SonufaMUTHA!

carambolage
Originally uploaded by regular gonzales.

Thanks to "regular gonzales" for sharing this photo of the domino effect on some Sushi West delivery scooters (Peugeot Ludix Classics to be exact).

Steve, why do you show those painful shots of scooters? Well, I figure looking at these will help you feel fortunate... a sort of "Sure, my clutch cable is broke... but at least my scoot is not a flaming pipe frame on the side of the road." kinda feeling. ENJOY!

Opinions on the Yamaha XC300

Scooters VI
Originally uploaded by spdl_n1.

Here's a scooter we don't have in the USA (suprised?). It's the Yamaha XC300. It's got sorta that two-wheeled sedan look about it.

Is it something you'd consider buying or is it best left to the Italians?

Motorcycle News - Jamiroquai , a new Scooter Celeb

(Seen here traveling without moving, Jay Kay gears up for a little virtual insanity... Did I over do that music reference?)

Jamiroquai lead singer, Jay Kay, has added a new edition to his vast fleet of vehicles – the new Vespa Vintage GTV 250 scooter.

Kay now joins other celebrity Vespa riders, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Stella McCartney and Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell.

The singer, who has sold more than 20 million albums, also has a limited edition Vespa GT60.

The new Vespa Vintage range has been launched as part of the Italian giant’s 60th birthday and includes the LXV and GTV models. These scooters have been designed to feature traditional features with a modern retro twist.

Annual Halloween Scooter Predictions are in!

(What does 2007 have yet to reveal besides YELLOW being the new BLACK? Let's look into the crystal ball for our yearly Halloween revelations! For entertainment purposes only.)

The Scooter Seer is picking up on some heavy vibes in the Scooter World. In the next four months expect to hear some pretty big announcements. Pay particular attention to the Milan show in 2 weeks with follow ups in the February dealer show.

We already know to expect the Yamaha C3 soon and the big SYM 250 in early '07... But it the two stroke smoke in my crystal ball is revealing what looks like a bigger CPI GTR. Expect the sporty GTR 150cc to hit the gym and come out 30cc's heavier in 2007. This could be very exciting if it comes to be.

Now, the ball reveals a mid-year release of the popular naked scooter, the MadAss, in a new 125cc form. No telling what the price will be, but you may wanna get that 70cc kit for your 50cc version to hold you off until then (we've got some tantalizing video on this to show you on this very soon).

OH MY! What is THIS?!?! Could it BE??? I cannot believe my eyes! It's a little fuzzy, but it appears that the ball is revealing some exciting announcements from CMSI... Not only on their TN'G line, but possibly on their thought-to-be-vapor-scoot, the "2007 Lambretta".

That's all I can say right now... my powers are fading me. I must get a scotch on the rocks.

In the meantime, makes plans to come back to TheScooterScoop.com for the Milan scoop in mid-November.

PS> According to a recent post from Illnoise at 2StrokeBuzz, we might see a brand spankin' new 2007 Italjet Dragster too! *fingers crossed*

Tokyo mirror repair

Tokyo
Originally uploaded by olivepixel.

Thanks for sharing olivepixel! Nice bit of rigging with the chopsticks I must say!

PS> Stay tuned tomorrow for what is RUMORED to be heading our way in 2007... All I can say is "expect a LOT of excitement at the Milan show in a couple of weeks!"

Scooter Jacket Survey

This notice was found on 2StrokeBuzz. Thought we'd do our part to help the students get their data. Here's what Illnoise says:

David Wang and a group of students from the University of Washington in Seattle have prepared a Scooter Jacket Survey for a class, with the goal of using the collected data to design and prototype the ultimate scooter jacket, and to hopefully bring it to market. The survey takes about ten minutes, unless you spend another ten minutes adding your ridiculously specific demands in the comments section. 2sb wishes them the best of luck, hopefully they’ll come up with something close to the scooter jacket we’ve all dreamed of.

Looks like something from a Trent Reznor video

Vietnamese meat transport
Originally uploaded by Josef_K.

Vietnamese meat transport... Hog's moped ride to Hanoi
is a shot taken by Josef_K. There's two ways to look at this...

It's either really gross, offensive and disgusting... or it's the first step to DEEEELISHville. Although I personally think it's creepy to see this muted tone photo of a splayed pig on the back of a scooter riding down the street... I still lean toward "road to Delishville".

I got dibs on the ribs!

Of COURSE there's a correlation!

Vespa
Originally uploaded by kazucolor_sski.

Let's see here... What can we put on the wrapper of our new Tomato Grilled Chicken sammage that helps people figure out what their eating... hrm... how 'bout a scooter chick on an old oil burner?! YEAH! Add a hippy chick on a a Vespa! That DEFINITELY says "Tomato Grilled Chicken!"

I'll have to ask Kazucolor_sski if this is from McDonalds.

Americans invented scootering

getting his jollies
Originally uploaded by Photo Mama.

Quickly becoming one of my favorite scooter photogs, Photo Mama in Hawaii shares this great shot of a Salsbury owner getting his jollies.

According to John at the Scooter Museum (http://scooter.lst1090.org/), this could be a Salsbury from the 40's. Whatever it is, it's in GREAT shape for 60 sumthin!

Must...resist... desire to import... SH300i

Here's the video ad for the NEW Honda SH300i.

The first part is a tale of young scooterists in love (ahhhh), who grow from the pair that shares the cozy seat of a cute little 100cc Honda SH to the couple that gets married and upgrades to a lovely 125cc Honda SH until finally they become a blazingly hot couple living the lifestyle of a nice upper crusty 3.5 family that rides around the European countryside on svelte SH300i's.

Quite touching really, though you may wanna turn down the audio... the soundtrack burns with the horrendous eardrum shredding energy of a thousand Bette Midlers compounded by the hammer / anvil / stirrup shattering force of a million Barbara Streisands, covered in a light Michael Bolton buillabaise and baked at 400 for 18 hours until it is done and immediately poured into your ear canals to cool. (An ex-CIA operative told me it's the same recipe used to... um.. coerce information out of Iraqi terror suspects.)

Anyway, the video then moves to heart racing shots of the SH300i, contradicted by a yawn inducing piano piece (as a matter of fact, why don't you play your favorite MP3 in the background and just kill the audio from the Googlevideo player all together... there, that's better). (some suggestions... Black Eye Peas - Pump it, Boston - More Than a Feeling, Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride, James Brown - I Feel Good)

The video ends with 30 seconds of the Honda logo. That should be enough time for you to sit back and day dream about speeding around town on 300cc's of 16" wheel havin', ABS Brake stoppin', sleek, sexy, Honda scootin' goodness. You know... I'm curious now... I wanna find out what scooterists think about big wheeled scooters. Here's the poll:

Now what does that tell you about moped riders?

(original photo by sea star... spray paint by yours truly... and it stinks in there!)

hehe... Had to take a little jab at the moped riders after I read this piece from the UK. Wrote-a-song-about-it-like-to-hear-it-here-it-go:

A SPONTANEOUS street party almost broke out among long-suffering residents when police closed a crack house.

The three-floor house in Stirling Road, Tottenham Hale, had been a gathering point for drug users and yobs, who spilled out onto nearby Hartington Park causing years of misery for residents of surrounding streets.

Sergeant Dave Sanders, of the Tottenham Hale Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "All and sundry stayed there. At times there were up to a dozen people in there all smoking crack.

"They used to congregate out in the road. Some of the teenagers used to be on mopeds all times of the day and night. It affected all the people in the area.

Video - No traffic lights, no traffic cops, and yet no accidents.

Thanks to Clay E. for emailing this to me back in May and to Toni C. for reminding me. Pure CHAOS!

Clay says:
This is a video taken from a roof in Begempet/Ameerpet between our ATC office and the Green Park Hotel (for those of you that are familiar with those landmarks in Hyderabad). Jules and I make this right turn once or twice every day on our way between the offices.

It is definitely not a peak time (busy traffic here makes the traffic just crawl in a tightly packed mass), I would guess that it is maybe 8:30 or 9 am (morning rush is at about 10) or a Sunday.

It has been sped up just a little bit, so do not be alarmed at the speed of the cars and buses (I am guessing that it was about 1.5 times).

Clay E.
Hyderabad, India

Go forth and enjoy!

(I dig the new moped crash protection system!)
Check out these images.
Thanks to both Clay and Bill for pointing these out for us. Great examples of human ingenuity.

Universal bluetooth headset about to get put under the microscope

This is a repost from some lame writer on another blog called GeekAustin. Anyway, why did we put it here? Because we're finally about to get our chance to give the Cardio Scala Rider a full-nelson. Why don't you take a second to become acquainted with the product as it was featured back in 2005 and keep an eye out for the full review in the next couple of weeks or so.



(thank you cardio systems for helping us Americans get up to speed)

Everyone knows the US is a great little country with lots of smart creative people, yadda yadda. But we are also the lamest when it comes to cool new technologies - ESPECIALLY in the wireless communication arena. Momo (specifically the Italian company's helmet division) has been in bed with Motorola for a LONG time now coming up with something that should have been done YEARS ago. A bluetooth headset for helmets. If you're on you bike/scooter and you get a vibrating in your pants (phone call), you have to pull over... Take off your gloves... glasses, helmet... pull out the phone and by then, you've missed the call. Imagine being able to just tap a little headset and start blabbin'.

Well it appears to be right around the corner for the poor ole technologically lame US. Yes, a company that I hadn't heard of previously is layin' down the lub with the ScalaRider - 100 RC/FM. Well... this is actually a bt headset that includes FM capabilities. Nearly perfect (assuming those function as promised). Add on Stereo headsets and the ability to hook up my mp3 player and IT'S ON! Not to say I still won't try to funnel money from the kid's college plan to pick one up... but it could use an extra bell and a couple of whistles.

Got this from their website:

The Scala Rider™ is an immensely feature rich tool

• Receive and initiate calls while riding your motorcycle
• Weather protected headset fits any motorcycle helmet even under rain and snow conditions
• Self-installation of entire system within 5 minutes, leaving no traces on helmet when removed. Instant quick-release and re-attachment mechanism for headset unit.
• HIB (High Impact Balancing) Microphone for inter-city speed conditions.
• AVA Technology: Speaker volume adjusts automatically according to ambient noise level and driving speed. No need to use volume buttons.
• VOX Technology. Receive or reject incoming calls by random voice control.
• Special clamp allows daily attachment or release of the headset from helmet within seconds.
• Optional FM Radio
• Optional Remote Control on handle-bar provides multiple cellphone and radio functions. Self-Installation in less than 5 Minutes.
• Recharging from any regular outlet.

1. Wind-resistant microphone also works at high-speeds
2. Quick-release clamp to attach or detach headset within seconds
3. Super-slim speaker fits any helmet and adjusts volume automatically
4. Large, easy-to-reach control button
5. Separate FM radio button
6. Separate volume and radio station search buttons

We'll see about that Cardio Systems.... WE SHALL SEEEEEEEeeeeee...
(steve backs out of the room with a fury of hand-wringing and evil laughter)

(If I get one to demo I'll give it the full-nelson and see if it submits or turns around and whups my pessimistic ass)

***UPDATE***
I'm startin' get get butterflies in my stomach. I don't usually expect a product to take me up on my full-nelson. The Scala Rider must be pretty confident if it's making the long journey down to Austin. I better start training now! No tellin' when it'll show up and WHAT it'll be capable of!

I'm sure the hubby is glad his scooter is OK.

Bill R. forwarded me this funny little bit and I wanted to share it with you.

To my darling husband.

Before you return from your trip I just want to let you know about the small accident I had with your pick up truck when I turned into the driveway. Fortunately, it was not too bad and I really didn't get hurt, so please don't worry too much about me.

I was coming home from Wal-Mart, and when I turned into the driveway I accidentally pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brake. The garage door is slightly bent, but the pick up fortunately came to a halt when it bumped into your car.

I am really sorry, but I know with your kind hearted personality you will forgive me. You know how much I love you and care for you my sweet heart.

I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again.

Love and kisses. XXXXXX

XOXOXO

PS> Oh and don't worry about your little scooter, it's JUST FINE! Kisses!

A first look at the SYM HD 200

(Thanks to Urban Moto Shop in Austin for letting me have my way with her! More pictures here.)

I had the chance to become acquainted with a relative newcomer to the American market, SYM. Their HD200 model was introduced to European markets back in 2004 and has really made a good impression. So, are they too late in the game to make a name for themselves here in the USA? I mean, look how long it took Kymco to make a name for themselves and most people still don't know who they are. Well, Carter Brothers doesn't think so. Their horde of sales persons are scouring the country as we speak, spreading the SYM gospel.

So, who is SYM? Well, some say they're Kymco's toughest competition and Genuine's biggest headache. SYM is another player offering a quality Taiwanese product for a pretty reasonable price.

So what is the HD200 ($3498)? Another entry into the 16" wheel market riding along side scooters like the Aprilia Scarabeo 150 ($4299), Kymco People S 200 ($3299), Piaggio Beverly 200 ($4499), TN'G Verona 150 ($2895), QLINK Pegasus ($2799) and even the new Aprilia SportCity 250 ($4599) nearly fitting into this category with a 15" wheel. (All prices MSRP)

Taiwanese made scooters usually fit into a middle category being more expensive than Chinese scoots and cheaper than Japanese and European scoots. With an MSRP of $3498, the SYM HD 200 definitely falls into that category. BUT, one thing you'll notice is how its price stacks up with other Taiwanese products, being more expensive than the People S 200.

Why would the newcomer SYM HD 200 be more expensive than the more established People S? Well for one it's got a liquid cooled, 4-port head, 171.2cc motor instead of air cooled, 2-port head, 166cc which spells better performance. The SYM also sports a fancy ceramic lined cylinder to help protect against wear. SYM is really pulling out the stops with it's engine here and you would hope for some advancements from a scooter company that's been in the business since 1953, right?

In my opinion, the Kymco People S looks more esthetically pleasing . I've not ridden one yet so I can't give you a head to head. But I can say I did enjoy my time with the HD 200. She was peppy and easily hit speeds of 50 MPH around the block. She is rated for up to 67 MPH and I could see that, but not much more. Now, don't get me wrong on the looks... The HD was nice. I was pleasantly surprised by the fit and finish with the only exception being a slightly loose, left brake handle. She arrived on the back of a trailer bed, so I'll take it as salesman road wear for now. All the jostling around and dealer test drives can put a hurtin' on a scooter.

The driver's portion of the seat was a bit short, like a bar stool, but comfortable with room for a passenger on the back. Now, I've gotten used to riding a Vespa for a little while and I'm not accustom to big tires but when this baby was on the road it was like riding on rails. That centrifugal force from the 16" wheels is really noticeable and helped to keep her riding upright (I think a 16" rider moving to a 10" wheel scooter would probably fall over on their first right hand turn... that's how hard I had to push to get her to lean). The shocks were sufficient for taking the edge off of a hard speed-bump and the disc / drum brake combo was VERY effective. Read more comments on the photos found by clicking on the title link.

What you're reading here is not an exhaustive review, but more of an introduction to the SYM HD 200. If the HD 200 I tested was a testament to SYM quality, I can say it does a nice job. Not exactly a Honda SH300i, but solid enough to last you a few ten-thousand miles. I enjoyed it very much and would consider it as an add to my collection.

I only had two major hits against it. One was the lack of stowage. It had room for the half helmet under the seat and a tiny compartment for your papers and that was about it. Balancing that out a bit is the fact that THIS is the case with most of the tall scooters... There's no Honda Helix trunk in these things, AND it does have a little luggage rack on the back which should allow the mounting of a good top case (I've been informed that a top case and windshield is in the works).

My other complaint was where to add the coolant should you find you're running low. When you look at the photos you'll see the little indicator window, but to fill it you have to crack open the head unit. This means the removal of like 6 to 10 screws to fill the coolant tank! So be sure to pack a phillips head screw driver just in case.

In conclusion I say that if you're looking for an introductory scooter with automatic transmission and motorcycle-like tires (see: stability), you should definitely put this one on your short list. Give it a ride... test out the People S... Heck you might as well jump on the Italian and Chinese tall scoots too, just so you know... AND then you can come back and give us the scoop on your tall scoot round-up. Be sure to check out the photos at Flickr by clicking on the title link.

Name that frame

Skeleton
Originally uploaded by darquati.

Darquati shares this image of a rusting shell of a scooter amongst the grass and tires. Can you tell what it is? Looks modern from the front, but it's so rusty, how modern could it be? Any ideas?

SOT (Slightly off topic) Scooter movie scene?

Originally uploaded by NoAnchovies.

Anyone see the movie "Little Miss Sunshine"?

Took the wife to see it this weekend. The flick is GREAT!

Yeah I know, if you've never heard of it, it sounds like something you'd see on Noggin (http://www.noggin.com/), except THIS show has a baker's dozen f-bombs in it... ie. "AGAIN WITH THE F$*&IN CHICKEN!? IT'S ALWAYS THE F$*&IN CHICKEN!"

Anyway... to make a long story short, this photo reminded me of a scene from the movie, where the scooters are parked in the corner of a motel and Greg Kinnear buys someones moped off of them. I wonder if any TSS readers were involved with that shoot.

Anyway, if you're ok with dark comedies and don't like child beauty pageants you should do yourself a favor and check it out.

Wow! Best modern kiddie Vespa EVER!

This from Uber-Review. Check out the DETAIL on this baby! Here's what they said:

I know, you can’t resist the cute picture. The kid-sized Vespa Scooter is for kids 3-5 years old and tops out at 5 mph. You can ride on dirt, grass or the sidewalk. The training wheels and kickstand are removable just encase your child wants to look cool.
Price:$250 at Sears.

Features:
Foot pedal accelerator and automatic brakes
Electronic engine sounds
Working headlight, horn and flashing hazard lights
Vinyl, capped non-skid wheels
Fully enclosed body, wiring, motors and gearboxes
UL listed; requires 12-volt rechargeable battery and recharger (both included); and 2 “AA” batteries (not included)
Two speeds to choose from - 2.5 and 5 mph
Holds passengers up to 85 pounds
Measures 42″L x 20.5″W x 30.25″H

4-Legged Oddity

I like what one of the commenters said:
"I wonder what kinda mileage he gets."

***UPDATE 10/31/06***
More info here.

Yamaha does fuel cell scooters

(It's like a C-cubed went back to the future)

DigitalWorldTokyo.com introduces it like this... "Visitors to next week's International Electric Automobile show in Yokohama will get a chance to see Yamaha's hydrogen fuel-cell powered scooter, the FC-Aqel. The 125cc machine carries two compressed hydrogen tanks and has LED lights.

Yamaha's previous attempt to use methanol DMFCs produced only enough power for a 50cc bike."

You may recall this 2003 entry by it's name the FC-me, which lent itself to many creative alterations. In case you're wondering about the name on this new baby, the FC-AQEL, it comes from FC for "Fuel Cell”, and AQEL coming from “Acqua (the Italian word for water)” and “Electric”... AQEL. Check out their press release here. Very fanciful Yamaha! Keep up the development! We'll keep an eye out for the production version.

***UPDATE 10/30/06***
More info is now here at Gizmag!

Ball Rotary Engine in a Yamaha apparently hauls ass

(I know... it's hard to tell what's going on in there where the helmet storage used to be.)

The Swiss mad scientists at Peraves-Kugelmotor haven taken a 400cc Majesty from a respectable 34HP @ 7250 RPM up to a road chafing 47HP @ 6000 RPM using their version of the Kugelmotor. What exactly IS a Kugelmotor? Basically a combustion engine in the form of a cute little ball. There are lots of benefits to being a cute little ball, but I suggest you read more about the Kugelmotor technology at the Huttlin-Kugelmotor website. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights of the technology from the Huttlin site:

The “Hüttlin-Kugelmotor®“ is suitable for diesel, gasoline, bio-fuel as well as hydrogen.

Special features:
- Spherical shaped
- No piston friction
- Vibrations and centrifugal forces are eliminated thanks to symmetrical storage of moving masses
- Very high compression pressure is reached due to antechamber compression integrated in to the system

Advantages:
- Lower consumption
- High power density
- system simplification
- Lower manufacturing costs
- Simple “Scale-up” due to magnification of the sphere diameter
- Multiple designs in row, star, box or V design are possible
- High ecological and economical acceptance

To what DEGREE these advantages show themselves in the FrankenYammy, I'm not sure; but I've sent an email to Peraves to try to get the scoop.

I'm also trying to secure some video of the experimental Yamaha on the road. Until then you can see a CAD video of the Peraves kugelmotor in action here with German text and no audio, but still cool to see how it's put together.

Thanks to BigScooter.com for bringing this into the light for us.

***UPDATE***

I got word back from Peraves CEO Arnold Wagner. Here's what he had to say:

Hi Steve,

The data requested will be available as soon as the drive testing will start. So far only static test runs in the YP-400 have been made and the adaption of the injection and the ignition are still not yet finished. ASAP we’ll send you material according to your request.

Best regards Arnold WAGNER, COB + CEO PERAVES AG www.peraves.ch

I can't wait to hear the results!

Powell's proud papa

powell scooter
Originally uploaded by Photo Mama.

I'll be posting a couple of swell photos from Photo Mama who lives in Hawaii. She has some well done photos of some CLASSIC American scooters. I think there's some Powell, Cushman and maybe Salsbury.

Idn't this one sweet? Looks like a hair dryer from the 50's. Unfortunately I can't give you any specs on her, so we'll just have to sit and enjoy the images.

Thanks Photo Mama!

Another nice shot

Vespa PX125 B&W & perspective test
Originally uploaded by heorot2107.

Heorot2107 shares this photo of a PX125. Even with all the chaos in the background, he manages to make this shot work.

The Vespa sits majestically amongst the rubble of the domestic back porch.

Scooter Voodoo

Abstraction
Originally uploaded by Adrien DONOT.

Here's a shot from Adrien titled "Abstraction".

Looks to me like some Nawlins Jedi Knights re-jetting voodoo.
Cool shot Adrien!

Important words of advice on helmets

Poop Face
Originally uploaded by nick fruhling.

Nick Fruhling offers this image titled "Poop Face" with this bit of wisdom;

"While riding home on my Vespa, a bird pooped on my face. If for no other reason, this is why you should always wear a helmet."

I hope that if you don't normally wear a helmet that this will help convince you to change your ways.

Honda introduces the SH300i to Europe. Shuns USA.

Since writing resources have been tight lately I'm going for a reprint of James' work from Retro Thing and hope he doesn't come after me with a pair of sheep scissors. James wrote this like a true scooterist and it fits so perfectly into our format... Here goes:

The Honda SH series is the best selling line of scooters in Europe. A quick glance at the 2007 SH300i is enough to know why. This 279 cc mid-displacement machine seems to be the offspring of a torrid love affair between a vintage Vespa and a sleek sportbike. Didn't I warn you not to rent out part of the garage to those strange kids across the road?!

The SH300i offers enough power to entertain while serving as year-round transportation, assuming you don't live in the snow belt. Power comes from a liquid-cooled SOHC 4-stroke engine and there's plently of stopping power thanks to a pair of 256 mm disc brakes in the front and rear. You'll also find ample underseat storage for a couple of helmets or perhaps even a messenger bag while you're on the road, and you're assured a smooth ride by the 16-inch 6-spoke aluminum wheels. I sincerely hope this vehicle makes its way to North America soon so I can take one for a (long) spin.

HEAR HEAR! Honda! We're on the verge of begging here. We don't get the Cub (or any of your 'cub' style scoots), we don't get the SH series, we don't get the Eterno, the Lead, the Dylan, the "@", the PS series, the Pantheon, the Foresight, who knows what else. Why don't you keep the HondaJet and give us some more scoots instead?

Please visit Retro Thing and click on all of their sponsor links. I didn't plan on having any more kids, but at my OWN digression. Sheep scissors are scary! See more pictures here from our Japanese friends at italscooter.net.

***UPDATE***
See more pictures of the SH300i here.

(A SH300i with the daily commuter / touring package)

The 2/1 wheel combo preparing to hit the motorcycle world?

(Sportbikes get the MP3 treatment)

From what I can make out of it, motoblog.it has the scoop on the new IRS1000. No it's not a new tax collection software, but a tilting 2/1 wheeled sportsbike. Could the MP3 be the beginning of a new trend in motorsports? Not to say it's the first to come up with idea.

Go check out their website for additional images and heaps of heady self promoting PR talk. From what I've seen of the website, it looks like they've spent more of their budget on engineering the product than engineering the webpages. I'm ok with that.

You MIGHT wanna take it for a spin every now and again

ivy-covered scooter
Originally uploaded by Lasagna Boy.

Haha! Thanks to Lasagna Boy for sharing this image of an ivy-covered scooter. I'm not sure if this is artistic expression or if the owner is a pile of dried skin and bones lying dead on the floor of his apartment... but either way this scooter needs to be rescued!

Watch out Piaggio! The American's got a 3-wheeler of their own!

This story is a slut (been around the block a few times), but it's the first time I've seen THIS picture of the Hemi powered Big Wheel in action. Courtesy of IGN.com, posted by Uber-Review and later I found it in bed with motoblog.it.... and I always take their sloppy seconds.
; )
Enjoy!

Sexy Lambretta

Thanks to Frenchie B for sharing this image titled "Sexy Lambretta". It is rather sexy I must say. I especially like the unique mirror mounting.

I got five on it!

(Yamaha Nouvo, the 115cc five passenger scooter)

They don't actually advertise it as a five passenger scooter, but they are succeeding in hauling as many people as my wife can cram in her CR-V (and they look just as comfortable).

This photo was captured by James Heneghan and posted to his flickr page (click on the title link to see more from his "Hanoi Scooter Life" collection.

Here's how he describes this one:

Anyone know who's driving?

"Fives" are an extremely rare sight, even for Vietnam. I only saw two examples of it in Hanoi and none at all on my visit to Ho Chi Minh last year. But this is the only time I managed to photograph it, and after waiting all day I managed to take this photo about thirty minutes before catching my train to China. The other example, which was four kids and a dog, would have been an awesome photo but they zipped past me at a distance of about two metres when I was using my telephoto. Pity.

Thanks for sharing the photo James! Let us know if you manage to catch a six-up!

MOST expensive scooter accessory

No... contrary to popular belief, Jessica Simpson is not the most expensive scooter accessory. No, it's THIS rare bird... A 1950's ULMA Vespa Grille Embellishment. I've seen one mounted on the legshields before and it makes your Vespa look like a MACK truck at nearly 18" across and 8" high. (I know I've got a magazine around here somewhere with a picture of it mounted)

So... Just HOW expensive are we talking? Well, this baby went for $1300 + $12 S&H! Good grief! That's more than a running Vespa would cost you! But, if you just CAN'T live without it, something-shiney has got another one starting at $800. Bid away!

Euro helmets finally available in the USA?!!?

(Hey! Someone is finally doing this!)

I've always said it would be great if someone could get in some cool Italian gear and sell it to American buyers. Well, someone IS doing it. Check out this ebay site! He's got Crommwell AND Momo helmets. No telling if we'll see any Tucano Urbano, but I wouldn't doubt it.

The prices are reasonable, about $250 for a Momo ($530 for the one with the bluetooth headset built in). Less than a ticket to Roma. If I were brimming with loot, I would definite consider it. I've held the Momo and it felt very well built and very light weight. The owner loved it and I could tell it was well used.

Great job eurohelmets! I hope you keep up your 100% rating! I'll be placing my order after my 1 year old gets outta diapers.

Deck out your family in Mod Rod gear, get $10 off!

Buy $50 worth of gear from Cafepress and get $10 off! They make GREAT Halloween presents (it's a new trend)! Just use coupon code HLWN2006 for "the hook up"!

Already got a Mod Rod shirt? Well there are plenty of other cool items to get, like:
A "TheScooterScoop" Shirt.
The same shirt in black.
Bumperstickers
and liiiiitle baby onesies.

Buyn' time

Scooter chopper On Target Mag
Originally uploaded by jonvarey.

Sorry it's been kinda quiet around here. I'm waiting for some final images to come in from the Rally so I can finish off that piece before moving on to the next. I'll try to get them tomorrow so I can polish it off and serve up some fresh scoops.

Melting! I'm mellllting.

Burned Scooter
Originally uploaded by evilsigntist.

Awww man! That's just wrong. I don't know what happened, but it's sad.

Photographer's eye

_MG_9949 2.JPG
Originally uploaded by maggfoto.

There is something about this shot that is awesome. I can't put my finger on it, but I like it.

Will we ever see a scooter tweel?

I covered this long ago. It may have even been on another blog. It looks cool, but I wonder if we'll see a 10" version for scooters one day. Think it will be safer for scoots?

Message to Austin riders from San Antonio's renaissance scooterist

(James, cold as ice, on his white Stella prior to the yellow ant graphic)

James Cobb, artist, musician, scooterist wanted to make sure the Austin Scooter crews got this message, so I'm posting it below. Check it out:

Steve -- I'd appreciate it if you'd post my pleasure at seeing
and meeting so many Austinite scooterists this last weekend.
I didn't get a chance to meet everybody that made the trip, but
to those I did meet...yourself, Kevin, Rachael, Jamie, seeing
James and Cate again, Lester, the two scooter ladies that went
home Saturday night, but hung at the Blue Star to talk when
the Drive-in flick was underway. ...a big thanks for helping to
make our rally such a good time. And a tip of the hat to those
who scooted to S.A. The Ne'r Do Wells/AlamoScoots crews
understand that the trip must be made to your city in like fashion
sometime in the future.
Best to all of you!
James Cobb
White Stella/white walls

And thanks to YOU as well! The S.A. crews were more than gracious with hosting this event and I know the ATX crews are all rested and ready for another round! We invite The Ne'r Do Wells and AlamoScoots crews to meet up in Austin for a cold pint or a hot cuppa ANYTIME!

Cheers James!
Piston Broke, Hells Bombshells, Austin Hooligans, and all the Austin massive and crew.

Steve's 3rd Coast Rally photos

3CR2 Scoot Rally

If you can't wait till the write up appears, you can sneak peek the photos here.

The3rd Coast Rally teaser trailer

This video comes to us from Kevin and Rachel of the Austin crew. No apologies for the quality, it came from a digital camera. Thanks for sharing!

Austin to SA on a Vespa... 3rd Coast Rally... MP3 Test ride...

(Processing... Processing... Processing...)

I made it back ALIVE and I have the pictures to prove it. I'll give you all the scoop on San Antonio's 3rd Coast Rally, all the 2-wheeled shenanigans, the city-to-city ride via Vespa, the test ride on the Genuine Blur AND the enigmatic Piaggio MP3. Stay tuned!

In the meantime here's a little MUSIC to keep you busy... Repeat ad nauseum. :D

(Just gotta get my camera back from Mark. Thanks for haulin' my crap back man!)

My Little Pony on Vespa Scooter (now you've seen it all)

My Little Pony on Vespa Scooter
Originally uploaded by niblog.

Whew... This will be a stinky scoop to send you out on, but you're likely to not hear from me for a couple of days and I figured you'd at LEAST get a good laugh outta it.

The 3rd Coast Rally in San Antonio awaits! Crew number one left at 2pm today and a crew of about 6 will be riding in tonight. If yer goin', see ya there!

PS> Thanks for the laugh niblog!

The MP3 and other Piaggio News

(Wow! The Fenderlight is coming to AMERICA?! [and other suprises])

Dang. In my preoccupation I've missed out on some important Piaggio scoops. Namely these hot tidbits courtesy of 2strokebuzz:

1) The MP3 will feature Piaggio’s 250cc electronic-fuel-injected QUASAR engine, the same engine found in the Vespa GTS. W00t! I personally am happy they didn't start us off with the 125cc version, I mean, I'm happy with my 125cc and all... but that thing was just TOO big for such small displacement IMHO.

2) The MP3 will not be called the MP3 in America. I was gonna say "beetle", in Italian, but it's already taken with "scarabeo ". How about Triton? Or the Piaggio Triciclo? Italian for Tricycle, haha.

3) The, as of now unnamed in America Piaggio 3 wheeler, will be on showroom floors this March or April.

4) Piaggio/Vespa MSRP price increases will go into effect November 1st. Ouch!

5) This one is pretty important so I'm just gonna paste it below from the 2SB post:

PiaggioUSA will soon announce the 60th anniversary models. Only 250 individually-numbered GT60s will be sold in the U.S. The bikes feature grey paint to match the original Vespa MP6 prototype, with a fender light and a leather seat. Other goodies include a wallet, key fob, book, and custom satin cover. The owner’s initials will be engraved on a silver plate mounted to the scooter. The 60th-anniversary GTV and LXV models will be a darker “Aveo Grey” with brown leather seats and retro-style speedometers. MSRP for the LXV is $5199, so we figure the GT60 is one of those things where, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.

6) Piaggio has some new models to announce, but not until the MP3 has had it's time in the limelight.

7) And, as Dudel mentioned in his comments the other day:

2007 USA scooter models:
* No more Scarabeo 250
* Scarabeo 100 4T as a new model
* Sport City 250 scooter
* Mojito 150 comes back to USA
* Scarabeo 50 4T gets new taillight, and is cheaper
* New Scarabeo 500 is a revamped BV500
* MP3 (or whatever it'll be called here) will retail for $6999

Thanks to Illnoise and Dudel for keep us in the loop for this weeks Piaggio dealer meeting... which I wasn't invited to... just an hour away from my house.

Stars on Scooters - Matt Damon

(Matt in Morocco, on the set of Bourne Identity III.)

It never hurts the scooter industry to show the residence of Tinseltown scootin'. Some big groups rely on recruiting stars to boost their following... not naming names here due to the fact that I don't want any men in suits harassing me... but I think you know where I'm going with that.

Anywho, thanks to Toni C. for bringing this one to our attention (I'm not gonna tease you for reading "Star Tracks" hehe).

A little of topic (qualifies as 2-wheeled oddity)

Aww, such a nice shot of a gentle waif and her pavement mauling Wraith. She has no home, but she has a hundred and twenty-five horses between her knees. You gotta love a girl with a $55,000 board-track racer, eh?

This shot is from the Confederate Motorcycle website. They make some out of this world bikes. No scooters as of yet though. Thanks to Motoblog.it for the notice and congratulations on your 1 million+ hits!

SYM is raising some eyebrows with the GTS 250

Sym is creating quite a stir with their large displacement scooter. The Sym GTS 250 (also see Voyager / JoyMax / Bolwell Firenze) reviews have started to pour in and I must say I'm intrigued.

CyberScooter put it through its paces just the other day and basically said "Great Scoot!", though they wanted to take it to the Dyno to be sure.

Brucer from Melbourne, AU gave her a stunning review on Reviewcentre.

The GTS 250 is, as you would imagine, a liquid cooled 250cc 4-stroke scooter with 13" wheels, rear disc, adjustable rear suspension, anti-theft device, CVT (automatic), and assorted cool design factors all at a reasonable price. What that price is here in the USA, I'm not sure... but I'll let you know as soon as I find out.

I'd like to give her a spin and see how she holds up to my impressions of the Honda Helix. I'll make some calls tomorrow to see if we can hunt one down for ya.

Taiwanese Ambulances

Ambulances
Originally uploaded by egilk.

Egilk's 2006 photo of Scooter ambulances in Taipei, Taiwan just makes me jealous. How about giving the EMT's some GTR 150's and send the C1's to my address? Deal?

Joel Martin does performance parts and... BEARS???

(Ouch! Hot!...Coffee...bean... bears *wife's lookin'*)

If you've got a modern scooter that needs a kick-in-the-pants and you've searched the web, chances are you've run into Martin Racing Performance (MRP). Joel Martin, an after-market maven, managed to turn his 1994 Malaguti import business into the performance tower of power-sports that it is today. So what's next? Why, Coffee Bean Bears, of course! WHAT?!

Haha! Well, you know... I'd try to make the connection for you, but I'm trying to retain the last of my remaining braincells, plus I think this press release does a fine job of putting it together for me.

I like the connection he makes. The missing link? JavaSpeed! Check it out:

Motorcycles and Teddy Bears, A Match Made In…Miami

Miami, FL, 09/13/06 -Can you think of any two products that are more different? Most would agree that teddy bears and motorcycles are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum in so many areas (edginess, safety, and size…just to name a few). That didn’t stop Joel Martin, President of Miami based MRP Racing and Chris Esposito, former VP of Malaguti USA from launching their new venture, Coffee Bean Bears.

Coffee Bean Bears are billed as, “The perfect gift or collectible for any coffee lover!” Each style of these premium bears are stuffed with a different flavor of gourmet organic coffee beans, emitting an amazing aroma. Every Coffee Bean Bear comes packaged in a collectible tin, and includes a sampler pack of ground coffee, as well as a uniquely numbered Coaster of Authenticity to indicate that each bear is one of a kind.

So how did these motorcycle guys jump into the world of cuddly plush? The truth is it’s the coffee, not the bears, that is actually the connection. Before launching MRP, the nation’s largest distributor of scooter parts and accessories, Martin and Esposito previously ran Malaguti USA, the company that exclusively imported the Malaguti line of scooters and motorcycles from Italy. Coffee is a very important part of Italian culture with Italy having been the birthplace of espresso. In fact, it was the coffee bars in Italy that inspired entrepreneur Howard Schultz, to open up a local coffee shop in Seattle by the name of Il Giornale, later to be know as Starbucks. Similarly, it was this exposure to this same cultural infatuation with this beverage that spawned the idea for the coffee stuffed bears.

Many scooter and motorcycle shops have already forged this connection between coffee and motorcycles. Some simply offer free self service coffee, others offer complimentary espresso based drinks, and some even go as far as opening up a full service café inside the dealership. A great example of this is Javaspeed located in Providence, RI. In addition to servicing and selling new and used scooters, they offer freshly roasted coffee in their showroom to encourage customers to relax and to provide their neighborhood with a fun new hangout. Javaspeed is now also a Coffee Bean Bear retailer.

Martin made it a point to state, “In no way do we believe that motorcycle dealers are going to be our primary distribution channel. However, with our tight connection to the industry, we couldn’t let this opportunity pass us by. I speak to dozens of shops everyday and many of them are looking for alternative sources of revenue. Coffee accompanied by coffee-related products like the Coffee Bean Bears, could be the answer.”

MRP will be offering complimentary Coffee Bean Bears with orders placed at the annual Indianapolis trade show. Details to follow.

For wholesale pricing and information on carrying Coffee Bean Bears in your retail location, contact Chris Esposito via email, chris@coffeebeanbears.com or call 1-866-364-8568. Product photos are available for publishing and product samples are available for review.

DIY 2-wheeled Ferrari

ferrari for the poor
Originally uploaded by ganggerl.

Magnum PI would have been more fun to watch if he were zipping around Honolulu on this baby instead... tho I'll admit, back in the day??? That Testarossa was the BOMB!