In one of those wire stories that’s too vague to seem real, yet too mundane to be made up, Cambodian Television Network is now casting CTN Coffee Shop, Cambodia’s first reality TV show. The participant best able to cope with the stupidity of existence on a reality show for three months wins a brand new scooter. Somewhere, the PR director of a Cambodian factory that makes knockoffs of Vietnamese knockoffs of Chinese knockoffs of Indian knockoffs of Honda Super Cubs is complaining that the one wire service that picked up his story didn’t include the make or model of the scooter.
Category: Scooter News
The Bajaj family really needs a blog
On the heels of last week’s Rajiv Bajaj interview in the Business Standard, The Times of India asks Rahul Bajaj to contemplate his spirituality. Next week: Sanjiv Bajaj’s favorite Bollywood films!
Business Standard interviews Rajiv Bajaj
Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, talks to the Business Standard about his plans for the company, which include a big push in Mexico, cooperation with Kawasaki, and breaking the 200cc barrier. Rajiv practices yoga, runs the company “holistically,” and drools over new technology, yet we sort of miss his Harvard-Business-School, sentimental, right-wing dad Rahul Bajaj (and the Bajaj Chetak).
Philippines photos by Minggoy
Via Vespinoy: Filipino scooterist Minggoy’s fantastic flickr stream featuring lots of great scooter (and what I hope is paintball) photos.
Buy a condo, get a scooter
Construction is underway at the Blueprint condos at Colfax Avenue and Madison Street in Denver. Spill 100-400K on a condo, and they’ll take care of the second step towards your newfound yuppiedom and give you a new Vespa. Maybe we’ll check that out during Amerivespa.
Lambretta outsourcing?
The Indian Financial Express reports on the woeful state of vocational education in Punjab:
The curriculum, for instance, has not been updated since it was introduced. In the motor mechanic’s course, students are still being taught about the components of the Lambretta scooter, whose production was stopped over a decade ago.
There are few skills more useful in life than Lambretta repair, send some of those guys over to the United States.
LML to remain shuttered through 2006
LML employees continued their protests last week, going to the district magistrate’s office to chastize the government for their lack of involvement. The Indian government has been publicly supportive of the workers, but has done little to end the lockout or secure promised payments. Monday, at a meeting between Indian labor officials, LML managment, and the union, an LML official aanounced that there was no chance the factory would resume production within the next six months. No agreement was reached as workers continued to demand payments (few workers have been paid since January 2006) and more effective government intervention. It’s now very safe to say 2006 Stellas are out of the question.
Scootering Magazine turns 21
British magazine Scootering is celebrating its 21st birthday with a extra-large July issue. Their website and magazine have improved recently, yet they remain an acquired taste for American scooterists who don’t really see the point of engraving and murals. Even if you’re not a fan of the British custom scene, this anniversary issue looks worth tracking down as it includes a “Where are they now” article checking in on many of the hundreds of custom bikes they’ve featured over the years (a sample).
Exus’ “Trans Scooter”
I’m having a hard time following this press release I got today, but as I understand it, two dudes named Saint and Kuut (pronounced “Kau-ku-‘ta,” of course), have mystical powers, and when they’re not sewing zippers on things, or doing video art, they paint their heads up like Goldie Hawn on Laugh-In, call themselves “Exus” and record music. Lots of music. One of their ten records due out in July is “Trans Scooter.” I’ll let them describe it:
The wind has blown and the combustion of a new generation takes you for a ride. Motoring to the beat makes others want to follow you. The division of the sexes has ended. Now you can show to everyone what’s between your legs, boy, girl. This is Dimensional Sound.
So, yeah, if you like asexual mellow-ish electronic music with alleged mystical powers (and you already have the complete Brian Eno collection) you might dig Exus. It’s not quite my bag (which is to say it’s nothing like Brian Eno, I was just making a cheap joke) but hey, Saint and Kuut seem like they’re havin’ fun and keeping busy with all their projects, and that’s respectable, I wish I had the time to put out ten albums this month. They’ve saved some space on the site for listeners’ scooter photos if you’re so inclined to send one.
To dream… the impossible dream…
Honda UK drafted our own Professor Matthew to root for Engerland in a fantastic TV commercial. A similar-but-lamer ad has run in the US for the past few years. With Michael Owen down and Argentina and Brazil both on fire, England’s gonna need more than a dork on a Super Cub to win the cup, but our fingers are as crossed as St. George’s flag. In other Honda-meets-World Cup news, Nicky Hayden had a few nice words for the US team, though we’re not really convinced he’s a big soccer fan.
Citicorp Finance invests in Kinetic
India’s TV18 reports Citicorp Finance is buying a 10% stake in Kinetic Motors. The interview with Kinetic Managing Director Sulajja Motwani doesn’t reveal much about their plans, but she says Citicorp’s investment covers their needs for the development of Italjet and SYM models over the next couple years. The hopes of Italjet Dragster fans everywhere are in your hands, Ms. Motwani.
“LML failed to get any number”
The Islamic Republic News Agency confirmed today what we’ve suspected all spring: Neither LML nor Bajaj exported a single motorscooter in the first quarter of 2006. Bajaj, of course, has been focusing on motorcycles and three-wheelers, and doing rather well on those fronts, but LML’s labor issues have brought their production to a total standstill. While some compromises and investments have been made in recent weeks, there is no indication that LML is, or will soon be, back on line.
Vespanomics
VespaUSA finally shifts into second gear and comes above the surface with their “Vespas are ecological” PR campaign thats been such a success in getting them press: Vespanomics. There is certainly some economy, and maybe ecology, in scooter-riding, but they’re glossing over an awful lot of math, science, and common sense to hype it to this level. Still, it’s nice to see them actually selling some scooters. More later.
Tuks in China
Have you checked in on Jo and Ants lately? They’re having quite the adventure and keeping their blog up to date.
Piaggio releases IPO prospectus
Vespa manufacturer Piaggio & C. SpA released a prospectus today outlining their initial public offering. Since we can’t read Italian OR “legalese,” we’ll accept Bloomberg’s synopsis that they plan to sell up to 158 million shares, at €2.3 to €3 each, to raise as much as €474 million (US$599 million). Piaggio Chairman Roberto Colannino’s IMMSI SpA holding company, who now holds 40% of the company, plans to increase their share to 49%. The IPO values Piaggio at about €1.16 billion.