How about that!? Metromix mentioned us (And Tracy Butler’s crash) in their story about renting a scooter in Chicago! Thanks!
Month: May 2006
“The perfect scooter for a mandolin player,
or a coroner for small children”
(Photos showing the under-seat storage better explain the Ryan’s description.)
As we suspected the other day, the Yamaha VOX scooter is actually on the market in Japan, with a fun flash site to promote it (if you read Japanese). Now Japanese mods (don’t laugh, you wouldn’t believe how many Japanese mods there are) are surely torn between vintage scooters and a spiffy retro scooter bearing a brand name synonymous with the British Invasion. (I suspect they’ll stick with vintage).
The story of Japanese musical instruments roughly follows the development of their motorcycles: Japanese products that started life as cheap knockoffs (are you listening, China?) eventually surpassed many Western instruments in quality and features, at a much lower price, and eventually dominated the market and put the original makers out of business (are you listening, corporations?). So it’s a bit funny to learn Vox’s parent company, Korg, is owned in part by Yamaha, and they’re leveraging the brand name to sell scooters.
Testes, testes, 1-2-3: Morphous airbag?
Yamaha is testing an airbag on the Morphous. I’m not sure about that placement, as Guzman noted, it’s awfully close to your ‘nards.
400cc MP3 due in winter, Gilera version in works
This interview with Piaggio France’s marketing director (undated, and in french) claims Piaggio will unveil a 400cc MP3 this winter, and that a sportier, Gilera-branded version is in the works.
Scooter races in Houston this Sunday
Via the Battalion via Scootersmith: Scooter racing comes to Houston this Sunday, May 28th. More info at Texas Mini GP. Good to hear, now someone get it going in the Midwest again!
Galewood 2K6 Update
We’ve updated the Saturday Galewood schedule. In short, meet at Rutherford-Sayre Park (Oak Park Ave @ Shakespeare Ave) for Kickball at 1pm Saturday, and Moe is having a scooter garage sale/impromptu swap meet at 1848 N. Nordica at 4:00, then the BBQ starts at 5:00 with judging at 6:00. Complete details can be found here. (Update to update: there will also be Chicco Scooter races at the BBQ, so if you have a toddler and a Chicco scooter, bring ’em.)
Ban Hock Hin
Singapore scooter “fleet manager” Ban Hock Hin Co. manufactures some pretty interesting scooter conversions for Asian businesses. I thought this was an LML Porta-Potty but alas, it’s not. I’ve got no doubt they could make a few dozen toilets on wheels for you.
LML lockout continues, future uncertain
Indian scooter manufacturer Lohia Machines Ltd (LML) continues to fight financial and labor woes, as a lockout starting May 7–following strikes and protests–continues amid complaints from the workers’ union that interim payments are not being distributed properly. (It also appears they’ve blown off their web hosting bill). It’s unclear if LML has produced any scooters at all since the beginning of the year. While the Indian business press has frequently reported on potential investors and buyers, nothing has come of these rumors to date.
With demand for small motorcycles and modern automatic scooters on the rise (in India and worldwide), the Honda Eterno, Bajaj Chetak, and LML Star together accounted for only 16% of Indian scooter production in 2006, including 95,000 Eternos, and a combined 70,000 Stars and Chetaks. The Chetak presumably outsold the Star in the Indian market, so LML could certainly benefit from the Chetak’s recent demise (not to mention the demise of the Vespa PX150). Another sales boost comes from the hot, but relatively small, market for the Stella and Belladonna (both LML-manufactured variations of the Star) in the USA and New Zealand, respectively.
As it stands, most US Stella dealers are running very low on stock, and Genuine’s large backorder is–at best–months away (LML surely has domestic obligations, and Belgian, British, and other international dealers are promising a 2006 model). Sadly, it may never come, unfortunate considering US demand has never been higher. Genuine’s deal with PGO (manufacturers of their Buddy 50, 125, and Black Kat, along with other models likely to be announced soon) should reduce the shock on Genuine, their dealers, and scooterists, and Belladonna has introduced a Vino knockoff to their lineup. But those with their hearts set on a Stella would be wise to act fast and settle for whatever color they can get (some colors appear to be sold out nationwide), or place an order for what, if it comes, will likely be the last batch of metal-bodied 2-stroke geared scooters to ever see American soil.
Ghost Rider
Does this look incredibly cool or incredibly stupid? I can’t tell anymore, especially when Nick Cage is involved.
Peter Moore’s US scooter shop tour
Girlbike reports that Vroom with a View author Peter Moore is on a booksigning tour for the next week, stopping at Scomo (VA), Scooters Originali (NJ), Vespa New Orleans, and Erico Motorsports (Denver) in the next few days.
Scooter Bunny T-shirt
If you, like Zach, want to recreate the famous photo of me mowing my lawn, and unlike Zach, you want to do it right, you’re gonna need Project Porkchop’s “Scooter Bunny” shirt. Lucky for you, it’s on sale for only $9.99.
Radio Panic
Britpop internet radio station Radio Panic is awesome in theory, but doesn’t seem to work in Safari (thanks for the link, Jennifer). Hmm, I always thought Bloc Party was just pretending to be British…
“You can probably see that we’re pretty tough”
Another of Chicago’s greatest moments in televised scooter crashes: Wild Chicago’s segment on DeathScoot 2000 (Slaughterhouse VI), YouTubed for your pleasure, just this minute, by Chad. Ignoring the fact that every voiceover describes the exact opposite of what is being pictured, it’s still a classic. Goodtimes!
“Tracy! are you OK?”
I heard about this when it happened a couple years ago, and never thought I’d get the chance to see it, but thanks to the dual magic of Tivo and Youtube, here it is: With mere seconds of instruction and an unbuckled half-helmet, WLS Channel 7 meteorologist Tracy Butler crashes a Vespa, during a PR piece with Vespa of Chicago’s Sam Tomaino. God bless you, Vespaway. Now if only I could find Les Nessman’s Vespa crash on WKRP…
What Would Ganesh Ride?
Speaking of Big Ass Motors, I love their BBS ad. Oh, the lengths people will go to to sell 2004 Chetaks. Shame, really, they’re lovely bikes.