Crain’s story piques Chicago’s interest in Vespa

Stuart Luman’s story in Crain’s Chicago Business about Chicago’s lack of a Vespa dealer (2sb’s reaction) attracted a good deal of other media interest today. Along with some radio coverage and word of mouth, local culture site Chicagoist posted about the story (thanks for the link!). In a strange coincidence, the downstate Belleville News-Democrat ran a story about a sales spurt for local motorcycle dealers, including a bit about Vernon Carver of Moto Italia, the Edwardsville Vespa dealer interviewed in Luman’s story. Chicagoist’s blurb ended: “This was all just a “sky is fallingâ€? thing to see if we could make you want a Vespa. To tell you the truth, now we just want a Vespa.” Even PiaggioUSA knows, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Why no Chicago Vespa Dealer?

Stuart Luman of Crain’s Chicago Business explores the “Great Chicago Vespa Dealer Mystery.” 2strokebuzz talked to Stuart on several occasions about the story, to the point of probably creeping him out. The story won’t be surprising to regular 2sb readers, but Crain’s gets big props for coining the word “Vesparate.” Three points that the Crain’s story missed, in our opinion (we’re not bound by the rules of journalism or a capitalist publisher, ha):

  1. While Vespa of Chicago’s closure was a direct result of the bankruptcy of Sam Tomaino’s West Suburban Auto Group, the story does not address allegations that Tomaino intended to keep the local rights and/or sell them to a new dealer. There seems to still be some dispute over the rights, which is probably why the Olde Town Motocycle Shoppe has not officially been named the new dealer. It’s also unclear whether Piaggio approached the new OTMS/MotoplexUSA or vice versa, or how Dan Kay, the former Sales Manager of Vespa Chicago, now sales manager of OTMS, was involved.
  2. The story also does not address similar conflicts in other cities where the boutique concept was abandoned and original dealers saw their dealerships taken away, or alternately, were unable to find a buyer because of Piaggio USA’s dealer obligations.
  3. The story says Vespa of Chicago is still operating through the Diversey Boutique and is not offering service on bikes, though, as 2sb has reported, Tomaino’s Roselle location, while allegedly bare-bones, is servicing bikes, and presumably doing dealer prep for the Diversey shop, which was never a service center.

2sb has no agenda here other than curiousity, and from our conversation with Luman, neither did Crain’s, but we think the more interesting story, from a business perspective, is the failure (in many markets) of PiaggioUSA’s original upscale “boutique” marketing plan, which the current management finally seems to have to abandoned, along with some of their original big-investment dealers. 2sb lacks the sources and the resources to really follow through on this story, but a whole book will be written someday about Piaggio’s return to the US, no matter whether it’s ultimately a failure or a success.

Piaggio, Vespa scooters arrive at Old Towne Moto

2sb’er Matthew reports

Piaggio USA was just dropping off new Vespas and Piaggios at Old Towne Moto. Included in the mix was one of the Police stickered BV250s.

So despite any official word from Old Towne Motocycle Shoppe (1421 N. Wells, Chicago) or PiaggioUSA, it appears certain now that Old Towne (and presumably parent company MotoplexUSA) are Chicago’s new Vespa/Piaggio dealer. it’s still unclear whether the ex-Maywood “Vespa of Chicago” operation (now in Roselle) is an officially sanctioned dealer or service center, though 2sb reader Wezul reports they serviced his bike to his satisfaction.

Open track day at Norway

Ryan tells us there will be an open trackday this Saturday (July 8, 2006) at Norway Kart Track (the map looks vague, but you’ll see it). The track opens at 9am, and $30 buys you track time all day for scooters, pocketbikes, motards, and such. Safety wire is not required, but lights must be taped over. This is a perfect opportunity to try your bike out on a track.

Denver Post: 600+ scooterists at Amerivespa?

A column in the Denver Post is projecting Amerivespa/LammyJammy/Stellabration will “more than double” the size of Denver’s recent 300+ Mile High Mayhem rallies. If you’re planning on coming, PRE-REGISTER NOW to make sure you’ve reserved your place at all the events, especially the banquet at Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, which is limited to the first 500 registrants.

Chicago-to-Lake County ride

Patrick has organized a ride for this Saturday (July 1, 2006):

Kick off the weekend right with a a nice, long, fast ride (scooters capable of 50+mph only please). Meet at Beans and Bagels on Montrose/Ravenswood at 1pm. We’ll take Route 14 to 59 to 12. Our first stop will be in Defiler SC country, at Famous Freddies Roadhouse (4pm). Jim and a few others will meet us there. Tons of really cheap decent food and beer. It’s on the fox river. If wanted we could take the barge out to Blarney’s Island the only bar in the middle of a lake that I know off. After Hanging with the Defilers (6:30pm) we will head back up to route 14 and pick up Roselle road up to Irving Park to Woodfire Chicken’s Saturday night car show (8pm) and more food if you need it. All together, this ride is about 100 miles.

2sb has big plans for that Saturday (and maybe some big news next week,) but maybe we’ll catch up with everyone at Woodfire, their car shows are always a good time.

More Chicago Vespa dealer rumors

We continue to hear rumors that Old Town Motocycle Shoppe on Wells Street will soon become Chicago’s official Vespa/Piaggio dealer. Old Towne and their Cicero-based parent MotoplexUSA currently sell Aprilia motorcycles and scooters, another brand owned by Piaggio.

It’s unclear what happened when Sam Tomaino sold West Suburban Auto Group, but it appears a dispute between Tomaino and Old Towne may be holding up an official announcement. While the VespaUSA site lists no shops in the Chicago area, Tomaino has apparently opened a new shop in Roselle (with the same phone number once listed for the Maywood dealership) and vespachicago.com lists only the Diversey Ave. Vespa “boutique.” Ex-Vespa of Chicago sales manager Dan Kay is rumored to be involved in the MotoplexUSA operation. We suspect Tomaino is (quite reasonably) attempting to retain WSAG’s past customers and sell what’s left of the WSAG stock. In any case, this holdup can’t be helping PiaggioUSA’s sales during this busy sales season.

Fire’s new stadium: “What a beauty”

Fire Fans (Ana Reinert)
Photo: Ana Reinert

2strokebuzz were big Chicago Fire fans before the team even had a name, but we admit we’ve sort of lost track of the team ever since Peter Novak left and Milena was born and Soldier Field was renovated. We caught one match in the renovated Soldier Field and decided we hated it even more than the old Soldier Field. So we’ve been looking forward to the Fire’s new stadium in Bridgeview, IL, and apparently, so has the team. After starting the season with 9 straight matches on the road, they’re at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. But there’s hope: A good home crowd can spark the Fire to action more than any team in any sport I’ve ever witnessed, and an upcoming string of nine home games in the newest and best soccer stadium in America should turn their luck straight around. Tickets are available for their home opener next week against New York, though it appears only season ticketholders can score tickets for the MLS All-Star game (vs Chelsea!) in August.

Our friends Bob and Ana, Chicago ex-pats now living in Kansas City, scored tickets to the “Unofficial Home Opener” on June 11 (a 3-3 tie to New England). Bob says, “Oh baby, what a beauty of a stadium! Perfect to get the crowd riled up. Section 8 seating was loud enough to get the whole place jumping. We’re really jealous now.” and sent us some of Ana’s fantastic photos.

This World Cup thing is going on too… more on that later.

Mods vs. Rockers recap

2sb didn’t represent at Mods vs. Rockers but these two posts on CHIscooterList probably sum it up pretty well:

Patrick:

MvsR Chicago kicked ass. How many friggin bikes were there? Iit looked like 300 at least.

Ryan:

While we were on LSD I rode upto this guy on an ’80s BMW who everybody was following. I said to the guy “Where are we going?” and he said “Im just driving home from work,” and he looks back to see 100 bikes behind him.

Mods vs. Rockers Gallery at scoot.net

Mods vs. Rockers

Mods vs. RockersSorry, I thought I’d posted this earlier, but I hadn’t: This Saturday (June 17 2006) is the Ton-Up Club’s annual Mods vs. Rockers motorcycle and scooter show and ride at Delilah’s. They’ve ramped it up a notch this year and added a dinner at Delilahs and an “afterparty” at Liar’s Club at 10pm, along with a DJ, a band and more. If you didn’t get a chance to throw any deckchairs at the ModChicago party two weeks ago, now’s your chance. Now to decide: should you take the Triumph or the Lambretta?