Approx 70 or so motorcycles of all shapes, sizes and ages were entered into the Oliver’s Mount Race Circuit Hillclimb on Sunday 8th October. Vintage bikes, classic bikes, modern sports bikes and a few supermoto/motocross bikes thrown in for good measure make for a good spectacle!
But those of us with good taste really turned up to cheer on the four Lambretta riders competing. They were all flying the flag and helping to promote the ‘Scooters on the Mount’ side of the hillclimb events.
The competitors race up part of Scarborough’s legendary Oliver’s Mount road race circuit. It is an anticlockwise track, which is very rare in racing. The bit the hillclimb sprint uses, starts in the area normally used for the pits and finishes at the top of the main hill – the highest point on the track.
The riders go up one at a time with a 30 second or so delay, which makes for constant flowing action. The bikes go in category order – classic, then modern and in different capacity limits too.
Vespa
If you’re heading to the NEC to ogle scantily clad models or the latest Vespa GTS SuperTech then you’ll be disappointed. The PC powers that be have virtually outlawed the use of Lycra-clad models this year and Piaggio chose to show only the HPE Super version of the new ‘High Powered Engine’ GTS, rather than the higher-spec TFT screened SuperTech. A shame really as I’m sure many of you who are hankering over trading up would have liked to have seen one up close. You’ll have to remind yourself what it looks like here.
The HPE Super makes a claimed 23.8bhp and comes in a choice of Nero Lucido, Bianco Innocenza, Rosso Passione and Giallo.
GTS Super HPE Price: £4999
One thing you could find out though is a price for the GTS Super HPE, it will set you back £4999 for a 300. We haven’t got a price or availability for the SuperTech yet.
Aside from the Super, Super Sport, Sei Giorni (now with upgraded front headlight) and Notte GTS models, plus a lone Vespa Elettrica, the Vespa side of the Piaggio Group stand didn’t have much to offer us Vespitsi.
Piaggio MP3 500 HPE Sport Advanced
We ran out of time to give details on the latest MP3 from Milan but the 500 HPE Sport Advanced model gains a reverse gear (operated by a new switch on the left side of the legshields). The HPE engine makes 42.2bhp, is said to be capable of 70mpg, weighs 275 kg (hence the need for a reverse) and is available in the following colours: Oro Opaco, Aregento Cometa Opacu, Blu Opaco.
MP3 500 HPE Sport Advanced price: £9149
Honda Super Cub
One iconic machine we’re looking forward to riding in the first week of December for a road test is the brand new Honda Super Cub 125. It’s a classic of epic proportions brought bang up to date for the 21st century with enough of the original styling left to let you know where its DNA came from. Keep your eye out for our test mid-December.
Honda Super Cub C125 price: £3399
Kymco
Kymco celebrated their debut at Motorcycle Live by unveiling the new SuperNex geared electric superbike.
Pictured above left is National Sales and Brand Manager, John Wilkinson, and right, Kymco UK Managing Director, Mark Hermolle just before pulling the covers off the groundbreaking new bike. You can read more about Kymco’s 2019 plans here.
Also at the show, you can ride an Xciting S 400 as road-tested by us recently. Kymco were also showing this blinged up version of the AK550 complete with Ixil exhaust and plenty of anodised goodies.
Peugeot Pulsion
Another scooter you should be seeing on SLUK early next year is the new 125cc Peugeot Pulsion (raised at the back of the stand), you can read more about that here.
BMW C 400 X
We’ve been asked a few times by readers to road test the BMW range of scooters and we hope to see to that in 2019. The Transformers inspired C 400 X is one at the top of our list
BMW C 400 X price: £6200
Watsonian
You couldn’t really miss this bright orange combo on the Watsonian stand. The renowned British sidecar manufacturer has been working with Carnaby Scooters on this Royal Alloy Grand Tourer 200 combo.
Royal Alloy and sidecar price: £10495 (show price £9999)
Suzuki Burgman 400
Not much new in the world of scooters from Suzuki but we’ll be giving the Burgman 400 a road test next year. Oladele covered the launch for us a while back so it’s time we took it out to play in the real world.
Suzuki Burgman 400 price: £6299
Retro is the new black
Look around the NEC and you’ll find loads of retro-inspired bikes taking the limelight. With scramblers and 1960-1980s bike fashions becoming the main focus for many leading brands. You can even get your haircut and beard waxed by the hipster barber on the Harley Davidson stand (above). One thing is for sure, if you’re a vintage scooter rider there will be more and more 21st Century new products to entice us to spend our money.
Below are a couple of our favourite items of riding kit from the show…
Shoei Ex-Zero: Price from £359-£413
What do you reckon to this new lid from Shoei? It’s a 1980s off-road inspired road helmet with integrated (virtually invisible) internal visor. You can als0 pop a visor on and it comes in some cool colours. The multi-composite shell comes in three sizes and can be further customised for the perfect fit. I like it.
Richa Bonneville jacket: Price £159.99
Retro is the future and like many companies, Richa have their own take on things. Like this waxed cotton jacket. With classic styling and material from the British Millerain® Company, it should look good and keep you dry and cool.
Want to visit the show?
Motorcycle Live runs until Sunday 25th November at the NEC in Birmingham. If you ride there parking is inside and free. If not it costs £16 to park a car. Tickets are £25, if you’re over 65 then they’re reduced to £15. Under 10’s go free, 11-16 costs just £1.
You can get all the details on what’s happening, all the live and interactive features and further details here.
Motorcycle Live gallery
New products always in development…
