Scooter Atitude for Kids

Now, here's a shirt that I wish came in my size! This camo shirt for kids has a big, busy scooter graphic on it of a sassy lady on a Vespa. The shirt has shoulder snaps for easier on/off for the little ones. It is a product of ArmyKid a London children's boutique clothing company. ArmyKid's site has it in sizes from 0-11 years, but I doubt that the snaps come on the larger sizes. :) You can also order it in a long- and short-sleeve version. The ArmyKid website but I also found a les expensive, yet likely more limited variety version at Not on the High Street website. Either way, they are both in the UK and shipping charges may be cost-prohibitive. But, check it out for yourself.

You can also get the shirt in another style, although the photo doesn't make it look comfortable.

Cute BDay Card

I found this cute card which would be a cool thing to have in your card drawer for those scooterist birthdays that seem to pop up here and there. Inside it says, "Wishing you a day of great adventures." Maybe there's a fancy lady scooterist in your life who might enjoy it.
Get it at Taylor Papers for $2.75.

Remembering 80s scootering scene...

Scoot! is currently working on an 80s issue. We'd like to pay tribute to the 80's (and perhaps EARLY 90s) scooter scene in the US. Things have changed in the past 2 decades, and we'd like to remember the scrubby days of 'zines, photocopied flyers, silkscreen patches, bomber jackets and ironingboard backrests.

If you were a scooterist in the "old days" we'd love to talk to you. We're looking for contributions in the following areas:

1) Photos: Show Us Your Scoots! If you bought a P200 news from the dealer, let's see your proud photos! Were you a mod with an asymmetrical haircut and a scooter with dozen mirrors and a raccoon tail aerial? Were you a scooter boy with a cut-down, a patch-coated jacket and straight-edge tattoo? Send us some of your choicest photos that exemplify the scene. We are looking to run an expanded and 80s-centric Show Us Your Scoots section.

2) Reader's Rides: Do you have a bike currently that is in an 80s style? We want bikes with those rare accessories, funky chrome or definitive 80s mod, scooterboy, skinhead or punk style. They don't have to have perfect paint, but they do have to typify the 80s style. If you've got a good collection of photos of a bike you had in the 80s (even if you don't still own it) we're interested in featuring it. The trick is, e need several photos of the bike at different angles, so you had to pretty type-A about documenting it. If you've got photos like that, we want to talk to you.

3)Rally History: There were some great, infamous rallies in the past. Were you involved in planning them? D you have memorabilia from them such as patches, shirts, flyers etc? Let's create a historical documentation of those old rallies.

4) 80s style: What made the 80s scooter scene? Was it the clothes, the custom bikes, the music, the culture? If you've got some suggestions on what we should cover, we are open to your input. Here's some suggestions to get your mental gears going:
**What accessories, treatments and styles exemplify an 80s scooter? What accessories or treatments were all the rage? Was it checkered tape, chrome, mud flaps, a certain brand of seat, a special aftermarket pipe?
**What were the fashions of the time? Name some key pieces to a scooterist's wardrobe.
**What bands courted the scooter scene? We know how a Bad Manners show could rustle up a parking lot full of scoots, but what other bands has a scooterist following?
**Who were the leading scooterists of the time? Who made the scene what it was? Who was printing 'zines, organized rallies, made parts, ran scooter shops?

Many scooterists miss the good old days, so let's put our heads together and create an issue that stirs up memories, calls attention to where we came from, and perhaps inspires a revival.

send your ideas to aprilATscootquarterly.DOTCOM or email us a brief reply to this post and we'll get back to you.

Happy Scooting!
-april

Operaton Calendar 2008

Operation Calendar is a group that creates and sells pinup calendars. According to their website, "A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Operation Calendar's CAMOUFLAGE: PIN-UP 2008 will be donated to charitable organizations that support wounded Veterans and their Families."

If that isn't enough to convince you, maybe perhaps Miss September's shot on a Lambretta (misidentified in promotional copy as a Vespa) will help loosen your credit card from your wallet. The model, Michelle Manhart recently posed in playboy's Feb. '07 issue.

All of the models posed nude except for painted-on swimsuits or lingerie.


The calendar is available for $12.99 at the Operation Calendar website.

Save Internet Radio!

If you are like me, you spend LOTS of time in front of your computer. Working on the magazine late into the night is lonely work made better by the Internet Radio stations that I listen to while working. Here are some of my faves:
Indie Pop Rocks!
Radio Paradise
Kink FM

Unfortunately, the music industry and commercial radio are incestuously intertwined and have ganged up on Internet stations to charge them HUGE royalty fees. They want to charge them based on *possible* listeners. As you know almost anyone in the world can connect to an Internet radio station, so you do the math on the royalty fees! In order to limit the industry to reasonable royalties some groups are appealing to congress to pass some sane legislation. One site involved in the fight is Savenetradio.org:

The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help! The Internet Radio Equality Act has recently been introduced in both the House (H.R. 2060) and Senate (S. 1353) to save the Internet radio industry. Please call your senators and your representative to ask them to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act

Time is of the essence as the deadline is next month. Please contact your representative and ask them to get on board and stand up to the music industry bullies. If you aren't a political person or think your opinion doesn't count, don't be discouraged. If a small percentage of the people who felt the same took a stand our country would be a far better place. You've got to start somewhere, why not with the expression of musical freedom?

Find your congressional or senate rep here.

There are several bands that I would never have found had it not been for Internet Radio. Through the Internet I heard obscure bands from other countries whose music isn't even sold in this country. How can Slayer sell out a venue with no commercial radio play in their career? Because of word of mouth. Look to your record collection and think of the bands that you heard of from friends who aren't played on the radio. The Internet now makes it possible for you to hear of more diverse music than ever before. Don't let the possibility be squashed.

Sydney getting on board-Pt. 2

Maybe you saw my past post about the city of Sydney, Australia investigating better motorcycle/scooter parking. I decided to send an email to the Lord Mayor Clover Moore about how I have the same concerns for my city. I made some suggestions on how to improve parking and suggested that she look at cities like San Francisco for inspiration.

Today I received the following response from the Mayor's office:

"Hi April,
The Lord Mayor has asked me to respond on her behalf to your email about scooter parking. My apologies if I am too late for the recent edition of your magazine.

There has been very rapid growth in motorcycle ownership in Sydney, particularly ownership of scooters in the inner suburbs. However, motorcycle and scooter riders have relatively little parking available to them, because the operation of ticket parking schemes and resident parking permits (for parking on the street) are not well suited to motorbikes. Some regulations, which are controlled by the New South Wales government, are also anachronistic. (eg, only one vehicle - including motorcycles - in a marked parking bay)

To address the problem, the City has commissioned a consultant to develop a detailed strategy to improve conditions for motoryclists and scooter riders. The strategy will address the problems facing motorbike riders, and examine some possible solutions, including changes to the way permits and parking tickets are issued. There will also be some investigation into ways to improve safety for motorcyclists.

I understand this policy will be considered by Council in its draft form, then exhibited for public comment and feedback, probably late this year. We will be looking at lots of international examples of better ways to do things, including the problem of more secure parking for easily stolen scooters. There are a few design options, and we want one that is user friendly without having too much of an impact on the look of the streetscape. Maybe something like low bronze tethering racks parallel to the kerb, or pull-up rings in the pavement.

If I can help with something specific, please let me know.

Regards,
Anthony Mifsud, Research Officer
Office of the Lord Mayor
City of Sydney"

Well, I was impressed with the fairly quick response and I am glad to see that it seems to be a priority for the city. I will be responding to Mr. Mifsud later this week with some examples and names of DOT contacts who may help. Look to the August issue of Scoot! for a feature story on scooter parking.

Is your city doing anything specific about scooter/motorcycle parking? Let me know.

Is it a scooter?

This week Californian company RideVehicles demonstrated their zero-emission personal transportation vehicles to a delegation of Canadian business leaders at an event geared at furthering trade with Canada. Above, Governor Schwarzenegger checks out one of the models.

The Ride vehicles are three-wheeled electric vehicles that are positioned for business use. The Blue-Ride is geared towards police and security use, while the Mail-Ride is for postal employees, the Base-Ride is for military bases and he Work-Ride is for private business use. All models are made to help individuals easily cover large areas which is definitely a concern for mail carriers and foot patrol police. You've probably heard of how some large factories use bicycles for workers to get quickly from one area to another. Some would argue that the bicycle is the better choice or health reasons, but there are probably several instances where this electric vehicle has some advantages over the bike.

But, is it a scooter? In the popular vernacular it probably is, although Ride may choose to avoid that term. As far as Scoot! is concerned, it is in the realm of the Segway (to which it is compared) and the mobility scooter: similar but not enough to really cover it. Although it is an interesting development for alternative transportation.
You can find out more about these vehicles at the RideVehicles website.

Funky Scooter Fonts

I've always had a thing for fonts since I dated a typographer in the waaay back. The inspired use of fonts can make a page come to life. If you are a scooter fanatic, you may enjoy the fonts I've got in this entry.


I found this Lambretta-inspired font pack at Chank an online font foundry. I've been a big fan of their free fonts, but this font pack is quite affordable at $39. While it is probably best for headings or titles, it can jazz up invitations, posters and the like. May be great for patch design or rally fliers.



If you are interested in getting the font that is used on the Vespa Primavera, you can download it from Smallframes.com.

Solar Powered Scooter

Have you heard about the Solar Scooter? No joke, Don Dunklee has developed a way to charge his electric scooter by solar power and he has created an instructional that you can download on how to do it. According to his guide:

"The basic bike is a stock EVT 4000E available from various dealers around the U.S. The rest of the system consists of a Xantrex (formerly Trace) C-40 charge controller, and 4 Atlantic Solar 30 watt, 16 X 25 inch panels mounted two to a side. The panels fold open while in charging mode and are closed while driving. Mounting hardware is basic off the shelf parts available from any hardware store."

The result is something a little hokey-looking but useful and very affordable for Don's commute to work.

Check out Don's Solar Scooter at Build It Solar.

New Scoot! T-Shirt

We've got a new t-shirt that should go into production in the next couple of weeks. Designed by Spanish artist, Charuca, for our Scooter Art issue, it is a vibrant, sexy illustration likely to get scooter boys and girls excited to get dressed in the morning. Because many of our past graphic Ts have sold out quickly, we're trying a pre-order system this time. You can go to our website & place a pre-order which will not charge your card until we are ready to ship the shirt. This will help us order a more appropriate quantity. The shirt comes in both
a women's version and a men's version so make sure to order the right one.
Note: the Scoot! logo will not appear on the shirt, just in the online logo.

If you have any feedback on the shirt or suggestions on what sort of clothing or lifestyle items you would like Scoot! to offer, let me know. We aim to please...:)

Also, if you want to get a look at Charuca's other work, visit her website.

It's true...

The rumors on the board are true. We've got 'em and we're putting them through their paces. Look to the August issue of Scoot! for a full review.

Favorite Internet Radio Station

Lots of my time is spent in a dark room in front of a computer working on Scoot! content. It's made much better by Internet radio, my favorite station: KinkFM out of the Netherlands. Damned if I can understand about 5% of what they are saying (they pepper their speech with English terms now & again), but they play some excellent music. Luckily, can get a great connection via iTunes. Kink has exposed me to some great, diverse music like Pete Philly and Perquisite, Electrelane, Vive la Fete and many more bands that I have had a hard time finding in the states. Often, I hear of bands on Kink way before they make it to the US and most of them will never make it to the boring and unimaginative US broadcast radio.

This afternoon, as I was finishing up some articles, I was listening to DJ Dr. Ska who was playing some great classic and contemporary ska as well as some vintage soul. I was so enthralled, I had to send him a congratulatory email. Not 5 minutes later, he gave me a shout out! I may have never made it to the Holland, but some late night Netherlanders have heard my name!
Give them a listen!

Sydney getting on board

I happened upon an article about Sydney, Australia's push to make the city more scooter friendly to reduce congestion and improve the environment. The movement is part of an overall transportation strategy that is also encouraging walking, public transport and bicycling as alternatives to using cars.

As I've said in the past, pro-scooter planning should be a part of responsible city planning. In my city, we're working to address more scooter parking in congested areas. I am currently working on an article for the August issue of which discusses what has been done in cities such as San Jose and Portland, OR. I've sent and email to the Mayor of Sydney to offer some suggestions and to request an email interview. We'll see what comes of it.
Read the Daily Telegraph's article.

Scoot! Magazine Isue #40 Now Available

I've been so busy working on the next issue that I completely forgot to mention that the Summer issue is now available. We've brought back the Scooter Art issue and have some cool submissions from all over the world. We've also got our review of the Piaggio MP3. Find out what we think about this eye-catching three wheeler. Our "Ladies Love Cool Scoots" article will introduce you to all-female scooter clubs from around the US along with some tips on starting your own club. We've also got the scoop on Grammy Award-winning rock group Audio Adrenaline and their recent tour which included a fleet of Honda Ruckuses. Have you seen the Gymboree "When in Rome" baby clothes line? Check it out in the Scooter Collector. There's a lot more in this issue, so check it out at the Scoot! webiste.

Ride to Work Day- July 16

I just helped out with the annual Bike to Work day by hosting an Energizer Station for bicyclists. It got me thinking about the upcoming Ride to Work Day for motorcyclists/scooterists. Considering gas might be at a high point during the midsts of summer, I think this is a great opportunity to highlight the benefits of riding scooters. We can take a lesson from Bike to Work in that they make it a fun and supportive event. The energizer stations have literature, maps, and rider support information, as well as tasty snacks. It supports community and makes people feel welcome to something they don't often do. While Ride to Work doesn't quite have that infrastructure, I think it would be great if we could do something similar in tons across the US.

How can you encourage scooters & motorcycles to commute on RTW Day? Here's some ideas:

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.

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 clubs 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.

If you decide to try a Ride to Work day in you area let me know how it goes.

AMSOIL Releases New 4-Stroke Oil

According to a new press release, AMSOIL is offering a new oil for four-stroke scooters:

"New AMSOIL 10W-40 Formula 4-Stroke Synthetic Scooter Oil is formulated specifically to meet the special needs of today’s high tech air-and water-cooled four-stroke motorized scooters, offering unsurpassed wear protection and friction reduction for longer equipment life and cooler operating temperatures. Its exceptional shear stability ensures consistent viscosity protection and provides additional protection for transmissions and gear boxes, while its friction modifier-free formulation ensures wet clutch compatibility and smooth clutch operating. A special anti-corrosion additive package provides long-term protection during periods of inactivity and storage.

AMSOIL 10W-40 Formula 4-Stroke Synthetic Scooter Oil is recommended for air-and water-cooled four-stroke motorized scooter engines calling for a 10W-40 viscosity, as well as transmissions and gear boxes calling for a 10W-40 motor oil, including Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Vespa, Aprilia, Piaggio, Benelli, Vento, Kymco, Tank and TGB.

Benefits of AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke Scooter Oil include:
· Superior Wear Protection
· Cool Engine Operation
· Controls Lubricant Foaming
· Exceptional Shear Stability
· Reduced Oil Consumption and Deposit Formation
· Excellent Protection in Temperature Extremes
· Improved Fuel Economy
· Wet Clutch Compatible
· Long-Term Protection Against Rust and Corrosion

Available in quarts and cases."

[According to AMSOIL: MSRP = $6.20 / quart, $73.20 / case]


View the AMSOIL website

Whatcha got there ?

Could be..

Is it true?

Amusing story of scooting in India...

I ran into this story on the web. It's from a journalist with the Hindustan Times who took a two-person journey by scooter. It's a quick, fun read. Enjoy!

Read The Motor Scooter Diaries by Neha Dara.

P.S: Look to the July issue of Scoot! for another cool story of scooting in India.

Vespa PR Machine Gears Up For Summer

A recent press release by Piaggio USA is once again playing on high gas prices, the relative affordability of scooters, and the concern over automobile's part in global warming to sell scooters. While this may seem like no news to us scooter riders, these press releases aren't geared towards us. As much as we can say that scooter sales have been growing, they still are just a small part of the automotive market. The fact that Hummers still sell means that us Americans just don't get that our over-the-top lifestyle is at the expense of the environment and the world. It is for those people (especially the city-dwellers) that these releases are sent out. Piaggio is the big kid on the block so they take the lead. I wish other scooter manufacturers would get in on the action and make more noise, but for now, we'll be glad that someone is spending the big bucks to get the message out. Now, if only we could convince Piaggio/Vespa US to get their website to reflect these pushes as well...

Read the press release.

See Europe by Scooter

European automobile rental service Auto Europe has begun renting Vespa LX125s in Rome, Florance, Venice and Milan, and Yamaha Majesty 125s in Paris, Marseilles, Nice and Cannes. I don't know much about French drivers, but from what I've heard about Italian traffic, the company should also sell health and accident insurance policies. :) Although it does sound like a blast to join the Italians on Italian scooters in Italy. Ah, when in Rome...
Check out Auto Europe's scooter specials.

Also in the news, the Fine Living Channel has included the Italy by Vespa tour on their Great Adventure series. They took a tour that explored Siena and stayed in all sorts of posh places. A week tour costs over $3,000 per person but is supposed to be luxurious and well executed. They say participants can even keep the helmets they used during the trip.
Check out Fine Living's page on the show. or go straight to the Italy by Vespa website.

Found @ Target

Classico Moto Italia May 4-6, San Jose

I used to be a member of Vespa Club Los Gatos one of the oldest continuing scooter clubs in the US. But with work, a magazine and other obligations, I figured I had better bow out rather than be a slacker member. Next month, they will host their Classico Moto Italia rally which is an appreciation of vintage Vespas. While many of the members ride newer scooters, the event is a time to bring out the old show bikes and have a good time. It is a traditional rally with the rides and day show as the main events. If you have a sweet restoration or a classy custom this is the place to show it.

Club founder, Rolf Soltau is a US scootering legend. After years of scootering, he was picked by Piaggio USA to be their training mechanic. Scooterists from all over the USA kow him from his touring for Piaggio. Also, you may have seen his numerous appearances in Scoot! sinc ehe was once the owner of the oldest known Vespa in the USA and also probably the oldest person to complete the scooter Canonball Run (2007). He's a real firecracker, and can party with scoterist 1/3 his age. If you're in the area and can make it to the rally, be sure to meet him as you won't find another scooterist like him.

Scoot! will be at the rally and I'm looking forward to meeting up with old friends. If you're there, stop by to say hello!

Scooter Girl Kicks Ass

I was rolling with laughter when I read the story about the 18-year old South African scooterist who helped capture 2 robbers by chasing them on her scooter. Extra points for bashing one of them with her helmet! She was probably foolish, over-confident and lacking self-preservation skills, since they could have had guns or knives or machetes (GTA: Vice City taught me that!) but in hindsight I can say, "You Go Girl!" Read about it on the News24 web site.

Art Vespa...Cool Idea

I hapened upon this news item. Vespa South Africa had a contest where design professionials were asked to create an artistic treatment for an LX. The winners each won an LX bearing his/her design. I think that is a great idea. It gets the design community involved with customizing the scooters, which is a big draw to scooterists, and provides some interesting news about the company. I'd love it if a manufacturer in the US would do the same.
Check out the
Vespa South Africa site for other winners and a downloadable computer wallpaper of the entries.

A scooter collector's dream!

I have to give a shout-out to reader Brian who sent me a link to a cool scooter memorabilia site called Punks on Parkas that has a great scooter toy section containing potos and infromation on mouthwatering vintage scooter toys. Any collector will get a serious case of toy envy when looking at the photos on the site. It also has sections for postcards, magazines/ads, misc. memorabilia and brochures. I've seen items from my collectionin there, but it's only a small percentage of the great stuff contained within. Check it out!

Smart Baby Bibs

Modified Clothing's new baby bbs are very cute. Just what the budding scooterist-to-be needs! This would make a great shower gift for the expectant parents. It's 100% cotton and comes in two colors. Since Modified is brand neutral, the bib comes in a Lambretta and a Vespa version. Perfect for those "mixed" households. :)

Vietnamese Scooter Rally

I came accross this news item about a Vietnmese scooter rally happening at the end of the month. The Thanh Nien News says that it is the first such festival in Vietnam. I like their idea of decorating the scooters in flowers. What a beautiful parade that would make! I'm sending out my feelers to see if anyone in the area can submit a report. Although I'd love to jet off to Vietnam, I'll have to stay here. :)

Also, it would be great to see what the actual Vietnamese ride. Maybe they keep the good stuff for themselves and send the cobbled ones to other countries.

A news article that might shed some light on that appears on VietNamNet which says that Vietnamese may have to pay up to $600 (gasp!) for a vintage scooter. Maybe all the people that are so desperate for a vintage scooter, that they will ship one from Vietnam should take a trip there and pick out their own $600 scooter and ship it back. What an idea for a tourist service! =patent pending!= Just kidding!

Vectrix Scooter Looking for Financing

The manufacturer of the first electric maxi-scooter is looking to expand its capabilities by examining new financial options. According to the UK's Telegraph newspaper, "Vectrix, founded by inventor Andrew MacGowan, has appointed the investment bank to look at the best option for taking the business forward financially." Vectrix scooters are not yet available in the US, but are available in some European countries. For more information on the development of the Vectrix, check out their website.

Win a Kymco Super 9

MotorcycleUSA.com is hosting a contest where registrants can win a Kymco Super 9 scooter. The webiste's "My Garage" is an area that "brings together motorcycle enthusiasts in the world's biggest motorcycle clubhouse. It's a place to post pictures of your bike and share your moto exploits through your own blog." The contest ends August 1st. Enter atMotorcycleUSA's site.

Honda Further Blurs the Line

If space aliens had motorscooters, they might look like the Honda E4-01 concept "motorcycle" which a high tech marriage of scooter and motorcycle.

The concept vehicle debuted at the 2005 Tokyo motorcycle show. But MotorcycleNews.com announced that Honda has applied for patents on the bike, which makes its release seem likely.

The E4-01 has a 900+cc three-cylinder engine which seems all-motorcycle until one finds that it has a CVT transmission. The photos show popular scooter features such as a 2-helmet underseat storage compartment, a very sculptural body that has very organic curves. I love the rear lights, which are reminiscent of vintage-style, sculptural car lights. While the mid section requires more leg lifting than a typical scooters, models like the Suzuki Burgman and Piaggio X9 aren't that much lower. MPN promises to have more news on the bike in the next few days.

If you'd like to see a slideshow of the bike when it debuted, check out the Honda website for more info.

Summer issue in production

Our Summer issue, due out May 15th, is in production. It's going to be a fun issue. We're spotlighting Scooter Art with a range of artists that use scooters as their inspiration or as their canvas. We even have two artfully exectued scooters for our Readers Ride to go along with the theme. We're also focusing on women's scooter clubs. I interviewed folks from several clubs and included some great advice on starting your own all-female club.

Also, this issue features reviews of the Piaggio MP3 and Argo AR150. Josh and Mike had a blast on the MP3 and have lots to say about it!

If you haven't heard (since we haven't really publicized it)we're planning on publishing 5 issues this year, with further plans to go 6 issues next year. Those with current subscriptions will get the additional issue. It's very exciting and will give us a chance to get out more news in a timely manner and to whittle down the time between issues. I often hear from readers that can't get enough and dislike the long gaps between our quarterly issues.

Protect your health care coverage

Bills in the House and Senate were introduced to close a loophole which allowed heath insurance providers to deny coverage to those who were injured during legal recreation activities such as motorcycling and ATV riding. The bills, H.R. 1076(Congress) and S. 616 (Senate)aim to fix the loophole which allows companies to deny coverage to those injured in such activities.

If you are interested in protecting your rights to enjoy legal ecreation, then contact your Congressperson or Senator to let them know how you feel. Not sure who your rep is? Then go to:
Find your Senator
Find your Congressional Representative

I'm Back!

Sorry for the big hiatus. Our website was not able to be updated since February and our webmaster was on a sailing boat off the coast of Italy. Considering that I am kinda dumb when it comes to maintaining a server, I'm glad he's back and able to help.

So much has been happening that I am not sure where to start. Well, the next issue will be out in May. We're in the layout phase right now. We're featuring Scooter Art and All-Girl Scooter Clubs. We've also got some great custom scooters that embody their owners' artistic abilities. Look for reviews of the Piaggio MP3 and the Argo AR150-18. I'm pleased that we're introducing two new recurring sections: Budget Bling, which gives you the scoop on customizing your scooter inexpensively; and Josh's Tattoo Corner which will feature scooter-themed tattoos. If you've got any ideas on future columns for these sections, let me know.

Upcoming features include an article on creating more scooter parking in your town; a "Totally 80s" feature reminiscing about the scooter resurgence in the 1980s; Scooter collections: individuals with mind-blowing scooter collections that inspire envy. If you want to contribute to any of these stories, let me know.

Another cool development is that we've got a new t-shirt in the works, designed by one of our contributors to this next issue. We're hammering out the printing particulars, but let me just say that the shirt is super-cute! It's a fitting replacement for the blue ringer shirt with the scooter couple on it.

There's more to say, but I'll save that for another post. It's good to be back!

Gymboree Scooter Collection

Thanks to Nicky and Susan for tipping me off to the new Gymboree "When in Rome" collection. It is clothing for newborn to 24 month old kids that has cute scooters on them. If I had a baby, I'd be in trouble. The whole line appears to be on sale at their website. If you don't have a Gymboree near you, logon now and get that credit card ready...I'll have a full report on the items in the next Scooter Collector column.

B-day card @ target

No tattoo today...

On the porch- 62 degrees @ 9:30pm

Argentinian Meat Fest

GTA: Vice City attraction

Scoot! in Miami this weekend...

Josh & I will be in Miami this weekend, guests of Martin Racing Performance and Daelim scooters. We're going to check out Daelim's new scooters and MRP's parts & operations. We're also looking forward to some nice riding weather. While our weekend is short and packed, we might be able to meet up with any local scooterists on Sunday night.

I've never been to Florida, so it will be a nice treat, especially after the super-cold snap we had over the past 2 weeks in California. Not even my silk thermal underclothes were helpful! Now, I'm looking through my closet wondering what does one wear in Floriday in the middle of January?

The magazine should be at the printers right now. We'll look forward to getting it the first few days of February. Josh and our freelance ad sales person Carrie will be at the Indianapolis Motorcycle Show in mid-February and then off to Vegas, where Mike will be, too. I'm skipping Vegas this year (again!) as I need to get my bearings back and push headlong into the Summer issue.
-april

Scooter Girl Calendars

Wondering how to kep that scootring spirit going while you're stuck at your desk indooors? Two scooter clubs have created calendars that may do just that. The SF Scooter Girls out of San Francisco and Midwest USA's The Debutantes SC both have released calendars that feature pinup-style photos of their members. Previous year's editions of the alendars have been such big hits that both clubs have increased their production for 2007. Order yours, now:

The Debutantes SC

The SF Scooter Girls

Calling all artists with scooter themes...

If you are an artist that uses scooters in his/her art or uses scooters as your canvas, let us know. We're working on an upcoming Scooter Art issue which celebrates how the scooters can motivate creativity with their design or through the freedom they symbolize. Painting, sculpture, video, photography, textile art..we want to see it! In past issues we printed examples of the art as well as artists info. Might be a great way to sell some of your artwork to appreciative scooter fans. Contact me for more information.

Honda's new scooter

Edmunds.com is carrying a story about a new Honda scooter being debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon show this month. The Forza (which means "force" in Italian) 250cc scooter brings luxury features to the forefront with an inter-communication/music system as well as some pimped-out color combos and cushy upholstery. While this bike may not be available in the US soon, or ever, it's interesting to wonder how the US market would receive it.
Check out the article and pics at
Edmunds.com

It appears that larger displacement scooters will be commonplace and for the price they command, buyers are expecting more luxury features. What features would you like to see scoooter manufacturers incorporate into their bikes? Post your comments, below.

Two-stroke scooters do make a racket!

I saw an Associated Press photo on Yahoo! which had the following caption:
"Indian security personnel inspect a scooter damaged due to a bomb blast in Gauhati, India, Monday, Jan. 8, 2007."

Click here to see the photo

At first, I thought they were checking it to see if the scooter was a bomb. I used to have an aftermarket exhaust on my bike which made it sound as if it would explode. I eventually went back to stock. It seemd odd to have a super-loud scooter that only went 40mph.

Scooter Movies

I've beeen playing with the idea of adding a feature to the Scoot! website that lists films that contain scooters. For a few years, I've kept a spreadsheet on my computer that listed films that I've seen. G'head and call me a scooter nerd...

I've also been amassing any VHS and DVDs that have scooters in them for movie nights. These care TV commercials, TV shows, music videos etc.

Does anyone find this an intersting enterprise? I think it would be a cool resource, but I'mnot sure how many people would actually get a kick out of it.

If you think you'd use such a sthing, let me know. Also, if you know of any unusual films or bits of video, lemme know. An up front qualifier: No Quadrophenia! (Isn't everyone sick of that one already?), no Lambretta Twist or Adidas soccer commercials. I've got those! :) Also, no You Tube links unless you know that they are source materials.

You've got your mission... ;)

Blog was messed up...

It appears that many of the blog posts I posted over the past 6 weeks or so didn't make it onto my blog. Sorry! I haven't abandoned the blog, we've just had some technical errors which I think had something to go with migrating it to appear on our site. Most of my old pics disappeared. Ugh! I'll look into ironing it out over the next few weeks.

I am hard at work on the Spring 07 issue which features our Buyer's Guide. It is a TON of work, but I hope that it will all be worth it in the end. Mike will be in layout stages next week.

After all this time in front of the computer and OFF my scooter, I'm looking forward to a weekend away. Josh & I are planning a business trip one weekend in January to Miami to checkout some scooter stuff for the Summer issue. If you live in Miami, let us know maybe we can get together!

I'm also working on some pieces for upcoming issues:
Totally 80s: we're looking for people who were scooterists in the 80s who can send us photos of their old scooters, fashions and the like. With the advent of so many new scooters and scooterists, we'd like to pay hommage to the distinct style of US scootering in the 80s. If you want to contribute or have any ideas, let me know.

Scooter Art: Are you an artist that uses scooters in your art? We want to put together another scooter art issue. Contact me if you are interested or have a tip on a scooter artist. Also great opportunity for those who do custom murals and such on scooters.

Well, back to editing the Spring issue....
-april

Scooter Desktop Wallpaper

I love Pixel Girl Presents, a great place to get icons and desktops for your computer. I have several on my computer which make it more homey, since I spend so many hours a day in front of it. :) This one has lots going on, but you'll see a fenderlight Vespa near the center. Check out the other desktops the site has and visit the corresponding artists for more inspiration.

See it here Link to desktop

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.

Scooterist Favorite: Beachkrieg

A snap of a recent Beachkrieg show. Surf music by scooterists who pose as WWI submarine castaways. It doesn't make sense, but they do a great surf version of "Blue Monday".

Part of the Gymhkhana

Don't ask...

Lori & I went to the store to get some Mike's Hard Lemonade and came back to find the tail end of a gymkhana which utilized oddly assembled balloons. Not sure what hapened, but the ladies did provide beer, so we just popped a can and sat to socialize.

AGSR Ride Stop

On the Saturday ride, we rode all over and saw the cool triangle gas station which has been turned into an art museum or visitors center. We didn't stop there. When I tried to snap a photo, a white truck pulled in front of it. Argh!

AGSR Ride Stop

Snack stop on our ride

We took aride through some Palm Springs neighborhoods with great Palm Springs mid-century architecture. We stopped at a hotel called the Bungalows which has a few rooms that people can rent. Relaxing with a view of the mountains in the background.

Jackknifed truck

Polly Pocket scoot

Pitstop in Coalinga

We're on the road...

Get your scooter ornaments early!

Ornaments @ Cost Plus

I hate that there Christmas items are for sale before Halloween, but I love that I found these 2 inexpensive scooter ornaments. The small one is made of paper and was $1.99. The larger is a Santa on a glitterrific 3-wheel scoot for $6.99. Get them before all your scooterists friends buy them all out.

April going to AGSR

I've missed all the past All-Girl Scooter Rallies, but this year, I'm heading to Palm Springs with my housemate Lori for the event. We're ready to bond with our scootering sisters and get a last bit of summer weather before fall completely takes over. The itinerary looks fun and we're looking forward to riding around a different town. Want more info about the AGSR?
View the website. There is also a Yahoo! Group where all the discussion and info get's passed around.

Sale on Kauffman Scooter Fabric

First, let me say: I love Reprodepot!

Next. let me tell you that they are having a sale on their Mod Scooter Girls stock of fabric. I paid about $9 per yard for my blue version. You can get the grey/black version here for under $7 a yard!
Buy it here!

I made a quillow (quilt that folds into a pillow) with mine. What will you make with yours?

Ben Sherman Cufflinks

Here are some cool cufflinks for the scooter fanatic.

Check it out

Nice to see something in the Ben Sherman line that actually pertains to vintage style in more than just the name. Oh, I'm being catty. Ben Sherman does have a few cool vintage items, especially their men's hats. Very Cool. But most of the time it's something with mid-range manufacture and high price and only a cool name.

These cufflinks retail for $50, which is a little steep, but you know you'll wear them to every scooter event night show, soul all-nighter and scooter wedding for the next few years!

Love our watertower

As I left the Scoot! office tonight at 10pm, I looked up and saw the moon's beams wrapping around the watertower that looms over our building. It's only 1/10th as pretty in the pic as it was in person.

New Scoot! Staffer, pt 2

Post name suggestions on this blog for our newest staff member.

New Member of Scoot! Staff

About 2 months ago, Josh & I started noticing small black pellets in the corners of the office. Turns out they were mouse scat. I bought a humane trap so we could nab them. Lightly salted Kettle chips did the trick and they were banished to a field. We then realized that we had an opening for a Rodent Engineer at the office and hired this little lady. She had yet to be named, but I think our readers may have some apropos suggestions for a scooter-themed name for our newest staff member. If you have a suggestion, leave a comment on this blog.

Stephen meets Jello

I want my friend Stephen to do reviews of punk music for the magazine. He sent me this pic of him & Jello Biafra in San Francisco. I think he may be qualified.

Old Cold Phone Pic

I found this picture on my phone. Josh & I went to Indianapolis for the Cycle World motorcycle show in February. Our window froze on the inside and I scratched "Scoot!" in the ice. Josh left the hotel room with wet hair and it froze on the way to the car. Our shoes left ice tracks on the carpet of the car which were still intact when we came out of the convention 8 hrs later. Does it surprise you that it was 2-degrees F that day?