In February 2019, I found a DaytonAlbatross Continental Twin in SouthYorkshire (the one with the Villiers Mark 2T 250 two-stroke twin-engine, reputed to be capable of 70mph). It ran well, but cosmetically it was challenged; not rough, but not a good paint job from a previous restoration. It also had issues with the centre stand and footboards, so I decided to strip it down – and that was when the wallet winced!
Luckily, I was able to call on a skilled friend, Darren English, to work his magic on the damaged and mis-shaped footboards, and also to make a new stand from the dimensioned photos that I’d managed to obtain.
Darren and his boss also put me in touch with a first-class chromer who does triple plating.
BLAST TO THE PAST
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Vespa On A Vindaloo (And A Few Beers, Too)!
Over time my sanity has been tested by Vespas, including the PX125,PX150, LML150, a T5, a T5 Classic and PX200.
Simon's DKR Capella 175cc
It’s probably fair to say that in the 1950s most British scooters were well short of the styling and panache of their Latin rivals, but this all changed in 1960 with the launch of the DKR Capella - a sleek Villiers-powered two-stroke which period road testers described as being ‘the most beautiful small-wheeler ever made by a British manufacturer’.
Mark's Model B And Sidecar
You don't see many early Lambretta and Tittarelli sidecar outfits, so when you come across someone who owns two the same matching colour – wow!
Mark's 1980s Classic Custom
Revisiting one of the UK’s best-known custom scooters from the 1980s, which still remains in the possession of its original owner.
Barry's Dayton Albatross Continental Twin
In my younger days, as well as motorcycles, I had a Vespa 90 and a Vespa 90SS, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I returned to scootering (after having several classic cars) with a 1965 Vespa VBB, but I had always hankered after a Dayton Albatross since I was about 12 or 13. Last year I decided to finally fulfil that dream…
Iso Milano (Diva) De Luxe 150
Bristol’s Carole Nash Classic MotorCycle Show always brings out rarities and the 2016 event was no exception with a host of unusual scooters on display. Rubbing handlebars with an IWL Berlin, and a rare Coswio Jika Pandora on the Vintage Motor Scooter Club stand was one with a curvy Latin lovely adorning the legshields.
Tabby's Indian GP200
To see it within a crowded scooter compound or lined up at the side of the road at a busy rally, you’d possibly not pay Tabby’s Indian GP200 too much attention or perhaps even feel it was worth a second glance. But that’s precisely where you would be wrong...
Have records will travel
How many DJs do you know who would travel to a music gig on their trusty 2-Tone Vespa PX with a huge box of rare vinyl records strapped on the back?
Model (D) behaviour!
Visitors to the Newark Scooter World halls couldn’t fail to notice the line-up of machines being shown by Martin Robinson.
Rob's Heinkel Tourist
After receiving another phone call from bike collector Rob Carter of Barton upon Humber, Rich realised it would be something special of superb quality and condition; so he decided to investigate.
2021 TOYOTA SIENNA
CAN A HYBRID VAN REALLY MOVE US?
Extreme Winter Sports for Adrenaline Junkies
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t get your outdoor adrenaline fix. round the world, thrill seekers have found ways to stay active, even in the harshest of conditions. Whether you prefer your adventures on land or water, there’s something for everyone. From diving with the narwhals to hopping out of a helicopter strapped to skis to sailing on ice, these extreme sports were made for extreme weather. —Meghan Gunn
JACKS OF ALL TRADES: MASTERS OF ALL FUN
Middleweight naked bikes and good times
ELVA HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
NO WINDSHIELD? NO PROBLEM. MCLAREN’S 804-HP HYPERCAR WON’T MUSS YOUR HAIR. BUT AT $1.7 MILLION, IT WILL LIGHTEN YOUR WALLET.
Another wild weather warning
THE Met Office has issued its third yellow weather warning this week for Plymouth, as more wind and rain is set to hammer the region.
HOW FAR CAN ELECTRIC CARS REALLY GO?
We tested them in cold weather earlier this year, and now the heat is on to find out how close electric cars can get to their official ranges in near-ideal summer conditions
Smart motorways putting lives at risk as safety radars break down at alarming rate
Vital smart motorway technology has stopped working on one of the country’s busiest stretches of road barely a week after a grandmother died when her car broke down on another socalled smart highway.
Extreme Winter Sports for Adrenaline Junkies
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t get your outdoor adrenaline fix. round the world, thrill seekers have found ways to stay active, even in the harshest of conditions. Whether you prefer your adventures on land or water, there’s something for everyone. From diving with the narwhals to hopping out of a helicopter strapped to skis to sailing on ice, these extreme sports were made for extreme weather. —Meghan Gunn
Holiday jet storm landing drama
A PILOT was forced to abort a landing at Manchester Airport as severe winds battered his aircraft.
Keep Pugging away
Peugeot’s SUVs have lots of great things in common, so how do you pick one? We pit the seven-seat 5008 against the smaller plug-in hybrid 3008