The Glemseck 101 is an annual drag race held in the suburbs of Stuttgart, Germany, on public roads that are closed for the event. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, and its participants include European custom builders, amateurs, and even motorcycle manufacturers. At last year’s event, drag machines made from Vespas and Lambrettas took part, and in this feature, we focus on two of the Vespas that competed there.
The Milestone of Fuji Rabbit Series
Fuji Rabbit S101
The most popular iron scooters in Japan are the models from the Fuji Rabbit series. Rabbits have a combination of outstanding design, practicality, and durability, and in the half a century that has passed since their debut, they have survived by being passed down among enthusiasts and maintained in running condition thanks to the development of new repair methods. In this feature, we take a close look at a model from the Rabbit series released in the late 1950s, a milestone that carried the Rabbit into its golden age.
Mark Wingett played Dave in Quadrophenia. As you know, Dave plays an important role as the friend of Jimmy, the protagonist. In fall 2023, Mark visited Tokyo and was greeted by Tokyo’s mods, who quickly set up a scooter run and enjoyed spending a little time with him.
Iron Scooter Gathering / Omaezaki & Ishinomaki
鉄スクーターRun in 御前崎
The Iron Scooter Run in Omaezaki
In the fall of 2023, in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, the Ishinomaki Iron Scooter Meeting was held at Ishinomaki Minamihama Marina. The meeting featured here took place on a sunny fall day at a location along the Ishinomaki shoreline, and the participants hung out and went on a short run together.
Extreme Custom Lambretta with a Musical Influence
/ Lambretta GP “Breaking Rocks in the Hot Sun”
/ SIL Lambretta GP200 “Dream Stealer”
Projecting an intense passion for music onto a scooter is a unique part of the customisation culture developed in the UK, which we covered in the previous issue. Now we dig deeper into how these models are made and what their creators have in mind. Andy Gillard, editor of the British scooter magazine ScooterNova, describes two of the top-quality Lambrettas of recent years.
Timeless Gems part.2
Vespa 50S
A Vespa for the Japanese Domestic Market
It has been 70 years since the birth of the scooter. Throughout that time, technicians at various manufacturers have produced ambitious models that reflected the lives and social conditions of the period in which they were produced. Thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, some of the machines have been preserved in their original condition. These timeless gems are technological heritage that should be passed down for generations to come. In this edition of “Timeless Gems,” we feature the Vespa 50S, a scooter targeted to the Japanese market whose production began in the 80s.
The Asama Meeting Glub is a members-only club that has been active in promoting the cultural status of motorcycles and scooters since the '70s. In this feature, we bring you the rare iron scooters that were present at the club's regular meeting in October 2023.
Royal Alloy is an up-and-coming brand from the UK whose products combine the spirit of the good old days with modern technology. We previously reported on the operations at the brand, and we recently received word that there were new models being developed. Here, we continue our coverage of Royal Alloy with a report from Richard Bardsley (aka “Rik”), a journalist living in the US who does press for Royal Alloy.