Month: December 2007

NYPD Vectrix Test

Autobloggreen reports the New York Police Department will test Vectrix electric scooters in January. The NYPD has been using Piaggio BV200 scooters for several years, most famously in an undercover attack on protesting bicyclists at the 2004 Republican convention. This election, protesters won’t even hear them coming, and the hippies can rest assured that their captors are riding environmentally-friendly vehicles. (Thanks, Lalo!)

Vespa Attack 3

certeza.jpg

Speaking of the PI, our friend Jordan Cinco has just returned from the Philippines where he helped organize the third annual Vespa Attack rally. Congratulations to 2sb jersey winner Clifford Certeza (above), president of the Euroscoot SC, who is now also the president and sole member of the the Merciless Tigers’ Pacific Rim supporters club. As always, the stories and rally photos are incredible, and 2sb was proud to be a sponsor, but we would have much rather been a participant. Maybe next year.

Check out photos from the 2sb Gallery, Who Rides a Vespa, Jordan’s Flickr, Vexel9’s flickr, kap42no’s flickr, Vespinoy, and the Sexy Times Crew.

POC: Piaggio dealer training and the 500cc MP3

phil in hollywood

Our old friend and contributor Phil Waters of Pride of Cleveland Scooters sent this informative and funny dispatch with much insight about Piaggio’s dealer training, and some dirt on their upcoming scooters… including photos of the Piaggio MP3-badged Gilera Fuoco 500!

Last week The Rabid Badger (Renae) and I attended Piaggio Dealer Training in lovely Costa Mesa, California. A rumor has been going around that Piaggio is closing their Costa Mesa Tech Center to dealers. We would only be able to get future training secondhand from certified “training centers” located regionally. In other words, it sounds like Piaggio is going to make folks from “ABC Motorcycle Mechanics School” pay big bucks to attend a training class, which will certify them to train the ever increasing number of questionable Piaggio/Vespa Dealers at a cost I’m sure will be split with Piaggio/Vespa. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I haven’t been wrong yet.

Continue reading “POC: Piaggio dealer training and the 500cc MP3”

Motogiro d’California

Motogiro d’Italia is a motorcycle touring rally made famous in the 1950s and revived in 2001.  The event, showcasing classic Italian machines, is venturing outside Italy for the first, of what I would imagine will be annual, Motogiro America. The oil leaking event will be held in and around Monterey, CA preceding the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix in July 2008.  Webbikeworld.com reports that the routes will include a lap around the racetrack at Laguna Seca as well as scenic rides around the picturesque Monterey Bay area.  There is a range of entry classes including a “Vespa Class.” Hopefully other vintage Italian scooters will be allowed as it would seem very fitting to have some of the beautiful Lambretta D race machines participating (I’m talking to you, Alex).  It sounds like a dream week for any Italian Iron enthusiast.

Is It Time For An American Scooter Confederation?

The Australian website, mcnews.com.au, reports on an association of scooter importers that will represent manufacturers and dealers in an effort to “assist riders to avoid potential pitfalls”. This seems aimed directly at upstart importers of lower quality scooters brought in by the container load for fly-by-night organizations. The Australian Scooter Federation boasts membership from many top flight manufacturers including the marques of the Piaggio group, Honda, Yamaha and Kymco. The article states that the ASF members will conform to a ‘code of conduct’ to ensure high quality and dealer support. Is it time for such an organization in the U.S.A? I think so. I recall a little sticker on the gas tank of many an Allstate scooter that suggested there once was. Discuss.

2007-08 Cold Weather Challenge

It was just brought to my attention I never posted the Cold Weather Challenge info, oops!

Ryan, who’s run the CWC for the past few years, just tied the knot and decided to take a break this year, so the Cold Weather Challenge is being run by his autonomous cyberspace doppelganger “The Real Rye”. Here are the rules in detail. In short, the CWC starts December 1 and runs through the end of February. If you ride more than ten miles in ridiculously cold weather, email the CWC or post your info at The Real Rye’s Myspace page. It’s all informal and on the honor system, so give it a go and we’ll see if someone outside Minnesota can win it this year.

2SB/MT jerseys: free shipping for Christmas

Merciless Tigers FC

Wear what these losers are wearing!

JERSEYS ARE NOW SOLD OUT, thanks for your support!

Haven’t heard much from the team lately, though Scooter Dave caught Jim M. wearing his out on the town one night. Last I heard, they’d finished 4th in their indoor league and started a new season, in the spring they plan to hook up with an outdoor league (and hopefully I can catch a match during the WKRP rally.)