Comments on: 2008 Stella/Buddy/Roughhouse (with photos)

By: illnoise

illnoise — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:15:12 +0000

I did hear (fifth-hand) that the January Stellas are being classified as 2007 models, as they were an older batch that was expected to ship during the strike. Not sure if that’s true, or if any other mods can be expected for the later batches…

By: pocphil

pocphil — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:26:17 +0000

Scott,
Piaggio sold their Et4 Tooling to LML – There was nothing sneaky or underhanded about it. LML has been making parts and complete scooters for Piaggio since the Late 70’s / early 80’s. Despite many squabbles, they have always been manufacturing partners. There never has been a “rip-off” between PIaggio and LML or Bajaj. Believe me, if there was, Piaggio could have shut either company down in a week. Piaggio is more of a juggernaut than any of us can possibly grasp.

There does not appear to be any sort of number limitation on 2 stroke scooters. Yamaha has just re-released the Zuma as a 2 stroke and I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have done that without being able to sell at least 3000 units / year.

Phil
POC

By: illnoise

illnoise — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:35:13 +0000

Scott:

LML’s Stellas/Stars and presumably (if it’s true) ET4s are made with tooling they acquired from Piaggio, there’s a difference between a chinese “knock off” and what they’re doing. Also, Genuine is very involved in the production process, and has a fantastic dealer network, unlike a lot of the “knockoffs” you see out there. There’s a place in the market for innovation, and there’s a place for reasonably-priced third-world versions of classic scooters, especially since Piaggio, by their own choice, abandoned that market. I don’t know of any US. importer that releases exact sales figures to the public (even Honda, as far as I can tell, releases only one grand total for worldwide motorcycle sales annually, though Bajaj, for instance, is very public with their numbers). I’d bet money that Genuines outsold Piaggios and Vespas last year (at least in markets served by both dealers, and if they didn’t, it was because of the Stella shortage), and for that matter, I’d bet (at least in markets with Genuine dealers) that the Buddy outsold the Vino and Metropolitan last year. (at least 1 out of 3 scooters I see on the street in Chicago is a Buddy, and there’s a good chance one of the other two is a Stella.)

Piaggio’s innovation is great and all, and they’re the model for all scooter manufacturers internationally, but thanks to the devaluation of the dollar and the bloat and disorganization of PiaggioUSA, in the US, they’re selling overpriced scooters, and they’re dumping scooters on dealers with low margins, so their relationship with dealers is on thin ice. Genuine has faults, but they deserve their success, and with the Stella coming back, they’ll do even better. Good for them, they know the American market and have forged better relationships with dealers (and customers!) than PiaggioUSA. Costantino Sambuy laughed at the prospect of bringing over the PX, then ate crow when Stellas and Bajajs were outselling “modern” Vespas, and pretended he was doing us a favor by bringing over $5000 PX150s, which sort-of flopped. Sure the Vespas were arguably higher-quality than the Stellas, but they weren’t $2000 better.

I think you may be right about the limited number of 2-strokes, but a lot of companies seem to be working around that, not sure what Genuine’s plan is there.

By: Scooter123

Scooter123 — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:58:47 +0000

It is bad enough that they knock off the Vespa PX series now they want to knock off the ET4. This obviously shows the companies lack of imagination to develop something new. I guess if you can’t beat the Italians in design/function you might as well rip them off and chase after their coattails in the market place. At least they mention they are installing better cranks and bearings then the previous Stella’s. I wonder if they are going to be limited to the production numbers in this market (USA) since it is a 2 stroke. I think with most 2 strokes it is a limited number. I think it is 500 unit per year. I wonder what the year to date sales are on the Buddy and Stella’s? Does Genuine even report their numbers?

Scott

By: Professor Matthew

Professor Matthew — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:24:24 +0000

Let me know when dealers are dumping the last of the blurs just to get rid of them. Then I’ll think about getting one.

But I am interested in this news of a possible ET4 clone. Hey Phil, there’s a dealer down here I think should try to become the local Genuine dealer. Let me know who he should talk to in order to negotiate this.

By: Brooke

Brooke — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:18:22 +0000

I’ve seen the Italjet Torpedo (which seems an aweful lot like the CFmoto Charm series) on craigslist over the last few months. But last night I noticed that P-Town scooters in Portland is carrying them. That’s the first reputable scooter shop that I’ve heard of doing so. Any others? Where’s that rollercraft!? ha ha ha

By: pocphil

pocphil — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:59:16 +0000

The “Sunset” is also being discontinued being replaced with the “happier” looking Tangerine. I’ve got to say, the colors available are fantastic. I can’t wait to see them in my showroom. I’m pretty impressed with what the Genuine Scooter Company has done to meet the demands of the market. They’re the only company offering any sort of a Vintage Shifter, the only ones offering a twist n’ go smallframe that doesn’t reek of China or hurt my eyes (buddy 125/150) and they actually respond to what the customers and dealers ask for. Dealers as a group demanded Kymco bring in the Yup 250 over 5 years ago. Despite a whole lot of promises and many actual NEW bikes from Kymco they still haven’t given us a bike they already have in their inventory.

Oh, btw…Are there ANY Italjet dealers yet?

By: Eric Almendral

Eric Almendral — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:27:05 +0000

Just noticed creme Buddy is no longer available. Another popular color just became “collectible.”

By: Normalman

Normalman — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:39:41 +0000

Wow, the rumors are true. Stella’s back! Now where’s Elvis?

By: orino

orino — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:34:25 +0000

An ET4 clone, huh? Can you say “Stella II,” boys and girls? “Award-winning Italian design and easy twist-and-go operation.” I’ve told people since the LX replaced the ET something like this would happen, and nobody believed me…

By: John Gerber

John Gerber — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 04:45:50 +0000

Several months ago LML announced a couple of things that are likely to radically affect the U.S. scooter market. In December they are supposedly coming out with a four stroke scooter. More than likely it will be a ET clone which they got the tooling for from Piaggio before the breakup. Later in 2008 they are going to be coming out with a couple of other four stroke scooters. In all probabliity, these will be geared scooters which they had announced they were going to produce before the bankruptcy. This seems to be the niche they have decided on. I find it interesting that Scootering magazine is now implying that Piaggio is going to come out with a geared four stroke Vespa to replace the PX. Only a year ago at the factory in Italy Massimo Mirosi, head of European operations and number 3 in the Piaggio hierachy, told me that there probably would not be a geared four stroke Vespa. What a difference a year makes. Clearly they don’t want to be outflanked by LML.

By: Eric Almendral

Eric Almendral — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 02:17:51 +0000

Still praying for CA Stellas in Mayâ€”or whenever. They’ve been holding us at bay for too long!

No more pink Buddys? Huh!

By: lobsterman

lobsterman — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:35:04 +0000

Sorry to see the Blur go, but a Buddy 150… that should be interesting.