TSS.TV - S2E2: The Smart Car test ride

This baby is hot off the press. Our video coverage of the Smart Car tour shot here in Austin. It was the FINAL day for the event and if you couldn't make it to the show in a nearby city, this is about as good as it gets until your dealer gets them in in a few months.

Sit back, relax and enjoy this 10 minute test ride. The quality is... um, ok. I'm working to post a bigger, better version tomorrow.

Yamaha Tesseract - Ouch, my brain!

As complex as the fourth-dimensional hyper cube after which it is named (ask Carl Sagan), the Yamaha Tesseract made quite a splash here in the 3rd dimension. What is it? A tall quadrunner? A 4-wheeled motorcycle? An MP4? I don't know how to classify it other than an oddity. Is there really any more of a benefit to having 4 wheels on a motorbike than having 3? I don't really see it... but it's fun to look at. I'd like to see how she handles the road. Until that time, if you'd like to see more big photos you can check out motoblog.it's Tesseract Gallery.


Thanks to Skorji for sending this over straight from the Yammy booth.

Cool new site feature - Email follow-up comments

We just got a cool new feature here at the scoop. Add a check to the "Email follow-up comments" box and see how people respond to your input. This is especially useful if you have a question. It might be a few months before someone answers it, but you'll be the first to know when they do. Enjoy!

NOTE> To the best of my knowledge this feature only works if you have set up your Google account with an email address.

Massive increase in Chinese and Indian motorcycle production

Here's little, but IMPORTANT piece I found over at that great UK cycle site, Visordown.com. Seems China and India are kicking up a notch in the sub-200cc category. Not sure how/if this will affect Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean numbers in the coming years, but it's something to note. Here's what Visordown had to say:

CHINA and Indian will produce a combined total of 36 million motorcycles per year by 2010.

China and India are developing tougher emission control standards for vehicles in the upcoming years, driving the need for cost-effective electronic engine management systems.

Indian companies expect to manufacture 15 million two wheelers a year by 2010, up from 6.7 million in 2005, while China expects to make 21 million two wheelers a year in 2010, up from about 17 million in 2005.

The majority of these motorcycles will be scooters and motorcycles under 200cc. The UK motorcycle industry predicts an increase in demand for these bikes, however the main growth area won't be Europe, but developing countries in the East.

Let's hope they get something worth a crap. That's right China and India, I'm taunting you! I dare you to produce something as good or better than a Super Cub.

Honda Puyo Concept - What Gummi Bears would drive if they had a license

Microcar fans might like this little concept from Honda it's the Puyo. This car is built pedestrian friendly... it's actually soft to the touch! One of the main things you'll notice, besides looking like a cute, goofy, squarish marshmallow, is the fact that it has NO hard edges. So, GO AHEAD! Step out in front of it! It won't hurt you, but instead with wrap you up in it's warm, soft puffiness and invite you to settle into it's soft chewy center. It's like a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man poop.

Now for the big question. Would I drive one? Would I be seen rolling down the street... on my way to work... in a big, squishy, four-wheeled pillow-mobile? Eh, maybe. I mean, it is sorta cute, in an ET kinda way. Chicks would dig it... always coming by to poke at its doughy exterior hoping that one day it would let out a cute little Pillsbury Doughboy giggle.

Not nearly the "hotness" that the Honda CR-Z is... and if I HAD to choose between the two I might go with the CR-Z (if I were feeling less confident that day)... but it's hard to turn down the "seamless soft box that is kind to both people and the environment". Let's go ahead and drop Honda's description on you:

PUYO
‘PUYO’ is a Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses the sensation of touching the vehicle’s soft body. It is meant to convey a warm, friendly impression.

The PUYO represents a new idea in mobility that brings together ‘clean’, ‘safe’ and ‘fun’ functionality in an environmentally responsible, people-friendly minimalist design featuring an ultra-high efficiency, small frame and fuel cell technology to please both users and onlookers alike.

-EXTERIOR-
The development theme for the PUYO exterior was to create a cornerless, ‘Seamless Soft Box’ form that is kind to both people and the environment. The goal was to create a personable design with the feel of an adorable pet, while taking advantage of the maximum spaciousness of the box-shaped design. The PUYO’s ‘gel body’ features soft materials to promote greater real-world safety. Moreover, the body has been made luminescent to guide people into the proper operating position and notify them of the vehicle’s condition, facilitating a more intimate relationship between people and their cars.

-INTERIOR-
Developed to have a ‘Silky Feel’, the PUYO’s interior is designed to provide a refreshing, people-friendly space imbued with a feeling of transparency. Features such as an instrument panel monitor, controls that take advantage of the elastic qualities of cloth to rise up when the vehicle starts up, luminous fluid meter displays, and a joystick for intuitive operation are all designed to gently support occupants’ senses and sensibilities.

AND... if you wanna see video of girls poking at the Puyo, go HERE.

Suzuki Skywave SS - Customized out of the box

Maggie in Saint Louie was so excited about this one she beat me to the punch (thanks Maggie). This is another concept, the Suzuki Skywave SS. I could describe it, but it wouldn't be nearly as impactful (not a real word) as the words written by Suzuki's high paid writing staff:

Express yourself to the fullest. I'm real.
Beckoning noise of club scenes. Swirls of dancing lights.
Air charged with waves of people, the crowd swaying to DJ-generated beat.
Is that light or yourself reflected on the mirror ball?
Individual style that doesn't get buried in the crowd.
Express and be respected. The Skywave SS.

Aero mask front face boldly expressing the Skywave SS custom style. Billet-aluminum handlebar stabilizer and colored meter cover which, in combination with the chrome-plated inch-thick handlebar, present full pride of ownership. Prominent emblems glistening like a dancer's accessories (rhinestone pasties?). Styling accents throughout that clearly sets the machine apart from other big scooters (unless you're in the Sexxxim Girls crew).

Don't look for this concept, or any Skywave for that matter, to find its way to our shores. This liquid cooled 249cc exhibition model is strictly for the Nihonjin, who say "Gwa! ha! ha!" to us, the unworthy gaijin.

More shots of the Suzuki booth at TMS 2007

Here we have some more Skorj exclusives from the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. In this shot we have the Suzuki Burgman 200, a modern big wheel (who's name I cannot make out) and under wraps, the Gemma; Suzuki's "Full-flat 2-seater" (which is really starting to grow on me, especially with a description like "A refined, low, flowing form. Full-flat seat built to let the rider and the corider ride with a greater sense of togetherness.")

Why don't you visit Suzuki's special 40th Anniversary Tokyo Motor Show microsite to see more of these fanciful concepts. They worked really hard on it, you should at least take a look at it.

Suzuki Biplane - Proves their design team still has some bite

I'm not saying I'm particularly fond of her design and buttons in place of brake & clutch levers? Um, I'm definitely not ready for that (though my wrists probably are). This is one of a handful of show stealers from Suzuki. CycleNews.com (see title link) describes the Biplane like so:

Shaped more like a bomb that would be dropped out of a plane than an airplane with stacked wings, the Biplane features a 1000cc engine wrapped in body work that flows through the swingarm and around the rear wheel. Front and rear suspension are automotive-like four-bar linkage designs, and the handlebar controls features buttons for the front brake and clutch rather than levers. The styling is surely to be controversial and not to everyone’s taste, but that has been the point with every Suzuki concept model at recent Tokyo Motor Shows: Suzuki are out to prove that their engineering is every bit as good as Honda’s and Yamaha’s, maybe even better.

Arigato to Skorji at FilmWasters for the exclusive shot!

More prime time scooter luv - SCRUBS

Sebastian over at AutoblogGreen dropped some coverage on the National Multiple Sclerosis Society raffle featuring THIS electric scooter from Bigassmotors. Seems that besides supporting this great organization Bigassmotors is also announcing the Scoot N Shoot N. It's an electric scooter in place of the good old track and dolly system. May not have the stability of the old system, but is a helluvalot faster and cheaper... plus, Scrubs has always had a little thing for scooters.

You WOULD have entered to win HERE but alas it's over.
Check out the video blog on the scooters creation HERE
Or watch the scooter in use below:

(Your new career is calling. Scoot N Shoot N Operator. May not pay much, but it's fun as hell!)

2008 Honda DN-01 Production Bike makes its debut

(A DN-01 will all the added bells and whistles. Pretty sexy!)

More great TheScooterScoop exclusives from Skorj at FilmWasters.com. This time we've got the final production version of the Honda DN-01 Automatic Sport Cruiser (not a scooter, but a two wheeled oddity for sure). Expect to see this on Japanese streets sometime next year. No commitment on an arrival date for the USA... and why WOULDN'T they bring it here? It has no competition in its class (yet).



(The production version of the DN-01's dash board)


(What the DN-01 looks like from the passenger seat)


(Another shot of Honda's new-fangled auto transmission the "Hondamatic")
So looks like it'll be the Aprilia Mana 850cc vs. the Honda DN-01 680cc vs. Gilera GP 800 850cc for the battle of the mega automatics in 2008. Arigato Skorj! We look forward to more great TMS 2007 coverage as the day progresses.

***UPDATE***
Our inside man in Japan does more than take pretty pictures. We also have reports of an actual release date for the DN-01. Expect to see this baby on the road August of 2008. I guess that makes this more of a 2009. That's all we know right now.

Suzuki Gemma - They are considering a cruiser scooter of their own

(see that thing that looks like a third seat up front? That's where you stow your helmet... and in some countries, it's actually a third seat.)

Arigato to Skorj over at FilmWasters.com for hookin' us up with the goods straight from the Toyko Motor Show 2007. The show opens to the public this weekend, but since you couldn't be there in person, we want to make up for it by giving you some exclusive preview shots. This particular shot is a media photo of the Suzuki Gemma concept.

Chris over at MCN had this write up on the Gemma

Suzuki has just revealed the Gemma concept scooter due to be unveiled at this weekend’s Tokyo Show.

The 250cc four-stroke scooter has a long, low riding position designed specifically to transport two adults around a city in comfort, according to Suzuki. The large dual seat is almost completely flat to keep rider and passenger weight low, and a large lockable cubby hole in front of the rider is big enough to take a helmet.

The Gemma is currently just a concept, but the concept appears well developed enough to reach production if the Japanese public like the idea.

(Here's a shot from the back showing that unique 'engulfed' rear tire and swing arm)


(and here's the dash)

Could this baby give the Helix and the Morphous a run for their money? Forget competing in the Gymkhana on this thing though. I saw how the Big Ruckus faired. It was like watching a rhinoceros play a game of Twister. This baby is like an aircraft carrier or a two-wheeled school bus.

Rumblings of the American arrival of "the most powerful scooter in the universe"!

Dudel is picking up something on this Scoot-ar (Radar for scoo... nevermind). What he's hearing is that Piaggio may be blessing us with yet ANOTHER Gilera rebranded scooter, the GP 800!

What does that mean to you and I? That we might be test riding a twin cylinder, 850cc, 75 hp, big-wheeled super-scooter as soon as 2008!

I welcome the idea of one day laying my hands on her aluminum handle bars and my tuckus on her exclusive Italian upholstery. You'll be the first to know if/when Piaggio makes the announcement.

Genuine Buddy gets some major face time on prime time TV

Somehow my wife got me to watch Desperate Housewives. I don't know how... wait a minute, I DO remember. She said, "Hey look! There's a scooter on TV!"

I put on hold my nightly pedicure, Cognac and a cigar... no wait, I was folding clothes, and she rewound to the point where I saw a brand new red Genuine Buddy, fully featured with the "Buddy" logo as clear as day. The dad and son were ogling her with a big smile on their face and the mom was saying something about wanting to raffle her off for the church. With such emotional turmoil, I can see why the show is so popular.

Way to get some product placement Phil! Was that planned?

Oddball Custom Fusion / Helix

Chrysler Airflow Scooter.
Originally uploaded by tokyo scooter stuff

As long as we were talking about the Honda Helix, I thought I'd bring this one up. Quite an oddball custom job that's for sure.

This image was titled "Chrysler Airflow Scooter" and has a comment that says "The second ugliest device on the planet.".

Eh, maybe. I know what the number 1 ugliest device is... The Colibri Vogel. It's on page 43 of the book "The A-Z of CLassic Scooters". I'll have to scan it for you one day. Absolutely atrocious.

Japanese demonstrate how to properly execute the "Helix Layback"

Arigato to seikatsu for sharing this photo called "Break at a streetlight". When you are stuck at a long light in Tokyo and you're on your Helix, just kick back and catch a "z" or two. I'm upset that I don't see a little animated snot bubble coming from their noses. *POP*

***update***
Changed the link from the "pool" photo to Seikatsu's original flickr image. Thanks again Seikatsu!

Quick Post - Lots of SH300i Pr0n

We already know that the Honda SH300i is a huge seller in Europe. We also know / believe that we won't be seeing the SH300i in the USA anytime soon. So, to fulfill your need for a little SH300i luvin' (I'm talking to you fellas of SCGT), I wanted to post this link sent over by Dudel. Lots of great photos of the SH in the wild and even a couple of videos, courtesy of Raptors and Rockets. Click on the title link to check 'em out.

Oh and if you wanna see ANOTHER scooter we don't have, the Yamaha XMax 250i, then they have a page for that too, HERE.

Manjit Bassan wins the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally

Damn! Mud bogging?! You ever seen anything like this at the Gymkhana?
Another year of the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally has concluded with Manjit "The Man" Bassan taking home the Rs (money). Here's a snippet:

It was lucky that a competitive sector was canceled due to heavy water logging. Under the circumstances, riders had to exercise extreme control while negotiating the steep inclines and hairpin bends. Practically all of them took a tumble or two and some even damaged their scooters.

Finally after a gruelling five hour ride the rally drew to a close at the K Stars Hotel, at CBD Belapur.

Manjit Bassan came first, clocking 38 minutes and 24 seconds on his LML Vespa. He
won a cash prize of Rs 5,000. Another former champion Shamim Khan from Nasik,
astride a Kinetic Marvel, was second with 39 minutes and 41 seconds, while Badal Doshi from Navi Mumbai finished third with a timing of 40:41. Nikunj Gala was adjudged the Best First
Timer while Amir Mithaiwala was adjudged Best Mumbai Rider. "It was an amazing feeling, the wind just blew into me while riding," he gushed.

At the end of the day, everyone was left in no doubt that the rally was as much about a good day's entertainment as it was about driving.

More news found by clicking on the title link or over here.

Wouldn't this make a cool moped?

This was found at engadget:

We've certainly seen a few unique bicycles in our day, but the Switchbike truly caters to a very unique crowd. This interesting creation, seen at Holland Innovation, looks like your average cruiser at first glance, but by simply leaning back and pulling up the handlebars, this thing becomes downright Chopper-like. Reportedly, the inventor is still looking for firms to take this thing commercial.

The Genuine Buddy gets a 250 mile test ride.

(Just checked the tire pressure and I'm ready to roll!)

What started out as a promise back in August evolved into something much larger. Back when Alix's journey was expected to be 9,000 miles ending in Crawford I had posted that I would like to ride up to meet her. Forty six days later I received an email from Alix taking me up on my offer. I was both a bit excited AND a bit bummed. I mean, think of all the things I could get done in this trip but, at the same time, think of all the work that has to be done with less than one month before she arrives. I put it out there and she called me on it... so I'll be damned if I'm gonna go back on my word. I'm doing it.

At that time I had a pretty narrow and selfish set of goals. I could promote the Scoop. I could support a cause sponsored by one of our sponsors, Genuine. I could have a story about a girl who rode 9,000 miles (which actually ended up being over 11,000) on a scooter. I might be able to finally give the Buddy a test ride. I could see how my new "summer time / inner city" Momo Helmet from sponsor Benchmark Helmets, held up in the long haul. That was about it... but this little story became MUCH larger. It became much more work, much more of a commitment, much more expensive and much more antagonistic than I even imagined... and if I had it to do over, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

First off, the Buddy? Bullet proof. No, not literally and no, I'm not simply saying that because Genuine is a sponsor of this site. The 250 miles I put on that scooter really changed my opinion of her. At first I wasn't completely sold on her aesthetics; additionally she looked just too damn small for a 6ft 200lbs dude. I remember thinking, "125 cc FOUR stroke? I'm not going to make it to Crawford in one DAY, thats if I even make it in one PIECE." But, I'm here to say that the Buddy is the best all-purpose scooter I've ever ridden.

Above our standard requirements of "tight fit and finish" and "good support and warranty", the Buddy offered much more. First of all, from a dealer standpoint, John C. at the Urban Moto Shop here in Austin said preparing the scooter was a dream and from her first moments of life she was ready to run her entire power band. There was no sputtering or stalling, just twist and go. Most scooters need some time for the rings to seat and for the spinny bits to get all oily and settled... you wouldn't wanna take 'em straight out on the road.

The Buddy is light weight and easy to control. Her performance on inner city roads is impressive. The suspension was a bit harsh, but the front disc / rear drum brakes did their job nicely. The only time the brake were a bit squirrelly was when we were fooling around riding two up with nearly 450 lbs of man meat on 'em. Surprisingly, she was still ridable.

On the freeway, yes we took the Buddy on the freeway, she did much better than I could have expected. I would never suggest you take a 125cc scooter on I35, but there were not a lot of options for us on this ride. We were in a hurry. No "scenic route" would have be able to get us from Austin to Crawford in 3 hours, so we took I35 to 317 most of the way up and ALL of the way back. Once I got past the unnerving feeling of being passed by cars, trucks and rigs doing 75 - 85mph I was ok with the freeway. My speedometer registered 74 mph at times, but I understand the Buddy's speedo is a bit generous. Alix said I was probably doing more like 68 and while there were times she could hit this speed it was during cooler temps, on a slight decline, with a tail wind. The Buddy that Urban Moto Shop provided was a bit tuned with an aftermarket pipe, roller weights and jets, but she was still in her break-in period. Her cruising speed was around 65 and on the trip home, when it was hot and we were getting blasted by head winds, my speed actually topped out at around 55 mph. Strangely, as soon as the sun set were were back on the I35 and my speed jumped back up to the 70's.

One more thing about her performance at top speed. She never felt unstable. Bumps in the road sometimes gave me a bone jarring rattle, but she was never scary or shaky. I think you could actually rider her at the 80 mph listed on her speedo (so that might be 74 mph) if you upgraded the shocks and maybe added a rear disc brake. You'd just have to be able to get her there (more displacement, higher compression, oil coolers, etc.)

I really got used to some of her features. Nice, bright headlight... useful storage pocket up front with cigarette lighter outlet (for charging the BlackBerry), ample storage under the seat for a change of clothes some snacks, drinks and a couple of cameras.

For three hour rides, the Buddy's seat was passable; not a Helix seat and not a Corbin aftermarket, but functional and actually MORE comfortable than some bigger scooters I've ridden.

The floorboard actually fit my size 11 shoes and allowed me to change position a bit but doesn't allow for a lot of adjusting if you are a rider with restless leg syndrome.

The aftermarket pipe we put on had a louder growl/ping so once we were getting on the highway I went with ear plugs. It's not a bother when you're on city streets where you vary your speed and of course the stock pipe is quite as can be.

The last thing and my only real complaint was that the handlebar grips were a tad small for my hands, which made wringing her hour out for 2+ hours straight a bit uncomfortable. (oh, and there was this weird rattle under my feet, but I'm sure it's just that the battery needs to be buckled in. I'll bring that up to John C.)

By now you're starting to get what I was saying about "best all-purpose scooter" though. If you had to cover some distance you could easily. If you still don't believe me ask Alix with over 11,000 miles or Keys with over 14,000 miles. In the city she's about as nimble as they get... almost like controlling a mountain bike. She has nice storage options; a place to throw your gloves and glasses, a place to stow your helmet, water bottle and beef jerky AND if you need more, the ability to tack on a front rack/basket and a rear top case. She is comfortable for a smaller rider, like Alix, or a bigger rider like me. She's kinda the VW Bug of the modern scooter world. So, you could buy one for the wife, but ride it around yourself.
Bravo Genuine, again I'm impressed.

PS>
Oh I just remembered... I'm glad the gas gage is a bit under stated, meaning when it hits the peg, you've still got a couple of miles of gas left in her to make it to the pump. Once during the ride I was overcome with the fear of being be stuck out in the middle of a corn field on empty, but luckily that didn't happen. Whew.

That was the scooter review part... Stay tuned for the Helmet review AND the emotional tale of the trip coming later this week.

Impact Jackts save their first life!

(photo from AMADirectLink.com's 2006 Indi Dealer Expo coverage)

Eddie H. alerted us to this exciting bit of news. Impact Jackets (who's website is having some issues at this moment) have come through for Joseph McPhatter. The news coverage goes like this:

BALTIMORE -- While motorists who have been in car crashes often attribute the help of air bags to saving their lives, a Maryland motorcycle rider injured in a collision is doing the same -- for a jacket.

Joseph McPhatter, of Randallstown, was injured in a crash on Interstate 83 after being cut off by another motorist in September. According to police, McPhatter was ejected 100 feet, hitting the ground at an impact rate of 140 mph.

Police said that McPhatter might have been severely injured had it not been for the Impact Jacket he was wearing -- a jacket that inflates like an air bag when a motorcyclist is in an wreck.

McPhatter suffered from sore ribs and knees and a few other minor injuries, but it could have been much worse, officials said.

Officials said McPhatter's crash was the first real-life incident in the U.S. where the jacket was used.

Well, that was a well spent $600 for Joseph! I knew an invention like this would be inevitable; I even sketched up a design for a airbag jacket about 10 years ago for a college project. Seemed like a no-brainer that has finally been put to the test.

So, what do YOU think? Are you sold on the Impact Jacket, or still in the "Eh, not gonna spring $600 for it" camp? Personally, I don't know that I spend enough time going fast enough to inspire the need for one right now. McPhatter had an impact rate of 140 MPH... I can barely get my scooter to do half that speed. If I often cruised the highways on a bike doing 70+ MPH, it would DEFINITELY be a consideration. Now if someone can just invent the "soft guard rail".
Oh, the title link above leads to the news site which includes a video. Thanks for the scoop Eddie!

***UPDATE***
Hrm... Apparently McPhatter was going 70MPH when he wrecked, and THAT causes a 140 MPH impact rate? Yikes!

Hehe, ah and one more thing. It may take a little while for riders to get used to unhooking the trigger cable. Don't be surprised if over the next couple of years you see a few hundred photos of officers standing next to their bikes like this:

(*Smacks forehead* D'OH! Stupid jacket!)

P.E.A.C.E. Scooter Ride is complete! Congratulations to Alix Bryan!

(The crew from the Urban Moto Shop in central Austin hosts a bang up welcome session for Alix to celebrate her 11,000+ mile journey.)

What a wild ride... 200 miles of freeway on a Genuine Buddy, just so I could get a taste of what Alix put up with nearly every day for 3 months. Accompanied by local scooterist, Heather, the two of us set off on a 3 hour journey to Crawford Texas to meet the P.E.A.C.E Scooter girl herself.

I've got thoughts and details galore to share, but it's 1am right now and I just got done editing the photos. The photos below are just everything I shot... so don't expect everything to make sense. I did include some comments to help out a bit though.

Complete write up coming tomorrow. If you can't wait you can see what CNN had to say about it. Local News Channel 8 did a piece, but I couldn't find it on line. ABC News was there, but I haven't seen anything yet.
G'nite!
-steve
If you'd rather just see the Photo Album instead of the slide show, click on the slide show and you'll get there.

ALL IMAGES (c)2007 The Scooter Scoop

except this one of the final mileage, courtesy of Mitch Bergsma.

Riding to Crawford, TX tomorrow morning at 9am

Tomorrow I'm meeting up with a woman who has completed an AMAZING feat... 11,000 miles across the USA in 3 months on a Genuine Buddy! While I'm there I'll be covering the event and then escorting Alix Bryan back to Austin where the Urban Moto Shop has a little BBQ & champaign toast planned for her.

• If you want to ride up with me, I'm leaving from Jo's coffee on SOCO at 9am.
• If you want to meet up in Crawford, I'll be arriving there at around 1pm.
• If you want to ride back to Austin, we'll be leaving Crawford around 4pm.
• If you wanna get in on the BBQ action, we'll be meeting at the Urban Moto Shop somewhere between 7pm and 8pm in Austin. Be sure to RSVP if you plan on eating: 512.535.6144

Wish me luck! I'll be doing 200 miles on a Buddy supplied by my good friends at the Urban Moto Shop (thanks guys!). It should give me just a taste of what Alix put up with on a daily basis for 90 something days.

Click the title link for all the details from Alix's trip.

Oh and to put 11,000 miles into perspective. If Alix could ride her scooter from Austin back to the city where her Genuine Buddy was built, in Taiwan, it would only be 7,784 miles.

If she were to ride another 1,400 miles after she reaches Crawford, she would have ridden the distance from the North Pole to the South Pole. WOW!

Matching helmets? Too cute!

That's just too cool. I don't know how I ended up at Cute Overload (it's in Steve's Bloglines account)... but that's not important right now (he goes there every day). What is important is the fact that these two have matching star helmets. Sweet right? There is another shot too, but you'll have to click on the title link to see it.

(Sorry it's been a bit slow around the office here, but it's only because my other activities have been burying me. I'll be out this weekend on a 200 mile journey in the saddle of a Genuine Buddy. I'll give you more details tomorrow. Time for bed. Ugh.)

PS> 200 miles ain't squat compared to what Keys and Alix have ridden on their Buddies... but it'll be a first for me on a 125cc 4t.

Third Coast Rally III was a success!

Wow! So much catching up to do. While I finish editing my photos, you should check out what was posted at Scoot.net .

Also, big shout out to Kevin (of WireTree) for this awesome video that would be even MORE awesome if it didn't have so many damn digital compression artifacts. Gimme a buzz man, and we'll see about getting a higher quality version posted. Love the time lapse by the way.

If you missed the rally (Lester), then you missed out on a damn good time!

Be sure to check out the next two events here in Austin:

THIS weekend we are honoring Alix Bryan of PeaceScooter.com and celebrating her arrival here in Austin and the completion of her monumental ride across America. If you want to join in shoot me an email at thescooterscoop@gmail.com

Then in November be on the lookout for the "Y'all Can Go to Hell I'm-a-Goin' to Texas Scooter Rally". A fun time to be sure. Details here.

More updates coming soon.

***UPDATE***
Posted my photos finally, but I'm still editing the captions. Check 'em out if you'd like.

Vespa launching a 30th Anniversary PX

Another Arigato to Aki H. who has been hot on the press release patrol and has dug up another interesting announcement from Vespa. Looks like they are releasing the last 1,000 Vespa PXs next year. This is a 30th anniversary edition celebrating the more than 3 million vehicles sold during their production from 1977 to 2007.

Here's the facts. They will be 125cc 2-strokes, they will be white, they will include lots of accessories (rear rack, chrome hub caps, white wall tires, windshield, numbered traveling case), they will sell for about $5,665.00 and they will be available in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK and that's it. It started in Europe, it ends in Europe.

Cyberscooter.it covers the Paris show

(Yikes! The Cargobike is creepy... riding one would be like humping a peep down the road.)

Here our super scoop sleuth, Dudel, offers his very brief take of the Paris Motor Show (the first auto show ever was in Paris, did you know that?). Take it away Dudel!

Cyberscooter.it has photos from the Paris show. The Can-Am Spyder made an appearance, as did the scooter-based Cargobike, the current Malagutis were in attendence, as was everyone's favorite the Kymco Grand Dink... it's not a party without the Grand Dink. Finally, in an effort to really REALLY piss me off Honda saw fit to - once again - display the GRF-1 (aka Griffon) featuring front storage for a helmet and a 750cc flat-four boxer engine mated to the HFT hydraulic transmission. It wasn't good enough to assert that this motorcycle-scooter fusion bike was a "near future model" back in 2003. No, in an effort to both frustrate and irritate me Honda saw fit to drag this bike to every show for the next four years as if to say, "Honda wants you to suffer, Honda hates you."

Um, ahem... Thanks for that piece of journalism there Dudel. No bad feelings for Honda or anything, right? Hehe. No really, I laughed out loud when I read that last sentence. Thanks for that round up. Any comments from the readers? You know you wanna take a jab at Honda. If you wanna see more photos from the show, click on the title link.

***UPDATE 10/12/07***
Of course Dudel isn't gonna let a little bad blood with Honda get in the way of his scoopocity. Below is a Honda concept called the Sphere and it's their answer to low-center storage on a 2-wheeler. I'm not sure if it stores as much as the CargoBike, but it's much more elegantly executed. You could also store your tiny pet down there like the helmeted chihuahua we saw.

Yamaha pulls out the stops for the Tokyo Motor Show

Yamaha makes the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show fun again with a boat load of new prototypes. Continuing with their tradition of flashing fanciful scooters during the Tokyo show and doing a damn good job of taking the spotlight away from Honda, Yamaha has some real eye-candy for you this year starting with their take on the MP3, or maybe even MP4 if there were such a thing. Check out the Tesseract Concept!

A a hybrid 4-wheeled vehicle powered by a combination of a liquid-cooled V-twin gasoline engine and an electric motor. It is also designed with a unique dual-scythe suspension that enables cornering with a lean (banking) like a motorcycle despite the 4-wheel format. There is also a dual arm-lock system that keeps the machine upright when at rest without a stand. It offers excellent performance and maneuverability with a machine width roughly equivalent to that of a 2-wheeler. If the grim reaper upgraded his horse, this is what it would look like.

Next on the list is this comfy little foot-forward cruiser, the Luxair concept.

This is a hybrid type motorcycle with a gasoline engine and an electric motor that function in parallel, with the electric motor kicking in during acceleration to assist the engine and switching over when cruising to perform a electricity generating function that re-charges the battery. The engine-brake force created during deceleration is also used to generate electricity to charge the battery. Yamaha’s super-thin YIPU (Yamaha Intelligent Power Unit) is built into the rear hub to provide the electric power assist during acceleration and when wheeling the vehicle by hand, and it also provides a reverse function. In a collaboration with Yamaha Corp. (music) this model also mounts a special audio system. That's all pretty pimp if you ask me. My ass is itchin' to sit on this baby. Maybe, if we're lucky, Skorji will have some sweet concept pr0n to share in two weeks. I can hardly WAIT!

Here's an update to a prototype who's name always brought a smirk to my face, the FC-me. This is the FC-Dii.

This model is a further evolution of the “FC-me” fuel cell motorcycle using a methanol-water solution as fuel, unveiled in Sept. 2005 with significant performance improvements. This new version is enhanced with new features including: (1) a Yamaha-exclusive compact cell stack that features the highest level of power density in the 1kW class, (2) a detachable lithium-ion battery for easy recharging, (3) modular design components, readily available parts and improved serviceability aimed at achieving practical use and (4) a fuel cell system which achieves a top-level performance of 30% system efficiency for a DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) system. The development of this model has been assisted with some funding from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Sounds like Yamaha will be the first out the gate with a fuel cell scooter at this rate. You GO Yamaha!

This cute little fold up is called the Bobby.

This is an electric commuter vehicle with collapsible seat, fold-in rear wheel, handlebars and footrests for compact, convenient storage. For owners of a cell phone with the FeliCa function (a Sony "non-contact" IC card technology), the main power switch can be turned on and off simply holding up your cell phone to the switch. The bike is also equipped to access a variety of Internet services. Sweet! I'm not sure exactly why I'd wanna access internet services while I was on my scooter, but I'm sure they have a reason why in Japan... Like the Jetsons, maybe the scooter reaches out to your microwave over the internet and warms up your noodles?

Now, speaking of Jetsons, if Judy rode a C3, it would look like this.

This is a convenient “minimum electric commuter” bike with a light weight, compact body with a helmet storage space. Nice! Looks like something I've got in my kitchen and in some ways it's almost neo-Vespa like.

The AQEL is back. Not sure where I had seen this before, maybe it was last years show.

This is a fuel cell motorcycle mounting the “Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System” fueled by compressed hydrogen gas from a tank with a capacity of 35MPa. By adopting a hybrid system mounting a secondary rechargeable battery and metal separators in the fuel cells, it has been possible to achieve a compact lightweight design. The adoption of Yamaha’s super-thin YIPU (Yamaha Integrated Power Unit) also improves environmental performance and increases ease of use as a commuter bike. Not bad. A bit awkward looking, but riding around with compressed hydrogen is a bit awkward anyway.

In a look back to Tokyo shows of old, we can see another fanciful concept from 1991 that remained a concept, the 1991 Frog EV electric scooter. This won't be at the show, I just figured since we were talking concepts...


We could also mention this thing, the Yamaha R Concept scooter. Where it came from, I have no idea... but it is kinda cool.


Thank you Yamaha for giving us something to dream about this year. We know we'll never see them on the road... but it's fun to dream. Arigato again to our scooper Aki Hasegawa in Japan for bringing this to our attention. Looks like he and Skorji will have their cameras BLAZING in the Yamaha booth!

French race car legend Matra returns as a green bike

One of our friends, FM, sends news from the Paris show that can be found over at CyberScooter.it (title link). This is the Matra, an electric hybrid bicycle that reminds me a bit of the MadAss if it were greener and a hell-of-a-lot more expensive. Here we're looking at a 60 mile range at 30mph (limited) on this electriped. She's expected to launch soon, but no word on whether or not we'll get to drop $5,000 on one here in the USA. Yes, you saw that right... $5k. I'd love one at half the price. To get more details in English, check out metaefficient.com

3CR3 Rally is THIS WEEKEND!

Publish Post
w00t! Tomorrow the denizens of Central Texas will begin to convene on San Antonio for the ever popular Third Coast Rally (of which we are a proud sponsor). The crew in SA are great people and excellent hosts! Last year's was a blast and I'm sure this years will be as good or better! I look forward to meeting you there (even though I'll only be able to make the night events).

Honda to show off two exciting new developments in Tokyo

Our good friend Aki Hasegawa in Japan caught this press release on the wind today. In it, Honda was announcing some tasty items to be displayed at the Tokyo Auto Show; both were items we had heard of, like the HFT, a newly developed hydraulic transmission system that looks rather spiffy AND the wicked Honda DN-01 automatic motorcycle (which shows up here for its "wheeled oddity" factor). The MOST interesting thing about the press release was this:

The HFT will be installed on the DN-01, a new motorcycle scheduled for market launch to be introduced at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show.

"The DN-01, a new motorcycle scheduled for market launch"!?, is the 2005 concept vehicle finally leaving the drawing board for a 2008 release? Sweet! Will we see it on showroom floors here in the USA? Let's wait and see. I've only caught word of a Japan/Europe release for 2008 so far. I'd really be curious to see how the V-twin Deauville's 65bhp, 680cc stacks up on the highway.

Arigato for the scoop Aki!

Bugs to squash?

(never drink a coke with mentos in your mouth and a helmet on your head... at least I hope that's what's going on here... the dog seems interested.)

I talked to someone today who told me they couldn't access TheScooterScoop.com or http://thescooterscoop.blogspot.com. They were using Internet Explorer on both an XP and a Vista system and it just sat there and eventually timed out. Now, once when they went the blogspot route, they got something to the effect of "This site may pose a security risk, we recommend you close your browser". This made me wonder, how many other people may be experiencing this problem.

Have you had any issues accessing TheScooterScoop from any computer or do you know someone who has? I'll be darned if I can figure out what's going on there... I mean I've got people who access it from an iPhone!

The other bug I still need to squash is that damned IE problem where the first post shows up fine, but the subsequent posts are WAAAAAY down the page. Works fine in FireFox and Safari, but eventually I'll have to get it to look purdy in IE too, I suppose.

A new issue of Custom Scooter Magazine is out

Since you don't get Custom Scooter Magazine where you are, I thought I'd show you the cover at least (no, I don't get it either). I mostly wanted to show you that CRAZY Helix custom on the cover. From this shot she looks absolutely beautiful. I wish a had the magazine to see her from all angles (I'm still talking about the scooter here). Anyone want to send me a scan with a side view? Or maybe I can convince one of my good buddies in Japan to mail me a copy?

***UPDATE***
Ask and ye shall receive! PHOTOS
Wanna know where to get the parts? HERE At the WhiteHouse

Kymco Xciting getting injected in March 2008?

Our friends at www.scooter-station.com have posted some images of the 2008 Xciting 500i R, which led me to wonder if we'll be seeing this baby in the USA. The answer is "Yes" and "I don't know". The "yes" is for the fact that sometime around March of 2008 we can expect to see a 500i, fuel injected version of the Kymco Xciting 500. Will it have an "R" tacked on and the design changes they are receiving in Europe (which from what I can tell from the image is the color scheme, a shorter wind shield and the fact that they have removed those big, bulbous mirrors)? "I don't know", at least right now. Let's hope so! No word on price changes either, but the current model MSRP is $5,999.00

I still need to give one of these babies a ride. I hear that on the highway it's like riding on a cloud. The only real complaint I've heard on the current 500 is that the tranny box is a bit wide which could lead to scraping on some deep left leans.