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Honda Announces Two New Scooters for 2013

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Honda has begun the 2013 model year with the introduction of two new scooters.

Well, make that one new one and one with a facelift.

Honda PCX150 Available this summer, comes the new Honda PCX150.

It has a 150cc liquid cooled engine, with generous under-seat storage (enough for a full-face helmet).

The price is yet to be determined.

Honda Metropolitan Also coming this year, is an updated classic – the Honda Metropolitan.

The 50cc Metropolitan will be available in June, and features a redesigned headlight and clock setup, new handlebars, and a new tail-light assembly.

With 22 litres of under-seat storage, a separate storage area big enough for a 1 litre bottle, and a larger bag hook, this could be the perfect thing for those round-town trips.

The MSRP is $1,999.


Cameron Beaubier – Yamaha Road Racer. Injured Riding a Yamaha Zuma Scooter

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Cameron Beubier

Road racer Cameron Beaubier, who finished third in this years Daytona 200 race, today fractured his right knee and injured his wrist – requiring surgery to pin the bones in his knee together.

What was he riding when he did this? Not his Yamaha R6, but a 50cc Yamaha Zuma scooter.

Apparently, he clipped an “unseen hazard” while riding in Cyprus.

Commenting on the incident, Cameron said, “I’m so disappointed to have injured myself, and in such an odd manner. It happened so quickly, and I’m fortunate that there were no other vehicles around at the time. I’m not yet sure what my prognosis is for racing at Road Atlanta (April 20-22) in a few weeks, but I’m hopeful for a quick recovery.”

We hope you have a speedy recovery Cameron – and watch out for those scooters. They can get away from you!

Yamaha Zuma Scooter


Scoot Networks, Hyped Scooter-Sharing Service, Might Run Afoul of State Law

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You may remember that I recently posted about the new electric scooter rental service in San Francisco.

Well, it seems they could be scuppered by local interpretation of the law requiring scooter riders to obtain a “special license”

Coverage of the company on Fast Company’s website asserted that “riding a rented scooters (sic) doesn’t require any special certification,” a similar article on Wired’s site says that “the scooters max out at 30 mph, negating the need for a motorcycle license,” and yet another piece on GigaOm says Scoot Networks’ rides are “low-power enough that the driver doesn’t need a motorcycle license.”

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Maryland May Soon Require License, Tag and Insurance for 50cc Scooters

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Vespa Scooter

The Maryland senate is currently considering bill SB309, which will require that scooters with less than 2.7 horsepower, or under 50cc are titled and that the operators maintain liability insurance.

Currently, such scooters do not require a title, insurance, or a motorcycle license to operate them in Maryland.

The bill would reclassify mopeds and scooters as “S” class vehicles under MVA regulations and maintains the requirement for moped and scooter operators to possess a valid Maryland driver’s license.

It would also require the use of protective head-gear and eye protection.

While I am honestly “on the fence” about this one, this part did cause a raised eyebrow:

“Chris Shank, R-Washington, co-sponsored the bill because of numerous reports from the Hagerstown Police about a spike in use of scooters and mopeds to transport illegal drugs.”

That seems like the craziest reason to support a bill I’ve heard of yet!

Your thoughts?

Read more: http://marylandreporter.com/2012/03/20/legislation-before-senate-to-require-titles-insurance-and-safety-gear-for-mopeds-and-scooters/#ixzz1phknAjhq


ScootSafely.com at Vespa Marietta this Saturday. Atlanta, GA.

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Vespa Marietta Event Artwork

ScootSafely.com will be giving a presentation on scooter safety at Vespa Marietta this coming Saturday during their “Spring Kick-off” event.

With a workshop on scooter maintenance, guest appearances, snacks, spring sale on scooter models, and a talk by yours truly, it should be a great event!

If you’re in the Atlanta area, come and meet us!


Aprilia’s SRV 850. 850cc Scooter. Is it Still a Scooter?

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Aprilia SRV 850 Aprilia have released their official video for the monster scooter known as the SRV850 (shown below).

With an 850cc fuel-injected 90° V-Twin engine producing 79 horsepower, this scooter surely holds the accolade for the most powerful production scooter on the market.

While I have no doubt it is a remarkable machine – which I would love to spend a day on, It does, however, cause me to pause and wonder: is it actually still a scooter in the generally accepted meaning of the term?

While writing my recent book, [Buying Your First Scooter][1], I had to make an attempt to define what a scooter actually was, because the lines are beginning to be increasingly blurred.

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66 Year Old Retired Police Officer and Civilian Naval Captain to Race from Savannah to San Diego on a Vespa Scooter

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MARIETTA, GA, March 07, 2012 – On April 22nd, sixty scooters will line up in Savannah, GA to participate in the Annual Cannonball Run.

The 8 day race stretches 2,648 miles across the U.S. and ends in San Diego, California. This year, newcomer Capt. Gary Kinney plans to finish the entire race riding a 2004 GT200 Vespa scooter.

What makes Capt.Gary different from the other 59 avid scooterists, Capt. Gary is 66 years old and he is riding to win.

With a resume like Capt. Gary’s, it doesn’t take much to see why he describes himself as an adventurer. Born in Traverse City, Michigan, Kinney moved to Dothan, Alabama and joined the police force as a motorcycle officer. Retiring in 1988, Kinney began his new career as a boat captain.

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Scoot Network Launches Electric Scooter Sharing in San Francisco

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A Scoot Network Scooter A company called Scoot Networks yesterday announced a dream to place electric scooters – which can be rented by the hour, or by the minute – in every city.

They aim to create “pods” in convenient locations where customers can pick up and return the scooters.

Currently, the service is in “closed alpha” mode – meaning it’s not yet open to the public.

Scoot Networks is buying up a model of electric scooter from a Chinese manufacturer to populate its fleet.

The scooters have a maximum speed of 30 MPH, which means that you won’t need a motorcycle license to ride them.

Their aim is to first create a network of scooter “pods” outside of work-spaces and company campuses, and the next phase will be to liaise with public transportation, and, finally to open up to the public when the infrastructure reaches “critical mass”.

Monthly subscription for this service is expected to be between $100 and $150.

The dashboard of a Scoot Network scooter Curiously, they are operated by putting “your iPhone” into the dashboard.

I guess that means us Blackberry users or Android enthusiasts have to walk.


Update on St. Louis Scooter Store Owner Busted For Drugs and Gun Crimes

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Photo of Brad's Scooters (KMOV) — Police have uncovered high tech surveillance cameras, loaded weapons and thousands of dollars inside a St. Charles County business.

They call the owner of a scooter shop a major player in the drug game.  Neighbors are relieved he’s locked up, but customers of the legit side of the business found themselves caught in the middle.

Customers showed up to Brad’s Scooters only to find that police had shut it down.  One customer says he had already paid $1,500 for a 4-wheeler, but, Brad’s in jail and they’re out of luck — for now. Police say the business was hiding a meth lab inside.

Police believe Brad Gelber was the money man for a big meth-making ring in St. Charles County.  He and Thomas Scurlock, Chantel Harshbarger, Jeffrey Runyon and Thomas Runyon were all busted Friday night when police took down three different meth labs.

Drug Task Force investigators say they found meth cooking inside the office at Gelber’s scooter shop, along with loaded guns and $1,900 cash.  High-end security cameras and a microphone system kept a 24-hour watch on the shop.


Four-legged Friends get a boost from Scooter Fans

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Scooters and Dogs. What’s Not to Love?

About 100 enthusiasts from Brighton Scooter Club, as well as other associated organisations, rode from The Volks, on Brighton seafront, to the Dogs Trust’s Shoreham rehoming centre, to deliver enough food to keep the four-legged friends fed for two months.

Members of the Brighton Scooter Club post with dogs

The event was organised by two of the club’s founding members, Mark Nichols and Len Taylor, who set up a doggie goodie collection box, in Sainsbury’s, Hove.

“Maybe not an army, but certainly a platoon of scooter soldiers, but unlike in the 1960s, these soldiers were not on a mission of violence or destruction,” said Mark’s daugher, Michelle..

“Their mission was to dedicate their love to man’s best friend.”

As well as dog food, the riders were also carrying treats, blankets and duvets.

Full Story: Shoreham Herald