor thing! Engine restoration will happen once the scooter is back from paint and the chassis is fully reassembled!
So that is the story of my T5. Its future is being written. The previous owner gave up on her but I am giving her a new lease on life. I am excited to participate in this journey because I envision myself riding this restored beauty to rallies and around town.
Thanks for reading and much love from St. Catharines Ontario Canada and the Niagara Region Vespa Club.
Nello Miele
Entry #16
This is my Italian 1989 T5. I got it from SIP in 1998 when I was 16 and drove it almost every day to get to school.
I had to sell the original engine because it was not allowed to drive with it at 16. I changed it to a PX 125 engine.
It was originally red. Then I had an accident with a car. The legshield was bent and the Kickstarter was broken.
Some years later I built it up from scratch. New paint, brake disc, 166 Malossi, SIP performance exhaust, 28 phbh. This winter I’m building up a 220ccm engine for my T5.
I would be very lucky to win the speedo.
Kind regards
Felix
To be continued tomorrow…
Christmas SLUK shopping
You can’t really go wrong by buying something scooter-related for your two-wheeled loving special people this Christmas. SLUK Shop is the place for books, clothing, ScooterLab merchandise, SLUK screens and other plastics. Happy shopping!
