Scooter Exhibit at Petersen Automotive Museum

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:48 pm

Found this video of the just opened scooter exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum here in LA. Many more scooters than this video shows. In fact they left out most of the best ones. If you have a chance to see the show I highly recommend it. I saw it last night and it is just one mind-blowing scooter after another. Learned a ton about scooter history too.

Exhibit runs until May 2012.

I have a bunch of photos which I will post later.

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gQx7DPZks9Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:35 pm

UGHHH I WANNA GO TO THIS SOOOOOOOO BADLYYYYYYY

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:51 pm

polianarchy wrote:UGHHH I WANNA GO TO THIS SOOOOOOOO BADLYYYYYYY

If you come visit, I'll go with ya.

BTW, all the local clubs and groups are going July 9!
The LA Scooter Group ride: http://www.meetup.com/LAScooterGroup/events/17522512/

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:09 am

cool video thanks for posting

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:14 am

Dig the video. I just don't understand why Cushmans are SO highly regarded here in the US, when they're no better than weed wackers on frames that look like they were welded out of spare tubing in some hick's garage. See it ALL the time in Phoenix at various car shows, and each one of them is for sale with prices around 10,000 to 14,000

Saw quite a few in that vid.

Rode my old Stella to one of these events in Scottsdale, and some old guy immediately tried to tell me how Cushman and the American "Auto Industry" invented the scooter, and kept calling the Stella and the Vespa a friend of mine rode in with a "Cushman Knock Off" even when the rest of us were ignoring him. I swear my girlfriend at the time was going to go roller-derby on him...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:30 am

neotrotsky wrote:Dig the video. I just don't understand why Cushmans are SO highly regarded here in the US, when they're no better than weed wackers on frames that look like they were welded out of spare tubing in some hick's garage. See it ALL the time in Phoenix at various car shows, and each one of them is for sale with prices around 10,000 to 14,000 Saw quite a few in that vid.

Rode my old Stella to one of these events in Scottsdale, and some old guy immediately tried to tell me how Cushman and the American "Auto Industry" invented the scooter, and kept calling the Stella and the Vespa a friend of mine rode in with a "Cushman Knock Off" even when the rest of us were ignoring him. I swear my girlfriend at the time was going to go roller-derby on him...

The old guy was right, American made Cushman's did precede Vespas. But Cushman's too were preceded by other American scooters. One of the things I learned from the Petersen Curators talk was the true historical context of certain scooters and that scooters were infact invented in the good old US of A. While yes, early scooters may have been "weed wackers" (actually, washing machine engines were more commonly repurposed than lawnmower) they did serve to create the entire scooter genre. Vespas only came along many years later after the war but did evolve scooter design with some of the more forward thinking European design influence of the time.

What's so cool about this exhibit is that you can see all these scooters, from the very first ones, right through all the evolutionary stages to modern day. Really amazing to have them all right there in front of you looking like they just rolled of the factory floor.

rayk · Post by **rayk** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:20 pm

Cool vid. I'll plan a tip north to see this. Always wanted to visit the Petersen anyway, for the cars.
Anyone know who the soundtrack for this video is?

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:45 pm

rayk wrote:Anyone know who the soundtrack for this video is?

Click the video, then follow the link to the YouTube page. Look below the video to the right hand side and you'll see the following image with the info you want. There's also links to where you can buy the music at all your favorite digital music outlets.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 5:35 pm

The first motorcycles probably qualified as scooters given many definitions. So I'm saying the Germans invented them.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:01 pm

ericalm wrote:The first motorcycles probably qualified as scooters given many definitions. So I'm saying the Germans invented them.

Not according to the Petersen.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:39 pm

Great stuff! Wish I could go to see it "live"! Nice video and song too....

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:40 pm

Thanks for posting the scooter porn; it truly has made my day. Hopefully my coworkers will understand that my oooh and ahhhs are not directed at them.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:00 pm

Skootz Kabootz wrote:
ericalm wrote:The first motorcycles probably qualified as scooters given many definitions. So I'm saying the Germans invented them.
Not according to the Petersen.

This is one of those stupid things people will argue about, right along the lines of what qualifies as a scooter. I was stretching the truth a bit, but it's not a completely baseless claim…

My 4¢: (too long to be just 2¢)

The first Daimler/Maybach motorcycle had the engine and tank below the rider and foot stands on the sides, with the rider in a very upright position. It resembles a scooter as much—or even more–than a modern motorcycle. While development quickly moved to motorized bicycles and started to resemble what we would call motorcycles, several designs along the way had much in common with scooters. Few of these were production models, though, so I guess they don't entirely count.

(Also, I use a fairly broad definition of "scooter." Others would eliminate models based on qualities such as wheel size, engine mounting, etc.)

There's as much basis for a Cushman claim as there is for Vespa, depending on how you spin it. (I believe another European maker had a similar scooter out shortly before Vespa, too…) It's a bit like the human evolutionary ladder. The modern scooters clearly evolved from the Vespa branch while the Cushman one went extinct sometime after the Harley Topper. Is the Buddy descended from the Cushman? Not really, but the Cushman is an antecedent, if not direct ancestor.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:44 pm

I just personally think Cushmans are crude, unrefined bikes that really don't need to command the insane prices American collectors are willing to pay for them. The ultra high price seems to only come from the fact that they are American made, no matter how poorly made. I'm not one to talk about style, since scooters and bike in general are subjective and we all like what we like, but to ask $10,000 for a glorified Monkey Bike just seems insane when you can get a Vespa GS AND a Buddy 125 for the same price.

I guess I wouldn't have such a visceral reaction to the bikes if it weren't for the fact that every "aficionado" I have met during bike shows and the like were very condescending, over 60 years of age and kept referring to myself and other motorbike riders as "Son" in that insulting redneck way. The community itself seems more snobbish than the vintage Vespa crowd (as much as it pains me to say of course, but it's so very true) and I just can't get why.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:50 pm

The Petersen did a great job of covering the scooter's evolution in the talk. From the Autoped, and ABC Scootamota and on. I thought they had an excellent determinant of what does and does not constitute a scooter. Basically they start with a list of common scooter characteristics (step through etc) and consider a scooter to be a vehicle that has "most" of them. There are so many slight "exceptions", it was really interesting to see all the various permutations.

There were many scooters around the US pre-war. All made here too. Certainly not at all like modern "post-war" scooters though. They were popular at places like airfields and other large expanses where a short hop vehicle was useful. (There are some great photos of Amelia Earhart on early Cushmans.) The squareer design fo scooters such as Cushmans, Crockers, and Salisbury's fell out of favor after the war when European companies like Piaggio, and Heinkel began manufacturing scooters (that was almost all they could make given post-war manufacturing restrictions.) Piaggio's style of scooter designs were clearly more attractive and practical and fast became more popular that the US makes (and Heinkel too).

The rest, as they say, is history.

But there is so much more to it than that! So many come and gone scooter brands that I can't even remember. All making their contribution. I wish everyone could see the exhibit.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:55 pm

Heinkel scooters just look cool to me! Very much had that "streamliner" look to them. Very Bauhaus in design.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fine-cars/6354237/" title="Heinkel Roller > Maico-Mobil by Fine Cars, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/6354237_3b38fc02fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Heinkel Roller > Maico-Mobil"></a>

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:11 am

neotrotsky wrote:Heinkel scooters just look cool to me! Very much had that "streamliner" look to them. Very Bauhaus in design.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fine-cars/6354237/" title="Heinkel Roller Maico-Mobil by Fine Cars, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/6354237_3b38fc02fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Heinkel Roller Maico-Mobil"></a>

That's weird—not a Heinkel, a Maico Mobil. The photo is labeled with both. (Edit: The caption on Flickr has it corrected as a Maico.)

Very beautiful scoot. I've only seen one in person!

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:34 am

Fuji would say they beat Vespa, too. Or I've read that somewheres.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:28 am

I didn't see any MOD type scooters, with the mirror arrays and tassels. I think I might hit the Peterson this year......

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:13 am

rsrider wrote:I didn't see any MOD type scooters, with the mirror arrays and tassels. I think I might hit the Peterson this year......

It's true. They don't have a totally modded out scooter on display. All the scooters are pretty much stock, and as they came off the showroom floor. Some are restored and some are unrestored and left as they were found.

[Edit to add: they do have a few modern scooters on display though, including a very nice Italia! Represent!)

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:30 am

neotrotsky wrote:Heinkel scooters just look cool to me! Very much had that "streamliner" look to them. Very Bauhaus in design.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fine-cars/6354237/" title="Heinkel Roller Maico-Mobil by Fine Cars, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/6354237_3b38fc02fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Heinkel Roller Maico-Mobil"></a>

Damnit! Scooter ID fail

I've seen it around a few forums and simply assumed it was a different model of Heinkel.

Glen G · Post by **Glen G** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:53 pm

BTW, no one asked how this came about....

Eric, thank you very much, let me come from phoenix about a year ago on a ride to the Museum. I had a Silver Pigeon and thought, be a great place to give the scooter too. We went back and forth for several months with the Museum to work out the donation details but it never happened. But, sparked the idea for the scooter display.

And I've never even gotten to see the thing ;-(

Hope you had fun.

Glen

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:42 am

Photo time! One MC's in there just because it is so totally amazing. Clearly my phone has the worst camera ever. It adds this bizarre sparkly effect completely of its own accord.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:44 am

Continued...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:47 am

Continued...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:51 am

Continued...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:53 am

Continued...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:57 am

All the scooters and the entire show is even better in person. My crappy phone camera really doesn't do it justice. Every scooter is so nicely displayed. The curator really did an outstanding job. Go and see the exhibit in person if you can. It will be the best $10 you've spent in a long time.

Anyone in the LA area, all the local scooter clubs/groups are going on the July 9th. We have an LA Scooter Group ride going. Come join us!

un_designer · Post by **un_designer** » Sun May 06, 2012 9:51 pm

Ah Thank you for posting those pics! I was kicking myself for not taking any pictures when I went in November and was going to look on here to see if anyone else went and then of course I forgot about it til a thread reminded me of it.

My favorite has to be the Honda City + MotoCompo!

http://maydaygarage.com/2011/10/19/nost ... motocompo/

Modern Buddy

Scooter Exhibit at Petersen Automotive Museum

Scooter Exhibit at Petersen Automotive Museum

Thanks to me