Funky Mopeds!: The 1970s Sports Moped Phenomenon

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

If you're red-blooded and somewhere between 35 and 50 the chances are that your first bike was a sports moped. This book takes you on a nostalgic full throttle trip back to the heady days of the 1970s and early 80s when these fabulous little superbikes were available to 16 year-olds. Packed with photos from past and present, this book will revive wonderful memories of the machines, the people, the fashions, and even the music of the time. Includes coverage of AJW, Batavus, Casal, Cimatti, Derbi, Fantic, Flandria, Garelli, Gilera, Gitane, Honda, Kreidler, KTM, Malaguti, Motobecane, Negrini, NVT, Puch, Suzuki, Testi, Yamaha and Zundapp.

Reviews

Scooter-forums.com, Spring 2007 Benny Hill was at number one with 'Ernie - The Fastest Milkman In The West'. It was 1971 and the UK Government was about to impose new legislation restricting 16 year olds to 50cc mopeds. 'Funky Mopeds' is THE definitive work on the resulting frenzy of innovation from motorcycle manufacturers across the globe. In 'Funky Mopeds' Richard Skelton tells the fascinating story, written by and starring the people who were there, of the wonderful machines that were so dear to the hearts of so many spotty 70's teenagers. A celebration of the sports moped, charting the history of a genre unwittingly created by the powers-that-be and killed off by more legislation just five years later. This book re-captures the spirit of happy and carefree times and looks at the bikes that gave freedom and mobility to a whole generation of teenagers. With over 340 color pictures, the book has descriptions of all the sports mopeds, the stories of the people. Packed full of 340 great pictures and firsthand accounts of those notable years, the author, Richard Skelton, has put together a great read, making it a real addition to your book collection. It's not a complete encyclopedia of 1970s mopeds - but then it never set out to become that anyway ... Easy to read, light-hearted and packed full of pictures. Twist & Go. This homage to the transport needs of spotty 70s teenagers is great fun' written with wit and accompanied by some great images and original advertising. Perfect for the biking 'pre-pensioner' whom, even if they didn't own a funky moped back in the day, would certainly have hankered after one. Grant Ford.

Author Bio

Richard Skelton combines working in the television industry as a sound technician with freelancing as a motorcycle journalist. He has been a motorcyclist since first taking to the road on a Yamaha FS1-E on his 16th birthday in 1976 and, although he usually rides bigger bikes these days, he keeps an FS1-E taxed and tested for summer use. His writing experience comprises occasional features for motorcycle magazines in the 1980s, a period working as a newspaper reporter in the mid 1990s and, currently, reporting for the specialist road racing publication, BikeSport News. He lives in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.