Vespa/Wine Promo

For all of those folks who write a Letter to the Editor to complain to me about the mention of alcohol in Scoot! rally reports, here's something that should get you off my case for a while.

According to some press releases and articles on 'da web, Kris Wine is offering Vespa S50s as prizes in an upcoming contest. Personally, I don't care that they are combining wine and a scooter. I'm not dumb enough to think that it implies that I should drink-n-drive, but I do find it funny that the scooter has crazy wavy lines under it. If you drank a whole bottle of wine, you might ride that path unknowingly. :)

The other funny thing about the campaign is that this story calls the S50 "the fastest on the road." Never mind every other scooter that has a bigger-than-50cc engine.

Well, enough of making fun of the Kris Wine promotion. Keep an eye out for entry forms at you local wine seller (except in CA, TN, UT, Puerto Rico). Contest goes through August.

Glass Repair Vespa

GlasWeld, a Bend, Oregon company has just announced their Glass Repair Vespa (GRV) which professionals can use for mobile glass repair. The company has created a contained system that fits in the scooter's underseat storage compartment. A scooter wrap is available for branding & advertising.

The press release does not indicate which model is used, although the video shows an "S" model. More info to come as I have requested an interview, but the press release is below:

Glass repair services marketed and mobilized with new “GRV” while reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact

We have finalized our design for "Glass Repair Vespa (GRV)," a transportation solution for auto glass repair professionals. The GRV integrates the power of GlasWeld’s G3fusion Auto Glass Repair System and fuses it with economical, environmentally friendly transportation and increased brand visibility.

“We chose Vespa for our new GRV because of its reliability, longevity and commitment to environmental excellence,” said Mike Boyle, president of GlasWeld. “Because there are Vespa dealers all over the world, our customers can easily get needed parts and service.”

Vespa’s existing trunk has been customized into an integrated storage compartment for the G3fusion System. We've also designed a customized vehicle wrap that will showcase your brand, capabilities and contact information. High visibility combined with ease of use and low consumption will help save on hard costs like fuel, while raising brand awareness and increasing the scope of your service areas.

By using the eco-friendly GRV instead of an average car, fuel consumption can be reduced by approximately 58 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by close to 80%. By using the GRV, businesses can reduce oil consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, traffic congestion and take steps toward meeting sustainability goals.

“In the current marketplace, there is an untapped opportunity for glass service providers to connect with potential customers,” Boyle said. “We believe that the GRV helps to fill this gap, while leaving a light carbon footprint.”

Vespa S Model finally launched

Piaggio announced the arrival of the S Model. A new smallframe. We've tested the European version, as the US version was not available, and found it to be a fun little ride, one that brings back the excitement of scootering. I'm digging the sport seat and the decorator kits that are available. It isn't without some faults, but to hear about those (and some more cool things, too) you'll need to check our our next issue which will be on stands in April. Mwah-mwah-waah! Oh, and bring your checkbook, it sells for $4,099.