Ha ha ha, nice one! 
No, not at all!
To be fair nobody here would have a clue what it should be and as long as you are not riding as a 16 year old learner on L-plates I doubt very much is anyone would care!
In fact, that is the only possible circumstance when I think that it could be a problem...
Thanks!
The photo doesn't really do it justice, but it's a great bike!
The hand-shift is backwards to Vespa and Lambretta of course, which takes a little getting used to 
Hi,
Thanks for the advice again, I'll definitely try to get it back on the road and have a look at the electrics frist.
Anything above that I'll send it home for a rebuild - I've a large collection of special tools for Vespa's which have only been needed once!
That's also for cutting me a little slack on my capacity increase question, as you quite rightly say, the main point is to get it back out on the road!
I'll try to post a before and after pic, but it might have to wait until I'm home for that one...
Thanks for all the good advice, it's been very much appreciated!
Dunc'
Hi,
I've been riding Italian scooters since the mid-1980's and first saw a Schwalbe in Bielefeld when I was visiting Sandra, my girlfriend.
I really liked the look of the Schwalbe, and before she moved to the UK, Sandy bought and restored mine for me as a present - she was a scenic painter in the theatre, so the standard of the restoration is very good.
The Schwalbe made the move to the UK last year in a van, and I've taken it to a few local scooter events where it's been really popular.
Riding it always brings a smile to my face, and I'll try to solve my problem here first, but failing that I could still do with a suggestion on where to take it for a rebuild near Stuttgart.....
Hi Stöpsel,
Ok, no worries - I was thinking more of a larger "standard" capacity top end than any radical changes, but a 50cc scooter on English roads isn't very safe and I would rather ride it than keep it in the garage and look at it now and again.
The bike always draws a crowd over here because it has had a lot of time and effort spent on it since we bought it - it was in a very sorry and unloved condition.
This has included a complete respray and a handmade custom seat, not to mention new cables, wheels, etc etc etc and a new home in a carpeted garage....
ok, brilliant, thanks.
My Girlfriend is German, so we're over there quite often.
I'll try the electrical parts (HT lead, spark-plug cap. capacitor and points) and hope for the best.
If it's going "home" for surgery it might get a little money spend on making it a little more practical (faster) too.
Any recommendations on a good Schwalbeschrauber around Stuttgart (or wherever) and a good set-up for this motor - bigger capacity to-end, expansion chamber (auspuff) etc?
Aha - another Schwalbe rider over here!
Hi,
If the bike is registered in the UK as a 50cc bike it is limited to 30mph, if not, crack-on!
Looks like a day in the garage with Sandra translating for me.....
Do I need and special tools - crank-puller etc?
Hi,
Thanks for the quick answers...
No (excessive) smoke when ticking over, but my girlfriend says that it was smoking while I was riding it on Sunday, and I was treating it gently.
How hard are the seals to change?
I'm pretty experienced when it comes to Italian scooters, but getting oily with the Schwalbe will be an adventure - especially as my only source of reference is Das Schwalbe Buch which I can't read!!!!
Hi,
I've got a 1975 KR51/1 which is a very rare sight over here and gets more attention than my liquid-cooled 221cc Vespa when I ride it to scooter rallies!
However, when it gets warm, the engine starts to lose power and cut out.
This normally happens when I stop in traffic, but it has also started to die while riding along.
I've checked and changed the plug, and I guess the spark plug cap and HT lead are next, but after that.......?
I had changed the carburetor recently but re-fitted the original one because I could not get it to idle with the new one on, and the engine is completely standard as far as I know.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Welcome!
We hat some english-speaking users in the past, so that's not a problem. Just open an own thread, and we'll answer your questions.
Best regards
Ralf
Thanks Ralf, much appreciated.
Hello from England.
Sorry for posting in English, but I'm an English scooterist, with amongst other things a restored (by my girlfriend) Schwalbe KR51/1 which is a pretty rare machine over here.
Unfortunately parts are nearly impossible to get except by mail order, and technical advice is pretty hard to find too, so hopefully you can help me out with a couple of "issues"....if you don't mind answering in Engish too!
Thanks
