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!

New Vespa GTS 300 Super

It's been quite a while since the word "Super" was used to self-describe a Vespa. Noe Piaggio has released the GTS 300, just in time to induce GTS250 owners to slap them selves on the head. I know people that bought the GT, then offloaded it for the GTS, and now I wonder how many of them will be pining for the 300?

The GTS 300 Super is the largest displacement Vespa ever produced. Vespa has seen that the consumers want updated styles that hearken back to the classic designs of the pa The Super has been redesigned and includes touches like the fender crest and new side grills on the side panels. They have also played with the color scheme on the front suspension cover (now red) and the analog instrument panels (black with white lettering) and some other touches. Gone is the "parking light" which was where the classic horn cover was. It is now an air intake.

The underseat storage holds 2 3/4 helmets and still can carry 9 liters (about 2.4 gallons)of fuel. Impressive.

The engine has also been redesigned:

The new GTS 300 Super is different from the GTS 250 because the new engine has a higher level of torque (22.3 Nm as opposed to 20.1) along with fewer revolutions per minute (5,000 rpm as opposed to 6,500 on the 250). On the road, these numbers translate into flexibility and pick-up from low speeds that are unequaled in this displacement category.

Pretty fancy, eh?

Piaggio USA PR says that it is NOT coming to the US. But that just seems stupid....

Spottd on Flikr

I have a Flikr slideshow feed that runs in the top right of this blog. It runs photos that are tagged on Flikr for scooters. It's fun to see what photos come up and the one below struck my fancy.



Looking at it, I can almost smell the two-stroke, hear the ratt-tatt-tatt of the engines and feel the excitement of riding in a big group of scooterists. There have been many times when I was in the midst of a ride and wished I could dig out my camera and take a shot from inside the group so that I could remember what it was like.

This photo:


I took at a rally in San Francisco maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I was trying to get a photo of everyone climbing a hill, something that the city is famous for. Can you imagine a horse pulling a cart up there? But it was hard to pull over at the right time and fumble with my camera. It came out OK but doesn't quite capture my awe.

Got any cool rally photos to submit? Send 'em in. High-res versions may make it into the magazine.

Etch-a-Scoot

Jade from Ithaca, NY emailed me about Etchstar a company that does custom etching on electronics such as iPods, iPhones and laptops. She found 2 scooter graphics that you could have etched on your own device. I've heard of monogramming and having one's one name on an item, but Etchstar's illustrations are pretty impressive.

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!

San Francisco Scooter Sightings

Scooters I saw near a park.

Board for a cafe on Rich Street near the train station and a few blocks from the ballpark. Owned by a Lambrettisti, of course. Who else would call it "Cento"?

Pixar Trip

The past few weeks have been very busy. One cool thing that I got to do (sandwiched between all the boring stuff) was to visit Pixar's offices in Emeryville, CA. And while Pixar may not be scooter-related, I did spot a Messerschmidt in their lobby which is a nod to their film Cars. I snapped a photo, but didn't even try to get in the little car. I also snapped a few others.


The Pixar Lamp is BIG!


A cool bench idea for the upcoming WALL*E film!

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.

How do we make car drivers aware?

I'm not one to get all uppity and self-righteous about cars vs. scooter as modes of transport. I often hear scooterists speaking with disdain about "cagers" as if driving a car was some sort of a crime. I own a car. I love my car, but I also love my scooters. So, for me it's not an either or, it's a case of what is appropriate for the situation and my mood.

This post comes from someone who drives both a scooter and car. When I drive and I see a motorcycle coming up behind me to split lanes, I move over in my lane to give the bike more room. When I see a group of scooters/motorcycles, I let them pass so that they can go on their way and I can go on mine. Also, when I ride my scooter, I do what I can to be mindful of the cars around me. I do whatever I can to make sure that they see me. I try to anticipate what they will do in order to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So, it really upsets me to read so many news items of scooterists being seriously injured or killed by accidents with cars. When Josh had his accident in March, there was no chance against the car that came head-on into his lane. Any scooterists that has been scooting for an extended period of time knows the typical accidents:
* a car going in the opposite direction turning left in front of you especially at an intersection or when pulling into a driveway
* a car next to you changing lanes into your lane
* a car pulling out of a driveway

So my question is, how do we make cars more aware of scooters and motorcycles? How do we as regular folks make car drivers look for two-wheeled vehicles when they drive? I can't do that much with Scoot! as I'm preaching to the choir in the magazine. I have a few suggestions, but would love to hear what you think:

1) write letters to local newspaper editors about the need for cars to be aware of two-wheeled vehicles

2) Ask local news outlets (TV, radio, print) to cover motorcycle visibility, especially when a local rider is injured. News outlets focus on timely news, so such a local angle would make it a more compelling story.

3) Grassroots local efforts. If you belong to a scooter club, perhaps you can create a local campaign to increase awareness. Hook up with a local motorcycle club and have an event where you encourage car driver to be aware. Maybe appear in a parade and hand out fliers to increase awareness.

4) Put motorcycle awareness bumper stickers on your car to get folks in that element.

Got any other ideas on what we can do to increase awareness?

Scooter Rosa & CMI

This weekend is a great one for riding. There are 2 big events in my area: Classico Moto Italia and Scooter Rosa. Well, Scooter Rosa is a couple of hours north of me, but it is still do-able for the weekend.
Classico Moto Italia is put on by Vespa Club Los Gatos (I'm a past member) and is a celebration of the timeless Vespa. This event has been going on for years, and brings out some beautiful scooters. Last night was a party at a tiki bar in downtown San Jose, just 4 blocks away from where The Sharks fought to stay in the NHL playoffs. Today is a ride & a show-n-shine followed by another ride, bowling and a party. Get your scoot on!


Scooter Rosa is a weekend fest thrown by the super-cool folks at Revolution Moto in Santa Rosa, CA. Josh went last year and had a blast. They make it a community-wide event where all of Santa Rosa can participate. They have a drive-in movie, street fest and more. The local paper made a video to promote the fest:
Check it out

International Female Ride Day- TODAY

International Female Ride Day is in its second year. It's fairly simple, juts like other Ride to Work Days, all the organizers ask is for women to ride their motorcycles/scooters. I can get behind that! I have to go to San Francisco, and riding the pocked, grooved freeways for 50 miles isn't my idea of a relaxing ride. However, I will be riding to the train station, and ' rally Classico Moto Italia starts tonight, so I'll be doing a lot more raiding afterwards.

From the site....

International Female Ride Day a synchronized day worldwide where women motorcycle riders "JUST RIDE" -- demonstrating their enjoyment and in most cases, passion for motorcycle riding. The campaign was created with the aim of highlighting the number of women who ride and building female rider awareness -- encouraging other women to take up the activity. The event places a spotlight on the female rider and celebrates the countless numbers who do--riders new to the activity or those who have had the pleasure all their lives!

Introduced last year, FEMALE RIDE DAYS' first step was as a National event with the intention to build globally. The success in 2007 made it easy in 2008 to move on to making it International!

And it was the women who participated that made this an easy transition--female riders and clubs throughout North America and Europe spontaneously joined in upon news of the campaign. As each year goes by FEMALE RIDE DAY will without a doubt continue to expand; enjoyed by more and more women worldwide as they claim the day and become involved in one of the greatest pleasures in life—motorcycling.
FEMALE RIDE DAY is for women who ride motorcycles no matter what form, or style--no matter the age, or experience. Motorcycles of all makes and capacities–scooters, sport bikes, dirt bikes or ATV’s.

The campaign’s slogan of "JUST RIDE" is a simple request of women riders and is by this method female rider awareness is created and enjoyed. It's concept is not attached to a charity, nor is it a fundraiser or for that fact, a controlled event--riders are free to make the day entirely as they so wish. Women are invited to join in, enjoy the camaraderie Internationally and be on their motorcycle on the first Friday each May -- Friday 2 May 2008.

Yamaha Safety Recalls: Morphous + Majesty

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall notice for Yamaha Majesty and Morphous scooters from 2006-2007. Supposedly:

the engine could stall and be difficult to restart because the wire terminals in the fuel pump wire coupler have corroded. Water can enter from the main wire harness end and run through the harness to the fuel pump coupler.

If the water remains in the coupler for an extended period of time, the terminals can become corroded, which can prevent the fuel pump from operating properly. If this corrosion affects fuel pump operation while the scooter is being ridden there could be a crash resulting in injury or death.

Dealers will be able to install a fix and replace any corroded parts of the harness after May 1st. If you own one of these scooters, contact Yamaha at 1-800-962-7926.

The Price of Gas..

If you have been reading/watching the news lately, you'll know that reports are up on people buying scooters to combat the high price of gas. I can say that I have no problem filling up my tank with supreme unleaded when riding my scooter. Why not? I barely notice a difference on a 2-gallon tank.

Being a scooter owner for over a dozen years, the savings are fully realized by me. Those who are putting out $2-5K for a new scooter thinking it will "save" them money, may find out that the gas savings only offset the purchase price if they drive the scooter each day and keep the car parked for an extended amount of time. No matter...they'll be having fun, enjoying the freedom of scootering, marveling at convenient parking and cheap liability insurance, that they won't even think about it.

Check out some recent news items from around the country:

Channel 10 News in San Diego, CA

Citizen-Times of Asheville, NC

WLBT in Jackson, Mississippi

WGHP, North Carolina

The one thing this type of mass scooter-buying brings to mind is safety. Look at this quote from the Asheville news story:
Scooters are still easier to drive than motorcycles, Williams explained, with no gears to shift and all the controls at your fingertips. “Anybody who can ride a bicycle can be riding a scooter comfortably in five minutes,” he said.

While it is true, I do hope that all dealers are giving their customers a firm dose of reality by instructing them on proper safety gear and by encouraging them to take a safety course. I know that once Piaggio came back to the USA, I felt really unsafe riding with packs of new scooter riders who were squirrelly at best with their new bikes. I also know several people that picked up fairly new, but slightly damaged GTs that were offloaded once their new riders had a minor spill and were scared off.

I'm concerned that without proper training and awareness we'll see a lot more of these:

Woman dies in wreck
By Antonia Robinson

Staff writer

A woman died in a motor scooter accident on Mt. Olivet Road, April 23.

Darla Kupfer, 57, of 34 New Hope Road, was riding east on Mt. Olivet Road, said Trooper Anthony Coleman. She was going around a curve and the scooter drifted off the road and into some nearby trees.

Kupfer was taken to Hart County Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

She was often seen riding on her scooter by residents near the accident, said Sheriff Mike Cleveland. Kupfer lived about three miles from the accident and would mention to others how she saved money on gas with her scooter.

If you are a new scooter rider, please make the effort to understand how to ride safely. Buy good quality riding gear, study up on proper riding, and practice riding outside of just your commutes to work or on errands. I suggest going to an empty parking lot to ride around. Make tight turns, weave in and out of tight spaces. Create your own obstacle course. Perhaps even get a group together to practice.

And if you are a long-time scooterist, don't be afraid to kindly and gently offer advice to new riders who could benefit from your experience. It's better ( and a lot less painful)to learn from the experience and mistakes! of others.

Safety Commandments

II was buzzing around this new site, For Car Drivers, from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to raise motorcycle awareness among car drivers. They posted this list of "commandments" from the Vatican for drivers, which I found both odd and comforting at the same time...

The Vatican Weighs In

No wonder even the Vatican has called for a return to sanity behind the wheel. They've put their advice in the form of the following "Ten Commandments for Drivers" and we present them here not to endorse any particular religion but to demonstrate the universal concern over the needless waste of human life in traffic collisions:

1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

Ohio Classic Sccooter Meet 5/1-5/3

I received a flier advertising the upcoming Plain City Meet '08, which is a celebration of classic scooter marks such as Cushman, Mustang, Heinkel, Bella, Rabbit, Whizzer, Vespa and Lambretta.

The weekend meet takes place May 1st-3rd at Pasttime Park, 370 Chillicothe St., Plain City, OH. The flier promises rides,games, show trophies and prizes. I think there wil also be a swap.

The event's website isn't working right now, but if you are interested in attending, you can contact:
Adam bzengelATaolDOTcom
Dave cscootdATaolDOTcom

Camping for the weekend is only $30.

Anyone seen "This is England"?

I heard about this 2006 British film a few months ago, but haven't seem it, yet. I'll add it to my Netflix queue. Anyone seen it & want to comment on it? Are there any scooters in it? The soundtrack has some good songs and it received several favorable reviews.
From the IFC website:

It's 1983 and school is out. Twelve-year-old Shaun is a lonely boy growing up in a grim coastal town in northern England, whose father died fighting in the Falklands War. Over the course of the summer holiday he befriends a group of local skinheads. With his pent-up rage and frustration, Shaun finds exactly what he needs in the gang-mischief, mayhem and brotherhood. He also meets the volatile and boorish Combo, an older skinhead who sees himself in Shaun. Adopting Shaun as his protege, Combo leads the gang down a hate spewing path that culminates in an irreversible act of violence.

Should be an interesting film to watch, although I wonder if it will reinforce the mistaken American idea that all skinheads are Nazis or National Front types.

This is England official website

Lemme know what you thought of it!

etsy Scooter Girl Wallet

I like crafty,unique items, but I don't like sloppy homemade items. This wallet on etsy looks like the former, not the later, but who can say if I have never seen it in person..hint...hint...
I like the style of illustration and orange is the new black, ya know. It's from the tinymeat store, which has lots of other cool (even if they are not scooter-related) wallets.
Yo! Check it..

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. :)

Fundraiser for Josh

I went to the fundraiser for Josh on Sunday and had the oil changed on Scoot!'s SYM HD200. I find it a pain to change the oil without a chock r way to tie it down, so this event was perfect timing.

There were about 40-50 people there. Clubs like Vespa Club Los Gatos, San Francisco Scooter Girls and the Royal Bastards were there to see Josh, wish him well and have a BBQ & oil change session. Curt Fargo brought a fancy BBQ and his trailer filled with goodies and his tools. When I checked with him last he said that he had done about 10 oil changes in a row.

Curt was able to pause in the action to see Bosco (our postal volunteer and San Jose Vespa rep) get his head and grizzly beard shaved. That shaving raised about $500. That's great and he didn't even have to take his clothes off!

I'm not sure how much was raised on Sunday, but when I put my cash in I saw lots of $20 bills in there.

I'll see Josh tonight at our Scoot! meeting and will get an update on his condition and medical bills. For now, here are two pics from the event.

Facebook Flair

Just a reminder that you can "represent" Scoot! on your facebook pages with our very own Piece of Flair. Just add the Pieces of Flair application and search for "scoot" or "vespa" or "lambretta".

It's easy. These images are old, but now 18 folks have posted the Scoot!logo pin. Woo-hoo!

Erin from Esurance rides a Lambretta...

Saw a new Esurance.com commercial tonight which has their animated spokesperson, Erin riding a stylized Lambretta. Check it out:

I couldn't figure out how to embed the video from their site so I used Youtube, but you can
see a better quality version here.

Vegas Photo

DocBob XYL from Kentucky sent me this photo of my BF Jon, me and super-tuner Tony Simoni taken at the Vegas rally. I wonder what we were talking about when it was taken, but I suspect that Jon was awed by my stunning beauty at the time, thus his hand over his mouth out of sheer disbelief. Or maybe he was yawning and I have misinterpreted it. Anyway, here are some suggested captions. Feel free to submit your own, but keep 'em clean, folks!

#1
Jon: Is 9am too early to have a beer?
April: What is Tony saying? I don't understand a thing about two-stroke tuning...
Tony: OK, I can tell by her blank expression that she doesn't understand a thing about two-stroke tuning...

#2
Jon: Too...much...beer...last...night.....ugh.
April: "uh-huh"
Tony: I never noticed before that April had alien antennae

#3
Jon: OMG please say you are binging back the Chickn Wing...please say you are bringing back the Chicken Wing...!
Tony: So, I'm thinking of bring back the Chicken Wing Pipe..

Well the last sccenario will only be funny to SouthBay folks, but I laughed as I wrote it.

Win a Trip to Italy or a Vespa

Pasta Pomodoro is an Italian restaurant chain in California and Arizona. They have photos of Vespas in their locations and use images of scooters on their menus and to-go bags. They are currently holding a contest where winners can win either a trip to Milan, a Vespa or a 10-person dinner.

You must be a legal resident of California, over 18 years old and enter by April 30th. So get to it! Follow the link above or go into one of their locations and enter.

Local Fundraiser for Josh

Curt Fargo and Bosco (Scoot!'s volunteer mailman) have combined forces to do a fund raiser for Josh. If you are in the Silicon Valley and need an oil change, come on by.

DATE: Sunday April 6th

TIME: 11:00 AM Sharp Scooter Ride
1:00 PM Oil Changes & BBQ
4:00 PM Oil Changes Stop
5:00 PM We let Boscos Neighbors have back their complex.

LOCATION: 250 N 1st. Street
Campbell, CA 95008

This fund raiser is open to all, you can partake in any part or all of it. At 11am sharp we will be doing a local scooter ride (staying out of the hills) and afterwards at 1pm we will have a Hamburger, Hot Dog and Chicken BBQ. At 1pm we will also be doing oil changes on Modern Vespas.

All of this is FREE but hopefully you will ad some $$$'s to the donation can.

Pedro Zaragoza- Impressed with a Vespa

The man credited with creating packaged holidays and bringing the bikini to Benidom, Spain has died. The Times newspaper ran an article about him which relates how he gained support for his approval of bikinis on the beaches, by riding his Vespa for 9 hrs. to appeal to Franco. Apparently, his stunt worked and earned him reprieve, and bikinis came to grace the beaches, despite the church's disapproval.

Mercy Me & Audio Adrenaline Scooter Video

On the Mercy Me band blog, they recently posted a fun video of the bands (Mercy Me & Audio Adrenaline) riding scooters on one of their breaks in the midst of touring. It's fun to watch and makes you want to get on your scooter and go. If you are a fan of the bands, pick up our article in issue # 40 (Summer 07).

Scoot! @ Euro Motor Show & Swap 3/29

I'm a little behind on posts as I was in a car accident this past weekend and then promptly came down with a cold. I think I need a vacation...

If you are around the San Jose Bay Area this weekend, stop by the European Motorcycle Show & Swap at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. It's put on by the Ducati Vintage Club, but it open to all European bikes, including scooters and mopeds. With all that has been going on at Scoot! we'll still have a small booth there. I would attend the event anyway, so we might as well throw up our placard, too. If you are there, stop by and say hello!

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.

Awed by the outpouring of love

I just checked to see what has been raised by the Scooter Relief fund for Josh and was amazed that it was over $14,000. It is really a very touching thing to see scooterists and others coming to the aid of another scooterists who is in a bad situation. I've heard that his contributions have even come from other countries. Amazing.

I visited Josh on Sunday and brought him cards and letters sent to him. He was very moved by how so many people cared about him and his situation. I imagine it must be boring, painful, frustrating, depressing, and dispiriting to be stuck in a hospital bed for weeks on end. Our friend Giggy went over and built several ramps so that Josh coul dmove around in a wheel chair. Hearing that almost made me cry. I know that Giggy is a kind an caring person, but the amount of effort people are making for Josh is truly touching. They are good tears, of course!



I took this photo when I visited him. He has a hospital-style bed and an upgraded Netflix membership. You can see the leg immobilizer on his right leg. He's got a good attitude, even if they had to cut his long hair to make it easier to care for. He said that even 2 weeks after the accident he still had road grit in his hair as he can't shower. Only sponge baths. So away went the hair.

Josh Update

Josh's wife, Katie sent out an update to his condition. I'll repost it here:

Hello to all!

Many of you have called or written to know how we are doing and what is going on, so I thought I would do another en masse email to cover all of my bases. I apologize for not addressing you all individually, but I sure you can imagine how long that would take! :-)

Josh is doing well, albeit struggling with the physical limitations of his injuries and the mental struggle of not being able to do what he wants, when he wants, and with any sort of self-reliance. He was discharged from Regional Medical last Monday and has settled nicely into my parents living room in South San Jose. Luckily for us, they had just finished a large-scale remodel of the back of their home and so the room was empty of furniture and large enough to accommodate the hospital bed and other accoutrement's required to help rehabilitate him. Delilah, our Olde English Bulldogge, has moved in with him to keep him company and lift his spirits (although she promptly had an allergy attack and now they have to take care of each other!) Our condo in Downtown San Jose was deemed "too small" for this new lifestyle, so I am desperately trying to find a one-story home that we can all move into together to help restore our happy little family unit.

Josh's mother, Lynn, has graciously come down from her home on California's Northern Coastline to take care of Josh while I go back to work. Her generosity and patience in managing his day-to-day needs and requirements has been more of a blessing than I could ever hope for. While she can't stay forever, I am certainly grateful for the weeks that she is putting in to get us "back on our feet". Since I have returned to work, life has seemed to evolve into a constant spin of driving, working, visiting and trying to sleep. Hopefully it will slow to steady pace that we can all keep up with much easier!

While we have somewhat left the woods, we are definitely not out of the forest yet. Josh's injuries turned out to be more severe than we had originally thought and will require additional surgeries in the near future. In total, he had a compound open-leg fracture to his left femur, a compound fracture to his left radius, a dislocation of his left wrist, a dislocation of his left shoulder, a fracture to his left shoulder, and he tore the ACL and PCL in his right knee. His left knee is badly swollen, but doctor's are suggesting an MRI in the next week or so to determine further damage. Surgery on his right knee is scheduled within the end of the month and he has an appt to go in later this week and have 20-something staples removed from his legs. This has drastically increased his recovery time, and we are now looking at 9-12 months before he can walk unaided....

All in all, we are doing well. Not fabulous, but not horrible either. This has definitely been a large transition for us and a test to our marriage, relationship, communication and friendships. We both so appreciate the outpouring of support and concern that has come our way and wanted each of you to know just how much love we have realized in these last 3 weeks. This will probably be my last update for some time; I don't want to crowd your inbox's with our every move! :-) Thank you again to each and every one of you for everything that you've done, emailed, called, etc. It's times like these when you realize the full-extent of your friendships with others!

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!

Scooter Accessories

Sometimes a nifty new scooter item an put me in a super mood. I just ordered the wallet shown above and can't wait for it to arrive. I hear about it from ScooterSwag but also found a larger version at
Secret Garden gifts.



and a cosmetic bag, too!


and a coin purse!

The products are made by Espe, a Canadian company.

If you want something that is more flashy, then consider the Betty Boop handbag. You may recall that a large, mid-priced figurine was for sale last year with Betty on a scooter. This is more affordable and practical, but not to my taste.


A wallet also exists...



I haven't seen these in stores, just online at Lune Blue, so I'm not sure if they are available in the USA. So when I say that I don't know where to get them, I really mean it. So, don't email me or post comments asking me where to get them. :)

One final item is another scooter wallet and it's one cool cat!
I found it for $16 at bella & lina. They have other cool things like knitted cupcakes. Check them out!

Now, if only I could find a bunch of cash to stash in those lovely wallets...

Scooter Pillow..bring your wallet!

Found this pillow online. You can get it at Amazon for $39 + $11 shipping. Not sure if I want it that badly, but....



Does it surpise you that Neiman Marcus charges $70 for a pillow? Ugh! Maybe $39 doesn't look so bad!

Custom Flair for Facebook

I just started a Facebook profile and it makes me feel old. One cool thing is that a girl that I work with introduced me to Piece of Flair. You can use it to create your own buttons which go on your profile wall. So, I tried it out and created a scooter pin. Check it out:


So, if you've got a Facebook profile and want to "represent!" then add our Flair. And make your own. Be sure to let me know about any scooter pieces that you create!

I spy wid my little eye....

I found these two items at a a local vintage shop that also has some new stuff. A Red Vespa belt bucks for $18 and some resin bubble pins for $1.99. Guess which one I bought?

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.

Lats Chance for Calendar & Skateboard contests!

Just a quick reminder that we're still accepting entries into our 2 contests:
1) win a skateboarding prize pack from Geoff Rowley and Flip skateboards. Check out a photo and my original post.
Send your entries in care of "Scoot Free Skate Hard" to the address below.

2) ScootRS 200 Calendar. Win a cool desktop calendar. There are still plenty of months left in 2008! Send entries in care of "Calendar Contest".

Mailing address is
Scoot! Magazine
P.O. Box 9605
San Jose, CA 95157
Entries are due by March 15.


Good luck!

Message from Josh

Got home from the scooterist meeting tonight & found this message from Josh:

I'm indeed out of the hospital. I'm at the in-laws in south San Jose
the door is open for visits.

You all know I'm pretty f*cked up. but I don't have many needs right
now I'll keep you posted on additional needs. I'd say same standards
apply visitors till 9pm

thank to everyone for their support and visits.
in short I'm not going to be mobile for 2-3 months and wont walk for 6.
everything is well on its way to being resolved but I just wanted you
guys to know where I was and that I'm OK (relatively)

just to ensure my safety I've only give the address to VCLG members
and April, so if you want to come pay a visit contact one of them and
we will tell you were you can find me. I heard there was a lot of
trash on the boards and I want to avoid any issues.

Let's hope he has a speedy an complete recovery...

Josh out of hospital!

Spoke to Josh today and he is recuperating at his in-law's house.
Thanks to everyone who called, visited and sent greetings. Will update
with more info later.
April Whitney + Sent from my iPhone

PEEPS film contest

This is such a cute idea! The contest is hosted with Urban Outfitters, so I expect some creative entries. I hope some of our scooter-folks will step-up with some scooter-themed video. Maybe "Roman Holiday" with PEEPS as characters?

Checkout the PEEPS on Film Contest

Scoot! Keeps a Rolling, albeit slower pace

Just an update to how things are going at Scoot!.
Fisrt, Josh is still in the hospital. We hope that he will be released on Tuesday or Wednesday. He is having a better time with mobility and was able to get out of his bed with help and sit in a wheelchair for some time today. The hospital will not discharge him until he get in & out of his bed with only 1 person to assist him. He will recuperate at his in-law's home as their house is better suited to mobility issues. Thanks again to everyone who has expressed their well-wishes. It means a lot to Josh and our crew!

The magazine is moving along, although 1/3 of our team has been knocked out of the action. Our next issue is at the printers and we're trying to take over for Josh as far as running the office goes. Currently, we are only processing orders on Sundays and mailing on Mondays. I would suggests against selecting expedited shipping during this time as we cannot ship on that type of schedule.

The content deadline for the next issue is Mar. 15, so get in your contributions, soon. Rally reports, and Show Us Your Scoots contributions can be sent to me.

Well, I'm off to process orders & clean out the cat box. Ah, the fancy life of a magazine editor!

Josh Update

I spoke with Josh today & heard that they fixed his dislocated
shoulder (relocated it?) and discovered a fracture at that time. His MRI
confirmed that his right knee is messed up. An ACL injury, I believe.
So, these developments will only add to his recovery time.

must...get...some....sleep z z z zzzzzzZZZZZZZ

Further update on Josh's condition

I just got this email from Josh's wife, Katie:

Josh is having surgery tomorrow for a dislocated left shoulder and his
MRI today confirms that he ripped his ACL & ECL in his right knee.
Surgery for that injury will be in 3 weeks. This will drastically
increase his recovery period and we will now be looking at close to 9
months before he is walking. Still, can't believe he made it out
alive...

He had been complaining about lots of pain and no wonder...a dislocated shoulder for 2 days...ugh!and both legs with problems. I can only imagine how long it will add to his recovery.

I also heard from another scooterist who was airlifted from an accident that the cost was $26,000. I hope that the motorist has some excellent coverage. Keep it going, folks...

TGB Laser versus Lexus...guess who loses?

If you guessed the Laser, give yourself a pat on the back. This photo from Rich who stayed around long enough to see the scooter get pulled up the steep embankment that it had launched down.

Josh Accident Update

I'm sitting here at 12:30am and it seems as if Josh's accident on Sunday was a week ago. The whole ordeal of that day was really exhausting and I'm just beginning to feel it. Of course, it's nothing compared to the pain and shock that Josh must be feeling.

I spoke to three friends who went separately to see him today. Of course he is in pain, but I'd guess that he appreciates the concern the folks are showing for him. Although I imagine he needs his rest. I heard that a loud, stinky homeless man was in the spot next to him. Maybe I should bring him some ear plugs.

Our friend Chudu is a scooterist and an ER nurse who works at the same hospital. It was great to have him on duty when Josh was there. It made it much easier to deal with everything knowing that someone we knew could keep us abreast of everything.

I thought that when I got home from the hospital last night I would email Gregory at ScooterRelief.org to request a fund be opened for Josh. But when I logged on I discovered that it had already been done. Thanks to whomever initiated it. But I must say I was totally floored by how quickly people have come to Josh's aid and given their own money to help. As I said before, he was transported in an ambulance *and* a helicopter, so I can only imagine what that i going to cost over and above the physical therapy and rehabilitation he will need. I really am touched by the generosity of our scooter friends. I have donated my own money in the past to the fund, but never thought that maybe one of my own friends would be in need. Thank you! For those who have asked how else they can help, you are welcome to send a card or greeting to our office:
Scoot! Magazine
re: Josh Rogers Accident
P.O. Box 9605
San Jose, CA 95157
Those who have inquired about donating funds can also send them to that address, but be sure to indicate that it is for Josh's accident fund. You don't want us calling you to see if you wanted to book an advertisement. :)

For the foreseeable future, it will be harder to run the Scoot! office without Josh around. We have a great crew of interns from San Jose State who help out in the office, but they can't do everything that Josh did. So, if you need to call in or email us, please be gentle with our office crew. They are eager to help, but don't have all of the answers. We'll do our best to make sure orders get processed as quickly as possible and that inquiries are answered to the best of our ability.

Finally, our friend and fellow member of Josh's scooter club, Lisa took a photo of the car that hit Josh. You have to see it to believe it. It looks bad, but when you consider that he was it while riding a TGB Laser scooter which weighs less than 300lbs, it really sinks in how hard he was hit. Josh weighs over 250 lbs. and was going up a steep hill on a 150cc scooter. Oh, and yes, that is his scooter skirt sticking out from under the hood. Notice where the car came to rest; completely in the next lane. The man in jeans & a green jacket is Bob who is leaning over Josh. A few of us stood over him trying to shield his eyes from the sun.

I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Yesterday, Josh Rogers (Scoot!'s co-publisher) was involved in a serious accident while on Vespa Club Los Gatos' monthly ride. I posted this to several boards to let scooterists know about his status.
****
I just got back from the hospital. Josh is out of surgery and will
likely stay at the hospital for a few days. He is doing well for
someone who took on a Lexus head-on and we're lucky that he didn't
sustain more damage.

What he did sustain was a broken femur that pierced his skin, a
seriously dislocated wrist and numerous lacerations, some deep.
The doctors told his wife Katie that the femur break was very clean and went back together well. They expect him to be able to put weight on it
within a week. Imagine that. However, he will likely have to undergo
therapy to walk. It could take 3-6 months to get back to normal.

The good news is that the police gave us the impression that the Lexus
driver was totally at fault. While those on the ride who saw the
accident knew that already, it's good to get that echoed by the
police. Hopefully the driver was well-insured. For those who have not
heard- on a curvy uphill area of Hwy 9, a driver crossed the line and
hit Josh head-on. The car came to a stop just before the shoulder
facing the wrong way in the wrong lane.

Josh is at the Regional Medical center at McKee & Jackson. Visiting
hours are until 9pm, but I forgot to see when they begin.

Josh will need help in the coming months. Some may just be mental
support, some may be financial support. A helicopter flight to the
hospital can't be cheap. So, I hope that we can lend both spiritual
and financial support when we can. Perhaps we can do a fundraiser of some sort to help out.

I'm sure that Josh is thankful for all of the care and assistance that
everyone gave today. It was very inspiring to me to see how so many
people; including the scooterists, drivers who stopped with first aid
kits, motorcyclists who directed traffic and the emergency services
personnel all came together with the one goal to help another in
distress.

I'll post information as I find out more.

-april

PS you can help by donating to his ScooterRelief.org fund.

Samuel looks cute in doggie helmet

When we got these helmets to test for the magazine, we found that dogs with ears that stuck up or protruded just wouldn't work. I needed to find a round, smooth head with flopping ears. Enter my mom's dog, Samuel.

He's a very distinguished smooth-coated dachshund with a calm demeanor. He can sit very still when anticipating a cold cut or some other tasty treat, which my mom was dangling in front of him when I took this photo. She also set a Motorscooter Samantha controller next to him for added effect. It matches his collar.
I think its adorable.

Battlescooter may still have some available if you want one for your dog.

Scoot! Swap Meet Cancelled

The weatherman says that the sky shall open up and it will poureth!
So, we're proactively canceling the Swap Meet with a promise to reschedule. Check back on my blog for news as it develops.

Win Geoff Rowley's Stuff!

In the current issue of Scoot! I interviewed some legendary skateboarders that also have scooters; Geoff Rowley, Lance Mountain, and Matt Hensley.

Geoff Rowley & Flip skateboards donated an insane skate pack for one lucky Scoot! reader. It includes: a Rowley deck, HKD Red Wheels, Independent trucks, a Union Jack t-shirt, Militia socks and some stickers. How awesome is that? To enter, send a postcard with your name, mailing address, phone number to:
Scoot Free, Skate Hard c/o Scoot! Magazine, P.O. Box 9605, San Jose, CA 95157.

Entries must be received by March 15. A winner will be randomly selected. Good luck!

You can also see a video of Geoff skating & sitting on his P200 here:
Vans Website. Select the video in the lower left with the black/white arrow.

Vectrix in Sacramento, CA

The city of Sacramento is trying out Vectrix scooters for their Parking and Police departments. The announcement was made this week that four bikes would go through a 3-month trial lease where the city pays $1 per bike and has the option to buy after the period. Vectrix did something similar with the NYPD. I'm not sure if the trial period is over for that city, and if they will buy the scooters afterwards.

I test rode the Vectrix, and think it is a great vehicle for police. It is quiet, so you can sneak up on evildoers, and when they stop for coffee, they can plug it in for a recharge. It is also an unexpected vehicle. Everyone knows the silhouette of a police care and always behaves when they are a round, so the police can probably catch more people in the act (of whatever it is that people do). Finally, the bike is more versatile and nimble than a car or one of those big Harleys.

Hopefully the cities will go forward with the scooters and not just use them for some short-term PR.

Ride to Baja

Some friends are embarking on a trip to Baja by scooter. From the San Francisco/ San Jose area it would take about 12 hours to drive a car on the freeway to the border of California/Mexico, so you can imagine how long it is going to take on scooters!
Brian Holm will periodically post updates to his blog if you are interested in checking up on the group.

The ride isn't just scooters, there will also be motorcycles as the ride is lead by the San Francisco Motorcycle Club which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004 (!) They have a close relationship with the SF scooter clubs and participate in the annual Mods vs Rockers event.

I wish them lots of fun!

Vespa Cafe in Turkey

The Turkish Daily News has run an article about a new Vespa Cafe in the Nişantaşı/ Teşvikiye area of Turkey. It sounds like a small, quaint place with a fun Vespa theme. They apparently even sell some scooters from a separate menu.


If you find yourself in Istanbul craving an American-style hamburger and a gander at a Vespa, stop by...

Vespa Cafe, Orhan Ersek Sokak, Şimek apt. No. 1, Nişantaşı Istanbul


I tried mapping it out on Google, but wasn't sure if I got it correctly.

Another Vegas shot

Modified's scooter offerings have grown. Look at their impressive table. I bought a little kid shirt for a friend's new baby.

Spring Catalogs Love Scooters

I was flipping through the pages of two catalogs recently and found some scooters. J Crew (which I wish I could afford & fit into) has a Rome theme going and combined it with their wedding line for a scooter wedding shot, complete with a trail of tin cans. Keeping with the Rome theme, they chose the popular P125 Vespa.

Lands End also chose to use a scooter in their recent catalog. It's a yellow Vespa GT. Both catalogs are using scooters to illustrate the sunny, carefree feelings of spring, of which I am all for...even if it is raining and windy outside as I type this. How I long for one of those breezy, sunny days!

Scooter Cutting Board

Check out this cutting board with a scooterist on it. Cute! Found it on Elsewares for $38. If you are truly obsessed with scoots and even want to think about them when making dinner,this is an item for you. Or maybe you are a scooter-riding chef like Jamie Oliver or Rocco DiSpirito who mike like the fusion of both interests. or, maybe you just like it. : )

Vegas Update

This year's High Roller Weekend has been fun. The weather is beautiful, no rain this year. Smaller attendance than in the past, but the quality of bikes is mind-blowing. Several owners have spent lots of time and money tuning their bikes. A last-minute addition of some dyno testing revealed the two bikes put out 32hp! Not to mention noxious fumes....

Since we couldn't bring bikes, we missed out on the rides, which should have been gorgeous with the desert scenery and clear blue skies. It feels much like spring here, except that nights in the desert can be frigid.

We've met folks from Phoenix, LA, Cleveland, Montreal, Boston, Sacramento, Boise and even Wyoming. Apparently all roads lead to Vegas.

Today is a poker run & a hang-out at the Star Trek Experience for some drinks at Quark's bar. The main event which is the raffle, awards and BBQ, happens in the afternoon. I'm eager to see which bikes will take the top prizes.

En route to Vegas...

Scoot! Intern Ashley had these cool magnet logos made for Jon's
Element. We look pro!

April Whitney +Sent from my iPhone

Vegas,Baby!

Who's going to Vegas for the High Roller's Weekend...show of hands! Well, I can't really see your hands, but feel free to post a shout-out here if you are going. We were lucky enough to get a room at the main hotel, which was a miracle since I booked my room a week & a half ago.

This will be my fourth year attending, as I took the past 2 years off. One of the years I was in Indianapolis for the Dealer Expo. Josh does the Dealer Expo and this will be his 4th year in a row. If you are at either of the shows stop by to say hello to one of us!

"Penelope" Puts Ricci & Witherspoon on Vespa

I'm eager to see the new film, Penelope, starring Christina Ricci. There's been lots of media coverage about the fact that Ricci plays a girl born with a pig's nose, but I'm more interested in the scooter that she and Reese Witherspoon ride. For some reason (and this happens a lot) pictures of scooters in films are elusive. But, I did a sneaky screen grab off of the movie's official website for this pic of Witherspoon with the Vespa.

While I doubt I could sit through Fool's Gold, I think this film will be an enjoyable one to watch. Not to mention that there is something oddly appealing about a scruffy James McAvoy. I am such a sucker for accents. Let's hope I never have to work in the UK. People could steal my purse and I'd never know...I'd be too charmed by the accent.

Back to my original post....you can go to the film's official site and see the trailer which has a few shots of the actresses riding. But for the full thing, you'll need to see the film which opens February 29th.

Scoot! # 44 February 2008 Now Available!

Well, actually it has been available for a few weeks, but I have slacked on posting about it, which is silly since I am so excited about this issue. We've got some great content in the issue:
* Scoot Free Skate Hard: Three professional skaters who are household names in the skateboarding industry spoke with me about their appreciation for scooter. The cover shot was taken by Dan Bergeron who went toSkatelab in Simi Valley and got this shot of a grom pulling a sweet maneuver over Todd Huber's Vespa Rally. Todd is partial owner of Skatelab and also a member of the Westside scooter club.

*Cool contests: Readers can enter to win a cool skateboarding prize pack donated by Geoff Rowley and Flip Skateboards. Other Readers can win one of 10 calendars from ScootRS.

* Scooter Reviews: We ride the Vectrix, Yamaha Majesty and Genuine Rattler

* I Married a Scooterist: ladies and gents, the duly betrothed...get some hints from Josh's wife Katie on how to incorporate scooters into your ceremony.

* Ask Hot Rod Al: takes on performance mods in baby steps for vintage Vespas and Lambrettas.

The issue is available now, but hasn't been updated on the website. You can get it at your local scooter shop, bookstore. Subscribers should have it by now, or the end of February, depending upon if your postal carrier reads your magazines first.