The Lambretta Scooter
Mention the word scooter to a UK person of a certain age and they get misty eyed. The Lambretta scooter was the transport of choice of a young man back in the early to mid 1960s. This was at the peak of the Mods versus Rockers age. The Mods listened to soul records, wearing smart suits and drove scooters covered in mirrors. This was so they could check on their perfectly groomed hair. The rockers, on the other hand, rode motorbikes, listened to rock and roll and wore leathers or denim. Some of them were in Hell’s Angel chapters. Unfortunately these two groups would often clash. Holidays became the traditional time when Mods and Rockers invaded beach cities, regularly taking part in punch-ups on the beach.
Any Mod worth his salt would be the owner of a Lambretta or Vespa. He would polish the mirrors and look after it as if he’d given birth to it. Infrequently this would be a Vespa model. It was sort of respectable to own one of these but they weren’t as fashionable as the Lambretta scooter. This chapter of youth culture was superbly captured in the flick, Quadrophenia, starring Sting and based mostly on the tracks of The Who. There was a Mod resurrection in the 1990s with bands such as Oasis and Blur wearing the old Parka coats of old and Noel Gallagher was snapped astride a Lambretta. Suddenly, each fan wanted one.
There are Owners Clubs all around the planet but the English one still has the highest number of members and holds many events. The bikes are kept in pristine condition and are regarded as classics. The first Lambretta scooter started life in Italy naturally, the first model being manufactured in 1947. It was well-liked straight away and solved the nation’s transport problem at a time when they were recovering from World War II. Italy remains the land of the scooter, seen in several films including the iconic picture of a young Audrey Hepburn riding one in Roman vacation. The last Lambretta scooter made in Italy was in 1972. Models were made in other parts of the world, including India, which made the very last range as lately as 1998.
Some vehicles become part of the culture, particularly those related to young folk. The Lambretta scooter was an affordable way of teenagers finding their autonomy but belonging to a shared identity. We will not see its likeness again.
For more information on scooters and whatever click on the Bikes Cars & Boats website.