Some pretty cool electric scooter designs from Sym, including an electric Mio that’s a pretty neat update from the original design.
Category: Scooter News
Win a what, now?
Vespa Kansas City Crossroads is giving away a Vespa, and clearly has their finger on the pulse of scootering. The practice of using a photo of a vintage Vespa to promote new Vespas is pretty annoying, but this is very likely the first Vespa ad in history to feature a Lambretta. Incredible. (Thanks for the link, Bob!)
Genuine 2009 rumors
The Genuine dealer meeting/rodeo in Wisconsin has come and gone, and our usual spies didn’t come through with much info, luckily a few people on Modern Buddy have been doing detective work. Sadly, unless Genuine is keeping some big secrets, there’s no 4-valve Blur 200 (or mayonnaise-cooled Stella 250 2-stroke 5-speed) to report, but there are a few interesting new twists.
Continue reading “Genuine 2009 rumors”
“Casque décoré par 19 cristaux Swarovski”
I’ll give it props for being anti-Troy-Lee, but this has to be one of the ugliest helmets ever. Yes, those are rhinestones. Swarovski rhinestones. Come on, helmet people. Also, their logo looks like “CPA,” so this helmet will identify you as a tasteless certified public accountant.
Scooters predict the election
Here are two spreads from the PowerSports Business 2008 Market Data Book — a mere two pages apart — that speak volumes about the current American state of mind:
Sales are through the roof for the well-travelled, egalitarian, humble, urbane scooter. The hillbilly-slut’s showoff JetSki? Not doing so well. Draw your own conclusions.
“Art of the Ride” at Motoworks
Hey, sorry about the last-minuteness, but our local Vespa/MC dealer Motoworks Chicago is having an art show with a reception thingy after work today (Friday). The show will be around for a couple months, if you can’t make the opening:
Friday 10/10 5pm-10:30pm Motoworks presents: “Art of the Ride” Show runs October 10, 2008- December 10, 2008
Art and motorcycles, is that possible? Well, thanks to local artist Mark Nelson, it is! Motoworks Chicago is proud to host this event.
The purpose of this show, according to Nelson, “is to expose the public to more art in neighborhood establishments – and since this business is motorcycles, it was the perfect opportunity to create a site-specific art show about motorcycles. From an artist’s angle, I wanted to communicate to the general public the feeling behind the exhilaration of the ride. To fellow riders, I wanted to communicate the universal understanding and appreciation of the ride.”
The project started out with drawings in pastel chalk. Mark then came here to Motoworks and photographed the mechanics at work. He, wanted to follow in the footsteps of Diego Rivera – a world-renown, historical Mexican muralist, focusing on the actual laborer working his trade.
So please join us at Motoworks Chicago as we present: “Art of the Ride,” a one person show of etchings, pastel drawings, and paintings by an artist who has been living and working in the city of Chicago for 25 years. The art presented here both celebrates the act of riding as well as Nelson’s use of social sarcasm.
An Opening Reception with English Ale is scheduled for: October 10, 2008, 5:00PM – 10:30PM at Motoworks Chicago, 1901 South Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608. For more info: call Motoworks at 312-738-4269.
gringolandiastudio.com
motoworkschicago.com
(Thanks for the info, Mike!)
I finally caved in and set up a Twitter account… but I have an ACTUAL PURPOSE for it! I’ll use it to post scootering tips and I’ll also post quick bursts about rumors and upcoming stories. So, if you’re into that, we’re simply “2strokebuzz.” If you prefer not to join Twitter (you’re smart), you can still read the posts or subscribe to an RSS feed here.
I found those Lambretta parts…
…and your nunchucks: North Wales postman dumped 3,000 packages in woods:
A POSTMAN hid thousands of packages in woods and delayed many more because he “couldn’t be bothered” delivering them. (…) Scores of customers complained they had not received items including a set of nunchucks, parts for a Lambretta scooter, craft items, sports wear, DVDs and children’s clothing.
A likely excuse, scooter shop! Anyway, when the trial’s over, he’ll have no problem finding employment losing mail in Chicago.
Vespa, Piaggio rentals at EagleRider
International motorcycle rental chain EagleRider is adding Vespa and Piaggio scooters to its rental lineup in Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, and San Francisco this month. Just a press release rehash, but good to know (and good for PiaggioUSA sales figures, we bet).
Lean Diesel
Very cool (and customizable) scooter artwork from LeanDiesel.co.uk. I hope it’s not insulting to call his work “Jamie Hewlett-ish.” Lee also does the “Into the Sunset” illustrations in Scootering magazine.
Peugeot HYmotion3
Peugeot displays the HYmotion3 concept. Yes, it looks pretty much exactly like a hybrid Piaggio MP3. Maybe it is an MP3, I dunno, merde, those French people, it’s like they have a different word for everything. Whatever that thing is, I wish the rumor I made up a few months ago about Peugeot coming to the U.S. would come true.
The “Real World” atlas on motorcycle usage
A world map with nations scaled in size to reflect motorcycle/moped use. Neat. From the “The Atlas of the Real World: Mapping the Way We Live” by Daniel Dorling, Mark Newman and Anna Barford.
PiaggioUSA 2008 Fall Dealer Meeting
From our spies at Piaggio’s fall dealer meeting:
Dinner meeting features Jay Leno: 45 minutes of stand up, closing with “when Piaggio called me they said, ‘we don’t have much money,’ and I said ‘I’ll do it free, I’m Italian, I want to support an Italian product, I like Italian bikes,’ then I get here and find out how your sales are up and your dealers aren’t exactly hurtin’.
RIP, Reg Dunlop
A sad farewell to hockey player/coach, pool hustler, old-west outlaw, parking-meter scofflaw, philanthropist, motorsports fan and team owner, and scooterist, Paul Newman. On top of all that, he made the best damn pretzel sticks known to mankind, and I’m not being glib. He was a great actor, and a great human being.
With all his superlative accomplishments in film, “Slap Shot” might not have been his most critically acclaimed movie, but what other film is so crass, funny, and ridiculous while being so well-acted, gritty and poignant? Hard times demand comedy, do yourself a favor and watch it soon.
M&M considers Malaguti
India-based Mahindra & Mahindra is considering a purchase of Malaguti Moto. M&M recently bought Kinetic Motors, and thus owns the rights to several Italjet models. Malaguti, like Italjet, produced several popular scooters five years ago, even making brief appearances in nascent American scooter market. Today, both manufacturers appear to be limping along selling a combination of 2003-era bikes and less-inspired newer asian-made models.