Porky Pig: Scooterist

Much thanks to Amid and Jerry from Cartoon Brew for finding a clip of Porky’s Picnic, a Looney Tunes cartoon in which Porky Pig takes his girlfriend Petunia and little Pinky on a picnic via a scooter with a sidecar. I’m guessing the scooter is a Salisbury. Any other suggestions?



UPDATE: It appears that this has been removed. Too bad!

Adam & Eve Sweepstakes: Win a Vespa

"Adult" product retailer Adam & Eve have announced a "$25,000 Holiday Sextravaganza Sweepstakes" in which one of the prizes is a Vespa LX50.

Prizes include a dream vacation to a destination of the winner's choice, $1,000 cash, $300 shopping sprees at adameve.com, a Vespa scooter, a Nintendo Wii, dinner and a movie, and a date with Adam & Eve exclusive contract star Bree Olson at the 2009 Adult Entertainment Expo (plus tickets to the 2009 AVN Awards Show!).

Amongst the various prizes during Week 4 (November 30-December 6) someone will win a Vespa LX50.

There's no purchase necessary to enter, but customers are entered automatically with every order (limit one entry per day). Visit adameve.com for more information. [FYI- sexual products]

If you ride an old, rattly 2-stroke scooter, you may understand why I chuckled at the appropriateness of the prize!

Blog entry soundtrack: "White China" by Blancmange

Scooter Collector: Blue Mambo CD

This is going to be one of my holiday picks in the next issue. It was sent to me by Joel Gion, scooterist and member of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dilettantes. Note to self: We should feature him in an upcoming issue...

You can get the CD on Amazon for $19.99. According to the description:

Hey, cool cats and kittens! Are you feelin' it? And I mean REALLY feelin' it? If you don't know what I'm talking about, then it's time to get hip to the jive with this crazy collection of coolness called Blue Mambo. It's a groovy UK-only collection of tuneage from the Blue Note roster that will add meaning to your mambo. 18 tracks including dope cuts from Stanley Turrentine, George Shearing, Tito Puente Jr., Peggy Lee, Jimmy Smith, Stan Kenton and many others. It's a cure for the unhip and a meal for the hip. Now, I'll ask you again...are you feelin' it? EMI. 2000.

That is one cool cat! I suspect someone has tattooed that one his/herself. ;)

Vespa Rentals coming to LA, SF, Vegas & Orlando.

This in the news:

EagleRider to include Vespa scooters in rental line-up.
from Powersports Business:


EagleRider added Piaggio and Vespa scooters to its motorcycle rental line-up that already includes Harley-Davidson, Honda and BMW motorcycles, reported EagleRider.

Beginning Oct. 11, EagleRider will start renting Piaggio and Vespa scooters at its Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco locations. Beginning Oct. 15, EagleRider’s Orlando location will carry the scooters.

“Strong Vespa Scooters sales growth in 2008 coupled with increasing gas prices makes the addition of the Vespa line-up a necessary choice,” Chris McIntyre, president of EagleRider, said in the release. “Vespa is a world famous lifestyle brand that will be a great complement to our prestigious rental fleet of Harley-Davidson, Honda and BMW motorcycles.”

For Sale: Josh's Chopper

In the area where I live, my friend Josh's Vespa chopper is legend. Josh took and old trashed scooter and turned it into a showpiece. As a machinist he created all sorts of custom parts, and added the right touches to make it a mini-chopper; cool not campy.

The era of this scooter in our midst has come to an end. Josh has put it up for sale on eBay.
I'm sad to see it go, but all things must come to an end. The bike has appeared in both Scoot! and Scootering magazines. It's a super fast bike. I hope that whomever buys it takes good care of it and rides it often. It is a true showpiece that has performance, too.
A fond farewell to Josh's Chopper!

Vectrix Reports Triple Digit Growth

According to a newsrelease that went out today, Vectrix is starting to catch on with more than just Leonardo DiCaprio:

Middletown, RI-based Vectrix Corporation just released its first year results with triple-digit growth. It has sold more than 1,000 of its two-wheel vehicles. It’s expanding its product line in 2009 and has the largest dealer network in the U.S. of any electric vehicle maker.

**The market is ready for electric vehicles, as most of Vectrix’s growth occurred in the second half of its financial year – April 1-September 30, 2009 – growth of 380% over the first half of the year.

**Vectrix has 160 dealer points worldwide, about half in the U.S., growing from just a handful earlier in the year.

**Vectrix is the first highway legal all-electric two-wheel vehicle. It travels 62 MPH, 0-50 in 6.8 seconds and is large enough to carry two people comfortably. It was designed for urban commuting and sales success shows people want them – it gets the equivalent of 357 MPG.

**High gas prices, eco consciousness and rise in the two-wheel industry (66% increase in scooter sales) have paved the road for Vectrix’s success.

Americans are ready for more fuel-efficient ways to get around. So I think that even an expensive scooter like the Vectrix will have its buyers. Eventually the price will come down and this type of scooter will be more widely available. An electric scooter could have 100% clean energy if its power were derived by wind energy, for example.

DIY: Re-use those old scooter tires

From Retro-To-Go (a great vintage lifestyle blog)

Someone has re-purposed old scooter tires into seats. Might be a fun project. Wonder if you could fit them to bar stools? Do the still smell like rubber and get your pants blackened?

Have you ever tried to recycle old scooter parts? I tried to turn bunk pistons into planters for cacti, but the notches on the sides made it hard to old enough soil. Probably would work with a larger piston.

Cafe Scooter

I saw this little scoot parked at the restaurant where I had lunch.
Reminds me of when a dog waits patiently outside for its master. : )

Got a scooter logo tattoo?

I came across this query by a book author who is looking to profile folks who sport brand tattoos. I'm sure there will be lots of Mac apples, and I'm sure a bunch of NASCAR tatts out there, but I know that some of you have Lambretta or Vespa emblazoned on your arms, legs,...whatever. I personally know a few, even someone with the Fuji Rabbit logo. And I'd bet money on a few Fred Perry logos out there.

If you want to participate and let your scoot love be known read below.
+++++++++++++++++
From: Tate Linden
Email: tattooATstokefireDOTcom
Deadline: 12:00 PM EASTERN - September 1

"We're looking for people willing to share their story about any major-brand tattoos that they have. Do you have the Macintosh Apple logo on your bicep? How about the Nike Swoosh or the Coca-Cola stripe? If you've got the logo or name of a corporation permanently imprinted on your bod and are willing to talk with us about it (and perhaps share a picture or three) for potential inclusion in a book (planned release late 2009) we'd love to hear from you.

To start with please DO NOT send photographs or call us. Just provide us with a description of your tattoo - what brand, where it is located, and a one sentence description of why you got it. Email us at tattoo@stokefire.com and we'll get back to you by early September with our response and potentially additional requests, such as a phone interview, photos, or other steps.

Deadline time is just so we can begin to process the responses in a reasonable amount of time. Compelling stories will be accepted later if needed - and additional calls may go out for specific brands.

Hot enough for you?

Honestly, I love riding on a warm, clear day, but this heat wave is crazy! It was nearly 100-degrees today which makes for not a good experience sitting at a stoplight in a full-face helmet. I try to park in the shade at the train station, but sometimes cars hog up the good spots, even those that aren't meant for cars!
I can also get cranky in the heat....
One thing that concerns me in this heat is my seat cover. It gets super-hot and very s-t-r-e-t-c-h-y. It can't be good for the longevity. MRP sells a seat-cover which is supposed to keep a seat cool. I haven't used one yet, but I think this weather is asking for it.



How do you keep cool during these hot weather spurts?

Share your scooter travel story....

Budget Travel magazine is asking folks to submit photos and info on their motorcycle/scooter travels. See below:
Do you have an amusing story about renting a motorbike on vacation, or advice on how to ride a motorbike safely? If we like your submission, we may run it alongside a story we're planning for the September issue on how to rent a motorbike overseas. We're also looking for photos of people riding motorbikes (or scooters) on vacation, so if you've got a good one, e-mail that to us, too. Please send all submissions to Letters@BudgetTravel.com by June 15.

May be great for those who have scooted in other countries. Send in your info...time's a-wastin'

Win a Vespa

ThisNext is an online service where people can share online finds with each other. The company is holding a mixer for their fans on June 6 and giving away a Vespa to celebrate. You can enter by joining ThisNext and recommending your own finds.

Scoot! Quiz....

Here's a quick quiz. Post your answer in the comments section, and the first 2 correct respondents will win a small prize. No new S models, sorry! Make sure to actually sign in; "anonymous" posts won't count. Here's the question:

How many different scooter models has Vespa produced?

Submit your answer by comment, now!

Friday Funny- Slightly SR

This is a funny commercial AND there is a scooter in it, so I don't feel guilty posting it.

"Ride, monkey ride upon your mystery dog
Be amazed at the tacos you delivered on your trip!
Ride monkey ride upon your mystery dog
On your way to a food that homebodies might have missed!"

Oh, that was just horrible!

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

After my recent post about how to make cars more aware of two-wheeled vehicles, it's fitting that May should be Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The href="http://www.msf-usa.org/">Motorcycle Safety Foundation sent out a press release with suggestions on how riders can work to improve their riding abilities and make riding safer. It also had a couple of suggestions on how to impress upon car drivers the importance of being aware of motorcycles.

One suggestion that I thought was novel was to actually give someone a first ride on the back of a motorcycle/scooter. This gives them the perspective of what it is like to be a rider on the road. Of course, I first thought it was preaching to the converted, but then I thought better of that assumption. While my family & friends are aware of my scootering experiences and hear my stories of being a rider, those that have never ridden may not appreciate the inherent danger of being a two-wheel rider in a four-wheel world. I think I'll give it a try this month!

Another god suggestion would be to create an event where you screen a safety video and invite motorists to attend. The MSF has videos that you can buy. Perhaps have an event at a local restaurant or coffee house where your scooter club invites motorists to see the video, discuss safety and have some refreshments. It would be a perfect club activity to promote road safety.
Check out this video clip from the MSF's "For Car Drivers" site.

Scooter Belt Buckle on Etsy

I'm not the kinda girl who can wear a belt buckle, but if I were, and I had a pair of hose nifty hip-hugging pants from the sixties, I'd wear this belt with some red go-go boots.

Maybe not being a belt kinda gal isn't so bad...

I found it at the etsy exboyfriend store or $30. The buckle is resin, so I'm not sure it would hold up. This might be a "special occasion" buckle. You know, for rallies, bar/bat mitzvahs, school photo day, etc...

Rebound Rituals

While this book is no longer in print, you may be able to find it online and at places that sell remainder books. I saw some at Amazon
Rebound Rituals: 50 Ways to Bounce Back After Breaking Up has a cute scooter girl on the cover. Her safety gear is questionable but her joie de vivre is solid. :)
The book offers 50 ways to deal with a breakup and come out on top. Who of us couldn't have used such advice in the past? The book has suggestions like hosting a "pity party" or beauty party with friends, taking a dance or exercise class. Me? I bought a brand new car when I had my last major breakup. Nothing makes you feel better than spending $15K on a convertible.

Rebound Rituals also gives you permission to burn his old photos and letters, stalk a new crush and watch porn with your girlfriends. I think it is great that a scooter ride is on the cover. I always feel very free when I ride and my first scooter filled me with a sense off independence and freedom, even if I couldn't change the tire or a cable. :)

Vespa Canada ad

Find more videos like this on AdGabber


Not sure if this ad is web-only or runs on broadcast media, but it is kinda cute. However, it does what most Vespa ads do, rely on nostalgia or cuteness rather than the practicality and versatility which I think is most important. Especially when the economy is starting to tank. Scooter sales should be picking up because of gas prices & the economy. I hope that US scooter manufacturers will get it together to launch a concerted campaign push this year.

Reminder: Wear a Helmet

I often see article about scooterists being seriously hurt in crashes. Most of these articles I find through internet searches. I follow the link from the 2-sentence lead to find out if the article cites what type of gear the scooterist was wearing. Here is a recent one from the Arizona Republic:

2 injured in scooter crash

Zach Fowle
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 21, 2008 10:09 AM
A man and a woman suffered serious head injuries Thursday when a car collided with their scooter.

Charles Herin, 49, and Christine Flores, 42, were riding a scooter near 15th Avenue and Highland Road when a driver of a Volkswagen sedan failed to yield and crashed into them Thursday afternoon.

Herin is in serious condition and Flores is in critical condition. Neither was wearing a helmet, police said.

Those type of articles burn me up. Nothing about the reporting; everything about the stupidity of someone who doesn't take the most simple form of protection to heart: wear a helmet.

So, it sounds as if the accident was the car driver's fault. Even if the scooterists were practicing the best driving techniques, they couldn't help it if there was another person who is careless, stupid, clueless or just a terrible driver. Wearing a helmet and protective gear give you a chance. Not wearing a helmet puts you at a disadvantage.

Another Fab bit 'O Flair....

I've made another Flair button for Facebook. It is one of the actual buttons that you can buy from the Scoot! Magazine webstore. Add it to your profile and represent!