Friday 3 October 2014

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

4 comments:

capnsimo said...

Dear Sticky, the book looks great, I shall indeed buy one as a guide and solution to family holiday stuckiness...maybe can you solve a mystery, whatever happened to the NSU Prima I gave to Ola Dele...did it re-appear as a frankenstein "Q" scooter, did it do anything...is it still alive.....many thanks sorry to bother you, toodle pip Simon Fiddy's friend....

bikegrim said...

Reading it at the moment. Good stuff

Unknown said...

Capnsimo,

I don't know if Oladele ever finished the Prima which is a great shame because it'll be lush when it's done, but as far as I know he still has it.

PS - Just found your comment by chance, not because I wrote the review. I didn't do the myself or it'd be even more glowing :)

capnsimo said...

Cheers sticky nice of you to reply, it was a shot in the dark and respect to SB, no intention to use as a lonely hearts, I loved that NSU and it used to belong to me old Mate Will, as long as it happy and in a good home I am happy...great trip....lovely looking book...proper job, none of your Long Way Malarkey, more mondo enduro... top man
Thankyou
s