The new edition of Rubbermag‘s spinoff site Scooter Press features a vague-ish story (with photos) on Piaggio’s Vespa GT60 and LX60 custom scooters, on display at the Milan motorcycle show. Also featured is a handy rundown of Kymco’s 2007 (already?) product line, featuring 8 new scooters. We’re jetlagged and phoning it in tonight, re-writing re-written press releases. Can you tell? Kymco does have some neat new stuff, though, check it out.
Piaggio, Arctic Cat form dealer alliance
In an announcement that brings to mind the Piaggio/Cushman agreement of the early 60s, Piaggio and Arctic Cat announced today a plan to “…expand and strengthen their respective distribution in Europe and North America, and potentially lead to other areas of future collaboration….” It appears that Piaggio Group scooters and motorcycles will soon be sold at selected North American Arctic Cat snowmobile/ATV dealers, a market almost as lowbrow as Piaggio’s “boutique” targets were highbrow. At least it appears Piaggio has moved on to marketing their vehicles as transportation rather than status symbols, and that makes us happy. That said, we’re fairly unfamiliar with the snowmobile market, Arctic Cats could be overpriced eye candy sold only in the ritziest districts of Minnesota…
Piaggio Aero plays down UAE link rumors
With Dubai port contracts under debate in the U.S., the Italian and British press are reporting that another United Arab Emirate-owned-company is moving to acquire a 20% share of Piaggio Aero from the Italian Government and the Ferrari family. Mubadala Development, the Abu Dhabi government investment firm, would come under scrutiny from US officials regarding Piaggio Aero’s US military contracts. (Note: today, Piaggio Aero is independent of Piaggio SpA, but, as you surely know, the Vespa scooter was designed and produced by Piaggio’s aircraft division after WWII.)
CMSI & PM Tuning Team up
PM Tuning Racing Products, Ltd. of Lancashire, U.K. and CMSI, Inc. of Preston, Washington, USA, announced they have signed a formal contract to bring PM Tuning’s renowned racing products to the Americas. CMSI will be the exclusive distributor for all of PM Tuning Racing Products in North, South and Central America.
Good news for PM Tuning pipes in the USA.
Drag racing in Sweden
What’s the best way to get your drag racing scooter to the strip?
On the roof of your car – Literally!
Click the picture for more Swedish Drag Racing Pictures.
Be sure to check out the Lambretta Club Göteborg website.
P.S. Bryan sends his love to you all from Paris.
Cold Weather Challenge 2006 is over
And a winner is announced…
Well done to Kent Messer, who rode in -6.5 deg in Ithaca, NY on December 14, 2005.
He wins a copy of the “Scooter Bible” compliments of Whitehorse Press.
Read the full review of the CWC here
More bike bubbles
After the scooterball posting, I have been exposed to another type of inflatable bike enclosure. This one, however, seems to be a lot more practical. It’s ideal for parking your pride and joy up over the cold months, where riding isn’t an option.
You can find out more about them on their website
Plain-Dealer, meet Scooter-Dealer
Coumnist Sam Fulwood III of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has seen the light. And one-man public-relations army Phil Waters tells us POC‘s phone has been ringing off the hook with people “one of those scooters from the Fifties like in Quadrophenia.”
Scooter Ball!
This fine example of a scooterball was pointed out to us by POC Phil. It looks like great fun, until you wonder where the exhaust fumes go…
Protect your crotch
Here are some ways to keep your thighs dry in the coming months. (Yup, it’s a slow news day.)
- Metroscoot Lap Aprons by Corazzo.
- Scooter Skirts can be custom-made and custom-embroidered.
- Tucano Urbano’s Termoscud Aprons (pictured above, available from Wheelup’s slow-ass site or Ryan has a few for sale).
- Deiffe Aprons from ScooterworksUSA.
- The “City” series from 365UK.
- Baglux aprons and muffs.
- Vespa’s Magno heated apron.
- Rainlegs, if you just want to keep part of your legs dry.
- Or make your own scooter apron, courtesy Girlbike.
If this wide range of available scooter aprons is not proof that scooters are as popular as they’ve ever been, I don’t know what is. In other cruddy weather news, the Cold Weather Challenge ended yesterday, we’ll post the results when Ryan makes it official.
2strokebuzz/gallery
OK, I’ve been messing with the Photo Gallery, I spruced it up a bit and added some older pictures. Now to figure out how to integrate them into the blog.
2sb’s Chicago Motorcycle Show photos
We finally set up our photo gallery, so here are all our photos from the Chicago Motorcycle Show. We’ll be changing the look of the gallery to match the rest of the site, but at least it works now.
Vespa Turbo
Nitro sent me this video. It appears to be from last year, from Denmark, and it appears to maybe be an early 60s Vespa (note the Hella taillight). I know sweet nuthin’ about turbocharging, but whatever they did to this engine, it sounds freakin’ sweet.
Alarm system for Vespa GT/GTS
Piaggio is selling an alarm system custom-made for the Vespa GT and GTS. It plugs directly into the wiring loom without soldering, though if you’re a GT or GTS owner, I just lost your attention at “wiring loom” and you already blackberried the boutique to come pick up your bike to have one installed.
The Vespas
Surely with bands out there called “The Scooters,” “Scooter,” (two!) “Lambretta,” and “The Lambrettas,” you just knew there’s a band called The Vespas. And you’d be right, you can find them in Detroit. They claim to sound like the Pixies/Breeders/Cure, but i think they’re a bit more grungy/punky than that, more like Screaming Trees (and there’s nothing wrong with sounding like Screaming Trees). Their logo appears to be an inverted (aka French) bloaty mod target, but other than that, they seem pretty cool, and they’re worth a listen.