A custom Lambretta Li Special 125 created by Sophia Levell, with the involvement of her twin sister Isabelle and scooter builder Mark Levell, combines tattoo-inspired artwork with performance modifications. The design draws on the style of Ed Hardy and reflects themes of duality and family connection expressed through detailed paintwork and symbolism.
Some scooters wear their heart on their sleeve, this one tells its story in full colour; a twin-sister tribute transformed into a tattoo-inspired masterpiece…
Every so often, a custom scooter comes along that’s so personal, so deeply layered, it blurs the line between machine and artwork. Sophia Levell’s, Reach Out I’ll Be There is one of those rare machines; a Lambretta Li Special 125 reborn through ink, paint and passion.
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Sophia’s scooter is about family; its design draws its soul from the iconic tattoo artist and designer Ed Hardy and illustrates the powerful bond between Sophia and her twin sister, Isabelle. Together with their dad, long-term scooterist and custom scooter builder Mark Levell, they’ve created a machine that celebrates duality, light and dark, strength and vulnerability, all of which is expressed through tattoo-art symbolism and flawless craftsmanship.
From mud to mod chic
Sophia’s scooter journey didn’t start with chrome or café forecourts; it began in motocross mud. “I grew up racing bikes from the age of six, my first was a KTM 50 Mini-Adventure, and I moved through the racing categories until I turned professional at eighteen. I was obsessed with anything that had two wheels and I still am.”
After retiring from motocross racing, it wasn’t long before two wheels called Sophia back in a different form. “In 2018, my dad returned to scooters, and as soon as I saw the one he’d bought, I knew I wanted one, which was the start of a new riding chapter; but with fewer broken bones!”
Ink deep
The concept for Reach Out I’ll Be There came from Sophia’s love of tattoo art, especially the vivid, iconic style of Ed Hardy. Hardy’s world of bold lines, colourful hearts and True Love banners spoke to her, not just as an aesthetic but as a philosophy. “The Ed Hardy brand has always appealed to me; it’s vibrant, full of life, and there’s emotion and story behind every design. In terms of tattoo style, I’m drawn to colour and detail. Isabelle’s taste is darker and more gothic, so the scooter had to show both sides of our personalities.”
The title, borrowed from the 1966 Four Tops hit, Reach Out I’ll Be There, ties everything together and is a representation of the twins’ unbreakable bond. “It’s about having each other’s back, no matter what. In some ways we’re opposites, but even so we’re always connected and would never let each other down, no matter what.” Sophia explained.
Art in motion
Mark took on the task of turning the concept into a reality. But even for him, an experienced scooter builder, this project was something new. “Dad said it was the most challenging project he’d ever done, not just because it was emotional, but because it had to capture two personalities in one scooter.”
Once the concept sketches had been planned out, Mark turned to Doony, a tattoo artist he knew through paint specialist Dave Addis and asked her if she could translate her tattoo artistry onto a scooter. “It was Doony’s first project like this, and she was up for the challenge, so I gave her the go-ahead, and with her experienced creative freedom, she absolutely nailed it.”
The results are breathtaking. Across the panels flow graphics reading, “Deeper than Skin,” “True Love,” and “Need a Hand to Hold.” Each one tells part of the girls’ story, and every stroke of ink-like paint feels alive. The off-side of the scooter is Sophia’s, which bursts with warmth: yellows, golds and sunlit tones. Whilst Isabelle’s side embraces the shadows with deep purples and darker hues. Between them, the scooter becomes a mirror of balance where art and tattoos come to life.
The mini fly-screen is part of Mark’s Cool Italia brand line and carries a pair of eyes painted within it, referencing his saying, “The soul is seen through the eyes.” The plating is also deliberate; gold brings warmth, chrome adds a cool feel and touches of copper deliver depth.
Under the skin
For all its artistry, Reach Out I’ll Be There isn’t just a showpiece; beneath the cut-away side panels beats an engine built for performance. Power comes from an RT 225cc kit, built for torque and reliable two-up riding, feeding it is a 28mm Dellorto carb, and everything completes through to a KRP Road Curly exhaust. Whether Sophia’s using the scooter for solo riding or Isabelle’s riding pillion, the engine delivers strong, responsive acceleration with enough flexibility to handle long rides or city traffic without complaint.
“I grew up racing bikes from the age of six, my first was a KTM 50 Mini-Adventure, and I moved through the racing categories until I turned professional at eighteen. I was obsessed with anything that had two wheels and I still am.”
To match performance with control, the front brake has been upgraded to a Nissin disc item, while the rear keeps things classic with the standard drum setup. Suspension comes courtesy of BGM, offering both comfort and handling sharp enough to keep the ex-motocrosser happy. “It rides beautifully; it’s good, and it’s fast, but I’ll be honest, it could always be faster; although that’s probably my racing instinct, which still hasn’t mellowed out. I ride too fast, always have and always will.” Sophia laughed.
Every inch of Reach Out I’ll Be There has meaning; take the flamed spark-plug box holder on the rear footboard strut, for example, it’s a one-off creation housing two plugs; a plug for two-up riding and next to it a plug for solo blasts.
As you delve deeper into the details and look closer, more stories appear. The path-finder light rims are colour-coded: yellow on Sophia’s side, purple on Isabelle’s. The number 511 is a reference to Sophia’s motocross racing days, while 666 delivers Isabelle’s darker side, and the custom seat is an amazing piece of one-off themed detail that ties everything together.
Conversations
The impact of Sophia’s scooter at events always draws plenty of attention; it’s conversational and interesting, and people want to discuss and discover the meaning behind the graphics and the artwork with her. “I ride it for rallies, runs, whatever, it’s built to be used. My favourite rally is Brighton, and for me, that’s where everything comes together. I love the atmosphere, the people, the scooters and the camaraderie; everyone’s got a story, and everyone wants to talk about scooters.”
Results like this are only achieved through teamwork. Mark designed and managed the project, Sophia helped with the ideas, and Isabelle gave her support on the darker elements. Their communication and discussions paid off, which kept the design cohesive while representing two opposite styles, and the end result speaks for itself: a scooter that feels emotional, balanced and utterly unique.
Reach Out I’ll Be There is a reflection of two lives, a family’s creativity and the connection between art and machine, where every detail tells a story. Just like a tattoo, this scooter is personal, permanent and impossible to ignore, making it a wonderful moving tribute to ink, soul and sisterhood.
Article originally appeared in Scootering Magazine Feb 26. To subscribe and some Meguiars cleaning freebies visit https://classicmagazines.co.uk/scootering?offer=SCOME2026
OWNER AND MACHINE
Name: Sophia Levell
Scooter club & town: Tickety Boo S.C. & Stourbridge S.C.
First scooter, and how you became interested in them: From being six years old, I grew up riding motocross bikes. My first bike was a KTM 50cc Mini-Adventure, then I moved through the racing age categories and developed into racing at a professional level until I was eighteen. I was always obsessed with anything with two wheels, so after I retired from Motocross in 2018, when my dad bought a scooter for himself again, I wanted one too.
Most memorable rally: Brighton.
Name of scooter: Reach Out I’ll Be There ft Ed Hardy.
Scooter model: Lambretta Li 125 Special.
Kit: RT225
Carb: 28mm Dellorto
Exhaust: KRP Road Curly
Front Brake: Nissin disc
Front & Rear suspension: BGM
Time to build & by who: Around nine months by Mark Levell, Grace Carvell (now George) and Derek Askill.
Seat by: Cool Italia
Paintwork by: Doony (Tattoo Artist – Freespirit Studio)
Any advice for people starting a project: Be patient, think it through, and a dry build is essential to get a great end result.
Is there anyone you wish to thank: My dad, the guys at Disco Dez Scooters and Steve Poole, who is always there to give advice and help when my dad can’t
Words: Stu Smith Photos: Gary Chapman
Scootering would like to thank Disco Dez Scooters for support with the photoshoot.
