SLUK reader, Chris Coe sent this story in from the recent SIP open day. It’s always a big event but next year they celebrate a special anniversary so expect them to really push the boat out!
If you’re out and about, riding scooters, visiting interesting places or events we’d love to have your stories. You can get in touch at: editorial@scooterlab.uk
I’ve been a customer of SIP for as long as I’ve been into scooters, and it was Alex and Ralf’s street racers in the early 2000s which piqued my interest.
I saw an impressive video of last year’s open day on their YouTube channel and I figured it was about time I paid them a visit. I decided to incorporate the open day visit into a bit of a ‘grand tour’, first travelling down to Italy.
After a couple of days at Lake Como, I travelled up through Switzerland and arrived at Landsberg-am-Lech on Friday afternoon. I dropped in at SIP for a coffee and there wasn’t much going on at all – the calm before the storm. But as Saturday morning arrived and as I began to walk from the Airbnb, it was clear that something big was going down in Landsberg.
I got to SIP HQ fairly early, and the site was already filling up with scooters from all over the country. By midday, the place was stacked to the rafters. Despite being busy, the atmosphere was relaxed – everyone was enjoying the fantastic food and drink on offer and the weather was glorious, as was the soundtrack provided by DJ Leo Ernst.
On the far side of the building, there was a long queue for the Dyno, with screaming machines and impressive power outputs. Along the front were several stands including a SIP ‘seconds’ gazebo which turned into a bit of a jumble sale! Pinasco were represented by Chiemgau Tech Production [CTP], and Egig had their usual stall showcasing some very impressive hardware. Several other stands including Vespa Club Deutschland, Vespa Club Munich and Um Halb An Der Bar also seemed very busy.
The dirt track next to the SIP building was being used by several machines including an off-road Cosa, a sneak preview of the Matscho Karatscho Vespacross event due to take place in July.
The doors of the SIP workshop were wide open, with several tasty machines on display – an impressive sprinter, Ralf’s Quattrini’d Rally and an original-paint Spanish GT160 with a BFA 244 powerplant – the sort of thing that’s right up my street. There was a large range of SIP parts on display, and plenty of helpful advice on hand for those who needed help spending their money!
A couple of new products caught my eye in the workshop. We’re all familiar with the SIP Speedometers that have been out for a number of years and are based on the PX MY design. On display were two new designs; the first was nicknamed ‘Formula 1,’ featuring a large analogue dial with a quadrant LCD display. The second design is what I’ve personally being waiting for – a replacement for the EFL style speedo. There were two variations on display – one with yellow mph markings, and the other with solely kmh, often found on European machines. The mph speedo has been reproduced with the UK market in mind, and extends up to 90mph. According to the rep I spoke with, these new designs should become available in the Autumn of 2023.
Outside, the event continued with a steady stream of riders arriving throughout the day, and a few lairy smallframes entertained the crowds with some impromptu sprinting! As the saying goes – time flies when you’re having fun, and the end of the day was soon upon us.
The folk at SIP really know how to put on an event, and credit goes to the guys and girls on catering – they were flat out, slaving over hot grills [or a wood-fired Ape pizza oven] all day long! Next year is the company’s 30th anniversary, and the open day is already pencilled in for Saturday the 18th of May.
Words and photos: Chris Coe
