When scooter news breaks, we put it under a tarp in the garage.
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.
More rumors are developing about a new LML partner, but nothing substantive yet.
As 2500 locked-out LML employees tried to collect their long-disputed temporary checks today, they discovered that LML had terminated 12 employees active in the union, including union president Jai Prakash Pandey and general secretary Suresh Singh. In the ensuing chaos, the enraged and chanting employees did not collect their checks, and union officials, including Pandey, … Continue reading “LML labor unrest escalates again”
Indian scooter manufacturer Lohia Machines Ltd (LML) continues to fight financial and labor woes, as a lockout starting May 7–following strikes and protests–continues amid complaints from the workers’ union that interim payments are not being distributed properly. (It also appears they’ve blown off their web hosting bill). It’s unclear if LML has produced any scooters … Continue reading “LML lockout continues, future uncertain”
As LML seeks partners to help get back on its feet, (wasn’t Piaggio’s Roberto Colaninno just talking about investing in the Indian market?) Bajaj Auto reported a 37% increase in motorcycle sales this April (“Big deal,” you might say, “it’s spring, of course they sold well,” but that’s 37% over April 2005’s sales). Apparently the … Continue reading “LML seeks investors as Bajaj sales soar.”
DNA India reports that LML has locked out workers at their Kanpur plant, where Genuine’s Stella scooter, among other scooters and motorcycles, is manufactured. LML declared the lockout this morning in response to “external rowdy elements…disrupting the peaceful atmosphere and working of the factory.” LML management failed to pay employees full wages and has suspended … Continue reading “LML locks out workers at “Stella” factory.”
This is just a short post to beat Bryan and the new cub report, Matt, to the punch. It appears that rumors are true (but are secrets really lies?). LML has shoehorned an automatic into a PK body. They are showing it off at the big bike show EICMA, in Italy. I noticed the photo … Continue reading “Modern PK Automatic at EICMA”
Is a new slogan for Giannelli exhausts, or maybe just a poor google translation. The company is reintroducing many of its pipes for mopeds and scooters from 1980’s on the angle that if it was good enough 25 years ago it’s good enough for old guys with more money to relive their youth with now. … Continue reading “Future Of The Past”
SIP Scooter Shop reports that they have a reliable source confirming that Vespa will be showing off their new 4-stroke powered PX series scooter at the upcoming EICMA show in Milan this Fall. The Genuine Scooter Company LML-made Stella 4-Stroke has recently made it to dealers around the country. But will the new PX come … Continue reading “More Four Stroke Vespa PX Rumblings”
Vivo Scooters in Edinburgh, Scotland is selling parts and kits to convert P-series Vespas and the LML Star (Genuine Stella, 4T or 2T) to a vintage-looking style. A chintzy-looking fiberglass kit was available from another manufacturer a few years ago, but this one features (mostly) metal parts and seems to be better-designed. Vespa purists may … Continue reading “Vivo Stella-to-“GS” Conversion Kit”
Vespa USA is currently offering custom paint at selected dealers. It’s an interesting idea, but of course got us wondering how it’s done. Here’s our train of thought: Wow, really? That would be neat. Why would it be only for a limited time? I’m sure this has nothing to do with the fact that LML … Continue reading “Vespa Offers Limited-Time Customization”
I visited Paris in 2006, and wrote about my experiences and shared some photos. I was lucky enough to go back last month (April, 2011) and it seemed that things have changed enough to make a new story and photo gallery worthwhile.
As predicted a couple months ago, Vespa has taken note of LML’s success in the metal-bodied manual-transmission market. Scooter Station, Scooter-Infos, Hell for Leather, and Motoblog.it are reporting that Piaggio is dusting off the Vespa PX 125 and 150, which will be available in the first quarter of 2011 with some minor cosmetic changes and … Continue reading “2011 Vespa PX 125, 150 for Europe”
There’s already a long trail of modern Vespa knockoff attempts. Chinese manufacturers and importers have adorned their trade show booths and spam emails with primitive Fiberglas approximations and photoshopped mockups of Pontedera pretenders for years. The SYM Fiddle began life as a computer rendering of a Vespa LX in a Dealer Expo brochure. Even LML … Continue reading “Vinashin Motor’s Diamond Blue 125”
As a scooterist/reader of this site, you’ll surely know the feeling of consumerist love at first sight. I’ve become obsessed with countless vehicles at countless rallies and motorcycle trade shows, and I’m sure you have too. Once in a while, you get to the point where you see an early prototype and know you will … Continue reading “Fuji X-100 (Not a Scooter)”