Classic Scooters 1945 - 1970

As the author Mick Walker points out in his forward, it is not at first glance a subject to get one’s interest aroused. However, he got engrossed in the subject whilst writing it and you tend to do the same whilst reading his latest work.

Amazingly you can find over 200 scooter marques in the 192 pages of this hardback, which is superbly illustrated with period material and adverts. After a brief introduction as to the origins of the scooter prior to the Second World War, the book then pairs up countries of origin and lists the makers, many of them of course being manufacturers of motorcycles as well. You then get a brief summary of the models produced.

But, what really makes this book a really good read, as well as a useful reference guide, is the fact the book is as much a social and lifestyle history as much as it is a mechanical one. Anybody who likes adverts will just love studying not only the bikes and the language used, but also the fashions of the day and the country of origin.

Those aficionados of the small-wheeled machine will not be disappointed in the technical details, or the fact that many of the sporting feats of note are also covered. Land speed records and racing were and are very much part of the scooter scene, as was/is the social side of things.

Although better known for his many motorcycle books, Mick Walker has done his usual excellent job in bringing the subject alive and portrays it in a very readable style. Crowood, the publishers have backed this up with a quality tome that is well laid out and vey easy to dip in an out of.

Highly recommended and well worth the £19.95 cover price, even for the non-enthusiast just to realise what real scooters were before plastic and twist and go! Available from all good bookshops or direct from the publishers www.crowood.com or enquiries@crowood.com ISBN 978 1 86126 9676

 

Review by Ian Kerr