Powersports Business magazine reported in November that Schwinn scooter sales rose 440% in 2006, adding 200 new dealers. Not terribly surprising, since as far as we can tell, most powersports dealers first became aware of Scwhinn’s entry into the scooter market at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo in February, 2006, around the same time 2strokebuzz discovered that discovered TNG Scooters’ parent CMSI had filed suit against Schwinn parent Pacific Cycle. In a story in the December 4 Powersports Business, Schwinn Motor Sports VP George Simone claims that Schwinn’s name recognition and corporate backing is resulting in further growth — even in the face of the reputation of Chinese scooters, market saturation, the leveling-off of the scooter market, and higher gas prices — with more than 2,500 units sold per year. The company is aiming for 500 dealers and 5000 bikes sold in 2007.
Month: December 2006
New Vespa/Piaggio assistance number
PiaggioUSA has changed their roadside assistance phone number for registered Vespa, Piaggio X9 and Piaggio BV500 owners. The new number is 866-232-0083.
Bringing Back Those Memories
Surprised I’ve never seen this, it’s from 2004… Elvis just hepped us to Mark Joseph’s “Bringing Back Those Memories” video. It’s a fantastic clip with lots of vintage scooters and a great retro mod feel, but the song isn’t really my thing. The opening riff sounds like Bettie Serveert, but it quickly descends into teen-idol neoOasisness. Sure, I’m the only person in the world who doesn’t like Oasis, and Mark apparently made quite a stir in the UK when it came out, and Cy probably has a Mark Joseph tattoo on his arse, so maybe I’m crazy, you might love it.
L-Series: a bit more info
The Scooterscoop has translated a translation of a translation of a press release about CMSI/Lambretta Laboratories’ “L-Series” modern Lambretta.
ArgoUSA’s AR150-18
After admin SE’s tease on the ScooterBBS yesterday promising a “New Bajaj line,” ArgoUSA unveiled their new scooter today. It’s decidedly not a Bajaj, but the “AR150-18,” another presumably-Chinese-made Vino clone, mostly indiscernable from the TNG Milano, Schwinn Graduate, Baron 150VLA, and a dozen other generic scooters already on the market (although it does have front-and-rear disc brakes, and a Yamaha-manufactured engine). Saddled with a generic name and a $2500 MSRP (same as the Baron, more than the Schwinn or TNG) the AR150-18 is probably a decent scooter, but too little, too late to get the scootering world talking about ArgoUSA again, especially when you consider how few scooter dealers will be interested in adding yet another 150cc Vino clone to their lineup. The site promises “more models coming soon,” hopefully they’re a little more exciting. (Thanks for the tip, Professor Matthew)
Do the Motorscooter
Oakland, CA band The Hot Toddies encourage you to “Do the Motorscooter.” Great tune, sort of like our old favorite Cub, but able to sing in tune without Canadian accents.
Kymco at EICMA 2006
In all our rambling about the Piaggio Group’s EICMA offerings, we forgot to mention that there were 600 or so other manufacturers there. For instance, Kymco had several new bikes on display, including the Xciting 500 they’ve been teasing us with for a year (still not shipping). The new Super 8 (above), is a 50 or 125cc, 4-stroke, 14″-wheeled update of the handsome-but-underpowered Super9. The Grand Dink 125 (Grand Vista in the U.S.) somehow sired a family of “New Dinks” with 50, 125, and 200cc engines. Also on display was the new MovieXL125 scooter and some new motorcycles, including the Quannon 125 entry-level sportbike. Two bikes listed as motorcycles may be of interest to scooterists, the 5-speed Straight 125 looks rather like a modernized Honda Passport, while the 4-Speed ActivSR (50 or 125cc) appears to be the offspring of a Gilera Runner and a moped from the eighties. Neither is terribly attractive, but don’t let it be said there are no manual-transmission scooters out there. No word from KymcoUSA if any of these beasts will come to our shores, other than the Xciting500, which they’re already advertising.
Peg Perego Red?
The green Peg Perego Vespa GT seems to be everywhere these days, at wildy different prices, but The Conran Shop in the UK is the only place we’ve seen it offered in red. It appears to be the Peg Perego Vespa, anyway, minus the mirrors and the topbox, and with two small extra wheels.
Mankato, represent!
Peter Lundgren and Reggie Williams of Mankato, MN have their eye on the Cold Weather Challenge title this year. Will CWC glory return to its creator’s home state? Follow the action at 360.yahoo.com/coldweatherchallenge.
MCN interviews PiaggioUK boss
Portanje’s Nostalgia Collection
Kees Portanje’s famous Vespa museum has expanded their website since we last checked in (it’s been a few years!). The site now features hundreds of photos of Portanje’s scooters, album covers, posters, toys, and more. Good to know that the first three issues of 2strokebuzz are tucked away in a folder in a cabinet somewhere on the premises, waiting for a wave of mid-90s scooter-scene nostalgia.