2006 Mersea Island Rally

The SIP Dyno challenge 2006

The weather was dry and sunny for the Friday start of the Mersea Island Scooter Rally 2006, but after a great night of entertainment, we awoke on Saturday to light rain and the threat of worse to come.

The boys from the Dynolab arrived and set up quickly, while I moved safety barriers into position and placed the sponsor’s banners. The SIP dyno challenge, supported by SIP Scootershop and Putoline oils, was ready for business.

The first scooter was on the Dyno shortly after 10am.  It was the first of  many 210cc Malossi kitted Vespas. This one made a healthy 17.5 bhp, which proved to be a fairly representative power output for the popular kit. In fact, six typical variations on the Malossi tune were tested with power output varying from 16.5 bhp to 19.7 bhp. There was one exception, which I will detail later.

A few T5’s were also put on the dyno: the most powerful being a 172ccm which made 16.5 bhp. Very respectable.

There were lots of autos tested this year, but they were not making such good power as in 2006, when the 30bhp limit was broken with ease. In fact, our winner was only the 9th machine tested. There were a number of Dragsters and Runners making power from 15.6bhp to our winner at 24.9bhp. The Gilera Nexus made a rather disappointing 28.9bhp, but the prize really had to go to the tuned Dragster owned by Gareth Bodsworth rather than the standard 460cc machine.

The Lambrettas were slow to take the SIP Dyno challenge. For the first couple of hours, very few made the effort. Perhaps, this means that Lambretta owners party harder and require more sleep! The 5th scooter tested turned out to be the most powerful Lambretta tested that day. With 26.1bhp, Dave Sutton had produced a very good 230cc TS1 scooter.

Dave’s power was beaten by one other Lambretta, which was John Balcomb’s group 4 racing scooter. While it was running, it made the most beautiful sound. This Rapido barrelled beast made a very healthy 28.7bhp, and then made some very unhealthy noises…. and stopped. Ouch. 

Other tuned Lambrettas made better figures than last year. Seven road Lambrettas made more than 20bhp (all TS1), and others also made good figures, like a Rapido that made 18.1bhp and a piston ported Wiseco 205 which topped out at 19.4bhp. Good work gentlemen!

At the other extreme, one Mugello 185 kit making good power through the curve, but only recording 12.2bhp. Another Rapido only made 11.9, the same as an Innocenti GP200.  It is surprising how much money people can spend on their scooters and make no improvement at all!

Also of note were a Zip 70 making 16.4bhp and a 1450cc Harley Davison that produced only 75bhp. There was a Fabrizi 145cc small frame Vespa that make more than 16bhp. A lot of work had gone into this little Vespa.

So by the end of the SIP dyno challenge, we tested 43 machines. We didn’t break any records, but we did find that the average power outputs of the scooters had risen. This might indicate that we are getting better at tuning our scooters, and keeping them together.

So the one detail I left out was the Vespa with the highest output. It was the GS160 owned by Koni Neumann, equipped with a water-cooled Malossi 220cc which made 28.1bhp.  You can always rely on the Germans to deliver the goods.

Thank-you Koni. Thank-you SIP Scootershop! You helped make a good event great.

Martin Leech
Colchester District Vespa & Lambretta Club

Images of Mersea Island Scooter Meeting