First appearing as a brand name in 1947, the iconic Lambretta scooter was manufactured by the famous Italian scaffolding company, Innocenti, after the Italian government announced it was to provide grants to any company who could “mobilise Italy”.
Innocenti used their scaffolding experience to build a scooter with a “spine” in direct competition with their main competitors, Piaggio, who used a monocoque construction to build the Vespa scooter.
By the start of the 1960’s, the Lambretta scooter had already established itself as the market leading manufacturer into the UK (although the Vespa was the clear winner in its home territory).
It had evolved from being a utilitarian open frame model with the Model A of 1947 to the ultra modern Series III range which was a very elegantly styled full enclosed machine with aesthetically pleasing angled panel work reminiscent of the luxury cars of the period.
The range featured a sporting model, the TV 175 which featured the first production disc brake of any motorcycle and a 175cc engine capable of 62mph. In the UK, Lambretta Concessionaires were getting requests for yet more power, so Innocenti agreed to produce the TV200 (known as the GT200 in the UK) for the UK market only to satisfy demand.
In 1966, Innocenti finally realised how successful the GT200 had been and chose to produce the SX200 for all markets which is the model we have for sale here from our vendor.
The SX200 is arguably the prettiest Lambretta ever built, with Innocenti having gone to town on the side panel styling above any other Lambretta model. It featured a more refined 200cc engine than the GT200, losing a little top end speed for reliability and smoothness.
It retained its Campagnolo inboard disc brake and was the only Lambretta offered with a red seat from standard.
The SX200 is regarded as the finest motor scooter ever built by many hardcore enthusiasts and to this day still looks modern due to the fantastic styling.
The Lambretta SX200 that is for sale here is a 1968 machine which is one of the later SX200’s built before production switched to the GP model in 1969.
Not a huge deal is known about the history of the machine prior to it’s arrival in the UK, as it was an original Italian market machine and we can only imagine was found within the last couple of years due to the dating certificate from the British Lambretta Archive being dated from May 2021.
The machine has evidently been subject to a serious, recent restoration given the condition it appears in using top quality remade components and has fortunately been painted in it’s stunning original Bianco Nuovo with a red covered original Giuliari seat.
The vendor won the SX200 in a recent online raffle competition and was lucky enough to become the owner, but although he is a long term scooterist, he has since decided it is not for him and as a result has chosen to move it on.
Due to being an Italian import, there is not a great deal of paperwork that actually comes with the bike apart from a UK V5 and a recent dating certificate from when it was registered in the UK.
Having had a recent restoration, the paintwork appears in utterly stunning condition with only a few very minor blemishes that are hardly noticeable such as a scratch on the air scoop under the seat from the seat springs touching.
All of the plastics and rubbers are high quality remade replacements and the chrome and alloy work is smarty presented in a highly polished state with no pitting or corrosion noticeable.
The vendor informs us that at least (most) of the panel work are the original Innocenti bits which really makes a difference and everything seems to fit well from the headset top and bottom (they are matched pairs) through to the gaps around the side panels and rear running boards.
Unlike many Lambretta restorations, everything is painted as it should be with no cheap stainless steel parts appearing anywhere and if the original part wasn’t available, high quality replacements were fitted.
Unfortunately, the original ignition switch has been replaced (although for a high quality remade item) and the original SX200 kickstart lever has been swapped out for a remade item at some point.
Having been subject to a comprehensive restoration, the scooter doesn’t leave much to be done and starts up well and idles with a steady pace that begs to be ridden.
The engine casings have been vapour blasted making it look incredibly smart, which makes it obvious the engine has been fully rebuilt with all new bearings and seals and has a Scootopia 22mm Carburettor (a high quality remake of an original Dell-Orto) fitted which is about as good as it gets!
It has a nice original style exhaust fitted with the correct Innocenti stamping on the box which gives it a nice, standard look.
The ignition system has been upgraded to a 12 Volt Electronic Ignition item to help with both the running and also with the lighting on those dark nights.
The suspension and brakes appear to all be in fine fettle with it stopping up well and most of the suspension components renewed during the restoration.
Whether you are a serious Lambretta collector or someone looking for your first opportunity to enter the Lambretta world and want to go straight to one of the most iconic and investable models, you can’t go much better than this SX200 which is ready to go.
With dedicated scooter events up and down the country and a huge amount of resource available both in terms of knowledge available and spare parts, you could win yourself the opportunity to become a true enthusiast with a machine to be proud of and a whole new scooter life ahead of you!
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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1968 Lambretta SX200
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