October 31, 2007
Aussie scooterists rallly for safety
HUNDREDS of scooters lined Melbourne's streets yesterday in the name of road safety.
Vintage Vespas, mopeds and other two-wheelers started their journey at St Kilda's Luna Park, winding their way along the Port Phillip foreshore.
The procession of about 400 snaked through the Docklands before ending at Lygon St.
VACC executive director David Purchase called for a system of designated safe routes for scooter and motorcycle riders. He said it would increase car drivers' awareness of scooters on the road.
"It is past time that government and regulators took notice of the growing numbers of scooter riders sharing the roads, and took creative and positive steps to ensure their safety," Mr Purchase said.
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Police hunt mobilty scooter driver after hit-and-run accident
Police are hunting the driver of a mobility scooter after a bizarre slow motion hit-and-run accident in Tyldesley.
A telephone engineer plunged 20ft into the road and shattered his leg just moments after the 3mph vehicle twice collided with his ladder in the town centre.
The elderly male driver was last seen heading into a local pub. Officers say it may well be that the pensioner did not realise that the fall had taken place.
The 30-year-old BT worker was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital for treatment to the broken lower left leg - but not before he had apologised to the resident of a first floor flat in Elliott Street that he would not be able to finish wiring up his telephone that day!
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October 30, 2007
First ride: Piaggio’s MP3 three-wheeled carver
What a hoot! Piaggio’s new carving three-wheeler, with two independently suspended front wheels, opens up yet another whole new category of motorcycle – a category that will surely explode once people get a glimpse of the ability of these stunning bikes. The MP3’s triangle footprint produces some sensational handling characteristics, making it an exceptionally fool-proof learner/commuter bike – as well as a hilarious hooligan tool for more experienced riders. Loz Blain and Noel McKeegan spend an afternoon with the scooter that just won’t let you mess things up.
Let me get this right out of the way – I’ve never understood three-wheeler trikes. I can’t see why you’d want to combine the worst traits of cars and motorcycles into one giant annoying heap. Can’t lean into corners, can’t lane split, exposed to the elements, dangerous and slow rolled into one.
But that’s really just the whopping big twin rear-wheel jobs. The Piaggio MP3 is a different beast altogether. It’s a 250cc single-cylinder, injected CVT scooter with a top speed over 110kmh and two independently suspended, tilting front wheels.
Why would you build such a thing? Well, scooter riders aren’t necessarily known as the most capable and confident riders – presumably the theory was that Piaggio might snare a few more wavering buyers if they offered a scoot that didn’t look like it would fall over so easily.
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October 29, 2007
Santa on a Scooter, Xmas Ornament
Just in time for Xmas, this ornament features Santa riding a scooter.
Available from Scooterworks, this cool painted ornament of Santa delivering booty on a scooter is available in green or silver.
Only seven bucks, by clicking here.
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October 28, 2007
Scoot on past the gas station
Ready to dump that big, gas-guzzling car for your daily commute and try something really easy on fuel?
How about a scooter?
Sales of scooters have mushroomed since gasoline prices began spiking last year, dealers and manufacturers report.
Scooters are differentiated from motorcycles primarily by the cut-through center section that allows for easier mounting and dismounting.
But most of the new scooters are also easier to ride than most motorcycles. That's because most come with automatic transmissions, allowing the rider to just twist the throttle and go, without having to worry about a clutch and gearshift.
The biggest draw, though, is their great fuel economy. Depending on size, they can get from 50 to 90 miles per gallon, better than even the most efficient hybrid sedan.
Scooters range from 50cc models that are suited only for neighborhood use, because their top speeds usually are less than 50 mph, to high-performance models that have engines up to 650cc and top speeds of more than 100 mph.
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Scooters: efficient, and just plain fun
Jim Donoughe walked into the Sportique scooter store in downtown Colorado Springs in 2005.
He’d been intrigued by the colorful little machines for a couple of years. But Donoughe, in his 40s, wasn’t the hip 20-something most folks associate with the scooter life.
Aw, to heck with it, he finally thought. His kids were grown and out of the house, and life is just too short to deny yourself a bit of fun. He bought a new scooter, similar to the one featured prominently in the 1953 romantic comedy “Roman Holiday.”
Two years later, Donoughe has put 7,000 miles on the scooter, much of it from a 10-mile commute from work to his home in Rockrimmon.
He also has a bad monkey on his back: There are now six other machines in his garage, mostly classic Lambretta models.
Yeah, he admits, he became “obsessed.”
Mike Loop, sales manager at Sportique, said Donoughe’s headlong plunge into scooter life isn’t unusual.
“It’s like an addiction,” he said. Loop himself shares a garage with his wife, Brandi, that contains six scooters and three motorcycles.
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Hybrid scooter hi-tech miser
THE University of Tasmania has leapt to the cutting edge of hybrid-vehicle technology with the launch of its latest engineering project.
The canary yellow livery may look unassuming, but the tiny two-cylinder scooter showcases technology that will power the passenger vehicles of the future.
The scooter's primary power source is an electric motor, unconventionally mounted on the front wheel, which provides enough power to cruise down to the shops or the nearest cafe.
The standard internal combustion engine, converted to run on renewable ethanol, kicks in seamlessly.
The power sources combine for a top speed of 80km/h that will give it the jump over its rivals at the traffic lights.
"This should out accelerate a scooter of the same size because it has the two power sources working in tandem," design team leader Steven Ambrose said.
But it is the scooter's environmental credentials that the project team is most proud of.
The hybrid uses 35 per cent less fuel than the petrol-only machine it is based on for a truly staggering mileage of 1.7 litres per 100km.
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October 27, 2007
Kymco’s new 700cc scooter
Taiwanese manufacturer Kymco is getting ready to stamp some serious presence on the scooter market with a brand new 700cc super-scooter unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Myroad 700i features plenty of neat gadgets such as inbuilt tyre pressure gauges, electronically adjustable suspension, keyless ignition, ABS and an alarm, as well as a 170kmh+ top speed to make it the up-and-coming company’s technology flagship for 2008.
Already established in Europe, America, and Africa as well as Asia and Oceania (sometimes branded as Bug scooters), Kymco looks set to mount a challenge for a serious slice of the scooter market as it pours resources into quality programmes and hi-tech componentry.
The Myroad 700i, which we’ve just clapped our eyes on at the Tokyo Motor Show, will be the company’s flagship for this year, with an impressive feature list surrounding the liquid-cooled 699cc 4-stroke parallel twin engine, which is good for around 45Kw (~55hp) at 7250rpm.
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Foldable Electric Scooter
With a lot of sleek Yamaha concepts on display at the 2007 Tokyo auto show, Bobby stood out for its awkward look. This electric scooter is designed for commuters.
It's not much smaller when folded up, but Yamaha points out that it can be more easily stowed in the trunk of a car or kept on a balcony. OK, we'll buy that. Bobby incorporates an RFID reader, so you can use a cell phone equipped with a Sony FeliCa chip as a key. The future is sounding weirder and weirder.
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Scooter's no gas hog, it's electric
Debbie Ketter doesn't have to worry about running on an empty tank.
Stranded on the side of the highway with an overheated engine? Forget about it.
That's because Ketter is trading in her Chevy SUV for a brand-new, electric Vectrix scooter in an effort to go green. And she's the first female in the country to do so.
"We've been recycling for years and decided to make the switch to environmentally friendly products it's perfect, because it's electric," Ketter said moments after taking her new vehicle for a spin around the block.
The mother of six and full-time yoga instructor received the scooter from Vectrix representatives Wednesday morning at her home in College Hill.
"It's very different (than driving a car) but it feels really good," Ketter said. "I feel very confident riding it. I feel perfectly safe."
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Vespa European Helmet
Vespa has created a range of Seventies-styled helmets to match their new S 125 retro scooter. The Europe helmet is produced in three eye-catching designs that are evocative of the decade that began with the excitement of Apollo13 and embraced style icons including the Vespa 50 Special scooter, Star Wars and T-Rex.
The shell is manufactured from lightweight ABS material and weighs less than 1 KG, so is comfortable to wear and easy to carry. It is designed to fit into the storage compartments beneath the seats of Vespa scooters and its compact size means that it can be accommodated by many other makes too.
The Vespa Europe helmet is produced in five sizes, from X-Small to X-Large, and sells in the shops for £59.99. Optional clip-on goggles are available in clear, yellow, blue and smoke at £19.99.
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Vectrix to deliver 5,000 bikes in 2008
LONDON -- Vectrix Corp said it is comfortable with the current forecast to deliver around 5,000 bikes in 2008, adding that the demand for its MAXI scooters is ahead of its original expectations.
The zero-emission scooter company said sales to dealers and retail customers in the Italian market have not translated into recognisable revenue as quickly as anticipated, but it has made strong progress in extending its dealership network in the US and Europe.
Last month, Vectrix had warned that sales of its MAXI scooter would be significantly below market forecasts by the end of the year due to quality issues in the production ramp-up and reworking of previously shipped bikes.
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October 26, 2007
UNM needs better parking for motorcycles, scooters
I recently purchased a scooter. The last one I had was a 49cc, and I could park it at any bike rack at UNM as long as I left room for the bicyclists.
The new scooter I have is a 125cc Genuine Buddy. According to Parking and Transportation Services, I had to purchase a motorcycle permit and park my vehicle in motorcycle parking.
I think UNM needs to wake up and realize a lot more students are going to be riding scooters, not because it's a fashion trend, but because of current gas prices. UNM should offer students more scooter and motorcycle parking on campus than is currently available. UNM needs to look at universities in Italy, France, Japan and China to see how their parking is set up for scooters and motorcycles and use that as a model to create better parking facilities for those methods of transportation.
I think there are several areas on campus that would be perfect for scooter and motorcycle parking, such as Dane Smith Hall, the Bookstore, Zimmerman Library, Popejoy Hall and every dormitory, if possible. Parking and Transportation Services should monitor where scooters and motorcyclists are parked and see if they can offer parking for two-wheelers in the areas monitored.
How do other motorcyclists and scooter riders feel about UNM parking? I think it's about time to speak up and ask for better parking.
Rebecca Granato
UNM student
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October 25, 2007
Suzuki Let’s 5 50cc scooter revealed
This is the Suzuki Let’s 5 scooter, revealed today as one of the new motorcycle and scooter models to be exhibited on Suzuki’s stand at the Tokyo Show this weekend.
The 49cc four-stroke single Suzuki scooter is fuel injected for fuel efficiency and low emissions, and the twist-and-go machine is equipped with only basic equipment to keep costs down – it even has drum brakes rather than the discs used almost universally on modern motorcycles and scooters.
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Scooters save owners money in many ways
With gas prices rising students have tried to find a vehicle that is the ultimate gas saver: the scooter.
With gas prices rising students have tried to find a vehicle that is the ultimate gas saver: the scooter.
David McGovern, manager at D&T Performance, said there are many benefits to having a scooter over a car.
"Good gas mileage is probably the number one benefit of owning a scooter," McGovern said.
Lance Shurtz, sales associate at Stephen Wade Power Sports, agreed with McGovern that gas mileage is a real plus in owning a scooter.
Shurtz said: "You can get up to 90 miles a gallon in a scooter. While in a car, depending on the car of course, you only average about 15 miles per gallon. So the savings in gas prices are huge in comparison to cars."
Ryan Kunzler, a sophomore business major from Bountiful, owns both a car and a scooter and said he drives his scooter all the time because it saves a lot of gas every month.
“I fill up my scooter probably four to five times a month and put about $4 in each time,” Kunzler said. “Then I fill up my car once a month and put $40 in.”
Shurtz said parking is another benefit to driving a scooter.
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Police highlight law after mobility scooter 'hit and run'
POLICE are highlighting the regulations surrounding the use of mobility scooters in the wake of a recent 'hit and run' accident.
Jo Hankin, 54, suffered a broken leg and had to stay in hospital for a week after being hit by a scooter in Barnard Castle, County Durham.
The woman driver of the scooter drove away from the scene of the accident without stopping.
She has since been tracked down and apologised for her driving.
Kevin Tuck, Neighbourhood Inspector, from Barnard Castle Police, said: "Ever increasing numbers of mobility scooters are appearing on the streets and the issues thrown up are not unique to Teesdale, they affect the whole of England and Wales.
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Collier County man flees from deputies on scooter!
Collier County, Fla. - A Collier County man steps out for a ride on his homemade scooter, and ends up under arrest!
Collier deputies say they spotted Joseph Thomas riding his scooter without a vehicle tag.
When deputies tried to pull him over, they say he kept driving. Other deputies caught up with him at an intersection, but Thomas drove his scooter into grass to get away.
Thomas eventually crashed his scooter into a patrol car.
He was arrested for fleeing, resisting an officer and failing to register his scooter.
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October 24, 2007
Scooter robbers raid Mayfair shop
Smash and grab scooter raiders struck again at a designer store in the heart of Mayfair today.
Thieves on two scooters smashed the glass front door of the Sonia Rykiel store in Brook Street shortly after midnight.
They got away with handbags and clothes worth tens of thousands of pounds. A routine police traffic patrol car came across the scene shortly at 12.24am, but the thieves escaped heading towards Cavendish Square.
The raid is the latest in a series of attacks on London's most prestigious stores and designer outlets.
The motorcycle thieves have struck at least 35 times in the last six months alone and retailers are now mounting their own security patrols in an effort to protect their premises.
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KBC acquires Polish scooter distributor
KBC Private Equity, part of KBC Group NV, said it has acquired Polish scooter distributor ZIPP from bicycle producer Kross.
The transaction is the first deal that KBC Private Equity has closed in Poland.
Przasnysz-based ZIPP was established in 2005 by Polish bicycle producer Kross to develop the distribution of powered vehicles, such as scooters, light motorcycles and quads.
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October 23, 2007
Scooter parking probs racking up
Up until a few weeks ago, Jamey Fauque would ride his scooter from his home in Grandview to his job Downtown, parking at a bike rack behind the Frog Bear & Wild Boar Bar in the Arena District.
It seemed a good fit: His 150cc scooter took up little more space than an average bicycle, and a nearby metal rail gave him a place to lock up.
Soon, though, Nationwide Realty Investors, which controls the property, left the following note: "In the future, please do not park scooters or motorcycles in or around the bike racks. NRI has requested that we start warning folks about it. A printed policy will be forthcoming."
These scooter parking concerns have been echoed elsewhere in the city, as scooters and other two-wheeled automotive alternatives become more popular among residents eager to cut carbon emissions.
From 1996 to 2006, the number of motorcycle registrations (including street-legal scooters) increased by more than 139,000 across the state. Franklin County figures, and motorcycle permits issued by Ohio State's Transportation and Parking Services, show similar growth.
The problem is where to park them.
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Scooters Inc. is a smooth ride
Does spending $5 a week on gas sound like pure fantasy? For Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents, it’s now a reality, thanks to Carrboro’s new Scooters Inc.
The scooter store opened at 211 E. Main St. on Aug. 10. Dave Jansen, the store’s owner, is also the owner of Combustion Cycles, a motorcycle store in Durham.
Passersby might miss the small store if not for the vibrantly colored display of scooters outside. Once inside, a visitor will be greeted with a mini-showroom featuring several top-of-the-line scooters, as well as helmets and apparel designed specifically for scooter drivers. Its urban-chic feel is accentuated by several paintings by local artist Nathaniel Quinn for sale on the walls.
Tonya Stewart, the store’s manager and a Carrboro resident, has ridden scooters since she was young.
“Managing the store was just a natural fit for me,” she said.
The scooter store has been running smoothly since its inception, and sales average at about three scooters per week. All age groups, from high school students to retirees, have enjoyed purchasing new scooters. About 70 percent of customers thus far have been women, who frequently find scooters to be an enjoyable alternative to motorcycles, Stewart said.
Stewart cited numerous reasons for purchasing a scooter, whose small size and ease of handling fit in perfectly in a college town such as Chapel Hill, or smaller city such as Carrboro.
“They’re popular because they take up so little space, and you don’t have to pay for parking,” she said.
Riding a scooter is effectively the same as riding a bike, as a license isn’t necessary as long as the speed is capped at 30 mph (all those sold at Scooters Inc. qualify as such). They also don’t require insurance, Stewart said.
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Slick Electric Scooter, No Petrol Needed
Being eco-friendly is as high on the agenda these days as keeping petrol dollars down. Vectrix has offered a solution to both concerns in the form of its new Maxi-Scooter which runs entirely on electricity, meaning no more petrol bills – ever.
Designed for the urban commuter, the Vectrix offers ‘plug and play' type fuelling – an onboard charger plugs into any standard 110/220v power outlet and charges the battery pack (80 percent charge) in two hours. The single charge will give you enough juice to ride up to 110 km.
While environmentalists will point out that electricity is still not "clean energy," however it is an improvement on petrol-fuelled engines. Vectrix says the scooter produces zero emissions, whereas petrol scooters can produce up to ten times the pollution of the average car. It also claims to be virtually silent to run.
From a hip-pocket perspective, the scooter will cost about $45 (worth of electricity) to run each year, according to the company, plus with no oil to change or filters to replace, maintenance is at a minimum. Some governments also offer rebates and subsidies for owners of the scooter, Vectrix says.
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Scooters popular at Duke U
When Fahad Bishara, a second-year history graduate student, arrived on campus last fall, he needed a cheap, reliable method of transportation between classes and his off-campus apartment.
As a Kuwait native, however, Bishara did not have an American driver's license and the high price of gas and insurance put a car beyond his means-so he decided to try a motorized scooter. After a year of paying less than three dollars per week for gas and never having to search out a parking spot, Bishara said he could not be happier with his choice, and he is not alone.
Citing convenience, lack of expense and concern for the environment, many Duke students, employees and professors have traded four wheels for two. Motorcycles and motorized scooters-often referred to as "Vespas" for the European brand that originated the vehicles-are cropping up in parking lots and bike racks across campus.
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Drunken scooterist tries to bribe cop
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A drunk scooter driver tried to hand a corrections officer $100 bills and offered a total of $3,500 to escape a warrant, according to two police reports filed Wednesday.
Christopher A. Willingham, 25, of Jeffersonville, has been charged with bribery of a public servant.
According to the police report, Willingham was taken to a blood alcohol lab to be tested for driving under the influence when he offered to fork over the cash.
Click here to find out more!
“The suspect spontaneously stated ‘I will give you $3,500 to make sure that warrant doesn’t go through that jail,’” according to a corrections officer’s report. “Subject reached into his left hip pocket and retrieved his money. Suspect flipped money open to reveal $100 bills.”
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Classic scooters in style
With over fifteen million scooters sold and groups of enthusiasts popping up all over the world, the classic model Piaggio’s aren’t going anywhere.
What seems to be behind the increased popularity of these old scooters? The only plausible answer appears to be their aesthetic qualities.
Piaggio scooters appeal to the younger generations because of their stylish appearance. For Piaggio drivers it isn’t about transportation. It’s about making a fashion statement.
A local enthusiast, a journalist named Ngan, comments, “It gives the rider a feeling of pride. It makes a difference in the eyes of others. It’s impressive, generally.”
Another local enthusiast named Thang started a forum for Vespa lovers on the web at www.ttvnol.com.
He said “If one owns this kind of vehicle, he or she should be proud and remember that they have possession of a piece of the past… something that many other people dream of.”
A decade ago these classic scooters were not in vogue and were much harder to locate.
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Yamaha plans automatic scooters
NEW DELHI: Yamaha Motor India (YMI), a fully-owned subsidiary of the $12-billion Japanese auto major Yamaha Motor Company, plans to foray into the fast growing automatic scooter segment.
Yamaha, which has several scooter models, ranging from 110 cc to 400 cc, is evaluating the right segment to foray into the Indian market. YMI managing director and CEO Tomotaka Ishikawa told ET, “We will enter the scooter market but are yet to finalise the segment and the products. Once we introduce our new range of bikes in early 2008, we will concentrate on the right kind of scooter for the Indian market. We plan to hit the premium segment first and target customers who prefer to go for style and power rather than use scooters for their commuting needs.”
The company is likely to introduce its automatic range of scooters with dual disc brakes and twin-shock chassis with high-powered liquid cooled engines in the premium segment. It may also hit the entry-level segment with its fuel-injected 125 cc four-stroke engine and compact-sized urban scooters. YMI has already commissioned a market survey to determine different volume generating scooter segments in India.
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Bank Robber Scoots Away
Police in Harrison County search for a bank robber who got away on a scooter.
The man held up the Farmers National Bank in the Berry community just before ten on Friday morning. Police say he left the scene on a black scooter or moped.
He's described as a white man, standing around six feet tall with blue eyes. He was last seen wearing dark blue coveralls.
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University unveils hybrid scooter
Engineers at the University of Tasmania have come up with a cheap and novel way to get around.
They have built what is believed to be the first Australian-made hybrid scooter fuelled by batteries and ethanol.
The scooter does not have an onboard generator.
It uses the wheel motors and the hub motors which are fitted to the wheels to charge the batteries.
The project leader, Vishy Karri, says the scooter uses less than two litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.
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October 16, 2007
Cop Scooter Wins Law Enforcement Award
NEW ORLEANS -- T3 Motion, Inc., has won the 2007 Law Enforcement INNOVATION Award for Vehicles. The finalists and winners of the INNOVATION Awards were announced at a special evening event at the New Orleans House of Blues after the opening day of the 2007 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) convention on Sunday, October 14, 2007.
The INNOVATION Awards judging panel called the T3 Series "a great product due to its stable platform. It is useful for administrative or tactical duties -- anywhere the high-profile of the vehicle would be advantageous.
This was one of the most innovative products we judged. With a stable platform, ease-of-use, and maneuverability, the T3 is a must for just about any agency."
The INNOVATION Awards, sponsored by Cygnus Law Enforcement Group, recognized outstanding companies whose products have best responded to law enforcement's market challenges by offering creative and forward-thinking ideas. The ability to anticipate how technology will change and how products must evolve to stay current is a hallmark of the best companies. The prestigious competition was broken into 16 categories judged by an esteemed panel of law enforcement professionals on the following six criteria -- Innovation, Ease-of-use, Cost Effectiveness, Quality Contribution, Maintainability, and Productivity Improvements. From April 2007 through June 2007, Law Enforcement industry companies were invited to nominate their products for consideration. This year, over 260 companies were nominated for the 2007 INNOVATION Awards.
"T3 Motion is very proud to win this year's INNOVATION Award for the vehicle category," said T3 Motion, Inc. Founder and C.E.O Ki Nam. "We launched the T3 Series vehicle at last year's IACP show in Boston and the response from law enforcement has been phenomenal. To win this award is a validation of the values the T3 Series represents-innovation, quality, and stability."
About the T3 Series:
Reaching speeds up to 25 m.p.h. and designed with the input of law enforcement officials and security industry professionals, the T3 Series features a zero-degree turning radius and compact design, perfect for maneuvering through crowds and tight spaces. Also unique to the T3 is the most user-friendly intuitive operation of its kind giving the rider a sense of superior stability. The quiet environmentally-friendly zero gas emission vehicles include an integrated LED lighting system and an incomparable low cost of operation -- running for less than 10 cents per day and never requiring any down time due to the T3's two re-chargeable, lightweight batteries that can be easily swapped out while in use for continual deployment and an unlimited range.
T3 Series Features:
-- High-performance vehicle with a zero-degree turning radius for
improved maneuverability in crowds and tight spaces
-- Two rechargeable and interchangeable lightweight batteries for
constant use without down time
-- Capable of reaching speeds up to 25 m.p.h. for the quickest response
possible without officer or personnel fatigue
-- An instinctive vehicle with easy-to-operate controls and responsive
steering that allow officers and security personnel to focus on
response to the situation
-- A 9-inch raised platform providing a superior vantage point but still
allowing interaction with the community
-- Robust cargo capacity of 450 pounds (rider + equipment) includes
ability to tow personnel and equipment/cargo trailers
Additional T3 Series Features Specific to Law Enforcement and Security:
-- Integrated LED lighting system
-- Fully-compliant headlights, brake lights and running lights
-- Audible sirens
-- Lockable glove box for storage
-- Optional GPS enabled tracking system
About T3 Motion:
T3 Motion, Inc. revolutionized the world of personal mobility with the introduction of their flagship T3 Series law enforcement vehicles at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference held in October 2006. Headquartered in Orange County, California, T3 Motion, Inc. is dedicated to raising the bar on environmental standards and law enforcement and security capabilities in personal mobility technology.
Source: T3 Motion, Inc., via Car Buyer's Notebook
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October 14, 2007
NYC scooter patrols log 11,000 potholes
NEW YORK - The city's new scooter patrols for potholes and other everyday urban nuisances have reported more than 11,000 problems since they started in August.
One major issue? Graffiti, which accounted for more than 400 reports just between Oct. 1 and Oct. 5. Officials say other frequent complaints include potholes and faded crosswalk markings.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced plans to create the Street Condition Observation Unit in August. It involves 15 inspectors in golf cart-like vehicles.
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October 12, 2007
Traffic congestion report -- leave the car at home and take a motorized scooter
How was your commute today? Is it taking longer than before to get to work or complete your errands?
The Texas Transportation Institute just released its 2007 Urban Mobility Report on traffic congestion in the country’s 437 urban areas. The report states that congestion has caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $78 billion – translating to an increase of 220 million hours, 140 million gallons and $5 billion from 2004.
In fact, the peak-period traveler wasted 26 gallons of fuel in 2005—three weeks worth of gasoline for the average U.S. resident—up from 9 gallons in 1982.
In light of surging gas prices, more Americans are utilizing eco-friendly motor scooters, which can get up to 70 miles per gallon. Vespa scooters are smart and fun alternatives that reduce gas consumption, provide economic and environmental benefits, and cut traffic congestion.
If American travelers were to switch just 10 percent of their total mileage to scooters, they would consume 14 to 18 million gallons less fuel per day and carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 324 million pounds per day as well. (Source ICR survey, May 2006; see www.Vespanomics.com for details)
On a personal level, American commuters could also reduce fuel consumption by approximately 58 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent, and significantly reduce traffic congestion.
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Vespa Supports Oceana Awards Gala
In supporting Oceana, the largest international ocean environmental advocacy group, Vespa participated in a silent auction of two Vespa LX 50 scooters at Oceana's 2007 Partners Award Gala, which took place on Friday October 5, 2007.
Pictured is Ted Danson, a member of Oceana’s Board of Directors, at the event with the Oceana-inspired Vespa scooters. The Vespa LX 50 scooters were detailed with images of the marine life that Oceana has committed to preserve, as well as Oceana logos.
The Award Gala event hosted by Oceana honored Al Gore, Former U.S. Vice President, and Dr. Daniel Pauly, World Renowned Fisheries Scientist, for their commitment toward protection and restoration of the marine environment.
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Mario Lopez Wins a Vespa
Weekend ''EXTRA'' co-host Mario Lopez wins a Vespa LX50 yellow scooter at the hearts on fire 'Green With Envi' Emmy Awards Celebrity Gifting Lounge benefiting the Environmental Media Association.
The two-day gifting lounge featured exo-luxury brands and a two-carat Hearts ON Fire diamond-encrusted Vespa LX50 yellow scooter to be auctioned at the Environmental Media Association awards.
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Kinetic to offer air tickets on every scooter
NEW DELHI: Two-wheeler maker Kinetic Motor said on Wednesday it would offer two roundtrip air tickets to any domestic destination in India with every purchase of its scooter, as part of special promotional offers during the festival season.
The promotion offer would start on October 12 and would extend up to November 15, Kinetic said in a statement.
It said two roundtrip air tickets can be used to travel to any destination within India as per the customer's choice.
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Freedom on a Scooter
In January 2006, a young man took off to the United Kingdom to study English. Seated in economy class for a 13-hour flight, his back began to ache and he was exhausted. Arriving in England, he wondered if there was some other way of returning to Korea.
On his return, he faced the winds and dirt of the Eurasian continent. For 5 months he traveled across 20 countries, including England, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, to arrive in Korea in October of 2006. The only companion for Lim Tae-hoon (24) was his scooter.
He rode his scooter over the Alps and into Italy, and even rode it on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan 4000 meters above sea level and into China.
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Wheels fall off Piaggio's launch campaign
WE'VE all heard the saying, "green is the new black".
The stock exchange these days boasts such companies as Green Pacific Energy, Green Rock Energy and Greenpower Energy.
Across the country, environmentally conscious Australians are paying a little more to use renewable energy at home, and ticking a box to pay a few dollars to offset their plane flights with carbon credits.
So you'd think the launch of a fuel-efficient three-wheel motor scooter would be welcome. Certainly Italian scooter giant Piaggio, maker of the ubiquitous Vespa, thinks so.
Piaggio Australia has spent millions on bringing the eco-friendly three-wheel MP3 scooter to Australia, in the hope that we will increase the company coffers while saving petrol and emissions.
"Environmentally astute, the MP3 boasts a Euro 3 rating and runs on the smell of a not-so-oily rag," says the news release. If only Piaggio's PR team was as astute as the inanimate object it is trying to sell. Instead, it has launched the MP3 with an incredible lack of sagacity, and quite possibly the dumbest PR campaign in history.
The company has sent scores of invitations launching the "green machine" to media outlets — in a giant cardboard envelope 194 centimetres long and 150 centimetres high. Maybe the PR team feels Visy Industries needs the cash.
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Piaggio to sink $30m in Vietnam scooter plant
Hanoi, North Vietnam - Italy's Piaggio is to invest $30-million in a factory near here to produce Vespa scooters.
Local news media said on Monday that production would start in late 2009 with a target of 50 000 units a year.
Motorbikes are the primary means of transportation for most Vietnamese families. In a country of 85-million people there are an estimated 21-million motorbikes.
Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki produced almost two-million motorbikes in the first eight months of 2007, 28 percent more than n 2006. - Sapa-DPA
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Puerto Rico Passes Strict Motorcycle Law
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Tropical Puerto Rico will require motorcycle drivers to wear protective jackets, gloves, long pants and boots as part of a strict safety law signed by the governor of the U.S. commonwealth on Wednesday.
Augmenting an existing helmet law, the new law also sharply lowers the maximum allowable blood-alcohol level for motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts below levels tolerated for automobile drivers.
The law's sponsors said it was prompted by a sharp increase in motorcycle and scooter accidents, but some bikers argued that adults should be allowed to decide such matters for themselves.
In a last-ditch effort to stop the law, hundreds of motorcyclists on Monday revved their engines in protest while riding past Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila's residence in San Juan.
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October 9, 2007
Scooter makes commute fun and saves on gas
Earlier this year I saw a marquee at Bike & Hike in Charleston bearing the wryly humorous marketing message, “Gas sure is expensive.”
Gas prices have not risen high enough yet to motivate me to purchase a new bicycle and get in shape, but I did buy a scooter late last summer, in part because of its high gas mileage.
My idea was to use the Honda Metropolitan to get takeout food, go to the store, and run other errands in Mattoon where I live while saving a bit of gas money. Soon my attentions shifted to Charleston, where I work in the Times-Courier office.
The commute back and forth to Charleston accounts for the bulk of my driving time and mileage every week, so I began thinking about occasionally using the scooter for the drive. In addition, Charleston’s hilly geography beckoned as a riding alternative to Mattoon’s flat terrain.
As the scooter sat in winter storage, I considered the best paths to take from my home on the south side of Mattoon to the Times-Courier office on the east side of Charleston.
I knew for sure that I wanted to avoid taking Ill. Route 16 and Ill. Route 316 because of the speed of traffic there. (The scooter tops out at about 40 mph.) That left me with few other east-west alternatives for making the commute. The best choice seemed to be the county roads south of the Coles County Memorial Airport.
This spring I took a test run by driving my car 40 mph on this path. I drove east on Old State Road to County Road 1050E and took a short jog south on 1050E to Lancer Road. From Lancer, I kept working my way east and north on county roads until I reached the intersection of Route 16 and West Polk Avenue, which I took into Charleston.
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October 8, 2007
Kawasaki Motors Corp, U.S.A. to Offer XM Satellite Radio
WASHINGTON -- Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA will introduce its first motorcycles with satellite radio this fall through a partnership with XM, the nation's leading satellite radio company.
Kawasaki will offer an all-new, state-of-the-art Premium Audio System on its Vulcan 1600 Nomad touring model. This new system will incorporate XM as an option.
Customers will be able to tune into more than 170 XM channels of music, sports, talk, news, and entertainment. Kawasaki motorcycles sold with XM radios installed will offer three-months of complimentary XM radio service.
"Kawasaki buyers will now be able to enjoy XM, the greatest variety of entertainment on the radio, on the road," said Joe Verbrugge, XM senior vice president, automotive accounts and international operations. "Kawasaki customers can now hear commercial-free music, live sports, breaking news, or traffic and weather reports for major cities on XM, wherever they travel from coast to coast."
Jim Williams, senior manager of accessories at Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA adds, "This Premium Audio System is a high-quality system built to Kawasaki's specifications designed to greatly enhance our customers' ownership experience. As the pioneer in satellite radio, XM represents a terrific value-added feature to the system."
XM is available in 140 models of new cars, trucks, and motorcycles for 2007. XM has more than 8.2 million subscribers across the continental U.S.
About XM
XM is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 8.2 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2007 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, and Ferrari, is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2007. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com/ /.
About Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft and utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,500 independent retailers, with an additional 7,700 retailers specializing in power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 2,400 people in the United States, with 400 of them located at the Irvine, California headquarters.
Kawasaki's tagline, "Let the good times roll.(TM)", is recognized worldwide and the brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki's complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at http://www.kawasaki.com/ .
Source: XM, via Car Buyer's Notebook
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October 7, 2007
Scooter gang! Strike at 32 designer stores
A scooter gang targeting designer shops in London is believed to have struck as many as 32 times in the past six months alone.
Police believe the thieves are working to order and have been likened to a "Fagin's kitchen" of criminals.
At the beginning of the year, the gang were targeting opticians for expensive sunglasses in time for the summer holidays.
Now they have stealing handbags and designer clothes to meet demand for Christmas and the party season.
A squad of detectives set up by Scotland Yard in Westminster are examining more than 32 raids since March on shops and stores in the West End, Kensington, Chelsea and Islington.
The raids are usually carried out in the early hours and are over within minutes, if not seconds. The gang arrive on scooters with the licence plates usually obscured. The riders wear full-face crash helmets and use sledgehammers to smash the windows before grabbing the goods and taking off. Police believe they may be controlled by a criminal mastermind.
Three designer stores have been raided in the past week. On Wednesday night four men on two scooters struck at Sadie Frost's new FrostFrench boutique in Islington. One pair smashed the windows while the others escaped with goods worth about £10,000.
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Hybrid bikes get a boost from electricity
Are you frustrated by the high cost of fuel, traffic congestion or parking restrictions? Or do you want an environmentally friendly mode of transportation? Try out a hybrid bike.
The term is often used to describe the cross between a mountain bike and a road bike, but also relates to high performance electric bikes, the latest trend in green transportation, according to Jade Preston, owner of Jade Green, which opened Sept. 12 in Boise.
"I've ridden bikes since I was a kid with a paper route. It had one gear, a reverse pedal brake ... and back then, suspension meant getting kicked out of school for three days," Preston said.
"Now, we've got 24-plus gears, hydraulic front and rear disc brakes and air/oil forks for suspension," he said.
Todd Lancourt, owner of River Rock Alehouse in Eagle, recently test rode an OMH Sport electric bike and a GoPed scooter. An avid bike rider since his youth, he often rides his pedal-powered bike to work.
"I want one!" Lancourt said. "It's the first time I've tried out something like this and it blew me away. I think it is kind of cheating but I'm older now. The scooter was fun, but the bike was really intriguing. I think that for people who do a lot of commuting downtown it would be perfect.
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Razor recalling 20,000 electric scooters
Razor USA LLC, a California-based importer, is recalling about 20,000 of its E300 electric scooters over concerns the handlebars can break off, the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday.
Razor has received 25 reports of welds breaking on the handlebar, including three reports of injuries, the safety agency said.
The battery-powered scooters were sold at Pep Boys (PBY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) stores and various Internet retail sites in 2006 between January and October.
The Chinese-made blue or silver scooters were sold for between $190 to $230 and the recall covers those with barcodes beginning 100620-03 through -09.
In 2005, Razor announced a recall of 246,000 electric scooters for a similar problem.
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October 2, 2007
Yes, scooters belong on the street
Mark Lachmiller understands why he gets some strange looks when he’s riding his motorized scooter from his pawn shop on North Riverfront Drive to the Wagon Wheel Cafe a little less than a mile away.
What he’s not sure about is whether people are squinting because they think it’s weird to see a middle-age man on a scooter or because they’re wondering why an adult is flaunting the law by cruising down the street on the contraption.
For the record, Lachmiller knows he looks odd, but only because the trend hasn’t caught on yet. And what he’s doing is legal.
“I go to the post office, I go to Hy-Vee, I go everywhere,” he said. “I know it looks kind of goofy, this gray-haired guy going down the alley.”
A state law passed in 2005 made it legal to ride motorized foot scooters in generally the same places as bicycles. The scooters have to have a surface to stand on, although they can have seats, and their wheels can only be a maximum of 10 inches in diameter. Their top speed can’t be more than 15 mph.
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Rally held to show opposition to paid scooter parking plan
Scooterists and unionists staged a rally in Taipei's Ximending shopping district yesterday to protest a city government plan to increase the number of paid scooter parking spaces.
In order to better manage scooter parking, the city government plans to begin charging a NT$20 parking fee on each scooter parked in the Ximending area starting next month. More paid scooter parking would soon follow.
"Scooter parking is a mess in Ximending, and we do need some management," Ko I-min (柯亦民), a Confederation of Taiwan Trade Unions member, told the rally. "But charging a parking fee is not the equivalent of `management.'"
Ko said that giving out parking tickets and towing enforcement may be good ways to keep scooter parking in order, "but I don't understand why they [the city] decided to just charge parking fees instead."
"If you just charge for parking in parking spaces and don't give out tickets, people will just park illegally -- so what's the point?" a city parking fee collector who joined the protest said.
Some worried that the scooter parking fee may increase the economic burden for many low-income people.
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Jaguh Rev Up Their Scooters For KK
Bandar Seri Begawan - All along I had gone on trips with big bikes, so when a scooter group invited me to join them in a convoy on their maiden trip aboard I was eager to see how this group fared with the older associations who had repeatedly organised successful trips across the borders.
Organised by Hj Khairol Hj, Yakub and sponsored by BM Supply and New Motors Sdn Bhd, 51 scooters and 62 participants made a round trip, about 1,300km, to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, recently.
The Brunei Jaguh Scooter Group aimed to bring together scooter enthusiasts regardless of models or ages. There are several scooter clubs, registered and unregistered in Brunei.
The Jagud expedition brought them all together, for them to forge a bond.
"One of the main objectives of the trip is to foster closer relations between scooter enthusiasts from across the country. There are representatives from all the districts," said Hj Khairol Hj Yakub.
Scooters ranging from 250cc to 500cc answered the call of challenge to Kota Kinabalu. The journey took those about 12 hours to reach their destination in Kota Kinabalu.
Since the journey will take a toll on the engines and riders, a speed limit was emphasised on the trip as to minimise engine wear and tear on the road.
Most participants were first time riders and the journey to Kota Kinabalu was their longest on two wheels.
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