Comments on: New York Police Scooters, Vespa and Lambretta.

By: appleworks1430@gmail.com

appleworks1430@gmail.com — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:56:24 +0000

I used to work for International Sportcycles when I was still a teenager picking up and delivering police scooters with a beat up checvy pick up. The cops would always make fun of my boss because they were not to happy with the mayor.
I didnt realize I was transporting such fabulous machinery at the time…boy I used to get stopped by the cops all the time, when they saw a long haired hippie driving a pick up with police scooters…those were the days

By: Chrisdikolis

Chrisdikolis — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:49:27 +0000

For Marco…sorry a little late but still….:

http://www.scootitude.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/vespa-180ss-police.jpg

By: siobhanellis

siobhanellis — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:45:44 +0000

I have an official newsletter from Lambretta Concessionaires detailing the differences, including part numbers… if interested.

By: GP200

GP200 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:28:51 +0000

BBC Motion Gallery: New York Police scooters
http://www.bbcmotiongallery.com/gallery/clip/1B16750_0027.do

By: felipe

felipe — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:34:52 +0000

Well,
Almost done with my 67 NYC PD Lambretta. Took a while to get a lot of the info but almost there.
Had almost finished painting the bike when I came upon the odd frame # with the SX motor and headlight. Decided to invest the time and money into bringing it back. Spent three days at the NYCPD Museum archives going through all kinds of magazines from the 60′s and beginning of 70′s. Got some pretty cool articles scanned from when they first did their debut and I was able to start putting things together. Pretty interesting. 1964′s NYCPD Annual report shows no scooters bought. ’65 shows 59, ’66 shows 30 added, ’67 shows 209 added, ’68 shows 300 added (this year is when the lambrettas start appearing in the articles), ’69 no addition, and nothing from then on. Did not go into the 70′s for it was not my interest of Servettas.

The color was more difficult. I knew the white came from the factory. But the green was the same used from the Police vehicles in the 60′s. Plenty phone calls to get the paint code for the green. I was even told to get permission from the Chief (the man carries two bodyguards at all times. How do you ask him for a paint code?)A couple of visits to their repair station in Woodside and someone (asked to not disclose who) was kind enough to have the guys paint a piece of a hood with some left over paint from the restoration of the ford now in the museum. Thanks to the scans and plenty of pics, I was able to replicate the font and size of the vinyl decals (PD, vehicle #, “POLICE”). I am waiting for those to slap them on.

There were two holes in the top of the right side panel I had no idea what they were for. Going through articles I came up to one where one of the technicians from the NYPD had “engineered a device” to support the batons. Basically a piece of leather wrapped around and held with either screws or rivets. There is a cool pic of an officer arresting someone and the right side of the lambretta in the foreground with the label “POLICE” in focus and the baton resting on its holder. I was lucky enough to find an antique dealer in Queens who happened to have an original 1960′s NYCPD baton exactly like the one on the pic. Most of the black lacquer still on and the leather braid intact. This weekend I’m putting it on.

Just left looking for an original windshield (pretty much all the pics show one)or find a way to replicate it. Can’t be too hard. Good enough pics to show how they were made. And, an original tire holder. The one that wraps around the wheel. I have the one where the spare screws onto.

Haven’t been good about taking progress pics. Eventually I would like to post all these info for those who are attempting it as well. I may need to check with the museum about letting me post them though. They were pretty adamant about publishing the material. Is putting them up on a forum publishing?

Keep you informed.

By: Marco

Marco — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:25:14 +0000

Megadivers, please post a picture of you fabulous vespa 180 rally!!!

By: chrisdikolis

chrisdikolis — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:07:13 +0000

we at scootart in Montreal Canada restored 3 180SS used by Montreal Police during expo ’67 2 of them were sold to private collectors in France…and the third one is still in our shop to show off!!

By: joe_price

joe_price — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:41:20 +0000

I have two 1977 Sprint Veloce Police scooter frames. I’ve had a real hard time finding original pictures for reference.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/randomtone/scooter/P1010019.jpg
Note the spare tire holder that holds the tire around the tail light and license plate.

By: jmcdonald

jmcdonald — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:38:14 +0000

I have a 1979 Vespa P200E used by the Savannah Georgia Police Department from 1979 to 1984 it has 2,000 miles on it in the process of rebuilding will back on the road soon

By: Megadivers

Megadivers — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:43:56 +0000

I have one of 8 original 1972 Vespa Rally 180s that the US Park Police used back in the early 70′s. If anyone has any info on these scooters or pictures,etc. I would be very interested. Very interesting story about the NYPD scooters.