Part 1)
I was sat in the office and welcomed to a customer saying we had a mutual friend ‘pond life Tim’ a biker mate of mine and he asked if I bought Lambretta’s and that he was from my village! Thats was strange theres only a couple of bikers in our village and no Scooters and I didn’t know him, then he said he’d just moved in, no wonder!
Of course with a straight face I asked what was it, he erred 1971, my ears pricked up and again with a straight face he said GP, again with a straight face ‘what cc’ then he said 200, again with a straight face hoping for that barn find he said he got it a few years ago and he’d bought it restored.
Argh not one for me then. But I arranged to walk the dog the next day and give it a once over. As we got talking in his garage full of motorbikes he said they we all his dads and ended up with them.
Whilst we were at it, I asked what was all the trophies on the shelf? Turned out he had been a British Kart champion and had raced David Coultard and Jonnie Herbert!
So that’s 3 British champions in our little Village – Me 4 times Kayak Slalom champion, Phil with 350/500cc British bike champion and now Steve a Kart champion.
We agreed I’d do him a favour and put the GP in our shop and put it up for sale for him.
This was an Italian GP200, an older restoration about 10 years ago from Cambridge area. Came to the UK in 2014 and registered then on a correct year 69 plate. Looking at the MOT tests its done around 50 miles in all that time. The engine number is only 66 apart to the frame. It looks all original but Ive not really had a good look. Cylinder is a Mugello, with 30mm Dellorto, AF Clubman and Indian electronic and that’s about all I know, engine was built by CamLam!
I wouldn’t say it was concours – but it’s nice and straight, the body work is excellent with perfect paint.
He’d like £9995, looking at GPs thats gone up for sale in similar condition in 2023 it could be a good price for someone who wants a perfectly straight Italian GP200.
He wasn’t desperate to sell, it was only getting sold as he doesn’t use it and it just sits under cover in the garage.
Any tyre kickers – well you’re up against MrB so don’t bother!
And that was the first post on our Facebook pages……….
Part2)
NOW I REMEMBER WHY I DONT BUY AND SELL SCOTERS
Comments on my FB pages were very good, all positive, like – wow what a nice bike, decent price etc.
But oh my god when I put it on the for sales sites – Jesus christ what is wrong with people? I truly don’t like most of the human race! They shouldn’t even be on this planet! Some thought I was a robbing bugger on crack, others trying to tell me my job, others saying it’s more than twice the price of what it should be. And it just went on and on.
Today I just ignore these people, I check to see if they are friends of mine and get rid and I check accounts and remove their discounts – I seriously can’t be bothered with these people.
But the good news was – I took a phone call from the original owner who regretted selling it and had tried to hunt it down. The deal was done and was to be collected the next weekend – that’s what I call a fairy tale happy ending!
So for the ones who said ‘I was dreaming’ the last laugh is on you – idiots.
All this and I did it as favour for a random bloke in my village.
Part3)
FOR SALE AGAIN….!!!!!!!! INNOCENTI GP200
Well you can’t make this SHIT up!
After last nights fairy tale wedding – the divorce came thick and fast.
Well this was going to leave the egg splattered all over my face and the black stuff will be dropped from a great height! And those knockers are going to be laughing until the end of their days!
The original owner asked the computer and she said no! So that was that the bike is back for sale!
I wanted to let people know it was sold to stop the phone calls and stop peoples disappointments. I really should have waited until it left the shop. Me and my big foot! It’s the same when interested people ask how the business is doing, every time I say ‘its manic and this and that’ – then the next day it’s dead! It happens every time – now I just say steady away and it stays steady away.
Last nights article was a lesson in why I don’t get involved in selling Scooters.
The lesson was – why I don’t go out of my way to help people! Ive had this attitude for years – if you want me and my services you know where I am – it is what it is and it costs what it costs. No favours and no discounts on labour! Don’t stress me as you can have your bike or parts back and any deposits paid – I can do without it. This usually finds those genuine people who want me, my services and my skills and everything is good!
There was nothing wrong with the bike, the problem was circumstances! There was hundreds of positive comments on price and quality of it. The bike is a straight as any genuine Gp200 can be. I wasn’t doing a big sell, I had done nothing to it, it wasn’t mine, I wasn’t making nothing on it, I was just helping a local who doesn’t know much about Lambrettas to sell his Scooter.
The price was £9995 – no swaps – no half price deals – no more tyre kickers – and no idiots with stupid comments!
You really couldn’t make this shit up – but you’ve got to laugh about it!
Part 4)
IT WAS FINALLY SOLD – BUT THERES ALWAYS A STORY…..
The fairy tale continued. Luke came to find me in the workshop to say a guy is wanting the red bike and wants the engine doing as well…..! He arranged to call back which he did and it ended up been Kev Percival boss.
Now I’ve been friends with Kev since he ran Rafferty Newman in the 80’s, he supplied me Lambretta parts and I made him Lambretta parts and as Rafferty Newman was Yamaha dealers I would rake their shelfs for pistons, con rods and reed valves and some of what I found in the 80’s are still used by people today.
If I remember well – Kev wanted a pay rise which he didn’t get so left to set up Allstyles with Gary. Later on I talked with Mr Rafferty who said Kevin was a victim of his own success and they couldn’t keep him.
So years into Allstyles Kev phoned very depressed and we talked for some time as he knew I’d gone through similar things previously. He said the stress and this job will kill me. The next phone call from him was I’ve sold my half and I’m off and off he did. And he disappeared to Beer in Devon to hide and become a ball headed beach bum hiring boats off the cobbled beach. But I did find him on a tour to Lands End for a coffee and yes he was on the beach hiring boats out.
Years later he headed home and got a job in an engineering company where the boss was a Lambretta nut and Kev’s been buying parts regularly off us ever since and is constantly building the bosses bikes and more! But as Kev knew me very well and the parts we made. He asked us to make parts for the engineering firm, it’s not massive but its grown over the years and we’ve had repeat orders and never had a comeback.
It’s nice to make parts out of Scootering, theres the interest and theres the satisfaction you can make parts to help others out – I guess it’s a little know secret that we make parts for lots of companies – some I can’t mention but are close to home in Scootering! People get in touch to make parts, we do then find out they set them to Scooter shops without the knowledge MB make them!
So there it was, the Red bike was sold and paid and going to an enthusiastic Lambretta collector who knows what he’s talking about.
Five minutes later a guy called in and started looking at it, it turns out he had made an offer to swap a BMW. Walking home I got a message from a good customer that Im always repairing casings and doing tuning who also wanted it and got way laid all day before he asked the question. Then then said he wanted the engine converting to a Race-Tour Reed! Oh some you win some you don’t.
Oh well it’s off to a good home and I’m sure I’ll not be hearing the last of it.
Any questions ask mark@mbscooters.co.uk
