The Lambretta LN is available for presale at a UK dealer on eBay UK. A “limited number” of the 4-stroke 125cc LN are due in Mid-June.
The pictures on the dealer site are from Lambretta Motorcycles, who display five models based on two body designs, though Lambretta-italia.it shows only the LN and the Consortium’s page shows the other (“LS”) design. We’ve spent months trying to make sense of all the companies promising and/or delivering “Lambretta” products right now, though the recent evidence suggests that some of our loose ends may be tied up if and when an actual product turns up on dealer floors. We’ll reserve judgement on the new models until we have more information, aside from saying that the LN design is about as Lambretta-like as one could hope for in a modern 4-stroke plastic-bodied scooter. If you’re looking to re-boot a Vespa/Lambretta war (and who isn’t!?) note the Lambretta is priced higher than the Vespa LX and S models.
8 thoughts on “Lambretta LN Presale”
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Love it. Best design since the ET. And it may be better but I’ll reserve judgement until I can see one. I can’t wait until I can afford a used one and put a 2 stroke motor in it. I knew I bought the Hexagon for a reason.
My biggest complaint after the motor is the headset. the narrowing arms of the original Lambretta are damn sexy and are as much of a design cue as all the other aspects that they’ve captured very very well. A svelte handlebar is yet missing. It’s when they get so close to capturing the original spirit that one appreciates the original for what it was. The effect is not unlike seeing the Vespa S; fabulous with a few let downs in spirit.
Marbles pointed out in a Facebook comment that the copy on lambrettamotorcycles.com says “steel body.” That would certainly justify the pricing to a large degree, and purists can’t argue about a tube frame, can they? Now I wonder if the LN is the metal-bodied version and the LS (which they say is due in September) will be a cheaper plastic version.
I’m nearly certain that bodywork is plastic. To press those parts would be even more expensive. Even on a classic lambretta the body parts are very simple. That’s the beauty. But these body panels are relatively very intricate.
I’d disagree about the logistics, it *IS* expensive, ha, and current Vespa frames are equally intricate, but I will agree that it sure *looks* like plastic, just from the sheen of it and the design/assembly. For instance, look at the panel (fold out footpeg? VIN panel cover?) along the base of the floorboards. I don’t have any problem with plastic, but if it is plastic, the price will be hard to justify. People say there’s a premium on the Vespa name, but that’s not really true, there’s a premium on Vespa’s reputation. This incarnation of Lambretta has no history, no real continuity to the old product, so they have a lot to prove.
Both my Vespa GTS’ rear quarter panels are dented/scratched after it fell on me (left side) and got knocked over while it was parked in Bellingham (right side). Had those parts been made of plastic, damage would’ve been minimal, if not nonexistent. Modern Vespas have steel bodies for the same reason Corvettes have fiberglass bodies—a vocal core group will gnash their teeth and rend their garments (and not buy new ones) if they were any different…
Yeah, Orin, I agree, in this day and age, plastic makes a lot more sense for manufacturing costs and repairs, but metal still justifies a higher purchase price (and as the Vespa has proven, improves resale value).
The modern Vespa may lack the simplicity and elegance of the vintage models, but I think it’s unfair to say the metal monocoque frame is strictly a feature to appease purists. People like to say Vespa’s premium cost is strictly thanks to the name, but really, it’s the metal frame, history of reliability, and well-established worldwide parts and service network that sell (and resell, and resell) Vespas worldwide. Lambretta is nothing but a name right now, but a metal frame would go a long way towards setting it apart from other scooters and putting it in a class with the Vespa. Case in point: Italjet’s Velocifero (metal body) and Dragster had the design chops to become as ubiquitous (and collectible) as the Vespa, but Italjet’s ineptitude destroyed their chances. Ask any scooterist to list their top five scooters of all time, and they’ll include the original 180cc 2-stroke Dragster, but how many are on the road today, thanks to a total lack of parts availability?
Apparently, they have SYM engines, metal bodies, and are being manufactured in Taiwan.
http://www.repubblica.it/motori/dueruote/2011/05/20/news/torna_la_vera_lambretta-16534932/
Both the plastic- and metal-bodied versions are good-looking bikes, and at the risk of having a fatwa declared on me, these being manufactured in Taiwan and powered by SYM engines is a very good thing. I’ve had many, many conversations with non-scooterists who really like the way Innocenti Lambrettas look, and I believe this would translate to sales should these ever be offered in the U.S. I personally wouldn’t hesitate to buy one…