Lambretta Model 125-150 Li Series 2

LAMBRETTA MODEL 125-150 Li SERIES 2 HISTORY

Just a few days before the beginning of the 1959 Salone del Motociclo in Milan, Innocenti previewed the second series of the Lambretta LI in the nearby showrooms of the Minetti agency. The redone look of the LI followed in the footsteps of the already-introduced TV series II, and focused principally on the shifting of the front headlamp from the horn cover to the handlebars, so it would turn with the wheel and make driving at night much safer.

To conform to the new Italian vehicular laws, the second series of the LI improved the stopping power of the foot brake pedal. At this point as well, the odometer was made standard on both the 125cc and 150cc models.

A few mechanical improvements were made to the engine notably the piston being modified, so it would start more easily when cold and cut down on wear and tear. The connecting rod adopted a new system of enclose tubular rollers on the top and bottom.

With these small but important changes, the Lambretta LI Series II could easily run on an oil-to-gas mixture of only two percent oil. But to avoid making a fool of yourself with a broken-down scooter, Innocenti recommended a hefty five percent oil-to-gas mix. Only after several months of testing did Innocenti tell its dealers that the Lambretta could easily run on only two percent oil without any problems arising. This created a problem with the dealers of the first LI Series II and the reissue of this model since they were put in the embarrassing position of not knowing exactly what the correct oil-gas mix was supposed to be.

During 1960, the rear light was enlarged and made brighter and the horn was made louder. In 1961, the attachment of the air filter was simplified by mounting a double steel spring. Once again, the finishing touches on the two-sized scooters varied, but this time the only difference was that the 125cc version had a single seat.

With more than 270,000 of the Lambretta LI Series II built, a new production record was set. The assembly line at Innocenti now put out 74 new scooters per hour.

Apart from regular production, Innocenti prepared parts that would be shipped to India, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina where they would be assembled by Innocenti factories there.