OWNER DETAILS
Name: Mark Le Gallez (aka Hillbill, The Crowman, Klutz, gramps).
Job: Terrible engineer and all-round entertainer at Refco, (engineering company I work for), Vespa and Lambretta stuntman (you build 'em I'll bend 'em), bassist for The Risk and singer with Speakeasy, and steampunk artiste: The Crowman, jack of all trades and master of none, plays various instruments, all of them badly... at least I am consistent.
Scooter club & town: Guernsey Scooter Collective and Elite SC, also been known to turn up unannounced at Salford Knights club nights and be annoying.
First interest in scooters: My mate who was what you called a ‘funkateer' in those days had one and I really liked it (Vespa 100) plus my dad had an old Puch, which I used to sit on and make brumming noises when I was a boy.
First scooter: It was, and I say ‘was', a Vespa 90 which I crashed under a bus and wrote off, yes there is a pattern emerging here. (I am always at the back of the rideouts, apart from being Captain Slow I am a liability so good riders like Stuart Sears or Steve Thomas are usually best at the front).
Favourite style of custom scooter: This is quite an easy question to answer as being the arty-farty type I actually love them all. Whether it is custom paint or chrome or chopped or cut down or even Modded up as I was the original got-dressed-in-the-dark comedy Mod.
First ever rally: That would have been Isle of Wight in '83-ish.
Any funny stories: I do remember a certain young man who is now a respected publican crashing his scooter into the steps of the local police station rather worse for wear. Luckily none of the cops inside heard and none of them came out to witness anything so we popped him back on and sent him on his merry way. I also crashed my GTS300 and sidecar into a tree which the others will not let me live down. I was as usual not concentrating, probably had a song in my head or some other distraction and a wheel got grabbed by cobbles and then I tramlined it into a fast-moving tree, ironically opposite the local cemetery. I now have a third buttock to remind me of that crash. (Seriously.)
Funniest experience involving scooters: Posing on a P200, pulling into a campsite next to lovely Italian lake Maggiore, I spotted two rather attractive German girls by their car. I was riding back and forth showing off and dumped the scooter on the grass in front of them and me with it. They thought it was funny.
Furthest you’ve ever ridden on a scooter: Istanbul and back, would have gone further but ran out of money on a standard T5 too. I also did Dubrovnik and all over Italy and France and UK, Spain and back, most of Europe really, did a bit in California riding no helmet. I think there was a helmet riding though, luckily no crashing that time.
What do you dislike about rallies: Being chased by the Carabinieri (with guns) at an Italian one at which The Risk was playing.
Favourite Scootering magazine feature: I thoroughly enjoy all of it to be honest. I like reading people's stories and what makes them tick with their scooters. I even like the music section that Sarge writes! Seriously, it is good to see bands featured that are not getting the press they deserve.
Favourite custom scooter of all time: Okay, so I am going to be a massive egomaniac here but mine from the 80s, which was called
Hillbilly Blues. Macca did an absolutely stunning job of the artwork and I wonder whether there are still pictures as I can take no credit. I of course crashed that one too but this time it was not my fault as I got knocked off by boy racers.
Your most recommended scooter part or related item: As far as I am concerned probably bubble wrap and boat fenders.
Your recommended scooter security item: If anybody wants to pinch one of mine with the accident-prone history I have, fill your boots.
Which breakdown company do you recommend: Any that will have me.
What would make our beloved scooters better: Stabilisers for me I think!
Favourite scooter dealer: Millards in Guernsey have always been kind to me and Anthony at Buzzsolo is a good fella.