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Here is a great article on the vintage scooter scene in Detroit from the Detroit Free Press:

It started with the putter of one modest motor. Then came the coughs of about two dozen scooters parked on the sidewalk along 12 Mile Road, launching a cacophony of raw rumbles, punched by the occasional backfiring engine. The scooters’ chorus quickly grew louder than the cars that whooshed past them.
So goes a new Berkley ritual and a growing gearhead fascination.
Colorful and curvy, retro scooters are puttering past subdivisions and zipping through downtowns. They’re catching stares, bringing together long-time scooterists and converting some to a mode of transportation that has become a lifestyle for many riders in the region.
“It almost feels like you’re the most popular kid showing up to a party,” said Eric Mazurak, 27, of Royal Oak, about the honks and cheers he gets when he rides one of his restored scooters.
Mazurak has also heard some people shout: “Get a real bike!” But he said that comes being 6-foot-5 and riding a scooter. Mazurak’s scooters range from about 5 horsepower and a top speed of 45 m.p.h. to about 15 horsepower and 80 m.p.h.
Three local scooter clubs dedicated to new and vintage European models like Vespas, tally dozens of members in the Detroit, Windsor and Ann Arbor areas.

click here for story

Forbesautos.com did a small photo shoot and some profiling of riders durign the Vespa 60th anniversary ride last week. check out the story here and look for my profile (with lousy pic) here under Urban Nerd Scoots with the Bulls. A big thanks to Cat Rivera at Forbesautos.com for taking some fun pics of me that didn’t make the cut. I will update this posting with a few shots she took later on.

Here is an update on the story I posted about Naples banning scooters. I got an email from Nick who is from Naples:

Neil in Naples you can find anyone from 90 to 5 years old ridding a scooter in Naples.
Most of the time with out a helmet even though italian law requires you wear one. Being from Naples myself it is hard to explain the mentality of the people,most families ride 3-4 people on a scooter as for the cops they ride aprilla motorcycles the only municipality people i have seen riding on scooters are the meter maids. This ban is probably for the benefit of naples do to the fact they don’t receive large amounts of tourists (fears of crime) which is unfortunate because naples is one of the most beautiful cities in italy. If you find out any more information on this drop me a line. I read the italian newspaper daily and haven’t come across this.

A big thanks to Nick on the email, I did find other articles printed in two additional sources on this story. One in particular (the Telegraph) is more in depth than the original stories I posted:

Last Tuesday, urged on by local magistrates, squads of police officers erected a series of roadblocks around the tourist-packed Decumani district, a maze-like area at the heart of Naples that dates back to Greco-Roman times.
On pain of a €71 (£48) fine, riders must now disembark and push their scooters – and, indeed, motorbikes – through the centre unless they can prove that they live inside the restricted area.
“Our goal is to give tourists and citizens more security,” said Nicola Oddati, Naples’ councillor for traffic. “We cannot have people visiting our city coming under attack, and then returning home with a bad image of a stunning city that is marred by a backdrop of lawless violence.”
In recent weeks scooters have been used in a spate of high-profile crimes, including the murder of Emilio Albanese, 69, whose daughter goes out with the son of the playwright Dario Fo.

click here for story from Telegraph (uk) that is indepth
click here for the story in The Age (Australia) that is much shorter

Here is a great story that reads better than a press release about the return of Vespa/its surging popularity here in the U.S. It includes some history tid-bits abotu Vespa as well. It’s a good read on MSNBC.

At the end of World War II, Italy was trying to dig itself out of economic disaster.
Enrico Piaggio’s father’s aircraft factory in Tuscany was in ruins, destroyed by Allied bombers. In Milan, Ferdinando Innocenti faced a similar problem with his steel tubing plant.
Both men turned their focus to the personal transportation needs of fellow Italians. Using the aeronautical resources salvaged from his plant in 1946, Piaggio’s designers came up with a two-wheeled vehicle that was unlike the dirty and intimidating motorcycles of the day. Legend has it that when Piaggio first saw the bike, he exclaimed “sembra una vespa!” (It looks like a wasp!) A short time later, Innocenti introduced a similar machine, named after the nearby Lambro River. Vespa and Lambretta became synonymous with scooters.
To commemorate its 60th anniversary, Vespa is introducing the new LX line today, two months after the European debut. It’s the company’s second model release in the U.S. this year.

click here for story

I have talked about taking part in this event already. It was a great day out in NYC, with some media coverage from various outlets. Here is the official press release. I will be listing other media outlet coverage as I come across it.

Piaggio USA Launches the New Vespa(R) LX Scooter to U.S. Market
New Model Anticipates 60 Years of Vespa Style and Innovation
NEW YORK, May 10 /PRNewswire/ — In anticipation of sixty years in production, Piaggio USA, manufacturer of the world-famous Vespa scooter and pioneer of the two-wheel vehicle, has announced the debut of the new Vespa LX motor scooter. The “LX” (Roman numeral for 60) is the latest addition to the classic Vespa line and is designed to provide riders with the optimal performance and ease of use that have characterized Vespa as one of the world’s best-known vehicles since 1946.
Shipping now and due to arrive at authorized Piaggio USA and Vespa dealers across the country by early summer, the LX has a starting MSRP of $3,199. The LX will also come will a full new line of accessories.
“The LX is a marriage of the classic and contemporary elements of Vespa’s history and exemplifies our tradition of elegance and performance,” said Paolo Timoni, CEO of Piaggio USA. “Sixty years of product evolution, superior functionality and a passion for design are realized in a scooter that epitomizes Vespa’s iconic status and cutting-edge technology.”

read entire press release here

Yes you read that headline right, Naples has banned scooters. I wonder whether Piaggio is writing furious letters to the town over this one? Evidently, aside from being a great way to get around in Italy, riding scooters is also a great way to get away from police quickly.

NAPLES, Italy – If you can’t beat them, ban their getaway vehicles.
So goes the logic of the latest attempt to curb crime in the southern Italian city of Naples – a scooter ban to aid police chasing common crooks who famously rob pedestrians and speed away through the historic centre’s narrow alleyways.
‘Our goal is to give tourists and citizens more security,’ said Nicola Oddati, Naples’ counsellor on traffic.
From Tuesday, non-residents of the picturesque but often unruly area will be required to either leave their scooters behind, or walk them through the historic centre, motors off. Sanctions include a fine of about 35 euros ($45) and possible confiscation of the vehicle.
In the past, authorities have outlawed selling certain types of knives to curb violent theft in the city, the centre of an area whose unemployment rate is among the highest in Europe.

click here for story (San Diego Union Tribune)
click here for story (Allheadlinenews.com)

click here for story (SBS world news)

Here is a “feel good” piece on scootering in Austin, Texas, covering the Annual “Spring Fling” ride.

Scooters are in, gas guzzlers are out.
That was the theme last Sunday morning as more than 50 scooters and their drivers arrived at The Motorcycle Shop on Austin Highway for the shop’s fourth annual “Spring Fling” scooter ride.
The scooters ranged from 50cc models that cost $2,000 or less and go only to 50 mph to 400cc or bigger models that can pass just about everything else on the freeway. They came in a variety of styles and colors.
But they all had one thing in common: drivers who for one reason or another choose scooters over cars or even other motorcycles when it comes time to have some fun on the road.

click here for story with pics

I have stated many times before that I just dont see electric scooters as a viable replacement for gas powered ones. Hybrid yes, but electric no. What happens when you run out of juice? Do you just carry an extra long extention cord? It’s just silly, yet the articles keep on coming (maybe they have a good PR firm?):

Motorcycle manufacturers are out to charge up sales with electricity.
New models that run solely on battery power are being rolled out by a range of bike makers from giant Yamaha Motor Co. to start-up Axle Corp.
Big or small, however, they are all seeking to conquer the global market.
Electric motorbikes can be recharged through a household power socket. They emit no pollutants and run quieter than rival 50-cc, gasoline-fueled models.
Despite their relatively hefty prices and shorter driving ranges, manufacturers expect solid sales growth.
Yamaha will market its EC-02 electric motorcycle on May 21. The annual sales target is 3,000 units.

click here for story

Here’s the word from Yamaha UK, on the Why 50cc commuter scooter, which is back in the 2005 line-up:

YAMAHA’S CHIC YH50 WHY 50cc SCOOTER
With its chrome and retro styling, it’s no wonder that the Why is so appealing to the style-conscious rider, which is why this popular model has been reintroduced into the 2005 Yamaha scooter line up.
With larger 16 inch wheels (most other 50cc scooters have 10-inch wheels) the Why offers great comfort, stability and manoeuvrability, which makes it easy to nip through the busiest traffic. The high upright riding position gives the rider greater visibility and emphasizes the feeling of being in complete control.

click here for story

It looks as if Piaggio is starting to turn things around, their first quarter losses are lower than previously expected.

PIAGGIO, 1ST QUARTER: LOSSES DOWN TO 16.7M, RETURNS +1.7 PCT.
(AGI) – Milan, May 6 – The Piaggio board of directors approved the first quarterly report of this year with a net loss of 16.7 million euro, an improvement compared to the loss of nearly 25 million euro registered in the first quarter of 2004. A note reported a consolidated net return of 312 million euro, an increase of 1.7 pct. compared to the analogous period of last year. Gross operating margins range at 26 million euro compared to 13.5 million during the first three months of 2004. Positive operating results of 4 million euro compared to the loss of 8 million registered in the first quarter 2004. Net financial liabilities at March 31st 2005 of 517 million euro, 60 million more than at December 31st 2004. In conclusion net assets account for 215.5 million euro.

click here for story