OWNER & MACHINE
Name: Steve Chapman How and when did you first become interested in scooters: Family camping weekends to the seaside when I was growing up and we used to get swallowed up by scooters! Your first scooter: Vespa 50 Special at 16. Favourite scooter model: Supertune Lowline SX200. First rally: Clacton ’84. How did you get there: Vespa 50 Special. Any stories: We went everywhere on our 50s including Hastings that year. I doubt we ever took more than £20 with us, no M25 and no map. It took us about twelve hours to get to Hastings – we just asked people for directions at every stop! Favourite and worst rally: Fave was DJing at Mersea around 1998 in the dance room. I asked for three turntables and a 6k Martin Audio Rig. Jon Betts delivered; I don’t think many in the crowd had been much exposed to that style of music, we mixed up Salsoul, disco and Philly soul remixes, they knew the words, if not the tunes and everyone seemed to love it. Worst was being CS-gassed by ‘casuals’ at Clacton ’85 probably. Though at the time you would have thought I’d been blessed, by the way I went on about it. Funniest experience with a scooter: Riding through town with mates who’d just bought a silver series, with matching Watsonian Bambini sidecar. We only really used the back brake when we were young. Can’t do that with a sidecar attached – it turns 90º to the right, Phil and Robin went straight into the window of a very popular restaurant!
Scooter model: Was originally a replacement frame; Norrie bought it from Douglas and built it up into a scrambler. Date purchased & cost: Late 2016 – Norrie let me have it for the price of a night in the hotel at Cadwell Park. Time to build & by who: About five months, Hodge at Supersprint Restorations did the bodywork and all fabrication, Dave Delaney built the motor and running gear. Specialised parts or frame mods: The frame has been taken down to the stem and rebuilt by Hodge. I bought a Scitsu rev counter for it, Hodge loved it. Paintwork by: Hodge at Supersprint Restoration. What was the hardest part of the project: For me, waiting for the front disc to arrive from Italy. Anyone you wish to thank: Norrie Kerr for the frame, the engine and the inspiration. Dave Delaney for the engine build, the patience, attention to detail and not crashing it yet. Chris Geyton: For bringing us all together. Hodge, and all at Supersprint: For the amazing work and all the great times. Vittorio at Casa Lambretta. VE UK: the support these guys have given to scooter racing has really raised the bar. Likewise new sponsors Scomadi and Vespa Club GB. Finally, my wife Jessie for her support and for turning a blind eye to all the invoices that have been rolling in.