Vespa in new Sacha Baron Cohen film

Cohen's new film, Bruno has him playing another foreign goofball. The trailer shows him tearing off on a scooter with an adopted African baby on a Vespa. This film is sure to shock, offend and amuse.

Brennon's Lammy Museum

-- Post From My iPhone

Stickers @ Maido

Transport stickers with scooters in several colors. $4.10.


-- Post From My iPhone

What can we learn from Alexa Glatch?

While scanning the news I cam upon a totally unrelated New York Times article that mentioned that US tennis player "[Alexa] Glatch, a 6-footer from Newport Beach, Calif., might have caused trouble at a Grand Slam earlier had she not broken her right wrist and left elbow in 2005 when she crashed her motor scooter while being chased by a dog."

Does anyone recall how to deal with a pesky dog that wants to chase your scooter?

1) kick it with your foot if it get's near (if you are on a manual scoot use your non-braking foot)
2) honk your horn, yell and stand on the floorbards to make yourself appear bigger
3) gun it (especially if it is a 50cc model) as soon as you see the animal begin to chase
4) Approach the animal slowly, then speed up.

Ah, too easy! You know it is #4. Why not 1-3?
1) Although you shouldn't kick an animal at all, you don't want to let it get close enough to touch (i.e. bite you) and kicking throws off your balance
2) Are you kidding?
3) If you gun it when the animal begins to give chase, it will accelerate along with you and likely catch you. Your increasing speed will only bait it.
4) If you approach slowly, the animal will relax and approach you slower. Or, it may even slow down in order to match you. Once it sets a slow pace, you can accelerate and go around.

Whatever you do, don't panic. You are smarter than the dog and your ankle-high motorcycle boots can handle a little roughing up.

You are wearing the proper protective shoes, right?

Well, that's for next time!

Things I learned from Google Analytics

Some quick stats on this blog:

Top visiting countries:
USA
UK
Germany
Indonesia
Canada
Singapore
Australia
Italy
France
Thailand

54% of visitors use Firefox (the largest %)
80% of visitors use Windows OS ('cmon Mac folks...I don't bite!)

I'd love to learn more about optimizing my blog to make it easier for folks to find and more enjoyable once they get here. It's on my very long, and super-human "to do" list.

International Women and Motorcycling Conference

The fifth American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) International Women & Motorcycling Conference takes place August 19-22, 2009, in Keystone, Colorado.

According to an email that I received from the PR agency for the event:

The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference focuses on educating, encouraging, inspiring and mentoring women in the lifestyle and sport of motorcycling. Participants come from all corners of the world, including Australia and Japan, and all walks of life. There are singles, couples, mother and daughter riding partners and grandmothers; professions include ad agency owners, lawyers, factory workers and journalists. The conference is well timed. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, women now account for 12.6 percent of all motorcycle and scooter riders, a 29 percent increase since 2003.

As the number of women motorcyclists has risen, so has conference attendance: the AMA anticipates that the number of riders participating will double this year to over 2200. In addition to a wide range of daily workshops, conference attendees will have the opportunity to demo new bikes, shop for the latest gadgets and gear at the vendor marketplace, and enjoy numerous after-hours social activities at the idyllic Keystone Resort, which is nestled among the majestic Rocky Mountains.

I had considered going to the previous year's conference which was in Georgia, but a schedule conflict made it not possible. I've got it on my calendar and hope to attend, depending upon the magazine's schedule.

To get an idea of what sessions will be held, check the conference schedule.

No Doubt tour merchandise

The band No Doubt may not be the rocksteady neo-ska band that they used to be, but they still remember their roots with nods to that past. I read on the Nucleus Gallery website that artist Kevin Dart has created a tour poster that was inspired by the ND song, Spiderweb, and has a 60's theme. You'll see a scooter in the lower right side. According to the blog, a poster and totebag (I want that!)will be available.

Arai takes JD Power Survey Again

The J.D. Power helmet satisfaction survey is available for 2009. Press release below.
+++++

Helmet Owners Increasingly Likely to Purchase Online

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 26 May 2009 — Arai ranks highest in satisfying motorcycle helmet owners for an 11th consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction StudySM released today.

The study measures the overall satisfaction of motorcyclists with their new helmet in three key factors: ventilation, face shield, and design and styling; which consist of 11 attributes: quietness; ventilation/air flow; de-fogging; face shield ability to keep wind out; face shield ability to resist scratching; ease of replacing face shield; scratch resistance of shell; color/graphic design; weight; ease of fastening the strap; and fit and comfort.

With a score of 830 on a 1,000-point scale, Arai ranks highest and performs particularly well in the ventilation and design and styling factors. Shoei follows with a score of 815 and performs well in face shield. Icon ranks third overall with a score of 806.

“Arai continues to improve in the areas critical to customer satisfaction, which has further differentiated it from other manufacturers,” said Tim Fox, research manager of the powersports practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Arai’s focus on fit and comfort—the most important consideration when purchasing a motorcycle helmet—and its ability to cater to different types of riders have given the manufacturer a consistent edge in satisfying customers.”

Overall satisfaction with motorcycle helmets has increased to an average of 766 in 2009—up 5 points from 2008—the highest level since the study’s inception in 1999.

The study finds that while the percentage of helmet owners who conducted research online before buying has remained relatively steady from 2008 at 36 percent, the proportion of helmet owners who purchased their helmet online has increased—up to 17 percent in 2009 from 14 percent in 2008. Additionally, those who purchased more expensive helmets ($200 or more) are more likely to both research and purchase their helmet online. More than one-half of these helmet owners researched online prior to their purchase, and 22 percent of them made their purchase online.

The 2009 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 4,600 purchasers of new 2008 model-year motorcycles who provided information about their most recent helmet purchase experience and helmet use. The study was fielded in September and October 2008.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

Cheap Scooters...too good to be true?

The Scoot! staff has reminded readers over and over again to not be fooled by inexpensive scooters that can be found on the Internet, in auto parts stores or sold through retail chains not authorized to sell motor vehicles.

Here is a story about a Oregon woman who bought a $600 scooter from a liquidation service and discovered that the stated 90-day warranty would not be honored.

To be clear, I believe that if a company advertises a warranty, they should stand by it. A retailer should not be selling products that it is not authorized to sell, and it should be aware of how the manufacturer will service those warranty clams.

But it remains to be said that Americans are so blinded by the prospect of a "deal" that they will throw out all logic and common sense. We are so focused on buying things cheaply that we have no regard for quality manufacture, fair wages or fair mark-up that allows business to stay afloat.

I frequently receive calls from neophytes looking to get into scootering merely because of the cost savings (real or imagined). They are so easy to suspend disbelief in hopes of saving money that they are willing to make really dumb choices. One man called me looking for a restored vintage scooter and said he wanted my opinion on ordering from Asia. I asked why he didn't look closer to home since he lived near a major city on the East Coast. He said they were too expensive. YET he was willing to send thousands of dollars to a company in Asia that he had never heard of, and had no way of verifying. I asked him what he was going to do if it arrived damaged, or was a piece of crap. He had no idea, as he hadn't considered that option. He was probably too busy imagining himself riding down the street (with no helmet and in shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops, no less) basking with pride over his savvy shopping skills.

I then asked him if he would buy a 50 year old car from an unknown restoration company in a foreign country, and have it arrive at his doorstep in a box that he would have to unpack himself. His answer, "Well, I guess not."

Obviously, the woman in Oregon was only thinking about her savings. What do you think the actual cost of manufacture is for a scooter that sells for $600. Does the manufacturer put $300 into making it? How much is a worker paid to assemble a $600 scooter? If you buy the scooter from a liquidator, where will you get tires or a replacement turn signal lens? If I went to Costco and saw some new no-name brand SUVs or minivans in the parking lot selling for $5,000 I would assume that they were crap. And I would wonder what government agency allows a mass market retailer to sell automobiles. The situation should have set-off buzzers and whistles well before she made the purchase.

Am I the only person who feels that America has shot itself in the foot (and the neck) by being a country of self-centered cheapskates?

This past week I saw a news story about a local Chrysler dealership that was auctioning off their remaining inventory before closing at the end of the month. None of the cars sold because those who showed up thought that the reductions weren't good enough. The news reported that one man offered $4,000 for a brand new SUV. Now, anyone with a brain can see the faulty logic and predatory nature in that man's offer. First, Chrysler would not allow the dealer to sell that cheaply. It would make it doubly hard for the remaining dealers to sell cars at regular price if word got out that someone bought the SUV for such a pittance. In addition, the dealer probably paid much more that $4,000 for the SUV.

Do you think the man who made that offer cared anything about the dealership, the people it employed, the plant that made the car and those who worked there? No, he was just a selfish person who wanted to take advantage of the misfortunes of the car dealership,and the local folks that worked there.

People wonder how our country has lost its way, and why manufacturing jobs are disappearing. Maybe the answer is right in our hearts and pocketbooks.

Blog entry soundtrack: "The Gates of Istanbul" Loreena McKennitt

Maine Scooterists Profiled

Maine newspaper, The Sun Journal recently profiled some local scooterists who have formed a club called, Idle Threats. If you are a vintage scooter enthusiast, you know well the story of some regular guys with an obsession; the lengths they go to so fuel that obsession and the friendship that arises from it.

It may be a familiar story, but I never tired of hearing it.

There is also a photo gallery by Amber Waterman which is fun to view.

Spotted on Flikr...

This carousel has a scooter as one of the rides. Not too keen on the paint scheme, but I think it will ring the bells of little girls.
-from oerendhard1's photostream

Fred Perry Limited Edition Vespa

Fred Perry is celebrating its 100th year with a blowout campaign that includes a limited edition Vespa LXV 150. The run is limited to 100 scooters for sale in the UK, USA, Japan and France starting in August. Th stock LXV sells for about $5,200. I haven't inquired about the Fred Perry price, but I can imagine it is much higher. The only changes seem to be the decorative striping and the Fred Perry laurels. If you are a Fred Perry fan who must have one of these scooters, contact Fred Perry Customer Service

The company is also releasing several commemorative products such as polos, sweaters and shoes with a "100" logo on them. Check out the festivities at Fred Perry- 100 Years.

Scooterist to be featured on A&E's "Tattoo Highway"

A&E juts launched a new reality TV show called Tattoo Highway where a tattoo crew crossed the country in a bus giving nearly 100 tattoos in just over a month. It turns out that one of the recipients was Tucson scooterist Bald John who heads Go-Go-Rilla scooters, and got his club logo tattooed on his back. It is a really awesome tatt which must have taken a lot of commitment to pursue. The Arizona Star carried a brief article on the tattoo.

Scoot! Photog in the News---NOT

Daniel Bergeron is an amazing photographer who has contributed to Scoot! several times in the past, most recently for our Carlos Alazraqui cover.

Now he is generating interest with some renegade art that combines his love of scooters with urban art.
Checkout this article in Trendhunter.

Also check out Daniel's other photographic work.

UPDATE: I sent a congrats email to Daniel and he had to break the news to me that he is not *THAT* Daniel Bergeron. There is another, and he is a photographer, and he uses scooters. So, disregard the info above. But still go ahead and go to *our* Daniel's site as he is still pretty awesome.

New Ride-On Scooter Toy for Kids

I saw this posted on a design blog and searched for it in the US to no avail. These kind of things make me want to order a child like Brangelina did. I can keep him in my room on a trundle and dress him in all the scooter clothes that I have purchased over the years...

I digress.

Manufacturer Moulin Roty is a French company and the blogs that I found were based in Australia, neither of which is close to the USA.

Since I don't have any kids and I doubt that Lori's cats could be taught to ride on these rather than claw them, I'll let my parental readers go out and try to track this delectable little scoot down.

Vespa/Wine Promo

For all of those folks who write a Letter to the Editor to complain to me about the mention of alcohol in Scoot! rally reports, here's something that should get you off my case for a while.

According to some press releases and articles on 'da web, Kris Wine is offering Vespa S50s as prizes in an upcoming contest. Personally, I don't care that they are combining wine and a scooter. I'm not dumb enough to think that it implies that I should drink-n-drive, but I do find it funny that the scooter has crazy wavy lines under it. If you drank a whole bottle of wine, you might ride that path unknowingly. :)

The other funny thing about the campaign is that this story calls the S50 "the fastest on the road." Never mind every other scooter that has a bigger-than-50cc engine.

Well, enough of making fun of the Kris Wine promotion. Keep an eye out for entry forms at you local wine seller (except in CA, TN, UT, Puerto Rico). Contest goes through August.

Vespa T-Shirt: The Cute Lepers

Not sure who the Cute Lepers are or what their music sounds like (I bet it is infectious! HA!) but they have a cool t-shirt with a scooter on it.

They also sell a "scooter club" patch.



Blog entry soundtrack: "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen

Glass Repair Vespa

GlasWeld, a Bend, Oregon company has just announced their Glass Repair Vespa (GRV) which professionals can use for mobile glass repair. The company has created a contained system that fits in the scooter's underseat storage compartment. A scooter wrap is available for branding & advertising.

The press release does not indicate which model is used, although the video shows an "S" model. More info to come as I have requested an interview, but the press release is below:

Glass repair services marketed and mobilized with new “GRV” while reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact

We have finalized our design for "Glass Repair Vespa (GRV)," a transportation solution for auto glass repair professionals. The GRV integrates the power of GlasWeld’s G3fusion Auto Glass Repair System and fuses it with economical, environmentally friendly transportation and increased brand visibility.

“We chose Vespa for our new GRV because of its reliability, longevity and commitment to environmental excellence,” said Mike Boyle, president of GlasWeld. “Because there are Vespa dealers all over the world, our customers can easily get needed parts and service.”

Vespa’s existing trunk has been customized into an integrated storage compartment for the G3fusion System. We've also designed a customized vehicle wrap that will showcase your brand, capabilities and contact information. High visibility combined with ease of use and low consumption will help save on hard costs like fuel, while raising brand awareness and increasing the scope of your service areas.

By using the eco-friendly GRV instead of an average car, fuel consumption can be reduced by approximately 58 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by close to 80%. By using the GRV, businesses can reduce oil consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, traffic congestion and take steps toward meeting sustainability goals.

“In the current marketplace, there is an untapped opportunity for glass service providers to connect with potential customers,” Boyle said. “We believe that the GRV helps to fill this gap, while leaving a light carbon footprint.”

Scooter Collector:

Wow! This is one cool scooter toy! I am not sure if I have $118 to spare for this cool Japanese vinyl toy. At a little over 5 inches it strikes me as a bit rich. Ah, California Lottery, why have you forsaken me?!?

Sorry for the big images, but I wanted you to see the details. Click on the images to see them on their own.

If you feel like plunking down some of your hard-earned cash on this soon-to-be-released Japanese vinyl toy, pre-order at Hobby or at Kid Nemo.

Sweet seat!

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.