Vehicle Design Master Outlines Scooter Market Trends

26 December 2008

cens.com

By Quincy Liang

 

Pierangelo Andreani, an internationally known Italian who has been designing transportation equipment for over 40 years, generously shared his views on trends in powered two-wheeler (PTW) design, especially in the European market, during a recent visit to Taiwan.

Andreani works with cars, motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles, as well as boats. He joined the global car-design firm Pinifarina S.P.A. back in 1970 after leaving the design center of the Italian carmaker Fiat. He also worked with another eminent Italian design company, De Tomaso, where he completed design projects for such famous sports-car makers as Maserati and such motorcycle brands Moto Guzzi and Benelli.

Pierangelo Andreani, the globally renowned Italian designer, has been designing transportation equipment for over 40 years.

In 1981 Adreani set up his own design company, logically named Andreani Design. Ever since that time he has been cooperating with various world-class enterprises in Italy and elsewhere, including the Nova Design Co. of Taiwan, the design firm for local auto and motorcycle manufacturer Sanyang Industry Co. (SYM). The reason for his recent visit to Taiwan was the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Nova Design, which is now the largest transportation-vehicle and industrial design house in the Greater China region.

Trends in Scooter Design

During an exclusive interview by a journalist working for the Taiwan Motorcycle Guide (TMG) magazine, Andreani first outlined the scooter market in Europe as having two major segments: cheap scooters and big scooters.

In the cheap-scooter segment, he said, some of the major design trends prevailing today, including big wheels (with over-16-inch wheel rims) and compact size, are related to the appeal of easy riding for higher urban mobility.

Andreani describes the Yamaha T-Max as a successful combination of good steering and riding comfort. (photo of Yamaha press release)

In the more-important big-scooter segment, the designer pointed out, the current design trend-in other words, the market-is moving toward models that combine the features of scooter and motorcycle and are equipped with 300cc to 400cc engines with automatic-gear powertrains. "Under this design trend," Andreani explained, "a vehicle is required to simultaneously provide good acceleration performance (much better than that of cheap, small-displacement scooters), riding comfort (provided mainly by the scooter chassis), clean or simplified design, and riding ease (you do not have to be dressed in full-body leather riding wear, but only a raincoat or a short jacket over your suit or work dress).

"More and more riders worldwide are relying on scooters to overcome traffic jams in city transportation for trips of less than 30 minutes, and these riders also require better power performance so that they can ride both in and out of a city. But the 300cc to 400cc engine displacement is enough; and scooters with displacements over-400cc--in Italy, at least--require much higher insurance payments."

Motorcycles with automatic transmissions, according to Andreani, illustrate a trend worth noting. (Photo of Aprilia`s press material)

Andreani added that he does not believe the market for over-400cc scooters is big enough to exploit, because such machines are too heavy to ride in the city (for which a 125cc engine is enough), too expensive for most people, and perhaps a bit too unrealistic because someone who wanted so much engine performance would choose a motorcycle rather than a scooter.

Big Wheels

Big-wheel scooters featuring easy control have been a major advancement in scooter design in the past few years, Andreani said, and if makers further improve the frame and suspension of big-wheel scooters to give them even better steering and comfort, they will surely be, like Yamaha`s T-Max, a success.

Andreani suggested that vehicle designers and manufacturers take note of the factors that led to the T-Max`s big success in many markets: good steering, the riding ease of a motorcycle with the comfort of a scooter, and the feeling of riding a motorcycle while actually on a scooter.

Demographic Change

The designer also called for attention to the market shifts that result from demographic change, like the shift to the automatic transmission. Some of these shifts have implications for scooter design.

He explained: "Some PTW makers, like Aprilia and Honda, have noticed that when motorcycle fans get older and in many cases wealthier, they need higher-end, easier-operating motorcycles such as big-displacement touring bikes with automatic transmissions. Demographic changes really affect the market. For example, most people in Europe think that automatic transmissions are for disabled or new drivers, and they prefer manual-shift cars. But when the buying group gets older, the finger gearshift located on the steering wheels of some luxury car models become their favorite."   

Source: Click HERE

Scoot out to beat the crunch in 2009

December 22 2008
Harriet Ridley

www.acadvertiser.co.uk

DESPITE the dire economic climate, the scooter market is thriving. And it's no wonder - scooters are the perfect antidote to the credit crunch.

They're cheap to buy and run, incredibly practical and will get you anywhere in no time.

There's a scooter for every purpose too: If you simply need to run around town then a 50cc is just the job, although a 125 will be quicker and safer on the overtakes.

If you're commuting long distances, than you're going to need at least 125cc powering your two wheels, although you could splash out on the plethora of bigger scooters that are gracing the dealers, from 250cc all the way to Gilera's insane 800cc monster scooter.

The continuing growth of the sector means manufacturers are investing in their ranges, the result being a load of both new and revamped models at the 2008 international shows.

First up the big boys: Piaggio was proud to introduce the Carnaby Cruiser 300. The Carnaby range in general gets several design improvements over the previous versions.

Big news however was the latest addition to the MP3 range, the MP3 LT. The bike has a larger front track of 465mm which means it can now be ridden by holders of a normal car licence, even though it's equipped with either a 250cc or 400cc engine.

Meanwhile, the latest MP3 125 now gets 'ride-by-wire' electronic throttle management; Piaggio claims it's the first 'scooter' in the world to get this. The entire 2009 MP3 range features a new car-look shield grille, blue tinted windscreen and a new passenger grab handle.

Last but not least, the Zip 50 2T is one of Piaggio's greatest successes and has been in production for more than well over a decade. Now it's back with a brand-new 50cc two-stroke engine.

It seems 300cc is the new capacity to go for in the scooter world. Gilera, also part of the Piaggio Group, displayed its new Nexus 300, which replaces the 250cc version.

The new Quasar four-valve engine features liquid cooling and electronic fuel injection, and new bore/stroke values for stronger torque. And to celebrate the company's centenary, all Gilera scooters, including the Fuoco three-wheeler, will carry a new logo in 2009.

The new design is an adaptation of the famous logo of the 1950s, with the Italian colours and the symbolic dates of 1909 and 2009.

In-line with the other Piaggio Group brands, Aprilia's Scarabeo range now also gets a 300cc version. Meanwhile Vespa, the Piaggio Group's most iconic brand, unveiled the new GTS 125 available in a sexy racing red, while the S 50 gets an all-new four-valve, four-stroke engine that meets emissions regulations as well as providing decent performance for the size.

Moving away from the Piaggio Group but staying with the great icons of the scooter world, and Lambretta has plastered its legendary name all over a very modern-looking, four-stroke scooter range. The Pato is available in 50, 125 and 150cc engine sizes and they look very sleek indeed.

Malaguti has unveiled its brand new Blog 125 scooter, but enough of the Italians. From Japan, Yamaha has the X-City 125 and 250 that now come equipped with adjustable windscreens as standard. Other changes in the Yamaha range include a restyled Majesty 400 and special edition X-Max models.

Big news from Peugeot is the new Speedfight 3 range. Also available is the French manufacturer's new high-wheel LXR200.

There are several models among this section of the market that could easily be confused as being produced by more well-known manufacturers, had the badge not said otherwise. These are a good bet if you're not too bothered about brands, and simply want something dirt cheap to run you around.
Leading the charge is Sym, a Chinese brand that's becoming a regular fixture on our streets. Sym's latest model is the Symphony, a high-wheeled scooter with a compact body. There's also a new GTS 300 model which - surprise, surprise - replaces the previous GTS 250 version. Sym has also started producing a range of eco scooters, starting with the Robo, powered by a 48v/350W electric motor.

With such a massive range of scooters to choose from, travel cards are on their way out for 2009.

Source: Click HERE

Midsize Scooter Battle

Our friends at thescooterreview.com have gone back to the road and the race-track with yet another brace of scooters. This time testing hand picked, reasonably priced 100cc to 180cc "mid sized" machines . Get ready another totally independent, comprehensive comparison test.

Models being tested: SYM Mio 100, Italjet Torpedo 150, Yamaha Beewee 100, CPI GTR 180, SYM VS150, Yamaha Cygnus 125, Suzuki AN125

Hey, who put my scooter up there?!

Iconic Quadrophenia scooter sold

25 November 2008
BBC News

The Lambretta scooter ridden by actor Phil Daniels in the iconic 1970s film Quadrophenia has sold at auction for £36,000 - more than had been expected.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7747557.stm

Buy one - get one FREE!

At scooterhire.co.nz we like innovation:

A new ‘buy one car and get a scooter free’ offer has been introduced as a solution to fight the current economic crisis.

As the car industry continues to plummet, Workington car dealer, Percy Clark, 69, of PLC Trade Sales used the new approach as a bid to encourage car sales. He said: ‘The car sales business is in the doldrums. We have recognised a massive change in needs, and after a lot of consideration we have decided on giving away a free scooter with selected cars.’

According to Mr Clark, the cost of running a scooter has more financial advantages than the cost of running a car. Road tax, fuel prices, car insurance and maintenance costs for a scooter are lower than such costs for family cars. He said that a scooter will also help save the planet. ‘If 1,000 people left their cars at home and went to work on a scooter, it would make a vast difference.’

Early this month, dealers were offering supermarket style ‘buy one get one free’ offers on the new Dodge Avenger SXT 2.4i as a desperate bid to increase car sales.

Managing director, Simon Epsom of Broadspeed.com said last month: ‘The motor trade is beyond desperate - it's in crisis. Because of the credit crunch, many people are struggling to get the finance they need to buy new cars - they simply can't borrow money anymore…Dealers are becoming more and more desperate and that's why we get deals like this,’ he added.

http://www.onlyfinance.com/Car-Insurance-News/12754728-Car-dealer-introduces-buy-one-car-and-get-a-scooter-free-offer.aspx

Jimmy's Lambretta scooter from Quadrophenia up for auction

A piece of movie history is going through Bonham's auction room later this month - the scooter rode by Jimmy Cooper in the cult mod flick Quadrophenia, complete with its original KRU 251F number plate.

It's a Lambretta Li 150 Series 3 scooter, originally dating from 1967 and being sold by current owners Allstyles in Portsmouth. The bike is on its third owner since the movie finished, but has been overhauled to a high standard fairly recently - although this does mean some of the original parts have been replaced by modern spares. Its recent used has been mainly confined to shows and press events of late - a possible money spinner should you want to invest in it.

And it might need to earn its keep, with a hefty estimate being quoted by Bonham's, between £20,000 and £25,000. Check over the page for a picture of the bike in the movie or check out the Bonham's site for more on the bike. The auction is being hosted at the Knightsbridge branch on 25th November 2008.

http://www.retrotogo.com/2008/11/jimmys-lambrett.html

Bonhams auction details...

Rock & Roll Memorabilia

1967 Lambretta Li150 Series 3 Scooter,
Registration no. KRU 251F

As ridden by Phil Daniels ('Jimmy') in the film 'Quadrophenia', 1979, Manufactured by the Italian industrial giant Innocenti, the Lambretta motor scooter, together with the rival Piaggio-built Vespa, mobilised an entire generation of Italians in the immediate post-war years.

The scooter gained instant acceptance everywhere, its cleanliness and convenience in particular appealing to those who regarded the true motorcycle with suspicion. Scooters would eventually surpass their strictly utilitarian origins to become an integral part of British youth culture in the 1960s as favourite transport of the fashion-conscious ‘Modernists’, or ‘Mods’. The scooter’s enclosed engine and decent weather protection meant that its rider could arrive at a club, doff his parka and look like he’d just stepped out of a taxi, which was a definite advantage within a dandified sub-culture that placed a premium on smartness of appearance.

Introduced in 1947, the Lambretta scooter went through a series of mechanical and stylistic evolutions before arriving at the ‘Li’ series in 1958. One of Lambretta’s all-time greats, the Li resulted from the relative failure of the unreliable TV 175 Series 1, which forced the company to go back to the drawing board. Built in 125cc and 150cc capacities, the classic Li used the bore/stroke dimensions of the preceding ‘D’ Series but housed its entirely new engine in modern bodywork similar to that of the TV. The Li subsequently underwent a series of styling alterations, the Series 3 being readily distinguishable by its handlebar-mounted headlight and ‘slimline’ styling, embodying what for many enthusiasts is the definitive Lambretta look.

Estimate: £20,000 - 25,000.

The Lambretta Li 150 Series 3 offered here is the actual machine ridden by Phil Daniels’ character, James 'Jimmy'' Cooper in the 1979 film, 'Quadrophenia', inspired by The Who’s double album of the same name. After filming finished, the 'Jimmy Bike' was sold to scooter dealers Rafferty Newman and put on display in the window of their shop in Portsmouth. It was subsequently purchased by Eddie Harris who then sold it on to Paul Marsh, both these owners being Portsmouth residents.

Although far too young to be a 'Mod' in the 1960s, the vendor caught the post-Quadrophenia revival in the early 1980s and was on the lookout for a scooter to buy. Quite by chance he spotted 'KRU 251F' lying in a front garden in Southsea, Portsmouth and, recognising the registration number from 'Quadrophenia', knew that he had found Jimmy Cooper’s old bike. (It should be noted that as 'Quadrophenia' was set in the early 1960s, the registration’s 'F' suffix denoting 1967 was removed for the filming). A sale was negotiated and the Lambretta collected together with its accessories, which had been removed for safekeeping by the owner, Paul Marsh.

The machine’s restoration was commenced almost immediately but would not be properly completed until 1995, by which time the vendor was running his own scooter shop - Allstyles - in Portsmouth (It should be noted that, as is the case with most motorcycle restorations, some parts were replaced during the rebuild and prospective purchasers are advised to satisfy themselves with regard to the extent of this machine’s originality before bidding). In June of that year the ex-Jimmy Cooper Lambretta was pictured on the front cover of Scootering International magazine and featured in an accompanying article. Since then it has gone on to win various concours awards and been used for a host of promotional events, photo shoots, trade shows, etc, as well as featuring in other publications. When 'Quadrophenia' was re-released in January 1997, 'KRU 251F' attended the premiere in Brighton where it was reunited with Phil Daniels and other members of the original cast. Later that same year the 'Jimmy Bike' was used for filming at The Who’s Quadrophenia concert in Hyde Park, London and on location in Brighton.

For the past few years, 'KRU 251F' has been kept carefully stored inside the vendor’s house and is to the same specification today as it was back in 1979, including the Ken Cobbing sports exhaust system. The machine remains in excellent condition, although a certain amount of re-commissioning - new battery, carburettor clean, fresh petrol, etc - will be required before returning it to the road. Offered with current SORN and Swansea V5, 'KRU 251F' represents an exciting opportunity to acquire the 'Jimmy Bike', one of the most famous Lambrettas of all time.

Make a bid by clicking on the following link!

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=lotdetailsNoFlash&iSaleItemNo=4117506&iSaleNo=15844&iSaleSectio%3Cspan%20style=#

Real men do ride scooters

At scooterhire.co.nz we love the heritage and style of Vespa scooters. We are still mourning the demise of the Vespa PX that was the last of the 4-speed 2-stoke classics that was put to rest due to political correctness. Vespa goes some way to claw back the aura and the pizzazz by creating a new modern classic. Here's an article on Vespa's latest and biggest production scooter that we would love to own.

By Mark Hinchliffe

www.news.com.au

October 31, 2008

SCOOTERS may be an economic imperative for some, but those buying the Vespa GTS 300 Super want more than frugal commuting.

With a displacement of 278cc, it is the largest-capacity Vespa yet and Australian brand manager Simon Gloyne reckons the "super scooter" will appeal mainly to "sporty" men.

"The family with a couple of kids is not going to fork out almost $9000 for a Vespa to save them some money on fuel," he said last week at the national launch of the 300 in Sydney. "But those who appreciate a bit of performance and the ability to carry two people with ease, yet still save money on fuel, that will be the market for this scooter.

"We're talking more about a want rather than a need.

"If everyone bought a car for need rather than want, we'd all be driving Corollas." The Vespa is no Corolla.

Oozing style and history, it is basically a GTS 250ie, but with a bored and stroked engine, stiffer suspension, a few styling modifications (chromed rear grab rail, black wheels, vented rear fender, all-analogue instruments) and a firmer seat with retro white piping.

However, whether these will be enough to warrant the extra $1000 will depend on the buyer. The differences are more about performance and handling:

• Where the 250 bump-steers and tram tracks, the 300 steers true and stable.
• Where the 250 lags in take-off, the 300 has power from just a tick over idle.
• Where the 250 struggles a little on hills or with a pillion, the 300 powers on.
• Where the 250 has a soft ride but bottoms out easily, the 300 is less compliant but takes a fair whack before it bottoms out.

By boring and stroking the engine, it now features 3Nm more torque at 1750rpm less and, while it has the same maximum power, it comes on much earlier.

Despite the power boost, the scooter is still classed as a Learner Approved Motorcycle in most states. In Queensland, learners and first-year licensed riders will not be able to ride it.

Mr Gloyne said the Italians wouldn't say what they had done to the suspension, except to make it more "sporty".

The springs are now red, but they must also be stiffer and maybe better damped.

Mr Gloyne said the gender mix of scooter buyers was 60 per cent male, which grew more male-oriented as the capacity of the scooter increased.

He expected up to 75 per cent of GTS 300 buyers to be male, mostly upgrading from the 250.

The 300 costs $1000 more because the 250, which will remain in the range, is being offered at a special price. Mr Gloyne said the price of the 300 was held down, but it might rise, depending on the exchange rate.

"We actually had an offer from Piaggio to buy all our November and December stock before the dollar fell," he said.

"In hindsight, we should have taken them up on the offer."

The biggest Vespa yet comes in white or black with red coming in February or March.
A top box with padded pillion backrest will be available at $450.

Vespa GTS 300 Super

PRICE: $8990
ENGINE: 4-stroke, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 278cc single-cylinder
BORE X STROKE: 75 x 63mm
POWER: 15.8Kw @ 7500rpm
TORQUE: 22.3Nm @ 5000rpm
FUEL: 95 RON, 9L tank
TRANSMISSION: continuously variable with torque server, auto centrifugal dry clutch
SUSPENSION: dual chamber hydraulic shock absorber with coaxial spring (front), two dual-effect shock absorbers with adjustable preload
BRAKES: 220mm (front), 220mm (rear)
TYRES: 120/70-12 (front), 130/70-12 (rear)
DIMENSIONS (mm): 1930 (l), 755 (w), 1370 (wheelbase), 790 (seat)
WET WEIGHT: 148kg
EMISSIONS: Euro 3
WARRANTY: 2 years

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24570567-5010760,00.html

Mud sticks over 'dummy run'

At scooterhite.co.nz we do not condone illegal activities, especially when it comes to the use of vehicles...but, we found the following story in today's newspaper amusing:

The Dominion Post

23 October 2008

Trying to outrun police on a pint-sized motor scooter was not the brightest move Glenn Dodd has made.

Getting stuck in a muddy ditch while trying to make a spectacular getaway was worse. But finding out he was not drunk and had no reason to run from police in the first place really capped off a bad night for the 43-year-old Napier father-of-three.

Dodd set off from home at 1am on Saturday to buy bread for breakfast when police spotted him cruising along Prebensen Drive on his Suzuki scooter. He drew their attention because he had covered his licence plate in case a speed camera clocked him speeding - he reckons he can squeeze 100kmh out of its 125cc engine at a push.

Police turned on their flashing lights, then their siren, but Dodd did not stop. "I was panicking so much I didn't know what to do. I think they call it the flight instinct. "To be honest I have no idea why I did what I did. It was completely stupid and quite out of character," Dodd, a mechanic, said.

He veered off the road into a shallow ditch with the intention of jumping out the other side and making "a spectacular getaway". But after splashing through a puddle, the wheels failed to gain traction leaving a frustrated Dodd struggling to stay upright.

He is still at a loss to explain why he behaved the way he did. "I thought there was a chance I'd be over the [breath alcohol] limit. It was the first night in ages that my partner and I had been out. "When we got home I found out we didn't have bread for bacon and eggs the next morning. We were looking forward to a nice breakfast ... so I went into town. It was a really dumb thing to do," he said.

He passed the breath test and his scooter was registered and warranted.

He appeared in Napier District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to failing to stop and resisting arrest. He was fined $400 and ordered to pay $260 court costs.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736361a11.html

Thurman buys scooter to avoid congestion charge

London (ANI): American actress Uma Thurman, who recently moved to Britain, has got herself a scooter to beat London's heavy traffic. The 38-year-old actress, who recently moved to London with her fiance Arpad 'Arki' Busson, has bought a bright green Vespa to beat the city's traffic congestion - exempting her from paying the city centre's rising congestion toll.

"She can avoid the congestion charge and park easily with her new scooter. She drives Arki around on it all the time," the Daily Express quoted a source, as saying.

The Kill Bill star's neighbours have even given her a new name 'Vrooma Uma.' "The neighbours call her Vrooma Uma because she is always scooting around the area," the source added.

http://entertainment.oneindia.in/hollywood/top-stories/scoop/2008/uma-thurman-scooter-vespa-201008.html

The Motorcycle and Scooter Dilemma

Heads up to Stephen Fung that wrote the following insightful post. At scooterhire.co.nz we like your style!

Posted by Stephen Fung

October 6, 2008

www.stephenfung.net

Since testing and passing for my full learners motorcycle license, I’ve been presented with a bit of a problem. I’m torn between whether I should get a new motorcycle or buy a bigger scooter. Here’s how it played out based on my criteria…

Parking - One of the things that is awesome about a scooter is that I can pretty much put it wherever I want. It’s like RockStar parking wherever I go. The change to a motorcycle will not only get me noticed, but the parking cops and the mall security people start to notice too. Right now, with Happy Scooter, I can stick it beside a bike rack, go away for hours. I know I couldn’t do that with a motorcycle.  
Point for new scooter.

Storage - Happy Scooter has crazy amounts of storage. You can hold two bags of groceries in the cavernous trunk. Motorcycles have no trunks and if you need additional storage, you need to add hard cases and top cases, making the vehicle fatter, heavier, and even more difficult to maneuver in super tight spots. All scooters have varying degrees of underseat storage and some scooters have hooks on the front for your groceries. Since I often have stuff to pick up at the post office, or errands to do, the added bulk and cost of adding storage cases put the motorcycle in the dog house.  
Point for new scooter.

Performance - Although most motorcycles are much more powerful than scooters, their size and weight make them hard to maneuver in tight traffic. Motorcycles also have additional controls for the clutch and a foot brake. A scooter is comparatively simple, only requiring you to twist the throttle and the CVT transmission takes care of the rest. Front and rear brakes are both on the bars, making them easy to reach in a panic. This puts less distractions in front of you when jockeying for position in the city traffic. Outside the city however, the added weight and power of a motorcycle gives way to highway stability and headroom for passing slow moving cars and staying out of the way of large trucks. Since I’ll be mainly traversing urban highways and battling traffic in the city, the scooter makes more sense in my case.  
Draw: A scooter is better in the city but the motorcycle is better outside the city.

Gas Mileage - A motorcycle, displacement for displacement, gets lower gas mileage than any scooter. The CVT transmission always shifts at the optimum RPM and as a result, the engine is more efficent. We know that blipping the throttle, taking off in a lower gear and what not is a lot of fun, but it doesn’t make for the best gas mileage. Since one of my major reasons for getting into two wheeled transport in the first place was to stick it to the oil companies, it’s clear that scooter wins.  
Point for scooter.

Cool Factor - Of course, scooters are dorky as hell in North America. However, in the rest of the world, they are the mode of transportation of choice for the masses. When I selected my Yamaha C3 scooter, I knew that it wasn’t the looker. Some thought it was ugly, and no one called it pretty. However, it was definitely functional. Since I’m all about utility these days, the scooter works for me, but cool factor definitely belongs to a bad ass cruiser anyday of the week.  
Point for Motorcycle.

At the end of the day though, I turned to two wheeled transport for the practical aspects. I save nearly enough money in gas each month to purchase an Xbox 360 (Arcade) and I get to park wherever the hell I want. Most of the time I don’t even have to pay even though everyone else does. Although I can’t rule out getting a motorcycle in the future, for now, scooter FTW.

http://www.stephenfung.net/the-motorcycle-and-scooter-dilemma

EagleRider Expands Rental Line-Up With Scooters

Hey, us folk at scootehire.co.nz are pleased to have another company join us by offering scooters to the masses:

 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Oct 06, 2008 

(MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) 

 

EagleRider, the world's largest motorcycle rental company, is proud to announce the addition of the Piaggio and Vespa Scooter line to their existing line-up of Harley-Davidson(R), Honda, and BMW motorcycles available for rent.

 

"Strong Vespa Scooters sales growth in 2008 coupled with increasing gas prices makes the addition of the Vespa line-up a necessary choice," said Chris McIntyre, EagleRider President. "Vespa is a world famous lifestyle brand that will be a great complement to our prestigious rental fleet of Harley-Davidson(R), Honda and BMW motorcycles."

 

EagleRider will begin renting Piaggio and Vespa Scooters starting Saturday, October 11th, 2008 out of the EagleRider Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco locations. The EagleRider Orlando location will begin renting the Vespa product line on October 15, 2008. 

 

Requirements to rent a scooter are: twenty-one years of age, major credit card and possess a valid motorcycle license. To book your Piaggio or Vespa scooter rental log-on to www.eaglerider.com or call (888) 817-7660 to speak with an EagleRider Rental Specialist.

 

About EagleRider:

EagleRider pioneered the motorcycle rental concept in 1992 and today operates the world's largest motorcycle rental and powersport rental fleet from premier manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson(R), Honda(R), BMW(R), Vespa and Polaris(R). EagleRider's expansion of its franchise rental facilities targets global tourist destinations and currently offers adventure tours and motorcycle travel enthusiasts the opportunity to experience their dream vacation from rental facilities in the USA, United Kingdom, Austria, Australia, Spain, France, Ireland, Mexico, Costa Rica, and New Zealand.

 

Website http://www.eaglerider.com

The furthest thing from a motorcycle gang

By PHIL LUCIANO

Journal Star

Oct 01, 2008

 

BARTONVILLE. On any given weekend, when the spirit of adventure and danger call, the mean streets of Bartonville quake with the menacing rumble of two-wheeled mayhem.

OK, maybe that's overstating the case a tad. It's not so much a menacing rumble as an annoying whine. And as for the mayhem, it's really more of a silliness than anything else.

But yes, there are two wheels involved, along with a gang, leathers, nicknames and other trappings of the biker culture. The thing is, these riders don't sit on hogs, but scooters.

Meet the Ghost Riderz, the baddest - and goofiest - scooter gang ever to hit the Peoria area.
"We're the furthest thing you can get from a motorcycle gang," says a chuckling Mike "Snake" Bredernitz, founder of the scooter squad. "A few people have asked, 'Why didn't you just buy a cheap motorcycle?' Well buying a motorcycle isn't funny. But buying a scooter, that's funny."

Bredernitz, 45, doesn't exactly live a life of lawlessness. Married with three kids, he works as a risk-management consultant for an insurance company. Months ago, he saw a kid putzing through his neighborhood on a scooter. Bredernitz thought the modest vehicle might be a cheap way to get around town. So he bought a 150-cc scooter.

He caught the eye - and derision - of buddy Bret Henry, 39. The sales manager would chide Bredernitz for his milquetoast mode of transportation. Eventually, though, Henry saw humor in the notion."One scooter is dorky," Henry told Bredernitz. "But two is a gang."

Soon, Henry bought a scooter and took on the moniker of Bulldog. Soon, three others joined the scooter lifestyle: Jason "Spider" Walker, Loren "Blaze" Peacock and Steve "Iceman" Christiansen. They adopted a decidedly unintimidating logo: the name Ghost Riderz surrounding the image of Casper the Friendly Ghost. They put the logo on black T-shirts, plus black flags jutting from their scooters.

The pack soon took to the streets, leaving local residents recoiling - not in abject fear, but in head-scratching wonder about the curious quintet of nerds. "About 90 percent (of observers) get it," Bredernitz says. "The others think it's a mid-life crisis."

Mostly, though, it's a reason for the fivesome to hang out. Often, they pop into Hammer's pub, which has become the scooter clubhouse - so much so that a banner on the wall proclaims, "Official Home of the Ghost Riderz."

As Bredernitz promised the owner, almost seriously, "If there's trouble in here, we'll take care of it."
When they're feeling crazy, they'll mess with real bikers. Recently, they arrived to see a lone, top-line Harley out front. As a gag, they hemmed in the hog with their scooters. Later, when the biker left the saloon, the Ghost Riderz hoped he'd get the joke. "He came back in, bent over laughing," Bredernitz says.

The gang has taken on a public profile. At Limestone Community High School's Homecoming variety show, the Ghost Riderz brought down the house with a tongue-in-cheek skit about the scooter crew.

Next, they plan to help civic groups by appearing at fundraisers. They also hope to launch a charity golf outing. But it'd be not just for scooter riders; civilians would be welcome as well. "It'd be a small crowd if it were only scooters," Bredernitz says, laughing.

PHIL LUCIANO is a columnist with the Journal Star. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, 686-3155 or (800) 225-5757, Ext. 3155.

Movember 2008!

It's October! That means one more month until Movember (the month formerly known as November). This is a great cause tackling men's health issues and being proactive in the fight against men's depression and prostate cancer.

At scooterhire.co.nz, we will be again joining a few select men that will be cultivating the upper lip region. We urge all men to become a Mo Bro and support this worthy cause.

Celebrate being a man for Movember and enjoy the fellowship of like-minded men. To donate to my Mo click here www.movember.com and donate online using your credit card.

Scooter sales skyrocket 66%

By Catherine Clifford
September 23, 2008

With pain at the pump still real, Americans are jumping on those two-wheeled get-ups that Europeans have been riding for generations.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The scooter is becoming the new must-have set of wheels in a lot of American cities.

While auto sales have continued to sink, scooter sales were up 66% in the first half of 2008 compared to a year ago, while motorcycle sales overall only ticked up 0.5%, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

"About 5 years ago, most of the people were buying motor scooters more as a recreational product to enjoy on the weekend," said Paolo Timoni, president of Piaggio Group Americas, the maker of the Vespa scooter. "Nowadays, most of the people that buy this vehicle buy them as an alternative transportation vehicle."

Retail gas prices have come significantly off recent highs, but gas prices are still 33% higher than the same time last year, and that is motivation enough for Americans.

Scooter sales are outpacing sales of some motorcycle brands, which are typically more expensive and use more fuel.

A scooter is distinguished not by its size or speed. A scooter is defined by its automatic transmission, step-through design and wrap-around body work that hides the engine.

While a motorcycle gets between 40 and 60 miles per gallon, a scooter gets between 60 and 100 miles per gallon, according to Mike Mount, a spokesman for the motorcycle group.

Customers "are sick of feeding their big trucks," said Darrin Gitlitz, owner of New York Honda Yamaha. Gitlitz said that he has seen scooter sales increase more than sales of other kinds of motorbikes.

Honda typically sells more than 12 million two-wheeled bikes globally every year, according to John Seidel, a Honda spokesman. This year, in an attempt to capture sales, Honda released its 2009 scooter models to dealers early, according to Seidel. "We went ahead and released '09 this summer," said Seidel. The two 2009 Honda scooter brands - the Rucqus and the Metropolitan - both sell for between $2,049 and $2,149. In contrast, a Honda motorcycle starts around $3,000 and maxes out near $25,000.

The Italian manufacturer of scooters, the Piaggio Group, has logged record U.S. sales.The owners of the Vespa, Piaggio and Aprilia scooter brands saw a 100.5% increase in scooter sales in May compared to the same month a year ago. In June, sales were 147% higher in a year-over-year comparison and in July, sales were 173% higher.

While the Vespa scooter brand, which runs anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000, has been hitting record sales numbers, the luxury-class Harley-Davidson (HOG, Fortune 500) motorcycle reported that weakness in the U.S. economy dragged sales down in its second-quarter financial report. Globally, Harley-Davidson shipped 15.6% fewer motorcycles to dealers and distributors in the second quarter of 2008 compared with the year-ago period. Retail sales in the United States decreased by 8.7% in 2008 compared to the same quarter last year. A low-end Harley starts at $7,000, but other models can easily run you nearly $20,000 a pop.

Suzuki's scooters have big engines and therefore actually cost more than some of Suzuki's motorcycles. The larger scooters range in price from $5,949 to $7,899, but Suzuki's little cruiser motorcycle, the GZ250, goes for only $3,249. Sales of the Suzuki scooters, which get between 40 and 50 miles per gallon, ticked up 16% from January through July over last year, according to Glenn Hansen, a Suzuki spokesman. Sales of the GZ250, which gets 80 miles per gallon, are up 53%.Given the success of the smaller, more fuel-efficient two wheelers, Suzuki is working to bring some of its smaller models, already particularly popular in Italy, to the United States, Hansen said.

Yamaha saw a 99.8% increase in U.S. scooter sales from September 2007 through July 2008 over the same period a year ago, according to Kevin Foley, a Yamaha representative. One of Yamaha's most popular scooters is the Zuma 50 cc model, which costs only $2,199 and gets 123 miles per gallon.

Between high gas prices, traffic and congestion, "more and more people have started to realize that what they have seen people doing in Europe might be a good idea over here as well," said Timoni. "Go to Europe - London, Paris, Madrid - you see millions of people driving them to work everyday!"

Scoot to the movies

Sep 25, 2008
By Peter Calder
New Zealand Herald

If you find yourself in Newmarket or Northcote in the first couple of weeks of October and you can't move for motor scooters, blame it on the movies. The Italian Film Festival revs up next week for the 13th year in a row and on the programme is a valentine to one of the most-recognised and best-loved Italian icons: the Vespa motor scooter.

Sure the artistry may not be up there with the Sistine Chapel but take it from a Vespa owner: a renaissance fresco isn't much use when you need to get to Newmarket in 15 minutes through rush-hour traffic.
The rise in fuel costs has spawned a scooter boom. The last time I looked, sales were up about 80 per cent on the previous year. These days, a scooter rider is not a lone eccentric afloat in an ocean of cars. The other day, I found myself in a bunch of a dozen at a red light: as we throttled away in a buzzy swarm, leaving the ponderous saloons in our wake, I pretended I was in Rome.

Trouble is - and one doesn't want to be too snobby about this - not everything that buzzes is a Vespa. We Vespa owners do get a chuckle when people refer to a plastic and aluminium toy from Taiwan or Korea as their Vespa - although we are happy to accept as cousins anyone who rides one of those Indian-made Belladonnas, which were made to Piaggio's standards.

If you need to know why we feel this way, Forever Vespa will help. The film, whose full title includes the words "the story of an Italian legend", is so enthusiastic about its subject that I suspected it of being a promo film. But its makers, Pippo Cappellano and Marina Cappabianca, are independent filmmakers who were considerably assisted by the fact that Piaggio, the manufacturer, has kept impeccable records and even runs a museum in Pontedera, near Pisa.

Piaggio made aeroplanes and found itself in 1945 with a drastic drop in demand for its products. So it set itself the challenge of getting Italy back on the road by producing one of the most successful vehicles in history.

The film makes a fascinating chronicle of the scooter's design history and, more important, its part in rebuilding Italians' sense of themselves along with their bombed country in the years after the war.The Vespas in this movie range from the familiar (Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday) to the downright bizarre. I did not know that one model was fitted with a 75mm cannon and sold to the French to be used against the Algerians, though there are times in Auckland traffic where such an accessory would be useful.

As a traditionalist, I was distinctly unsure about the wisdom of the one fitted with ape-hanger handlebars. Ditto the stretch Vespa (with the handlebars about five metres from the seat, is a work of art, not a vehicle) but there are plenty of mint vintage models too, including a sidecar which, as the film shows, is vital if you want to change a tyre without coming to a halt. And I loved the canny marketing campaign which created a verb - vespare - meaning "to ride a Vespa".

It's unadulterated fun even if you are unfortunate enough to get around on four wheels. Festival director Tony Lambert has alerted the scooter clubs, so you've been warned: book early.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/movies/news/article.cfm?c_id=200&objectid=10533898

Saigon by Vespa Part 2

Our previous post was about Vespa tours in Saigon. Sounds like a relaxing and idilic way to see this fantastic city. There is a catch though...have you seen the traffic!

Saigon by Vespa Part 1

VietNamNet Bridge – For foreign travelers who want to explore the city, taxis or Xich lo (cyclo) are the most popular means of transportation. However, now there is an additional choice for anyone interested in riding bikes or scooters. In addition to classic bikes, like the Lambretta and Sprint, tourism agencies, in cooperation with Saigon Vespa Club, can now arrange tours on Vespa scooters. The Vespa tours have attracted attention from many Saigonese and foreign tourists on the city streets. Dominic Steven, a tourist, told the Daily last Friday that he found the scooters convenient, faster and less expensive and more exciting for touring the city. The Saigon Vespa Club has about 60 members, ten of them women, offering Vespa tours of the city. Chairman of Saigon Vespa Club Nguyen Anh Tuan told the Daily that traveling on scooters has been an option for years, but has become more popular these days. His club is aiming to offer Trans-Viet tours on those bikes in a near future.Tuan said that his club now has about ten to fifteen tours each month. He added that all profits, less the cost of gasoline that is approximately US$10 per tour, would go into the club's charity fund for supporting disadvantaged children and solitary elderly people in the city. After taking those tours many visitors have been interested in Vespa scooters and wanted to know more about them. After taking a tour last Friday a visitor asked about the model and price of the scooter, and said that he would buy one on his next visit. For more information, contact travel agencies in the city or Saigon Vespa Club at 135 Hai Ba Street, Ward 1, Ben Nghe District, tel: (08) 323 99 88. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2008/09/805319/

Vectrix Maxi Electric Scooter

At scooterhire.co.nz we love toys - most of them burn petrol.

Here's something a little bit different that we have put on our wish-list. The Vectrix Maxi Scooter is battery powered with power claimed to be 20kw and torque of 65Nm. Top speed is claimed at 100kmh.



The Vectrix company started in America some 13 years ago. Here, the Australian NRMA tests the Vectrix Maxi electric scooter.

Pricing

Pricing is AUD$14,990 plus on-road costs.

Standard features

There is a reasonably sized under-seat storage bin and a lockable glove/sunglasses compartment on the left hand side of the front fairing. Brakes are Brembo calipers with disc brakes front and rear.

Accessories

Options available at the time of writing are a top box valued at around $500.

Comfort

The rider's seat pad and backrest built into the front of the rear seat is quite comfortable and supportive whilst riding. The bars are placed well and the switches for indicators, high-beam and horn easy to use. Dual footrest positions further enhance the comfort factor. Pillion comfort is excellent with a large seat and pad-and-grab rails to help a passenger feel secure.

Ergonomics

Instruments are well placed, with a red, backlit, analogue speedometer in the middle which also houses the trip computer. LCD displays show battery life on the right and expected kilometres in the battery and time of day on the left. Both LCD displays are backlit by a funky blue light and provide a clear view whilst riding. On top of the three displays sit the warning lights for indicator flash, which was quite hard to see during daylight hours; high beam lights; side stand down and battery fail. Diamond shaped mirrors limit some rearward view.

Luggage space

A 40 litre storage box is located beneath the rear seat. It will fit a full face helmet with a tight squeeze, whereas an open face helmet has no problems and leaves room for other small items. The very handy 6 litre glove/sunglasses compartment located in the front fairing is large enough to accommodate a one litre carton of milk, wallet, keys and a mobile phone.

Build quality & finish

Mostly Italian parts further enhance the European feel to the bike. Sculptured plastic front cowls blend with the rest of the body to give a chunky look. Overall the fairing offers good protection in most weather. My test was conducted with occasional light rain falling and only a couple of drops hit my helmet visor and shoulders.

Paintwork is good with no defects found. The headlight offers good projection, whilst the rear brake light is an LED. However the centre tunnel cover was of concern with some marks to the plastic slightly evident on our test bike. The finish on the swingarm and rear shocks may dull if not regularly cleaned.

Security

The Maxi has lockable steering via the key and a starting procedure that requires a certain technique, which provide a sense of security.

Fuel

As the bike is electric the fuel used is simply any household electricity outlet. An 80 per cent charge is achieved within two hours. Battery life is claimed to be 10 years or 100,000km. Running costs are claimed at 2 cents per kilometre. Claims of up to 90km out of the batteries were not seen during my tests.

For my first ride I didn't use any regenerative braking, used full accelerator from standstill and got a total of 45km from the battery. On my second ride I used a lot of regenerative braking, which increases battery life, used half accelerator from standstill and got 66km from the battery. I would therefore suggest that if you planned to ride further than 55km per day, you recharge the battery.

Recharging
Recharge time	2 hours
Recommended voltage	240V electricity

Performance

Power is claimed to be 20kw and torque of 65Nm which provides seamless and smooth power from take off with the torque really pulling from the 30km/h mark. This makes for a swift manoeuvring bike in and out of traffic and makes for an enjoyable ride in the conditions for which the bike is designed. Top speed is claimed at 100kmh at which the Maxi stops accelerating and maintains that speed.

Ride

Turn on the ignition and there is no noise; only the dash comes to life. Hold the rear brake and flick the front brake to illuminate the 'Go' symbol and you are ready to ride. Turn the accelerator and straight away you notice the lack of noise. It is an eerie feeling, but I soon adapted to it. As the speed reaches around 30km/h, a small electric whine can be heard but is hardly noticeable. Whilst sitting at traffic lights there is no noise.

The Maxi has a multi function accelerator which provides regenerative braking and a slow speed reverse. The regenerative braking acts by twisting the accelerator forward which slows the bike to reduce braking distance and assists in recharging the battery. The only downside to this is if the need arises for quick application of the front brake you have to twist back the accelerator and squeeze the brake which in turn increases braking distance slightly whilst no braking is applied.

The reverse function is operated in the same way, but will only come on if at a complete stop. It is very handy to assist manoeurving in tight spots and parking.

Having only a side stand and no centre stand may restrict some parking options in tight places.

Handling

Overall handling is good with the bike quite easy to manoeuvre and comfortable to use on its Pirelli tyres. The rear suspension gave good grip and felt stable. The twin rear shocks can be adjusted for damping if carrying a pillion or for personal adjustments. The front suspension felt okay on smooth roads, but was upset on rough roads and gave a lack of feel mid-corner. An adjustable front suspension would improve this area.

Braking

With Brembo calipers as standard you would expect braking performance to be at a high level. However I was disappointed with the front brake which gave limited feel and low performance. The rear brake on the other hand was very good with loads of feel and power available. The only thing on offer to compensate for the front brake is the regenerative braking. However applying the rear brake and using the regenerative braking could result in a locked rear wheel so this feature should be used with care.

Summary

A large amount of research and development went into the design and manufacture of the electric Vectrix Maxi scooter to make it a viable mode of transport. Its aim is city riding while reducing its impact on the environment. In fact, it is claimed the only mode of transport with less emissions than the Vectrix Maxi is a push bike, although you have to take into account that the electricity used in NSW is mostly generated from coal, even if the emissions are located away from city areas...

If you wish to reduce your local environmental impact, want low maintenance costs, travel around 55km per day and can justify the high purchase price, this could be the perfect city or close range scooter for you.

Always remember when riding, wear an approved helmet and quality riding gear, enjoy yourself and ride safely.

Scooter Eco-Analysis

Wired Magazine
October 2008

Dear Mr. Know-It-All I've always been proud of my scooter's great gas mileage. But a friend tells me its emissions make it no greener than a Chevy. Have I been deluding myself?

Your use of the word always implies that your scooter is rather aged. If that's the case, then your contrarian pal may be right. Older scooters with two-stroke engines emit far more smoggy pollutants per mile than their four-wheeled counterparts.

True, you probably get double the fuel economy of a Chevy and can thus crow about your ride's smaller carbon footprint (and thus smaller contribution to climate change). But your tailpipe may also be belching out 10 to 15 times more smog (nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons) than that Chevy, to the severe detriment of your city's air quality.

If you switched to a new, four-stroke scooter, you could pop your eco-jersey a bit more. New federal regulations on two-wheeler emissions kicked in for the 2006 model year, and they're slated to get even tougher for 2010. Look for a scooter with a catalytic converter — the emissions-scrubbing gizmos aren't required, but they are becoming more common.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/st_kia#

At scooterhire.co.nz, we do not spend a lot of time wringing our hands over environmental guilt.  We do however get a wee bit annoyed over environmental misconceptions and hysteria about Scooters. 

Scooters are at the other extreme of engine size of a "Chevy" (or most other “vehicles”) and typically have 50cc to 150cc engines. Admittedly some of these engines do have more lenient EPA emissions standards. However, while they may pollute more per displacement size, they are far smaller in engine displacement and will emit a smaller total amount of alleged pollutants into the atmosphere than larger motorcycles or automobiles.

Most modern scooters have a catalytic converter. If this article was written 10 years ago, the writer might have more of a point. But the fact is that these days most reputable manufacturers offer modern emissions-controlled, CARB and Euro III certified scooters.

Scooters are also cheaper energywise to build and maintain, which is a factor the writer forgot to mention. Half of the emissions created during a vehicles life are in the manufacture and cars and trucks lose that game in a huge way.
Cars emit CO2 in direct relation to how much petrol they burn, so using a lot less fuel should keep the environmentalists happy!

Peugeot scooter just right for the city

17 September 2008
Harriet Ridley

WHAT costs £829 brand new, will take you across town in no time whether it?s rush hour or not - and costs peanuts to run?

It's Peugeot's answer to the credit crunch. The V-Clic 50, the cheapest small scooter in town with one of the most respected European brand names.

For years now Chinese brands have flooded our markets with cheap runarounds and funny names. Yes, they're a bargain but there's always that element of doubt. If something goes wrong, what kind of comeback do you get?

Many of us choose to stick to brand names we know, stumping up the extra cash for peace of mind.
So it was only a matter of time before one of the big manufacturers took a long hard look at what the Chinese are doing to bring us exactly what we want - a scooter for the masses that lets us bypass overcrowded and overpriced public transport systems, escape the congestion and spoil us for choice when it comes to parking.
And that's with a brand name we trust, which ensures European standards are applied to the manufacturing. To prove the point, the V-Clic proudly displays Peugeot?s lion badge and comes with the manufacturer's two-year warranty.

Make no mistake, the V-Clic is no trendy NRG or Speedfight in styling. It's plain functional, keeping costs low while providing everything we need - a decent fairing, mirrors with a clear rear view, indicators that make a loud clicking noise so you can't forget they're on and a headlamp with strong beam.

Underseat storage is deep enough to accommodate a full-faced helmet and there's a handy, open cubby hole at the front to store things on the go.

Of course, the obligatory hook for handbag, man bag or shopping bag is present, with a flat floor optimising carrying capacity - even Kate Moss would have enough room to store her most oversized of handbags here.

The 50cc four-stroke engine reaches 30mph in restricted form. Unless you have a motorcycle licence or go through the effort of passing your CBT, you can ride a 50cc with L-plates on your car licence as long as it doesn?t exceed 30mph.

But that's all you need through town, with enough poke low-down to whizz past the traffic and through the world's busiest high streets. It's so small it really will squeeze through the narrowest gaps between cars.

It has the typical agility of small-wheeled scooters - U-turns are swift and at a measly 78kg it's so light you can jump off and push the V-Clic, engine off, across a stretch of pavement if necessary.

The V-Clic has a disc front brake and a drum back brake. This makes sense as most of the braking is done with the front brake, as the weight moves over the front end as you decelerate. So it needs the sharpest tool for the job.

Meanwhile the drum back brake applies the right amount of pressure without being strong enough to accidentally lock the rear wheel in wet weather. Working together the brakes are just the job to slow or bring the V-Clic to a rapid stop.

With the rising cost of public transport and the cost of petrol showing no signs of lowering, you can't go wrong with Peugeot's latest £829 proposition.

Tax costs £15 a year, insurance on a cheap 50cc is negligible and with an average of 100mpg, you can wave goodbye to the credit crunch on the V-Clic 50.

FAST FACTS
Peugeot V-Clic 50
Price : £829
Engine : 50cc single cylinder 4-stroke air-cooled 4-valve carburettor
Braking : (F) Single 170mm, (R) drum
Weight : 79kg
Seat height : 715mm
Fuel tank : 6.3 litre
Warranty : 2-year from manufacturer

http://www.ayrshirepost.net/lifestyle/motoring-car-news/2008/09/17/peugeot-scooter-just-right-for-the-city-102545-21844909/

Riders at risk without the leathers

At scooterhire.co.nz we love the "scooter image" however it pays to keep it in perspective:

KATE BENSON MEDICAL REPORTER
13/09/2008

SYDNEY'S love affair with scooters has a price, say doctors and ambulance officers who are seeing a growing number of riders injured because they don't wear protective clothing or full-face helmets.
There are more than 6200 scooters on NSW roads, including about 1870 registered last year alone, as motorists struggle to beat rising petrol prices and Sydney's congested traffic. But experts fear riders are not taking the dangers seriously.

"When people buy a scooter, they are in love with the image promoted by advertisers, so you have plenty of young girls in short skirts and heels riding around the streets," the chairman of the Motorcycle Council of NSW, Guy Stanford, said. "Well, sorry, the crash statistics say it's all the same, whether you're on a scooter or a motorcycle. If you come off and you're not wearing protective gear, such as jackets with body armour, gloves, boots and eyewear, you can find yourself … inconvenienced for months."

Or dead, says the Roads and Traffic Authority, which points out motorcycle riders are 16 to 20 times more likely to be killed in a road accident than a car occupant.

Despite that, many scooter riders wear half-face helmets, which don't protect the chin and teeth and rarely come with visors to protect the eyes from common dangers, including insects and burning cigarettes thrown from cars. Only 51 per cent of riders wear leather boots, which can prevent fractured bones piercing the skin and infections from gravel and grease on the road. Only 38 per cent wear motorcycle pants.

Mr Stanford, who believes half of all motorcycle injuries could be reduced or prevented if people wore protective clothing, said cheaper helmets, usually the half-face versions, were often heavier and put extra stress on the neck and spine in an accident, while riders who wore jackets without body armour were at risk of chipping bones in their elbows or vertebrae.

The most common injuries from motorcycle falls or crashes included fractured skulls, bruising and bleeding on the brain, compound fractures of the leg and infections caused by gravel rash, but some injuries were particular to fashion-conscious female scooter riders, an emergency physician at St Vincent's Hospital, Fiona Chow, said yesterday. "We had someone recently who was wearing a scarf which got caught in the wheel of her scooter. She was OK, but if it had been tied differently around her neck, she may been strangulated," Dr Chow said.

A spokeswoman for the NSW Ambulance Service said paramedics were seeing more injuries from riders wearing inappropriate footwear.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/riders-at-risk-without-the-leathers/1271486.aspx#

2008 Scooter Cannonball Run

By Chris Somerville
September 11th, 2008

The 2008 Scooter Cannonball Run started today, a 3000+ mile coast-to-coast endurance run for hardcore scooterists who want to test themselves and their machines.

The Cannonball Run is a 10-day timed rally and is open to all scooters up to 252cc.

The proverbial green flag dropped this morning in San Francisco, sending 23 scooter fanatics off on a wild ride of more than 300 miles a day as they head to Ocean City, Maryland with a planned ending date of September 20th.

As an avid scooter rider myself, I’m envious of the freewheeling spirit and adventurous attitude that Cannonball participants have to have to embark on such a monstorous and potentially perilous journey. But just the thought of riding more than 300 miles a day on a scooter makes my butt, back and legs ache.

The Cannonball is not only a test of vehicle endurance, but a test of a rider’s mental stability as well. Riding for more than 8 hours a day on a scooter for 10 straight days is not something to be entered into lightly. Of course there is the worry of having a mechanical breakdown, something that seems to happen with amazing regularity on some of the older Vespas and Lambrettas on the run. But there is also the concern of hitting checkpoints, finding lodging and food and calculating gas mileage — all while riding on 10-inch tires.

Back in 1996, a group of my club members from Secret Society Scooter Club and some other scooterist took a “Ride of a Lifetime” from San Francisco to Italy for the 50th Anniversary of the Vespa (clearly they had their bikes shipped over “the pond” and then continued to ride from there).

They rode more than 350 miles a day on classic Vespas, and while everything went OK for them, the hardship tales from the trip convinced me that it takes a special breed to ride that far in such a short time.

Send your good thought out to these hearty souls who have embarked on their own ride of a lifetime. Many of them have blogs to detail their adventure, along with pictures and even GPS real-time locators so you can “live the dream” along with them from the comfort of your office chair. Check the forums and who knows, maybe next year you will decide to Cannonball it yourself.

Motor On!!

http://www.somervillecustompublishing.com/Gasoline-Alley/scooter-cannonball-takes-off/68/

Scooter girls can beat helmet hair

At scooterhire.co.nz, we tackle the big scooter problems head-on...here's an article about that age old problem of helmet hair:

10/10/08
Harriet Ridley

THERE'S a soaring number of women discovering the joys of two wheels to beat the credit crunch. With the latest generation of super-cool scooter gear girls can now be really trendy. But the problems begin when we reach destination and take our helmets off to reveal hair that's as flat as a pancake and clinging to our heads.

Helmet hair is the plague of every two-wheeled rider with hair. The longer the hair, the more tragic the problem. So what can we do about it?

Don't even think about not wearing a helmet. You would never get away with it and can you imagine the tangles? Faced with no viable alternative, over the years I've learned there are things we can do to minimise the problem.

For instance, washing your hair the night before rather than on the day makes it less pliable and thus less willing to take the shape of your helmet.

And get a helmet with a removable washable lining. A dirty helmet will make your hair greasy and smelly. All good-quality helmets nowadays come with removable lining. Alternatively, wear a clean balaclava under the helmet. This is also good for keeping the hair tucked inside the jacket so it doesn?t creep out and get tangled.

These tips can help, although I still haven't found a solution to end helmet hair days for good, so do let me know if you have one? just as long as it's not something like, get a helmet that fits loosely.

A loose-fitting helmet won't do anything to protect your head in the event of a fall. Getting a helmet that fits properly is vital: Too small and it will give you a headache, too big and it won't cushion your head during impact. It's better to have helmet hair than brain damage.

There's a range of helmets to choose from. Open-faced helmets are popular on scooters, although I steer clear as they don't protect your chin in a fall. However, on some modern scooters storage space is only big enough for open-faced helmets, so this may be enough to convince some riders of their worth.

Different helmets suit different people as everyone has a different shaped head. Clearly I've got an expensive head shape as Arai fits me most comfortably. Well, it is one of the best quality helmets money can buy.
However, Shoei is an expensive brand too, but their helmets don't fit my head shape comfortably, squeezing my cheeks to give me that fish-in-a-bowl feeling.

Arai is bringing out a full-faced helmet with a new design for girls in 2009. You?ll be able to see it at this year's International Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the NEC, so if you're going check it out it's gorgeous! And will cost £344.

Suomy is bang on trend at the moment with its cheaper range of full-faced helmets with colourful, flowery and sparkling designs. It has a good selection of open-faced versions too. See www.suomy.com for details.

HJC is another brand to look out for. The girly designs include the Art Fighter for £120, or the EVE in pink or white and lilac for £119.

And check out Shark's limited edition butterfly full-faced helmet for £139.99; there's an open-faced version too.

IXS do a good selection of  jet helmets in girly colours. You can find all these brands at www.girlsbike2.com .
Meanwhile, super-popular brand Momo have a selection of girl-friendly designs at www.momo.com .

And if pink is your thing, I'm the not-so-proud owner of a bubble gum pink open-faced helmet from Nexx (www.nexx-helmets.co.uk), although you won't catch me wearing it too often.

Still, it's not as bad as the latest craze to have hit Spain. Scooter riders there are wearing horse riding hats! All the trendy kids wear them, call me old-fashioned but they look ridiculous. That's one trend I can't see catching on here.

http://www.ayrshirepost.net/lifestyle/motoring-car-news/2008/09/10/scooter-girls-can-beat-helmet-hair-102545-21794289/

Wi Fi Scooter

At scooterhire.co.nz we thought that this was cool. We love scooters and we love technology - so why not combine the two!

If you own a scooter, that's great. Fancy turning it into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot? Well, all the necessary instructions are provided here, so read on to find out how you can spruce up that old boneshaker of yours into one funky scooter that is able to offer GPS navigation, a pirated radio station and even enough power to juice up an electric guitar so that you can play songs via the Web. You'd best be equipped with a decent amount of DIY knowledge if you want to attempt this project though.

Vietnam scooter swarm

This is unbelievable! Is this what driving down Auckland's Queen Street is going to be like in a few years time...

The Romance of the Scooter

At scooternz.co.nz we are reasonably passionate about scooters. We believe that they are much more that a convenient means of transportation that saves you gas...we believe that they represent a sense of freedom and individuality.

In this politically correct world, the humble scooter provides a much needed sanctuary from collective responsibility. You can enjoy indulging yourself without guilt and by not conforming to the restraints of other forms of transportation. The scooter has its own unique quirky style and sense of humor. When you drive a scooter, you will always enjoy the journey and you can always guarantee a smile.

We like how the Cartel Agency has capitulated the style and romance of the scooter in the following article:
31 August 2008
by Jordan

In Italy they’re called by the more elegant and somehow far cuter name Motorino. A cornerstone of mediterranean culture, especially in urban centres, motorini are still the simplest and easiest way to navigate a city. The various iterations of Piaggio’s famous Vespa from the 1950s onwards are indisputable vehicle design classics, and even after days and days in the south of Italy I still found myself staring like a man transfixed when an old white vespa whizzed past me.

There’s something about the simplicity of a motorino that’s irresistible: it’s a culture entirely different from that of the motocicletta or motorcycle, which involves shifting gears and straddling the bike like a horse; on a motorino you sit like you’re having dinner, with only a simplified spedometer and a couple of lights on your display. People from 14 to 85 drive them here, and hopping on a scooter is about as natural as going for a walk.
A couple of years ago, Piaggio introduced a new line of their famous Vespa scooters that, while not exactly re-creating the perfect heavy lines of the old Vespa frontpiece, comes pretty close. It’s a happily backwards-looking design similar to Fiat new’s cinquecento, the closest a lot of people will get to ever owning one of Fiat’s old masterpiece of a car.
Vespa Canada (yeah, we do drive some vespas in Canada, even if they’re prohibitively expensive and our scooter season outside of Vancouver is far too short) recently commissioned some great print ads that simultaneously introudced the new Vespa and harkened the arrival of spring. The theme is butterflies, close enough to the original meaning of the word Vespa (which would be wasp) and a little more appealing than that annoying insect when we’re talking about heralding in a new season.
The thematic unity of the butterfly/scooter concept left the designers free to incorporate elements of different design eras into each particular ad, with splendid results all around. I especially love the 1970s-themed design with its concentric lines and perfect colour scheme. Beautiful stuff.
Our final scooter-related find is this set of stunning high-end helmets from the Parisian designer Les Ateliers Ruby, which top any helmet I have ever seen anyone wearing anywhere. They’re lush, shiny, and thematically perfect for anyone buying a scooter for more than just a convenient method of transport.
I once saw a dude on a vintage vespa in Paris, sporting white converse, good jeans, a perfect vintage button-up shirt, and smoking a Gauluoises–which wasn’t hanging out of his mouth, mind you, but resting there in that inimitable ‘this took me 3 seconds to do but would take you a damn lifetime‘ French style. If he’d had this helmet, we would have our winner in the coolest man ever to ride a scooter. He’s probably already got one, the bastard.
http://blog.cartelagency.com/2008/08/31/the-romance-of-the-scooter/