Wednesday, March 31, 2010

"Crazy" teacher Embarks on Scooter Journey

 Photo by Andy Burriss

I was amused by this article from the South Carolina Herald Online that revealed the plans of a high school teacher who is about to embark on a 600-mile ride to raise money for  the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. I found it funny on several levels; that a 600-mile ride would be classified at "crazy," that he has arrange for 2 automobile escorts; that he is undertaking this trip with minimal scootering experience (well, that may be unwise), and that the ride is called "Moped to Memphis" when he is on a scooter.

Regardless, its a fun story and I wish him well in raising funds for a good cause. A happy and safe journey to him!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

La Vita is in the house


We just received a La Vita to test. Cool!




-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Scoot Cop in Union Square

I know why I snapped this photo of a NYPD cop sitting on a scooter in the middle of Union Square. It looked as if they were about to shoot a video & he was waiting around.
But one lady who walked by stopped to snap a bunch of pictures and giggled a bit. Ah the plight of a scooter cop.




-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

First scooter of the trip


Seen at W 27 & 5th ave.



-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...

Spring Rides + Specials at Rockridge Two Wheels

An enthusiastic entreaty to get riding from Rockridge Two Wheels in California.

Vespa Walnut Creek and Rockridge Two Wheels Present
Riding Season 2010 is Here At Last!
Jeeze it's been a long wet winter, now the sun is out and we're ready to ride!

This year we are going to try things a little different. We are going to hold our shop rides on the first Saturday every month and alternate between stores. That way people can plan ahead and we can see more of our Oakland/Berkeley friends!

Starting Saturday April 3rd at 11 am we will hold our first ride of 2010 at Vespa Walnut Creek! May 1st at 11 AM will be our first ride originating from Rockridge Two Wheels!

The June 5th ride will be a combination of both shops meeting up and taking a long and beautiful ride down to Sunol and beyond if ya like! You don't wanna miss that one, it's a fantastic ride! More info later.

The events calendar on the website will be updated frequently, and we strongly suggest joining our Facebook pages to get current updates on ride information, routes, weather, and whatever. There is talk of doing a few informal Sunday rides too and they will announced on our Facebook pages only. If you're not sure what Facebook is, or not a member, you can always ring the shop in WC for updates.

Rides are based on the capabilities of the 150cc engine, smaller engines may struggle on the hills and faster portions of the rides. Suggestions for routes or events are always appreciated, just drop us an email or post on Facebook.

And as always...ALL SCOOTERS WELCOME!!

For the month of April our Service Department will be offering 50% off a new set of tires and a FREE Spring Spruce Up for your scoot!

Spring Spruce Up includes:
  • battery check and charge
  • brake check
  • carburetor adjustment (scooters only)
  • safety inspection

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Going to New York

I'll be in Manhattan all next week. Hope to meet up with some NYC scooterists for a drink. Will try to update the blog as much as possible. 

Cheers!

Friday, March 19, 2010

While I was in Vegas...

I really was working, really! I sold subscriptions and shirts and answered questions and stuff. I also got away from the Scoot! booth long enough to actually talk scooter with scooter people. One of whom was the very nice and generous-with-his time Hank Norush who took the Build-Off credo to heart with his amazing custom Vespa. He took some time from his windy, Saturday and shared how his bike came together.

Sorry for the wind noise, but it became quite blustery out there just as some rain drops began to fall...

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Wonder Con 2010: Peter S. Beagle

Just got the Comic Con magazine that promotes Wonder Con and saw that Peter S. Beagle will be at the show. His books, The Last Unicorn
, and A Fine and Private Place are mainstays with fantasy readers, but it is I See By My Outfit
which details his journey across the US on a Heinkel in 1963 that interested me most.

I met Mr. Beagle a few years ago at one of the last Mile High Mayhems, where he was signing his book. I then ran into him at Comic Con last year. If you like scooter road trip stories, pick it up. And if you are in San Fransisco over Easter weekend, look him up a Wonder Con.

Grab

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Posteritati Cult Film Poster Sale

If your scooter memorabilia collection includes film posters, then listen up because NYC's Posteritati is having a "Cult Film" poster sale. Get 20% off when you use the code CULT at checkout. It's a sweet deal that might bring this highly desirable scene card from Roman Holiday to your home:

At $175 it is out of my budget, but for $140,I am feeling a bit more interested. Sale goes through the month of March, but get them now before all the scooter posters are gone! Check out all of their scooter-related posters here (although not all of them may be included in the sale)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Cannonball Run Reg is Open

Scooter Cannonball Registration is now open. If you are considering entering to do the ride, got to the website and look over the registration requirements. Deadline is July 31st.

Monday, March 15, 2010

New Strawberry Shortcake Scooter Toy

You may recall that Hasbro put out a Strawberry Shortcake scooter a while ago. They have revisited the theme with a new Delivery Scooter which has a three-wheel scooter with a trailer and a bunch of sweets that Strawberry Shortcake can sell.

Get it at Target for $16.99

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Cool New Barbies

If you collect the large die-cast Vespa scooter models, you might want a cute doll to dress it up. I once made a whole music video using 11-inch dolls (Barbie sized) on scooters. Fun!

Mattel has come out with some great new Barbie dolls that would go great on one of those scooters. I fell in love with their new Italy Barbie, but passed it up at $29.99 at Toys R Us.
I was thinking it would be a great way to recreate the cover of Scoot! Issue # 28 which had a girl on a Vespa 98:

If you collect 80's style scooters you might like the new 80's line of Barbies which rock out with Joan Jett (could this be the first openly gay Barbie doll? Yay!):
Cyndi Lauper:

And Debbie Harry:


 If you have a 50's style scooter toy that is crying out for a lovely lady, try the Hard Rock Barbie, which is a rockabilly gal with tattoos and a stand-up bass:


 Finally, if you want to go with an early '60s theme, try this Mad Men set. The men look way cooler than any Ken doll ever has:


If you have some cool doll/scooter toy combos, send me some pics!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Vespa Shopper tote


The savvy folks at Retro To Go posted about this Addias "Vespa Shopper."
According to the Addidas UK site (I couldn't locate it on the US version) the bag is:
features an allover print of infamous Italian scooters, with a Trefoil link on the back and a hanging zip pocket inside. Dimension - 39/31 x 42 x 7 cm

While Retro To Go isn't a scooter-centric site, they often feature scooter-related items. You should follow them, or visit their site often. 

Friday, March 12, 2010

New Scoot? Tax Deduction!

Our friends at the American Motorcycle Association sent out a press release to remind folks that some new motorcycle/scooter purchases in 2009 qualify for a tax deduction:


Don't forget to claim federal tax deduction if you bought a new on-highway motorcycle in 2009

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is reminding riders that they may be eligible for a federal tax deduction on their 2009 taxes if they bought a new motorcycle last year.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- a landmark $787 billion economic stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed into law in February 2009 -- provides a deduction for state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase of qualified new vehicles from Feb. 17 through Dec. 31, 2009. Qualified new vehicles include street and dual-sport motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, cars, light trucks and motor homes.

"At first, Congress was not going to include motorcycles in this bill, but the AMA and the association's members, along with Harley-Davidson and others, persuaded our elected representatives to go back to the drawing board and fix that oversight," said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "Congress responded, and now motorcyclists who purchased a new bike last year can enjoy the same tax savings as those who opted for four-wheeled transportation."

Eligible vehicles must have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 8,500 pounds or less, and cost less than $49,500. Individuals can take the full deduction if they make less than $125,000, or $250,000 for joint filers. The deduction is phased out for taxpayers with income between $125,000 and $135,000 ($250,000 to $260,000 for a joint return). Individuals don't have to itemize to claim the deduction.


To illustrate the impact of the tax deduction, consider the case of a new motorcycle purchase of $10,500. For a 7.5 percent sales tax rate, the tax would be $787.50. The purchaser takes this deduction on the federal income tax form, reducing their taxable income by $787.50. Sales and excise taxes vary by state, so the actual savings will depend on the taxpayer's state and tax rate.

To read the Internal Revenue Service "Questions and Answers" about the deduction, go to IRS.gov or www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=211310,00.html.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.

Deadline for Scoot Art Issue Questionnaires

Today is the deadline to submit your completed questionnaire for our upcoming Scooter Art issue.

Deadlines:
Questionnaire: March 12th, 2010 [end of business]
Artwork: March 18th, 2010
Notification of inclusion: March 21st, 2010
Issue street date: May 15, 2010

If you are an artist that uses scooters in your art or as your canvas contact me to be included in our Scooter Art issue.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Maisto Harley Topper Toy

Thanks to Jon for letting me know about this new scooter toy. It is a simplified Harley Topper. He found it at RiteAid for $5 but you can probably find it at hobby shops and toy stores, too. I'll check target this weekend.

Image from EDiecast.

[ammended]

Never heard of the Topper? You can read about it here:

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Talbots Scarf Tying Deck


I bought a scarf at Talbots and got a cute packet of cards that gives multiple ways to tie a scarf. The card which details making a halter top (?!) has a gal on a scooter. Her doxie dog is jumping with a checkered flag. Cute but not advisable riding gear. Will post better pic.



-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...

Final call for scooter artists!

 
Our last Scooter Art issue...


I'm closing on on the next Scooter Art issue in which we publish works from artists that use scooters as their muse, in their work or as their canvas. Paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, jewelry...whatcha got? If you are interested in contributing and seeing your work in Scoot!, contact me. Select "Interested in Contributing" on the form.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Scootin' Dog

This cute chihuahua took a break from raffle at High Rollers Weekend. His owners won a pair of saddlebags from Scoot! that were packed with all sorts of swag form multiple sponsors.



-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...