Lambretta J StarWave Isn't A New Transformer, It's a Stylish Scooter

If you'd like a little space-age optimism in your scooter design, look no further than the latest from Lambretta, the J StarWave. Finished in a cool, ice-blue color scheme with sweet silver and chrome details and a cream-colored saddle, the lines are decidedly more Jetsons than those of a certain other classic scooter marques frequently mentioned in the same breath as the L-word.

Think less rounded and more rocketship, particularly the front of the leg shield, where the light, reflectors, and front fender all come together. The little 12-inch wheels are thoroughly modern in their styling, lending a certain sense of delicacy to the slab-sided design of the J StarWave. 

There's a clever use of both color and finish to add details that really pop in this design, all while breaking up the main color so it's not ever so much that it exhausts the eye as you gaze upon it. Even the model name badge on the leg shield reflects this idea, with the "J 125" or "J 200" in a gunmetal color and the "StarWave" underneath in a splashy, playful hue of red.

Likewise, the trim around the leg shield and the LED headlight bezel is a warm and gleaming matte silver, while the mirrors are chrome. Too much matte wouldn't work, and neither would too much chrome. But Lambretta's designers instead stood back and got the mix just right.

One bit that looks slightly unfinished, to my eye, is the saddle. The textured fabric of the cream-colored saddle is fine, and the stitching in the photos looks nice enough, but a well-placed bit of contrasting-color piping (even just white) could have really done a lot here to finish the look. Or even a sort of gunmetal gray, as used in actual metal around the leg shield, would have gone a long way. Clearly, though, that's a very minor nitpick.

If you're at EICMA, and you stop by the Lambretta stand, you'll see interchangeable graphics panels that can be swapped out on the J StarWave, done by Dutch artist Piet Linnebank. Part of the fun of this model is that Lambretta wants to play up both its playfulness and its easy customizability via plug-and-play swappable panels.

Two versions of the J StarWave will be available starting in June 2025, with pricing yet to be determined. 

Riders can choose from the J125, which uses a 124.6cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that makes a claimed 9 kilowatts (12 horsepower), or the J200, which uses a 174.5cc liquid-cooled single that makes a claimed 12.5 kW (16.76 hp). 

Both J StarWave variants are compliant with Euro 5+ standards, and have modern features including hydraulic rear shocks with five levels of preload adjustability, disc brakes at both ends, ABS, traction control, and LED lighting. You'll also find a USB charging socket on both scoots, as you'd probably hope in 2024.

What about a curb weight? Lambretta doesn't give one of those, instead listing a dry weight of 135 kilograms (297.6 pounds) for both versions of the J StarWave. However, since the fuel tank capacity is eight liters, which should weigh around 13.2 pounds, we can estimate the curb weight to be somewhere close to 310.8-ish pounds. That's not including engine oil or brake fluid, of course, but it's at least a little closer to what you can expect.