Roger looking chipper in Chipperfield, Herts with his MK1 GS160
This feature was originally printed in the 2019 winter JOURNAL (No.81). I'm duplicating it here on the VVC website News Page but with added photos supplied by Roger that I couldn't squeeze into the magazine due to space restrictions..
Reminiscing with ‘Mr Fantastic’ - Roger Knott
“It was the summer of ’63, as a 15 year old schoolboy I started to take an interest in scooters, Vespas and Lambrettas alike and saw them being ridden around my neighbourhood. Oh! The sound and smell, I was smitten. My local motorcycle and scooter dealer was Slocombes of Neasden, North West London and was very well stocked with BSAs, Hondas, Triumphs, Ariels etc. Also in the showroom were Vespas and Lambrettas, which were the ones I was most interested in, they really caught my eye. Amongst their stock of Vespas were Sportiques and GS160s, Lambrettas included TV175 and TV200s. It was all the scooters that I really drooled over; sadly there was no way as a schoolboy I could afford the £200 price tag. It was an impossible dream; after all I only had a paper round and it would take an awful lot of those! I couldn’t wait for November 1963 when I would be 16; that magical moment when I would receive my provisional licence to ride any motorcycle up to 250cc on ‘L’ plates. Eventually I obtained a 1955 Lambretta LD150 from a school friend of mine. I was able to use it backwards and forwards from school and was the envy of all my friends. Early in 1964 I took my motorcycle test and passed first time; I felt very proud, the bee’s knees; no CBT or practical tests to worry about.
A youthful looking Roger with best man, Michael on Lambretta LD150
A friend of mine at that time bought a GS160 MK1 was I envious, you bet! At this time I visited the local Army and Navy surplus stores to buy the obligatory MA51 parka, dating back to the Korean War, it cost me thirty bob! It’s now considered a collectable item and I still have it, albeit slightly more delicate, complete with original patched repairs. Summer ’64, exams all finished and school over – hurrah!! I took an entrance exam for an apprenticeship as a G.P.O engineer in September. More and more scooters were being seen and all makes. Someone in my locality had a GS160 dressed up with all the Mod accessories of the time. As a 16 year old I thought it was fantastic. Jealously wasn’t in it. I turned a deep shade of green. One year later in 1965, now aged 17; I started car driving lessons and passed in March. I couldn’t afford a car on my wages, so I bought another scooter – a Lambretta TV175 Series 1. I enjoyed that scooter until I had enough money to buy my first car.
Roger’s Lambretta Series 1 TV175
Roger on Lambretta Series 2 TV175
Family transport - the same Series 2 TV175 now fitted with Bambini sidecar.
I still enjoyed the scooter scene as some of my mates still had scooters and I was able to ride pillion with them. I met Ingrid about this time (now my wife of 47 years) and enjoyed my car. In 1967 I finished my 3 year apprenticeship and whilst working the following year, installing a telephone line at a breakers yard, I saw something amazing. Leaning against the fence was a 1958 GS150 VS4, got to have that I thought! I found the attendant and did the deal. It cost me the amazing sum of… £5 (a lot of money in those days but a real bargain in today’s money) and pushed it home about a mile but I was happy, you bet! I repaired it, hand painted it red and got it MOT’d. Fantastic - great to be back on 2 wheels!
Roger getting his hands dirty with GS150 VS4..
..painted VS4..
..and again, 3/4 view engine side..
..GS150 VS4 together with Ser II Lambretta TV175 - thanks to Alan Springall for scanning Roger’s slides of the VS4 ; )
Moving on to 2001, after marriage and 3 children and having sold my collection of about 10 scooters to finance a house purchase, I bought my current GS160, YSL 959. It needed finishing so I did a deal with the seller and paid him the princely sum of £1500, this time I brought it home in the back of my Volvo estate. It had been painted silver, so off to the paint shop before returning a beautiful, gleaming white. I reassembled it and have used it ever since, on VVC rallies in particular. I put it on a trailer on the back of my camper van and Ingrid and I drove to Turin for our first ever Eurovespa rally in 2006. What a fantastic time we had, such happy memories. We have been on many VVC rallies ever since: Lake District, Derby, Minehead, Pulborough, Essex and several to Northern France to name but a few. This year we were privileged to be asked to help organize the rally to North Wales. It makes one appreciate all the hard work involved but was very rewarding. We had a fantastic time with the many good friends we have made over the years.
P.S. I still continue to admire the beautiful shape of the GS models.”
Roger’s current Ser II TV175 - still a fan of both Italian marques but we know him more for his GS…
Roger photographed at home in his workshop with his familiar GS160 - September 2019