Month: November 2008

Pennsylvania DOT delays Chinese scooter registrations

The Scooter Scoop (welcome back, Steve, where have you been?) reports Pennsylvania’s DOT is holding all registrations of Chinese-made scooters for review. If this initiative covers any scooter with a VIN starting with “L,” it would not only target the fly-by nighters, but many legitimate NHTSA/DOT/EPA-approved importers and even top brands (like Piaggio and Kymco) that make some models in China.

We’re happy to see a state taking a stand against unsafe scooters and fly-by-night importers, but it seems Pennsylvania has cast their net a bit too wide, and is targeting dealers and consumers rather than importers. Hopefully the new system allows speedy processing of legitimate scooter titles, and penalizes the importers rather than the buyers of questionable Chinese scooters. The dealers deserve a big slap on the wrist, but the importers are the real criminals here.

Find more information about scooter VINs at our scooter VIN database and from Dr. Buzz.

Vespa at EICMA: a video tour

A video tour of Vespa’s booth at EICMA.

Here’s another general video with peeks of a few scooters and an overall idea of the number of skeezy European models at the event, which pretty much explains why Bradford paid $7000 (and that was just the fuel surcharges) to fly to Milan:

$315

The Scooter Scoop on a $315 motorscooter. He’s not clear if it’s wholesale or retail price, but I bet a lot of sub-$1000 scooters cost less than that wholesale, and in any case, keep in mind that’s AFTER manufacturer markup. Snobbishness aside, can you trust a scooter that costs less than a decent* bicycle?

*A similar drop in quality/price has been happening in the bicycle world over the past decade. My local bicycle shop, who easily supplied reasonably-priced parts for a 1960s Sears three-speed Vina found at a garage sale, won’t work on chain-store bikes, even the name brands. You get what you pay for when you spend the extra money at a reliable dealer.

FabMap Buddy giveaway

RandMcNally has been spamming all over the scooter community, but they’ve got an interesting idea and a great offer: They’re giving away a Genuine 50cc Buddy to promote their new FabMaps, maps printed on fabric that can just be wadded up and jammed in a bag, or used to clean your helmet visor or sunglasses, or to hold a hot sparkplug, or whatever else scooterists do with rags (badump bump!) Even better, the FabMaps are on sale for $2 with free shipping, I just ordered a few, the drawback seems to be that they’re limited to the trendy/touristy neighborhoods of trendier cities (Chicago, for instance featured Lakeview and the Magnificent Mile) but still, $2 is a good deal and if they’re not good maps, they’re hopefully good shop towels, or vice versa. Full review when we get ’em.

Cold Weather Challenge 08-09 kickoff ride

Ryetronics’ Cold Weather Challenge kicks off with a ride leaving the Kat Klub at noon on Sunday, November 16, 2008. Rules and more info will come soon when Ryan gets back from his mud bath in China. Here are three scoot.net galleries of CWC rides of years past: 2003 (Chad’s photos), 2004 (Chad’s photos), and 2005 (PJ’s photos). Ryan has promised that no live poultry will be abandoned over the course of this years’ kickoff ride.

Bradford checks in from EICMA

Got home last night to find an answering machine message from VCOA president, Corazzo proprietor, and part-time 2strokebuzz correspondent Bradford Duval, who was very possibly drunk. He didn’t clear up any mysteries about his GTS sidecar photo, but he did paint a colorful image that I’m still trying to erase from my head…

Hi Bryan, it’s Bradford. I’m calling from Italy. I hope you got the photo. Nothing particularly interesting at the Piaggio booth other than the GTS SIDECAAAAAAR which was FUCKING GOOORGeous… GORGeous! I would make that sidecar my matromonial BED if I got married again, and, uhhh, hope you’re doing well, lots of really great stories, and anyone who thinks that Piaggio/Vespa is all about the 2-stroke, you can tell them to FUCK OFF because I saw the prototype engine for the ’46 and IT WAS A 4-STROKE! And I got pictures. (unintelligible)…and VCOA is very strong and doing well over here…(unintelligble)…Eurovespa…(unintelligble)…Later, man, hope you’re doing well.

This is EICMA coverage you’re not going to find anywhere else. Gonzo! Stay tuned.

Nipponia unveiled

Scooter Station sure is excited about Nipponia. (Google translation) The designs are actually pretty novel and interesting (the “Renzo” especially). The Japanese company, now based in Greece, plans to produce these Italian-designed scooters in Greece using Chinese-made parts, and start selling them in Europe in late 2009. Type nerd trivia: Nipponia’s logo features the same godawful Revue typeface as PGO’s logo.

UPDATE: more from Motoblog.it.