How Scooters became Cool 

Great video, Bart, and I have a 50cc story to share. In West Germany in 1975 when I was a 15-year-old American teen military dependent in Frankfurt, we were allowed by German law, basically an exemption for Army brats, to be street-legal with 50cc motorcycles and the most popular one for us was the 50cc Honda Dax, the same bike as the Honda Trail 70 except only 50cc. And I bought and rode one with a friend, his was the Yamaha 50, and we got around on ours, my favorite ride was on a Sunday in August '75 when he and I rode to Darmstadt on two-lane roads, laying on the tanks and taking turns in front. And we turned around and rode back to the Drake-Edwards Housing Area, a big day in the saddle when you're 15 in the middle of Europe in the middle of the Seventies.

Love the video, as a 27 year old british mod with two 60s scooters its refreshing to see someone still trying to get kids interested in the scene in anyway possible.

I suppose that I am a young 74 year old scooterest and motor cycle rider, have 2 old but running Vespa's ,3 Italian Moto Guzzi motor cycles ,after 57 years on 2 wheels ,it is still the best fun that you can have with your clothes on.Great videos.Thank you.

I was an 80's Mod , owned several Vespas and a Lambretta and was a member of a local Scooter Club. Best days of my younger life.

Passed my bike test on a Vespa PX125 in 1982. Formed a Scooter Club in 1983. Forty Two years later, still riding scooters and still in the scooter club. Love the scene, love the friends I've made from all over the UK in that time. We still act like teenagers, even though we should know better lol It truly is an addictive lifestyle and I wouldn't change a single moment of it. Great video btw.

One of the guys we knew in the 50's/60's had a Cushman scooter and we called him the "Mild One". ;-)

QUADROPHENIA. Great film featuring the Mods & Rockers

I've been riding motorcycles for over 40 years, but my first daily ride was a Suzuki FA50 scooter. I'll never look down on the scooter community. Anything with two wheels and an engine that gets people away from their little screens and takes them out and about into the world, regardless of its size, is good and worthwhile imo.

Wonderful! I started riding in the early 60’s when you weren’t allowed in some places because you rode. Rode police motorcycles for 12 years while I did a law enforcement career and now at 75, my wife, who owns and rides and I are planning another cross country ride for this fall. ANY two wheels are a doorway to life. My wife and I have ridden to and in all the contiguous 48 states and know that if you are a rider you are experiencing life and friendships to the fullest. Ride with pride and remember, when you are riding you are invisible to all other drivers.

Interestingly enough, the Lambretta TV175 Series 3 was the first ever motorised two wheeled vehicle with disc brakes, when it launched in ’62.

Oh man you finally mentioned mopeds. NOW lets see a whole moped episode :D

To all the people bashing scooters in the comments. Anything on two wheels with an engine is cool. It's all about the riding and not about what you ride. Don't be a negative person and bash on people's taste just because you like something different. We're all riders after all.

Very cool vid! As a 70-year-old owner of 2 Vespas (one vintage, one new) I can't tell you how much fun I have -- and have had -- riding and just simply "messing with" scoots. I've even owned a couple of cafe racers. and yes, I have hit "the ton" more than a few times. But I am a MOD at heart.

I just got my moped license and the community is pretty cool (if i may say so myself). I can recommend it to people looking for some affordable fun. You can mod them just as much as a motorcycle. And i agree that a moped (scooters especially) don't look all that good stock, but that is where the fun begins! You can take them apart really easy and most mopeds have pretty good aftermarket support. And if you cannot buy it from brands, there will be people who can make it themselves. I hope to see more people enjoying this scene. But you need to do what you like off course. As long as you enjoy it i'm all for it

Passed my test in the 60's on a 250 BSA Starfire, bought a 650 BSA Spitfire and can still remember the first time I hit the ton! We didn't cross paths with the mods very often but when we did there was usually just a bit of name calling and pushing and shoving, I can't recall any real trouble. I still see some of the mods who, like me, are still living the life, but we just have a beer together now and talk about the good old days!

Old Lambrettas are fetching crazy money these days, as are Fizzys & even Raleigh Choppers. Nostalgia isn't cheap!

Every upload you make, you automatically made me watch. great content and storytelling.

Good video, I went from a GSX-R 600 to a 250cc scooter, and a 50cc scooter. And honestly I have more fun on the scooters than I ever did on the sport bike. Riding a slow machine fast is more fun than riding a fast machine slow.

I'm 63 now and a lifelong scooterboy ('boy' 🤣🤣), never a mod but we owe our cult on them a lot. I've had bikes over the years, but have always kept at least one scooter, and always come back to them, I just enjoy the scene far more, the music, the social life, the smell of 2 stroke! Made me laugh when he talked about rockers wearing warm, safe and sensible riding wear, and the video showed a bloke riding in a shirt!

I was going for a cruise in the mountains with my friends one day and we passed a guy on a scooter with an immaculate handlebar mustache, a couple miles later we parked to get some pictures and as we were taking the pictures the scooter guy showed up again and photo bombed us, I gave him finger guns and he honked the little horn for me, I strive to one day be as cool as that scooter guy

That was so much fun to watch. I’ve been riding all year for 45 years and I don’t care what you ride; if I see you on the road you’re getting a nod or a wave. Whatever you’ve got.... just ride it👍

In 1962 at the age of 19 I rode a 1960 Lambretta Li 150 from Derby UK to Antibes in Southern France to a Jazz Festival, close to 2000 miles there and back. I had passed my driving test only 4 weeks before the trip. A bag on the rack, a parka for bad weather, with no idea of the language but a wide open road--an unforgettable journey at 48mph.

Bart,thanks again for an excellent video.As a British 71year old I remember the Mods and Rockers thing all too well,though I was part of the latter we never got into all the fighting etc. We thought the Scooters with all the mirrors and spot lights were a bit silly,in fact the worst thing I ever did was to sneak up on a mod on a Scooter with lots of mirrors on and flick on the main beam on my Suzuki T500K. Ahh the days of freedom and care a free life...... BTW I'm still riding,a Suzuki DL650 Vstrom,still great fun😊

love my scooters, 2-strokes are the best, but the 4-stroke ones are fun too.

I have a Triumph t-shirt that says "rockers" on the front and then on the sleeve it says "mods versus rockers, motorcycle scooter rally" with two skulls

I raced AMA amateur and owned cafe racers in the 70's and I had and loved scooters as well. You can't be wrong on two wheels.

I'm 63 and have ridden bikes on and off since I was 16. My first moped was a Honda step through and a whole lot of freedom and fun. My next bike was a KTM Comet GP sports moped and even more fun. A Yamaha DT125 followed, and guess what....even more fun😊 Then a Honda CB175 and a Honda CB125. A Simson 50cc sports moped for a short while. More recently, a Honda CB450 and Honda XL125 as a stable mate. And currently, a Honda Navi 110cc, styled similarly to a Grom but automatic like a scooter, keeps the riding spirit alive in the old guys bones 😆

Good video, and a pretty concise explanation of the history of what has become an international social phenomenon. American scooterboy here, wholly dedicated to my Lambrettas and riding them to and from events, rallies and occasionally on tour. Started out dallying with mod culture and a vespa with extra mirrors but quickly got into the tuning side of it and doing camping rallies, then shortly after switched to Lambrettas and later on doing Euro rallies when I lived over there. I've tried to keep my Lambrettas with me and on the road through most of my life. The mods might have kickstarted the UK youth's love of scooters, but the scooterboy scene is what the modern scooter scene has evolved from. Right now many hundreds of UK Lambretta owners are riding to Magny Cours, France for this year's Euro Lambretta Jamboree, as are others from countries all across Europe. I wish them all safe travels from California.

i was a mod in the early 80’s in edinburgh scotland. there were quite a few of us all restarted because of the who’s quadraphonia musical. FUN days :):)

Irs funny becayse the scooter squad of yesteryear has become the Grom Squads of today. Same thing. Small 2 wheel machines that are modded to the Nth degree. And theyre awesome!

I loved my 1965 Vespa VBB. 150ccs of two stroke fury in a cream and green dress. I ran it with no brakes for ages, just engine breaking. It ran great until the carburetor shook itself to death and fell into the cylinder while running. I bought a 78 CB550 from a buddy with the cash i made selling it amd have been motorcycling ever since.

I am definitely a motorcycle guy, but about 20 years ago my wife got a Yamaha Vino 125 and I bought a 1980 (or so) Vespa P200. We rode everywhere and loved it. We went on the Rides of March ride one year (central California) and had the best time ever. Put 400 or so miles on that weekend with 350 of our closest scooter friends. Will never forget that ride.

In the 90's there was a wave of scooter revival on the west coast of the USA, music videos showed them being rented & that's when I got a TOMOS but mine looked like a small cycle w/ a fairing & 20" tires. I added a Bi-Turbo muffler & the little 49.9cc engines could do 42mph or sometimes up to 45 on a flat surface. I didn't do it for style, got into a bind & it served me well for the 3yrs I needed her. 115 miles per gallon of gas & an auto-injection 2 cycle oil tank to premix the gas made it a great little $1200 bike. Thanks for the walk down memory lane

Thanks for the fun video. As a teenager in the 70s I had a 50cc Benelli. It was extremely fun to ride.

WE NEED A MOPED EPISODE

I have been a motorcyclist since age 15, we used to refer to scooters as "hair driers", but I have to confess to also having owned a few scooters too. Still love riding aged 69, and appreciate any two wheeled vehicle.

I am a HAELY guy through and through. I started riding in 1968, at that time I was not a Harley guy. My third motorcycle was a 1971 Supper Glide 74CI. First year the Supper Glide came out. Anyway, I got off my point. I do not care who wants to ride with me, I will ride. It could be a Vespa or a high end sport bike I will ride with anybody. That is what makes it fun to ride with people. To see what and how they ride. GREAT FUN!!

When I was 14-16, around 05 to 07, borrowed a 70s moped from my grandpa to get around rural Michigan. My only transport to work, parents were always busy. Some friends got new mopeds. We had a small gang. I eventually bought an 80s yamaha motorcycle, then a cheap dirtbike. Now in my 30s I have an FZ09 with 50k miles on it, and a ktm 300 I race harescrambles on. But my motorcycle life started on that old moped

Such a great old days

I'm 70 next year and ride a scooter,50cc. A ton of fun and pennies to maintain. Keeps the motorcycle dna I have alive and well

I've had both motorbikes and scooters and loved them both. Sadly, I now have neither: I sold them because I couldn't afford to run them, which I especially regret the scooter, as they have become really expensive to buy a classic geared one.

Vespas were also made in England under license from 1951-1965!

I was a scooter boy back in the 80s, ive had both Vespas and lambrettas, and did scooter rallies throughout the 80s, now i ride a honda fireblade. 2 wheels or 2 wheels .a scooter or a race bike,,still 2 wheels. 😊

nothing beats the feeling of riding a slow bike as fast as you can push it

Lambretta is a very beautiful scooter.

I have a '63 Vespa and 3 other motorcycles. The Vespa is by far the coolest one. Great video man!

Older US Vespa owner here. Great video about the history & culture of these excellent machines. I just bought my first Vespa, a GTS 300 and I adore it. Unfortunately I ride in Dallas Tx, so I ride by myself mostly just to get to work and home. There are very few scooter clubs here, nothing compared to Europe. I envy the culture over there.

fun to see how scooter culture started and seeing how much it changed over the years, I live in the Netherlands where scooter culture is still alive, but its focus was shifted from just style to also speed and stunt riding

Spot on, excellent vid. As I grew up in the 80’ s as part of the Rockabilly/Psychobilly/Ted/Punk revival area I fully enjoyed this trip back to memory lane. Liked ur final comments especially !!!

I'd love to see you do something on the Japanese scooter culture.

Ive owned scooters and motorcycles for over forty years. If its got an engine and 2 wheels it ok by me. At the moment I own a velocette, Laverda 1200, Moto Guzzi (LeMans) and an RD400 Yamaha plus a WW2 200cc Zundapp but I use my Vespa PX200 every day. Great for around the city.

Scooters are very popular here in Asia

Im 15 and i have my 70cc piaggio zip that i love to ride around with my friends, in denmark and most of europe scooters and mopeds in general are still at big thing among young people

Great attitude. One clarification though, Mods didn't make a comeback in Yorkshire and the North - they were always there, and hadn't declined in virtual non-existence like they had in London etc.

For my money, there is no hotter example of the female form than a well sussed out Modette! Shazzzzam!! I haven't really heard the Modern Jazz reference before, but I guess it makes sense. The earliest I'd ever seen photo references of cats that looked like mods was '59. My understanding was that they were big fans of the post Rhythm and Blues instrumentals that were killing it ca. '58-'62 (that made great dance music for Allnighters fueled on Benzedrine). Later on as the movement developed their musical tastes evolved. I know in the UK there are still adherants to the subculture that were actually around in the very early 60's. I'd really enjoy speaking to some of them about what they listened to in those early days. FUCKING GREAT VIDEO!!!!

👍nice video. I still keep at least one 60's or 70's model vespas running for errands around the shop and picking up lunch. So much easier than my motorcycle for short trips

Guys who ride scooters DGAF what other people think. They aren't _cosplaying_ as bad-asses.

Great video. I was in the thick of it in the late 70s. It was the rise of bands like The Jam and Ska music and their fashions that brought back the Mod scene. P.s. Yorkshire is pronounced 'Yorksher' 👍

It’s all about letting people do their own thing and be who they want to be. Scooter or motorcycle, just get out there and enjoy it and appreciate each other 🤟✊

Damn, as a 19yo who feels like he thoroughly wasted his teens, the ending really struck a cord. I was feeling really envious of the kids in this video already, wishing I just had a group of friends like this, even if no two wheelers would've been involved. It's really hard to make friends these days, much less keep the ones you have. Anyways, this is the year I start riding, I'm certain of it.

As a teenager of the 60's this is a surprisingly good video. Well done to whoever made it.

If i remember correctly Mods of this period also listened too Sca music , a early version of Reggae, and British Band's like the High Numbers.

Good video mate, you are spot on, it’s all about being on 2 wheels with your buddies and I’ve been riding bikes for over 50 years and my best times were on my 50cc fizzy riding with friends and doing all we could to get them to go faster until they blew up and we started again. Great days. I see kids on scooters and mopeds and I think good on you as I know the feeling they get from the whole scene.

it would be nice if younger people were able to do stuff like this again, but between the death of the "third place" (especially in the U.S., places that were once gathering places for young people either becoming criminalized or privatized) and just how expensive everything is (running used grom clones are going for over 2k in north alabama) its no wonder young people play video games and hang out with friends online, everything else is too expensive!

When I was young I started with a Maicoletta 250. Had about 22 motorcycles, from a CZ250MX to a BMW R1100RT. Now I am old and grey and have a Yamaha NMAX155.

I had a 50/70cc (then modern) scooter in my youth (which was around 2005) which I put a lot of work and love in - sadly it got stolen.. After this I got motorcycles (Honda CJ/CB from the 70s), I still have the CB 400 T, but I'm gonna sell it because last year I bought a Vespa PX 200 and it brings me back to my youth and so much more joy than the "real" motorcycles. Of course I already started modding and fixing it :)

I’m afraid I would have fallen into the Rocker Community. Early’60’s when I got out of the USN, Honda SuperHawk W/Clip-Ons, RearSets, Road Racing Seat. I even had a faring for a while. No engine work or suspension. All looks. Was a salesman @ a few M/C shops in Southern California. Love your channel Bart, thanks for the videos.

I was talking to an old mod from the the 60’s and he said that on the scooters with loads of lights , only the headlight would work as the battery and generator were never strong enough to power more . Illusions were shattered.

I'm surprised (and kind of admired) how you managed to make a 15 minute video about the Mods without mentioning the movie Quadrophenia. I guess it was the low-hanging reference. Well, kids, you've heard the uncle bart: “Join a scooter gang”

Superb video! I have owned around 15 motorcycles including Harleys and I am in my late 30s. Currently own a GS and a Triumph T120. I have a love for Vespa since starting riding. I can't even remember how many times people bashed the idea of scooters when talking motorcycles. Franky I did not understand why. Is it like their manly hood did not allowed them to even pronounce the word Scooter. Since I can't afford a third freedom machine, I think I will sell the Bonnie and get a Vespa 300 Super Sport and keep the big GS for long hauls.

What I have heard is that after the War a lot of these aviation industries had to make something needed ! Example The Messersmit Car ! The first scooters in Italy were parts left over from Aircraft, a section of the wing could easily become the main body of the scooters , and a smaller hump to cover the engine could be made in one stamping ! If you look at the Scooter you can see this ! What an incredible invention !

I just found this channel, and i have to say this content is of great quality. I'm pretty stoked you made so much video's already! Subscribed, and here for the ride!

A Ton ... without dying ! ... Good one !.

Love the video. 70yrs old and ride a Piaggio Liberty 150 scooter and a Genuine 400 c motor cycle. Guess that makes me an old mod rocker.

Great video! Love that mod is being talked about!!

Great episode, it made me want to cruise around on my moped with my buddies!

As a former British Mod/skinhead/scooter boy, (of 26 years) I have to say, as an American (I assume you're American, not Canadian?) you've done a great job summing up mods and rockers, far better than our own mainstream media/press have ever done. We were all working class teenagers from similar backgrounds, the worst trouble I ever saw was what can only be described as banter....piss taking, nothing more. Great video, nice one 👌🏻 I'll forever be a member of the Manchester Lazy Aces scooter club, and will take my club insignia to my grave in the form of the tattoos I have proudly etched on my skin.

In my 50s still doing the scooter scene from the early 80s and still messing around on scooters love em

I'm in my fifties and have been riding scooters for forty years. I asked a young lad in our club in his early twenties why he wanted to hang out with a load of old men and ride a scooter. The answer was, "because you're all having way more fun than people my age.".

Bravo, Bart! Bravo!

You haven’t mentioned Quadrophenia a 1979 British drama film, based on The Who's 1973 rock opera of the same name. It was directed by Franc Roddam in his feature directing debut. The main theme were the clashes between mods and rockers. The showdown is the fight between both groups at UK Brighton Beach. Great film about style, scooters and bikes!

I've had Japanese bobber, a sportbike and have a cool Harley. Everything I ride my wife's Ruckus I have a ton of fun. It's also good fun to customize it too

Excellent video, thank you ❤

Took my license in 74 and as my bike at the time, a 100cc Kawasaki was a bit too illegally modified I borrowed a classmates 125cc Vespa for the driving up part or test for taking my license. Also wore my "going to visit grandma" clothes instead of leather jacket, jeans and boots so I had a pretty easy time. In my group there were four bikers and me on a Vespa. The instructors were all over the bikers all the time and at least a couple of them failed as the instructors really gave them a hard time. Me they barely noticed and I passed without any drama. Still makes me chuckle when I think of this although fifty years have now passed. And yes, I still ride.

In Germany most teenagers (16-18) in the last 15 years preferred scooters over motorcycles (50cc/125cc). This often depends on the regulations for driving licenses and costs. Some scooters are equipped with built in stereos or they have under body led strips mounted, but only a few of them are crafty enough to do it and changing anything on the illumination could make the scooter illegal or attract police that would like to look for other modifications. In the 80ies you wouldn't have found a (male) teen riding a scooter, they where totally out of fashion, from what I currently see the interest is moving from scooter to motorcycles again ...

As Ringo Starr(now Sir Richard) was once asked, "Are you a Mod or a Rocker?". His reply: "I'm a Mocker."

I really enjoyed this.....and I love riding my old px200

Great video thanks

Enjoyed my “scooter gang” days in mid-90s California immensely. The scooter rallies, music, clothing styles and adventures from LA to the Bay

Lovely video thank you❤

"We are more alike then you think. And if you are an older motorcyclist regardless of what you ride you should be happy when you see young people interested in motorcycles even if they express it" by riding electric motorcycles and scooters. 😎

My dad had a few Cushman scooters in the late 60's. We lived out in the 'country' then and the scooters were cheap and easily available. Him and my uncles would ride around the back country roads for fun , Wish my da had kept them they would be worth something today

Fun fact though, when I was in a scooter gang in the late 80s/early 90s, and it was still buzzing by the way- always a few hundred people at rallies- I also had the vintage German Army parka that all the mod revivalists had. My stock 3 speed Vespa 90 (1973 vintage, IIRC) would do 40mph on the flat. Take off the parka and you'd get 45mph easy. I think it had about 3hp as standard, a bit more when I was done messing with it. Fun times. Once I was old enough to afford the insurance on a CB750 though, I never looked back.

Thanks. I have three Vespas of which one I rigged up as a mod… what fun….

Oh man. As a 21 year old who got into riding a couple years ago, the end hit kinda hard. I used to be a guy who just stayed inside and had minimal social interaction and a general lack of community. It makes me sad seeing my peers still in that place. I ride ADV/dualsports and I'm almost always the youngest in the group by 5 or 10 years. Usually 10. Although i know this category of bikes skews older, it makes me sad to not see many people my age.

A friend introduced me to scooters about 8 years ago and yes scooters are fun, practical, and I will never be without one. As far as being a Mod, well I am a bit old for that.

Scooters are cool all day. I have had a half dozen from a 50cc to a 600cc maxi scooter. Best narcotic ever.

70s and 80s In Eastern Europe there were so many 50cc machines people rode in villages. They weren’t fast but us kids got to ride on the gas tank or the back rack whenever friendly guy offered. Later we even got a chance to go alone down the street. Those were the days. Look up some polish, Czechoslovak, East German , mopeds and motorcycles. Very cool stuff

Great video. I have a couple Harleys and a Genuine Buddy Kick 125. I love riding my scooter and I only get out one of the big bikes if my wife wants to ride or I’m going for a long ride out of town. The scooter is more fun for sure.

I'm 64, ride a '77BMW RS and '79RT always wave to scooters! Get out and ride!