Spirit of ’87

flagship2.JPG
It’s Mykrrr’s worst nightmare, the Flagship II is back on the road for the first time in fifteen years, thanks to our friends at Zombie MPH Skate Shop in Oak Park, IL (315 W. Madison, Oak Park, 708.358.8507). No the trucks aren’t backwards. Yes, they sell less ludicrous skateboards, but I’m keeping it Old Skool. Watch this space for injury reports. Thanks Wayne and Rob, everyone go check out the shop!

NYC BOOOO!-tique opens. Yawn.

There were a couple hundred stories in the press over the last few days about the NYC Vespa Boutique opening and all the fabulous celebrities that ride Vespas, but I’m not going to even bother posting links because you can tell they were all written from the same PiaggioUSA press release. Did you know that Piaggio was founded in 1946? So now there are something like thirty Vespa dealers in NYC. This is something Jim-Bob should be covering anyway.

Why Myk smells like pee

Pride of Cleveland became an official Joe Rocket dealer today:
Phil: My only problem with Joe Rocket is they’re made in Pakistan.
JR Rep: Not anymore, as of last March none of it is made in Pakistan.
Phil: Where’s it made then? (thinking Central America, etc.)
JR Rep: China. The quality has gone up significantly and the leathers smell
better.
Phil: Smell better?
JR Rep: Yeah, in Pakistan they cure all their leather products in Cow Urine.
Phil: What !?
JR Rep: Ever wonder why your leathers smell so funky the first time you sweat
in them. It’s the curing process in Pakistan, giant vats of cow urine with
hides soaking in it.
Phil: Damn, you learn something new every day. I guess China ain’t so bad.

The Ballad of the Black Windows

by Vina Vroom, sung to the tune of “In the Ghetto”

On a cold and wet Chicago night
Well, two old bikes fell off a trailer
In*ze ghetto
(In*ze ghetto)

And Nenita cried
eCause if thereis one thing that she donit need
Itis more than just the brakes to bleed
Morimoto
(Morimoto)

People donit you understand
These bikes, they need a helping hand
Or we wonit get to ride high again someday
Take a look at you and me
Now just what do you see
These bikes they are too pretty
To be left in a heap
In*ze ghetto
(In*ze ghetto)

The car wheels eround
And a fat little girl with a runny nose
Jumps out of the car and a cold wind blows
In*ze ghetto
(In*ze ghetto)

And she spies Breaky
So she starts to kick at the rear taillight
Puts a dent in the pipe*
And she screams, iF this shitei
In*ze ghetto
(In*ze ghetto?

And the crowd gathers eround the angry young girls
Bikes in the street, autumn leaves eround them swirl
In*ze ghetto
(In*ze ghetto)

Load them up again
Get back in the truck
Once again, press our luck
In*ze ghetto

A Day Late and a Beemer Short

An Australian couple on a 30,000km round-the-world trip to raise funds for multiple sclerosis have had their motorcycle stolen in south Wales – just one day before completing their journey in London. The assholes probably just crashed it a couple of blocks away and left it in a bush.

Chinese Scooter Condom

Miss Grace of the Black Windows writes, “Look at the cool scooter poncho my shmoopy brought back from China! I
can’t wait to use it and have the front part blow up in my face and
suffocate me. The handy clear panel will allow you to watch me die!”
I was going to Photoshop Grace’s face onto the photo, but she said “don’t bother, we all look the same.”

Pochacco kidnapping drama!

in an extreme act of desperation, Pochacco was kidnapped from Sanrio Wednesday afternoon and is being held for ransom. A note was found later along with this photo. The note reads “Dear Hello Kitty, if you ever want to see your cardboard friend again, please deliver his yellow and white Bajaj Chetak scooter to the corner of Clark and Balmoral and place the keys in the New City newsbox (nobody reads New City anymore).” We’ll report more details as they become available.

More proof Italians are insane

My dad emailed to let us know he and Mrs. Noise saw a Travel Channel show about Rome that had a bit on the Vespa Club Roma. In the beautiful and historic homeland of the Vespa, the Roman club meets at an establishment called “Bar Canada.” heh.

Vegas, UK

According to the new issue of Scootering, 340 British scooterists have already made reservations for the Las Vegas Rally. Christophe hasn’t even officially announced the date yet. This should be interesting.

“It’s not class or ideologyOe

OeColour, creed, or roots
The only thing that unites us
Is Doctor Marten’s boots

Doctor Marten’s boots of the world
So that everybody can be free
They’re classless, matchless, ageless and waterproof
(And retail for only 19 pounds and 99p)

What should everyone be wearing?
Those boots with the air-flow soles
And your boots will have a meeting
And your boots will take control

Thanks to Doctor Marten
everyone will have warm feet
Thanks to Doctor Marten
they’ll be dancing in the street
No? Don’t you want me?
Okay, boots – do your stuff!

Doctor Martens, Doctor Martens, Doctor Martens BOOTS!”

Dr. Martens is closing its British factories and moving production to China. Fine, they’ve been crap for ages anyway. And if you’re too cheap to buy the new Young Ones DVD set, here are all the scripts. Thanks to Moe for reading the business section.