After what was a brilliant weekend at Weymouth back in 2022, I was particularly looking forward to returning again this summer.
I decided to leave the Lambrettas at home for the weekend and take the much more uncomfortable and impractical Pinasco 251 street racer for the 240-mile journey.
With no back rack to put my luggage on and with a SIP race seat for ‘comfort’ I wasn’t deterred. Looking cool sometimes has to take precedence and this thing is lovely to ride.
Two scoots down
Our riding party for this weekend consisted of myself, Jay on a Malossi MHR PX (just built by Diablo Moto and collected two days before the rally), Matty on his GP, Gav on a GTS, Ady on his (always in bits) Special, Billy on his Series 1, John on his Rally and Big Kev on his GTS. Before we’d even met the rest of our gang, Matty had been forced to go home to swap the GP for his SX and Ady had also taken his unlucky Lambretta back with mechanical issues.
For the rest of us, it was a trouble-free, sweltering and uneventful ride down to the south coast. We arrived late afternoon to a bustling town. The beach was packed with holidaymakers, the streets were lined with scooters and the pubs were full of their riders. As a bonus my backside wasn’t hurting too much when I got there.
Slowly sozzled
After a much-needed shower and change, we were soon sampling a few beers outside a local hotel’s bar, whilst listening to stories of madness and conspiracy and getting slowly sozzled. We got a bit too comfortable there and eventually had to drag ourselves from the quiet bar and head into the busy pubs to socialise a bit (which also meant queuing and additional noise).
The harbour area of Weymouth has plenty of pubs to choose from on both sides and it was here where we spent the rest of the evening until we wandered across to the nearby do.
How embarassing, you go out in your new t-shirt and everybody is wearing it!
Two venues
The do was pretty busy in both rooms (main and Darkside) and The Jam’d were busy blasting out some classics from yesteryear to an appreciative main room audience. I’d not seen this particular covers band before but they sounded good to me.
Soulies aren’t forgotten at Weymouth but have a seperate venue a few hundred yards into town at the Glouscester pub. That stayed busy throughout the weekend and I imagine most people who are that way inclined stayed there for the duration.
Bring out the gimp!
The do finished at 2 am and ended with a traditional kebab before walking back to our B&B for an ‘early’ night – or so I thought. Bullied by Mark, we ended up going back out again and found ourselves in a strange place with even stranger people.
We made our excuses and left, getting to bed at gone 5.
I’m sorry for the disturbing image above but at the time it didn’t seem quite as odd as it does in the cold light of day. Shaun seeemd quite comfortable in his bodystocking and chicken feet socks though.
Moist
The sunshine had been replaced with grey skies, drizzle and later on quite heavy rain, which put a dampener on things. It was still warm though which was a bonus.
Up at the Rugby Club campsite, moistened campers were getting ready for the day ahead. Custom owners were arriving at the site, or polishing their scooters and the traders were busy plying their wares. Later the ride out brigade met for a ride around.
Butt cum
Meanwhile, back in town, we were busy spending money at the hotel bar again. We also spent many hours there before heading into town later in the afternoon. Billy seemed to be enjoying his bottles of Butcome Gold, which of course, came with lots of schoolboy-style innuendo.
Mod for life
Jon from Hull’s stag night was in full flow, rather than trying to dress him as a lady, or embarrass him in other ways (fat chance if you know him), Leeds Central opted to humiliate him by dressing this rough-arsed scooter boy in a trashy Union Jack suit and pork pie hat. However, by the time we got down to the harbour, his jacket had been cast aside and later on, I saw a young student walking down the seafront proudly wearing it.
Big thumping bass
Before we knew it the day had turned to night and we were heading up to the do again, it’s like deja vu! Tonight’s entertainment came courtesy of The Delray Rockets with their thumping double bass rockabilly set, very cool.
The do, as alaways was down on numbers compared to the Friday but there were still enough people in to have a good time.
Old folks suffer falls
You can’t help but notice that us scooterists are an ageing population, seeing people on sticks, crutches and the like is becoming the norm. As people get older, ailments become more frequent and for some their sense of balance starts to suffer.
The town was littered with walking wounded over the weekend. People like Graham from the Doncaster Hunters who tripped over a step and smashed his face in pretty badly. His long suffering wife wasn’t too pleased when he phoned to tell her and rumour has it he’s been grounded for the forseeable. He wasn’t the only wobbly one though, Matty fell down the stairs in the do at the end of Saturday night and knocked himself out cold. He came round, wanted to fight everybody who’d helped him to his feet, then went off for a kebab before sleeeping it off (not the best medical advice for somebody with possible concussion but he was still alive at breakfast!).
Three to go
That’s another National Rally ticked off this year’s list and we’ve only got three more to go. Weymouth certainly didn’t dissapoint, it’s probably one of the nicest seaside towns we visit and has pretty much everything scooterists need. Well done to all the hardworking South West Scooter Club’s for making it a great weekend. Your efforts really are appreciated.
Next stop, its the Isle of Wight..
Words: Iggy
Photos: Booga, extra photos Iggy and Pitchie
