Friday 3 November 2023

407cc / 88-hp 1958 Vespa Drag Racer! – BikeBound


Photograph: @annagphotography

Two-Stroke Scooter Racing with Rocket Race Membership… 

Whereas our focus right here at BikeBound may be bikes, we’ve a tender spot for simply something with two wheels — particularly if it’s quick. In our protection of this 12 months’s Glemseck 101, we seen a whole lot of tuned scooters making runs on the 1/8-mile observe.

We are able to’t say we have been overly till we heard from our buddy Kris Szews of Rocket Race Membership, who described the machines for us:

“We had some fairly mad classic two stroke Vespas and Lambrettas racing at Rocket Race Membership this 12 months… The craziest one indisputably being a 1958 mannequin with 407cc and 88 bhp at 80kg. Did a present race towards a GSXR after it had received the scooter class and almost obtained the bike too!”

Vespa Drag Scooters
Photograph: @annagphotography

 

Multiple horsepower per kilogram? Now we’re speaking! Kris says the tuning and racing scene with highly-modified two-stroke Vespas and Lambrettas has turn into huge in Europe, particularly in Italy and Germany.

88-hp Vespa engine. Photograph: See You Company

There’s a company for circuit racing and one other one for dash (drag) racing. Says Kris:

“Each disciplines are taken very significantly and are fairly aggressive. Tuning these classic scooters with out the likes of turbos and NOS is most well-liked, as a result of it’s more durable and requires extra talent.”

Vespa Drag Scooters
Photograph: @annagphotography

Whereas a number of the scooter tuning retailers have exhibited at occasions like Bikers’ Competition and Glemseck 101, this was the primary 12 months they have been available to race. Phil and Kris of Rocket Race Membership really invited a few of them as their visitors to Bikers’ Competition.

“Six of them arrived and proved to be equivalent in mindset because the bike guys and we obtained on from the primary second. Nice guys and completely mad machines! They delivered an unimaginable present in Spa, even successful a number of the enjoyable runs we did towards bikes!”

Vespa Drag Scooters
Bikers’ Competition 2023, Spa. Pictures: @marc.holstein @myeyesbychristine

Quick ahead to Glemseck in September, and the scooters obtained a correct 30-minute racing slot on Sunday and didn’t fail to impress. Says Kris:

“These machines are such underdogs, so the crowds have been very shocked to see how they carried out…particularly the likes of Jesco and his 88-hp rat that received the race in Glemseck.”

Vespa Drag Scooters
Photograph: @annagphotography

Rocket Race Membership’s scooter class is named “Rock’t Curler,” and immediately we’re thrilled to characteristic that high-powered Vespa from Jesco Schmidt of Germany’s SIP Scootershop — one of many world’s go-to retailers for tuning components and extra.

“Jesco is what I prefer to name a tech wizard at SIP. He’s been constructing extraordinarily highly effective and strong race engines for numerous years and is among the founders of the DBM (German Dash Championship for Classic Scooters). He does tech movies on their Youtube channel regarding new components, tech rationalization vids, {custom} workshop visits, occasion experiences, and so on.” -Kris Szews, Rocket Race Membership

Jesco at high heart! Photograph: See You Company

Jesco has been tuning and customizing scooters for greater than 30 years, with a major deal with drag racing. He used to construct and tune race engines for patrons by way of his personal workshop, Jesco Motors, however he now works as a product supervisor for SIP Scootershop.

VNA Studios

His ’58 Vespa is extremely modified, that includes a stretched, lowered, and braced body with elevated rake and higher geometry for going quick in a straight line. Then there’s the engine. The 407cc two-stroke ends in some fairly mind-blowing numbers, contemplating the machine began life as a fundamental commuter for attending to the café and again.

“82 HP on the wheel, 88 HP at clutch, 81 Kilos (181 with driver 😉).”

VNA Studios

Not surprisingly, this Rock’t Racer took dwelling the win at Glemseck, and we’re trying ahead to seeing extra race scooters in motion in 2024 with Rocket Race Membership. Beneath, we discuss to Jesco for extra particulars and video about his 88-hp Vespa drag scooter.

Are you interested by sponsoring the Rocket Race Membership sequence? If that’s the case, contact [email protected].

Vespa Dash Scooter: Racer Interview

Photograph: Abgedreht
• Please inform us a bit about your self, your historical past with bikes, and your workshop.

Hello, my identify is Jesco Schmidt. I’ve been into scooter tuning and customizing since 1990. My most necessary and major enterprise is drag racing. Beneath “Jesco Motors,” I used to be constructing tuning and race engines for patrons. Now I work for the world-leading retailer for traditional scooter components “SIP Scootershop” as a product supervisor. We even have a YouTube channel, the place I current workshops from the scooter scene, technics, occasions, merchandise and likewise {custom} scooters: www.youtube.com/@SIPScootershopTV.

Photograph: Abgedreht
• What’s the make, mannequin, and 12 months of the donor bike?

Vespa VNA 1958.

Photo: Abgedreht Productions
Photograph: Abgedreht
• For what class of racing was the bike constructed?

It was constructed to have enjoyable wherever doable.

Photograph: Abgedreht
• What {custom} work/upgrades have been executed?

The body was prolonged by roughly 21 cm. The pinnacle tube and the body have been divided horizontally and lowered by 10cm. The body was strengthened, the handlebars have been dropped. The steering head angle and caster have been elevated.

407cc cylinder, particular casing, gearbox, carb, consumption, and one off exhaust.

Photo: Abgedreht Productions
Photograph: Abgedreht
• Any concept of horsepower, weight, and/or efficiency numbers?

82 HP on the wheel, 88 HP at clutch, 81 Kilos (181 with driver 😉).

Photograph: Abgedreht
• Are you able to inform us what it’s prefer to experience/race this bike?

Largely enjoyable, generally concern…

• Anyone you’d prefer to thank?

Assist with welding steel sheets by Basti Attenberger and Jürgen Posch.

VNA Studios

Engine Construct Video: 407cc Vespa

Video constructing the engine:

Scooter Drag Races: Glemseck 101

Comply with Rocket Race Membership & Organizers

Rocket Race Membership | @rocket.race.membership | Fb
Rennstall Moto | @rennstall_moto | Fb
Man and the Machines | @manandthemachines | Fb
Kraftstoffschmiede

Images Credit

Spa: @marc.holstein (www.marcholsteinphotos.com) x @myeyesbychristine (christinegablerphotos.com)
Glemseck 101: @annagphotography
Glemseck 101: @claudefischer (see-you.company)
Studio Photographs: ab-gedreht.de (@abgedreht_gmbh)

Are you interested by sponsoring the Rocket Race Membership sequence? If that’s the case, contact [email protected].

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