TGB (Taiwan Golden Bee) scooters’ U.S. distributor, Cobra Powersports, reported Friday that in the first three quarters of 2006, TGB sales in the U.S. had already exceeded 2005 total sales.
Category: International
Piaggio to return to Indian scooter market?
In the vaguest story ever, Financial Express India reports that Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd., Piaggio’s Indian subsidary, who currently makes only three-wheelers and light commercial vehicles, is considering re-entering the scooter market.
PGO to Europe
Motoblog reports that PGO is targeting Europe with their 125 and 125 evo (4-valve) G-Max models. I wasn’t aware there was a 4-valve 125, so I’m not sure if their info is correct, or if I’m translating it properly, but check out those european-market graphics (scroll down under those oogly MZ beasts)
Yamaha Maxam news (or not)
Today’s story from Gizmag teased us once again with Yamaha’s ultra-cool-looking Maxam3000 scooter, before going on to say that the popular Japan-market-only Maxam 250 will make an international debut soon at an Australian motor show, with the rest of the world to follow. Not so exciting as the futuristic “3000” (that’s 3000mm — almost ten feet — long) version, but new scooters are always good news, right? Unfortunately, Gizmag (who knew they were Australian?) is apparently unaware we’ve had the Morphous250 (the same scooter) here in America since early this year.
News briefs
- Yamaha will present the FC-Aqel hydrogen fuel-cell scooter at the International Electric Automobile show in Yokohama.
- The 22-year old daughter of the Coldstone Creamery founders has been indicted for manslaughter after killing a scooterist in a Mesa, AZ drunk-driving accident this spring. Savannah Sutherland’s blood-alcohol content was .19% when tested by police. She faces up to 21 years in prison.
- This editorial from the Lawrence (KS) Journal-World just might be the most pointless and unresearched scooter story ever. The headline (“Born to be Mild,” yet again!) is just the tip of the iceberg.
- PiaggioUSA has landed the same rehashed press release in at least six newspapers this week, hitting all the “Vespanomics” talking points. Funny that the story was originally appeared in Philadelphia, where the Vespa dealer is closed and allegedly under investigation for fraud. If only the rest of PiaggioUSA was as efficient as their PR team.
- An Australian industry group reports Australian scooter sales are up 54.3% in the first 9 months of 2006 (vs. 2005).
- The University of Iowa joined the list of schools where a “park a scooter anywhere” mentality has become a problem. The Iowa City Council is considering adding more spaces for scooters and mopeds with designated parking permits, which cost $46 for nine months.
Two new Asian bike blogs
Two great new-ish blogs about Asian motorcycles and scooters, for those of you that can’t get enough Hyosang, Hero Honda, and SYM news: The Bike Chornicles [sic] of India has been doing a great job documenting the Indian motorcycle industry for the past three months, and Two-Wheeled Asian Invasion offers a “view of the motorcycle industry in China, India, Taiwan and elsewhere,” mostly from a U.S. powersports-dealer perspective.
P2Motors interview: Kinetic’s plans for America
Two weeks ago, Armando Gonzalez of Phase2 Motors contacted 2sb to let us know he was working on bringing the Kinetic “Italiano” line of scooters to America. To make a long story short, Kinetic is an Indian manufacturer that, in 2003, acquired the rights to manufacture and distribute seven Italjet models worldwide. Italjet became more-or-less defunct around the same time, and Kinetic has been working towards bringing these models to market ever since, under the “Italiano” name. Early this year, Kinetic released their version of the Italjet Millenium (as the Kinetic Blaze) with positive results, and promised bring the Velocifero to America. Recently, Kinetic issued another press release promising the Blaze, and quietly removed the Dragster from the list of Italjets it planned to release. (Massimo Tartarini, son of Italjet head Leopoldo Tartarini and owner of the “Italjet” name has several times announced plans for the Dragster, but hasn’t followed through, to our knowledge.) Back to Kinetic, here is our interview with Armando Gonzales:
Continue reading “P2Motors interview: Kinetic’s plans for America”
The Maltese Vespa
Piaggio’s importer and distributor for Malta, M. Demajo & Co. Ltd, announced a special financial assistance program for students. Demajo is also lobbying the government to cut registration tax on scooters, and working with transportation and police authorities. Worldwide, Piaggio is seeking new ways to promote the many benefits of scootering, though in Malta they seem to have bypassed PiaggioUSA’s vague pseudo-political ‘petition’ and are instead taking direct politico-socio-economic action. To be fair, that’s probably a lot easier in a nation of less than a half-million where scooters are already popular.
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.
Kinetic: Blaze to U.S.
Kinetic is back in the news, saying more or less the same thing they’ve been saying, minus the “Velociferos to America” part and instead saying we have the Blaze (“the third-best selling scooter in India!”) to look forward to. Why a company with the rights to, and tooling for, the entire Italjet line would chunk out boring “family” scooters before the Dragster is beyond us. Then again, Piaggio hasn’t brought the Gilera Runner to the US, so what do we know?
News Briefs
I’m falling behind again, it must be the beginning of hockey season (and the launch of the Galewood Cookshack, more on that later).
- Last Tuesday, 200 workers at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India’s Gurgaon plant went on strike The strike was settled on Sunday, and today HMSI promised US$87 million in investment in the plant and new product development in the next three years.
- From St. Maartens: How not to steal a scooter.
- According to Hemscott.com, Roberto Colaninno expects Piaggio’s Indian- and Chinese-market sales to increase to 25% of the group’s sales by 2010, as opposed to 15% currently.
- Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services have upped Piaggio’s long-term debt rating from BB- from B+.
- St. Louis joins a growing list of cities with a minibike pickup service to discourage driving while intoxicated.
- And finally, something to think about next time you’ve brought a long-dead bike back to life after a marathon drinking ‘n’ wrenching session.
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!)
Bajaj plans 2007 return to scooter market
Bajaj is returning to the scooter market with 75 and 125cc automatic scooters next year, followed by an automatic 150cc model. The company abandoned scooter production last year — including the historic Chetak line of Vespa-like metal geared scooters — as small-displacement motorcycles gained popularity in India. Now they’ve been caught in the middle of a worldwide scooter boom with no scooters in production and only one scooter model, the Wave, at dealers. Can a new Chetak be far behind? Will the new 150cc automatic bear the Chetak name?
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)
LML “sick”
More gloom: LML declares itself “sick.”