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A scooterboy is a member of a specific subculture based around riding motor scooters. The subculture started in the late 1960s in the industrial north of England.[citation needed] The subculture resurfaced nationally in the United Kingdom around 1979 or 1980 at the time of the mod revival.[citation needed] The huge number of scooter clubs that sprung up around this movement best identified the scooterboy movement.
Unlike the mods, who often customize their scooters with 1960s-style paint jobs and accessories (such as extra mirrors), scooterboys generally use a more modern style of paint work, sometimes adding murals depicting events or music, or in some cases turning them into cutdowns. Performance items were also added to the scooters to improve speed and handling.
The high point for scooterboys was from 1984 to 1987. Scooter rallies during this period were attracting numbers in excess of 6,000 or 8,000 people. Scooter rallies usually involved camping, watching bands, dancing to DJs, drinking and participating in various scooter-related activities. In the 1980s, scooterboys listened to various styles of music, including ska, 2 Tone, psychobilly, punk rock, Oi!, and northern soul. A few popular songs at scooter rallies in the 1980s included: "The Snake" by Al Wilson", "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" by The Clash, "Skinhead Love Affair" by Bad Manners", "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen, and "Tony Blackburn" by Binky Baker.[citation needed]
The scooterboy subculture has spread around the world, largely due to magazines such as Scootering and Scooter Scene. In the 2000s, there has been a sizable scooterboy (or as they are now known, scooterist) scene in many countries, notably Germany, the United States, France and Italy.
Fashion
There are no rigid fashion rules among scooterboys, although many have resembled punk-influenced-skinheads. However, many have had either normal hairstyles, psychobilly-style quiffs or flattops, or dreadlocks.[citation needed] Scooterboys rejected the more formal clothing styles of the mods and traditionalist skinheads (such as suits). Typical Scooterboy clothing includes MA-1 bomber jackets, military surplus parkas, and leather or denim jackets (or vests). It is common for scooterboys to sew patches onto their jackets showing the scooter rallies they have attended, the clubs they have belonged to and the brand of scooter they prefer.
Many scooterboys have worn Dr. Martens or military surplus boots and Ben Sherman or Fred Perry shirts, showing some throwback to their mod/skinhead roots, although T-shirts with the wearer's club emblazoned across the front or back were most popular at parties and scooter rallies.
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