Batman Returns
Forget West, Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney and Bale. For Scootering readers Lightfoot may be the greatest name yet to be associated with the Caped Crusader….
Forget Keaton, Clooney and Bale. For Scootering readers, Lightfoot may be the greatest name yet to be associated with the Caped Crusader...
Chances are that anyone who’s attended any Vespa Club of Britain rally over the past few years has met Jane Lightfoot. Best known for ‘Bella’, her rat-look Motovespa, Jane and her husband Tim are enthusiastic supporters of the club and passionate about all things Vespa. “I just love the curves of an old Vespa,” said Jane “and the Rally is my ultimate scooter of all time.”
Two lady owners
Although the custom scene’s changing it’s still a predominantly male domain and Batman has the rare distinction of being shown by two female owners. First built in 1990, the original concept was developed by Sonja Jameson. With striking murals executed by Ian King, Batman enjoyed some success and under Sonja’s ownership was no stranger to the winner’s podium. “The first time I saw the scooter was at Santa Pod in 1990,” explained Jane. “I didn’t realise it was a TS125 at the time. I now know that it has the same frame as a Rally but no ignition in the headset. There weren’t too many custom Rallys with murals at the time and I really liked the look of it, after all who doesn’t like Batman?”
In 2005 Sonja decided it was time to pass Batman on to a new home and advertised it on the internet. By good fortune Jane was in the financial position to realise the dream of finally owning a Rally and together with Tim went to see if Batman would fit the bill. “Being perfectly honest we weren’t expecting too much,” said Jane. “It had been around for a while and we thought the paintwork was probably past it’s best, something reinforced by the photos on eBay being around 14 years old and scanned from Scootering! Our best hope was that it hadn’t suffered too badly from the floor rot so common with British-registered Rally 200s.” Much to the couple’s surprise, not only was the metalwork sound but the paintwork was also in exceptionally good condition. “We struck a deal and Batman headed home with us. Unfortunately the chrome work hadn’t survived too well and while that
was being attended to by Quality Chrome, Tim replaced the cables and did a full engine rebuild. I entered it in the Kits and Brits Custom Show that same year and it picked up a trophy. That was a very proud moment for both of us.”
Ridden not hidden
Whether talking about Batman or her beloved Bella, Jane has a consistent view on whether custom scooters should be ridden: “All custom scooters have a limited time in the limelight, I think it’s important to show them off at every opportunity.” For Jane this meant riding Batman to rallies both in the UK and Europe. Inevitably the paint began to suffer and black nail polish was used to hide a multitude of sins! During a trip to Belgium in 2014, Jane took a tumble causing considerable damage to the front mudguard. With the original artist now unavailable she turned to the legendary John Spurgeon. Not only has he recaptured the look and feel of Ian King’s original murals, but in reworking the base coat John has emphasised the more recent, darker, iterations of the Batman
franchise and it’s a million miles from the camp, cartoon-like TV series of the 1960s.
The original TS engine long since gave way to a standard P2 unit, an engine in which Jane has absolute faith. While it may not feature smoke dispensers, slasher hubs, missile racks or ejector seats this particular Batmobile does have a far more useful feature – autolube. One of Tim’s specialties is squeezing an autolube tank into a premix frame and Batman proves that the transplant’s possible in a Rally type frame. Other finishing touches include Batman badges on the horn-cast and seat while an SIP speedo not only measures speed accurately but can also be seen in the dark! Still to add are a BGM front damper and there are also plans for a few more bespoke ‘Bat’ themed accessories such as fuel tap and choke.
It may be almost 30 years since this scooter’s first custom show but there’s no doubt that it has made a triumphant return this season. Not only is Batman a scarce survivor of the 1990s, but its succession of female owners probably makes it unique on the custom circuit. Looks like it’s time to move over Robin, Batman’s finally found his girl, and she’s firmly in control.
Words: Stan