Bristol Mod Scooter Club

Nope! Unfortunately not a TV 200 that's been languishing in a neighbour's garden shed for the last 30 years, but my lad's old moped! He's moved onto cars, and this thing has been taking up valuable space in my garage for some time now! It's sorned without MOT and me laddo has lost all interest, so I've sort of 'inherited' it!

It's the usual teenage moped - been slid around a few corners on it's side a few times - I guess it's all part of the learning curve of riding motorized two wheelers! We've all seen these kids bombing around in 'ped gangs, it kind of reminds me of being that age, all feckless and carefree!

Engine not running but I've sussed out what the prob is and parts are winging their way to me as we speak - the wonders of Ebay! I intend to get it running and sorted out, and sell it on, and regain some garage space.

But then I started thinking! I was wondering that in 30 years time, these mopeds and the like will be shown in classic vehicle shows! Do you suppose that in the year 2043, fifty five year old blokes will go all misty eyed and say those immortal words - "I used to have one of those!" and start hankering after buying one to relive their teenage years!

I did suggest to my lad that I could 'mothball' it so that in years to come he'd still have it, but he said "Nah - don't bovver!"

Looking back to when I was a young geezer, I wonder what I would have said if my Dad had offered to do the same with my old scoot!

So, future classics, or skip fodder?

having worked on these plastic spastics, I will say they will go the way of the ford sierra, buried and forgotten,,,,you gotta job to get spares now never mind 40 years lol

Yes our Gerry should know do you know he is also a fully fledged LI engineer having worked on my Jimmy scoot he had probs but got over them ace

Sorry to rain on your parade Jim, but I too have got a bit of experience of these `twist & go` things from when my lad had one got to agree with Gerry I`m afraid, put it in the skip!

ask yourself- what happened to all those Lambrettas around the end of the 1960's/ early 1970's when the minimum riders age was raised from 16 to 17? Thats right- you couldn't give them away and loads were scrapped; skipped or left in hedges.

Move on to 1979 and "Quadrophenia"- everyone wants one and the prices rise- and keep going right up to the present day (ignoring the fact that "they ain't selling....")

So, for the cost of your garage space, I'd be inclined to chuck a dust sheet over it and hang on- besides, everyone else will be skipping these "plastic spastics" and yours can only go up in value as the rest get trashed.

Chris

You've made a good point there Chris!

Imagine this - it's the year 2040, the old blokes from One Direction have written and produced a movie called 'Pedrophenia! No, it's not about some spanish mexican geezer, it's based around a street wise sixteen year old kid from all the way back in the year 2010 and what him and all his hoodie wearing mates get up to on their mopeds!

Yep, does sound a bit unlikely, but who knows! Maybe I might hang onto the moped and in years to come, I can put it on Ebay and it will pay for my 100th birthday bash!

Nostalgia is a very powerful emotion, and is often the reason for pushing up the prices of old stuff, especially if it reminds you of all the things you did in your teenage years - your first motorbike, car etc!

Of course, this is all dependent on if there is any oil left by then, or all two strokes have long been made illegal to use on the road!

Looking at this lot, it's easy to see why a lot of 'em often get written off!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz5GY6t4_zU
you might have to right click and open in a new window