Yeah I’m aware of the transition from Mods to scooterists I know a couple who were Skinheads BITD. It’s just of the mods I knew they invariably had to carry an AA card and lots of spark plugs to get any where. I still have the memory of Bank holidays riding/driving and seeing large groups of blokes in fishtail parkas hunched over a scooter and that has stuck.
It may as well have been, the picture was of his fist disappearing into another guys face. I'm not sure if he was a mod or a rocker but he was definately a thug.
This is all pre digital camera days. I only have the following to hand. My 1970 GP200 Special X Type AF Rayspeed 250 in Blue/Purple metalflake. Its still in its 250 trim here. I altered it after it seized for the last time. The piston was from a bultaco with only 1 ring. The cylinder bore was wafer thin. I redid the engine in its entirity to a full TS1 225, which was an Al cyl nicisil lined and reed valved. Jap rods, bearings, big ends and crank. 34mm amal mag pj, michek exhaust (which would fire out its baffles on occasion like a mortar) ported to fuckery and gas flowed. 6 fuck off springs on clutch, everything inside was upgraded and strengthened. I got 96mph out of it on A2. But it would merrily do 80mph all day long (baffles permitting) I also hydrauliced teh front disc brake. It ran 25:1 oil mix. I stunk of silkolene. Circa 1985-86ish Bald head with atop knot. Psychobilly type quiff down. Proper red dm's when they were rare as rockinghorse shit and only avail from Shelleys Deptford. paddy smiths as patches on my levis. Ive still got a wad of those paddy smiths. 15 earings in left, 12 in right, 3 in nose. Wharra c*nt.
A week later I was doing 1 week in Pentonville for not paying my fines for - no insurance, no tax, no mot, no license on umpteen occassions and umpteen reattendances to court for failures to pay. £900. 3 weeks after release I was doing 2 weeks in wandsworth for riding on a ban. Thatchers Britain. Imprisoned for Lambretta related offences.
I should also add I spent a weekend on remand in Lewes for riding a lammy naked pissed as a fart through Ryde on the IoW and resisting arrest. ie I sped up and down the sea front chased by several plod. Think this mightve been 84 or 85 too. Still, I won the fiver bet.
I also got 'tactically' apprehended by plod on my 19th birthday on one of my lammies. Ended up in Sidcup A&E. Fortunately only dislocated toes and a broken finger and a heavily bruised pelvis. Thought I was paralysed at first. Ruined a perfectlly good pair of dog tooth sta-press. C*nts breath tested me too on floor. It was only midday ffs. Scoot was totalled. It was a skellie TV175 I had just knocked together from bits. New frame and forks and it was good to go again. Parts were 10 a penny back then. In those days I was on a first name basis with Plod. Theyd wait for me on end of road and a chase would ensue. I won 98% of them. Didnt win that day though.
Another day I didnt win I squeezed between an oncoming car and a parked car on the estate but my kickstart caught the parked cars wheel and had me off. I naturally legged it on foot and went garden jumping to get back to the house I was staying at. Thinking yay, got away with that, 20mins later knock on door. Plod with a dog. Of course I had a fucking furry seat cover (think it was tiger print as the oem was split). It was a fair cop.
I think Ive made it plain that I deserved my custodials. Although it didnt help that in the public gallery were my mates. 10 or so weirdo scooterists laughing at me. C8nts.
Brave of you to declare stuff above Mr Bootsam, very brave. I'm sure there are some on here that have done worse (or is that better?) just by the "law of averages" but certain they won't be telling anytime soon.
There was that time when... But I'm not gonna put it down in writing - Never got caught... Despite the helicopters
