After the Scottish National Rally at Kelso, Lynn Mifflin looks back on a 200-mile run that gave her beloved Vespa Rally 200 — and its freshly rebuilt motor — a proper test.
Lynn has a long association with her beloved Rally 200; she first owned it back in 1982/83, then sold it to fund another project in about 1987. The machine resurfaced a few years ago and was featured in this magazine, as Andy Edensor from Stafford had rebuilt it with a seriously fruity motor. When it was time for Andy to part with the scooter, he very kindly offered it to Lynn at a good price, but he sold the beast of a motor and replaced it with a running stock item.
This was back in 2023, and after the main oil seal failed, Lynn decided to get the motor fully stripped and rebuilt by Barry Turner of the Scooter Warehouse. This would hopefully future-proof the Rally for years to come.
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The rebuild was completed last October/November, but due to the bad weather, not many miles were put on her to give the motor a good shake-down and highlight any potential snags.
So, with Kelso Calling and a fantastic weather forecast, Lynn decided to go solo and ride the 200 miles up to the Scottish National.
Lynn picks up the story…
After last year’s Kelso event, I personally thought it felt a bit flat. No criticism of the organisers who do a fantastic job, but there just didn’t seem to be the buzz. So, I was actually in two minds about attending this year. But seeing the positive forecast and the need to get some long-distance miles in, it was the ideal opportunity to shake down my Vespa Rally after Barry had rebuilt and refreshed the motor.
I loaded up and set off from Liverpool at 8am, heading up past Preston, then onto better roads, making my way up to Scotland at a steady 55 mph. No point in thrashing her, as the ride is what it’s all about. I must say the scooter ran perfectly and generated quite a lot of interest and happy smiles from people when I called in for fuel and the odd cuppa.
Red Sky at Night, Shepherd’s Delight
As I had booked quite late, my digs were outside of the town in a beautiful Shepherd’s Hut, so before I went to my accommodation, I rode into Kelso town centre just to check the place out. It was already busy, and I caught sight of Barry and Debby sitting, relaxing with a beer. It would have been rude not to join them, especially as Barry was responsible for the rebuilt motor. I had a quick half with them and reported that the Rally was running perfectly.
It was then time for me to go to my ‘hut’, unload the scooter, and freshen up before getting a taxi back into town. By the time I arrived, the place was absolutely buzzing, with everyone having a great time. I decided to stay in town that evening and went into the Legion as tradition. The place was packed, and I managed to catch up with a few of my Scottish friends whom I hadn’t seen for a while.
Just a steady night spent in the company of like-minded people, and my spirits lifted after a faultless journey, and my concerns about Kelso being a little ‘flat’ last year are now well and truly dismissed. Contented, I headed back to my hut for a well-earned sleep.
Early to Rise
The next morning, I woke early to another beautiful day, and after a leisurely cuppa and breakfast, I rode into town to check out the rally site. The organisers put on a very well-run event on site, but it can be a little expensive if you are just there for the day, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out this year that there was day admission. I think this approach must have worked, as the site seemed much busier than I remembered it being last year. Again, there was definitely a more positive vibe, surprising what a bit of sunshine can do to lift the spirits. I was even talked into entering my Rally into the custom show. Although I have won a couple of trophies with her in the past, which I am very proud of, I don’t really see her as being so special, other than to me, because I absolutely love that scooter.
There seemed to be plenty of parts on offer for sale at the dealer’s market, which, thankfully, I didn’t need, although Barry very kindly gave her the once over and checked that my wheel nuts hadn’t come loose. It was then time to head back to the hut before heading back into town for the evening.
The town was once again buzzing, and I had a great night catching up with more Scottish pals and also the NVLSC, who had ridden some 1,400 miles to Kelso from Northampton via the North West 500. By the time they were to get home, they would have covered 1,700 miles. What a fantastic adventure and achievement.
All too soon, it was time to head back to my wonderful Shepherd’s Hut for another great night’s sleep before getting up at 6.00am. Sunday, loading up my trusty steed, and setting off back home at about 7.30am. All told, with stops, I arrived back in Liverpool in just under seven hours. Still on a high from a fantastic ride on my Rally 200, which never missed a beat, and the memories of a fantastic Scottish National Rally to Kelso. A big shout out to all the organisers, see you next year.
Report by: Lynn Mifflin
Article originally appeared in Scootering Mag July 2026 issue. To subscribe and grab some Meguiars cleaning freebies visit https://classicmagazines.co.uk/scootering?offer=SCOME2026
