Angelo Lebrato

As a child of the 80s I grew up listening to radio and watching lots of tele. My family, a traditional Italian large household that would fit all stereotypical concepts, was loud and very musical, always hosting some kind of family gathering, where we all got to perform. From an early age, I loved all kinds of fast and loud music but when I discovered rock music, with its deep drums and piercing guitars, it was like a magnet to my ears. I listened to home-made tapes for hours trying to learn solos, parts of the songs and lyrics. My favourite band, mostly English, were Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Rainbow and Van Halen.

I remember watching the film, “Harley Davidson and Marlboro man,” and saying: I want to do that! And by the time Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” was racing a plane on his Kawasaki, I was sold. In addition to that, many of the music albums and video clips featured motorcycles in their covers. I then started working in a bookshop, only because they had a beautiful red Lambretta for the delivery jobs. It was love at first sight, and after a quick explanation of the gears on the left-hand grip, 1 down 2 up, breaks here, gas there, I was ready to hit the road. The CBT-like test was super easy, the examiner was a friend of the family and it only cost me a box of pastries. Everything fitted like a puzzle and I loved it all, music, bikes, the whole careless attitude and fun life, jeans, T-shirt and leather-jacket-with-studs culture. I should also mention that at that time, I was deeply in love with Pamela and it didn't help when I saw her in the movie “Barb Wire” riding a shiny Triumphs. I wanted my own big so bad.

After a few months of painful waiting, I managed to save enough money to buy a Royal Enfield Bullet 350. Don't ask me the year or the colour, it was in bits and pieces, dismantled in boxes, basically a pile of rust, but I was happy. I spent the whole summer sanding, cleaning, painting that thing, I bought old wheels and it became a rolling chassis, looking awesome. I passed it on to my brother, he managed to hear it running but sold it soon after.

I think, it was mid 90s when I watched a few documentaries about the British youth culture of the 50/60/70s, featuring music aspects, fashion industry and of course the biker-scene. I remember how vividly the rivalry between rockers and mods was depicted. I didn’t want to go to work the next day. How could I ride the Lambretta now? Who would imagine at that time that I would have the privilege and honour to be contributing with a small part to keep the legacy of the 59 Club going?

I joined the club at the start of the meets at All Saints Church in Hanworth in 2018. I had lots of great chat with Revd Sergiy Diduk and since then I’ve been trying to be there regularly and occasionally venture the visit the clubhouse in Plaistow on the opposite side of London. My highlights of the year must be Gary’s BBQs in the summer, the Brighton Reunion and definitely the Toy Run in December.

I often feel like a child in a sweet shop talking to the veterans in the club. I’ve gained many friends in the club and it is a delight to listen to old stories of no helmets, near mist, close calls, cafe racing or the frustration of another motorcycle breakdown.

A bit cheeky of me to brag about this, but due to the nature of my role as Membership Secretary in the club, I also have the fortune to interact with members from around the world, and in those short correspondence we talk all things bikes, models, years, victories and challenges. I love my job.

Fast forward to now, after having been able to ride almost all kinds of bikes, I love the Italian style of the Ducati Monsters the most, they are for me a work of art and engineering. Am I bias? Though I do have to agree with most of you who say that it is not an easy bike to ride, it is not a cheap bike to maintain either, and it is temperamental, with a mind of its own, but nevertheless full of character, and as a good friend of mine, a former Ducati owner said: it is not a docile animal. I don’t know what else to say, apart from: according to my bucket list I still need to buy a Norton, experience the TT and ride the Scotland's North Coast 500. Can’t wait!

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