CLASSIC BOOKS

Classic Bike magazine featured a whopping five of our motorcycle books in its rundown of the books of 2008. As Classic Bike said, it's time to "put some more shelves up and strengthen the coffee table."


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GOING...GOING...GONE!

The recent auction sale held by Dorset Vintage and Classic Auctions, based in Stalbridge, North Dorset, proved that enthusiasts and collectors of all types of historic vehicles, motorcycles, automobilia and railwayana are still willing to invest in their interest, despite the well-publicised credit crunch. The glorious early autumn day helped to attract some eight hundred people to the Gartell Light Railway in Yenston, five miles from Wincanton in South Somerset. The motor car which became the most sought after on the day was a 1972 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1600 Saloon (pictured top right), in restored condition and prepared for historic rallying. It sold eventually for a staggering £7,260. Motorcycles also sold well: a 1966 Lambretta Li 150 (pictured left) sold for £1,485.

Dorset Vinatge and Classic Auctions are now inviting entries for their Spring sale in 2009, which will be held on the 26th of March.



Great titles from Veloce! The Lambretta Bible By Pete Davies. An in-depth look at the world’s finest scooter, from the Model A to the GP 200. The Lambretta story doesn’t end there though, with the focus moving onto machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s.



Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe GT & GTA By John Tipler. Here is a fact and picture-packed book dedicated solely to the Giulia GT in all its forms including the fabulous lightweight GTA racer. Packed with illustrations, the book tells the story of the Giulia from Giugiaro's drawing board to the roads and racetracks of the world. Also included is practical advice from leading experts on buying, restoring and caring for Alfa's classic Coupé together with production figures, road test data, homologation papers, addresses of clubs and specialists, reproductions of contemporary ads and brochure pages and much, much, more.

Scooter sales on the up

Many people who live in a busy city and are sick of trains, tubes and buses have turned to the scooter to get about.

With today’s petrol prices and our need to feel we’re doing more for the environment, scooters have increased in popularity. This has been shown in sales which have risen 65.7 percent in the first half of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. Its not just London and the busy cities of England that has taken to this trend. Its also apparent in many smaller cities, and also further afield in New York where sales are rampant.

There is a vibrant used scooter market in the UK, and most dealers and classified listings will have quality second-hand models for under a grand.

Most 4-stroke scooters use unleaded petrol, and deliver a very economical fuel consumption, between roughly 50 and 70 miles to the gallon. Scooters also produce low emissions, making them an economically-sound choice.
Not only only are they better for the environment, they are cheaper to insure and easier to park.

For an in-depth look at one of the world’s greatest scooter marques, including detailed information on the main Italian-built models, the Lambretta Concessionaires machines and British dealer specials - Check out the Veloce book The Lambretta Bible By Pete Davies.

• Complete model history for each Italian machine
• New, previously unpublished photographs
• Frame number information
• Anecdotal information (where relevant)
• 1960s British dealer specials covered
• Coverage of specially prepared machines from Lambretta Concessionaires
• Full machine specifications and production changes
• Paint code information included
• Publicity & promotional material used where relevant
• Detailed information from dealer special staff and Lambretta Concessionaires staff

click here for more info

The Lambretta Bible

Check out this wacky retro Lambretta advertisement. If you are crazy about scooters and in particular the Lambretta then you're prayers may have just come true as Veloce Publishing are pleased to announce The Lambretta Bible by Pete Davies is now in stock!











Features



• Complete model history for each Italian machine

• New, previously unpublished photographs

• Frame number information

• Anecdotal information (where relevant)

• 1960s British dealer specials covered

• Coverage of specially prepared machines from Lambretta Concessionaires

• Full machine specifications and production changes

• Paint code information included

• Publicity & promotional material used where relevant

• Detailed information from dealer special staff and Lambretta Concessionaires staff

Description



An in-depth look at one of the world’s greatest scooter marques, including detailed information on the main Italian-built models, the Lambretta Concessionaires machines and British dealer specials.

Synopsis



An in-depth look at the world’s finest scooter, from the Model A to the GP 200. The Lambretta story doesn’t end there though, with the focus moving onto machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s.



Click here for more info

Calling all Mods, Skinheads, Skaheads and Scooter Boys

Cast your mind back to 1960s cult move, Quadrophenia

This film version of The Who's rock opera Quadrophenia makes a few tentative stabs at "explaining" the alienation of 1960s British working-class youth, but its major selling point is its nonstop rock-and-R&B musical score, including the hit single "Love Reign O'er Me." Phil Daniels (replacing the original opera's Roger Daltrey) plays Jimmy, a member of a well-dressed, drugged-up teen-aged gang called the Mods, forever duking it out with the cycle-punk Rockers. The rivalry between the two gangs comes to a head during three tempestuous days in the seaside town of Brighton. Here Jimmy makes love to lovely local Leslie Ash, and forges a strong friendship with unofficial Mod leader Sting. A series of disappointments and setbacks in his own London neighborhood convinces Jimmy to return to Brighton to pick up the pieces.

Whilst we are on the subject of vintage scooters and the mod lifestyle, enthusiasts might be interested to know Veloce Publishing are releasing a new book this month entitled THE LAMBRETTA BIBLE by Pete Davies.


A year-by-year, model-by-model, change-by-change record of the world’s finest scooter from Model A to the GP 200. The story doesn’t end there, though, the focus moves to machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s. Essential reading for Lambretta enthusiasts.


Features
• Complete model history for each Italian machine
• New, previously unpublished photographs
• Frame number information
• Anecdotal information (where relevant)
• 1960s British dealer specials covered
• Coverage of specially prepared machines from Lambretta Concessionaires
• Full machine specifications and production changes
• Paint code information included
• Publicity & promotional material used where relevant
• Detailed information from dealer special staff and Lambretta Concessionaires staff

Description
An in-depth look at one of the world’s greatest scooter marques, including detailed information on the main Italian-built models, the Lambretta Concessionaires machines and British dealer specials.

Synopsis
An in-depth look at the world’s finest scooter, from the Model A to the GP 200. The Lambretta story doesn’t end there though, with the focus moving onto machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s.


Click here for more info

A Wheelie Good Book

Scooter lifestyle
By Ian Grainger
Foreword by Norrie Kerr

Features

- Nostalgia with a modern twist
- Interviews with prominent scooterists, past and present
- Scooter rallies, from the inside out
- The scooter scene as a way of life
- People, friendships and comradeship
- Custom scooters, what’s wrong with spending £25k on a scooter?
- The machines, what’s hot and what’s not
- Racing,who ever said scooters are slow?
- Over 150 colour photographs

Description

Scooter Lifestyle will capture the imaginations of past, present and future generations of scooter riders, and guide the reader through the scootering way of life and all its factions, giving a unique insight to the modern scene and all its diversities, warts and all! Includes interviews with well known scootering personalities, over 150 colour photographs of award-winning custom scooters, best-selling scooter models, rallies and events. This book is a must have for anyone interested in these fashionable, fun machines.

Synopsis

There has been plenty said and written about scooters over the years but until now there has been no definitive look at the culture surrounding our chosen way of life. Many authors have written about mods or the infamous and often over hyped beach battles of the 1960’s but hardly any have tried to capture the atmosphere of the modern scene in print. We still owe the original mods for fueling the imagination of past, present and future generations and for leaving a rich scooter heritage behind them. Although the mod way of life was the spark which lit the fuse for many of us, the majority of scooter riders have evolved into lifestyle scooterists. We may not dress in a particular style, our scooters may not be adorned with lights and mirrors but we still burn with the same passion as our scooter riding ancestors. It’s over sixty years since the first Italian scooters rolled off the production lines but there is still a buzzing and vibrant lifestyle with the humble scooter as its nucleus. The small capacity machines have overtaken the lives of thousands of us, often to the detriment of everything else we hold dear. Careers, relationships and families have suffered for this overwhelming and expensive addiction. An addiction to which there is no cure. We live and breathe the sickly sweet smell of synthetic two stroke oil and worship at the altar of our chosen gods, Lambretta and Vespa (or occasionally Gilera and Italjet). Our hands are permanently ingrained with the oily ‘tattoo’s’ of a thousand engine rebuilds and our major organs have suffered the long term effects of our hedonistic lifestyle. Including interviews with well known Scootering personalities, over 150 colour photographs of award winning custom scooters, best selling scooter models, rallies and events. This book is a must have for anyone interested in these fun machines.