R. Black on scooter tour

Many long-time Scoot! readers will instantly recognize R.Black's work. Most recently, he illustrated the cover of our art issue #40. He has also done ads for scooter clubs in past issues. He has now combined much of his art into a book called Art de R. Black: Futura. He's embarked upon a cool cook tour where he rides his Vespa P200 from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area to San Diego for the Comic Con convention.

One of his stops was San Jose Vespa. Josh, Jon and I showed up to get books and support his cool trip. Here are some photos:


April & R. Black after he signed my copy. Photo by Jeff Brashear.


On his trusty steed!


His tour poster.



Signing for the many folks who come to meet and greet.

If you are in the cities where he stops, make sure to say hello!

Hot enough for you?

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



How do you keep cool during these hot weather spurts?

LA Times Review of Buddy

Susan Carpenter is the motorcycling columnist for the LA Times. She is a fair reviewer, so when she gives a favorable review of the Genuine Buddy, folks will take notice. For us "old-timey"scooterists the beginning of the review may solicit some chuckles, since she seems to have a "Vespa is it" bias that many people have when they approach scooters: "The Buddy may be the best Vespa knockoff on the market." she says. But this attention can only do great things for Genuine which already can't keep their great product in stock.

Target Nick & Nora Scooter Jammy Pants

A couple of weeks ago my housemate Lori and I were in Target shopping with Sara. I was chatting with Sara while Lori looked for a new robe. She came bouncing back with these in hand. Nick & Nora now sell a pair of pajama pants that have girls with scooters on them. You can get them for a steal, $12.99 at last look. Cute for those scooter girl sleepovers or when you wanna impress your new scoooterboy boyfriend. Also would make a great gift for the cutie-pie scootergal in your life.

I thought I'd post a cute photo of one of us in the pants (I HAD to get a pair, too!) but it never materialized, so I'll cop-out and use the Target web images. Go there & order some! Oh..and 100% cotton is good during these HOT months.

Reminder: Ride to Work Day Wednesday, July 16

Just a reminder that Wednesday July 16 is Ride to Work Day! If you have never ridden your scooter to work, why not give it a try? You'll cut down on traffic, reduce emissions and have a fun time doing it. The weather should be great in most parts of the US, so take advantage of the special date to try it out.

Alix's PeaceScooter Update

IN our last issue, we ran out of space and moved Alix's Peace Scooter Update to our web as an online article. If you haven't had a chance to read it, check it out.

Alix is a courageous person on many fronts and I wish her the best on her future endeavors to wake up the country to the possibility of peace. She's about to go back on the road, so if you can meet up with her, offer her some floor space or buy her a meal. I had a great time visiting with her.

Hot Dog! It's an APE

This APE was featured in a past issue of Scoot! which has long since sold out. I spotted this photo on the FLikr photostream and it brought back memories. What a fun job it must be to vend hot dogs on a nice summer day (i.e.not sweltering) out of the back of an APE!

Karaoke Par-tay

Last Friday night I was at the book release party for Hit Me With Your Best Shot a new book about "ultimate karaoke domination." The party was held at 7 Bamboo a San Jose karaoke bar that broadcasts the karaoke performances over the internet. I sent a shout-out to my local scooterists and told them if they rode to the event I would buy them a drink. Mike B, Lisa, Bagel, Christina and Bicycle Brian showed up and we had a blast! Here are some of the video performances of the evening:


Nim rocks Little Red Corvette!



Author Raina Lee & her boyfriend John make Islands in the Stream their own!


Bicycle Brian gets the crowd going with the House of the Rising Sun

This might be a fun event to have for the next San Jose scooter rally.

Scooter Books

I've received a few scooter books that we'll review in some upcoming issues. It got me thinking about what sort of books *haven't* been published for scooters. There are general introductions like the Idiot's Guide, and the Scooter Bible. There are maintenance manuals like Haynes & the Lambretta book. There are a few novels about scooter travel. I did an Amazon.com Listmania list a few years ago with some books in it.

What's missing? What type of books would you like to see published on scooters? I'm interested in hearing what (if any) aspects of scootering you think may be ignored.

What's the oddest thing you've found in your carb/fuel line?

My housemate had a pine needle tip in her carb which was creating running problems in her Lambretta. It reminded me about when we found a small brown moth stuffed into the cone fuel filter on my Vespa VBB. Good thing I had that fuel filter!

I posed this questions on the ScooterBBS and got some funny responses including dog hair, glass beads and shop towel fibers. Got anything stranger to share?

James McEvoy trades in motorcycle for scooter

Well, his reasoning may be kinda lame, but I like James McEvoy, so I'll accept him on our team:

FILM star James McAvoy has traded in his motorbike for a scooter after an encounter with a road bully.

The 29-year-old Scot fell off his red Hyosung bike after a car driver revving his engine made him nervous.

The Last King of Scotland star said: "I was lost and stopped at traffic lights.

"There was this guy looking at my shiny, red bike and he kept thinking, 'I'm going to make him race.'

"I just got terrified and very meek and thought, 'I need to get out of this guy's way.'

"I was basically intimidated into coming off my bike.

"It was someone else's fault entirely, as these things always are."

James added: "It was kind of scary, so I've gone back to just having a little scooter now. That's so much safer for me."

Source: Fiona Young, The Sunday Mail

West Coast Lambretta Works: Same Coast New Latitude

Many of you have already heard that West Coast Lambretta works is moving from San Diego to San Francisco this month. According to Guillermo's email:

With Jenny in-tow, we will be leaving Guillermo's home town of San Diego for the great city by the bay! We have been wanting to move there ever since Mary left in 2004, and now the opportunity has presented itself. But this is not just great news for our personal lives; it's great news for the shop as well!

With an amazing 3000 sq. foot space in the Mission District, we intend to give LW an extreme make over- shop edition! This is a long time in the making and we are excited to allow our shop to completely flourish under new skies. Guillermo will soon be out of the shop most week day mornings, so Mary and Jenny along with a highly experienced part time mechanic (name TBA) will be operating the business with a greater focus on mail-order efficiency and walk in support. We will still take repair and restoration jobs and will be allowed to offer faster turn around time on these jobs as well! don't worry, Guillermo and his 25 years of 2-stroke knowledge aren't going far! He will remain in constant touch via email and will be at the shop in the afternoons and weekends approving all work done in the shop, answering tech inquiries, and wrenching as well.

As the new owners of an old business, we have been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to give LW a real positive overhaul. We have been working with the creator of our website for some time now to come up with the best improvements and upgrades so that your experience can be exciting and new each time you visit lambretta.net.

There are quite a few Lambrettisti up here in the Bay Area, but I'm not sure how it compares with the San Diego area. Lots of folks are excited about it, especially my Lambretta-loving boyfriend, Jon. Best of luck to the WCLW crew. A grand opening party is slated for July 5th. West Coast Lambretta Works' new location is at 3265 17th Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Check it out:

View Larger Map

R. Black Scooterist Fave signing his book

R. Black is not only a kick-ass artist, he is also a scooterist. His work has appeared all over including Scoot! Magazine. See some examples, here. He recently published a book of his art called, Futura. He's embarking on a scooter/book tour and one of his stops is at my local Vespa Dealer, San Jose Vespa. If you are able to make it to one of his events, tell him that Scoot! sent you. ;)

From the press release about his trip:

This summer Futura artist R. Black, equipped with only a backpack of books, a pocket full of Sharpies, and a small ration of food, will wind his way down California�s historic Highway 1 on his 1979 Vespa. Making stops at scooter shops, record stores, and comic-book stores along the way before attending the San Diego Comic-Con, Black will engage fans about rock 'n' roll art and the many benefits of scooters in today's world of high gas prices.

Although a set date is yet to be determined, R. Black, along with Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, will attempt to jump over a pool of sharks in San Diego Bay before attending a rally at Arthur's Drive-In, where Joanie Cunningham and Chachi plan to wed. If, for whatever reason, fictional or otherwise, the shark-jumping event cannot take place, fans are encouraged to catch Black at the Dark Horse booth during San Diego Comic-Con.

Known for his sharp design and sleek eroticism, Black has created posters for some of the world�s hottest bands from Bauhaus to Elvis Costello to The Black Keys. Dark Horse Books was proud to release L� Art de R. Black: Futura in January 2008, which features over 100 pages of stunning, full-color images. Starting in Oakland on July 12, Black has offered to share the road with any scooter or art enthusiasts who wish to accompany him down Highway 1. To arrange a ride along with Black, fans are encouraged to send a message to Dark Horse Comics on MySpace (www.myspace.com/darkhorsecomics) where a complete list of stops and times will be available. As well, Black will be updating his progress along the way on the Dark Horse MySpace.

For those who don't know, R. Black hails from a sleepy, backwater border town called San Diego. After drifting around Japan for a couple of years attached to a small outfit called the United States Air Force he decided to call it quits and get a real job. So, he returned home and became an artist. Black got his start in 2000 doing club fliers and rock posters for his friends and their bands. After years of hard work, he achieved both a paycheck and national attention through word of mouth and strong followings in the subcultures of goth, industrial, fetish, mod, and punk. He has created posters for bands such as Ministry, Misfits, Blondie, My Morning Jacket, Billy Idol and many, many more. R. Black currently resides in Oakland where he recently finished a line of work for the prestigious Berkley Shotgun Players 2008 Season.

Scooter Collector items

I've been super busy since I got back from New York. So, I'm a little backed up on posts. Wanted to share a few Scooter Collector items that I found on my travels.

This super-cute t-shirt was spotted at the Ben Sherman store in SoHo, NYC, but you can get them at the site right now for $19.99. And look at the cute 'lil hooligans they have in the kids section.

If I had kids I would dress them like the Little Rascals and in Ben Sherman stuff. None of that baggy pants--underwear hanging out crud.



Jon discovered this scooter model at a flea market for $15. Often you see these with clocks in one of the cowls, but this just had a shiny glass crystal. Not compelling enough to buy, but good enough for an iPhone pic.



I got a sneak peek at this Paul Frank matching game that has some tiles with scooters in them (I think there are 2 different scooter images). Go Paul Frank...still representing!




Also spotted this card at Hallmark.


Not my cup of tea. Not into the style and it played the song "Perfect Day" by Hoku which means noting to me. Who is Hoku?





I did buy 2 copies of this card which has a girl on a scooter mounted on a spring so that she =boings= around. Inside it says, "Can't wait to see where next year takes you. Happy Birthday." Cute for the scooter gal in your life. $2.99

Got any cool scooter collectibles? Message me to let me know!

Now Listening to: "Root Down" by the Beastie Boys

Ne-Yo's Closer Sports Rude Boy Style

I'm not a fan of Ne-Yo, not meaning that I don't like him, I just don't know his music. But his recent video for the song, Closer must have been styled by someone who had a penchant for the 60's Rude Boy look. Ne-Yo is sporting some very stylish duds that look straight outta The Face's closet.

I wish more men dressed like this nowadays. So stylish and sexy. Hey, that might be the first time I used "sexy" in my blog!

Oh the one drawback is that he's pushing a motorcycle. He really should be pushing a Lambretta.

I'm interviewed in San Jose Mercury News

Several years ago, before I was Scoot!'s editor, I was interviewed about scooters by Matt Nauman of the San Jose Mercury News. I've kept in touch with him since then and have been bugging him (gently) to do another scooter story. So the Merc decided that scooters were a big story and Matt contacted me for an interview. You can read it here. Photo by David M. Barreda from the article.

My groovy Yahoo! scooter avatar

Although I'm thinner & cuter online...Thanks, Yahoo!

Interesting article about crashing

I came across this article about why Patriot-News writer Jerry Dubbs no longer rides a scooter. He had a crash that put him off of riding for good.

When reading the headline, "Ex-scooter rider remembers thrill" I immediately thought that it was going to be a story about an inexperienced rider who got gun-shy after a spill, which, I guess it kind of is. Although after reading it, I felt bad for being so judgmental before I had a chance to read it. I gotta stop doing that...

I hear stories about people who ride and then have an accident and can't get past it. When I had my accident, I wondered if I would be one of those people. Would I be too scared to get back on? Would I be too paranoid to enjoy the ride?

Luckily, I wasn't. It helped that the circumstances of my accident were so odd that it was unlikely to be duplicated. But I also think that I had a few things going for me:

1) I was young, so I was able to bounce back relatively quickly
2) My injuries weren't serious. Painful as heck and I could barely drive, climb stairs, or raise my right arm up for more than 2 seconds, but they didn't require hospitalization or anything other than gauze, ibuprofen and time to heal.

3) I was surrounded by folks who had it a lot worse in the past. My boyfriend had broken his pelvis and had to re-learn to walk when he had his accident. Tony V had been in a coma from his accident. If they could ride again, it gave me inspiration to get back on.

3) I realized my mistakes. The accident wasn't my fault, but there were things that I could have done to mitigate the damage. Wearing better gear, remembering to put my gloves back on after a stop to the ATM. My injuries would have been much less had I prepared appropriately.

4) Knowing what I did right. I was glad that I wore a full-face helmet. I was pleased that I didn't put my hands out in front of me as I fell. I was calm enough during the accident to know that I should just ride it out and not panic.

So, I can see why I was able to bounce back. Jerry Dubbs mentions growing up in the late 50s & early 60s, which puts him more in my mom's demographic than in mine. I wonder if he rode with others who encouraged him to get back on a scooter? Ultimately, it boils down to this: it's a personal choice. Some people choose to get back on the scooter, others don't. Riding a scooter, motorcycle, horse, bicycle can be dangerous. How we deal with accidents is personal. At least Jerry didn't forget the good parts of his time as a scooterist.

Scoot! in Paris...

I just saw this photo on MySpace. How cool is that? I may never have been to Paris, but my magazine's sweatshirt has!


super cool!

Buying new scooter?

If you haven't seen our new Buyer's Guide you are missing out on some great info on over 120 scooters that are available in the US right now. May people have said that the intro to our Guide is helpful, so I'll reprint some of the info from the introduction. Remember, you should put as much thought into buying a scooter as you do a car. Do you research and find the right one for you. :)

Finding the right scooter to fill your needs

There are many considerations when buying a scooter, the two biggest are usage and your budget. There is a big difference in the type of scooter based on typical use: in the neighborhood, cross-town, inter-town travel, or even weekend warrior activities such as day trips or jaunts into the country.
Below is a list of common displacements, typical top speeds with some notes.

50cc: 30-40 mph Useful for around the neighborhood, small errands on residential streets. Not recommended for passengers.

125cc: 45-60 mph Cross-town, casual weekend excursions, light passengers on flat terrain for short distances.

150cc: 55-65 mph Acceptable for inter-town travel, good for weekend trips not involving extended high-speed periods. Suitable for a passenger.

200cc: 70-80 mph Great for inter-town travel, and weekend trips. Suitable for most freeways. Does well with passenger on hills.

400cc or higher: 80-100 mph Long-distance touring, designed with passenger in mind.

Going with the flow of traffic is very important. You shouldn't feel as if you are holding up traffic or that you just can't get to where you are going in a timely fashion. Other considerations include fit for your body type, cost of ownership,

Don't forget about how a bike feels beneath you. You should be able to touch the ground and feel in control of the scooter's weight. Some scooters get better gas mileage than others. If gas mileage is of utmost importance, a smaller displacement scooter will sip gas, yet all scooters get far better gas mileage than even most hybrid cars. Keep all of these considerations in mind so that you can find the that scooter that is right for you.

Things I would be glad to never hear again...

* The term "ride it like you stole it." Most people who say that actually don't do as they say, and if they did, they would be the most annoying people to ride with.

* Newspaper articles by obviously non-scootering journalist who start out with the Audrey Hepburn/Gregry Peck Roman Holiday reference. It's the tell-tale sign of someone who used the Piaggio press kit too much for their article. Think I'm joking? Search for "audrey hepburn" and "vespa" in Google's News search and you'll get over 10 pages of tired results.

* Media coverage that talks about scooters as a solution to high gas prices, but totally ignores the many other cost-saving aspect; AND offers no information on what to look for when buying a scooter.

* Non-scooter people calling my scooter a moped. It's OK if a scooterists does it, though. That's kinda cute... : )

* Prospective scooter dealers that ask, "What is the cheapest scooter I can sell?" Buddy, you're asking the wrong gal. That person is only in it for the perceived money, not the scooters. They'll end up carrying some cheap crud for a while and angering lots of unsatisfied customers. No thanks...

In New York

I've been in New York since Wednesday. Had a little time to hang out with local scooterists. I met up with some folks at the Brass Monkey which is in the meat packing district. In the photo to the left, there's Scott from Vespa Soho, Alan, me and Vinny. Alan had a spare helmet so he gave me a ride around the city. He took me to a restaurant called Lucha Libre where I had a flavorful, juicy taco and a roasted corn on the cob with cheese & spices. There were so many people hanging out at this place, which had probably been a street-corner diner in the past. I took a photo of Alan eating one of the cobs. We then rode around the city a bit and then went to the punk-rock bar The Double Down where we had some Ass Juice, their signature drink. Hopefully no asses were injured or compromised in the making of the drink.

We ended up driving around during the wee hours and it was fun to be riding around with only taxis circling looking for drunk fares.

The next night, I met up with Marty who used to live in San Francisco, but now lives in Brooklyn.

In the time that I've been here, I've seen many more scooters on the streets than the last 2 times that I came (which was about 6-7 years ago). I spoke to some scooter folks that I saw on the streets. I gather that lane splitting isn't legal, but widely practiced. I'd be splitting lanes if I had to be in this type of traffic! I took a cab somewhere because I was running late & didn't have time to figure out the subway. It took about 20 minutes to go about 2 miles. I haven't seen any mass moto parking anywhere, like in San Francisco, but I have seen scooters parked on some sidewalks and curbed.

Duffy's "Mercy" get's all Northern Soul

Duffy's new Mercy video will inspire a resurgence in Northern Soul style dancing...

Ride to Work--- July 16

With gas prices going through the roof, this year's Ride to Work is of even more importance. Many ride to work for pleasure, for ease of commute, for better parking. This year, we're seeing more and more people riding for fuel economy. Welcome them into the fold of two-wheels. ;)

While I take the train to work, I will be riding to the train station. More and more folks are taking public transportation which puts a strain on the parking lots for trains, light rails and such. I can park my scooter in small nooks in the lot and arrive later than I would if I had to drive. Overall, I'll be doing my part to reduce congestion, pollution while increasing the pleasure of the commute. Join me!

If you've never ridden to work before, take July 16th as a chance to try it for yourself. And if you want to enlist others to join you, go to the Ride to Work site and get more info on how to make it more of an event in your area.

Subway + Get Smart Contest

Another movie/scooter tie-in:
Secret agents in search of fresh fare and the ideal getaway
ride can receive a free $5 SUBWAY(R) card with a test drive or product
demonstration at all Vespa dealers. Participants in SUBWAY(R) restaurant's
Get Smart Eat Fresh Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes will receive a message
to take advantage of a special offer to receive a free Vespa Soft-Touch
helmet, a $300-value, with the purchase of a new Vespa scooter. The online,
print and in-store promotions run June 2 through August 10, 2008 at all
Vespa dealers and more than 21,500 SUBWAY(R) restaurants in the U.S.

In
addition to potentially winning a Vespa GTS or LX 50 scooter via SUBWAY(R)
restaurant's Get Smart, Eat Fresh Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes, amateur
agents are also invited to follow the links to print out a coupon good for
one of the latest Vespa Soft Touch or Piaggio Copter helmets, available www.subwayfreshbuzz.com free
of charge with the purchase of a new Vespa scooter. SUBWAY(R) restaurant's
Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes details are a click away at
, via a special movie-themed microsite. Even if you
don't play the Instant Win Game, all consumers over the age of 18 are
invited to visit a Vespa dealer to receive a free $5 SUBWAY(R) card,
available with a Vespa test ride or product demonstration. Consumers can
learn more about the free $5 SUBWAY(R) card offer at www.VespaUSA.com.

$4 a gallon is waking up America

I've been riding scooters for about 12 years. Before that I owned cars that got excellent gas mileage, my current car gets 36mpg on the highway. I looked many models but scoffed at the 20 or 25mpg that they offered. I've been fuel-conscious for some time. But it doesn't surprise me that Americans are starting to feel the pinch of gas prices. We've had it too good for too long. When I was in England in 2004 it was about 80p per litre, which I figured was over $5 a gallon when the conversion was factored in. So, to them our $4/gallon is nothing. However,when we told some of our English acquaintances that we drove 800 miles in one week they were shocked at the distance. So, I guess their gas prices keep them from driving very far, which is what is happening here. Unfortunately, since America is one huge country we often don't blink an eye at driving an hour or so to work each day.

So.. my point is that scooters are now a hot topic for people who are looking for any way to save money on gas. But what many people (especially the media) overlook is the total ownership benefits that scooters provide:

1) Soaring gas prices: Scooters get between 40-100 mpg depending upon the model.
2) Low Operation Costs: purchase price, fuel, insurance, and maintenance are all considerably lower. Personally, I have 2 scooters insured for $120 per year.
3) Better parking and mobility: Scooters are more nimble on crowded city streets and can park in spots that cars could never fit. Moreover, many cities are encouraging scooter traffic by creating free or discount scooter parking. I have several examples of cities that have done so.
4) Lower-emissions: Today’s scooters are much more environmentally friendly than cars. Some models are even Zero Emision Vehicles, powered by electricity.
5) Fun!: Scooters are a blast to ride. Folks find them less intimidating, less expensive and more versatile than motorcycles. They are more fun to drive than most cars and commuting on a scooter makes the trip more pleasant.

There are lots of articles in magazines, on TV and online, but most overlook the total picture. When you are approached by people asking about the fuel-efficiency of scooters, don't forget to tell them of the other benefits.

NYC here I come!

I'll be in New York city Wednesday-Saturday afternoon. Any scooterists in the area that might want to get together in Manhattan, email me. My nights will be free so let's get together and talk scoots!

In LA last week testing Aprilia Sport City 250

Last week I was in Los Angeles for a trade show, but also took the opportunity to test the new, zippy Aprilia Sport City 250. I spent 3 days riding it, and found it to be fun, exactly what I'd expect from an Aprilia. One evening I went to a book signing for a new book on the band, R.E.M., called R.E.M.: HELLO. The scooter was perfect for the West Hollywood area which is tough on parking. I got to park right in back of the store right next to Michael Stipe's car. That's a new meaning for the "rock star parking" that us scooterists are always talking about.

A few days later, I rode the Aprilia from downtown Los Angeles out to Simi Valley. About 40 miles on the freeway, by my calculations. It handled well. I felt comfortable and was able to keep between 60-70mph even on some of the hills outside of Simi Valley. I went to Skatelab a skatepark owned in part by Todd Huber of the Westside Scooter Club. I finally got to meet Todd and see his phenomenal collection of skate decks. Well, I probably didn't see all of them as he has a lot, but the whole place is decorated with them. There was a book signing for the new skateboard culture book, Stalefish. I was able to get a copy of the book signed by a bunch of classic skaters including Lance Mountain, who you may recall I interviewed for the skateboarding article in issue #44 (which is now sold out!). I was even given a Geoff Rowley skateboard deck with a scooter on it! AWESOME! It totally made my day! Thanks to Sean Mortimer who is a cool author to work with, and who knew the perfect gift for me!

Later that night, after riding 40 mile back to my hotel, taking a quick shower and downing some room service food, I met up with Hilliard Guess from the Reflections Society. He did an article n the Untouchables in issue # 42 and just submitted an article on the Aggrolites for our next issue. We had emailed & chatted on the phone, but it was my first meeting with him in person. We rode scooters to his favorite cafe and had a drink on the patio while watching the Saturday night revelers. It was cool to get to know him better and put a face to a name.

I was only in LA for 5 days, with lots of time spent at the convention, but it ws fun to ride around the city at night. It reminded me of the trip I took with Josh to Miami. Not that the cities are similar, but in Miami Josh and I remarked that it looked just like Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and during my ride through LA, I saw some disturbingly familiar place. I was ready for some of those guys in purple to come out and get me. :P In Miami, Josh and I kept telling Joel Martin to floor it before we got attacked by Haitians with machetes! Ha-ha! He plays GTA too, so he didn't think we were too weird. Or maybe he just humored us, because Josh and I are weird.

Share your scooter travel story....

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

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

Win a Vespa

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

Scoot! Quiz....

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

How many different scooter models has Vespa produced?

Submit your answer by comment, now!

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.