The evolution of customisation
Customisation of scooters has had its ups and downs but is there a tidal wave of resurgence about to happen?
Ever since scooters appeared on the UK mainland decades ago, owners have altered their appearance one way or another. Early on it was somewhat pedestrian though, compared to today’s standards. Adding accessories to the mirrors and lights was the fashion of the modernist movement during the 1960s, the idea being simply to make one’s scooter individual.
During the 1970s this trend began to change by way of more elaborate paint schemes and the introduction of murals on the bodywork. It was the following decade where the real explosion and advances in customisation took hold; with the late 1970s scooter boom there came thousands more owners. It became increasingly difficult to make your scooter stand out from the crowd so ideas about customisation rapidly began to evolve.
It was a snowball effect, the more owners that joined in the more custom scooters that were created. As the national scooter rallies became an institution so did the shows held at each one. Competition became fierce and a rivalry spread not just between owners but the builders and painters who were part of creating them.
When the likes of Dazzle first made an appearance it set a benchmark standard that I think most will agree exists to this day. Not only was it the first scooter to feature large-scale engraving but also fabrication beyond the actual components of the machine. Dazzle wasn’t singlehandily responsible for sparking the revolution within the custom scooter circuit, but those that followed after were certainly required to reach new heights, the likes of which had never been seen before. Perhaps that’s the reason that the period after is seen as the golden years of competition among custom scooter owners. Certainly, in terms of the sheer volume of machines being built, that is true but this was the period when rallies were also at their peak in terms of attendance.
As the decline of the 1990s happened it was obvious that fewer custom scooters would be built, but the quality just kept on coming. The rivalry was just as intense even though the numbers being built dwindled, likewise the shows that catered for them would also see a decline. Perhaps there were too many shows and a thinning out was required. Just like any part of the scooter scene which has had its ups and downs and then bounced back, the custom side is no exception.
During the intervening years, hundreds if not thousands more custom scooters have been built but the shows that cater for them don’t seem to have made the same recovery. There are many reasons why this may be so and one theory is while people still want to build a custom scooter that doesn’t mean to say that they want to show them. These days the rally scene is far more diluted with events than it was back in the 1980s so it’s difficult to get a large number of scooters together in one place at the same time. If you’re showing a scooter you want it to win but better to do so with a large field of competition.
Years back there used to be the LCGB end of year super custom show which eventually combined into a trade and custom show at Bridlington. All well and good but this is held off the back of a rally. Perhaps there needs to be a new ‘one day super custom show’ like in the past. Rather than it taking place at the end of the season perhaps it could take place at the beginning – making the winter break an ideal time for those building scooters to get them ready rather
than rushing to get them done at the end of the season. The event could still cater for the trade just like shows in the past have done with no need to change the format. As already mentioned, there are far more rallies than there were in the past and so a great many more shows but they tend to be smaller. However, if there was to be one national super show perhaps this could bring hundreds of custom scooters together all at once.
It would take more than my ramblings on here for that to happen and only could such a show be created by the promoters and the powers that be who organise events. One thing to point out though is that in recent years there seems to have been a resurgence within the custom scene. Once again there seems to be a friendly rivalry growing among owners. It’s not easy coming up with something new or a fresh idea that hasn’t been seen before.
However, there also seems to be a resurgence of painters within the industry many of whom are capable of creating real masterpieces, and I’m sure we would all like to see more custom scooters being built/painted. From the businesses that paint and build them to the manufacturers that produce the parts it can only benefit everyone. There’s a big vibe about the custom scooter scene at the moment; all it needs now is a huge event to showcase it. Answers on a postcard please.
Perhaps there needs to be a new ‘one day super custom show’ like in the past?