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.
Category: Video
You’ll dance to anything…
I can never remember exactly when or why I started coveting Vespas, but it might have something to do with Dave Gahan’s Isetta breakdown in the Italian countryside. Luckily, Anton Corbijn happened to be there to catch it all on film. I forgot how much I used to like this song before the “Route 66” remix ruined it for me.
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar
Canadian TV host Rick Mercer has driven a lot of different vehicles while interviewing celebrities and officials, but nothing could be better than riding a Vespa following Neil Peart of Rush to the band’s “Batcave” for a drum lesson. Peart, aside from being an amazing drummer, has written two books about motorcycle touring, and another about “road music.”
“Wheely-Man”
Bad techno music, shirtless rider, shaky camera work… all the hallmarks of the Gilera Runner wheelie video genre. It’s sort of like porn: no plot, but plenty of hot wheelie action. (Via Moto-Blog.)
Ready To Ride? Baron Von Scooter ad
Chad dug up Baron Von Scooter’s long-lost television commercial, featuring several Chicago scooterists shilling the tupperware. This and another version, with a Harley dude suiting up then riding off on a scooter, were regular fixtures on late-night basic cable for a few months circa 2002.
MSF’s group riding video
From Scooter Diva: The MSF has produced a Group Riding Safety Video (right-click to download, it streams poorly). It’s definitely worth watching for some good tips (hand signals!) and Lindsay Buckingham-esque guitar riffs.
Spacehopper Quadrophenia
The mighty Spacehopper Quadrophenia, endorsed by no other than Pete Townshend, who describes the original, “…it’s just a boy getting on a train, and going to fucking Brighton.” (Thanks, Cha-cha)
“A Scooter Friendly Town”
Denver CBS Channel 4’s coverage of Amerivespa. I’d concur, I saw more scooters around Denver than in any other American city I’ve visited, and the local turnout for the rally was astounding.
Merry-go-round
If this doesn’t set you off looking for a playground on your way home tonight, nothing will. I hope those kids are allright. Via Cy.)
Les Nessman Scooter Crash
Chad comes through for us again: Les Nessman’s scooter crash from WKRP in Cincinnati. They don’t show the crash (that would have been expensive to shoot), but Les vividly describes it. I think another episode shows him riding over one of Cincinnati’s many bridges on a Vespa, maybe that will turn up someday.
Ghost Rider
Does this look incredibly cool or incredibly stupid? I can’t tell anymore, especially when Nick Cage is involved.
“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…
Scooter “Scrubs” on YouTube
Here’s the “scooter rally” bit from “Scrubs”, posted last night on YouTube by “bazookamsb,” I assume there’s more, I’ll keep an eye out for it. (forgot to watch/Tivo last night). (Becky points out in comments that that was all of it. Short and sweet.)
Bajaj sidecar antics, starring POCPhil
Rossi is allright, but he’s no Phil Waters, who sent us his tips for scooter sidecar jackassery, in this case featuring a Bajaj/Scooterworks sidecar combo:
- 3-wheel-skid: “With a 120 lb. rider we achieved full 3 wheel drift with a reasonable amount of control. Note the tire stripes on the entire parking lot.”
- Stoppie: “We completely “Stoppied” a sidecar rig (with the back tire a foot off the ground).” [no video of this one-2sb]
- Wheelie: “More dangerous than you’d think– If you try it from a dead stop or anything other than a left-skid it pulls too strong to the right causing you to simply ‘drive around’ the sidecar and nothing goes airborne… but you do end up running into whatever is to the right of you.”
Video from POC’s Avon Lake Ohio City testing ground: clip 1, clip 2, clip 3. (right-click to download)
Rossi wheelies scooter, avant Pays-Bas
Video of MotoGP heartthrob/champion Valentino Rossi wheelie-ing his custom Yamaha BW (Zuma), helmetless, before last Junes’ GP race in Assen, Belgium. Rossi, needless to say, won that week. I guess if anyone is allowed to wheelie helmetless, it’s Valentino Rossi. Thanks for the link, Brooke!