Have you checked in on Jo and Ants lately? They’re having quite the adventure and keeping their blog up to date.
Category: International
Rahul Bajaj elected to Rajya Sabha
Patriarch of the Bajaj family and former Bajaj Auto president, Rahul Bajaj was elected to the Rajya Sabha (Indian Congress) today, taking a seat left empty when Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan was killed in a family dispute (Bajaj’s own recent family disputes were settled only slightly more discreetly). He had the support of several parties and won with 195 of 288 votes (with three abstaining). Bajaj is well-known as opposing “reservations,” an Indian-government plan to expand hiring and education admission quotas to include more lower-caste Indian citizens. Students and middle-class workers have taken to the streets recently to protest the quotas in recent weeks.
Kymco dominates Philippine corporate golf tourney
As promised, here’s a follow-up on the 2006 Emcor Inter-Color Golf Classic: Team Kymco was victorious over the four legs, winning the tournament with 5,468 points. Hopefully our favorites in the World Cup will fare so well.
Vietnam celebrates World Cup with Vespa parade
The Vespa Club of Vietnam celebrated the beginning of World Cup with a parade in Ho Chi Minh City featuring 32 Vespas painted to match the qualifying teams’ colors.
Solar scooter: 55mph for $900?
Solarin Holdings of Malaysia has developed a solar/electric-powered scooter capable of 55 mph. The Solarin Turtle is expected to be available to consumers next May for less than US$900. China has already placed an order for 100,000 units and Solarin says they’ve seen interest from the U.S., Japan, and Europe. I imagine so.
Organized Drag Racing
at Scooter Weekend Meinerzhagen
A sign of scooter rallies to come in the U.S.? I could only hope. Also, I could only hope to not stick out like the creepy old guy hanging out near the playground.
From the Scooter Center scootermatic news letter:
The Whitsun bank holiday weekend is over and so is a superlative Scooter weekend! Despite of two accidents on Saturday morning it was a great weekend with lots of joy for everyone – custom scoots, racing, sprinting and meeting great people! Thanks a lot goes to our customer MCE Sport Matthiesen for the invitation as well as for the properly organised Run. We are looking forward to next year Whitsun – a day off and awesome good scooter meeting!!! What else one can want!?
 Small, grainy, but none the less interesting photos here.
Portugese motorbike sales
This weird, fragmented report on Portugese motorbike sales is some sort of weird logic puzzle that only a Chinese PR writer could love:
Continue reading “Portugese motorbike sales”
Air-Powered Scooter?
Keeping the India theme going, the super-reliable-and-in-depth Indian press is reporting on a dude that has wowed his rural neighbors with an air-powered scooter. If the international media doesn’t jump on this story in the next couple days, we can surely blame the oil cartel.
Rahul Bajaj backed for Indian government seat.
DNA – India reports that Rajul Bajaj has been backed by a coalition of parties for a vacant seat on the Rajya Sabha, the upper legislative house of the Indian government (roughly parallel to the U.S. Senate). Rahul Bajaj is the grandson of Jamnalal Bajaj, a close friend of Ghandi who was active in the fight for Indian independence. Jamnalal Bajaj founded the Bajaj group of companies in the ’30s. Rahul Bajaj became CEO of Bajaj in 1968, passing the title to his son Rajiv in April 2004. Rahul was ranked the 20th richest person in India in 2005, even after the Bajaj empire was split between Rahul and his brother Shishir Bajaj.
Airbags for your scooter
Yamaha have released a new scooter prototype the ASV-3. It features a multi chambered airbag which upon impact opens up from under the seat between your legs. From Taipei Times
India and Italy, true love always
The Economic Times reminds us that the Kinetic/Italjet deal is certainly not the first collaboration between Italian and Indian corporations. As we all know LML, Bajaj, SIL and others have made Italian scooters in the past, and just as Italy helped fuel India’s original manufacturing boom, a new wave of Italian cooperation is fueling the current Indian boom.
Continue reading “India and Italy, true love always”
Vespa Twins
Italian twin brothers Jack and Cespu decided to ride their Vespas around Australia to celebrate their 30th birthday. For some reason, though, they went in opposite directions. Thanks for the link, Ryan.
Oldham’s Mod Mayor
Vintage Lambretta rider and ex-Mod Bernard Judge was named mayor of Oldham, England this week. Judge, who is also a huge Motown and soul music fan says, “Music has the power to change things,” and is already being called “The Musical Mayor.” An old photo of Judge in his mod days adorns an album by L.A. band The Jamie Lamb Quartet.
“Tuk to the Road” underway
Jo and Ants have officially hit the road, starting their international tuk-tuk adventure. Best of luck, girls! Don’t forget to write!
Warburg Pincus to LML’s rescue?
Moneycontrol.com reports venture capitalists Warburg Pincus plan to purchase at least 14% of LML. The deal would generate enough cash to cover about half LML’s immediate financial needs. LML will continue to seek additional investors.