Vespa News from .. EVERYWHERE!

It's been a busy week here at Vespa KC and I've found little time to update thee blog, however, there has been plenty of news.

Lots and lots and lots and lots.

And of course, there was Sunday's scooter breakfast which was super-amazing, but I'll post about that later. For now, check these links to catch up on what is happening in the world of Vespatisi.

Forbes.com: Piaggio first quarter sales sink due to dollar falling and varying exchange rates...
Worcester Telegram: Scooter gains fans...
Walletpop.com: $4 gas is scooter buying time...
Chronicle Herald Metro: New options in transportation...
Scoot Lancaster: Gas makes folks look at at changing habits...
My Moto Motorcycle Blog: Scooter buyer's guide from a non-scoot rider's perpsective...

Reminder: Scooter Breakfast TEAM-UP!!

Just a reminder folks: The scooter breakfast is live in tasty! Oh yes, in less than a week, you too dear reader can enjoy a variety of homestyle breakfast entrees and then scoot amongst friends old and new on a relaxing ride through town.

Are you up to the challenge?

Are you prepared for the feast?

Are you tired of the questions and ready for the link to the wheres and whens of the meet-up?!

Follow the link for the details, and we'll see you on Sunday (provided it's dry!). If you have any questions, email me and let me know!

EXCELSIOR!!

More Scooters for Everyone

The title-link is to an recent post on NBC17.com about rising scooter sales in Raliegh, North Carolina, but I, just getting back from vacation, have something similar to post.

While out in Colorado last week, we spent the weekend in Denver, and man, oh man, did we see a lot of scooters.

As anyone whose had the (mis)fortune of driving in Denver will tell you, the traffic there is definitely worse than what we have out here. People drive harder, faster and with more determination, making KC drivers seem lazy and slow as a result. That said, there were scooters everywhere! And the surprising part to me, most of them were 50 cc bikes! It was awesome. Everywhere we went we saw a lot (and I'm not talking about just a handful) of scoots. It was simply uncanny! Kansas city, we need to catch up! Here, it may not be rare to see a motorcycle or two at any given time, but out there, I saw way more scoots than I saw motorcycles.

We paid a visit to Denver's Vespa store, Erico Motorsports and was blown away by their showroom. Friendly staff, a great selection, and innovative ideas (they rent Vespas!) have made a big impact in helping Denver do what they seem to be doing a pretty good job of: finding cheaper and more enviornmentally friendly ways to live life, day to day. They already have a light-rail system (that works amazingly well, by the way; way cheaper than a cab), Toyota Prius hybrid-fuel taxi cabs, metro busses that run off of soy-oils, and an obvious love of scooters.

If you can't tell, I'm a little jealous of Denver's attitude. :)

Singapore bike expo report

I may be in Colorado doing my snow thing for the week, but that doesn't mean I'm not at work :) The above image is via http://rinaz.net.

The blog, Marina's Bloggarific has an excellent report on the Singapore bike show, "Bike Asia." The show features plenty of scooters (including your favorites) and is worth checking out!

Click here for the sexeh!

Vespa's keep up with traffic... ORLY?

Posted this morning on Vancouver's Straight.com an article titled, "Vespa's punchy new scooter keeps up with traffic" caught my attention and then immediately left me feeling slightly offended.

As of late, I've been getting sent a lot of articles and posts about publications just now, almost eight years after the re-debut, discovering the Vespas, Piaggios and scooters in general. In the defense of these recent articles, I'd say that it's arguable that media folks are extremely busy-types. They have deadlines to meet, writing about things they don't know anything, nor care about. Eventually, one of these folks will write a story that we're familiar with, and we're either left applauding the facts or, more likely than not, left feeling empty. The post on Straight.com was, presumably, destined to fit in the latter catagory.

Assuming soley from the title that the author would simply not do enough research to sound educated on the subject generally, I read the post and for whatever reason, found it humourous that:

1. I was right and...


2. The post was obviously written as filler: no real substance

That said, I'm still found myself feeling a bit offended after reading statements such as, "...Vespas are kind of like Harley-Davidsons..." and, "Instrumentation is virtually nonexistent—a speedometer and fuel gauge with some idiot lights, and that’s about it. But for the majority of those interested in this kind of ride, that’s more than enough."

That last quote really did me in; not only did it prove that the author doesn't care about the subject matter of which he/she wrote about, it also highlights the fact that he or she doesn't care about the audience who is interested in said subject matter. In my humble opinion, if you can't write for your audience, why are you even writing? If you're not sure as to why I'm worked up over such a mundance peice of writing, I'd explain it as asking you to think about how this small and unremarkably written post may not change minds one way or another for folks who own and ride a scoot, but for those who may still be considering adding a scooter into their stable of vehicles, the tone alone could deter them from finding out for themselves how wonderful the world of small motorcycling can be.

That's why I'm ragging on this post so much.

As partially mentioned before, I would normally just skip over something like this as I don't neccessarily consider it worth a read (I am biased afterall!) but I'd like to know what you think of the post. You can check it out here.

Scooter Breakfast is GO!!!

Okay Ladies and Gents! The Scooter Breakfast is on!

Mark your calenders:

Sunday, May 4th

Lucky Brewgrille -Vespa KC

SCOOTER BREAKFAST

10:00 AM till stomachs are full!

Lucky Brewgrille,

5401 Johnson DR

Mission, KS 66205

Come early and meet local riders!

Stay after the eats and ride with them too!

For those not in the know, Lucky Brewgrille in Mission is giving us their entire downstairs portion of their resturaunt to do whatever we want! So, I'm inviting you (and please invite whomever!) to a Meet n' Greet n' Eat breakfast. There will be scooter parking, so leave the car at home, and if you're a little road shy, this is a perfect opportunity to work out the kinks and get the confidence levels a boost!

Awareness Test

Found this neat awareness test. Take a look and see if you fail (most likely you will). Then, pass it along to friends and family, regardless if they ride or not.

Gas... It's no gas!

A more frank version of the title could be: "Gas: it sucks!" or "Gas: Boooo!" Regardless of which you prefer, you get my drift. The stuff is expensive and as we get closer and closer to summer, it's going to be even more costly.

Forbes.com put out an article about how much gas costs in certain cities, back in December of '07. Back then, they were making a point to mention how expensive gas was at an average of $2.90 a gallon. How funny is that? Gas now is about $0.50 more in KC, I can't imagine what it is on the East coast.

An interesting thing is that as expensive as gasoline is these days, it still hasn't eclipsed it's former peak of 1981-1982. Back then, during the energy crisis, gasoline was averaged out at $3.405 a gallon (national average). So, we're currently sittting at 18 cents below that, yet rapidly approaching the 1982 mark. (According to Yahoo.Biz)

Yet, according to some, the rising costs of fuel aren't all that bad thanks to newer technologies and effiiciencies.
Some interesting quotes from today's Yahoo.Biz post:

"In 1980, the average American had to work 105 minutes to buy enough gas to drive the average car 100 miles, according to Beth Ann Bovino, a senior economist at Standard and Poor's. Now, the average American needs to work only 53 minutes, thanks to better fuel efficiency and higher wages."

"For each penny increase in the cost of gas, U.S. consumers pay an extra billion dollars a year, said Dean Baker, assistant director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. So to go to $3.22 a gallon from $1.74 a gallon in March 2004 is costing an extra $148 billion dollars this year alone."

"For those hoping things will get better, there may be a while to wait. EIA predicts gas prices will remain above $2.70 a gallon until at least 2010."

More reasons to ride your scooter more, eh? For more on this, check out the Yahoo.Biz post.

Piaggio MP3

Cnet.com had a blog post yesterday about the Piaggio MP3 titled, "... Not your father's Vespa." There's not much to read, but it's nice to read about the bikes on other blogs sometimes.
Check it out here.

Vespa S press release, legendary scooters.

Found this in my inbox this morning from Piaggio. For those in the know, it's old hat, but for the rest, it's a history lesson as well as a learner for the present. Enjoy!

"Piaggio Group USA Announces the New 2008 Vespa S
Classic or customized, this Vespa celebrates the rebel in you

NEW YORK, March 10, 2008 – Italian manufacturer Piaggio, renowned for revolutionary ideas in personal transportation, announces the debut of the2008 Vespa S, a retro-forward 150cc interpretation of the iconic “Vespino”scooters that dominated the European street scene in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Combining advanced technology and iconic styling, the new Vespa S embraces the rebellious spirit that inspired an entire generation to change the world. With its pure, minimalist lines, sporty performance, inconspicuous carbon footprint and creative customization options, the Vespa S is now ready to empower a whole new generation of riders to challenge the conventions of our time.

Vespa Heritage: Designed to Change the World
When Italian manufacturer Piaggio introduced its first Vespa scooters in the post-war 1940’s, they were born of functional necessity: personal mobility for the masses in a changing era. Though designed to be simple, sturdy and economical, the sense of Italian style was never an afterthought. The Vespa’s aircraft-inspired unibody frame, with its clean, efficient lines, stylish contours and revolutionary features set a design benchmark that introduced comfort and elegance to the sensibility of personal transport.
Prominently featured in the 1952 film Roman Holiday, the Vespa began to play a role in popular culture and became an international phenomenon. Beloved by bohemians, artists and actors, Vespa also remained a populist icon, a testament to its charm. In the 50’s, European Vespa clubs numbered in the tens of thousands, while American screen icons John Wayne and Marlon Brando took to the streets on Vespas between takes. British mods, celebrated in such films as Alfie and Quadrophenia, rallied around Vespa a decade later.
During the 60’s and 70’s, the Vespa Special and Primavera models became symbols for the revolutionary ideas of the time. As the protest movement raged, Hollywood stars such as Steve McQueen and Dennis Hopper chose Vespas for their personal style statements and Innovative advertisements and style refinements kept the Vespa ahead of the cultural curve during the 70’s. Today, the Vespa S continues the company’s unique ability to capture its rebellious spirit in one technically advanced package.
Trademark Styling, Advanced Engineering
The spirit and soul of the 2008 Vespa S is in the authentic details.C lassic Vespa trademarks such as chrome trim, the minimalist front shield, the unique rectangular headlight first seen in the 50 Special, the rounded rear light and a 70s-inspired single-seat saddle with contrasting piping all pay homage to the Vespa S’ legendary predecessors.
The Vespa’s structural integrity is just as innovative as its design. The Vespa’s high-strength steel body acts as the scooter’s structural frame, a design solution unique in the world of scooter production. In addition to superior strength, the frame is exceptionally rigid, resulting in excellent road holding and precision control. The scooter’s low center of gravity also makes riding it supremely simple.
Equipped with an advanced front disc/rear drum brake system, the Vespa S offers confident stopping power. The 11” front and 10” rear wheels with light alloy rims add to the Vespa S’ excellent stability, and a 150cc single-cylinder, four-stroke engine delivers sporty acceleration. Located inside the body, the 2.3 gallon fuel tank allows easy access to the engine and maximizes the size of the under-seat storage compartment.
Sporty and agile performance combined with low emissions and high fuel economy reflect Vespa’s commitment to safety, reliability and environmental respect. Like all Vespa scooters, the clean-running Vespa S sips fuel while delivering miles of riding thrills – over 90 miles for every gallon of gas. And, with a top speed of 59 miles per hour, the four-stroke Vespa S is ready to get you to your next protest march, reunion tour – or the office - in record time. Make Your Vespa Your Canvas
Vespa has always been synonymous with freedom of expression, and the Vespa S invites buyers to show their creative side with six new optional graphic kits. Easily applied at the dealership, each decal collection celebrates an element of Vespa’s heritage and personality. For example, buyers can show their passion for la dolce vitae with stylized Italian flag decals or rock on with a very “Mod” United Kingdom flag theme. A Sixties-style flower motif and a retro rally theme complete the collection.
Additional accessories for the Vespa S include a matching body-color 8 ½ gallon top box, a chrome-plated tilting rear luggage rack and a European-style half-helmet. The 2008 Vespa S has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $4099. Available colors include Dragon Red, Shiny Black and Optic White. For more information on the Vespa S visit www.vespausa.com.

About The Piaggio Group:With over 6,700 employees, an annual production of more than 680,000 vehicles in 2006, 5 R&D centers, 7 production facilities in Europe and Asia, and operations in over 50 countries, the Piaggio Group has a consolidated leadership in the European 2 wheeler market. Its production includes scooters, motorcycles and mopeds in the 50cc to 1,200 cc displacement range, marketed under the Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Derbi, Aprilia, Scarabeo and Moto Guzzi brands."


A couple interesting things to note from the press release. If the MPG estimates are correct, then the current L.E.A.DE.R engine is getting slower but increasing it's fuel effiency with each new model. First the ET4 with 60 MPG and 65 MPH, then the LX150 with 70 MPG and 60 MPH, now the Vespa S with 59 MPH and 90 MPG! Nice!

Opinion: Piaggio Posting Profits or Numbers Dont' Tell the Whole Story

Just posted on Reuters.com, Piaggio has posted 2007 year profits of 10.8 percent in comparision to the 2006 year. The numbers were based on Core Profit, which apparently, is earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation. That number totalled an upward rise of 226.1 million euros or $384.4 million dollars. Net sales rose 5.3%. Sounds like nice work, but is it honest?

Now while any profit looks promising, I think it's important to note that this rise in "profits" is probably directly related to Piaggio's method of opening dealerships and the campaign of which it was based, especially in 2007.

Anyone with a direct history with Vespa KC from a number of years ago will recall that we were one of 15 "boutique" locations in the U.S. We were special in the fact that we were standalone locations that specialized in and only in Vespa and Piaggio products. Kind of like walking into a Ferarri dealership of yesteryear; you'd only see Prancing Horse Ferarri cars, not Lambos and Aston Martins together in the same dealerhship.

Piaggio's stance, at the time, was that there would be no oversaturation of the market, meaning that only a few cities had access to Vespas, and production would be semi-limited. So, if you could find one, a Vespa was a very rare machine to see, was sold at a premium, and held it's resale value for a very long time. In KC, when we first started reintroducing Vespas, the scoots became instantly collectible.

Times change and during the end of 2006, Piaggio decided that the path to selling more scooters was making them available to a larger audience. Now, personally, I totally agree with that statement; how can you sell more machines if folks have no access to them? The problem with the execution on the idea was that Piaggio opened up dealerships to ANYONE who wanted them. Sure, there were qualifications that had to be met, but that didn't stop the influx of new dealers popping up all over the country. By summertime of 2007, over 110 new dealers had appeared in the U.S.

More dealers means more scooters right?

Well, maybe not. A lot of these new dealers, out to make a quick buck, weren't and aren't as passionate about the scoots as the original boutiques. So while Piaggio was able to sell the new dealers more of it's scooters and post these high profits, time will tell if these new dealers are actually selling the scooters. I have a feeling that a lot of the new dealerships didn't quite understand what the Piaggio and Vespa scooters were; that is being premium market vehicles. So, while a carwash may have rights to sell scooters, would you go to a carwash to buy a $4300 dollar scooter that goes 65mph? An expensive toy a Vespa may be to the uninitiated, but for a lot of folks finding Vespas and Piaggios at grocery stores, car washes, and car dealerships, they're more like and expensive joke.

Even worse, the sudden competition has proven to be rather cut-throat and has forced a number of the original boutiques to either move (hi!) or even worse, close doors altogether. I have yet to mention the vast wave of cheap new Chinese imports into the market as well...

I think it's unfortunate and it tarnishes the grand history of the machine a little bit, but over time, it might possibly prove to be better for Piaggio and the scooter scene as a whole. Perhaps, more folks will discover Vespa for the first time through the numerous neo-dealerships, do a little research and sell themselves on what will become their new, lifestyle changing form of transport. I think that the next two or three years will tell a lot on which way the situation turns; for good or for bad.

As Kansas City's first and best Modern Vespa dealer, I'm not too worried, but I'm still keeping a keen eye on the event as a whole. You can count on us to do our part in promoting Vespa and help make those "profit" numbers as honest as possible.

If you're in the know, send me a shout and let me know what you think about the situation.

Things to do in your town: West Bottom Urban Bazaar

Somehow, I'm on the KC Home and Gardens Magazine newsletter (which is funny considering how much I think that magazine only appeals to 2% of the folks living in KC; a percentage I'm not apart of) and, as I normally would, clicked it for deletion. For whatever reason, I decided to actually read it this time and I'm kinda glad I did, for there was an advert for the West Bottoms Urban Bazaar.

This is a two-day event thrown on by Foundation which showcases local art, crafts, music and decor. It's another one of those things that fit into the "If I wasn't working, I would TOTALLY go to that!" catagory. So, I won't be going, but I figure if I share the knowledge of the Bazaar, I can live vicariously through one of you! So, if you're pining for something to do next weekend, I say hit the Bazaar!

For more info, follow this link.

How I ride

On one of the blogs I check on the daily, Motorcycle News.com, there was an article posted, named "How I ride."

Normally, I would just link to the post, but this is interesting enough, to me at least, that I'm going to copy and paste so you can just read it as is. For most folks, I'm pretty sure a lot of what was posted by Mr. Frankling doesn't apply, (note: for intermediate to experienced riders) but the overall gist of it should.



"How I ride
By John Frankling
Photo, video and writing tips
22 February 2008 12:40

"I have been riding for about 15 years and have found that the most important thing to learn that will keep you alive is to have a very alert mind combined with constantly observing of the immediate traffic situation around you.

Update your riding style to adjust the risk factor so it is in your favour to make progress safely. Don't keep in one mode of progress, ie: fast!

Adjust your speed, There is really no great rush to constantly get there with the feeling that you have beaten everything along the way. The law of averages will show that you are pushing you luck!
Every road/Situation changes no matter how many times you have ridden on it...Parked cars/Weather/Lighting/Traffic Speed/People pulling out(Everything is different from day to day) As was mentioned by someone else.

Always Check before you carry out a manouvre/lane change and always act as if the car/lorry or even other bikers have not noticed you coming up behind manouvre around or through when filtering.
Anyway i hope this helps...It has kept me safe so far and NO i don't just plod around on a Honda C90 with a flat cap and bicycle clips.

I have had many different bikes ranging from small scooters to race reps to custom bikes and I do ride fast but....hopefully safe and that's what counts, remember that you are NOT the only road user when riding your steed!

Happy biking everyone and hope you all enjoy our coming spring summer. STAY SAFE!"

For a direct link to the original, click here.

New Poll

I just added a new poll to the blog (look to the left). These polls are nice because they're a great way for me to get an idea as to what you lovely readers are thinking and it doens't require any investment of time on your part... Win-win!

This time, the poll is about how much you think you'll use your scooter this year. Check it out and let us know what you're predictions are!

Join in on the fun!

It's getting closer and closer to the riding season. That in itself, is a beautiful thing, but when you realize that with the new season comes a chance to meet new people, pick up new riding skills, and have a lot of fun in an low-cost and enviornmentally friendlier way... Well, that's just perfect!

Since it was first setup on Saturday, March 1rst, the KC scoot group (via Google Groups) has had an influx of new members everyday, all of which are wanting to enjoy some safe and fun-filled comraderie.

How do you get in on it? Easy!

• Click the link here on the blog and follow the instructions to join
• As it gets closer to warmer weather, check back for rides that have been set up, or...
• Setup and host your own ride on the group
• Go ride, eat, drink, be merry

Easy right?! See you on the group!

Sticker kits.. again

So, now that the Piaggio Inventory of 2008 is finally over, we at the shop have a bunch of new (and completely usable) item numbers of which to order accessories. Those sticker kits I mentioned a ways back? Yeah, they're available too.

Previously, I haven't been able to post much more than a few pics of the kits, but that changed with the inventory flip. So, enjoy!

The kits (in order of appearance) are:

• White Sport Stripes
• Silver Flowers
• Yellow Red Flowers
• Red Sport Stripes
• UK flag set
• Italy mod set

We have two of the white sport stripe kits on order, one of which we plan on putting on a showroom bike to see how they look on non Vespa S models. Personally, I plan on putting a set of stripes on my ET as well in the not too distant futre.

If you have any desire to grab up one of these kits for yourself, let me know!

St.Pats day ride in Shawnee

On March 16th (Sunday), the Yahoo KC Scooter riders folks are going out and doing a mile long ride in Shawnee. From the page:

"Hey all scooterists, it's time to think about warm weather and the annual Shawnee St. Patrick's Day Parade. It is on March 16th, that's a Sunday. We have had Ken Bridges, Jack Winne, and Earl Baker participate in the past, besides my family. We ride very slowly for less than a mile on Johnson Drive. We decorate our scoots with St. Patrick's motif and you can decorate yourself too. Anyone is welcome to participate if you have a scooter. Let me know for sure if you can participate and I will put your name down and the type of scooter you'll be riding. Put the year and color too for your scooter."

If you're interested, check out the KCscooter page!

New Google Group of KC riders!

Click here for more!

I've created a Google Group of Kansas City area riders named the KC Scoot Riders. It's just a place for local cats to meet online when they're looking for rides or more information about events. Very informal, extremely casual and very, very free. Ive even included a box for visitors on the top left portion of this blog.

Find it?


Good.


Now click on it and join up and let's make this year the best year yet for riding and having fun!

Scooter Breakfast

Check here for info

During the month of May, There will be a Scooter Breakfast! It's a chance for you to meet other local scooterists and have a good time while enjoying some good food! More details will be released as I get more details locked down, but for now, Lucky Brewgrille in Mission, KS will be supplying us with the tasties, the parking spaces, and the place to rest our buns.

If you're interested and want more info now versus later, let me know.

Vids to enjoy

Scooter Club Golden Triangle's blog had a number of scoot related videos posted up on Oscar night. One of which, was a pretty nice montage of scoots and folks doing what folks with scoots do.

The clip is titled "Vespa Forever" and is in Italian (go figure), but is still a fun watch, regardless of the language barrier.

Click here to check it out!

Going once.. Going twice..

Winding Road.com, a vehicular blog (mostly about the newest cars, trucks and concepts), is showcasing their "ebay auction of the day."

You have to check this one out. Beauuuuutiful!

A 1966 Vespa with sidecar! While not the most original thing (faux military setup) and missing a few peices (where's the front wheel fender?), it's still a nice looker. [Insert wolf whistle here]

Check out more about the auction.

Protect Ya Head!

Lately, we at the shop have been getting a fair number of walk-ins and calls about helmets. Not just about if we carry them, but what types, what brands, what models, what sizes, etc. So, I thought I'd share with all of you, here on the blog (and save us both time later down the road). So, here is the Vespa KC helmet faq.

Q. What helmet brands do you carry?

A. Everything! No seriously:

• AFX
• AGV
• Icon
• Moose Racing
• Nolan
• Suomy
• Thor
• ZR1
• Bell

The AGV, Icon, Nolan and Suomy (especially Suomy) are premium brands. They fit better, wear better (durability), are quieter, and usually come in brighter, bolder designs than the cheapy lids you'll find everywhere else.

Q. What types of helmets do you carry?

A. Because Vespa KC is part of a bigger group, we actually carry off-road and street helmets. Choosing the right type is very important. Within the street catagory we have plenty of choices to choose from:

• Full-Face
• Modular Full-face
• Open Face
• Three quarter open-face
• Jet style open-face
• Skid lids (boo, hiss!)
• Half-helmets

Choosing between the different types of street helmets can be daunting, but as long as you have an idea as to what type of riding you plan on pursuing, we can help you choose the one that will work the best for you. Note: Bicycle, hockey, and skateboarding helmets are NOT on the above list. Why? They're not DOT, SNELL, BSE, etc. approved meaning they will not protect you in the event of a crash at speeds faster than walking-speed! Don't fool yourself!

Q. How do I figure out what's going to fit my melon?

A. Get fitted! And by that I mean, if you can't come to us, go someplace that can properly fit you and your family's heads for a street or off-road helmet. Note: Getting your head fitted for a scooter or motorcycle helmet is NOT like getting fitted for a bicycle helmet. Not one bit.

If you're lucky enough to find a shop that knows what they're doing, you'll probably find a helmet that is not only comfortable when trying it on, but comfortable when you take it home too! All too often a person walks into a shop full of gear after trying on size after size, can't figure out what works and just goes with isn't too small. Bad idea. The chances of you getting a helmet that is too big and slides around while riding are pretty high when you do that. Another problem is that different brands fit differently. Just like shoes. Sometimes, different styles within the same brand fit differently too! It can be confusing. And then there's the whole ordering a helmet without trying it on first game...

Q. What goes into a fitting?

A. Your head! Ha ha ha! Actually, a fitting consists of a fabric tape measure to take a head measurement, reference of a given make's sizing chart, and a little bit of experience. At our shop, we'll take a head measurement, sometimes even if we have the helmet you think fits you in stock. If we have the helmet, or if it comes in after ordering one, we'll have you try it on and test for movement, fit, comfort and if there are any gaps between the padding and your noggin'.

Q. What's the big deal about getting a helmet that's too big? I mean, it fits right?

A. No, it doesn't fit. The problem is that.. well, imagine this. Say you just got a shiny new motorbike and you're itchin' to take it out on the road and hit the library, maybe the market, maybe show off to a few friends while they're at work, etc. It's a beautiful day and you can't wait to experience the freedom that a scoot brings a rider. You head out on the road and you're enjoying the sun on your face, the cool breeze against your chest, but... 5 minutes in, you realize your helmet keeps sliding toward the back of your head. At the next stop, you reposition the helmet and cinch it down tight, but after you get going again, it starts sliding... Again. You play that game for a while and then realize that you've only been on the scoot for 10 minutes and your neck is sore and you and your shoulders are aching?

"Man, this seat must be harder than I thought," you think. But it's not the seat. It's not the position of the handlebars, and it's not (entirely) that big suitcase you call a purse you have slung over your shoulders. It's fatigue from your ill fitting helmet.

Another scenario? You have a full-face helmet that keeps moving around on you and you fail to see the traffic light ahead of you turn red and you run the light and get hit by some lady in a miata full of groceries.. Why? Because you couldn't see!

Worst case scenario? You have a helmet that's a bit loose, but it slides on and off easy when you want it to, you can chew gum and sip soda through a straw while on the move, and the lid still doesn't move around on you while you're out and about. One day, you're oogling some girl in a mini-skirt and you hit the curb, fall off the side of the scoot, and because your helmet is too big, it slides off your head when you need it, despite being cinched to your chin. The next few days, the mini-skirt is bringing you flowers in the hospital, smiling dryly at you and your bandaged head.

GET FITTED!

Q. Can I bling my helmet?

A. There are many different helmet accessories available for the many different helmets. Some protect the eyes, some the ears. Some accessories are just for looks, some are for safety and visibility. Check with us or whoever your buying your helmets from for more info.

Q. Why the big difference in price between helmets?

A. Some helmets are made with better materials and finishes. A lower priced helmet may help you meet your state safety requirements, but a more appropriately priced lid will be lighter and quieter (less fatique on the body = comfort!), have a nicer paint finish (so you don't look like that dork you're afraid of looking like on the road), loads more ventilation and probably a removable liner (so you don't have to throw your helmet away after every summer because the liner smells like sweat and wet dog), and overall hold up to abuse a LOT better. To sum up, a more expensive helmet now will last you longer than the two or three you'll end up buying at a cheaper price because, at the time, "spending that much on a helmet didn't make sense."

Well, that's it for the Faq, for now. Feel free to call us if you have any questions or comments, or send me a tell.

Vintage Coolness

Sorry about the lack of posting last week. My excuse is that we've been pretty busy: Sold some stuff (Congrats John on your new LX 50!); I've been talking to some folks about doing a breast-cancer awareness ride; I've been approached about being a sponsor for the Bikers Against Diabetes ride for 2008; lots of phone calls have been made about First Fridays and setting up rides for and through the new KCPL district downtown! Busy for me now hopefully means REALLY busy for you all later this spring and summer with new rides, new friends and good times throughout.

Anyway, on to the new.

Raison D'etre, a blog about things hip and fresh, posted a nice find on some extreeeeeemly classic style helmets.

I'd write more about it, but without pictures.. this post is worthless. Click here to check it out!

New scoots arrived today

Five new scoots were just unloaded off the freight truck today, including the new Yellow GTS and Yellow LX 150. Both scoots have a list of names attached to them; everyone wants the new color, and who can blame em?

If you're interested in either of these scoots, let us know. Chances are, someone on the list is going to buy, but if you contact us anyway, we'll know how far in advance we should reorder these in the new color.

The other scoots avaialble as of today are a Portofino Green LX 150, a Portofino Green LXV and a Sky Blue MP3 250!

Help your scoot friends help themselves

Every once in a while, we get this publication at the shop -DealerNews- which highlights the powersports industry and has interesting articles about numbers and trends and blah blah blah. Well, this month's issue was more of the same, but what did stand out amongst all the blahs was the sheer number of ads for new scooter brands looking for dealers to sell them!

I'm not talking about Piaggio or Kymco (although there was a Kymco ATV ad in there) or some other well known OEM, but a large number of Chinese manufactured models with no home or distributor. There was over 20 in total and many of them looked to be the exact same types of scoots, just with different colors or stickers applied to them. Naturally, I began to wonder if all of these different "brands" were actually the same brand with different logos and badges glued to them.

So I did a little research.

It seems that, for the most part, while a lot of the scooters are built in the same type of manufacturing plants and centers, they are actually produced by different companies. While I have no opinion if that's a good thing or a bad thing (I do think that the pollution coming out of Shanghai must be attrocious), I guess I am a bit surprised. I really expected all of these scoots to be coming from the same company.

Here's the list I compiled before I realized that it would take all day to do this and got lazy:

• Znen Motor - Zhejiang Zhongneng Industry Group Co Ltd
• Peace Sports -Zhejiang Peace Industry and Trade Co Ltd
• XRT - Obviously Chinese, but they've masked the manufacturing info. Site only lists the U.S. distribution address.
• SYM - Xiashing Motorcycles Co Ltd
• Adly Moto - Her Chee Industrial Co Ltd. Full page ad noting how quality is more important than price but still had some extremely cheap wares to sell.
• Qlink - Not the first ad I've seen for this Chinese firm of clone-cycles, but they've hidden their manufacturing information.
• Bam X - uh..
• Jonway Motorcycles - Shanghai JmStar Motorcycle Co LTD & Shanghai Shenke Motorcycle Co LTD. The only one I could find being produced by two susbidairies of one conglomo company. Scary. Site is poorly translated and produced by a company in China for the U.S. market. Bad move.
• Crossrunner - Says produced by "North American," some U.S. company but a deeper look reveals that the actual name is "North American Imports."
• Veken - This one is funny. The site is crap, totes that they're the "leader of Power Sports technology," but has a picture of an MV Agusta f-1000s sportbike and a BMW Boxer Cup replica racer. Obviously not Veken vehicles. Who does that? They do showcase a "hybrid" scooter that gets a supposed 200 mpg, but after looking at it and the specs, I'm assuming that it would only get 200 mpg once and then fall apart. The Veken China site by comparision, is amazing. No info on products though (my Kanji comprehension isn't that great...)
• Keeway - Qianjiang Group of China
• Meitan - Shanghai Meitan Motorcycle Co Ltd.
• SunL - Says they're homegrown in Texas but there is NO manufacturing information avaialble. A hard look at their product shows that the bikes are obviously Chinese

MANY of the companies listed above flaunt not only scooters, but streetbikes, dirtbikes, golf carts, ATVs and sometimes dune buggies. My problem with that fact is that even big OEMs like Honda and Suzuki aren't equally strong in everything they build, so why would I think that these Chinese firms with little history of quality and reliability would be any better if not just outright horrible? It would be one thing if these companies advertised that they were building bikes as "weekend toys" or cheap gifts that are for immediate entertainment only... But they don't. They advertise to prospective dealers and customers as if the products can compete with existing, proven marques such as Vespa and Kymco.

Anyhow, thought I'd share share that fun stuff with you guys and gals. I say, if you have any friends looking to buy a scoot sometime soon and they mention some brand you never heard of, show them this list and beg them to do some research.

I hope this post doesn't come off as I'm bashing Chinese products; it's just that most of the new "hot and cheap" is coming from the country and not a lot is being said about what these products really are nor who the companies are the are producing them. With the recent scare with pet foods and children's toys, I think it's only fair that folks take a little bit of caution when spending their hard earned money on a new ride as well. After all, isn't buying a scoot is about flexibility and having fun? Nothing fun in buying something only to have it not work the way it was intended.