Category: 2sb Archives

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.

My first music review for 75 or Less is up. 75 or Less is part of the mighty Slatch empire, if you miss “What Rocks Us” on 2sb, check out those two sites everyday, I stole most of my links from them anyway.

Andrea sent this BBC report: The British Ministry of Defence (ironically, MoD) is attempting to copyright the Royal Air Force rondel, a.k.a. the “Mod Target.” The british mod fashion industry, including The Lambretta Clothing Company, who are unable to make a single item of clothing without a target, are challenging the MoDs action, claiming the logo is public domain. Funny stuff. Maybe Germany could copyright the swastika and put all all the white power assholes behind bars. Or Russia could shut down Tom Clancy by charging him to use the sickle and hammer.

Lucash sends us two seemingly unrelated stories: Aprilia is partnering with Hero to build and sell scooters in India for Indian and export markets. Meanwhile, top Indian manufacturer Bajaj will produce bikes in Brazil for the South American market. Weird that they both announced their plans on the same day, it’s like there’s a huge game of RISK going on that we will never understand.

A helpful reader sent us a transcript from this morning’s Today show:
(Matt Lauer and Katie Couric are standing among Vespas with PiaggioUSA CEO Constantino Sambuy)
Couric: Can you find these (points to a GS) on the market today? Because I favor these over the newer models.
Lauer: The marketing people are loving this right now. This is a certain look, KatieOe
Sambuy (looking slightly pale): Aie aie aie. You can find them but they are very expensive.
(they wander over to the GT, with Lauer saying something about “but for macho guys like me…”)

Vespa USA is having a launch party for the Granturismo 200
today in New York. The first US models will be available in February. This is probably the most exciting news since Vespa came back to the United States, the GT200 is a pretty cool-looking bike, a missing link between the Cosa and the ET4, and no one’s holding their breath for a DOT/EPA-legal GS-style 200.

Joe Grant of New York City Scooterist Magazine tells us the site is up and running and the first issue of the magazine will hit the streets (with the Granturismo?) in February.
Joe: “There won’t be any updating until we hit the streets with the mag in mid-february, so it’s more of a static thing right nowOeit will get a little more interesting when we have something more to talk about.” Best of luck, Joe, and let us know how the GT party goes! I never get invited to those things for some reason, heh.

From Forbes via Durso: (though Lucash pointed it out a while ago then we forgot about it) A Bombardier unimotorcycle concept that puts the ultra-cool Segway balance technology into something much less dorky. I’m sure this is what Michael Kamen had in mind all along, but he figured he’d let someone else deal with the regulatory issues.

(from Wanstead and Woodford Guardian)“Among the measures adopted are the appointment of four new parking attendants, mounted on brand new Lambretta scooters, to patrol the borough’s routes.” Is someone making brand-new Lambrettas without telling me?