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

"Love is my message!" Michael Jackson scooter commercial

Check out this Japanese Suzuki commercial Michael Jackson did way back in the Off the Wall era. I LOVE that album!

Scoot!'s in the mail

Sorry for the big gap in posts. I've been buried in bureaucratic business at the magazine including sending out a postcard to clean up our database and in getting the magazine sent out to subscribers. We dropped it at the post office on Tuesday, so subscribers should expect to see it within 10 days.

We're trying out a new printer. They are located in Southern California and are now running our magazine on a web press instead of the sheet fed process we were using. Let me know if you notice a difference! I can tell the difference in certain aspects, but we're picky that way. :)

I am honored to be this issue's cover girl! I tested the Suzuki Burgman 400 in August and we got some excellent photos from a fancy professional photography team that Suzuki hired. Cool action shots. I had a great time riding the Burgman in the beautiful wine country above San Francisco. If you're curious about riding a big scooter, read the article. You might find the Burgman is for you.

Some other things to check out in this current issue: a guide to group riding, a guide to buying tires, an article on installing air-glide suspension, review of the TGB Laser, lots of rally reports and more.

Just as I've sent off this current issue, I've got to get down to business on the next issue. Deadline for content for the Spring issue is December 12th. If you want to submit a photo of you on your scooter for "Show Us Your Scoots" or make changes to classified ads etc.. do so by Dec. 12th.