Apparently, the vintage Vespa scene in Phnom Penh is growing. The story actually sounds a lot like stories you’d see in American papers in the late ’90s. Now we know where to ship all the Southeast Asian scooters that ended up in the U.S over the last five or six years.
Author: illnoise
Haynes’ “Chinese scooter” book
Scooter-Station notes that Haynes has released one of their famous service manuals targeted to Chinese/Taiwanese/Korean scooters. Probably handy, but it can’t be too specific, even though half the scooters made in Asia are Yamaha Vino knockoffs, there’s a lot of variety there, too, and surely a wide variety of tolerances and torques and such, which is where the Haynes manuals usually shine. Still, knowledge is power, and even if it just covers GY6-style engines in depth, it’d be useful.
Black Jacked
POCPhil says “We just unloaded 8 boxes of BADASS.” Genuine’s “Black Jack” Buddy has been released into the wild. This season’s most highly-anticipated scooter (this season’s only new scooter, aside from the Symba, which is a motorbike, really,) will be at a dealer near you any day now.
Melody Maker’s Mod revival revival revival.
Ah, 1994. Back then I was going out to see bands three nights a week and spending $50 at the record store every night. I didn’t have a scooter yet, but I noticed the mod revival revival revival going on in Engerland and that (among other things) probably had some effect on my scanning the classifieds for old Vespas a year later. As a musicophile and anglophile since high school, I’ve certainly read my fair share of NMEs and Melody Makers, so when I came across Archived Music Press, it was heaven. Continue reading “Melody Maker’s Mod revival revival revival.”
Dealer Expo 2009, Part 2.5: Sorry, Chuck D.
“Public Enemy” “welcome to the terrordome” rap song lyrics
Lots more to cover, but here’s a little ditty while you’re waiting:
I got so much scooter on my mind
Newcastle Sign
“Michelle Rodriguez” on my ticket
Hear Phil Waters get wicked
My crew is few, we hype the Black Jack
Attack then we drank
and yacked, Then slapped the iMac
Now Im ready to post it
(you know I made up most of it)
Hear my favoritism roll, oh
OMG, is that Mattheu Solo?
TGB Lasers, scooters like Razors
Hallways to blaze, with brain and foot pain
The way Im livin, forgiven
What Im givin up
Ron on the Nikon, shoot this now
Where’s the party at later?
As for now I’m grillin at the Chinese pavillion
Man Ive had it up to here
CF Moto logos appear
Kymco’s a no-show,
saw P-town just a bit ago
never-ending show,
Adjust the white balance.
Work to keep from gettin jerked
Changin’ some ways
To way back in the 2-stroke days
Chinese hockey mask molds,
never mind the highway codes
Still thousands sold.
Never question what I am, Who knows?
Cause I’m comin from the bar
What I got better get some
(soft pretzels) master of scooter culture
hard-ridden
Been splashed in the face
But the helmet keeps fittin’
Eating nothing healthy, ranting with Chelsea
Seth and Dave and everyone elsee
Check the spec sheets
ripped a hole in my jeans knees
rolling on the ground, looking for a VIN please
Walked the halls, took the falls
Broke the laws
my Sambas are fallin
more or less square
Getting up there in years
Still. I growl at the plastic cowls
Thanking Christ Indiana’s not my home
So welcome to the Hooiserdome.
2008-09 Cold Weather Challenge Winners
The Cold Weather Challenge has ended for another year, even though it’s 18°F and snowing here in Chicago right now and Spring is nowhere in sight. Congratulations to the winners: First prize goes to Bob “Scootervillan” Hedstrom who rode over 10 miles on a 2007 Vectrix at -16°F in Minneapolis, MN on January 15. Bob’s our first winner on an electric scooter, and he’ll keep the title in Minnesota for yet another year. Runner-ups are Tom S. in Omaha (-11°, Yamaha Zuma 50 ) and Colin Doyle in Collegeville, MN (-10°F, Honda Ruckus 50).
Continue reading “2008-09 Cold Weather Challenge Winners”
Ice Capades
It all started with an email from Ryan: “So the doctor from the Love Boat was on the radio this morning…” Somehow that same paragraph ended with “so who wants to go to the ice racing finals in the suburbs tonight?” I couldn’t think of a better way to end the Cold Weather Challenge.
Continue reading “Ice Capades”
CWC extension: ends midnight SUNDAY
Today’s the last day of the Cold Weather Challenge, and it’s getting pretty damn cold in some parts. Tell you what, you’ve got an extension, until midnight Sunday, to beat Scootervillan and his Vectrix. Also, ALL state-by-state leaders get a consolation prize, so if you’re in a state with no entries, a 10-mile ride this weekend nets you a sticker. Do it!
Chuck Mead’s scooterrific new video (is back!)
This might be the most scooterific video ever, and would you believe it’s a country song? Check out the new video from BR-549 frontman Chuck Mead: “I Wish It Was Friday,” featuring a Honda Cub, Vespas new and old, Genuine Buddys*, and more, plus lots of footage from East Side Scooters in Nashville.
As far as country songs about weekends, It’s hard to beat Robbie Fulks,’ but Robbie, sadly, doesn’t have a video full of scooters. I wandered into a BR-549 show at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge several years ago, and that alone made Nashville my favorite city south of the Ohio and east of the Mississipi. (Thanks to Louie from Modern Vespa for the link!)
UPDATE: It’s back on YouTube!, thanks to KymCoJones for his behind the scenes videos and keeping us up to date on the progress).
* “Buddies” just never looks right in print.
Originally posted 2/15/09, updated on 2/25/09 when video was re-posted on YouTube
Corazzo Coffee Jacket
Bradford has unveiled Corazzo’s “Explosion of Pleasure” exclusively to 2strokebuzz readers, aka “Corazzo’s demographic.” We’ll give him the honors:
Every morning when I ride my scooter to work, I look over at the fellow trapped in his car and am admittedly jealous that they can have their coffee at the stoplight, all the while I cannot. Like most problems we come up against here at Corazzo we had to find a better solution than coffee-envy and patience.
Corazzo Design is pleased to introduce the revolutionary Corazzo Coffee Jacket, the perfect solution for the Scooter Commuter that wants to have their coffee on the way to work.
Using an original design (patent pending) born from necessity, the self leveling, automatically gimbaled Corazzo Coffee Jacket is constructed of the highest quality insulated softshell, keeping your coffee even warmer than it would be otherwise.In the days before the Corazzo Coffee Jacket, a scooter commuter might put their coffee in their glovebox, a viable solution sure, but will it cause a mess, absolutely. Our solution gets around many problems with one well thought out solution. Our insulated softshell stretches, making it perfect to fit a variety of coffee cup shapes and sizes. As well, the fabric is teflon coated, so it should stay stain free for a long time. The strap will fit on the bag hook of nearly every single scooter out there, and allows you to drink your coffee without removing the jacket.
Another real bonus comes when you have a full armload of stuff, that once unstrapped from your rear rack, will prevent you from carrying anything else…BUT WAIT…STOP THE PRESSES…with the Corazzo Coffee jacket, all you need is a pinky, and you can carry your coffee too. This is one handy accessory!
The Corazzo Coffee Jacket will be available around March 1st 2009 priced at a very reasonable $14.99, call or email Corazzo to pre-order
(More photos here, YouTube demo video to come later today!) Thanks for the scoop, Bradford. We’re not coffee drinkers here at 2SB but Bradford assures us it will also competently hold a 20oz RC Cola, so we’re on the waiting list.
Mates of State, DOT-approved rabbit?
Some sweet Lambretta Series III footage in the new Mates of State video for “Get Better.” Somewhere out there, there’s a Chrysler K-car site that’s really excited about this video, too. (There’s a higher-quality video at Barsuk’s site.)
How to destroy a scooter?
Oh, the fun we’ll have: A Discovery Science game show is looking for suggestions to destroy a scooter for a gameshow. Flyscooter clearly subscribes to the theory that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, ha.
(If you’re not a Modern Buddy member, post your suggestions here, I’ll repost them over there and credit you with the idea.)
Win a sweet Pink Puch!
Dan from Moped Army tells us his shop, 1977 Mopeds, is is raffling off a sweet-looking pink Puch Maxi ZA50 moped custom-built by Graham French. Tickets are $5, or 5 for $20, or get a free ticket with a one-page letter sent via snail mail. A winner will be announced at a party at the shop on March 6, 2009.
Dealer Expo 2009, Part II: The Bikes
In Part I of our Dealer Expo coverage, we mentioned there really wasn’t much new to see at DealerExpo, and fewer importers and distributors than usual. In Part II (you are here), we’ll look at a few of the more popular distributors, and a few newer importers looking to make a a bigger impact.
Continue reading “Dealer Expo 2009, Part II: The Bikes”
Berryoke benefit tonight
Chicago’s best Karaoke, Berryoke, is doing a benefit tonight at Frank and Mary’s for Patrick O’Dea’s nephew who was seriously injured in a auto/bicycle incident. If you’ve always loved karaoke but hated the music selection, check it out, the Berrys have everything good. Sorry for the late notice, I always put off posting local events until they get closer, then forget about it until the last minute.