News, views, gossip, random stuff about my obsession; scooters and scootering! Vespa, Lambretta, Aprilia, Honda, Yamaha, vintage, new, whatever. We cover it. From the Managing Editor of Scoot! Magazine. www.scootquarterly.com

Friday, July 20, 2007

Scooterboys Terrorize Londoners

And Americans thought US scooter rally rides were annoying....



Dreaded scooter riders take over Selsdon


This article from icSouthLondon.co.uk is interesting in that I wonder how much of their complaints come from genuine Scooter Boy bad behavior and how much comes from misunderstanding.
"Only last week I was driving my car and they surrounded me, I was afraid of knocking one of them over. Then, one drove in front, took his hands off the bars and pulled down his trousers and showed me his bottom. I never knew how disturbed and shocked you can be by these gangs of scooter riders, I was very frightened by the whole experience."

If I was a motorist presented with a crowd of scooter boys, I'd let them pass and get on their way rather than stress myself out trying to drive along with them. As for a mooning from a goofy scooterist, I wouldn't be frightened, more grossed-out.

Maybe the Scooter Boys of Seldon should try a PR campaign to ease some of the resident's fears. Some basic education and some common courtesy ground rules could go a long way.

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Monday, July 09, 2007

Amerivespa: Seattle Here We Come!

The Scoot! crew is on the move! Josh is now in Taiwan and will be touring the SYM factory this week. Tomorrow I leave for a meandering trip to Seattle with a stop in Portland.On Thursday, Mike leaves with a bunch of Scoot! stuff in tow.

If you're going to be in Seattle for Amerivespa, please stop by our booth and introduce yourself. All 3 of us will be there and we'll have Scoot! swag for sale. But mostly we want to meet scooterists and chat scooters. We're donating a Qlink scooter for the raffle. Maybe you'll win it!

Since we'll be in Seattle this week, the Scoot! office is closed. All phone calls will be returned next week and orders processed once we get back.

Not sure what Amerivespa is? Well, checkout theAmerivespa website.

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Friday, July 06, 2007

S.I.P's New Video Podcasts




S.I.P is one of the largest mail order sources for modern and vintage Vespa parts. They are also in the middle of the big scooter tuning movement in Germany. I just got word from Ralf at S.I.P that they have launched two new video podcasts that you can get for free over iTunes. For Vintage Vespa fans, there is a Vespa podcast and for modern scooter fans a Scooter podcast.

Subscribe via iTunes to get updates. Check out S.I.P for cool products.

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Rock Your Scooter Trips

When I saw Lifepop's cool audio accessory bags for iPod and other MP3 players the first thing I thought was, "Cool! Perfect for scooter picnics and events!" The next thing I thought was, "How do I get one?" That being said I think these bags would be great for weekend scooter jaunts when you want some tunes at your destination, but you don't have a built-in stereo. They have several models which are both baggage and stereos at the same time.

The Groovemaster ($75)is a messenger bag with speakers and an MP3 player interface. It runs on 4 AA batteries. The Rocksteady Gym Bag ($130) is a bit steeper but a funky retro Adidas cool and comes in some flashy colors, but the black is my favorite.


The ChillOut ($50)is a combo cooler/AM&FM radio with aux hookups. This would be perfect for strapping to a rear rack/carrier and taking to the beach or park.

The auxiliary jacks for these bags work with iPods, Zunes and even PSP systems. So go forth and rock your scoot!

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Sunday, June 10, 2007

Remembering 80s scootering scene...

Scoot! is currently working on an 80s issue. We'd like to pay tribute to the 80's (and perhaps EARLY 90s) scooter scene in the US. Things have changed in the past 2 decades, and we'd like to remember the scrubby days of 'zines, photocopied flyers, silkscreen patches, bomber jackets and ironingboard backrests.

If you were a scooterist in the "old days" we'd love to talk to you. We're looking for contributions in the following areas:

1) Photos: Show Us Your Scoots! If you bought a P200 news from the dealer, let's see your proud photos! Were you a mod with an asymmetrical haircut and a scooter with dozen mirrors and a raccoon tail aerial? Were you a scooter boy with a cut-down, a patch-coated jacket and straight-edge tattoo? Send us some of your choicest photos that exemplify the scene. We are looking to run an expanded and 80s-centric Show Us Your Scoots section.

2) Reader's Rides: Do you have a bike currently that is in an 80s style? We want bikes with those rare accessories, funky chrome or definitive 80s mod, scooterboy, skinhead or punk style. They don't have to have perfect paint, but they do have to typify the 80s style. If you've got a good collection of photos of a bike you had in the 80s (even if you don't still own it) we're interested in featuring it. The trick is, e need several photos of the bike at different angles, so you had to pretty type-A about documenting it. If you've got photos like that, we want to talk to you.

3)Rally History: There were some great, infamous rallies in the past. Were you involved in planning them? D you have memorabilia from them such as patches, shirts, flyers etc? Let's create a historical documentation of those old rallies.

4) 80s style: What made the 80s scooter scene? Was it the clothes, the custom bikes, the music, the culture? If you've got some suggestions on what we should cover, we are open to your input. Here's some suggestions to get your mental gears going:
**What accessories, treatments and styles exemplify an 80s scooter? What accessories or treatments were all the rage? Was it checkered tape, chrome, mud flaps, a certain brand of seat, a special aftermarket pipe?
**What were the fashions of the time? Name some key pieces to a scooterist's wardrobe.
**What bands courted the scooter scene? We know how a Bad Manners show could rustle up a parking lot full of scoots, but what other bands has a scooterist following?
**Who were the leading scooterists of the time? Who made the scene what it was? Who was printing 'zines, organized rallies, made parts, ran scooter shops?

Many scooterists miss the good old days, so let's put our heads together and create an issue that stirs up memories, calls attention to where we came from, and perhaps inspires a revival.

send your ideas to aprilATscootquarterly.DOTCOM or email us a brief reply to this post and we'll get back to you.

Happy Scooting!
-april

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Monday, April 23, 2007

Classico Moto Italia May 4-6, San Jose

I used to be a member of Vespa Club Los Gatos one of the oldest continuing scooter clubs in the US. But with work, a magazine and other obligations, I figured I had better bow out rather than be a slacker member. Next month, they will host their Classico Moto Italia rally which is an appreciation of vintage Vespas. While many of the members ride newer scooters, the event is a time to bring out the old show bikes and have a good time. It is a traditional rally with the rides and day show as the main events. If you have a sweet restoration or a classy custom this is the place to show it.

Club founder, Rolf Soltau is a US scootering legend. After years of scootering, he was picked by Piaggio USA to be their training mechanic. Scooterists from all over the USA kow him from his touring for Piaggio. Also, you may have seen his numerous appearances in Scoot! sinc ehe was once the owner of the oldest known Vespa in the USA and also probably the oldest person to complete the scooter Canonball Run (2007). He's a real firecracker, and can party with scoterist 1/3 his age. If you're in the area and can make it to the rally, be sure to meet him as you won't find another scooterist like him.

Scoot!
will be at the rally and I'm looking forward to meeting up with old friends. If you're there, stop by to say hello!

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Saturday, October 14, 2006

Part of the Gymhkhana

Don't ask...

Lori & I went to the store to get some Mike's Hard Lemonade and came back to find the tail end of a gymkhana which utilized oddly assembled balloons. Not sure what hapened, but the ladies did provide beer, so we just popped a can and sat to socialize.

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AGSR Ride Stop

Snack stop on our ride


We took aride through some Palm Springs neighborhoods with great Palm Springs mid-century architecture. We stopped at a hotel called the Bungalows which has a few rooms that people can rent. Relaxing with a view of the mountains in the background.

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