A GENUINE TOURIST
Winner of the coveted ‘Furthest Travelled’ trophy was German solo rider and Heinkel owner Thomas Busch. We caught up with Thomas for a quick interview at the campsite.
Where are you from? “I live in Dorsten near Essen, Germany.”
Why did you come to Llandudno? “I always wanted to go to the Isle of Man and also the Isle of Wight scooter rally. Looking at the rallies you have online, there is so much to choose from. I have friends who live in Manchester, so I decided Llandudno would be a good choice, plus Wales is such a beautiful place.”
Which route did you use? “I travelled via Dunkirk and Calais, across to Dover and then up to Canterbury before an overnight stop in North Wales. I headed across here Friday morning. My satnav sent my right through central London earlier in the week. That was an interesting ride, but I did get to see the
Hoover building.” How far have you travelled? “In total just over 1300km.”
How do you find British roads? “The roads are good, but riding on the wrong side of the road takes some getting used to. What is it with roundabouts as well? You guys sure do love them; they are very interesting in the wet.”
And the UK weather? “I had to buy a shirt at the parts fair today. When I paid the dealer he complained that my £20 note was wet after the previous’s weather. Everything is wet!”
Tell us about your scooter ? “I have owned the Heinkel for a while now. It had been stored in a garage for over 30 years before I renovated it.
Top speed? It will do between 90-95km/h. It had been converted to an electronic ignition, which offered a 10-15% increase in speed, but it burned out last year. I have now reverted back to the original points and condenser set up. It’s now very reliable aand a very comfortable ride.”
Your thoughts on the UK Rally scene? “It’s been great. A lot of different types of scooter. I am looking forward to seeing Manchester Ska Foundation tonight.” Are you heading back to Germany after
the rally? “I am not really sure yet. I think I will do a bit more touring through Wales before I head back down to Dover later on in the week. Wales is a really beautiful place.”