Scooter Review Bolwell Retro 50 Think Naples, think Dean Martin, think Jive
Photography by JEREMY BOWDLER Brother you can’t find a nicer occupation, give it a whirl, give it a try, Just standing on the corner, watching all the girls go by... If Dean Martin rode a scooter, 10 to one it’d be a Jive. It has the smooth lines one of the world’s great crooners, more than enough style to sink a ship and it gets a bit wobbly when it goes too far...
One of the newest releases from the Bolwell stable, the Jive is that retro rarity, a scooter that not only looks, but feels, classic. It’s tiny, of course. After all, it is a 50 and a back to basics one at that, but at the same time, it lacks nothing. The package is just right.
The small two-stroke, in derestricted form propels the Jive to an indicated 75km/h on the flat with 80 possible downhill. That’s more than enough for most urban applications and about as fast as you’d want to go on the Jive which, with its small wheels and narrow tyres can feel a little loose at times.
 To be fair, it’s better than the scooters of old it emulates and is never unnerving; it’s more a reflection of the designer’s take on the retro theme. The suspension is adequate, but not overly complex, while the drum brakes (these days a rarity, especially on the front wheel) do the job, but fade a bit under hard use. Just like the old days.
The Jive does, however, have most of the up to date conveniences we have come to expect from modern scooters, such as a separate two-stroke oil tank (so no messy pre-mix is necessary), a glovebox and under-seat storage all wrapped up in tasty two-tone black and silver, or just plain black. The ‘bars, headlight and twin instrument binnacles are merely the icing on the top.
So, if you’re too young to have lived through the Roman Holiday era, or if you just want to rekindle the flame, you can’t beat the Jive. Memories are made of
As published in TW SCOOTER MAGAZINE - 27/10/2003
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