Frankenstein Scooters to Dracula’s Castle

This is the bizarre premise for the book: British family rides from Italy to Istanbul (through Transylvania) on holiday on a pair vintage scooters fitted with motorbike engines; writes about it; expects public to buy it. The title is as convoluted. But, because Martin ‘Sticky’ Round is such an entertaining writer (and, perhaps, because I have a long-held soft spot for old scooters), it worked for me.

I used to read Sticky’s stuff before I was a professional journalist and I still enjoy it now. He doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel (like he did with his Honda 250-two-stroke-powered Lambretta or his wife’s 400cc Suzuki-powered Maico) with his writing and it’s a fairly gentle, but engaging tale of man and wife and 11-year-old lad going on a very off-the-beaten track holiday (along with a friend and his 13-year-old daughter on another ancient, standard and – seemingly - woefully under-powered Lambretta). It is inspirational for anyone feeling they’re in a family holiday rut or fancy a bonding exercise with their sprog. And for anyone who thinks their bike isn’t up for touring, because it’s not a BMW GS with aluminium panniers.

The two-wheelers they’re riding might not be familiar or even desirable to readers, but the trials of touring on heavily modified, inappropriate machinery will ring a bell with chopper, street tracker or café racer riders.

The book is independently produced and available in large format paperback or ebook. G

Paperback Edition • ISBN: 978-0-9548216-2-3; • 196 Pages • 92 colour images • UK Price: £9.99 + P&P
Published by: Fingers in Pies Publications • Available from: www.scooterproducts.com

ebook (Amazon): • ISBN: 978-0-9548216-3-0 • Price £2.99 ebook (Smashwords edition - Apple, Nook Kobo etc) • ISBN: 978-0-9548216-4-7 • £2.99