Paul Green considers the retro scooter market and its potential for high-capacity fun.
For some years I’ve noticed that while scooters are very much a lifestyle thing in our community they are by no means exclusive, and many scooterists also own and enjoy motorcycles. Part of the original design philosophy for scooters was a clean, simple and easy-to-use machine, and this was obviously a key reason that the humble scooter caught on so well.
The original scooters were smaller cc, geared machines, lightweight and could be nippy rather than fast. They were not really designed for long distances, being almost always two-stroke 150 or 200cc engines. But quite quickly a community of enthusiasts was built and the humble scooter was used for longer distance rides, rallies and events.
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In the modern age the scooter evolved into predominantly automatic geared machines. Generally, they’re fitted with slightly larger four-stroke 300cc engines that are reliable and simple but they’re relatively low powered and hardly super-fast. A modern Vespa has a styling heritage that can be tracked back to the 60s, but with Lambretta development and mass production ending many years ago, there is quite a market for modern machines that are essentially designed to look very close to the retro Lambretta design.
If the non-scootering layman sees one of these retro-autos across a car park and squints slightly, it looks like a Lambretta despite having Royal Alloy on the badge when they get closer. So, there are a lot of people who want to ride around on a retro-styled scooter like this. They are reliable, with some added modern technology and bigger 12in wheels that cope better with modern roads.
These machines are simple, easy-to-ride automatics that, unlike original smaller two-strokes, are probably much more reliable and economical over longer distances. I can see the attraction of a modern Vespa GTS to the present-day rallygoer; they’re a comfortable, reliable and very capable machine. In a similar way the Royal Alloy retro Lambretta lookalike does a similar thing if you want to look like you’re riding a Lambretta to a seaside resort.
But there’s a problem. Many scooterists want a bit more excitement. Hence the huge market for very developed modern two-stroke beasts, with very expensive, fire breathing, high-powered engines. These have used and adapted modern technology to allow more than double the power of the four-stroke engines that currently power the Vespa GTS and Royal Alloy scooters.
What if there was a production GEARED scooter with a Royal Alloy-style chassis and retro bodywork but with a 400 or 500cc four-stroke sports bike engine?
These high-powered geared engines give that excitement and grin factor as you accelerate, making your heart zing. But they are noisy and very environmentally unfriendly. Which is the whole point to many, as little beats the two-stroke noise and smell which always turn heads.
However, these modern engines can be very expensive to buy and maintain, which is where I see a gap in the market. Currently the choice seems to be geared, fire breathing, expensive, two-stroke engine power, or quiet, low powered, low revving four-stroke automatics. Quite different choices.
What if there was a production GEARED scooter with a Royal Alloy-style chassis and retro bodywork but with a 400 or 500cc four-stroke sports bike engine? A high revving, sweeter sounding, four-stroke motor?
I was speaking recently to the owner of a Kawasaki Ninja 400, and it got us thinking. The engine powering the Ninja revs to 10,000rpm, has 45+hp standard trim and a 105+mph top speed. Imagine even a slightly tweaked version of that in a Royal Alloy-style chassis. The Kawasaki Ninja 400 is around £6000 new, the lower powered automatic Vespa GS is also around £6000 new. Makes you think, doesn’t it!?
I’m sure that the engineers could potentially squeeze a better engine in; people have been squeezing 350cc twin two-strokes into Lambretta frames for years. It wouldn’t be easy to put a sporty 400cc+ engine into a Royal Alloy-style machine but the Ninja wheelies, and has more than enough power for sporty, enthusiastic riding. Imagine a Royal Alloy-style bike on steroids; 20% bigger to give more space. It could be a bundle of fun to ride.
I can imagine the wailing and protesting of the scooter purists and this would all be so very wrong to do in all sorts of ways. But it does make me wonder… a high powered, high revving, geared four-stroke engine in a retro-styled scooter. If someone can take up this challenge, I’d love a ride on one!
Article originally appeared in Scootering Magazine February 2025 issue. To subscribe and grab some Meguiars cleaning freebies visit https://classicmagazines.co.uk/scootering?offer=SCOME2026
