Category: Rallies and Rides

“Tracy! are you OK?”

WLS scooter crashI heard about this when it happened a couple years ago, and never thought I’d get the chance to see it, but thanks to the dual magic of Tivo and Youtube, here it is: With mere seconds of instruction and an unbuckled half-helmet, WLS Channel 7 meteorologist Tracy Butler crashes a Vespa, during a PR piece with Vespa of Chicago’s Sam Tomaino. God bless you, Vespaway. Now if only I could find Les Nessman’s Vespa crash on WKRP…

Galewood 2K6:
Swine o’ the Times

Rye loves the 80s

bacon2Tv.jpg“I give you Chicago. It is not London and Harvard. It is not Paris and buttermilk. It is American in every chitling and sparerib. It is alive from snout to tail.�
– H. L. Mencken.

I shouldn’t even have to post this, if you read 2strokebuzz, you know about Galewood. It’s all about scooters and bacon. It’s our neighborhood. It’s our rally. It’s our birthdays. It’s this weekend. Same deal as usual (though this year we’re adding a Bouncy Castle and a three-wheel ATV.) You know the drill. This will be the last Galewood Rally, so don’t miss it. Read on if you need more info. All are welcome.
Continue reading “Galewood 2K6:
Swine o’ the Times”

Vespa Chicago closing?

2strokebuzz sources report that local Piaggio/Vespa dealer Vespa Chicago will soon close their Vespa Boutique on Diversey and their showroom in Maywood (within the Volkswagen dealership of parent company West Suburban Auto Group). The new Vespa dealer for Chicagoland is rumored to be Motoplex USA, a motorcycle/powersports dealership with showrooms in Worth and Joliet, IL, and an upscale Chicago showroom on Wells Street called “Old Town Motocycle Shoppe.”

As Motoplex did not immediately reply to our confirmation request, this information is still hearsay, but such a move seems absolutely consistent with recent changes in Piaggio’s strategy. West Suburban seemed unlikely to add Piaggio brands Moto Guzzi and Aprilia, while Motoplex is already an Aprilia dealer. Old Town Motocycle Shoppe has a prime upscale retail location and employees with motorcycle experience, and Motoplex’ other two dealers may be more accesible to suburban and even rural customers. According to one of our sources, Vespa Chicago’s general manager Dan Kay will move to Motoplex along with Vespa/Piaggio. It is unclear whether Piaggio or West Suburban Auto Group terminated the relationship, why it was terminated, or exactly when the transition will take place. Vespa Chicago opened in 2000, they’ve been Chicago’s sole dealer since Vespa’s return to the United States in 1999.

Kymco giving away Amerivespa trips

Amerivespa 2006 is, happily, shaping up to be quite the pan-scooter event. Starting life as the national Vespa rally combined with Denver’s legendary Mile High Mayhem rally, it also now encompasses this year’s Lambretta Jamboree and Stellabration. Main sponsor Kymco is giving away vacation packages to the Rally to ten lucky winners.

D.C. Rob’s Cannonball for cancer research

If you spend any (most) of your time on Scoot.net Chat or the BBS, you’ve probably met Rob Downs III, AKA “D.C. Rob.” If that doesn’t ring a bell, you might remember him as “Rob who got hit by a semi on the Cannonball Run.” A few months ago, Rob’s father, Robert Downs Jr., was diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer. Rob is riding again in this year’s Cannonball Run, and decided to try to raise money for cancer research and awareness. He’ll be riding about 3500 miles, and his goal is to raise one dollar per mile ($3500) for the ACS. Donations can be made directly to American Cancer Society online (no amount is too small), and he’s looking for corporate/equipment sponsors as well (email Rob).

Two rides on Saturday, April 22

The spring itch to ride manifests itself via two Chicago-area scooter rides happening next Saturday (April 22): The Heck’s Angels (warning: MySpace) are sponsoring a Benefit Ride for Kalaisha Watrous, and all are wecome to donate and participate. (Info about Kalaisha’s accident.) Also next Saturday is Scooterworks’ annual Spring Ride, (more info to come). I heard some girl behind me on the street the other day say “God, it’s GORGEOUS out” and out of nowhere (without even seeing her) I got the temptation to turn around and say “it JUST GOT GORGEOUS-ER!” but I chickened out.

Reminder- two weekend rides!

Looks like a good weekend for riding, 2sb might even show up for once:

  • Saturday: Chicago Scooterist Motorcycle ride. Leaves from Pontiac (1531 N Damen Ave) at noon. For scooterists with motorcycles (or very fast, reliable scooters). Invite your motorcyclist friends. Route includes stop at Big Basin Saloon, a riverside biker/boater bar. (off I-55 so you can take the interstate back into the city if you wish.)
  • Sunday, 11:30am Nitro’s Top Notch Burger Run, leaves from Rancho Nitro, (3120 N Elston) at 11:30. Inner-city ride, everyone welcome.