Scooters making more news

Smiziley · Post by **Smiziley** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:52 pm

Found this today in my google alerts under 'gas'.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... /1007/NEWS

From the article: "Scooters are 'going out as fast as they are coming in', Scooter sales were up 24% in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a national trade group."

emoboy44 · Post by **emoboy44** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:00 pm

I'm thinking of the chaurreur's license referenced in the article and picturing a guy with a funny hat driving people around on a buddy...hahahaha

chancerbeans13 · Post by **chancerbeans13** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:20 pm

I actually had a cab driver ACTUALLY ask me the other day, "How many people do you think I could get on the back of one of those things?'...LOL

sradwick · Post by **sradwick** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:33 pm

They are up only 25% because no one has any to sell! Imagine how many they would sell if people could actually buy them....

Scott

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:54 pm

For those who don't get the wonderful NPR "On Point" program, Jane Clayson interviewed Paolo Timoni yesterday.

It's only 3-minutes long (15:40 to 18:10)
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2008/ ... a_main.asp

-- 2,758 Vespas sold in May (in the US or North America?), a 106% increase
-- 30 million "motor scooters" in Europe compared to 1million in the US
-- Demographics from mid-20s to early 70s...something happens when you hit 73 and you can't drive a scoot anymore

I love how he says "Roma" in his listing of European cities.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:08 pm

sradwick wrote:They are up only 25% because no one has any to sell! Imagine how many they would sell if people could actually buy them....

Scott

Good point. I wonder if they measure sales based on orders by dealers or actual sales to consumers.

amanda_c · Post by **amanda_c** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:52 pm

Two new Scooter articles on NPR

Scooter Rundown: Best Fits From Tall To Small
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... t=1&f=1001

Scooter Trend Brings Safety And Theft Worries
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... t=1&f=1001

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:59 pm

Funny, that exact same AP photo with the blue ET has been used in at least a few other scooter stories.

I bet sales for Q2 were way over first quarter, even.

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:35 am

the column on the right side stated: "And remember: Carrying a passenger is illegal, even if the moped has a passenger seat."

is this TRUE?! i've never heard of such thing

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:58 am

r0sa wrote:the column on the right side stated: "And remember: Carrying a passenger is illegal, even if the moped has a passenger seat."

is this TRUE?! i've never heard of such thing

That's with a Michigan "moped license," which is only for 50cc scooters restricted to 30mph. For anything larger, you'd need a motorcycle license. The sidebar is a little misleading.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:59 am

Scooter sales were up 24% in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a national trade group.

that quote has been used a lot - but the first quarter was Jan, Feb & March - BEFORE gas hit $4
I would like to see 2nd qtr (April, May, June) sales numbers

newslinky · Post by **newslinky** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:53 am

"In Denver, Baker says he pays $150 a month – a full-coverage rate that is lowered by his house and car insurance with the same agency."

$150 a month?!?!

Um ouchie I'm paying $440 a year for enhanced full coverage small deductibles.

brimstone · Post by **brimstone** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:37 am

chancerbeans13 wrote:I actually had a cab driver ACTUALLY ask me the other day, "How many people do you think I could get on the back of one of those things?'...LOL

show him a pic of a 3rd world country were entire families ride around on them.....hehehe

jmsmith802 · Post by **jmsmith802** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:55 am

r0sa wrote:the column on the right side stated: "And remember: Carrying a passenger is illegal, even if the moped has a passenger seat."

is this TRUE?! i've never heard of such thing

Yes here in michigan if you have a 50cc you "can't" carry a passenger. I've done it (in neighborhoods only to stay safe

) and I've seen others do it many times... So I don't know if its actually enforced too often. My scooter dealer even sells buddy 50s with the passenger foot peg accessory. I don't really understand the law, maybe they think its not powerful enough to carry the weight of two? That's understandably for say... a 4 stroke vespa... but not the 2 stroke buddy

But yeah you won't see two people on an actual moped.

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:22 pm

wow, that is interesting. i don't think texas has a law like that

alienmeatsack · Post by **alienmeatsack** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:41 pm

Here in Oklahoma, it's illegal to carry marijuana and a gun under your belt while riding on your scooter, it seems.

What is this world coming to!

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:45 pm

I wonder if Illinois has a similar law. I passed a cop last night on my way to Target with my wife on the back of my 50 and he gave me a suspicious look...

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:02 pm

skotot wrote:I wonder if Illinois has a similar law. I passed a cop last night on my way to Target with my wife on the back of my 50 and he gave me a suspicious look...

Pretty sure Illinois does not.
The cop was just checking out your wife

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:06 pm

ScootLemont wrote:
skotot wrote:I wonder if Illinois has a similar law. I passed a cop last night on my way to Target with my wife on the back of my 50 and he gave me a suspicious look...
Pretty sure Illinois does not.
The cop was just checking out your wife

Can't blame him, really.

Just as a side note, I grew up in Lemont, then moved to Plainfield [weird since there are members from each place!]. I wish I still lived in Woodridge and had my Buddy so I could ride it through the town. I bet its GREAT scooter territory. Maybe I will have to find a back way to get there from DeKalb on a 50cc.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:41 pm

Hey!
I am a life long lemonter
Lived on Warner, then ridge, then division and now I am in mccarthy point right behind the high school.
Anyway Lemont is fun for scooting... As long as you like the hills.
I did have a moment yesterday driving up singer when I rode across a few thosand acorns... It was like riding on marbles

Modern Buddy

Scooters making more news

Scooters making more news

Scooter sales up 25% this year

Paolo Timoni, CEO of Piaggio Group Americas, on NPR

Re: Scooter sales up 25% this year