Lots of headlights on scooters, years ago: Why?

LivNorway

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Hi experts!

I wonder why scooters in the UK had lots of lights, and often mirrors too, many years ago. -Was it in the 1960's?
I have heard it was something with the law, and a way to protest against it - or something like that.

I hope some of you had a scooter like that, and can tell me about it.

:confused: Liv, in Norway.
 
Hi experts!

I wonder why scooters in the UK had lots of lights, and often mirrors too, many years ago. -Was it in the 1960's?
I have heard it was something with the law, and a way to protest against it - or something like that.

I hope some of you had a scooter like that, and can tell me about it.

:confused: Liv, in Norway.

Slightly before my time but just a fashion statement afaik. (along with parka jackets and pork pie hats..."we are the mods, we are the mods etc etc"):coold

Watch the film "Quadrophenia":thumb2 (with a young Toyah Wilcox..pre boob job!)
 
Liv, it's because all scooter riders have an extremely small penis and if they stop at night for a pee, their friends struggle to hold it for them in the dark :D
 
Hi experts!

I wonder why scooters in the UK had lots of lights, and often mirrors too, many years ago. -Was it in the 1960's?
I have heard it was something with the law, and a way to protest against it - or something like that.

I hope some of you had a scooter like that, and can tell me about it.

:confused: Liv, in Norway.

Ideology? Nah ... kids just wanna have fun! :D
 
Liv, it's because all scooter riders have an extremely small penis and if they stop at night for a pee, their friends struggle to hold it for them in the dark :D

Good to know for a girl. ;-)
Thank you!
 
Slightly before my time but just a fashion statement afaik. (along with parka jackets and pork pie hats..."we are the mods, we are the mods etc etc"):coold

Watch the film "Quadrophenia":thumb2 (with a young Toyah Wilcox..pre boob job!)

Thank you!

Do you think "Quadrophenia" will tell me why all the lights?
 
Thank you!

Do you think "Quadrophenia" will tell me why all the lights?

No, it won't.
Google a bit of Mod culture to find out.

Good to see you back after so long. :thumb

How's your Knut, by the way? :D :D
 
No, it won't.
Google a bit of Mod culture to find out.

Good to see you back after so long. :thumb

How's your Knut, by the way? :D :D

Knut is fine, he got one more motorbike, a Yamaha, some years ago. And he still have the good, old K100.


...and now, after five minutes, I got your joke. ;-)
 
Thank you!

But I didn't hear why all the headlights.

Just a teenage / fashion thing. Mods considered themselves trendsetters and wanted to show off with smart suits, ex US forcers parkas, short / styled hair etc. The chrome bars and lights were part of that.
 
Just a teenage / fashion thing. Mods considered themselves trendsetters and wanted to show off with smart suits, ex US forcers parkas, short / styled hair etc. The chrome bars and lights were part of that.

That is all?
Oh...
OK, but was it legal?
 
The Honourable Member from Barrowford beat me to it; most of the lights weren’t wired up because the feeble electrical output of the average 70’s Lambretta was insufficient to raise more than a glow. Similarly the plethora of mirrors were rarely adjusted correctly and only ever used to straighten Helmet-Hair :rob
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mod_(subculture)#Scooters has the basics of the Mod subculture. Follow the references if you want more detail.

That era is quite fascinating in terms of youth sub-cultures in the UK. I largely missed it as I was born in 1962. My older brother, born 1951, was briefly a mod but soon ditched it as he has never been one for sartorial elegance, preferring the soap dodging, hippy lifestyle that emerged in his late teens.
 
All a fashion statement, a study in mod culture one-upmanship.

The spot/fog lights didn't work; a scooter charging system would never have supported the load.

The mirror thing was never about thumbing your nose at any supposed UK mirror law, it was purely about having more mirrors than your mates, so you could admire yourself more easily.

Then there was custom paint, chrome/copper plating, chrome racks, mascots & spare wheel covers to name a few - the list of pointless accessories was endless. Most of it did nothing but blunt the pathetic performance of a machine designed to be just a simple commuter bike.

Later, as the scene faded, it became popular to strip back Lambrettas to the bare bones, tune the engines & create something a tad more enjoyable to ride (everything is relative).
 
As above, a number of my friends went down the ‘stripped back’ look, cutting down the front bodywork was popular, as was removing the ball-end of the brake & clutch lever, one went a little too far and removed the steering lock stops for a sleeker overall look; it all came to grief on hitting a large pothole when the steering turned 90 degrees and impaled his penis on the clutch lever.
 


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