Page 18 - Beep Beep September 23

Rod with the top-of-the- range Royal Enfield
ROD GANDER
Our well known club member has exchanged 4 wheels for 2 !
Rod Gander is a well-known member of the Roadrunner Car Club often recognised in his ‘baby’ Fiat at Club events. Others will remember him working in the local dealership at Madill in Noosa for 15 years with Honda – and Holden too of course! Indeed, I purchased my ‘hot hatch Honda RS’ from him a few years ago.
I recently found Rod in Rene Street, up a few streets and round a few corners from his old ‘patch’ and now surrounded by 2-wheeled vehicles instead of 4. Having been a motor cycle enthusiast and rider for many years Rod jumped at the chance of working in a different scene at ‘Scooter Style and Noosa Motorcycles’ alongside the new owner Adam Madill. Adam and Caroline, his wife, took over the long running business earlier this year.
A perfect sunny morning for a photo-shoot with so many gleaming Vespas and Royal Enfields lined up to tempt enthusiasts onto the site, Rod and Adam posed for me before we chatted about the background of the business.
You may have seen a lot of scooters dashing around town recently and let’s face it, 2-wheeling around Noosa these days is a lot easier than cars in crowded Hastings and Gympie Terrace, and also for parking up!!!
If you fancy owning a scooter [prices start at just $3,000] the guys will be happy to sell you one of their selection – which incidentally includes electric models from ‘Super Soco’ and ‘Benzina Zero’– but you can also hire them out for short term periods which is also great for holiday makers.
If you desire something more powerful the Royal Enfield range will fit the bill. And you can also kit out your body and the bike with all the latest clothing and equipment – the showroom is bursting with the latest gear.
Behind the showroom is the workshop where they are authorised service agents to provide service and repairs and they are an Approved Inspection Station for Safety Certificates.
I left 16 Rene Street with a pang of regret that I was not back in the 60s with the classic Vespa to razz around on... but then I do still have my hot Honda which is possibly more my style these days: haha.
Thanks Rod and Adam for your warm welcome and I look forward to seeing you at our Charity Car Show in a few weeks time where you are putting on a display as one of our valued sponsors.
Rod with a selection of scooters
Photos Myra Doyle
Rod in his tiny Fiat Bambino
Myra Doyle
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