Lambretta Scooter

Mention the word scooter to a British person of a certain age and they get misty eyed. The Lambretta scooter was the transport of choice of many a young man back in the early to mid 1960s. This was at the height of the Mods versus Rockers era. The Mods listened to soul records, dressed in 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 seaside towns, often engaging in punch-ups on the beach.

Any Mod worth his salt would be the owner of a motor scooter. He would polish the mirrors and look after it as if he'd given birth to it. Sometimes this would be a Vespa model. It was quite respectable to have one of these but they weren't as fashionable as the Lambretta scooter. This chapter of youth culture was superbly caught in the film, Quadrophenia, starring Sting and based on the songs of The Who. There was a Mod revival in the 1990s with bands such as Oasis and Blur wearing the old Parker coats of old and Noel Gallagher was photographed riding a Lambretta. Suddenly, every fan wanted one.

There are Owners Clubs all over the world but the British one still has the highest membership and holds many events. The machines are kept in pristine condition and are considered classics. The original Lambretta scooter started life in Italy of course, the first model being manufactured in 1947. It was popular straight away and solved the country's transport problem at a time when they were recovering from World War II. Italy is still the land of the scooter, seen in many films including the iconic image of a young Audrey Hepburn riding one in Roman Holiday. 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 recently as 1998.

Some vehicles become part of the culture, especially those associated with young people. The Lambretta scooter was an affordable way of teenagers finding their independence but belonging to a shared identity. We will not see its likeness again.

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