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.
Category: Scooter News
“Always travel with a chauffeur”
Lewis Lazare on the new Moët ad campaign:
Each execution portrays a rather off-the-wall scenario that still manages to convey a certain charm. In one ad, a fetchingly elegant and beaming woman attired in a smashing evening gown is perched on the back of a Vespa along with a case of Moet. Her date in the scooter’s driving seat is eyeing her with a big smile, as if to suggest “look what I got for the holidays!” The tongue-in-cheek copy reminds readers to “always travel with a chauffeur.”
“Look what I got for the holidays! A drunk debutante bouncing around on the back of my bike.” Great. Moët clearly didn’t get the memo that Vespas are no longer luxury items. It’s 2006! They’re utilitarian eco-friendly transportation for everyone!
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)
Scoot Away on Britney’s Vespa!
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”
“She wanted a scooter so I had a Vespa sent from Italy”
Cameron Frye‘s dad is alive and well in Delaware. Must be nice, Mr. Heated Garage.
Want to Ride J-Lo’s Vespa?
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.
Ready To Ride? Baron Von Scooter ad
Chad dug up Baron Von Scooter’s long-lost television commercial, featuring several Chicago scooterists shilling the tupperware. This and another version, with a Harley dude suiting up then riding off on a scooter, were regular fixtures on late-night basic cable for a few months circa 2002.
Mourn to be Biled
Congratulations, San Antonio Current, you’re the 450th newspaper to use “Born to Be Mild” as a scooter story headline. Drink! (Thanks, Chad.)
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?