A Special Thankyou to:
Paul Robinson, Owner and Editor of PETROL Magazine,
Phil Littlechild aka Battlechasers for writing the article,
Photographer, Clinton Smith, Studio 3, Cranborne Industrial Estate, Potters bar, Herts, EN6 3JN
Model, MAYA
John and Sam of Manleys Motorcycles, Ford Road, Clacton on Sea, Essex
Living the Dream
There aren’t many married couples that we see at rallies and auto only events riding to the fullest of the Darkside capabilities. With the except of Uncle Dazza and Jackie who famously owned the Little Miss Naughty and St George Cross Dragsters, (which have swopped hands a million times since they were sold), there’s my friends Diane Hall and her fella Craig. Both have been into scooter for years but got the auto bug in 2005...so how did the ride you see on this page begin life, what has been altered, and what is it like being a female in a male dominated pastime?
Di has owned autos before, savage beasts that push out..Ooh, around 7bhp. Yamaha Salient 50 and even the everlasting equivalent to Top Gear’s
The exhaust was next, a PM52 which she quickly sprayed VHT black to prevent rust. Craig bought his 180 Drag, and it was not long after Di decided to go the full hog and make the bike a faster machine. She was sick of seeing her other half overtaking her on the way to events, so after a bit of internet searching, she decided to seek the advice of fellow forum members about what could be done with her SR engine. Needless to say shortly after parts where ordered, and Manleys bike shop in
Di’s ability to speak a foreign language meant she could drop in on European scooter forums and see what other SR owners where doing to their scoots in terms of visual appeal, and it took a lot of decision making to arrive at what you see here, as Di often refers it to me as “the never finished article”. She originally wanted a flip paint scheme, but after a ride to the Ace Café and taking part in her first auto custom show, the plan soon changed. The paint was done by Lee at Ford Road Auto, and after more deliberating, Di decided to try some DIY painting and opted for a matching colour for the flyscreen and inner panels. It must be said, the amount of work that Di has physically done herself on this build puts some of the blokes to shame. I remember when she fitted the Kiesler undertray and even went to the length of getting some old SR side panels to ensure her painted ones didn’t get scratched in the fitting process. She also modified the tray to fit, as it was originally meant for a 50cc SR, putting the rear shock a lot more forward than on the 125, and also added all the meshing herself, cutting into panels and adapting the rear mud guard to a more unique shape. The grips changed again to some blingy chrome numbers, and the scoot really began to take shape and the usual tweaks like new kickstart, mirrors, rimtape and matching bolts set where added to give the bike feel like a more flowing theme.
So, that’s the bike covered, what about the rider? What is it like being a woman in a male dominated pastime? And more importantly, how do you find the time having 3 kids?!
“well I’ve never really gave much thought to it as it feels normal to me, it’s just a shame there isn’t more female “Autopilots” out there. I’ve never been treated any differently by the male scooterists at the rallys or rideouts that I have attended, infact I have made some great friends through the scooter scene as a whole, both male and female.” Di explains her first real ride out…last years Great London run. “I found it all a little daunting at first to be honest as I didn’t know what to expect from the hardcore rally goers that we were meeting, but I was nicely surprised at just how friendly and accepting everyone was. We made some really good friends and had lots of fun, which is what its all about. This ride I would definitely recommend to anyone. My husband and I did intend to go to this year, and we nearly made it to the meeting point but my husband’s dragster decided to break down on us.” Yup, I know all about that one as I made this years run but there was no sign of them, and meeting Di and Craig and riding in memory of one of Di’s personal friends, Barry Smith, were the main reasons for me doing the run. But there’s always next year.
And how about having 3 little (or now, not so little..) mouth to feed?
“It’s just nice to get out away from the family life sometimes I suppose, have a break so to speak, everyone needs a bit of “me” time and I get that from my SR when I go for a ride, it never fails to put a smile on my face. I’m quite a careful rider in towns etc, but when I hit a nice long bit of road, I just can’t help but pull the throttle back and let rip, pure adrenalin rush for me and I love that”.
Di is a regular to the
She tells me that the bike “is never finished”, and is planning even more bit n bobs. A recovered seat, a chromed exhaust, and Chromax painted wheels are on the list. Where does it all end?! A testament to Dave Spikey’s catchphrase indeed.
©PETROL Scooter Magazine 2006
