Brian McGinn designer of Kid Oliver eyewear
What was your first machine? A 1985 Vespa PX125E. My dad got it for me when I was 17. We'd just moved to the country and I think it was an attempt to take the sting out moving from my friends. He got himself a little 1981 100 cc.
What attracted you to motorbikes? Something passed on from my old man. I've got a picture from the late 1950s of him leaning against his Triumph, doing his best James Dean impression. He got rid of his bike when a friend had a fatal encounter with a Belfast bus. I've stuck with Vespas because of the image . . . Mod v Rocker? Mod every time. Vespas are practically indestructible so long as you get them serviced regularly. Petrol in one hole, oil in another - you really can't go wrong.
How much did it cost? The guy wanted £80, so my dad gave him £100. How's that for haggling! It was owned by an old man in his 70s who said it was too slow for him.
What did insurance cost? Bit of a joke. Up North it was £125 fully comprehensive. Down here they were looking for £685 third party. I've had the two bikes garaged up North for the past couple of years because I don't have secure parking here on Bachelor's Walk. It'd be trashed in a week.
What do you use your bikes for? Mainly runarounds when I'm up home. At college in Dublin, it was my main transport. I've moved flats using only the Vespa - you'd be amazed at how much you can load when you've got front and back carriers.
How much do you spend on gear? A true scooter boy spends more on his wardrobe than on his bike. Mind you, I've had the 125 fully kitted out Mod-style with front crash bars, Florida bars on the sides, front carrier and vintage ironing-board back carrier, back rest and 18 mirrors, and bars on the front bucket. That was a few years ago . . . it all cost between £500 and £600. I stripped it back down again because it was attracting the wrong kind of attention and I got fed up walking out the front door in the morning and seeing the bike on its side. I'm starting to renovate my father's little 100 cc and the guys at Skooter - Jervis Street and Baggot Lane - are helping me source original chrome.
Your next bike? If I was going to get another one, a Heinkel Tourist. There's something beautiful in its ugliness. My taste is vintage - cult classic, not best-seller. I like bikes to look and sound mechanical. I'm not turned on by performance. For me it's about style.
Your longest journey? A couple of days before New Year 1997 I was home in Limavady and had to get to Galway for a party. Vespas can be tricky in anything other than Italian summers, but the roads at that time were fully loaded with snow and ice. I managed to stay upright and I always remember how Benbulben looked on that winter sunset - stunning, but bloody treacherous.