When a Mod-style scooter is done right, it will always turn heads. Completed with meticulous attention to detail, Steve Poole’s scooter stands as a tribute to Mod subculture built with style, spirit and identity…
When it comes to scooters that truly embody the spirit of the Mod scene, few machines do so quite like Steve Poole’s 1966 Lambretta SX200, A Way of Life. Fusing traditional Mod-cool with a masterclass in self-built engineering, Steve’s scooter is not just a looker, but it’s also a well-riden machine.
Over the years, Steve’s seen trends come and go. But his passion remains as fresh as it was back in 1980, when, as a fifteen-year-old lad, he got his first scooter, a battered Vespa 50 Special, “I’m not sure what was so special about it, but at least I was mobile, the Mod scene was huge back then in Birmingham and you just had to have a scooter.”
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Steve’s introduction to the rally scene started with a wreck in a mate’s garden. “It was a Lambretta Li150 that had spent five years rotting away in the grass before I rescued it. It was just sat there, looking sorry for itself, Union Jack side panels, rotting tyres, the lot. But I knew I could fix it.”
So, in 1984, after a rattle-can respray and a bit of garage wizardry, Steve fired it up, grabbed his girlfriend (now wife) Jackie and headed for Skegness. “It was a fantastic rally but also memorable as the skinheads were waiting for us all on the A38. They came running down onto the carriageway in the early hours, which was like something from a Dystopian sci-fi film, very eerie and very bizarre. But we made it home, and that’s what got me hooked on rallies and scooter maintenance; it was the start of the adventure of it all.”
Optics
Fast-forward four decades, and that sense of adventure is written all over A Way of Life.
The scooter’s story began when Steve found himself with a few quid spare, which was originally meant for laser eye surgery. But when the optician told him it wasn’t worth it, his response was pure scooterist logic: “If I can’t see better, I might as well look better with another scooter.”
At the same time, his mate, Mike, had just bought an SX200 and was less than impressed with his purchase. “He kept saying he’d been done, so after a week or two of listening to him moan about it, I offered to take it off his hands for what he paid. I think he was relieved, and that’s how this all started.”
“I’m not sure what was so special about it, but at least I was mobile, the Mod scene was huge back then in Birmingham and you just had to have a scooter.
The build took 18 months, with Steve doing all the design, bodywork prep and casing work himself. Years in the metalworking industry meant he knew how to get a panel straight, and after the bodywork was perfectly restored, it was handed over to Lee Merritt to handle the paintwork.
The paint job wasn’t a walk in the park; “Because the process was so time-consuming, Lee told me that there’d only ever be one like it before. The paintwork is a matte white base with a pale yellow rag-rolled finish, topped with several layers of lacquer and flying Union flags across the side panels. So with that in mind, I also call it my World Cup SX, which is a nod to England’s World Cup 1966 triumph and the same year it came off the production line in Italy.”
Power
Underneath the shine and style lies a well-thought-out engine setup built by Carl Neath of NeathSpeed Racing. The engine breathes through a 22mm Jetex carb, feeding a Rapido 200cc classic kit, while a GP200 crank keeps things solid and smooth. Power exits through a chrome Twin Pipe Uni-AF Clubman 48mm exhaust, giving the scooter a tone that’s as classy as it is commanding. “Anyone who’s ridden with me knows it’s quick, especially considering I’m usually two-up with a front rack full of lamps. It pulls like a train. And braking? Well, it’s got the weight on the front already, so it stops fine as long as you keep on top of it!”
At first glance, Steve’s scooter appears to be a classic Mod setup, with lights, chrome, mirrors, and accessories. But look closer, and you see the care and craft hidden beneath the shine. “I wanted it to look traditional, but in terms of ignition, I also wanted modern reliability. So I gutted an old battery and hid the regulator and coil inside. The HT lead runs back through a dummy coil to the plug so it all looks completely factory.”
The lighting setup also has its secrets: the front lamps run from a power pack tucked behind the rack lights, rechargeable and practical. And the rear half-size crash and bumper bar is a home-made item fashioned by Steve from repurposed full-size ones, bent and shaped to fit the lines of the scooter.
Having done it from field finds to full restorations, Steve’s advice to newcomers is blunt but valuable. “Buyer beware. Always check that the frame is straight and what it’s supposed to be. Get it jigged before you start. And don’t kid yourself, they’re not cheap to do, so do it right, it’s worth every penny. A proper Mod scooter done well will always pull a crowd, and you’ll never regret it, just maybe your wallet will.”
“It was a fantastic rally but also memorable as the skinheads were waiting for us all on the A38. They came running down onto the carriageway in the early hours, which was like something from a Dystopian sci-fi film, very eerie and very bizarre.”
Heartbeat
For Steve, rallies remain the heartbeat of scooter life. “It’s not just about the ride, it’s about seeing people, catching up and watching everyone roll in and even after all these years, that still gives me a buzz”. Of course, Steve’s favourite rally is Brighton, “That’s where A Way of Life feels most at home. It might be old like me, but it still holds its own. You park up on Madeira Drive, and people know exactly what it is, and that’s what it’s all about.”
A Way of Life is a machine that’s lived, evolved and earned its appearance with pride. “The paint’s over 25 years old, and I’m proud of that. Every year, I add a few little touches to keep it fresh. You have to take care of anything that’s close to your heart.” Steve smiled. When asked about purists who think modifying an SX200 is sacrilege, Steve said, “I’ve been told, ‘You’ve got a nerve to do that to an SX200.’ And of course, I can’t repeat my response! But honestly, every scooter reflects its owner. That’s what gives them individuality. If we all built the same thing, it’d be boring as hell.”
Steve’s scooter is an unmistakable personal statement written in chrome, metal and paint. It’s a unique Mod-style scooter that’s been developed with experience, passion and soul; and as every true Mod knows, it’s about getting there in style.
Words: Stu Smith
Photos: Gary Chapman
Acknowledgement: Thanks to DiscoDez scooters for their support with the photo shoot
Man and machine
Name: Steve Poole
Scooter club & town: Stourbridge S.C, West Midlands and Vintage Motor Scooter Club.
First scooter: My first scooter was a Vespa 50 Special, which I got in the spring of 1980 when I was 15 years old. I don’t know what was so special about it, but at least I was mobile. The Mod scene was huge in Birmingham back then, and you just had to have a scooter.
Most memorable rally: Skegness 1984 on my restored Lambretta Li150 with my girlfriend (now wife) Jackie riding pillion from Blackheath to Skegness. It was a fantastic rally, but also memorable as the skinheads were waiting for us all on the A38. They came running down onto the carriageway in the early hours, which was like something from a Dystopian sci-fi film, very eerie and very bizarre.
Name of scooter: A Way of Life.
Scooter model: 1966 Lambretta SX200
Kit: First of the Rapido 200cc road kits.
Carb: 22mm Jetex running through the standard air-box.
Exhaust: Chrome Twin Pipe Uni-AF Clubman 48mm.
Front & Rear brakes: Standard SX200 inboard disc, andf standard rear drum.
Seat by: Casa Lambretta.
Paintwork by: Lee Merritt of MotoPaint, Cradley Heath.
Time to build & by who: 18 months. I did all the design and bodywork preparation. The engine casings were also prepped by me and then handed over to Carl Neath of NeathSpeed Racing, who built the engine based around the need for a quick two-up tourer.
Advice for anyone starting a project: ‘Buyer beware’… check the frame is what it claims to be, and get it jigged before you commit to build; it’s better to do your homework first. Also, be prepared to dip into your wallet. They’re not cheap to do right; a Mod machine done right always pulls a crowd, and the obligatory chrome costs a fortune these days.
Thanks to: My wife, Jackie, for tolerating my obsession with classic scooters, and it is an obsession! Mike (Turbo) Thompson, the original owner, for letting me buy it. Lee Merrett, at MotoPaint, for ‘there’s only ever going to be one’ paint job, and Mark Levell of Cool Italia for his constant input to make improvements and for being on my wavelength.
