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.

The LI series Lambrettas are the machines, in bright colours and with shining chrome, that people of a certain age remember affectionately from their youth.

This companion volume to Vespa: An illustrated history charts the full history of the Italian Lambretta, from its introduction just after World War II by the Innocenti Company in Milan, through to 1972 when they stopped production and sold the tooling to the Lambretta manufacturer in India. Every Italian model is listed including mopeds and three-wheelers, giving production figures, spec and pictures for each one. The book features accessories such as workshop tools, product and advertising literature, calendars, handbooks and race records.

Vespa and Lambretta remain the two most iconic motor scooter brands, even four decades after the latter's demise. But what made them such a European sensation in the postwar era? And why were they particularly popular in Britain in the 1950s and '60s? Motor scooter expert Stuart Owen explains the rise of Innocenti's Lambretta and Piaggio's Vespa, from the wartime ruins of Italy, through years of plenty as the two manufacturers exploited a ready market for affordable, economic transport, and then their decline into more uncertain times as motor cars trespassed on their success. He also explores the rich history of accessorising and customising the scooters, their essential role in the mod movement, and the revival in Vespa's fortunes following the release of the cult film Quadrophenia.

Scooter sales had already peaked in Britain by the mid-1960s - led by the likes of the Lambretta and Vespa. Originally designed as transportation for commuters, the scooter came to be seen more as a vehicle for leisure. Ownership shifted to the younger generation and their appetite for speed and power was insatiable. Shops appeared offering performance tuning services for the first time and a new era of scootering dawned. Production of the Lambretta ceased in 1971 and although Vespa survived, the scooter scene went underground during the 1970s. The passion for tuning continued to flourish however and the release of Quadrophenia inspired a new wave of devotees going into the 1980s. Companies began investing heavily and the introduction of the TS1 cylinder kit for the Lambretta and the T5 Vespa by Piaggio took the tuning scene in a new direction. Now the pure Lambretta and Vespa street racer came to the forefront. Owners were prepared to blow huge budgets and their stunning creations took these machines to a new level. Today there is continued investment from manufacturers and competition is still strong as the Lambretta and Vespa Street racer scene continues to thrive. In Lambretta & Vespa Street Racers, author Stuart Owen traces the development of scooter tuning down the decades using dozens of rare period images and highlighting every significant technological milestone along the way. The different but inseparable stories of both Lambretta and Vespa tuning are told in full with compelling insight and expert knowledge.

This is a unique book, useful to all Lambretta owners and riders who mean to understand the evolution of the famous Innocenti scooter down to the smallest detail. After having digested all the technical information supplied by the concessionaires of the period, and having created thousands of illustrations showing all the versions produced by Innocenti between 1947 and 1971 piece by piece, the author has brought to life a guide that shows even the smallest modification carried out over the years on the various models that have appeared in the marketplace.

American Motorcyclist magazine, the official journal of the American Motorcyclist Associaton, tells the stories of the people who make motorcycling the sport that it is. It's available monthly to AMA members. Become a part of the largest, most diverse and most enthusiastic group of riders in the country by visiting our website or calling 800-AMA-JOIN.