I hate to admit it, but I used to be a scooter snob. Having been surrounded by performance-oriented machines for nearly all my life, I just didn't get the appeal of a scooter other than a boring appliance dedicated solely to transporting yourself from A-to-B. This all changed when I got my hands on a peachy little Vespa LT 125V. These days I can't help but be drawn to vintage and classic-styled scooters.
Even modern-day scooters designed to look and feel old carry loads of character. Vespa continues to innovate by releasing newer, more innovative models, while staying true to their minimalist classic styling. Lambretta, although now seeing production over in Taiwan, has done a good job in preserving its overall character, and bringing it into the modern age. Now, we all know that Vespa and Lambretta have decades-long history, and a rich heritage that has made the two names among the most popular scooters in motorcycling history. But what about new players in the game?
You may not have heard of them, but a British-owned brand, Royal Alloy, has been making its presence felt, not just in the UK, but in Asia as well. Now available in countries like Malaysia and the Philippines, Royal Alloy scooters bear an uncanny resemblance to those of the two Italians. Upon deeper digging, we find that Royal Alloy Scooters, although British-owned, are actually manufactured in China and Thailand. This has enabled the fledgling company to offer its scooters at competitive price points while packing them with quite a few decent features.
Royal Alloy boasts three scooter ranges on its website: the GT, GP, and TG. All of which feature the classic Italian-styled bodywork synonymous with retro scooters. The company offers these scooters in a broad range of displacements too, ranging from 50cc, 125cc, 150cc, 180cc, and 200cc four-stroke engines. The company even has a range-topping GP300 scooter meant to rival the Vespa GTS 300. Now whether or not Royal Alloy's machines can hold their own against its more established counterparts remains to be seen. However, it is interesting to note that new manufacturers are going the classic route even when it comes to scooters.
You Can't Go Wrong With An Italian Scooter:
Sources: BikeDekho, 2 Wheels London