Welcome to Mods vs. Rockers, the 21st century version. All of the garage-built machinery, period garb, and estranged-from-traditional-society characters without the violence and police involvement of early ’60s English seaside. With much better weather, mind you.
This one involved a morning ride to the Harp Tavern in Costa Mesa, California, and likely jacked some traffic and pissed off SUV-driving housewives along the way. I’m pretty sure there are still some folks telling stories of a Mod invasion of Orange County. Why do you need 14 mirrors on your scooter? Maybe to see the dumbass in the minivan behind you, or maybe just to enjoy how pretty you are. Might be one of those “if you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand” deals, but that’s the way they did it back then, so why question it now?
By noon the bands had the place packed and bikes were stashed everywhere. Not a damn one that had recently rolled out of a dealership, though. Each machine was slathered in the blood, sweat, and in many cases the off-center personality of its owner. An early ’70s Guzzi El Dorado parked next to a pink Vespa across from a real-deal Triton. All tasty bits to look at, indeed. There were even a few raked H-Ds and Trumps for good measure, too!
Thing is, like a chopper, you can’t really buy a Café or Mod’d scooter. You have to build it, and that’s what makes these bikes and this event truly special.
Mods vs. Rockers events are happening up all over the world, and maybe they’re just a thinly veiled excuse to show off your horn/mirror assortment or hacked-up tail section or perhaps to hang with some like-minded folks and grab a beer. Pretty sure it’s a win/win deal no matter what is the catalyst. We recommend you check one out. Still don’t get it, my fellow chopperheads? Rent Quadrophenia and listen to the Jam. It’ll help. STC