Category: 2sb News

I’ve recieved a secondhand report of a sighting of a “Volkswagen Popcycle” at a VW dealer in St. Louis. Seeing as how I can’t find anything about it on the web (honest, and I’ve been on the web since the beginning), I’m guessing it’s a salesman’s Honda Metropolitan with VW stickers on it, but I did find some cool photos of VW’s 1986 three-wheeler concept, called “Scooter,” (photos),
(more photos).

From sfgate:

Piaggio USA isn’t even trying to be subtle about the role of its Vespa motor scooter in the forthcoming “Alfie” remake. Teaming up with Paramount Pictures, the studio that showcased a fleet of Mini-Coopers in last summer’s heist film “The Italian Job,” Piaggio will be sending out free tickets to “Alfie” and featuring star Jude Law in dealership promotions.

After the Spiderman Typhoon promotion that happened before the Typhoons were available, and the Coach promotion they didn’t bother telling the dealers about, I bet dealers aren’t holding their breath for Jude Law to stop by. One more time, Piaggio, why I’m bitter: You keep using old Vespas to sell new Vespas. If new Vespas are so cool, put Alfie on one of those in the movie. When they (and oh, they will) remake Bullitt with Vin Diesel, they’ll use the new Bullitt Mustang, not the old one. They used the new Minis in the Italian Job. Have some goddamn pride in your product.

Professor Matthew pointed out that along with their Gatos Gordos story, the Seattle Times ran an equally well-written piece about the Mosquito Fleet, Seattle’s branch of the Moped Army, on the same day. The last paragraph is brilliant. We’re really looking forward to our Seattle trip now.

Durso’s busy today: Apparently some politicians are campaigning on Segways. If a politician showed up at my house on a $3000 toy, I’d wonder about his fiscal responsibilty. When looking up “Bush” and “motorscooter” on the web, I found this list of Secret Service Codenames:

• BACKSEAT:
  Secret Service Motorscooter Unit
• BELLHOP ONE:
  Secret Service Elipse Motorscooters
• BELLHOP TWO:
  Secret Service White House Motorscooters

There’s a name for a DC club: the Backseat Bellhops SC.

Fron Durso: “Tired of rear-end repairs, Bob designed an automatic flasher that uses a pressure sensor in the brake line to measure the pressure applied to the brake pedal.” If my taillight worked, I’d be halfway there.

One of my favorite memories of college was getting tanked on Krakus (Liberate another Pole!, we would say) with my socialist friends at my poli-sci teachers house and putting on the Wedding Present’s Ukrainski Vistupi V Johna Peela, and clog-dancing around the porch to “Davni Chasy,’ faster and faster as the song sped up, and eventually collapsing in a pile of giggles and putting on some Biz Markie. Those were the days, my friend.

• (newbie): how old is mod?
• (newbie): never heard of it before now
• beeb: 50s, 60s
• (newbie): I mean the recent revival thing
• beeb: there’s been a revival going on since the 50s, or 60s, heh
• The_B: its been an ongoing joke since then.
• (newbie): revival of what
• beeb: the big revival started in the 70s/80s with the Jam, etc.
• beeb: but, unfortunately, it’s never really gone away
• beeb: seriously, LOOK ON THE WEB
• beeb: it’s not a secret or anything
• (newbie): I’ve never heard of this as a movement, honest and I’ve been on the web since the beginning
• (newbie): this is so weird
• beeb: www.modculture.com
• (newbie): it must be a scooter thing
• (newbie): yeah but is that site tongue in cheek? I want straight answers
• beeb: you’ve never heard of bukakke, but if you look it up on the web, you’ll find it.
• (newbie): is that some kind of dish?
• The_B: ack!
• beeb: uh, don’t look it up.
• beeb: but trust me, it exists
• (newbie): tell me then
• (newbie): oy
• (newbie): I’m at work
• (newbie): I yahoo’d it. I hate you
• beeb: heh
• The_B: ack! again.
• beeb: i told you not to. I was just proving my point that just because you’ve never seen something on the web doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
• (newbie): I gotta clear my cache
• The_B: can’t……stop… laughing.
• beeb: yeah, you could get fired for trying to learn about Mods

To promote their Discover DTS-i (Electric Start!) motorcycle, Bajaj brought in Jackie Chan, long famous for riding really nerdy underpowered pseudosportbikes in his movies. Here are two ( 1
2 ) magazine ads. When I glance at a headline and see “Master,” “Hand” and “Job,” I get weirded out. Thanks Patrick!

Jude Law (quoted in ManchesterOnline): “I loved that Vespa. Even though I couldn’t get it to start at times, it was so much fun to ride.” Good to know to know that no amount of money, charm, or good looks can guarantee your scooter will start.

All right! Here’s a story that won’t get you drunk, The Seattle Times’ report on Los Gatos Gordos and their Ride with the Dead rally. Well done!

Cingular is giving away a Vespa ET2 and other prizes. You’re supposed to enter a code on your phone and then every time you text message someone, you have another chance to win, but non-Cingular customers can enter online (and probably get Cingular spam for eternity). But hey, you asked me to let you know about contests.

Chicago’s newest all-girl club has shirts for sale. Funny! Email Rachel to order.

Scooterist and punk rock hero Tim Kerr of, well, too many bands to mention at this point, will be DJing soul music at the opening of an exhibition of his art at Delilahs on Halloween night. Not surprisingly, Tim’s art (and DJing) is just as fantastic as his music (some might even say more so, heh). I went to see (hear?) him DJ at Delilah’s a year or two ago, and it was great. Let’s get a good crowd there and talk him into giving up a song for the 2sb CD I’m trying to get together.