Monday Funny: Auto Air Freshener Costume

While fact-checking an upcoming article I found my way to the Little Trees website where I found this costume. Order now before the Halloween rush!

It also comes in Baby Size!

Vinyl Wall Decal

I found this online, but haven't ordered it so I am not sure as to how easy it is to install or how durable it is. The company is based in North Carolina and offers the decals in a range of colors, which leads me to believe that it may be made to order. Check it at www.dalidecals.com

The decal measures 22 x 30" and costs $40. It wouldn't work in my house, but it might be a nice addition to the Scoot! Magazine office.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Sea Lion Woman" by Feist

LML Reuntied with Geared Scooters

LML gave up the geared scooters for motorcycles saying that the Indian market had changed, but it looks like they have realized the error of their ways. Interesting that the scooter market has grown and motorcycles proved less lucrative.

From the Economic Times:

NEW DELHI: The beleaguered two wheeler company LML has launched its second geared scooter in the domestic market, on the back of a revival of
demand in domestic scooter market. LML has introduced a 4-stroke version of its NV brand of scooters in select market of Delhi and Ghaziabad.

Available in two variants, LML claims the 150 cc scooter delivers a fuel efficiency of 55 km/litre. It is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs 39,897 for the base version and Rs 40,800 for the deluxe variant in Delhi.

Kanpur-based LML re-entered the domestic market with its Vespa brand of geared scooters in April 2007 after an 18-month hiatus when it had to stop production due to fund crunch and labour problems.

LML currently has a limited presence in the domestic market and sells 1,500 units of its two-stroke scooter under the Vespa brand in Delhi, parts of Punjab and Haryana, every month. Operating under the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), it is looking to expand its market to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam.

Bulk of its total production of 5,000 units per month are exported to Italy, UK, France, Nigeria, Sudan, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Egypt, under the Stella brand. LML has an installed capacity of 300,000 scooters and 240,000 motorcycles. The company has totally stopped motorcycle production.

The scooter market grew 9% to 11.45 lakh units last fiscal outperforming the two wheeler market which posted a marginally lower growth of 2.6% in the same period.

Ride to Work: Monday June 15

This year, international Ride to Work Day happens on Monday, June 15th. If you have never ridden your scooter to work, then this is the perfect time to join other who will be doing so. Since my workplace is about 50 miles away. I'll be riding to the train station instead of driving.

There are some ways that you can make Ride to Work day more fun, memorable and visible in the minds of your community:

* Host a Ride to Work stop: Just like Bike to Work day promoters do, sponsor a stop where motorcyclist/scooterists can stop by for some coffee or a snack. This is a great way for scooter shops and clubs to meet new riders, hand out materials, an create a media-friendly event to report.

* Meet up with riders for breakfast, lunch or dinner: If you know other participants nearby, why not meet earlier for breakfast at a local diner, or coordinate a lunch or after-work get together. Share your riding experiences and enjoy other riders' company.

You can also download fliers and handouts to giveaway from the official Ride to Work site.

If you Ride to Work for the first (or millionth) time, send me a photo from the day.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Up All Night" by Booomtown Rats

I love this flyer!

Spotted on Flikr from bagilla2000.

Also check out his other works:


and

Vespa paintings

Seen on SOHO. By Billy Russomano
Billyrussomano.com.



-- Post From My iPhone

N. 6 st. in Brooklyn

Abandoned scooter or just a rat bike with an owner who just doesn't care...



-- Post From My iPhone


UPDATE: Upon further inspection, this bike was really roached! The sparkplug wire was missing a cap, the tip of the plug was broken off. The crashbars were barely clinging to it as someone unsuccessfully tried to remove them. There was graffiti on the seat and it was covered in grime and rust. Almost made us want to take it home like a abandoned puppy, but you can't fit a P200 in carry-on luggage.

Prince St @ Lafayette

NYC



-- Post From My iPhone

News from ScootRS

Just got this email from Randall at ScootRS. Disc brake fans, rejoice!

In major Lambretta news, ScootRS have released their very nice high-pressure
die cast inboard disc brake. Every piece - apart from bearings and seals -
is made inhouse at ScootRS and it is the only one in the world made like the
Innocenti original (others are rough sand cast versions), except it comes
with a better vented disc. In white or silver.
£160/$239 (Individual parts are available too.)

A tidy hydraulic caliper to go with it, which requires no back plate
modification, is £46/$69.

On a related note, ScootRS are now including for free with all their Vespa
and Lambretta hydraulic disc brake kits a nice braided stainless steel hose,
a great upgrade. (Also available separately.) At the same time, the latest
version of their popular Lambretta hydraulic disc brake kit is nicely
restyled at both the caliper plate and the thottle support.

New machine-stamped Lambretta SX200 and LIS/TV panels are available at a
reasonable price now as well!
£46.95/$69.95

Finally, ScootRS have continued their series of high-end seat covers made
just like original, but half the price of Italian repros. The seat covers
feature thick rubber backing in joined sections, foam inserts, stainless
rivets, matching straps (dual seats only) and original style rear badges.
Unlike Italian repros, they also include a padded foam insert to keep you
comfy. Recent additions include:

Vespa GS150 VS5 dual seat cover
Vespa GS150 VS1-4 dual seat cover
£46/$69 (Also available in leather.)

Lambretta flag dual seat cover
Lambretta striped dual seat cover
Lambretta centre stripe dual seat cover
Lambretta sport dual seat cover
£39/$59 (Some also available in leather.)

For more info, go to ScootRS

Stella in NYC

Caught from my cab en route to Indian Food.


-- Post From My iPhone

In New York this week

Tonight I will arrive in New York for some meetings, so I'll be out of town for the rest of the week. Not sure if I will hook up with any scooterists as they may all be recovering from their rally this past weekend, which I am sorry to have missed.

I'll be mobile blogging and Twittering (@scootmagapril)from my iPhone so check back from some East Coast scooter possts.

Polini Cup this Weekend

I am pleased to say that scooter racing in the USA is not dead, it just took a nap and is now awakening. This weekend is the second weekend of the PoliniUSA Cup!

In addition to scooters, the races feature mopeds, gopeds, pocket bikes and carts.
Scoot! is sponsoring a rider in the scooter class, who took to top spot in last month's races. Go, Scott!

Our good friend Tony Simoni (who is known for his Chicken Wing exhausts and scooter tuning) has tuned and is racing a moped.

Find out more and watch past races and live action at PoliniTalkUSA

NPR Waxes About Ellis Island Casino

Last week, NPR ran a story as part of David Greene's 100 Days project. He drove across the US to gauge what is going on in our country during Obama's first 100 days. One of his stops was at the Ellis Island casino in Las Vegas.

Two years ago, the Las Vegas High Roller's Weekend was based there. It's no Wynn or Bellagio or whatever, but we had a comfortable, inexpensive room and the casino and restaurants were inexpensive and good quality. Perfect for cash-poor scooterists such as the Scoot! team.

This year, we stayed at the Tropicana, and old Vegas lady who has seen better days, but was still enjoyable. But the prices were more than we wanted to pay, so we went to Ellis Island for gambling and food. $10 for breakfast for 2; a $6.99 steak dinner; $1.50 microbrewed beer-- AND I won $40 on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Yay! The food was so great and the service exemplary that I left a $4 tip on the $10 meal, and it was still half of what I spent on my meal for one at Outback Steakhouse (don't ask!),

News Release: Riding into History

I received this release for an event in Florida which draws lots of scooters as well as motorcycles.
-april

PRESS RELEASE:
The 10th Annual Riding Into History Features Vetter Scooter Seminar

Riding Into History, one of America’s premier vintage motorcycle and scooter events, will return to the beautiful World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida on Saturday, May 16, 2009. Motorcycle Hall of Fame member Craig Vetter and Speed Channel star Dennis Gage will be the Grand Marshals.

Vetter, acclaimed designer and Motorcycle Hall of Fame member, will present seminars at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM on Saturday. Admission will be free to these audio-visual presentations during which Vetter will take the audience through the fascinating History of American Scooters in one, and his ongoing quest for increased fuel economy in the other.

Riding Into history features Charity Rides, a Concours d’Elegance, the Biker’s Ball and the Historic Ride. All of the proceeds from Riding Into History will benefit the Buddy Check 12 breast cancer charity, which was founded by First Coast News anchor Jeannie Blaylock. Ms. Blaylock will serve as the host of the Biker’s Ball.

The event is presented by Riding Into History Inc., a non-profit organization comprised of volunteer members from several organizations, led by the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Northeast Florida (BMWNEF) and the Historic Motorcycle Society (HMS).

Between 300 and 400 antique, vintage and classic motorcycles and scooters from all over the country are expected to enter the Concours, which will feature Classic American Makes. Thousands of spectators are once again expected to enjoy the event which also includes, exhibitors, entertainment, clubs and a variety of food. Admission is still only $10 at the gate for the Concours. Various packages are available for the Biker’s Ball and the Charity Rides.

Dennis Gage will autograph DVDs of his Speed Channel hit “Trippin’ on Two Wheels. All proceeds will go to Buddy Check 12.

Internationally known motorcycle artist Don Bradley will once again provide the original artwork for the posters, which have become collectors’ items. Posters, t-shirts and other items will be available at RidingIntoHistory.org and at the event.

Sponsors include Harley-Davidson of St. Augustine, Miller BMW Motorcycles of Tallahassee, Sargent Cycle Products, Chopper City, St. John’s PowerSports and Mercedes-Benz. The media sponsors are RoadBike and American Iron magazines, as well as Cox Radio of Jacksonville. Riding Into History is an AMA sanctioned event.

The World Golf Village is located just north of St. Augustine on I-95, exit 323.
For additional information go to RidingIntoHistory.org, or email info@RidingIntoHistory.org. You can also call 904-708-9434.

Musicians Tour California Via Vespa

Press release from Piaggio USA:
JASON REEVES, BRENDAN JAMES, AND AMBER RUBARTH TO LAUNCH THE VESPA EXPERIMENT

THREE SINGER-SONGWRITERS TOUR THE CALIFORNIA COAST ON SCOOTERS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING

April 20, 2009 — Burbank, CA — On April 30th, singer/songwriter Jason Reeves will gather his friends and fellow musicians Brendan James and Amber Rubarth and embark on The Vespa Experiment, a two-week tour of the California coastline during which they hope to raise awareness about global warming. The three artists will leave behind the concrete jungle of Los Angeles and ride Vespas up the Coast with just the basics: camping gear, musical instruments, and a vision: to inspire young people to consider their impact on their environment.

“It seems like back in the late 60s and early 70s, people turned to folk singers and songwriters for inspiration and answers to difficult questions,” Reeves says. “We were very motivated by that idea and hope to influence a new generation to become more environmentally aware as they grow up and take command of their future.”

To that end, the artists have linked up with Greenpeace, who have come on board as a partner to help deliver their message. Greenpeace volunteers will be present at events to engage attendees and urge people to take action to protect the natural beauty of the West from the devastating impacts of global warming. It is critical that Californians act now to protect the state’s beautiful forests, coastal areas and farmlands.

Attendees will take action at the concert by signing a giant postcard banner, writing letters, and making phone calls to local Representatives, urging them to be bold in their support for global warming solutions in Congress this year.

The artists chose Vespas to focus attention on the positive and immediate environmental impact of scooters as personal transportation. “If the 69% of Americans who own two or more cars would just switch one set of four wheels for two, the reduction in fuel consumption, emissions, congestion and cost would be significant – not years from now, but right now,” said Paolo Timoni, President and CEO, Piaggio Group Americas. “Even if Americans were to switch just 10% of their total mileage to scooters, they would consume 14 - 18 million gallons less fuel per day and carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 324 million pounds per day.”

As Reeves, James and Rubarth travel north, they will be accompanied by a photographer and film crew, who will document their journey as they perform at clubs, park amphitheaters, mountaintops, and campgrounds along their route; engaging with fans and leading discussions about the environment, and even leading songwriting sessions with community activists and kids from local schools. The footage and photographs will be edited into webisodes to be posted on each of the artists’ websites and at www.myspace.com/TheVespaExperiment enabling fans to follow the artists’ adventures as they unfold and communicate with their peers about what they are seeing.


The Vespa Experiment tour dates are as follows:


4/30 Carlsbad, CA, The Museum of Making Music**
5/1 Costa Mesa, CA, Sutra Lounge
5/2 Hermosa Beach, CA, Saint Rocke
5/3 Los Angeles, CA, Roxy
5/5 Ventura, CA, The Lodge at Zoey’s
5/7 San Luis Obispo, CA, Downtown Brew
5/10 Monterey, CA, Monterey Live
5/12 San Francisco, CA, Café Du Nord

** Jason Reeves & Brendan James only


More Performances & Special Events TBA.

For latest updates, please visit www.myspace.com/TheVespaExperiment.

Scooter Collector: Tea Towels at Sur La Table

Thanks to Renee A. for tipping me off to these cool new tea-towels sold by Sur la Table. They are 22" x 14" white cotton with an embroidered scooter lady or a funny chef. $8 each may make them a little dear to use daily in the kitchen, but they are quite cute! Great housewarming gift or a part of a wedding present for some scooterists.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Bring on the Night" by The Police

Moving day!!!

The last time we moved I thought I would cry it was a 12+ hour day with too much heavy lifting and not enough happy times.

This move is going much better. Giggy made a wooden ramp so we could slide the boxes down the two flights of stairs instead of a fire line to carry them up as last time.

Out new office has a huge roll-up door and plenty if roomy shelves made solid by Giggy's super carpentry skills.




Here is Eddie unloading the truck on the second trip.




Here is Lucky who was the shelf monkey and lifted boxes onto the proper shelf.




Bicycle Brian taking a rest.





Jon having a beer break.

Post From My iPhone

In L.A for business

and stopped by Noho Scooters.



-- Post From My iPhone

LALO today in San Francisco

Today is the San Francisco Loose Association of Lambretta Owners ride. Since I don't own a lammy, I won't be riding, but I will meet up with the crew at the end of the ride. House mate Lori & my BF Jon rode up there this morning while I went to the nursery to get some tomatoes and pole beans. Yum!

Scoot! Mag offices closed 4/15-4/22

Scoot! is moving on up the the East Side...well, actually only about 5 miles away and into a space that is double what we have now. No more 2nd story space with no elevator! We're all first floor, baby! And a roll-up door!

But before we can celebrate, we have to do the moving. So, we'll be closed from 4/15 through 4/22. It takes a while to move tons of paper, ya know.

The website will still accept orders, but we won't ship them until we can find the packing tape. Our toll-free phone number will still work, but our standard phone and fax will be changed. All mail can still be sent to our P.O. Box.

For those who com to AmeriVespa, we hope you'll stop by the office to say hello!

Blog entry soundtrack: "Flowers" by the Psychedelic Furs

Monkeys ride space scooters

Video from YouTube...Nice looking future-lammy & vespa. Animator must be a fan.

The Cake Eaters- indie film with scooters

Mary Stuart Masterson's film directorial debut, The Cake Eaters opened in limited release last month and is making its way around the film festival circuit. The film features a character who rides a Vespa ET, although I can't tell if it is a 50 or 150 from the trailer.

While the film is still showing in limited areas, you can order it on DVD from Netflix.

Thanks to Josh for the tip.



UPDATE 4/22: I saw this film this past weekend. Only a small amount of scooter action. An interesting indie film, but the ending was lacking.

Amazon's new motorcycle shop...and an update

Apologies for my absence from blogging. I got back from Vegas and them promptly developed a terrible cold that involved two days of fever, lots of coughing and me laying in bed while my housemates had a party at our house. When I miss a party, you know I must be sick!

So, I'm back and ready to tackle more scootin' news. One example is Amazon.com's new Motorcycle and ATV store. Looks like the identified another place where they weren't stomping the competition. Most of the products are sold by other vendors, so let's hope that these retailers are getting the benefit of Amazon's name while still maintaining their own business. As with all Internet purchases, do your homework. I prefer to buy locally, but some local retailers just don't carry the items that I need.

Blog Entry Soundtrack: "This Town Isn't Big Enough for Both of Us" by Sparks

TMZ.com is lame, but we knew that already, right?

TMZ.com posted a photo of James Gandolfini flipping a photog a bird while getting on his Vespa. If I had all sorts of greasy stalkers with cameras chasing me around, I'd probably be prone to bird-flipping, too. In TMZ style they facetiously called it "the ultimate ass kicker's vehicle."

Remember those alien films that put forth that we have invited alien life to our planet with our excellent television programs beamed into outer space? Well, perhaps the Honeymooners and I Love Lucy charmed them, but crud like TMZ, Jerry Springer and Temptation Island would only turn them away and make them not want to share time travel and eternal life secrets with us.

Blog entry soundtrack: Break Dance - Electric Boogie by West Street Mob

Top Gear scooter episode tonight

If you didn't catch the UK show Top Gear's Vietnam episode online, you can see it tonight on BBC America. Check your TV listings for times.

Like most TG episodes it is silly and funny but vintage scooterists who have been following the "Viet-bodge" scooter stories will find this episode particularly funny ( or sad depending on if you bought one ...)..

I wish US moto shows could be so playful, but I hope they don't do a Top Gear US and mess it up like they tend to do.
-april

-- Post From My iPhone

Back from Vegas!

And still recuperating. I got a bloody nose upon returning: dry, warm air and not enough H20. I had a splendid time & will download my photos for posting.

Unfortunately, our hotel was stingy with the Internet, so I only had my iPhone to use and it won't send emails...only receive! That's the only way I can post to Blogger, so it was kaput.

However, if you were following me on Twitter, you would have seen regular updates. Much easier and TwitPic makes it a jiff to post a photo. Thanks, Twitter!

Will be back with some more posts, soon!

Upcoming Event: Ride to Work Day 6/15

Ride to Work Day will soon be upon us. Are you ready? With the recent time change and the improving weather, moto-commuting is becoming more of a reality for Americans.

With a little planning and some determination you can overcome the routine car drive to work and enjoy a fun scooter ride. While it my not work for everyone, I encourage you to try it and suggest it to your friends.

The Ride to Work site has lots of resource to help including recruitment materials, web banners, and other literature. Last year's materials used a scooter, so this year they are back to motorcycles.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Ex Lion Tamer" by Wire..."Stay glued to your T.V. set..."

Phrase that I never want to hear again...

"Ride it like you stole it."

Who thought this up this lame saying?

First, I like my scooter and the last thing that I would want is for someone to steal it. So, why would I steal another rider's scooter?

Second, I've seen Cops and World's Greatest Police Chases (or whatever) and the people that are being pursued drive like self-centered jerks. Scoot! had a scooter stolen once and it looked like crap when we got it back. That kind of driving ability is not enviable.

Next, if it is your bike, why on earth do you need to put on some air and pretend to be other than the person that you are? If you wanna play Big Biker Dude or Macho Biker Chick, save it for the role playing at home (rahr!) since the drivers/riders around you don't care and anyone else who has to deal with you will think you are just an ass.

Maybe we should say, "Ride it Like You Earned It" or "Ride It Like You Love It" since those seem more like what we're really trying to do...

SYM Elicits Déjà Vu with the SYMBA

This year SYM introduces the SYMBA, a 101cc 4-speed semi-automatic scooter based on Honda's best selling CUB. When we say best selling, we mean it: the CUB has sold over 60 million units! Honda pulled the CUB from the US in the 80s, but SYM (who has made/sold the bike in Taiwan for decades) is bringing it back and expects it to sell exceptionally well. The bike is said to get over 100 MPG and achieve 49 MPH on 2.5" x 17" tires. All this and two-toned seats for $2,598. Find out more at the SYMBA page or check out the Team SYMBA fan page.

ps: wasn't the cub in The Lion King names Simba? Coincidence? I think not...

UPDATE: I mistakenly listed it as a 50cc when it is actually a 101.4cc. Thanks Suzanne!


Blog entry soundtrack: "Inland Sea" by ...And you will know us by the trail of dead...

Get a Vespa/Piaggio Scooter For "Nothing"...

During the month of March Piaggio/Vespa Dealers are offering some great incentives to buy a scooter. Their "$0 down, $0 payments, 0% interest" promotion is run through a finance company, but here's the fine print:

$0 Down/ $0 payments/ 0% Interest
Offer valid at participating dealers on purchases of new & unused 2007, 2008 and 2009 Piaggio & Vespa models when you use your Sheffield Card between 3/1/09 and 4/30/09. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $40,000. See dealer for details and program dates. No payments required and 0% APR FOR 6 MONTHS. Thereafter, MONTHLY PAYMENTS of 3% of the original loan balance plus any additional charges, for approximately 47 months at the Standard Rate. As of 3/1/09, the Standard Rate is 17.99%, which may vary monthly. For accounts not current, the promotion is canceled, and regular Minimum Monthly Payments of 3% of the original loan balance plus any additional charges, and a Default Rate of 23.99% APR will apply. Minimum Monthly Finance Charge is $1.50. Certain rules apply to the allocation of payments and Finance Charges on your promotional purchase if you make more than one purchase on your Sheffield Card. Call 1-888-438-8837 or review your cardholder agreement for information. Financing is subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify for credit. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Offer subject to change without notice.

Might be a good way to get on a new bike, or an old-stock bike that just didn't move. For more info, visit your local Piaggio or Vespa dealer.

Success! Lesney Matchbox Lambretta with sidecar!

Jon and I went to a comics/records/collectibles show this weekend in San Jose, hoping we'd find some scooter swag. It wasn't until the very last row that Jon found one of the things on his must-have list: a Lesney Matchbox Lambretta with a Sidecar. Thay aren't terribly rare, you can find them on eBay, but this one is unblemished with a box in very good shape. He was over the moon! We had seen some in England, but the nearly 2:1 exchange rate kept us from buying.
Here is the photo I Twittered. My iPhone didn' snap the best pic, though.

High Rollers: Here We Come!

On Friday my crew is journeying to Las Vegas for the High Roller Weekend. Highlights will be the Put Up or Shut Up Biker Build-Off, seeing The Aggrolites, and meeting/reuniting with all the scooter folk from around the US and the UK.

If you are going and want to connect, I'll be Twittering/Tweeting on my ID: Scootmagapril, and under #highrollers. If you are there join me, if not, search on Twitter for it, or follow me.

Sadly, I won't be able to bring a scooter. Mike & Josh are flying in and my boyfriend's Honda Element will be filled with Scoot! Swag and my housemate, Lori.

One cool item is that we have told the Biker Build-Off folks that we will feature the top 3 scooters in an upcoming issue. It is a win-win as the builders get national (and international) recognition for their hard work, and we get some awesome bikes to feature in the magazine. Yay!

BTW...because of the rally, the scoot office will be closed for most of this week and early next week. We'll be back after the rally!

Blog entry soundtrack: "The Rip" by Portishead

Left Turns at Intersections: A Scooterist's Nightmare

In the most recent issue of Scoot!, I wrote an article about scooter safety. In it I noted that the most dangerous place for a scooter is an intersection. A car driver turning left in front of a scooterist/motorcyclist is the most common accident. For proof you need not look further than the news:
2/23/09: Man on motorscooter struck by car in Florida
2/27/09: Oakland Woman Arrested in San Francisco Scooter Crash
3/3/09: Woman Dies Following Friday Crash in Tennessee
3/11/09: Scooter Struck by Vehicle

Now, I don't bring this up to scare anyone. I know many riders who haven't had this type of accident. But, of those who have had accidents, this sort ranks at the top. It can also be a deadly accident.

What can you do to protect yourself at an intersection?

1) make yourself more visible: most motorists that turn left in front of a rider claim to have not seen the rider. Wear a bright helmet and clothing (especially with highly reflective trim) and keep your hand ready to hit your bright headlights and honk your horn. In congested cities like Los Angeles, I have flashed my lights & honked at intersections to make sure I am noticed.

2) mind your position in the road: if you are too far over or tailgating the car in front of you, you hinder your chances of being seen. Give a reasonable berth for other cars and for you to be seen, and escape if needed.

3) use your eyes: scan for cars in all lanes, and when entering an intersection look at the oncoming cars to gauge if they are looking for you or are otherwise distracted.

4) be scooter psychic: my way of saying that you need to develop a sense of human behavior based on body language of the drivers around you. For example, someone looking down at their cell phone most likely won't see you. A car in the oncoming lane that slows down at an intersection with a green light may still be turning even if they forgot to put on their turn signal.

For more tips on how to be a safer, smarter rider, check out my article in issue #49 with Carlos Alazraqui on the cover.

New Scooter: The Auto Moto

GadgetReview.com just posted a review of the new Auto Moto scooter which has three wheels and a roof. Reminiscent of the BMW C1 and other covered scooters (Benelli Adiva). I can't recall what other companies made a foray into covered scooters over the past few years, but I know none of them did it with three wheels. We'll include this scooter in our upcoming Buyer's Guide and look forward to giving it a try.

Piaggio Confirms Plug-In Hybrid for 2010

The FOX Car Report snagged an interview with Paolo Timoni where he confirmed that Piaggio plans to next year sell a plug-in hybrid based on the MP3.

According to Piaggio, the three-wheel scooter will travel several miles on battery power alone, and get up to 141 miles per gallon overall, which would make it one of the most fuel efficient vehicles ever made. Timoni misspoke during the interview when he said it would go 40 miles on battery alone, a Piaggio spokesperson saying that final specifications won't be known until the scooter is officially homologated for sale. Previous statements from the company regarding the European version have pointed toward an all-ele[c]tric range of about 12 miles.

The parallel hybrid design combines a 125cc engine and an electric motor in a similar way to the powertrain in the Toyota Prius, and should be capable of accelerating the scooter from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds. It can be charged from a standard 110 volt electrical outlet, and uses a combination of regenerative braking and several adjustable hybrid modes to charge the battery on the move, balancing performance and efficiency to the tastes of the rider.

Watch the video interview and imagine what Timoni is thinking about fielding all of these rudimentary questions. It's as if scooters were entirely new and not sold int his country for 50+ years... ;-)

Lady GaGa Goes for Vespa

Doesn't say much for the classiness of the Vespa brand, but Lady Gaga's video for "Eh, Eh..." features a Vespa.

San Jose & San Francisco, CA scooterists for video

I got en email today from someone making a local music video that wants to have scooter riders in it. Sounds like they may want vintage, but not sure.
I'm trying to figure out if I know any scooterists under 35. This ain't 1987 anymore!

I'm a music video Director and I'm shooting a video this month featuring a Vespa which is owned by the lead singer Christian Vela. We're going to be shooting in a retro style in San Francisco and San Jose and we're looking for additional Vespa riders to appear in the video. I'd be very grateful if you could mention it to anyone who might be interested. We're looking for people aged 18-35.

If you are a local San Jose/ San Francisco scooterist who is interested, email me and I can put you in contact with them.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Sender" by Pinback

Get 30% off at Ben Sherman Las Vegas...

I just heard that attendees of the High Rollers Weekend later this month will get 30% off at the Las Vegas Ben Sherman store (on Las Vegas Blvd South). Get more info when you check in at the rally.

Scooterist Needs Your Help

From Scooter Relief:

[San Francisco] Bay Area scooterist Astrid Molzer-Gunter is in the ICU in critical condition after being hit by a drunk driver on Thursday night, riding home from a club meeting. Her friends from the San Francisco Scooter Girls have asked for donations to support what is clearly going to be an expensive and trying recovery.

Scooter Relief raised money for Scoot! Advertising Director Josh Rogers when he was injured last year which made it possible for him to pay some medical bills and living expenses while he was hospitalized and recovering from a terrible accident. It's a good cause!

UPDATE: It appears that Astrid had one of her legs amputated below the knee. This tragedy will probably involve lots of therapy and a mountain of medical bills. Please help if you can.

UPDATE: Mike from NOHO on NPR

Here is link to where you can hear the interview with Mike Frankovich from Noho scooters on NPR last week.

Scooters on Day to Day

I heard that Mike, owner of Noho Scooters was interviewed for a news piece on Day to Day, on NPR radio show. It is supposed to air today at the end of the show. If you can't get it you can also listen online, as they post content after 1PM ET.

Upcoming Event: High Roller's Weekend

My housemate made our hotel reservations for the Las Vegas High Roller's Weekend which take place March 19th-23rd. It is the event's 10th anniversary. I have attended, four of those rallies and enjoy them immensely. The attendees come from all over the US and even other countries, mostly from the UK. There are some far flung scooterists that I see only at this event.

If you get a chance to attend, I highly recommend it. The itinerary is packed with fun stuff and the city is such that if you aren't interested in an item on the itinerary, you can do one of the millions of things that Vegas has to offer.

A new event this year is the "Put Up or Shut Up" scooter build-off in which people entered last fall and will show up with a bike that they have built over the winter. I'm excited to see what shows.

I'll be tweeting from the event, so if you can't make it you can spy on my doings. To follow me on Twitter, add Scootmagapril.

Mike Zorn in American Motorcyclist

I'm still buried in the next issue, but came up for air to let you know that our own Mike is a guest columnist for the AMA's American Motorcyclist magazine this month (issue March 2009). While the magazine is only available for AMA Members, you can download a copy of his column via PDF at the site.
Cheers, Mike!

Sorry for laspe in posts...

I'm knee-deep in our next issue which is not only an 80-page regular issue, it is also our Buyer's Guide, so I've really got my work cut out for me!

I hope to resurface this weekend with some updates.

In the meanwhile, I was putting together our calendar and realized that the weekends of April 17th, May 1st, and June 5th are packed with scooter events all over the country. I can't wait!

Porky Pig: Scooterist

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



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

New Vespa Branded Bags

Vespa Shopping has released some new airline-styled retro bags. Now that the Euro has gone down a bit, perhaps you can part with 30 of 'em for one of these cool carriers? Bg specs: Eco-leather bag with upper zipper and frontal pocket. Adjustable and detachable shoulder strap. Size: 26 cm x 33 cm x 9 cm

ISO: 1959 restored scooter

Scoot! is looking to profile a scooter that either debuted in 1959 or a scooter that was made in 1959 but looks cherry. The Triumph Tigress has been suggested. If you have one that you think might make a good Reader's Ride, contact April.
Happy scooting!
-april

april AT scootmagazine DOTCOM

Consumer Reports Scooter Testing Results

A while ago I posted about Consumer Reports starting testing on motorscooters. The results of that testing appears in this month's issue, on sale today. I haven't seen it yet, but according to a press release issued this week:

Consumer Reports tested a total of eight fuel sipping, small-displacement models: three 50cc scooters, three scooters in the 125cc to 150cc range, and two 250cc entry-level motorcycles, all priced between about $1,000 to $4,400 and delivering as much as 60 to 100 mpg fuel economy, at a steady cruise. Among the scooters, models from Italy’s Vespa and Taiwan’s Kymco achieved the highest overall ratings, with the Vespa LX 50 leading the 50cc category, and the Vespa LX 150 and Kymco People 150 sharing best overall ratings in the bigger engine class. Among the motorcycles, the Kawasaki Ninja 250, an entry-level sports bike, achieved a higher score than the Honda Rebel.

With their 35 to 40 mph top speed, 50cc scooters may suffice for short trips in suburban and city riding. Of the three models tested, the Vespa LX 50’s smooth four-stroke engine, good ergonomics, controlled ride quality, and solid fit and finish made it the favorite choice, but it is very slow. Testers found that “you get what you pay for,” with the inexpensive $995 Motorino Allegra getting the worst marks for vibration, harsh ride, and subpar fit.

In the 125cc to 150 cc category, the tested models’ top speed range of 55 mph to 57 mph made them much better suited for keeping up with traffic but still not recommended for freeway or interstate use. The 150cc Kymco People and Vespa LX both proved well-rounded, easy-to-ride machines, with responsive handling and easy maneuverability. With its big 16-inch wheels, the Kymco offered superior stability and off-the-line acceleration while the Vespa excelled in ride quality, roominess, under-seat storage, and build quality. The third model tested, the Yamaha Vino 125 could not match the other two models’ ride experience. While offering the lowest price point at $2,899, the Yamaha’s harsh ride and sluggish engine detracted from its cost benefit.

This will be a great shot in the arm for scooters as Consumer Reports has over 7 million readers.

English Beat Turns 30- Goes on Tour

The English Beat are on tour again to celebrate their 30th anniversary. You may recall that Scoot! has interviewed Dave Wakeling twice in the past 11 years, most recently in 2007.

According to a news item on Pollstar, the band kicked off a tour in Cocoa Beach, FL. Are they coming to your town? Check out the Pollstar schedule here.

AmeriVespa 2009- San Jose, CA - Registration Open

Registration is now open for Amerivespa 2009 which will be held in the San Jose/Silicon valley area of California, the Scoot! home stompin' grounds!
Sign up now so that you can be sure to get all the cool swag!

We'll see you there!

Penguin Sale

Thrillist just posted a 20% discount on Penguin clothing. According to their email newsletter:
Drop in the code OPG20THRILL to get 20% off the entire Spring line, through Sunday.

Order to you heart's content at The Original Penguin Store.

Pepsi Commercial with Fishbone

Blink and you might miss it, but Fishbone makes a quick appearance in the new "My Generation" commercial from Pepsi Cola. The commercial (embedded below) is a stylized trip through history with Pepsi, culminating with a crowd getting down-- Angelo's unmistakable visage closing it out.

According to FishboneLive.org, "Pepsi has managed to bring back the largest OG reunion on stage with besides Angelo and Wood, Dirty Walt and a totally unexpected Christopher Dowd!"

Glad to know that Fishbone still has some cachet!

Paper Replika Does it Again

Just when you finished the dozens of hours needed to print, cut-out and assemble the Paper-Replika Vespa 150, now they release a girl rider for the scoot! Prepare for more nights or whittling away in your dark workroom. Send photos of your handiwork when you're done (if your fingers can work a camera after all that detail work!)

Blog entry soundtrack: "Glory Box" by Portishead

Cold Weather Challenge

I actually feel embarrassed to post about this challenge as it celebrates the tenacity of some scooterists who will defy popular opinion, and sometimes common sense, and ride in unthinkably cold weather. Why embarrassed? Because my weather has been sunny with temps hovering around 70-degrees this past week. I guess it's not my fault. Blame it on global warming, coal-fired power plants, and too many cars. ;-)

Some scooterists in the ultra-cold areas of the country (isn't that everywhere other than California right now?!?)have the stamina to brave cold-weather riding. These brave folks can participate in the Cold Weather Challenge. I cant recall how long this has been going on. But each year it is cool to see the photos that folks submit with them bundled up in front of a bank clock/temp gauge.

The rules are simple. I paraphrase: 2-wheeled scooters; 10-mile minimum ride; ambient temp, no wind-chill considered; goes 11/27/08 to 2/28/09. If you want to find out more and see the amazing results, go to The Cold Weather Challenge.

Big whoop to Colin Doyle who rode 14+ miles in -10°F in Collegeville, MN, on a Honda Ruckus 50. He posted video. I wonder if Honda designed those for such cold weather?

Scoot! Magazine Flikr Pool

Here is a photo that was uploaded to the Scoot! Flikr pool. Add your won scooter rally pics, images of you + our scoot, dogs on scooters, vintage ads and picture, etc...

And, if you are interested in submitting one of the pics for our Show Us Your Scoots section, let us know.

Upcoming Event: Mods Mayday Weekender

Paper Model Vespa 150

I just heard about this and just downloaded the PDF of it, so I haven't had a chance to assemble it. You'll need a sharp exact-o knife, a good printer, a lot of patience and a few hours to kill, but if this model looks as good as the images here, then you'll be one pleased-as-punch scooter collector.

Send me a photo of your completed version if you put it together!
Download the Vespa 150 Scooter papercraft at Paper Replika

SHAG art for your iPhone

When I previously posted about SHAG's art for laptops, the iPhone version of it was not yet posted. I'm glad to see it now available via Infectious. I just ordered it today and will let you know how I like it once I try it out.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Demon Days" by Gorillaz

Show Us Your Scoot: Blog-style!

Another older submission that wasn't high enough res to make the magazine:

"My name is Jeff Cleaveley and I am the editor of the quarterly newsletter of the Zundapp Bella Enthusiasts Club here in the UK. We have 85 members, mainly in the UK, but also from around the world, including the USA. Our website is www.bellascooters.co.uk"

Thanks for sending!

File under: "Ewwww!"

Saw this article online about two scooterists who used their scooter to dispose of a body. Either they are super ballsy or people just don't pay that close attention to the sacks on the backs of scooters:

HYDERABAD: Two scooterists carrying the body of a murdered man managed to give the police a slip, and later, dumped the body in an isolated place in Borabanda locality on Saturday afternoon.

A horrified motorist riding alongside the scooter near Meter Factory in Sanathnagar, noticed legs sticking out of the sack on the scooter and alerted policemen manning a roadside check post. Even as the policemen jumped on their motorbike to chase, the scooterists drove into a maze of lanes and bylanes of Borabanda–Erragadda area.

Read the full, odd article at The Hindu.

Blog entry soundtrack: "The Volcano" by The Aggrolites.

Scooter Collector: NYT Crosswords Puzzle Book

Know a scooterist who likes crossword puzzles? Check out this new mini crossword book from the New York Times. They are supposed to be easy, but I only do well on the TV Guide puzzles, so that is relative, I think.
Available from bookstores or online at Barnes & Noble for under $8. I got mine as a Christmas gift.

Kid Robot Zoomies

Collectible store extraordinaire, Kid Robot has released a line of cute race-inspired characters called the Zoomies. One of the characters, Mo rides a scooter. Kid Roboto has made vinyl figures of the characters, some have cars hat go along with them. Unfortunately Mo's scooter isn't one of them.

You can buy a Stationery set that has a Mo sticker, and you can download free icon sets [PC & MAC] for your computer that have Mo on her scooter.

France Considering Scooter Driver Certification

I was surprised to hear that France currently does not require safety training for scooters under 125cc if the rider already has a car license. It seems that the government is changing its mind since the incidents of accidents are unusually high for the amount of scooters on the road. According to a report on autobloggreen, "Although scooters account for 1.1 percent of all the traffic in France, 10.1 percent of all traffic accidents and 18 percent of all traffic deaths are related to scooters."

A little education can go a long way. Hopefully, France will embrace this opportunity to keep its scooterists safe.

Blog entry soundtrack: "Someone Somewhere (In the Summertime) by Simple Minds.

Things I Hope Happen in 2009

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I want to post a list of things to look forward to in 2009. It's not a forecast, just a wish list of sorts. Feel free to leave comments with your scooter-related wishes for 2009.

1) Another scooter sales boom over the Spring/Summer
2) Continued awareness of a scooter as a smart, economical transportation choice
3) More women scooterists!
4) More experienced, qualified riders who take proper training
5) Less scooter accidents, injuries and fatalities (see above)
6) Less scooter club politics and polarization
7) More FUN rallies
8) More time for April to travel to those fun rallies (!)
9) More scooterists making custom scooters (let's see some cool murals!)
10) More celebrities and influential folks coming out of the "scooter closet" [Let's hear it for Carlos Alazraqui, our current cover story!]
11) More cool riding clothing for the ladies
12) More motorcycle/scooter parking
13) More people subscribing to Scoot! (I can be a little selfish, can't I?)

Blog entry soundtrack: "The Shadow of Love" by The Damned

Correction to Stella Performance Article

In our current issue (#48) there is an excellent article on how different performance upgrades can affect a Genuine Stella. Unfortunately, a graph was left out (it was too low to reproduce in the magazine), one chart was truncated and some of the markers on another graph were misidentified. So, I'm posting corrections here.

Not sure if you can read the chart that was missing, even in the web, so we'll see about re-creating i from scratch in the nest issue. It was referred to on page 46 in the final paragraph.


The chart at the bottom of page 50 & 51 had a mixed-up column & data and one of the pipes has since received a name & pricing. All are updated here:



Finally, we have a correction to the graph legend on graph bottom left of page 48, "4 cylinder kits using Polini exhaust" The legend should read, BLUE-stock, MAGENTA-Malossi, RED-Polini, GREEN-Malossi Ported.

Sorry for any confusion. It was a very technical article with graphs & charts that usually aren't high enough resolution to just drop into the magazine. We'll take better care in the future.

Top Gear Goes 2-Wheels

U.K motor-enthusiast show Top Gear which became avaiable on BBC America this year ran a special episode which had the three hosts trying to make a 1,000-mile trip from bottom to top of Vietnam. The hosts were given a meager amount of money-- just enough to get motorcycles or scooters and were off. This is a typical type of set-up for the show-- to have them select their own vehicles on a budget and then test them in a humorous and mildly silly way. BUT since these guys are car-nuts, the addition of motorcycles is a new (if not ego-testing) development.
Richard chose a Russian Minsk, James chose a Honda CB50, and Jeremy (the tallest of the lot) chose a Vietnamese "restored" Vespa.

Anyone who has heard about Vietnam's roads, traffic and the notoriously bad Vespa restorations may have an inkling on how it turns out. But Top Gear always has something up its sleeve....enjoy the show!

Top Gear airs on Mondays at 8pm (ET/PT) and 7pm (CT). Check it out!



Note: This episode is from the recent season, yet I believe that BBC America shows older seasons. Oh, and if you are an American with a big head, bring your own helmet to Vietnam!