MP3, Piaggio Lineup, and Vespa Colors Slashed
A Piaggio/Vespa dealer has told 2strokebuzz that a new 2Q 2012 dealer order form from PiaggioUSA has eliminated a large share of the Piaggio product line from the U.S. market, most notably the full range of MP3s.
According to our source, The Piaggio MP3 250, 400, and 500cc three-wheelers are no longer available to dealers, and the promised MP3 Yourban 300 will not replace them, let alone the endlessly-hyped hybrid that Jay Leno promised dealers in 2008. It appears Piaggio is totally abandoning the MP3 in the United States.
(UPDATE: Other evidence suggests the MP3 Yourban will be available in the U.S. later this year, probably with 350cc displacement. see comments.)
The BV lineup, previously available in 250, 300, and 500cc displacements, is now limited to the new 350 model in black or silver only.
The Vespa line is being desaturated in a more literal way, with a far smaller color palette. The Vespa GTS/Super 300i is no longer available in red, and the Vespa 150 LX S loses its red, orange, and two-tone versions, it will now be available only in Black or Titanium.
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Scootmoto Update
I’m going to shut down our sister shop, Scootmoto for a while and start from scratch, probably integrating it into the 2strokebuzz main site. The shopping cart software was junk to begin with (expensive junk at that) and a couple years later, it’s almost unuseable.
I’ll leave it open for a couple days, so if you’ve been eyeing a 2strokebuzz “Beat Happening” t-shirt or any of our other wares made by scooterists, for scooterists, act fast. I’d offer a storewide discount, if the cart software would allow me to. Sorry. Free scootmoto decals with all orders, how ’bout that? (Yes, we always did that anyway.)
Stock levels are subject to inaccuracy, but I’ll let you know right away if we’re out of something.
BMW Scooters: Lost in America?
I haven’t talked about the new BMW scooters much here, mainly because I’ve always felt once you hit 350cc or so, there’s not much difference between a scooter and a motorcycle, aside from an automatic transmission.
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Ask Dr. Buzz
#24: Dr. Octane
Today’s rather than answering a specific reader question, let’s rebuke a common misperception that comes up every few days on every scooter forum:
My (dealer and/or manual) told me to use premium gas in my Asian scooter.
Scooter News
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MP3, Piaggio Lineup, and Vespa Colors SlashedA Piaggio/Vespa dealer has told 2strokebuzz that a new 2Q 2012 dealer order form from PiaggioUSA has eliminated a large share of the Piaggio product line from the U.S. market, most notably the full range of MP3s. According...
Instant Club HitWho knew the Clubman exhaust was 30 years old? or who really cared? Well Mark Broadhust apparently does and has devoted a lot of time and energy into the exhaust. It’s no secret that Mark and his company MBDevelopments...
Scootmoto UpdateI’m going to shut down our sister shop, Scootmoto for a while and start from scratch, probably integrating it into the 2strokebuzz main site. The shopping cart software was junk to begin with (expensive junk at that)...
This is a Test, and an Update.I’ve been trying to get 2strokebuzz posting reliably to the
MP3s Lost In Translation: An Efficient Italian Assembly?SIP Scooter Shop shared a video on their Facebook page today. It is a National Geographic program clip about the Piaggio factory in Pontedera. The video has a few shots of vintage machines in their museum. But one of the...
Vespa ET4 “Life Destroyer” Limited EditionCan’t believe none of us have woken up to this on a rally Sunday morning: Vespa covered in abusive graffiti by vengeful lover. Ouch! Via Vespa Lexington (a month ago, sorry).
When News Breaks…
…we put it under a tarp in the garage.
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- 2 February 2012 @CS_312 Eurovespa is $100 and they get *way* more support from Piaggio. Spectators are free though. (no rides, private events, etc)
- 1 February 2012 i meant "early bird," pre-reg will still be available. It's Feb 1, register before they see my tweet and change the price, ha!
- 1 February 2012 http://t.co/Yd9k551M pre-reg ended yesterday, but lucky for me, they hadn't switched it yet, if you haven't registered yet, do it RIGHT NOW!
