Back with Mods 2013, Santa Pod

Fast scooters, cruiser scooters, modern scooters and classic scooters, mirrored masterpieces and rolling artworks; it was all there and made by either Lambretta or Vespa. Back with Mods 2013, at Santa Pod at the weekend, also saw plenty of bother boots and bomber jackets, crew cuts and crombie hats. A proper mod show with a proper good vibe.

They’re a hardy bunch these scootering mods. As is the depressing norm with the British summer at the moment, the sun shone all too briefly at Santa Pod on the Sunday show day. But as soon as some rays chased away the wet clouds, the mods got their shining scooters out and straight on show in the Show ‘n’ Shine. Even after the regular downpours, the bikes were still lovingly presented – apart from the rat-look scooters, of course! – and the paint gleamed and the chrome shone.

There must’ve been some feverish polishing going on behind closed tent flaps at this rainy and windy show. With the sun lighting proceedings the full detail and craftsmanship on many of the show scooters – and many that were just parked up as transport around the show  ground – was clearly lit up for all to see. Every one as individual and statement-making as its owner. Lots of airbrushing, tons of chrome and Kandy-style paints, and painstaking engraving, welding and fabrication – these were the hot rods of scootering, and every style was on show.

From traditional mod-style scooters with all the mirrors, badges and lights, to stripped-to-nothing racers with hopped-up engines and lightened metalwork, to rat-look-rusters and mobile artist’s canvasses. My personal favourite was the Rocky boxing movie homage. Perhaps Sly’s nose was a little big…

 

Words & pics by Dan Anslow