India proposes “spares law”

As anyone who’s bought an Italjet or Malaguti in the last ten years can tell you, it’s frustrating to spend a few grand on a motor vehicle, then find out a month later that a $5 component you need to replace will never be available again at any price. The Indian government is taking steps to require vehicle manufacturers to provide parts and service for five years after a model is discontinued or (handy for LML owners) if the company shuts its doors or changes hands. The Indian Business Standard reports that a new car model is launched in India every month. Meanwhile, Daewoo Motors Ltd., Premier Automobiles Ltd., Hero Puch Ltd., and LML, have all shut down. These closures and remaining manufacturers’ haphazard product lines are leaving millions of customers helpless to maintain and repair their cars, mopeds and scooters.

The article cites “similar laws in the US and the UK,” begging two questions: First, where do American Italjet and Malaguti owners get the proper forms; second, how can a government force a defunct importer of a defunct manufacturer (or worse, a fly-by-night importer dumping Chinese scooters on the market) to provide parts and service?

Taiwan: Taiwan kicks ass

The Taiwanese scooter industry is totally freaking awesome, according to a statement issued by the Taiwanese scooter industry. The report namechecked SYM, Kymco, and Maxxis, ignoring PGO, who was presumably too busy making scooters to attend the conference. Joking aside, Taiwan *is* a scooter success story, with US$500 million in exports and a good reputation worldwide. The industryis focusing on further distinguishing their products from those of mainland China and positioning Taiwanese scooters as being competive with Japanese scooters. Kymco, at least, is well on their way in the U.S.

Scooter tent!

Lambretta tentAgain, sorry we’ve been kinda slow here, it’s been a nutty couple of weeks. I’m taking the Blur camping this weekend, and while I’m not nearly as stylin’ as these two fine ladies and their Series I Lambretta tent (so simple even a woman can assemble it!), I’m looking forward to a nice long ride on the Blur. I’m really enjoying the Blur, and I have a lot to say about it, when I get time to organize my thoughts. (Thanks to Aimee for the link, the video is from the amazing British Pathe Archive.)

LML: “One Italian, one Chinese and two Indian”

This slipped past me last week in one of the several stories about LML declaring itself “sick:”

LML is believed to be in talks with one Italian, one Chinese and two Indian companies and the talks will continue as the revival of the company is still sought after.

Genuine is surely sick of hearing LML conspiracy stories, but it’s just so much fun to come up with them. This story is as close to “Tom Cruise’s Baby” as scooter news gets, because anything could happen. Is Piaggio looking at LML? Is Genuine? Is Genuine working with PGO to take over LML? Is Bajaj considering LML (see the last story)? Hero Honda? Will the government rescue LML? Will LML employees set themselves on fire? Sure, the most likely outcome is that nothing will ever happen, but it’s fun to think about, and it kills any vintage scooterist to think that that assembly line could be sold for scrap metal tomorrow. (Thanks, John, for pointing out that important detail!)

News Briefs

  • A one-cm-long Vespa will be certified as Vietnam’s smallest scooter in Ho Chi Minh City today. Presumably, it has yellow kickstand boots.
  • Reese Witherspoon’s film Penelope, featuring Christina Ricci with a pig snout and Witherspoon as a scooter messenger, debuted in Toronto this weekend.
  • Arkansas pastor Bryan Fink, sick of $85 fill-ups for his minivan, switches to a scooter, racking up 1200 miles since May.
  • Another boilerplate “scooters are great” story from Windham, Maine.
  • Another Providence Journal Javaspeed story. (Doesn’t it seem like there have been several others this year?)
  • Hindustan Times reports LML workers have started a sit-in at a Labour commisioner’s office. (Story was later removed)

The Blur 150: Modern scooters aren’t rubbish

Blur1.jpg

This my first review of a scooter in more than ten years of writing 2strokebuzz. My first scooter was a vintage Vespa and have pretty much stuck to what I know. I’ve taken a few spins on various modern scooters, and have been impressed by some, and not by others. The Blur impressed me.
Continue reading “The Blur 150: Modern scooters aren’t rubbish”

LML: Rhymes with “What the Hell?”

From HindustanTimes.com:

MEMBERS OF the All-India Central Council of Trade Union (AICCTU) have warned that the responsibility for any attempt of group self-immolation by the employees of the closed LML Limited would lie on the Chief Minister, Labour Ministry and owners of the LML Limited.  The warning was issued in a letter written by AICCTU state president Hari Singh to the Chief Minister and Secretary, Labour Ministry. He said about 5,000 employees and their family members were in deep financial trouble due to the lockout declared by the LML Limited from March 7, 2006.

“Self-Immolation?” As in this? Is that properly translated? Are LML workers seriously threatining suicide-by-fire if the plant doesn’t reopen? I’m no expert in Indian culture or Indian business methods, but that sounds bad.

Genuine lineup update

We’ve been telling you this for months: The few Stellas left on showroom floors are the last ones we’ll ever see. Despite yesterday’s glimmer of hope for LML, the Stella has officially been deleted from Genuine’s lineup (though parts and accessories are available). The updated site features Genuine’s current all-PGO lineup: The Black Cat and Buddy, and the brand-new Blur and Rattler.