Courtesy of Jordan Cinco.
Photos of the new Vintage Green 4 Stroke Stellas from Genuine Scooters.

Warning: Scooter Pr0n!

Heck there are no updates.

Been remiss in posting on the blog since last year, things have been pretty hectic.

Will start posting regularly again soon!!!

I swear!!

Consumer Reports Cars Blog: Revisiting the Piaggio MP3 scooter.

Since our last ride on the Piaggio MP3 three-wheeled scooter,  we got a chance to get better acquainted with this unique “reverse tricycle.”

After riding it extensively around our stomping grounds here in rural Connecticut in bright autumn weather, I’m still scratching my helmet trying to figure out the MP3’s raison d’être. Just what does this odd arrangement get you? Having two front wheels doesn’t necessarily improve on a two-wheeler’s riding experience. You still need to get comfortable leaning the thing into corners. And you still need to have a sense of balance at low speeds, since the front suspension lock mode disengages rather quickly. So, what’s the real advantage?

Needless to say the review brought about several justified violent reactions from MP3 owners. Having ridden one extensively since I got it I have to agree with them too. Read the comments on the page, it makes for interesting reading.

I finally had the chance to take the MP3 on the track at the Carmona Racing Circuit for Euroscoot’s Annual Trackday.

The experience was one of a kind. Make no mistake about it, I was and will never be fast on the race track. Images of broken plastic and bruised flesh just prevent me from attacking any part of the course with some semblance of speed. Riding a 400cc machine on this track is not really fun. The tight corners of the track meant scraping my muffler cover and center stand with frightening regularity. A more experienced rider on an MP3 250cc who was blazing the track told me to use my body more and hang out to maximize the bikes already substantial lean angle. But alas, being the non racer that I am, I could only cope up with a half a butt cheek off the seat causing another scrape from underneath the machine.

That was enough of that. I decided to cruise my way the whole day and save myself from aggravation. I ended the day dead last on all heats for the automatics but happy to have had the experience nonetheless.

Will I do it again? Yes! Will I do it faster? Nope, I quite enjoy my pace. Darn I’m getting old.

GTS Super e Super Sport.

Vespa GTS Super epitomizes the values of style, comfort, safety and sturdiness of the Vespa brand. The elegance of the Vespa GTS and the grit of the legendary “Super” models led to the creation of the Vespa GTS Super, the Vespa that is heir to the refined lines and sporting spirit of the fabulous models of the past, like the 1955 Vespa GS, the 1964 180 SS and the 1985 T5 “Pole Position”.
Two variants are available: the Vespa GTS 125 Super and the Vespa GTS 300 Super, both with electronic injection.

But the 300 engine – the most powerful Vespa has ever adopted – also gives thrust to the new Vespa GTS SuperSport features.
Even sportier and more aggressive, the brand-new SuperSport version was designed to be a pure object of desire: Vespa GTS SuperSport is elegance and sparkle, grit and power.

Stand Up For Your Ride on the Vespa 1+1 | Autopia | Wired.com.

See the details here.

Tragedy hit close to home today.

The wife of Euroscoot member and Vespa Community stalwart Dodick “Sky” Baello confirmed that Dodick passed away because of the flooding brought upon by Tropical Storm Ondoy.

His family was able to escape by scampering out by removing one air-conditioner and escaping through the hole. Unfortunately Dodick wasn’t able to follow and apparently got trapped on the ground floor.

Texts, calls and prayers were exchanged the whole night as the entire city was brought to a stand still by the floods. Then the sad news came this morning as the confirmation of our greatest fears were realized.

We will miss you Dodick! Ride well bro!

n. doo·fus Slang
An incompetent, foolish, or stupid person.

Stopped along the stoplight of Gil Puyat Ave. (Buendia Ave.) and Makati Ave. this morning, I was in front of the pack, having just had the light turned red on me.

As is usually the case during long traffic stops, I engage the suspension lock, pull the handbrake and kill the engine. This enabled me to sit on the scoot while waiting for the light to turn green, which will take a good 5 minutes or more.

When the pedestrian light begun flashing red just before the stoplight turned green, I switched the engine on and decided I was going to start moving feet off the ground, just because it would look so cool. Now this is possible with the MP3 because the suspension lock disengages at 2000 rpm or at a certain speed.

As my light turned green I proceeded to give a little gas to initiate my turn. I wouldn’t move so I gave it more gas, I still wouldn’t move. All the other bikes started zooming past me and begun to hear a few horns from the cars behind me.

I had forgotten to disengage the handbrake from the MP3. There goes Mr. Cool all embarrassed as I quickly release for the handbrake lever and sped, rather quickly, into my office building’s basement parking.

Doofus moment #1

I have always been a fan of Steve Williams’ blog Scooter in the Sticks and each visit to his site reminds me why I love riding.  His articles give you a sense of what it really feels like to ride. Pure emotion plus a little bit of tech stuff thrown in just for the fun of it.  And his pictures are probably the best I’ve seen online, scooter or non-scooter related.  Wish I could take photos like that, maybe I should get my personal fog machine too eh Steve.

So imagine my surprise when I found this gem of an article regarding the Piaggio MP3 on his site.  This was written just a week or two after I had just gotten my own MP3 and was also getting used to the quirks of the machine.

As did I, Steve had misconceptions about the MP3 before he had the chance to actually ride it.

From the first time I read about the Piaggio MP3 I began collecting a series of misperceptions. Until I finally had a chance to take it for a long ride last weekend I didn’t realize how completely I misunderstood this machine. I was wrong about how it worked, about why someone might choose one, and most of all about the stability of the MP3.

For the complete article head on over to Steve’s blog.  Believe me it’s worth the visit.