Years 1966-1968. Your choice of Metal/Chrome, Red/White, or Yellow/White.
Yes, you’re reading this correctly and no, I’m not on crack… I’m not so sure about Royal College of Art grad Grahame Fowler and his firm GGF Restoration who is really selling them on Vivre for twenty-five LARGE each. Grahame Fowler also makes a $1,725 aircraft-grade aluminum chess set also available at Vivre if you’re interested.
Nuff respect to Grahame. I appreciate his gumption and wish him much success with his fashion career in NYC and his little scooter restoration project. I could see spending that much on a Lammy… if it were an original, hand-built by Corradino D’Ascanio himself.
3. November 2008 at 8:09 am
Beautiful! Nostalgic! And oops expensive!
Thank you for the post. We need more of these. I need a divergence from the elections. (Do vote, however.)
Cheers.
3. November 2008 at 5:34 pm
Are these the same restored scooters they sell in Scoot! for about $5k each?
3. November 2008 at 5:41 pm
The guy selling these Lambrettas is full of himself. I’ve seen
him post on other Forums, and would stay far far away from these.
3. November 2008 at 10:44 pm
As usual, you can pay a lot of money for a restored bike or do it yourself.
Which one is more expensive? I do not know, but I can confirm that doing yourself is pretty much entertainment.
My latest project is a Lambretta SX 200 “series 80″ Made in Spain, and it promises lots of entertained moments… and expensive moments also.
4. November 2008 at 1:24 am
Good grief, a restored and tuned SX200 for $5k? A Serveta Jet200 the same as an Innocenti SX?
Are Scooter Scoop readers always so totally out of the loop?
As for the comments in the original post, yet again it proves why Scooter Scoop and Steve need never to mention vintage scooters or their riders again. Clueless, totally clueless. Fact check, baby. Fact check.
4. November 2008 at 3:18 am
Oh brother… Let me help you out Anon. Here’s a line-by-line fact check for you:
“Good grief, a restored and tuned SX200 for $5k? A Serveta Jet200 the same as an Innocenti SX?”
Ok, hold it. If you read the website it says nothing at all about them being ‘tuned’ or even SX200′s for that matter. It says “road-ready restored Lambretta scooter can be built to order from 1966-1968 scooters.” $#!+, they could be built from friggin’ Honda Cubs for all we know.
YES, the pictures are of SX series Lammys and yes the SX was made from 66 to 69… but who knows if these are SX150′s or SX200′s? Could be a restored Li Series 3 from 67… Could be a Jet 200. You’re making a $15000 assumption that these are SX200′s… and even if they WERE they’d better be friggin’ NEW OLD STOCK for $15k.
Now please… go back to your hiding place behind the name “Anonymous” and come back when you’ve got your facts straight. kthnxbye.
4. November 2008 at 3:31 am
I didn’t realise that I posted anon as I was signed into blogspot though google.
However, reread the comments “Are Scooter Scoop readers always so totally out of the loop?”
Funny you should post those comments though when I just sent you an e-mail asking why you didn’t contact Grahame and ask him those questions before the snarky post.
There is no could be. They are and they have been verified an genuine.
Like I said, fact check, and it wouldn’t have hurt yout to at least contact a few people in the know about Vintage Lambrettas before you posted. For instance check in on the Lambretta USA Club board, where this was all posted weeks ago. very simple AND faster than a Google search on a name.
The current going price for a running but not so good SX200 is around 6-8 UK pounds. Good luck on your search for a NOS SX200 for $15k.
Prices for fully restored SX200s are getting up over $20k. They usually get sold before they are advertised though. But like I said, check your e-mail and I’ve given you some stats from the last 4 years with figures of actual sales prices for fully restored SX200s and TV200s.
4. November 2008 at 4:20 am
Oh yeah – an original Lambretta hand built by Corradino D’Ascanio would be worth millions, more than one built by Ferdinand Innocenti. In fact, I think every Lambretta lover in the world would be willing club together and buy it, then roll it in front of the Vespa factory along with lots of fanfares and celebrating. Final proof that Lambrettas are better than Vespas.
4. November 2008 at 4:23 am
Ahhh! Miss K! Good to know it’s a real Lambretta fan on the other side of the internet.
Now let’s see… “are TSS readers always so totally out of the loop?”
I’d say there are a good handful of readers who are fully versed on the history of Lambretta… Not to offend a Lammy-lover, but most probably couldn’t give half a rat’s ass about the difference between a SX200 and a TV200. I find the SX200 to be rather sexy, especially when you see one in the flesh.
Sorry for not getting the email. I checked both of my boxes and didn’t see it.
I didn’t really have any questions for Grahame. I gave him props for being able to sell a $25k Lambretta and followed by saying that I personally could see spending that kinda loot if it had D’Ascanio’s finger prints on it. This is all hypothetical, of course. I sure as hell don't have $25k to spend on anything.
You, apparently, have done more research on this since you know for certain that these are fully restored SX200's. Whether or not they are "tuned" is still up for discussion.
I'd like to see what the Lambretta USA club members think about the $25k Lambretta. I might even find out once the Admin has activated my account… You can't just hop in and research stuff… you gotta register.
I've seen an occasional "needs work" SX200 in the US for $4k
http://scoot.net/classifieds/search.html?mmy=1966&sub=Search+by+model
And a fully restored on Ebay UK (Item 160296064084) is sitting at £3,200.00 (reserve not met) right now. It's at 12 bids currently… I wonder if it will get anywhere near £15,750 ($25k US) when it's all said and done in 8 days.
To match the price of the Vivre Lambretta it would have to go for £15,435 allowing $500 US for shipping.
I'll check my email again (thescooterscoop@gmail.com) for the bluebook rate on an SX200 resto. If they are getting up to $25k in value I'd say that restoration is one HECK of an investment!
Thanks for responding!
steve
4. November 2008 at 4:25 am
NOOOOO!!! YOU WENT THERE!
The dreaded Lambretta vs. Vespa battle.
*Steve tip-toes, backing slowly out of the room*
4. November 2008 at 5:37 am
Yeah… I went there because Corradino D’Ascanio has nothing to do with Lambretta apart from starting the company that was Lambretta’s biggest rival. But heyho, Innocenti/D’Ascanio same thing, right? Not really a biggie in the fact check world.
I’d say the resto on the Ebay bike needs redoing (wavy legshields). However, not bad going up that much in top bids in 2.5 days.
The scoot.net bike has an indian engine.
So 2 SXs found on the search, one half a project and the other needing a redo. They must be really common? Growing on trees, etc
Not sure what you mean about the differences between a TV200 and a SX200 and not giving a rats ass. I don’t remember mentioning that.
I maintain however, that before slagging off a business, on a blog that likes to be seen as a good provider of scooter information, that you need to check your facts and quit on the snarky comments about Grahame’s “little” resto business and his career. Personal digs have no place on a blog that purports to report true facts and actually you, were way, way off the mark with your research on that one. I am not sure why everyone’s making a big deal about Grahame being an RCA grad or the fact that he can be found on google with links to the fashion industry. I just Googled him and from one of the first page returns you can totally tell all about his long and interesting career. I just realised I studied his stuff at school. Plus, there is the little issue that he started collecting lambrettas in the late 60s.
Oh and to god, Grahame is actually one of the nicest and most laid back people I know. I imagine he’s a little non-plussed that people on other forums that claim to be Lambretta experts were one week were drooling over his bikes, aksing if he were single and the next week looking at the Vivre page and proclaiming they were Viet restos.
*shakes head*
So, for reference, why don’t some of the Lambretta experts pipe in with a how to tell the difference between a Vietnamese, Indian and Indonesian restoration?
E-mail sent 3 times now. Check your spam folder.
4. November 2008 at 7:21 am
*sigh*
D’Ascanio’s design was far more successful than Innocenti’s and was originally intended to be a Lambretta. Not knocking Innocenti’s work… They are both timeless. If someone wants the history of Lambretta they can check the Wiki. My little post was not to offer a history lesson and frankly, it’s no big deal to me. The story was intended to do two things… start up a slow posting period and provide a bit of sensationalism to inspire the average scooter enthusiast… a little something to discuss while I plot out my week.
On to SX availability.
Yep, a quick search shows 2 SX’s. I never said they were common. I know for a fact they are not. I think a perfect restoration might be worth $25k to the wealthy collector today… That doesn’t stop it from be ridiculously priced for the non-wealthy. I am by no means laughing at Grahame. Believe me, I’d be a restoring FOOL if I thought I could sell a scooter for $25k today. Just personal opinion, but I could see a perfectly restored SX200 going for that price in… say… 2016. A good 50 year anniversary resto.
As for this:
“Not sure what you mean about the differences between a TV200 and a SX200 and not giving a rats ass. I don’t remember mentioning that.”
Your first comment was “A Serveta Jet200 the same as an Innocenti SX?” My response was saying that most people don’t really care if a Jet200 is not the same as an SX. So, readers offending a Lambretta devote over their differences only pisses off the Lambretta Geek… the same way I would be a bit upset by someone saying a Blackberry and a BlackJack are the same thing when I know that Windows mobile is a clunky piece of crap compared to RIM’s OS. Torment of a tech geek.
So… again. Not “slagging off a business”. The average reader will agree that $25k for a scooter is a lot of money and that’s exactly what I was saying.
There are no facts that need to be checked for me to say $25,000 is a lot to spend on a Lambretta.
As for my “snarky comments”. That’s my job… to say something that is one of the following: funny, interesting, intriguing, insightful, or opinionated.
Nothing I said about Grahame was personal. It IS a “little” resto business. If he had hundreds to restore then it would be a big resto business. The SX is rare and apparently gawd-awful expensive.
This blog never “purported to report true facts” by the way… Please do your fact checking. Personal digs could be here if they wanted to… but that wouldn’t be very nice. That’s why there are none posted.
As for being “way off the mark with my research on that one”? What-was-there-to-research?
Let me summarize the story like this:
Hey, people.
An art dude named Graham Fowler has a firm that is restoring Lambrettas.
They sell them on Vivre for $25,000.
That is a lot of money.
I personally think that is too much to pay for a restored scooter of little historical significance (meaning, it’s not like this was John Wayne’s personal Lambretta… it wasn’t lit on fire by Jimmy Hendrix. Ferdinando Innocenti didn’t scratch “Enrico Sucks” in the leg shield.)
Ending with…
Big ups to Grahame for having the balls to ask that much.
See? It’s built of facts and opinion. Any problems with the facts as collected from Vivre? No. Any problems with the opinions? If so, GREAT! I’m doing my job.
Not making any big deals about where he went to school or that he worked in fashion. That’s the info I’ve got, so I’m passing it along. Is there a better way to intro him? Scooter fanatic and father of five? CEO and Restoration tycoon? *shrug*
I see you are very sensitive around the topic of Lambretta. I will be certain to request your Lambretta proofing prowess the next time I think about typing the word Lambretta. Seriously… It’s taken me a few hours to place where I know you from and now that I’ve got it I can’t argue that you know restorations… no matter how expensive they may seem.
I have no reason to NOT believe that Grahame is one of the nicest and most laid back people you know. I would imagine an artist who is dedicating some of his expertise to restoring classic scooters has gotta be a pretty good guy/girl.
I don’t have the bandwidth to check in on all the forums to get the soap opera edition of what’s going on. Maybe you could start TheLambrettaScoop and I could just send people your way for Lambretta News, Reviews, Commentary and the celebration of everything Lambretta.
As for the reference idea, that’s GREAT! Had you popped in with a comment filling us in on the facts of the matter instead of a short anonymous blast against me and the readers I wouldn’t have had to spend 10 times the effort having a pissing contest with ya.
I did get the email (it was in the spam box) and it’s greatly appreciated. There was really some good and pertinent info in there… would have made for a great first comment. ;)
Would you mind if I pasted some of it as an update?
Cheers!
steve
4. November 2008 at 8:32 am
This wasn’t about Lambretta. It was about you putting a friend of mine down, and I did tell you I posted anon accidentally as soon as I realised what I had done.
You admit you wanted a little sensation, unfortunately at the expense of Grahame. How much else here is sensationalised for the sake of titillating viewers rather than providing substantive content? Judging from slightly off and not quite right scooter info in this whole post, substantive content is not a strong point of this blog.
If what you’re here to do, as you say, is to “say something that is one of the following: funny, interesting, intriguing, insightful, or opinionated” and that snarky commets are your job,
expect to take a little more crap for it and take it with grace. Just fess up to it when called on it. Else you can’t really be America’s source. Rather America’s sauce… with lashings of Frankie Howard style “ooh missus”.
TMZ for the scooter world?
4. November 2008 at 11:30 am
andrunka:
I think you are a little Drunka.
There is no question that those model lambrettas are great(if not the best lambrettas), but I think your enthusiasm has way out stretched the value in the American market of his lambrettas. After looking at the scooters in his pictures, you can see that he has many aftermarket parts on those lambrettas. He may even have some of those dreaded Indian parts that you are talking about. Way to flashy for me. Let him post and tell us that they are 100$ Italian,
and all the parts are from the same year. Post this on the BBS, and you will find many people laughing at you for the 25K price that he is asking for. If I were to pay 25k, I would want an original unmolested scooter all from the same year. Not
one with all that chrome and wrong paint. An yes, and I know who you are, and thats cool! Lambrettas do rule. Don’t defend him for the sake
of another lambtretta owner, or someone you know. An i know you wouldn’t buy one of his lambrettas.
4. November 2008 at 12:15 pm
Finally! An argument that isn’t about the election!
4. November 2008 at 4:54 pm
Oh Gheesh, Are there really people still out there harping the whole “Lammy vs. Vespa” argument?! My general impression is that it’s almost always the uppity, gotsomethintoprove Lammy crowd making a big deal over this time worn conflict. And don’t get me started on artists selling their “work” at vastly over valued prices in order to make a garish spectacle of themselves…
4. November 2008 at 5:19 pm
+1 to Casey
6. November 2008 at 12:27 am
“…An i know you wouldn’t buy one of his lambrettas.”
god. Thanks for the laugh.
Your assumptions are way off. Drop me an e-mail.
9. November 2008 at 6:22 pm
Hey dude,that wasn’t my intention to have an argument with nobody.
The Serveta SX “series 80″ is modern than inocenti’s SX, but still is a Lambretta. The previous to the Lince, the last one spanish built Lambretta.
The subject was about expensive restorations not about “Lambretta Vs Vespa” arguing about this is as silly as arguing about football or similar.
The clue is to restore it an keep it running. Not arguing about which one is the best one.