AGV Trade-In Deal

AGV has announced a deal on a new helmet. Trad in your old stinky helmet for a fresh new one!
-april
+++++++++

"Trade in your past: start fresh with a new AGV helmet!"

From May 1st to June 15th 2011 you can make a clean break with the past. Trade in your old helmet and receive a 20% discount on your new AGV helmet.

 

Every motorcyclists in the USA can trade in their old helmet of any brand, for 20% off on the purchase of a new AGV helmet, from May 1st to June the 15. This promotion is available to the public at all participating dealers.

Our goal with this "Trade In" program is to emphasize safety and awareness, an important matter and concern for all motorcyclists, that is always at the top of AGV's priorities and daily operations

 

Restrictions

 Promotion is available only at participating dealers and on selected helmets only.
Dealer must collect the chinstrap of every old helmet traded in for the purchase of a new AGV helmet (one chinstrap = one new AGV helmet purchased).

Check the AGV Dealer Locator to contact your store.
To participate to the promotion through www.agv.com, please send a picture of your old helmet you want to trade in to agv@dainese.com and you will get a 20% promotional code to use for your online purchase at www.agv.com (helmets under the "Hot Deals" category are not part of the promotion).
Promotion available in USA only.

Ride to Work: June 20, 2011

I probably don't need to tell you that you will save gas by riding your scooter to work rather than driving a car. The fuel-efficiency of a scooter is on everyone's mind right now. So it's even a better reason to participate in Ride to Work Day.

For the 2007 Ride to Work Day, I published some ideas on how to make the event a community-building and awareness event like the Bike to Work Day has become. These ideas bear repeating:

• Contact local scooter & motorcycle shops to see if they would host a stop. Most people commute in the early morning hours, so it may be a tough sell to get the store to be available from 6-9am, but its worth it.
• Get a local grocery store on board to supply the snacks. I know from experience that Whole Foods Markets are pro-alternative transport and you may be able to get them to help out like many of them do for Bike to Work day.
• Contact the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and see if they can send you information on safe riding, helmet fitting etc.
• Find local clubs that may be interested in manning the booth to promote their club or perhaps just leave information on their club.
• Send a press release to the local news about the event and list any stations that you have. Do this at least 4 weeks in advance for newspapers and 2 weeks in advance for broadcast outlets.
• Get sponsors to donate product for a raffle. Get participants to sign up and then add them to an email list (with their permission of course) to keep them updated on future events. 
• Organize an after work "Happy Hour" where participants meet up for dinner or snacks and share their RTW stories. Don't forget to dissuade drinking & driving!

If you participate in Ride to Work Day, share your photos on our Facebook page. 

Having Difficulties Updating Your Scoot Account?

You can do so via this direct link which should take you to the sign-in and then account page.

For some reason, we hadn't included the info for already existing online account users. Sorry for the inconvenience.

How Expensive is Gas Near Stanford University?

I'm not kidding...$5.19/gallon for Supreme Unleaded Full Service.
Now, what dork would get full-service supreme gas during this gas crisis? Well, maybe a sweet old lady in a luxury car. I'd guess that even sweet old ladies are now pumping their own mid-grade at these prices!

Can you beat my recent high gas price pic? Post your own!

It's Earth Day...how do we make scooters even more eco-friendly?

This week, I have been in New York City with David de Rothschild explorer, eco-ambassador, and a past scooterist (he told me he had a 50's Faro Basso Vespa in his youth!).  He's spreading the word about how we can improve our relationships with plastics to reduce their effect on the environment. It got me thinking about the ecological advantages of scootering.

While scooters boast great MPG, there is a lot more to their eco-friendly nature than just fuel consumption:
Less traffic-- for those who travel alone (or with a passenger) a scooter takes up far less space than a car.
Less parking--It's possible to fit 4 scooters comfortably in one car space. With 2 people per scooter, that's 8 people that can fit into one parking spot.

What else can we do to make scooters even more eco-friendly? I'd love to hear your ideas.
Here's a few of mine:
Keep tires properly inflated: saves even more gas and keep the tire wearing evenly, thus extending the life of the tire. And make sure to recycle your old tires!

Keep your scooter tuned up: a scooter that leaks oil or runs inefficiently detracts from its eco-benefits. And your local scooter mechanic will thank you for the business!

Use less toxic cleaners and solvents: carb cleaner brightens up grimy parts like nobody's business, but it is harsh on the environment. Look for less toxic cleaning materials, even for washing the scooter, use it sparingly and clean it up properly. Don't let them run-off into the street drains.

If you want to leave a comment on how to make scooters more eco-friendly, send me an email or get involved in the conversation on Facebook.

Happy Earth Day!

Having difficulties updating your Scoot! account?

I've heard that some folks who already have Scoot! web accounts are having problems updating their accounts with the new membership numbers.

Apparently, we thought we had the account update screen formatted correctly, but we didn't. Our webmaster Chris is now updating the website so that it runs correctly. Sorry for the inconvenience to both our subscribers...and Chris! I'll post an update when it is fixed.

Onward and upward!

Scooters of NYC

Some scooters that I have seen on my trip.











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

A New Chapter for Scoot! Magazine...hello, Scoot! Club!

From the Editor

[An expanded version of this notice runs in issue #60]

Scoot! Magazine's 60th issue is an impressive feat, especially when you consider that for many years Scoot! was a quarterly. Josh and I (and Mike) took over in December of 2003. Over the next 7 years, we made many improvements, but now it is time for yet another change at Scoot!.

It is with this great enthusiasm that we announce the debut of Scoot! Club, an all-new member organization for scooter enthusiasts. Scoot! Club aims to bring scooterists together by providing an overarching club with membership benefits, support for the scootering lifestyle, and unique interactive opportunities. Scoot! Club membership entitles members to special discounts at various scooter-related businesses. Depending upon membership level, members will receive Scoot! Club items like patches, buttons, t-shirts and access to roadside assistance. The Scoot! Club will host and sponsor events.

Scoot! Magazine will also be part of that membership, albeit in a different form.  Starting with the next issue, Scoot! will cease to be a print publication, but continue as a digital magazine.

It has been our dream to be a more integral component of the scootering community, but the economic realities of the past few years have made it hard to be in the magazine business. We have struggled in this economy, and a few recent issues were held up until we were able to collect on just enough back due invoices to cover the printing. The printing and shipping is roughly 80% of our budget. By eliminating the majority of these costs, we hope to have enough actual revenue to pursue some of our goals. You should know that this is not a flippant decision. As 2010 drew to a close, the choices that faced us were to either go digital or shutter the magazine completely. After some thought we came up with a third choice–to evolve the magazine and make it something bigger. Thus, Scoot! Club was born and the idea that we could actually achieve some of our greater goals was encouraging.  In the link above you'll find more information on Scoot! Club. I hope that you will check it out, and consider joining. All current subscribers will automatically receive membership, and soon will receive letters describing the transition.

While this change may be uncomfortable, and I'm sure that we will experience some growing pains, I think that the possibilities are exciting.  I hope that you will join us in writing this next chapter in Scoot's story.

Let's ride!

April Whitney

for the Scoot! Team

Where's My $!@* Issue?...Answers!

Sorry for the lack of communication about Scoot!. We've been in the midst of a website re-design, a club launch and a round of -all-hands-on-deck collection calls to get enough money to get the February issue (#60) out of the printer's warehouse.

The February issue has finally shipped. Depending upon the USPS, the issue should be to subscribers within the next three weeks. If you do not receive your issue within that time, use our website CONTACT form and select Membership/Order Inquiry to send us a message with your complete name & address so we can check the account and/or send a new issue out.

The delay in getting the issue out is due to one thing: money. We have several advertisers who have either gone out of business, or their business is so depleated that they aren't paying invoices. This has left us in the lurch with tens of thousands of dollars of unpaid invoices. Without the funds to pay for the February issue, it sat in the printer's warehouse since early February.

We finally collected on enough invoices to pay for the magazine and its shipping.

What you'll find in the February issue #60:

• Review: KYMCO Downtown 300i
• National Scooter Racing Preview
• Fun with Dynamometers Pt. 2
• The Yak Hack: Kayak Sidehack
• A Guide to Successful Rally Sponsorships
• Reader's Rides: Tracy's Triumph Tigress, Tony G's Maico Mobil
• Product Reviews...and a bunch more

 

Shortly, I will be sending out an update as to the status of the magazine for the rest of 2011.
Happy scooting,
-april

Cool Event: Classico Moto Itallia- San Jose- 4/29-5/1

I used to be a member of Vespa Club Los Gatos, before I became involved with Scoot! and thought club membership would be a conflict of interest.  I looked forward to this event each year.  For 2011 the club is starting something new,  a Giro, which sounds like a heap of fun
-april


Classico Moto Italia Schedule Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1, 2011
- Details subject to change -
 
Friday, April 29:
7:00pm - Meet and Greet Hyde Park Cocktail Lounge
1070 North 4th Street
San Jose, CA 95112
We meet-up at our favorite dive-bar in North San Jose, Hyde Park Lounge,
for drinks and smack talk about everyone who isn't there and who is riding what.
We start our tomfoolery at 7pm.

Saturday, April 30:
8:00am - Breakfast Rose Donuts & Cafe
1818 Saratoga Avenue
San Jose, CA 95070
Get ready to ride bright and early (don't forget your sunglasses).
Rose Donuts & Cafe has KILLER breakfast burritos, so get there before the line goes out the door. 

9:30am - Group Ride-out
Kinda. Sorta. Scooter Time, y'know?
For everyone who won't be competing in the Giro,
we'll lead you on a fun ride through some of our favorite backroads.
Be sure to gas up before hand, you'll want to have a full tank!
Destination is HQ for the "Giro in Vespa": Stevens Creek County Park
Stevens Canyon Rd
Cupertino, CA 95014


10:00am - Giro in Vespa
The Giro in Vespa is a time trial competition, where riders are required
to complete a road course in as close as possible to a prescribed time,
with penalties given based on the number of minutes that a rider is faster or slower than that time.
Riders who wish to compete in the Giro will need to register in advance; full details available at classicomotoitalia.com.
The Giro will consist of two classes: Vintage Class (of 25 years or older); and Modern Class (24 years and newer).
Vespa, Lambretta, Italjet, Aprilia, Heinkel or whatever else! Two-wheels are two wheels, so bring it.

Got a moto you wanna run? You can - you just won't get points for competition.
The laps will be approximately 50miles in length and based on a Giro d'California rules:
Get there in a certain time or get dinged with points (if you arrive early or late).
The rider with the least amount of points wins. Forget cheating on the route - we'll know if you did or not. 

12:00pm - Barbecue Stevens Creek Park
Stevens Canyon Rd
Cupertino, CA 95014
Lunch will be served at the park, after the first Giro circuit has been completed.
The second half will commence after everyone has eaten and participants are ready to get back in the saddle.
Those of us not running the Giro will be partaking in other activities at the park (possibly including a slow race).


7:00pm - Saturday Evening Entertainment
Activities have yet to be determined, so keep close for details. 

Sunday, May 1:
10:00am - Breakfast
Diner of Los Gatos
235 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road
Los Gatos, CA 95030
We'll start late on Sunday morning, at the Los Gatos Diner,
in the grand tradition of South Bay rally morning rides.
Fill-up on the grease and caffeine you'll need for a 3-hour ride.
12:00 - Long Ride
So you're saddle sore and exhausted from yesterday's riding? Whatever!
The point of the point is - we are the active riding club and ride, saddle sore or not.
For those die-hards who are still up for more riding, we'll be leading a long ride
through some of the best roads that the area has to offer.
Our secret destination awaits our arrival, for one last cheer and farewells
for a well spent and active riding weekend.

Magnetic Poetry Scooter

Spotted at Politics & Prose in Washington D.C. area. 



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

Larry Crowne Film Trailer

The trailer for Larry Crowne holds some excitement for Yamaha Riva fans everywhere! See th trailer here:



And check out Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks scootin' along here:

The film has a July 1st release date. Plan a ride with your local club to see it!


Blog entry soundtrack:

Scooters of DC

As I walk around the city, I am seeing scooters here & there.















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

King Tutt Putt rally- San Diego

I'm flying out to Washington D.C. this weekend, so I can't attend KTP, but if you are in the San Diego, CA area, check it out. -April

KING TUT PUTT #11

MARCH 17-20, 2011

San Diego, CA

Friday March 18th

FIRST RIDE OUT

• Meet up at 9 a.m. at the new Motorsport Scooters shop located at 3955 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110. Map

• We hit the road at 10 a.m. to RD's Log Cabin located at 26650 San Felipe Road, Warner Springs, CA 92086. Map

• After tent set up, there will be an optional ride out to Agua Caliente and putz around at the springs.

• After the springs and a little R&R back at the campsite, we head out to the Santa Ysabel Casino for $4.95 roast beef dinner special and all the gambling you can stand!

• We finish the day back at the campsite for grab-ass fun and booze by the campfire!

FYI: Ron, the owner of RD’s Log Cabin is allowing the Pharaohs the use of his campground at no charge. In exchange for his generous offer, the Pharaohs ask that you folks attending the King Tutt Putt show your support of Ron by patronizing the bar at the Log Cabin til closing at 1 a.m. The bar offers excellent booze and food at great prices. After the bar closes, we’ll start up a bonfire at the campsite and tap a keg or two for your continued drinking pleasure. Support the Pharaohs and RD’s Log Cabin and don’t be that guy!

Saturday March 19th

SECOND RIDE OUT

• Meet up at 9 a.m. at the new Motorsport Scooters shop located at 3955 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110.

• We hit the road at 10 a.m. to RD's Log Cabin located at 26650 San Felipe Road, Warner Springs, CA 92086.

• After tent set up, there will be an optional ride out to Borrego Springs for lunch. Map

• After returning to the campsite, there will be an optional off road ride (dangerous... yet fun as hell!) for experienced riders. Dinner at RD's is free with the purchase of a rally pack!

• The Amalgamated and Ottley Mercer will provide Saturday night's entertainment inside RD's Log Cabin!!

Sunday March 20th

PACK YOUR CRAP AND GO HOME!

• Breakfast at RD's is free with the purchase of a rally pack!

• Pack up make our way back to San Diego

• See you next year!

AMA Selects Best 15 Roads

Members of the American Motorcyclist Association chose the 15 best motorcycling roads in a recent web poll. Do you live near these roads? Have you ridden them? I added the links below using Google Maps and other web resources, so they routes are approximate. -april

American Motorcyclist Association members select America's 15 best motorcycling roads

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The results are in, and communities nationwide are the winners. Members of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) voted on their favorite roads in America, and the top 15 selections represent scenic highways and byways throughout the country.

"When it comes to the best places in the country to ride motorcycles, no group of riders is more knowledgeable than AMA members," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "No group puts in more miles, samples more asphalt or rides more roads.

"By publicizing our favorite roads in American Motorcyclist magazine, AMA members will seek out these destinations and bring tourism dollars into local communities through the purchase of food, fuel, lodging and more," Dingman said.

The editors of American Motorcyclist magazine used the 230,000-member, non-profit association's website, AmericanMotorcyclist.com, to accept nominations and tally votes for members' favorite roads. Nearly 100 roads made the ballot, and the magazine published the top 15 roads in the April issue as well as a list of "honorable mentions."

"Some of these roads are familiar to motorcyclists, and others may not be," said Managing Editor James Holter. "They all have one thing in common: They're the best roads in the country, as chosen by AMA members."

A countdown of the top 15 routes:
15. Washington Route 129 and Oregon Route 3, Clarkston, Wash., to Enterprise, Ore.
14. Ohio Route 170, Calcutta to Poland.
13. California Route 58, McKittrick to Santa Margarita.
12. U.S. Route 33, Harrisonburg, Va., to Seneca Rocks, W.Va.
11. Natchez Trace, from Natchez, Miss., to Nashville, Tenn.
10. Angeles Crest Highway, California Route 2.
9. U.S. Route 12, Lolo Pass, Idaho and Montana.
8. California Route 36.
7. Cherohala Skyway, North Carolina and Tennessee.
6. Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana.
5. California Route 1, Pacific Coast Highway.
4. U.S. Route 550, from Ouray to Durango, Colo.
3. U.S. Route 129 -- The Tail of the Dragon -- on the North Carolina-Tennessee border.
2. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina.
1. Beartooth Highway, Montana and Wyoming.

Complete descriptions, as well as the list of honorable mentions, are available in the April issue of American Motorcyclist magazine, starting on page 30. The feature can also be viewed online at http://issuu.com/americanmotorcyclist/docs/0411_webpreview. Images of the roads nominated by AMA members can be viewed online at Gallery.AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Member Submissions > Great Roads.

American Motorcyclist magazine is exclusively for AMA members, and is not available on newsstands. For information on joining the AMA, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com or call (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646).

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Tsunami Causes Japan Manufacturing Plants to Close

In efforts to conserve energy in light of rolling blackouts, Japanese manufacturers Honda and Suzuki have chosen to close their manufacturing plants until further notice.

In a statement, Kevin Saito of American Suzuki Motor Corporation said the company's manufacturing plant in Hamamatsu City would voluntarily close while the dire situation in Japan was assessed. The plant is located 158 miles south of Tokyo and reports no damages to the plant or its employees.

Dealernews reported that Honda will also undergo volunteer closure of its various plants while the nation's status develops.

Lambretta SightingL AT&T Ad

Saw this ad on CNN.com. A Lambretta makes a quick appearance in this ad for AT&T U-verse.

Either I am detail oriented or obsessed with scooters. Don't answer that.

High Gas Prices May Drive Scooter Purchases, but...

If gas prices stay high, we may experience another scooter buying frenzy like we did in 2008, although the economy may temper the hysteria a bit. TV news crews, local reporters and radio hosts may swarm local dealers for a few sound bites about exceptional gas mileage (100mpg?!?) but once they close their reporter notebooks and pack up the lighting rigs, they will likely have overlooked the total picture of the costs of buying a scooter.

I touched on this in blog posts that I wrote in 2008:
Is Money the Only Reason to Ride a Scooter
$4 Gas is Waking Up America

Truthfully, $4 gas prices suck, but only someone who already owns a scooter will be laughing as s/he passes up the pump. If you park your Prius, but a brand new Vespa and expect to see the money pile up in your bank account, you will be in for a surprise. If you drive an old V8 truck from the 70s 20 miles roundtrip to work each day, and decided to dig your old P200 out of the garage, give it a tune-up and do the commute on the scoot while parking the truck, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Most people are somewhere in between and will need to really crunch the numbers to see if buying a new scooter makes financial sense.

There are lots of other considerations: insurance, scooter maintenance, and how often one will actually forgo the car for the scooter.

Costs to conisder:

• Purchase price
• Interest if financing the purchase
• Scheduled maintenance (differs from cars)
• Wear & Tear (some scooters require new tires every 2K miles)
• Insurance (make sure your policy includes uninsured motorist)
• Riding gear (clothing, helmet, gloves, rain gear etc)
• Security (locks, parking)
• Oil (if you are running a 2-stroke, you have to account for the cost of 2T oil)

I realize that I may sound like a negative nan, raining on the "higher gas = buy a scooter" parade, but I want to get above the rote sound bites that the media may be offering now.  Scooters are seriously great fun to ride, but I consider the fuel economy to be a bonus. Already having a scooter (65mpg) in my garage that I bought 14 years ago makes the gas savings apparent when I choose it over my Mini (39mpg), but if I went out today and bought a new $3k scooter, I think it would take me a few years to realize savings.

Benefits above $$ to consider:

• Riding a scooter is fun!
• Better parking (scooters fit in smaller places; I park closer to my destination with a scooter)
• Taking up less space than a car (on the road, in the garage, in my life)
• Splitting lanes in California *only* (I like being able to move to the front of a long line of cars at a stoplight. I don't splits lanes when traffic is moving)

Whatever the gas pump says, it's a good time to scoot.

Blog entry soundtrack:

Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Announced

Press release by Suzuki. Checkout the cool presentation on the link @ the bottom:

SUZUKI BURGMAN FUEL CELL SCOOTER BECOMES WORLD’S FIRST FUEL-CELL VEHICLE WITH WVTA APPROVAL IN EUROPE

Whole Vehicle Type Approval Marks Milestone in Zero-Emissions Transportation For Public Use

BREA, Calif. March 10, 2011– Suzuki is pleased to announce that the Burgman Fuel Cell scooter has gained Whole Vehicle Type Approval in the European Union – becoming the world’s first vehicle to gain approval for safe use on public roads without having to be inspected and tested individually. This new approval meets standards for safety and performance, representing a milestone in making environmentally-friendly, zero-emissions transportation commercially available for the public.

The Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter debuted at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009, and has been continually tested in the UK since February 2010, gathering information about the bike’s performance on public roads while it gained the Whole Vehicle Type Approval.

Produced in a joint collaboration between Suzuki Motor Corporation and British company Intelligent Energy, the Burgman Fuel Cell scooter utilizes state-of-the-art eco-friendly fuel cell technology, incorporating a light, compact, air-cooled fuel cell positioned inside the frame that efficiently produces electricity through a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air, and discharges only water in the process, providing zero-emissions power.

The new fuel cell-powered scooters are based on Suzuki’s popular city-friendly Burgman model scooters, and boasts the same high build quality, state-of-the-art features and impressive performance as the standard models they are derived from.

Suzuki is pioneering the field of eco-friendly transportation by working toward making the Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter a commercially available vehicle, in line with the establishment of hydrogen-filling stations and other necessary infrastructure.

For more information about the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter, please visit: http://www.globalsuzuki.com/Burgman_Fuel-Cell_Scooter/index.html

California Dreamin'

Dreaming of the days of gas under $2?




Santa Clara, CA
-- Post from my iPhone, out-n-about...

Up, Up, and Away

Gas prices are going up. Hop on that scoot!




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

Brian Jonestown Massacre Member's New Video

Scoot!'s pal Joel Gion, member and ultimate tambourine player for the Brian Jonestown Massacre has a new EP coming out. Check out the video he made for one of the songs. Features his white Bajaj. It's mega-trippy!

If you catch yourself thinking, isn't he the guy from that movie Dig!? You are right.
And, if you wonder, isn't he the guy who was on two episodes of Gilmore Girls. You are right again!




Blog entry soundtrack (one of my fave BJM songs....)

Scooter in Oscar Winner "God of Love"

Last week's lackluster Oscars' ceremony was punctuated by just a few bright spots: seeing Billy Crystal again, some impressive dresses, and the acceptance speech of the seemingly genuine and funny Luke Matheny whose short live action film, "God of Love" won the award in its category. Missed it? Well here it is: [deleted by YouTube].

I was roused awake to see this fine acceptance speech by the montage that included a bit from this film in which a scooter could clearly be seen. Scooters? Well I had to find out more.

The trailer for the film does not show the scooter:



So I tracked down the montage with snippets from all of the films, and indeed, it is a Genuine Stella. I bought the film and thought it was funny, quirky and sweet.
 
Buy it for the pocket change of $1.99 (or $2.99 for HD) and support a young filmmaker. Would be a good film to show at a scooter film night.


Blog entry soundtrack:

What SF Weather Does to Chrome

My friend's Genuine Buddy is a riding scooter that waits at the curb for its master.



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

Ride into the Gap!

Okay, well many of you may not be old enough to remember when it was hard to distinguish The Gap from Miller's Outpost (which became Anchor Blue and went out of business this month). But, The Gap decided to go for a more refined look and left Miller's in the dust. The Gap now brings a certain sense of safe, affordable style to buyers.

In 2008, I posted about the scooter boxers that they sold. I bought 2 pairs of those for my BF. Now, pal Nancy D. alerts me to some cool baby clothes with scooters on them. While one body suit (below) looks classic, the other items look more like modern Vespas. 

another body suit:

and this reversible jacket, which is scooteriffic on one side and plain black with one scooter over the left chest when reversed:

The set also includes a Beenie and a one-piece jumpsuit. Get them now while they are on sale!

New BMW Scooters to Debut 2012

According to this article on Motorcycle.com, BMW has greenlighted two new scooters based on the Concept C which was shown at the EICMA show last year. Apparently these are gas-powered, but many folks think that an electric version may still be in the works.

The Fun Way to Rake a Beach

If I had one of these, I'd happily have rakes my parent's lawn!

from news.motorbiker.org

Thanks to Philip G for sharing.

Ska Show in San Francisco Friday 2/18

Hey, there's a scooter on this poster!

Ska Show tomorrow at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco with GOGO13, seen in Scoot! Magazine. One of the band members illustrated the cover of Scoot! issue # 56 (Scooter Art issue).
Doors open at 8pm.

Reminder: Get Scoot! Covered!- photo contest!

An ad for this contest is in the print issue, but just in case you didn't see it...

Attention Photographers...
Want to see your scooter photography on the cover of Scoot! Magazine? Enter our photography contest and your work may end up on the cover!

It takes a special photo to make the cover of Scoot!. We want to see your photos that show how fun, smart and cool scootering can be. See if you've got what it takes to:
Get Scoot! Covered!

Deadline:
Photos must be received by February 28, 2011. Scoot! Magazine is not responsible for lost, misdirected or delayed packages.

How to submit:
Digital files only. Please send a disc or drive with up to three different images to: Get Scoot! Covered, Scoot! Magazine, PO Box 9605, San Jose, CA 95157. Please include your full name, mailing address, email and phone number. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

File Requirements:
Jpg or Tif images only. Minimum size requirement is 9.25 inches wide by 11.50 inches tall (or 2775 pixels wide by 3450 pixels tall). Both must be 300 pixels/inch resolution. Either RGB or CMYK mode will work. Please make sure there is room for the Scoot! Masthead in upper left as well as no critical areas in lower left corner where Barcode places.

Prizes:
First place: $100 a Scoot! t-shirt and your photo on the cover of a future issue of Scoot! Magazine

Second place: a Scoot! t-shirt and your photo on the cover of a future issue of Scoot! Magazine

Winners will be chosen by the Scoot! staff. Questions can be directed to april(AT)scootmagazine(.)com.

High Roller's Weekend Reg. Closes Tonight

Pre-Registration for the as Vegas High Roller's Weekend closes tonight.  Dates are: February 24th - 27th, 2011.

Register here.

After that you can purchase rally pack and limited t-shirts friday and saturday. The Events schedule has been updated, so read that for full details.


"Like" it on Facebook.

I won't be there this year, but Josh from Scoot! will be.

Great for scooter keys

When I first got a scooter, my pal Paul L recommended that I use one of these for my scooter key. It's a great idea!



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

Palo Alto Flea Market

Finally made it after some roadside work when Jon's sparkplug cap detached.



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

Vespa USA Helmet Promo

Vespa USA announced a new promotion: a free helmet promotion (valued at $377) for anyone who purchases a new Piaggio or Vespa scooter from now until April 30. See your local dealer for more info.

Also announced is the “Vespa Helmets are for Everything” Facebook Photo Contest:·        

• The contest, hosted on http://facebook.com/VespaUSA invites fans to upload a creative photo showing how they use their helmet when not riding.
• Throughout the duration of the contest, one lucky fan per week will have his/her photo featured on Facebook as a downloadable trading card and will receive a free Vespa helmet and a Vespa bag o’ fun!

 I made trading cards out of local scooterists a long time ago. Such an amount of effort, I abandoned the project, but I'd like to see what Vespa has cooked up for this promotion.

Denver Scooter Gang in the Spotlight

Cheers to Suzi Homewreker and the Mods and Knockers of Denver who are the focus of this short film called, Fast Girls, Slow Bikes.

Description from the site:

“Fast Girls, Slow Bikes” tells the story of a tight knit all girls gang brought together by a mutual love of classic Vespa and Lambretta scooters.
Focusing on the lives of “Suzi Homewreker,” “Rara Rass,” “Lolisa,” “Spam,” and “Vega,” “Fast Girls, Slow Bikes” navigates Denver’s Mile High Streets, the wilds of friendship, and the challenge of unexpected tragedy, all from a two-wheeled perspective.
Featuring fast paced ride scenes that put the viewer on the scoot, personal interviews about the camaraderie of the club, and original music by Suzi Homewreker, “Fast Girls, Slow Bikes” will make the viewer want to buy a vintage scooter and start their own damned club!

It was made in 2009, but I just heard of it. Check it out!

Andrettis Sue Power Sports Factory

Fallout from the troubled Power Sports Factory shutdown of last year. PSF sold scooters under the Andretti brand.

Famed racers Mario, John and Jeff Andretti and the company they formed as a vehicle for endorsements are suing Power Sports Factory and its former CEO and president, claiming the company hasn’t paid them for their endorsements of Chinese Benelli and Yamati motorcycles and scooters.
The complaint, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, alleges breach of two contracts, fraud, fraudulent inducement and violation of the Andrettis’ right to publicity – the unlawful use of their names and likenesses – against Pennsauken, N.J.-based Power Sports Factory, CEO Shawn Landgraf and president Steve Rubakh.

Read the complete story at DealerNews.

New YA Novel with Scooter in Book Trailer

Book is out this month, not sure how much scooter is in it...
Thanks to Lara S. for pointing this out

Brighton Beach Premiere Brings out Scoots

Helen Mirren attends the European Premiere of Brighton Rock in London, England.

from Tom & Lorenzo/ Project Rungay Thanks to Lara for pointing this out.

Nice note

Got a nice note of thanks from SF Scooter gals got donating to their toy run. Yay.




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

Online Scooter Deals?

This press release just came through the wire:

Portland Based Group Buying Site to Offer Historic Group Buy
First Group Buying Site in United States to Sell Vespas

PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland based Group Buying site www.suchthedeal.com is making history by offering what is believed to be the first ever Scooter/Vespa "Group Buy" in the United States

Starting Monday, January 24, 2011 www.suchthedeal.com in conjunction with Vespa Milwaukie (Oregon) will offer five LX 150cc Piaggio Vespas for sale at 40% off the regular price. The deal will last for two weeks or until all the Vespas are sold.

"We're thrilled with this opportunity," says www.suchthedeal.com founder Ron Pivo. "Oregonians are very creative by nature and I think they will be proud knowing that an Oregon-based company is the first to do something like this."

Vespa Milwaukie opened in 2008 and is one of the west coast's leading retailers for Piaggio Vespas.

"We couldn't think of a better way to make people aware of our store and our product than doing a Group Buy with www.suchthedeal.com. When you combine the fact that gas prices are climbing and sunny weather is on the horizon we feel this is the perfect time to do something like this," said Vespa Milwaukie owner Bill Place. "We had no idea this has never been done in the U.S. until Ron told us. When we heard that we jumped at the chance to make a little business history."

The bikes are offered at $3,581 versus  a supposed retail of $5,969 (includes freight, taxes & PDI). Vespa USA lists the base price of that model at $4,599 (sans freight, PDI, taxes). This seems to be a reflection of two things going on in the marketplace: 1) the sluggish sales of scooters 2) the growing popularity of "Deal" web properties like Groupon, LivingSocial, and GiltGroup which offer limited-time deep discount sales.

As I recall, this isn't the first time that scooters have been offered through such a group. In December, GILT Group offered 2009 Vespa GTV 250s at $5,520 versus a $7,236 retail price, and 2010 LX 150 at $3,740 versus $4,736.

Would you consider buying a scooter through a deals site?

Brighton Rock trailer

The film is based on the book by Graham Greene, and was originally made into a film in 1947 with a young, dangerous Richard Attenborough.  Early reviews trash it, but I'll see it bacause it is now set in 1964 with Mods & Rockers clashing it up.The film debuts in the UK on Feb. 2.






Still from the film. Read the "pre-review" from a very passionate Simon Heffer at the Telegraph.

More France trip photos uploaded to Flikr

Now that the December issue is out and people have been able to read about our riding trip to France, I'm uploading my pics to my Flikr set. I took over 300 photos that week and some video, which will come later. You can see what I have uploaded thus far, and check back later in the week for more.

Hope you enjoy the photos!


 

The December 2010 is now available. This issue contains:

• Parlez-Vous Le Scoot?: a scooterist's dream holiday in France
• Test Ride: Honda PCX 125
• Finding Parts for Chinese Scooters
• Cannonball Run 2010: a 50cc perspective of the cross-country rally
• Fun with Dynamometers: Buddy 125 vs Buddy 150
• Product Reviews: clothing, safety gear, helmets, music
• Rally Reviews: Salt Lake City, Detroit, Rochester NY, San Diego, Denver, Albuquerque
• Reader's Rides: '72 Lambretta GP200; '07 Yamaha Vino, '80 Vespa P200
• Regular features: Scooter Collector, rally calendar, classified, Show Us Your Scoots, and the Unlovables comic strip

"Big Wet One" Itinerary

The San Francisco rally, The Big Wet One, is a unique rally in that it is hosted by multiple clubs/scooterists rather than one club; it is planned with very little lead time, perhaps a couple of weeks; and it is planned to coincide with a cold, rainy time for the city (thus the name). It seems that it is tailored to fail, incorporating what would seem to be counter-intuitive plans.

But it works. And while I don't attend every year, I have yet to be rained on, so the name is typically a false promise.

If you are in San Francisco next week, try to make some of the events.
Here is the schedule (subject to change):

Thursday 01/6/11
9pm: Ride to Cafe DuNord (2170 Market St.) where local DJ Dr. Scott and Band the
Titan Ups will get your feet moving.

Friday 01/7/11
8pm: Meet at Lucky 13 (2140 Market St.) for a city lights ride led by SSSC, to
the DNA club where we will celebrate BWO founder Mole's birthday with the ska
sounds of Monkey and DJs Dion and Mickey Angry.

Saturday 01/8/11
10am: Meet at SF Scooter Centre (127 10th St.) for two options:

1. 11am, Patrick and Oz want to take you on an adventure ride. Make sure your scooter is fast and reliable cause you never know how far these guys willl go in a day!
2. 11:30am, The Lone Wolf Drunken Texan SC Wants to challenge you to their version of an alley cat ride. You scooter can be less reliable for this one but make sure your brain is tuned up!

Saturday night
8pm: Dress up proper and ride your classic, then meet at the Orbit Room (1900
Market St.). At 9pm well head out to explore the city on our way to the the
Crescent Hotel (417 Stockton St.) for some late night mod fun in the Burritt
Room.

Sunday 01/9/11
Noon: Meet at Cafe Greco (423 Columbus Ave.) in North Beach for a group led
"Mural Ride". We'll wind up at Bender's (806 South Van Ness Ave.) for beer and
burgers.

Get Scoot! Covered!- photo contest announced!

An ad for this contest is in the December issue, but just in case you didn't see it...

Attention Photographers...
Want to see your scooter photography on the cover of Scoot! Magazine? Enter our photography contest and your work may end up on the cover!

It takes a special photo to make the cover of Scoot!. We want to see your photos that show how fun, smart and cool scootering can be. See if you've got what it takes to:
Get Scoot! Covered!

Deadline:
Photos must be received by February 28, 2011. Scoot! Magazine is not responsible for lost, misdirected or delayed packages.

How to submit:
Digital files only. Please send a disc or drive with up to three different images to: Get Scoot! Covered, Scoot! Magazine, PO Box 9605, San Jose, CA 95157. Please include your full name, mailing address, email and phone number. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

File Requirements:
Jpg or Tif images only. Minimum size requirement is 9.25 inches wide by 11.50 inches tall (or 2775 pixels wide by 3450 pixels tall). Both must be 300 pixels/inch resolution. Either RGB or CMYK mode will work. Please make sure there is room for the Scoot! Masthead in upper left as well as no critical areas in lower left corner where Barcode places.

Prizes:
First place: $100 a Scoot! t-shirt and your photo on the cover of a future issue of Scoot! Magazine

Second place: a Scoot! t-shirt and your photo on the cover of a future issue of Scoot! Magazine

Winners will be chosen by the Scoot! staff. Questions can be directed to april(AT)scootmagazine(.)com.