When scooter news breaks, we put it under a tarp in the garage.
Patrick from Baron Von Scooter sent us this interesting story about
the fall of scooter popularity in India, generally considered to be one of the hottest scooter markets. The decline in sales has even put LML’s ET4 knockoff on hold. Analysts are hoping for an upturn on the heels of the Honda Eterno and several new Bajaj models. Maybe what they really need is the timely-named Sauron. Middle-Earth evil, available now at BVS.
Bill from scoot.net sent this link to Yamaha Papercraft, with downloadable templates to build paper models of Yamaha motorycles (including the T-Max scooter) and (inexplicably) seasons and animals. Check out the “accessory kit” that comes with the YZF-R1. Something else to do over the holiday break, as if we don’t already have enough.
The Chicago Blackhawk’s greatest defenseman, Keith Magnuson, was killed in a car crash outside Toronto. Magnuson was very active in the NHL Alumni and Blackhawks Alumni and did loads of charity work, and he’ll be missed by hockey fans everywhere. especially when they visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. How many great players will we lose (Tim Horton, Herb Brooks, Dan Snyder, and almost Vladimir Konstantinov) before we learn that hockey players should travel only by rail?
Frequent and beloved 2SB contributor David Lucash, who has been walking around with a diamond in his pocket for a year, waiting for the “right time,” has finally asked Jennifer Sieve for her hand in marriage. As everyone but Dave expected, she said “yes.” No date or further plans have been set. Go Dave!
Casey of the Ten Year Lates (Cincinnati, OH) let us know their site has been updated and improved. It also now features the scoot.net rally calendar and our news feed, making it a one-stop daily read for Southwestern Ohioans. Feel free to add 2SB news to your site (with appropriate attribution) using this link.
There’s something eerily familiar about the Belladonna RV 150. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems like I’ve seen it somewhere before. From (who else?) M5.
After a month or so of rumors of the demise of Scoot! Quarterly, Barry and Casey announced on the BBS that scooterists Josh Rogers, April Whitney and Mike Zorn will be taking over the magazine. Thanks, Barry and Casey for your hard work, and best of luck to the new crew!
Robert Volz posted a conversation with “new lambretta” designer Jeffrey Smith on the International Scooterist BBS. Smith didn’t give much away, but it’s a start. Meanwhile, across the scootering world, the rumors and innuendo fly regarding the distributor and the manufacturer.
It’s “Italy: Back from the Grave Week.” Today, AGI Online reports Moto Morini has been brought back to life by the Morini and Berti families. No word yet on products. (Thanks Lucash.)
LambrettaUSA announced today that Lambretta scooters will return to the USA in 2004. I haven’t seen anything at all for a couple years about the Lambretta comeback, apparently the Khurana family of Seattle owns the name. “Lambretta.com” and “LambrettaInternational.com” are both “under construction.” The US distributor will be CMSI, who also markets Ural Motorcycles and TN’G scooters. Many thanks to M5 for the news.
Piaggio’s rumored 850cc scooter is still under wraps, but the new Gilera Ferro 850 is an automatic motorcycle based on the same engine. Automatic motorcycles have generally been disappointing, but this one seems pretty hot. Thanks to M5 for the link.
Apple.com features a profile of Vespa Soho in their “Macs in Business” section. It’s a big PR wank, but nevertheless a worthwhile read, especially Zach and Wen Schieffelin’s insightful comparison of Apple computers and Vespa scooters.
It’s been about a month since I sent an email to the Chamber of Commerce, and I’ve heard absolutely nothing from Mr. Roper. The Aprilia boutique has opened, after hiring their staff through a Chicago Reader ad, and several 2sb readers have reported that they’re just as snobbish and clueless as Vespa boutique employees.
The India Times reported Thursday that Bajaj and Piaggio were meeting to discuss production and technology collaberation. Bajaj produced Vespas under license in the 60s and 70s and has been making their own scooters based on the design of the Vespa ever since. According to the story, Piaggio already has a production plant in Baramati, India. The India Business Standard reported on Saturday that Piaggio India Ltd, with a plant in Surajpur, had merged with Piaggio & C. S.p.A, and will cease production of scooters and now only produce three-wheelers, while the Barmati plant will produce three-wheelers and a new four-wheeler called the Quadricycle for the European market. The story also reports that Piaggio plans to export US $12 millon worth of components from India. Thanks to Patrick from Baron Von Scoot for the lead.
Here’s your chance to win an ET2, helmets and/or mobile phones from Samsung. Registration required.