Anyone with a love of classic scooters will know the Zündapp Bella as one of the most popular and best selling non-Vespa/Lambretta scooters of the last century.
Currently however there are moves to try to bring the name back on – you’ve guessed it – some Chinese scooters.
Dressed Up
As usual there’s been no regard for heritage, or any special technology to speak of. Underneath the new Bella and Bella R scooters are your run-of-the-mill air-cooled 4-stroke Chinese scooters in 50cc or 125cc capacities.
Presumably, since these are freshly advertised on the German market, these will conform to Euro-4 spec in both emissions and having linked brakes.
Model | Bella 125 R | Bella 50 R | |
Motor: | |||
Motor | 1 cylinder 4-stroke EFI | 1 cylinder 4-stroke | |
Cooling | Air | ||
Capacity | 124,5 cm3 | 49,6 cm3 | |
Power KW/PS | To follow | 2,23 / 3,03 | |
Speed | Approx 95 km/h | 45 / 25 km/h | |
Zündung | CDI | ||
Starter | Electric | Electric / Kickstarter | |
Getriebe | CVT Automatic | ||
Frame/body | |||
Paint | petrol metallic | ||
Frame | Steel | ||
Front suspension | Telescopic | ||
Rear suspension | Single rear shock | ||
Front Brake | Disc with CBS system | Disc | |
Rear Brake | Disc | Drum | |
Front Tyre | 110/70-12 |
| |
Rear Tyre | 120/70-12 | ||
Wheels | Alloy | ||
Maße/Gewichte: |
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| |||
Width | 770 | ||
Length | 1195 | ||
Seatheight | 790 mm | ||
Wheelbase | 1398 | ||
Weight | 108 kg (100 kg 50cc) | ||
Fuel capacity | 6 ltr |
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Doppelganger
Perhaps of more interest is not the use of the Zündapp badge, or the revival of the Bella name, but how much the Bella R looks like a Vespa. Or more specifically how much it looks like a cross between the elite Vespa 946 and the current production Vespa Sprint.
There is no point beating around the bush, this is a low-spec Chinese scooter dressed to look like the latest Vespa models. But, I have to admit, they’ve done such a good job of “taking inspiration” from Piaggio that the ‘Bella R’ does look rather sweet.
Ironically, MotoGB, who set tongues wagging in the scooter world with their plans for Royalloy (brand name may change), also threatened to release a future model with “Vespa-like” styling. Now I wonder…
Zündapp in the UK?
It’s not too likely that we’ll see Zündapp launched as a brand in Britain very soon. In fact we understand that there are still a few legal wrangles over the use of the name to sort out in Germany.
The company behind the current proposal is the Karcher Group, the German importers for scooter brands Scomadi, as well as Keeway and Benelli.
Much more likely is that we’ll get these models rebadged under another brand depending on who wins the scrabble to import and re-sticker them.
Badge Engineering
‘Badge-engineering’ is an ugly business destined only for those in a race to the bottom. It is essentially one company selling a scooter with one name, while another company sells essentially the same vehicle in different colours with a different badge, sometimes at a different price.
Triumph and BSA tried it in the 50s with their Tigress/Sunbeam scooters and it was a failure. All badge engineering does is confuse the customer, erodes brand loyalty and promotes people buying solely on price and not on quality.
But that’s the world we are in…
Sticky
Spot the difference?
Seems unlikely that there’ll be many in the market for a 125 or 50cc scoot who will remember the Zundapp or Bella names, so what’s the benefit besides not having to dream up new names?
Have to say though the styling is an improvement on the old one… 🙂
The Chinese produce an even more direct clone of the 946 for the Asian and domestic market. Complete with cantilevered seat. This Vespa ripoff surely is too close to an existing Piaggio
product to be allowed on the market here in Europe? I hope Piaggio stomp on it.
Unfortunately, the public will not understand or perhaps care that buying in to this undermines European and domestic trade.
Chinese state sponsored industrial espionage.
During the Cold War, the Soviets used to ripoff western military technology by stealing blueprints and reverse engineering. Saving tens of millions plus on Research and Development costs and then rub salt in the wound by showing these clones at airshows.
When I was in the forces the RAF used the old VC 10 to fly us from base
…….the Il 62 was a Russian clone that the soviets built loads of. Same strategy. Undermine and let your opponent expend the energy. Chinese business people all have a copy of Tsun Tzu’s Art of War as their bible.
I am glad Scomadi now will be built in Thailand. I would buy a 400 with a clear conscience.
PS
Range Rover ripoffs….
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2864799/The-great-Chinese-fakeaway-China-s-ripping-iconic-designs-flogging-fraction-price.html
i like the old model alot better and a bigger engine like 325 or 375 cc engine, also i know people is going electric but i still like alot better. let me know i am interested in purchasing one. my email is flbacan@aol.com and my name is fernando leyva,i live in montana usa