Pretty pictures

corridor
Originally uploaded by .alton.

This photo entitled "Corridor" is from .alton's flickr collection. .alton says this is at the Tainan Women's College of Arts and Technology in Tainan, Taiwan.

It's so nice and green and sunny... I had to share.

When to get a Maxi-Scooter...

Indien1R0010122.jpg
Originally uploaded by OliverNielsen.com.

When you've run outta seat room.
From the OliverNielsen.com flickr collection.

Out of office - See ya in a week

I'll be in the bean town all week. We'll TRY to keep you updated from the hotel room... if not, I'll still be checking my e-mail if you wanna send us a scoop. Enjoy your week!

Gas Temperature Map - How does your neck-of-tha-woods stack up?

Right now's not a good time to live in Cali with a Unimog as your sole source of transportation, but if you live near St.George, Utah it might be worth the drive to fill up there. This is a cool little tool from GasBuddy.com. You can use it to see how well your politicians are workin' the system, or how hard you're wallets getting worked. Either way, if you already have a scooter as your commuter vehicle, you're in good shape... for now.

The Providence Journal - Motorcycle sales booming

How about this crap from projo.com? Use BugMeNot to get a name and password so you don't have to register to read the whole thing... I wouldn't bother with doing that anyway. The most important part is this quote from Suzuki World in Warwick's GM Mike Marfeo (Rhode Island) where he says:

"Increasingly, he said, women are after their own bikes, and by 'bike' they don't mean 'scooter.'

'The only reason someone goes into a scooter is because of the weight of it,' he said. 'If they can handle the weight of a motorcycle, they're going into a motorcycle.'"

Come on numbnuts! You are a GM for a Suzuki store. Your job is to make money. Suzuki sells only 2 scooters in the USA and the return on those bikes is probably no where near the return on an overpriced cruiser that goes for $10k PLUS! I'll stop there... I've got work to do and I'm outta Prevacid.

edmontonsun.com - News - Scooters shift to high gear

This little piece has some interesting facts. I haven't verified them myself, but it's the first time I've heard some of this. Here's a snippet:

edmontonsun.com - News - Scooters shift to high gear: "The majority of the clientele are guys between 14 and 25, but everyone from teenagers to seniors rides scooters, and girls are starting to get more into it, said Liley.

A lot of the younger guys modify their scooters to add speed, said Liley.

'We have a whole clientele of mostly young guys who are into hopping scooters up and racing them,' he said, adding that scooters make up the largest racing circuit in the world...

...There's a misconception in Edmonton that scooters can be used only in the summer months, says Liley, who is trying to dispel that myth.

'Realistically, a person can ride a scooter for 10 months with no problems,' he said.

Liley throws winter tires on his GTS 250 Vespa - the Mercedes of all scooters - and rides it all through the winter months also.

Despite the unlikely market, Liley and Hatheway, who are both 29 years old, opened the store because of their love for scooters, which they've been fixing up and riding since they were 15.

'I didn't want to work for anyone else,' said Liley.

The store, which was named Dealership of the Year in 2005, sells the largest selection of scooters in North America...

...Scooters account for about 80% of the motorcycle industry in the world, said Liley, who expects his own business to grow exponentially over the years.

"It's getting better," said Liley, who plans to retire rich."
Click the title link to read the whole story.

The Observer | Travel | Tuscany on two wheels

Here's a nice long piece from a UK paper that'll give you a taste of an Italian Scooter Travel Tour. If you got fiddy Benjies burning a hole in yer pocket, you should check it out. Sounds like a hoot! Click the title link to read the whole story.

The Observer | Travel | Tuscany on two wheels: "'Riding a Vespa, you're not just travelling through the scene as you would be in a hire car, you're part of it,' says Brett Naisby, boss of Scooter Bella, whose guided Vespa tours we've come to trial before they begin for real next month. What's amazing, given the popularity of Tuscany, is that scooter tours aren't offered by every hotel and travel company. Until now there's been only one firm running them, an American company that markets them to the folks back home at more than $5,000 a week.

Brett's a Canadian, but his Mr Benn moment has been going on for more than a decade and by now he's gone so native he shows annoyance by pursing his lips, raising his hand and pressing thumb against second finger. Since 1994 he's been living in Tuscany, running Customwalks, a cycling and walking specialist, and this summer is branching out into Vespas for the first time. His idea is not to traverse the region staying at different places each night, but to have one base in the heart of the Chianti hills, and from there to pootle about on little-known backroads like a local.

Each day the scooter rides and the liberal doses of epic scenery that come with them are broken up with activities like wine tastings, cookery classes, a look round a traditional ceramics studio, or a talk from a top winemaker delivered sitting amongst his vines."

The Sun Chronicle Newspaper - Fighting back vs. gas hike

The Sun Chronicle Newspaper: "BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

Patricia and Dave Fogg pay about $3 -- period -- to fill up their gasoline tank.

The moped the Wrentham residents bought last summer after gasoline prices passed $3 a gallon is paying dividends again.
As motorists spend upwards of $30 at the pumps, the Foggs are running their errands on the cost of a magazine.

The Honda Metropolitan II Scooter gets 100 miles to its 1gallon tank.

"My husband says that when he goes to fill it up, everybody stops and says, `Wow!" said Patricia Fogg, who plans to buy another moped soon.

The Foggs are just one local couple who have adjusted the way they get around in the face of skyrocketing gasoline prices.

Prices per gallon averaged $2.855 Friday, up 3 cents from a day earler, Unleaded regular gasoline prices averaged $2.87 a gallon nationally on Thursday, AAA reported. Prices are expected to hit $3 a gallon in the near future."

Appleton Post-Crescent - Cheap wheels the way to go

(Where's Yer Helmets?! Whippersnappers! photo by Kirk Wagner)

Appleton Post-Crescent - Cheap wheels the way to go: "By Pete Bach
Post-Crescent staff writer

Sawyer Brown won't have to spend much time or money at the gas pump this summer.

Brown, a Little Chute High School senior, uses a mo-ped to get around town.

'It gets 60 miles to the gallon,' said Brown, 18. 'I don't need a car.'

Mo-peds — basically junior versions of motorcycles with engines less than 50 cubic centimeters in size — are a hot commodity as buyers young and old try to beat fuel prices already topping $3 a gallon in Milwaukee.

Operators of mo-peds need to be 16 and possess a valid Wisconsin drivers license to putt-putt around town on machines with top speeds under 40 mph.

Dealers have been swamped.

'It's out of control,' said Andy Fenwick, owner of Metro Motorcycle, 676 Valley Road, Menasha, a dealer for the Kymco model line. 'We'll be out (of stock) in two weeks.'"

Oh... and I liked this line "The store is awaiting a shipment of three different Schwinn models." I wouldn't hold my breath! Click the title link to read the whole story.

Eyewitness News - High gas prices make scooters more attractive

This is like deja vu... Seems like just under a year ago when every paper in the country was touting scooters as the new car replacement. You can ignore these if it seems like the same old song... I just post them so people can see how the buzz is rising again.

Eyewitness News - High gas prices make scooters more attractive: "PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- With gas prices heading toward three dollars a gallon again, more people are buying scooters.

The two-wheel vehicles get as much as 90 miles to the gallon.

They cost 18-hundred to 32-hundred dollars to buy.

Scooter commuter Emory Lundberg of Providence says he spends about four dollars a week on gas. He has a car he drives in snow but used it only 21 days this winter.

Patrick Engeman, who owns Javaspeed in Providence, says rising gas prices have been helping sales at his store�so has a change in state law that lets people ride scooters that go 30 miles per hour or slower without a motorcycle license."

wcco.com - Gas Prices Get Local Grandma Onto A Scooter

wcco.com - Gas Prices Get Local Grandma Onto A Scooter: "(WCCO) When Betty Bartlett turned 57 years old this week, she decided to celebrate, by doing something good for the environment.

'People I work with just think I'm crazy,' said Bartlett.

This Coon Rapids, Minn. grandma picked up her brand new Yamaha scooter. She’s been following the growing energy dilemma in the county ... and knew she could make a difference.

'I'm trying to do something to cut back,' she said.

Her new scooter gets 70 miles-to-the-gallon, and she's not alone in turning to alternatives ways to get around. Bartlett's riding on the front end of an exploding trend."

Click the title link to watch the news footage.

Kinetic Motor launches Italjet Blaze

(It's no Dragster)
Check out the first test drive here.

Kinetic Motor launches Blaze - Sify.com: "Blaze is the first launch from the seven-vehicle Italiano series that Pune-based Kinetic Motor Company acquired from Italian two-wheeler major Italjet Moto.

Priced Rs 49,990 (at about US$1,200 if I did this right... is that Rupees?), Blaze, with a four-valve engine with nearly 12 bhp, is now available here and in Pune and Goa, the company�s Managing Director Sulajja Firodia Motwani said.

She said the national launch is slated next month. The company has targetted to sell 36,000 to 40,000 units of Blaze in the first year that would add Rs 150 crore to Rs 180 crore to its turnover. Two more models of the Italiano series would be rolled out in July and December this year, and an equal number next year, she said.

Sulajja described the Blaze, fully manufactured in India, as a 'category-creator'.

The company expects Blaze to start 'next revolution' for Kinetic, she said and recalled the launch of the Luna in 1972 and automatic scooter in 1984.

She said that Kinetic, a late entrant into the motorcycle segment, suffered huge losses due to 'cut-throat competition' but added that Kinetic would continue to be in the motorcycle business.

Kinetic said Blaze offers several features like front telescopic shocks, twin rear shocks for extra stability, 12' tyres, protective front shield, comprehensive instrumentation, and split seat with large under seat storage space."

Next year marks the tenth year anniversary of a Honda you've never seen

At least in America... THe Honda Pantheon comes in 125 and 150cc versions. It's always had a pretty unique design to it. Just thought I'd point out another scooter you've been missing out on for the last 10 years.

CNN.com - Your e-mails: Diesel, scooters, lifestyle changes among the ideas

CNN.com - Your e-mails: Diesel, scooters, lifestyle changes among the ideas - Apr 20, 2006: "(CNN) -- Gas prices are soaring. The average price of a gallon of regular gas, $2.83, is 27 percent higher than last year, according to the motorists' organization AAA, and the peak vacation driving season is still ahead.

CNN.com asked for readers' opinions on how rising gas prices affect their daily routines, how much gas costs in their area and how concerned they are about overall trends in energy pricing. Here is a sampling of responses, some of which have been edited:

Last summer I bought a vintage scooter, and I try to use it for all of my errands. Its max speed is 45 mph, but it gets around 90 mpg! It also takes a little longer to get around, and you smell like fumes by the time you get there, but at least it's fun and that helps to make up for it.
Julie, Cleveland, Ohio

I used to laugh at the ones on the mopeds, now when I see them I just think how nice it would be to have one and start scheming a way to pay for one. My region is a tourist-based economy and it's killing that sector of business. Restaurants that normally have a two-hour wait are now left with many empty seats during peak hours. Overall, I think it's going to be a tough road ahead for many that can't afford even a slight increase in their weekly budget.
Brandon Paris, Asheville, North Carolina

There are other responses too if you wanna read them. I was looking at the national average on gas prices and saw at least 16 cities that averaged $3+ per gallon. You can see it here if you enjoy having that sick feeling in your stomach.

Obituary: Lawrence Grodsky / Top American expert on motorcycle safety

Thanks to 2strokebuzz for bringing this to our attention (illnoise is on FIRE baby!). This one is a pill that's hard to swallow. Imagine thesafest biker in the USA... well, he's gone off to that highway in the sky after being hit by a deer. Even harder to swallow was that he predicted it just a few weeks earlier.

Obituary: Lawrence Grodsky / Top American expert on motorcycle safety: "Lawrence Grodsky, a nationally known motorcycle safety expert and author who taught thousands of riders to handle themselves on the roads, died Saturday on his bike in Fort Stockton, Texas, after being hit by a deer.

He was 55, and had been on his way from a safety conference in California to Pittsburgh for his mother's 85th birthday, said his sister, Marcia Grodsky.

'Larry was the most talented, experienced and competent motorcyclist in the country, but this is the one thing he knew he couldn't do anything about,' said his girlfriend, Maryann Puglisi, with whom he lived in Squirrel Hill and Washington, D.C., and who helped run his business.

'Just a few weeks ago he said to me, 'That's how I'm going to go, it's going to be a deer.' He could deal with all the idiot drivers, but at night when a deer jumps in your path, that's it and he knew that.'"

Click the title link to read the whole story.

KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas | Local News

KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas | Local News: "Crude oil prices hit another record high Wednesday, translating into higher gas prices and sending many drivers searching for relief.

Some have found relief in those little scooters you may have seen buzzing around.

Right underneath the busy downtown freeways, Matthew Creede preaches about alternative transportation. And people like Medrick Morris are listening.

'You're saving about 40 cents a mile, so you can see how quickly something like this will pay itself off,' said Creede.

Paying more than $100 for gas per week has left him feeling empty.

'My commute to work is about 20 miles coming and 20 miles going and it's just getting ridiculous, basically,' Morris said.

Suddenly, the scooter sounds super."

Check out Matthew @ Apollo Motor Sports in this 11News Video story here.

LA Weekly - Factory of Talent

I posted this just because it mentions another "famous" person on a Vespa.

LA Weekly: "Shepard Fairey. You knew him before you knew him. If you lived in a major city, or just one where he had friends, he silently infiltrated your existence with a sticker slapped on the back of a no-parking sign, or a 10-foot, wheat-pasted face on the side of a building. (How did he get up there?)

Even almost a decade ago, when Paul Frank first licensed his work for a series of vinyl messenger bags, people would stop me on my Vespa and ask of the face on my tote, “Who is that guy? I see him everywhere.” Without having time to school them with a proper explanation (the light was always about to turn green), I would just say, “Shepard Fairey.”

Now while the artist looks nothing like his muse, Andre the Giant — the real guy on the satchel — Fairey is responsible for making the wrestler a legend in street-art pervasiveness while establishing his own enviable marketing savvy."

The Daily Cardinal - Moped owners must buy permits to park on campus next fall

Man... this blows for our fellow riders at UW Madison.

If you click on the title link you'll see a picture to go with the story... and no moped in sight... just a Spree and some other skinny scooter that I don't recognize. I'm sure they meant Scooters and mopeds and nopeds... and anything that the man disapproves of.

The Daily Cardinal - Moped owners must buy permits to park on campus next fall: "With the rise of mopeds on campus over the last three years from a few dozen to nearly 900, UW-Madison Transportation Services has decided to require every moped owner to purchase a $55 parking permit, beginning next semester.

“In the past, we had never really managed mopeds,” UW-Madison Transportation Administrator Gordon Graham said. “They just kind of appeared in the space of a couple or three years.”

After approval last month from the Campus Transportation Committee, these mandatory sticker permits will go into effect Sept. 1.

They will be available on the Transportation Services website starting Aug. 1, and students will be able to park anywhere on campus with them.

“We built something in the neighborhood of $60,000 worth of moped parking facilities. In order to recover some of that cost ... we thought that a 
permit would be reasonable,” Graham said."

Chron.com | LETTERS: Free market vs. scary lies

This was a hot topic just a week ago here at The Scooter Scoop and during my morning ritual of a glazed donut, 3 cups of coffee and a $2 cigar I ran across this Viewpoints letter from the Houston Chronicle. GREAT stuff. I wish you'd see MORE articles like this in the news. Educate the people!

Chron.com | LETTERS: Free market vs. scary lies: "AFTER listening for months to complaints about gas prices, I have to say it is apparent that a large majority of the population has absolutely no idea how prices are set in a free market. Essentially, it works like an auction.

The producer of the oil or gasoline puts his product on the auction block and sells it to the highest bidder. The winning bidders are now offering more than $70 a BBL to outbid everybody else.

So why all the anger at oil companies?

People don't get mad when a seller on Ebay outbids them for a product or at the seller of a house when another buyer outbids and offers $20,000 more for a house.

The buyer is going to take the highest bid; anyone would.

But when it comes to gasoline and oil, people get upset. If someone is unwilling to pay $50 to fill up a sport utility vehicle, there are 10 others in China willing to spend $49.99 for that same gasoline to fill up their mopeds. Free markets work both ways."

You really should click on the title link to get the whole story. Thanks Richard Anderson!

The only mobility scooter I'm interested in...

In my daily quest for scooter news I almost ALWAYS run into news about MOBILITY scooters. Right now, I could give half-a-rat's-arse about mobility scooters... and when I get old and decrepid, you're not gonna catch me on some weak, baby blue hoover-round clone. I'm gonna be dressed in a Vader suit and roll around in a chair that looks like it would kill you if it hit you. Enter "THE TANK CHAIR".

Nothin' says "I might pee my pants, but I'll be doing it over your greasy mottled corpse!" like a mobility scooter with tank treads.

ScooterScoop outage today from 6 CST

If you had planned on pitching a buy-out of TheScooterScoop.com to your VP at Car&Driver, I suggest you don't do it today between 6 and 7pm CST... We're expecting some planned maintenance to happen at that time and would hate to make a bad first impression. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Sign up for Google Calendar (enter your scooter/moped events)

It's easy to sign up! Just go here and get a Google Account (you don't need a gMail account, even though I really love mine).

Once you have signed up you can search for public scooter/moped calendars or add your own club and enter the events. Make it public and others will be informed once they add your calendar.

I've got one now for the South Central timezone... basically within a 500 mile radius of Austin. If you'd like to add events to that calendar, just let me know and I'll add you as an editor.

Alex wants to teach you all about Superchargers

You know... people get all excited about how many cc's are under their arse, but if you could get the same amount of power out of a smaller, lighter engine... why wouldn't you? You ever try to pick up a 1200 cc bike? Well, Steven W. has brought this little gem to our attention. It's an article from Motorcycle Daily in which Alex Edge (is that your REAL name Alex? Sounds like a rockstar), gives us a little primer on superchargers and a bit of info on the Peugeot Jetforce Compressor voted "Hottest damn scooter 2005" by TheScooterScoop.com.
Click the title link to peruse the whole story.

NaviGadget - Magellan RoadMate 760 on a 2006 150cc Vespa

Ed in Orlando sends us this link. Thanks Ed!

NaviGadget -Magellan RoadMate 760 on a 2006 150cc Vespa: "Here is a really cool custom installation of a Magellan RoadMate 760 on a spanking new fire-engine red 150cc Vespa. I am not sure if the RoadMate comes naturally in that color but the color match is great. Go to this site to see more pics.

I wonder how that LCD would function under the Mediterranean sun when you're riding along the coast of Amalfi with your girl, but who cares."

2strokebuzz - BTNG files charges against Schwinn Scooters

Always a good place to catch the buzz on scooters, 2strokebuzz.com has been keeping tabs on the new Schwinn Scooters, particularly how their similarities to the TNG scooters have sparked a law suit. Here's a snippet:

2strokebuzz - Blog Archive - TNG files charges against Schwinn Scooters: "As 2strokebuzz noted a couple weeks ago, the new Schwinn Scooters bear more than a casual similarity to the TNG Venice and Milano models, and as promised, we've dug a little deeper into the situation and our findings are rather startling. Tom Lynott, president of CMSI, makers of the TNG scooters, had no comment on April 4th, but since then, a source outside CMSI confirmed that CMSI were preparing legal action against Pacific Cycle, the parent company of Schwinn, Mongoose, and GT bicycles. A complaint, which alleges that Pacific Cycle effectively "stole" TNG's product and business model after a proposed collaboration was abandoned, was submitted to the United States District Court in Seattle on April 6, (two days after our original story), listing six charges against Pacific Cycle: False Designation of Origin, Violation of Washington's Consumer Protection Act, Common Law Unfair Competition, Intentional Interference with Contract, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Relations, and Breach of Contract."

Click the title link to get the whole scoop...er... Buzz, I mean.

A close 2nd for "Most Vespas in a Commercial"... Still not a Vespa commercial

(This was a Borgata Casino commercial from a couple of years ago)

Big shout to the ScooterDiva for releasing this video into the wild. Looks like one hell of a rally. Here's what she has to say about it:

Three years ago, about 60 scooterists from NY, NJ, CT, PA and MA took part in the filming of a commercial for the Borgata Casino in Atlantic city. Filming took 3 days. 2 in NYC and 1 in Atlantic City. Its amazing how many hours of filming goes into a 1 minute commercial.
I'm in there somewhere. But if you blink you will miss me :)

Well, thanks for sharing ScooterDiva! I'll have to get your autograph if I run into you at a rally.

Central Texas "I don't give a shift" monthly scoot tour.

If the weather stays like it's been lately, this will be another great ride. Make you're reservations for April 29th by sending an e-mail to Fred at idontgiveashift@gmail.com

Here's the details:
The ride starts in Austin and proceeds on the very twisty Lime Creek
road. This is a favorite road with many hairpin turns favored by sport
riders and other two-wheeled enthusiasts. From Lime Creek we proceed
with wide rolling hills and sweepers to the booming small-town of
Georgetown that is having their annual Red Poppy Festival. The 2006
Festival will burst into bloom on Saturday and Sunday, April 29th and
April 30th in historic downtown Georgetown. You can explore unique
treasures among more than 125 booths featuring art and high-quality
handcrafts. In addition, we will make a quick stop at the Georgetown
Suzuki and Yamaha dealership. They have a wide assortment of
motorcycle related products and also sell used scooters. The
Georgetown scooter dealer will provide a five percent discount for all
accessories purchases for that day. I have used them for various
services related issues and they are well deserved of their superb
customer service and prices.

After this we will meander around the small, scenic roads around the
area including a stop at the Walburg German Mercantile Restaurant,
complete with Oompah Band and a Beer garden.

To start off the day, we will meet at 9:45 am at the Scooter's Coffee
Shop (formerly Trianon Coffee) located on 3742 Far West Blvd. in
Austin, Texas 78731 near MOPAC.

Crazy 3wheel Scooter Taiwan guy (I don't make the titles up here)

HamOnRye snapped this photo while visiting Taiwan. Notice the unorthodox riding technique. Perhaps that's "Crane Style"? Well... Your Crane Style is no match for my Drunkin' Monkey technique! (often exhibited when I participate in gymkhana) HEEE-YA!

Here's what HamOnRye has to say about it:

"I found this pic as I was cleaning up my computer's hard drive last night. This is from my Taiwan trip a few years ago. My friend Brian punched me in the arm so I could quickly take a pic of this crazy cat. Look how he is sitting on that seat!! I have also never seen a 3wheel scooter since. Too funny. He doesnt look too pleased with me. Later that night I went indoor shrimping. Fun times."

What I feel like on my Honda Helix

Except... 30 years younger... without a dog... and not quite as tough. Other than that, he's captured the experience completely. 

BYU NewsNet - Scooters Come in Style

BYU NewsNet - Scooters Come in Style: "'Whenever it's not raining and the sun is out, I'm on my scooter,' said Scott McShane, a BYU senior.

Students are finding that with front row parking on campus and an average of 60 to 100 miles per gallon, scooters are a fun and economical choice for the summer.

'The parking on campus is 10 times better with a scooter,' McShane said.

Now that Y parking is free on campus, McShane said he is able to park his scooter close to his classes.

In addition to the close parking, McShane and other students save money overall by using a scooter.

'What I pay as a payment on my scooter every month, is money I save on gas,' said Kirsten Jolley, a freshman at BYU, starting fall of 2006.

According to the assistant manager of The Scooter Lounge, Kent Pyne, scooters sales are up 20 percent from last year.

'People are noticing scooters more and they realize how fun they are,' he said. 'Half of our referrals are from other customers.'"

Click the title link to read the whole story.

Fuel Cost Driving Large & Small Business Efficiencies - 17 Apr 2006

Fuel Cost Driving Large & Small Business Efficiencies - 17 Apr 2006: "The purchase of motorcycles receiving 50 or 60 miles to the gallon, or mopeds that can get up to 100 miles to the gallon, have been recommended. Sean Devrou of M&M Motors told Wood TV8, “Everyone’s complaining about the high prices and trying to find a way out. And the neat thing is, now with these bikes, you can get 60, 70, 80, even 100 miles a gallon on a lot of these motorcycles.” Devrou recommended that first time purchasers should take a safety class."

Holy Grail of Honda Commercials - Can you help find it?

Back in 1985, Honda tried to pursuade Americans to buy scooters with a series of video ads featuring the hippest folks of the day, Devo, Grace Jones, Adam Ant and Lou Reed for example. Well, I've managed to locate all of those commericals EXCEPT the Lou Reed one. Does someone have this on VHS somewhere? Have you seen it on the internet? I'd like to finish off the collection. Thanks for lookin'!

How To: Pop a wheelie

(It may be just a bit different on a scooter instead of a superbike, but at least you'll know the essentials. Don't try this without asking your mom first.)

Why you messin' with Texas?!

I was exploring the news wires, searching for scooter news bits, and found another article entitled "Two Wheels are better than Four". There wasn't a whole lot worth reading there... the standard local-paper fair about how bikes and motorcycles are selling like hotcakes because of the almost $3/gallon gas prices. THEN I read this:

"The bike will get about 44 miles per gallon in the city - nearly three times that of their Ford Explorer.
'My whole thing is I don't understand why gas is $3 a gallon. There is no reason for it,' Melissa Brownell said. 'Unless it is because of greedy individuals in Texas. I voted for Bush, but I am having second thoughts about that now.'
Stuart Ginsburg, one of Brunswick Harley-Davidson's owners, said most of his motorcycles get between 40 and 60 mpg..."

Greedy individuals in Texas?! Why you messin' with Texas? Any way... The article's only mention of scooters was that not only were motorcycle sales up, but SCOOTERS too! Then a little reassurance to their reader that felt something like 'not all scooters are wimpy little toys some cost $7000 and go 100 MPH!'... I guess it's because James has to prove to his New York readers that some scooters are almost REAL bikes'. I say "Poop on that!" They act like scooters are just retarded motorcycles and it rubs my rhubarb... I end up sounding like this guy for the rest of the day.

Retro Thing: Vespa Unveils Two Hybrid Scooters

Retro Thing: Vespa Unveils Two Hybrid Scooters: "The company has developed two versions, based on their Vespa LX 50 (shown above, with 50cc gas & 1000W electric motor) and the more sleek and powerful Piaggio X8 125 (125cc gas & 2500W electic motor). The combination of electric and gas engines provides approximately 25% more power, helping to alleviate fuel consumption when starting or accelerating. It also reduces gasoline consumption by 20%. The scooter can also operate in locations where combustion engine fumes would be undesirable (inside buildings or covered areas) by switching into a low-speed 'electric only' mode."

It's good to know that scooter manufacturers are looking at this option, especially with the recent announcement of hybrid cars (Prius) that are expected to reach 94 MPG next year. Cars with moped mileage? Promises, promises... and NOW with gas about ready to make the leap over the $3.00/Gallon mark here in the USA, we're gonna be seeing EVERYONE (except for the insanely rich) making even more serious considerations to dump the guzzler.

I've said it before, but I expect some interesting scooter / moped developments in 2007.

Start up your Regional Scooter/Moped event Calendars!

Google Calendar is now ready for you to enter your regional Scooter & Moped happs. Check it out by clicking on the title link waiting 'till I get it working and if you are within 500 miles of Austin, add your event dates! (once I get it fixed) Otherwise, start up your own regional calendar!

Most Vespas in a single commercial... and it's not a Vespa commercial

Nope... It's an Adidas commercial. A long one too. Enjoy!
Oh and while you're at it... What other scooters besides Vespas do you see in there?

Where'd it go?!

conference call services
Did you see a post here this morning but found it gone later that day? It means its been forced into the archive by newer posts. To see what you've been missing, you can find the archive for the entire month over on the right hand side. You should see "Archives" then click on the last month shown. ALSO if you want to reference a specific post, just click on the link where it shows the time it was posted (right near where it says "Posted by Steve @"). If you hover there, it should pop up with "Permanent Link". Copy the URL and send it to your friends and family. Post it in your newsgroup. Stick it on your blog. Tattoo it on the inside of your thigh. It's all good.

Honda Moped Commercial Set

Sweeeeet! From sometime in the 80's.

Honda Scooter Commercial Set

Anyone wanna translate? My Japanese stinks.

Honda Scooter Commercial Set

Adam Ant.. Grace Jones... 1984... Any of this ringing a bell with you?

Honda Scooter Commercial Set

Remember Bud Melman? This commercial is circa 1989.

Honda Scooter Commercial Set

I know I've posted this one before, but I want the whole collection in one place.. ENJOY!

A smalllll request to TSS Readers

(The Scoop dun got some ads own it!)

Hi Gang!

Hope all is well. As you may have noticed thescooterscoop has recently bought into some relatively unintrusive Google Ads (up top, just below the logo and down the right hand side just below the [ATOM] box). I'm trying to see how they work as a revenue builder. If it's good, maybe we can upgrade the computer gear... make tss.com and tss.tv bigger and better.

If you could do us a favor and give some of those google ads a test-click... I'd like to see what those babies can do. It'll only take 20 seconds and what you give me in seconds, I'll give you back in HOURS of entertaining scooter news.

Thanks for all the support and we hope you'll keep coming back!
Steve

Oh... you know what I just realized... Yesterday was The Scooter Scoop's FIRST BIRTHDAY! W00T!

How to REALLY cut down a Vespa

conference call services
This is about as small as you can get it. Anyone seen one of these in person? Where do they come from? Who are they made for? Maybe this was just a one-off.

A LONG 2005 Vespa LX commercial

conference call services
Somewhat TRON inspired. Pretty to look at.

TheStar.com - Mini Skini an April Fool

TheStar.com - Fresh fleet for New York: "MINI SKINI AN APRIL FOOL

Mini 'fessed up last weekend that the Skini scooter, announced here in AutoNews on April 1 as 'certainly a foolish venture,' was indeed an April Fool's prank.

There is no all-wheel-drive scooter with dual airbags in the works, although a prototype was actually built so that the photos would have a genuine feel to them.

The Skini was advertised on a number of automotive websites. Visitors to those sites, after linking through to the Skini specifications, would see an April Fool's message as soon as they clicked to leave.

Apparently, the mini.ca website saw a five-fold increase in online visits for a typical Saturday. Thestar.com link was the most popular source just behind direct mini.ca visitors.

'We received 15 orders for the Mini Skini within three hours of sending out the product bulletin to retailers last Friday,' said Margareta Mahlstedt, communications manager for the Mini brand.

'Based on the response, we will definitely be bringing the Skini concept to the attention of Mini headquarters in Munich. There is no truth to the rumour, however, that a larger version of the Skini - codenamed the Mini Phat - is under development.'"

See more pictures of the Skini here!

You want one? Let Mini know!

Oh yeah... As long as we're talking about it... What do you think?
conference call services

An Ape Taxi *loves with whole body*

An Ape taxi
Originally uploaded by VespaGT.

I just wanted you to see this lovely Ape (AH-peh) Taxi. She's a bute! Thanks for capturing this great specimen on film VespaGT!
Go here to see it big or HERE to see it GIANT and bask in its glory.

Video - How they roll in Hong Kong

This little link is to a google video of the Scooter Power portion of the Year of the Sheep parade.

Poll - Did you joy ride this weekend?

Click here to map the results.

Piston Broke SC - 5th Annual Capitol 10k Participation

(13 Scooterists pose for a shot with Austin's Mayer Will Winn... Sorry for the bunny ears Will)

April 2nd marked the 29th Annual Capitol 10k where over 13,000 runners take to downtown Austin and as we do every year for the past 5 years, Piston Broke owned the streets just before the race... No cars, no obeying the law, just the crew kickin' up blue clouds. How do we get away with it? We pass out noise makers! Check out more cool shots here! We even got a mention here (the corp of scooter pilots) and here (pack of Vespa scooters).

It makes me wonder even more...

It makes me wonder even more...
Originally uploaded by avdgaag.

It's always safe if you can manage to keep your scooter within the confines of your apartment or home... but, how you get your scooter up to your 3rd floor balcony? I just don't know.

Scooter shirt of the week - Chocolate Stripy Scooter Shirt

Lord knows the world is in short supply of sweet scooter gear. I'd like to get more designs out myself, but since I don't have an army of illustrators at my disposal, I thought I'd feature other peoples scooter gear that I approve of, just so you know it's out there. Maybe this weekly effort will inspire more cool clothes.

This particular piece looks great for girls. From Lekker Designs, it's called the Chocolate Stripy Scooter Shirt. Nice and understated. Maybe we can get Lekker to send us one to give away to a lucky reader. Lekker?

The Yamaha Versity 300 (None for you Americans!)

Dudel has been MR.SCOOP lately. Thanks for all the activity. I've been a bit lame myself. Seems that my world will be in a bit of stress until I get through May. No... My perole officer is not hounding me again... It's my day job. I've got presentations... major big side projects... blahdy-blah-blah. I'd rather be scootin' and researching scooters and mopeds... but wouldn't we ALL?

Anywho... check out this little article from Le Blogmoto, a site from our fellow scooteratti in France. They say it's a great little urban scoot. I dig it's Volvo styling and I wouldn't be mad at 300cc's AND at 4,011 Euro, which translates into US$4893... It doesn't seem like that bad of a deal with ABS, 99.4 MPH speeds, and all those sweet looks... but I'd have to see one in person to really judge. Yamaha?

I like ugly scooters... um, but THIS?

Scooter
Originally uploaded by Guillermo Power.

This is even too ugly for me. How about you?

Law relieves scooter riders of need for motorcycle licenses

Here's a tiny little piece from ABC News in RI...

ABC6.com - WLNE-TV - Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts
ABC6.com - WLNE-TV - Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts: "Motor scooter riders no longer need motorcycle licenses.

House Majority Leader Gordon Fox says that's good news for scooter riders and companies that rent them in Block Island and other tourist spots.

Fox sponsored the bill passed by the General Assembly today to update the state's laws regarding mopeds and scooters.

The Department of Motor Vehicles told police and others last fall that unless a scooter had pedals that could be used to propel it, riders had to have motorcycle licenses.

Fox says his legislation updates the law to take changes in technology into account.

He says scooters are fuel-efficient and ease traffic congestion and he wants the state to encourage people to use them rather than cars.
"

MCN: Honda's Funky Scootercycle, the DN-01, on sale in 2007

(Not exactly a scooter... but a close cousin. I dub thee Scootercycle!)

MCN: The UK's number 1 motorcycling magazine: "Honda's hydraulic-drive DN-01 - shown as a prototype in 2005 - will go into production in 12 months. It could consign conventional gear-changes to the history books.

Insiders say it will be on sale in Japan early next year and be available in Europe by the end of 2007."

Thanks to Dudel for The Scoop!

Madcap motorcyclists must be made to see sense

ShanghaiDaily.com - Shanghai Reporter trying to get the word out on child safety and mopeds/scooters.

Madcap motorcyclists must be made to see sense: "
Everyday when in traffic, I see moped riders wearing no helmet. What I find even more disturbing is, when I see an adult is steering the vehicle with a child on the back or even standing in front of the seat, holding onto the handle bars and not wearing a helmet.

Having ridden a motorcycle myself for many years, I know how dangerous they are and that one should only operate them with a full sense of responsibility.

This goes especially for adults who transport passengers and I'd even go as far as to say that infants up to a certain age should not be transported on motorcycles or mopeds at all.

Apart from tightening the law, people need to be educated to understand the risks and responsibilities. If you have the money to buy a moped there should be enough for a helmet as well.

The people are China's greatest asset and I hope to read and see less of these terrible things in the future. If you need to transport an infant, make use of the public transport system which is less dangerous. "

winnipegsun.com - Business - More 'Peggers riding scooters

winnipegsun.com - Business - More 'Peggers riding scooters: "The scooter was the answer to rising fuel prices and bombed out roads in postwar Italy in 1946.

For the same reasons, the trend is catching on in Winnipeg. In fact, the number of licensed scooters in Winnipeg has doubled in the last three years.

'There are about 1,400 out there right now,' said Manitoba Public Insurance spokesman Brian Smiley.

The rising popularity of the motorized two-wheeler has changed the look of the showroom at Brent McNaught Automotive Centre, a car dealership on Portage Avenue."

An ocean of windscreens

Parking
Originally uploaded by cienne45.

This must be Italy. Why Italy? Click on the image to enlarge it and you'll see a sticker that says "I (heart) Pesto"... Where else COULD it be? See the big image here.

Harshest Swap-meet find(?)

I don't know if I'd call it a "find"... it's more like a "rind"... a mere husk of a scooter. This was sent to me by Marc who says he saw it at a swap-meet for something like $300. It hurts my eyes.

Sweet Deals if yer near Detroit

Marc is having to shed these sweet scoots to make room for two other babies... No! Literally, little people babies, not scooters. These can be found on Scoot.net. I don't make it a habit to advertise peoples scooters here, but these really caught my eye. They are so pretty and the price is nice! Marc is asking $2900 for the Vespa and $3400 for the Lammy. These are a great pair of restorations. If you want additional info sent Marc an e-mail at Marc.Lillemoen(AT)takata.com (replace the AT with@).


1963 Vespa 150cc (VBB) ... $2999. very nice, no dents or scratches. Restored before I got it. Runs perfect and shifts better than new! I added the "Roman Head" and "Wings" about 1 1/2 years ago. If the "Roman Head" is not your thing I still have the original Fender trim.


1953 NSU Lambretta $3400: The scooter was restored about 2 years ago by Ron Bussey. Since than it has been driven less than 15 miles. The scooter runs fantastic. As you can see by the attached pictures it is flawless. Scooter's top speed is 40-45 MPH. This is a collector bike and should not be for daily riding. A similar one was up for sale for $4999.00 so I know is a great deal. In addition the optional clock is worth about $175 on it's own.

NADAguides.com Editors Announce Top Vehicles of Summer 2006

And the Top Scooter winner is...

NADAguides.com Editors Announce Top Vehicles of Summer 2006: "Top Motorcycle/Scooter -- 2006 Yamaha Morphous (MSRP: $5,199)

The scooter market is more than hot right now, so when we went looking for a winner in this category, we had plenty of beauties to choose from. One, in particular, edged out the competition. According to Valerie Rangel, Motorcycle Editor at NADAguides.com, the Yamaha Morphous is sporty, fun and just plain cool -- an obvious winner. 'I live in California with my daughter so our riding season is basically year-round,' said Rangel. 'I love everything about this bike. From its futuristic, ergonomic design to its more-than-ample storage space to its lockable trunk, LED taillights and dual turn signals, this scooter was made for fun-in-the-sun with chic design in mind.' The Morphous' 249cc double-overhead cam is a fuel-efficient power plant and its lockable under seat storage areas and dual turn signals (for added visibility) are just some of the 'added bonus' features. 'I'd love to hit Pacific Coast Highway on the back of a Morphous ... it's that cool.'"

Rising gas prices fuel scooter sales (time for those stories again)

CBC News
Disgruntled motorists who are fed up with rising gasoline prices are looking for other ways to get around town – and businesses that sell scooters are reaping the benefits.

About 1,500 scooters are registered in Manitoba – triple the number registered two years ago.

Kobi Hasid, who owns ScooterCity on Main Street in Winnipeg, says his business has more than doubled since he opened three years ago, and he credits the rising cost of gas for his success.

"We saw it last year, when we had the increase in the gas prices," he told CBC News. "A lot of people came and said, 'It's time for us to get something cheaper and get off the SUVs,' and once they get into the scooter, they didn't look back."

Brent McNaught has also felt the heat of the city's scooter market. McNaught's family has been in the business of selling cars in Winnipeg for more than 30 years, and under McNaught's guidance, the family is branching out into scooter sales.

Click the title link to read the whole story, eh hoser?

Bored? Why don't you watch this animated short. It's got a moped in it!

Check it out... It's call Le Building and it's pretty funny.

The most interesting thing is that it was one of TWO moped mentions on G4's Attack of the Show program today. The other was a mention of a new movie from Paramount Pictures called "Hot Rod", which features these guys as aspiring moped racers. No mention of a release date.

Sam wants to teach you about CVTs

It's a concept that is a bit hard to grasp for the casual observer. I've been told how CVT's work... twice, and I was still having a bit of a time visualizing it (without taking apart my Helix)... Then I found this little article from Sam at the Flexistentialist.org. If you've got a modern automatic and you need a little primer on how it works you should give it a read. If your a slow reader, like me, you should be able to get though it in about :15 minutes and it's well worth it.

Short Snippet:

The truth of the matter is, a new variator, springs, or weights WILL NOT increase your vehicles over all power! The power your vehicle produces depends on the engine, not the transmission.

What it does do is adjust your rate of acceleration, and at what RPM your motor runs at while it is accelerating, and at what speed the motor is reving when you reach the highest gear ratio available

Then he breaks down every piece in the drive train.

MCN - MadAss 125 due in May

Looks like the MadAss's biggest blemish is about to get some makeup! In the UK.

The MadAss with a 125cc motor is coming to the King's People in May. If you want one and you live in the USA, you're better off searching for "Lifan 125cc XR" on ebay and doing it yourself. No word on when to expect the official 125cc MadAss or the 88cc upgrade kit, but we'll keep you posted. (thanks for the scoop Steven W!)

MCN: The UK's number 1 motorcycling magazine: "Madass 125 due in May
The 125cc version of the lightweight Sachs Madass will arrive in UK dealers in may 2006.

Weight just 95kg, the fuel-in-frame design means it resembles a mountain bike on steroids. It also features a rear mono-shock with hydraulic damping and adjustable pre-load, twin headlights, LED tail lights, a 260mm front brake disc and a 215mm rear disc."

The kings of the corner - National - smh.com.au

The kings of the corner - National - smh.com.au: "THEY have become the hottest way to get to work in a city where traffic snarls are spiralling out of control and petrol prices are on the up.

Now the City of Sydney is catching onto the craze for scooters and is looking at significantly increasing parking for them.

Under a plan proposed by the council, scores of new parking spots for scooters and motorbikes would be created using space near the corners of city streets, now zoned no parking or no standing.

The proposal has the backing of riders who have been forced to scramble for spots after the number of scooters sold in Australia more than tripled over the past four years."

Scooter Rider Magazine Celebrates its Second Year of Promoting Transportation Via Scooter with the Scoot Commute 2006

Scooter Rider Magazine Celebrates its Second Year of Promoting Transportation Via Scooter with the Scoot Commute 2006: "Scoot Commute 2006 will take place from April 8 - 21. Our editor, BJ Strass, will cover a transcontinental route, starting in California and ending in Florida. The southerly route will keep a leisurely pace and utilize a minimum of interstates, focusing on scenic backroads and out-of-the-way points of interest. During the event no support vehicles are utilized; all necessary gear will be packed on the scooter. Mr Strass will also be meeting with Scooter Rider Magazine subscribers and interested media at stopovers. The planned nightly stopovers are:

Sacramento, CA 4/8
Bakersfield, CA 4/9
Tecopa, CA (Death Valley) 4/10
Henderson, NV 4/11
Phoenix, AZ 4/12
Bisbee, AZ 4/13
Las Cruces, NM 4/14-15
Ft Stockton, TX 4/16
Undetermined East Texas Stop 4/17
New Orleans, LA 4/18-19
Tallahassee, FL 4/20
Naples, FL 4/21"

If you are near on of their stop over spots, why don't you meet up... buy 'em a beer, or somthin'! Good luck BJ!

Primo ride through Montana de Oro

I fell in love with this shot that is, as the watermark shows, from scoot.net.
I found it in Zarzoso's flickr collection... yes... I do spend too much time in Flickr.
I assume this is the California State Park he's talking about. Either way, I think it would be nice to have blown up into a 48" wide print to hang on my wall (Hey Grant! Can we order this as a print?). Click on it to get a better idea of what I'm talking about. See more Rides of March rally shots here and another cool shot from Grant here.

NYPD Scoot

Looks like the Yamaha Riva 125 is still in effect for NYPD 6th Precinct. This cropped image is from Triborough's Police Flickr collection. This is a scooter that hasn't been in production since 2001 and I personally haven't seen a lot of XC125's around my neck of the woods.

I saw a Riva 125 for sale here. Pretty good condition... A little crazing in the display panel, but a nice example of 90's Japanese styling.