The reinvented Lambretta is a scooter I'd happily ride

AS A rule of thumb I don't really do bikes, but every so often I'll make an exception.

Especially if the bike - sorry, scooter - in question happens to be a bit of an Italian icon that seems to have slipped under the petrolhead radar until now. Maybe that's because this is Life On Cars and I'm not exactly known for leafing through Scootering while loitering in WH Smith, but even so this relaunched Lambretta looks very alluring!

I've always been a bit of a Mod at heart, even going so far as to own a Vespa in my student days, but Lambrettas have always had a bit of an elusive quality because they're rare, treasured by their owners and therefore almost always an expensive thing to purchase. In fact, with the original scooters going out of production in the early 1970s your only chance to own a new Lambretta lately has been by popping down to your nearest trendy clothes shop.

But now someone's finally cottoned on that Lambretta is a cool brand, which is why the reinvented versions apparently proven such a hit sinch its UK relaunch earlier this year. What they've produced is what surely must be to motorbikes what the MINI and Fiat 500 are to cars; timeless and achingly trendy styling matched to modern day mechanicals. Throw in 50cc and 125cc engines almost tailor-made to fit the UK's learner riders and you've got a very cool and surprisingly green way of getting to work.

It's almost enough to enough to tempt me back onto two wheels. Shame my garage is full...

For more information about the relaunched Lambretta scooter go to the company's website www.lambrettamotorcycles.com