On your bike!

Each and every customised, colourful scooter among the 700-strong, two-wheeled convoy heading up the narrow street towards us typifies a celebrated era of British culture.

Music, films and fashions were inspired by the Sixties scooter fraternity. Mods and rockers sparred on sea fronts over their affections for their bikes, and it still means a lot to enthusiasts today.

Company directors, sales executives and servicemen are among the professions represented by the riders zipping past us on route to the final destination of the 12-mile Cleckhuddersfax Rideout.

Straddling the 1980 Lambretta GP that he spent a year transforming into ‘The Liquidator’ – a name inspired by the skinhead anthem played at scooter rallies – Mark Young is among the convoy riding into the car park of the Park View Bar, Cleckheaton, the meeting place of Rideout organisers, the Spen Valley Saints Scooter Club.

Mark co-founded the club in 2002 and the following year he was asked to join the committee of the Yorkshire Scooter Alliance, set up to support the 80 or so clubs comprised of between 4,000 and 5,000 enthusiasts throughout Yorkshire. The organisation also promotes bikes through social events such as the annual Rideouts.

“It’s a Sunday get together for us but it’s also to try and promote scootering,” explains Mark.

For him and fellow ‘scooterists’, the bikes provide an escape from everyday life. Who’d have thought the guy sporting a silver bomber jacket and casual trousers with dark shades perched on his head when we met was an engineering firm director?

“I’ve always liked scooters but it was one of those things I never really got into until I was older and had a bit of disposable income,” says Mark.

His wife Kelly was so fed up of him reading bike magazines she bought him his first bike, a 1967 Vespa 150 Sprint, for his 40th birthday. When asked if she fancies her own two wheels, she says she’s happy enough supporting him. “It’s not my thing, I just like the music,” she smiles.

Adds Mark: “It’s one of those things that takes hold of you. We look after one another and I’ve met some great friends through it. It’s like a release, you almost forget everything else.”

Wandering around scooter-related trade stalls and watching the riders enjoying songs playing out from the clubhouse from bands such as The Jam, I can appreciate the camaraderie Mark talks about.

Riders I spoke to developed an interest through friends or relatives. Some had a break from bikes when families came along and have returned to it since.

At the age of 59, Derek Littlewood is possibly one of the oldest scooter enthusiasts I spoke to. His son shares his enthusiasm and he hopes his grandson will too.

He bit the bug through his brother-in-law several years ago and, after a break when his family came along, picked it up again. He joined the Spen Valley Saints last year. “I like the friendliness and atmosphere,” says Derek.

Sporting a punkish green mohawk and piercings, tattooist Colin Remmer epitomises the scooter riders’ desire to be different.

He was 18 when he bought his first scooter, a Lambretta. He now rides a Vespa and his wife Gail has a Vespa GT 4. Gail’s interest came through Colin. The couple regularly attend gatherings and Rideouts and enjoy the social scene.

Tim Crabtree’s pals introduced him to scooters more than 20 years ago. Patches of places he has ridden to are stitched on to his khaki jacket. Tim loves the versatility of the machine. “They are a nice form of transport, you can do plenty to them,” he says.

Scooter pals Andrew Mitchell and Mike Kong recently joined a tour of battlefields in Ypres, Belgium, on their bikes. The trip was organised by fellow scooter fan Danny Kaye, a serving soldier keen to recognise the sacrifices soldiers made in the First World War.

Danny, who was due to retire from the Army shortly after we spoke, is also using his hobby to raise funds for the Help for Heroes campaign, helping servicemen and women returning from serving in Afghanistan.

He approached the Yorkshire Scooter Alliance committee to see whether they could support the campaign. “They are building a rehabilitation centre in Surrey and are trying to raise £5m. Because I’m still serving it is close to my heart. I asked the committee could we try and raise funds and everybody agreed,” says Danny.

Funds are being raised through social events and sales of scooter patches sold at gatherings.

Andrew White, lead guitarist with Menston band Kaiser Chiefs, is probably one of the county’s most famous scooter enthusiasts. He couldn’t make the Cleckheaton Rideout because of commitments with the band but he remains a dedicated fan.

“I don’t drive so my mode of transport is the scooter,” says Andrew.

His love of scooters stems from his youth; he was the Yorkshire and Humberside BMX champion at 14. “I’ve always been into two wheels, whether push bikes or motorbikes. My father used to race motorbikes,” says Andrew.

His brother was a revival Mod and his interest grew when he saw the film Quadrophenia.

“I couldn’t afford one at that time but ever since I’ve been hooked,” says Andrew.

He bought a couple of bikes last year – his favourites are Vespas and Lambrettas. Andrew explains that Vespas are wider and rounder and Lambrettas are lower and sleeker.

“Most people try and make them a little bit different because they are a bit more personal than a car and you have to take care of them,” he says.

Andrew joined the York Inset Scooter Club four years ago. “They go out on Rideouts and everyone has a laugh and a chat. It’s a fountain of knowledge; if there is anything wrong with your scooter someone will know how to fix it. It is very much a community orientated thing,” he says.

“The best thing about having a scooter is riding it and one of the best things about riding a scooter is the noise and smell and getting to ride with others.”

Alan May, 43, is one of the founding members of York Inset. Established five years ago, it’s one of the region’s largest scooter clubs with around 90 members.

Alan’s scooter enthusiasm also came from the Mod revival. “That is what started me off. The scooter was a natural progression from the music and clothes,” says the sales executive.

Alan’s first vehicle was a Vespa he recalls was ‘Modded up’ with chrome racks, mirrors and fly screens. He’s had ten bikes since then. The most significant was the Lambretta LI 150 signed by the Modfather himself, Paul Weller.

Alan recalls meeting Weller when he performed in the region five years ago. He and his fellow scooterists went down to the concert venue with their bikes on the off-chance of meeting him. He spotted them on their bikes after a soundcheck, came over for a chat and signed Alan’s scooter saddle.

Alan’s current vehicle is a Super Tune style Lambretta, which he is pictured on below, wearing the obligatory cool Italian styling – striped blazer and shades. Alan explains ‘Super Tune’ was the style of racing scooters in the 1960s and 1970s.

Most weekends he’s involved in club socials, Rideouts or historical vehicle events. The club recently supplied some of their bikes for a week-long display at the National Railway Museum.

“We are trying to keep the interest going in the machines. You want it to keep going because it’s a passion and a love you have for it. It’s good fun – if people haven’t tried it I suggest they do!”

• For more information about the Spen Valley Saints scooter club visit spenvalleysaints.co.uk and for more about the Yorkshire Scooter Alliance visit their website yorkshirealliance.co.uk