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Other New Vento Models for 2007 February
20, 2007
I did the Vento scooter article below, late last night and quit before telling all the news I had. New this year, the Zip is listed as being available in two models, the 49.5cc 2 stroke model, and a 90cc 4 stroke model rated at 6.7hp. Triton availability is listed as either the 49.5cc two stroke or a 124.5cc 4 stroke model rated at 9.2hp. I don't have any details on whether the 4 stroke engine models will be offered in different areas(such as California), or if both models will be universally available in all states. These models are listed in the 2007 Vento USA brochure, so I'm quite certain that both models are intended to be available within the US market. -Dennis D  2007 Vento Scooter Models February 19, 2007 Dennis DenHartog There are quite a few changes at Vento
this year. Not the least of which is the new 250cc 22hp
watercooled Phantera, with 13" wheels listed in their 2007
Brochure. The Phantera will also still be available with a 150cc
aircooled engine. New for 2007, all of the 150cc models they have
specs listed for have 12hp engines... up from 9.4hp last
year. Also this year, all of their GT5 series scooters will have
a "stinger" type exhaust. Makes sense for their 49.5cc Zip and
Triton two stroke scooters, but looks rather cheesy
 on a four stroke
scoot.There is one new 150cc scooter that they had no specs for, and it wasn't in their brochure, but they had one there. They call it the Vento "Hot Rod". The only one they had was jet black with lots of bling. Great fit and finish, and what appears to be pretty high quality chrome, and lots of it. The "Hot Rod" model is supposed to have an MSRP of about $2100 according to the Vento staff manning the booth. Their 2007 models are all supposed to be out by sometime in April. I think a lot of folks probably never found the Vento booth in the private room where they had scooters, chairs and tables. Interested dealers had to fill out application forms and make an appointment for an interview, and the Vento folks were very serious about protecting the integrity of the  process. They allowed me to take
some pictures and answered a couple questions I had during breaks in
the interviews, but they certainly seemed more focused about how
they began their new dealer relationships than anyone else I saw at the
expo. Qlink
Commuter 250 February 19,
2006 Dennis DenHartogOne of the first booths I visited at the
Powersports dealer Expo in Indy was Qlink. New to Qlink this year
is the Commuter 250, a Honda Helix clone with an 18hp engine and 12"
& 10" wheels, front and rear. It has a very comfortable seat,
low enough for the vertically challenged, but with plenty of leg room
for scooter riding basketball players to stretch out. The low
seat has no underseat storage, but there is a large top mounted trunk
that doubles as a passenger
 backrest, and another large built in
trunk
behind and over the back tire.There is a stereo included, with speakers mounted in the top trunk, and the stereo in the lower rear trunk. Have you ever wondered what china does with it's excess production of electronics components once they're obsolete? Well now you don't have to lose any more sleep over it, because in the case of FM stereo/tape players anyway, they just put 'em into scooters as an included "free" accessory. Even with speakers and stereo mounted in the trunks, there's still quite a bit of room for helmet storage or shopping trips. There's also a helmet lock in case you run out of trunk space. QLINK After recent press releases and a showing at the EICMA Milan motorcycle show, is CMSI ready to disclose a production schedule for the updated Lambretta based L-Series scooter? February 13, 2007 Jan 17, 2007 - "Latest L-Series Prototype slated to be on display at 2007 Indianapolis Dealer Expo, Feb 17-19, Booth #5219 - Don't miss this opportunity to see the latest refinements. This could be the last opportunity to provide feedback before production begins."
"The Latest L-Series Prototype Shown at the EICMA 2006 Milan Motorcycle Show: CMSI, the manufacturer of the L-Series motor scooter, presented the latest prototype at the 64th Milan International Motorcycle Show (EICMA). This latest prototype represents several improvements from the initial prototype that received rave reviews during the USA tour in 2005. EDI (an engineering and design firm based in Italy) has recently completed the latest round of engineering improvements and testing on the second L-Series prototype scooter that was originally developed by renowned scooter builder Frank Sanderson of Scooter Innovation in the U.K. This latest L-Series configuration incorporates many improvements that were based on market feedback and engineering input. The L-Series will utilize state of the art components while staying true to the classic style that echoes the design of the classic Lambretta motor scooter. According
to Tom
Lynott,
President of CMSI, the manufacturer of the new L-Series, “Lambretta
enthusiasts will love the new L-Series for the blend of authentic
classic styling and modern engineering. We look forward to selling the
new L-Series in Europe, N. America, Australia, Japan, Korea and other
markets where discriminating buyers want performance and reliability
packaged in a scooter with the classic heritage and looks of
Lambretta.” More
details
regarding initial
production of the L-Series and specific technical data relevant to the
bike will be released in the USA at the Indianapolis Powersports Dealer
Expo, Feb 17-19, Booth #5219." The
L-Series
prototype seen at EICMA had an electronic injection Piaggio Quasar
250cc engine, the same motor that found on the Vespa GTS. LetsGoScootin
will be at the Dealer Expo in Indy, where CMSI has promised more
information and a tentative time frame for the first production models
of the L-Series scooter. We should have more to report next week. About CMSI - CMSI is a motor-sports company headquartered near Seattle, Washington. Brands include Twist n' Go (TNG) , L-Series, and PM Tuning Racing Products. About EDI – EDI is Located in Pontedera, Italy and was founded in 1985 by Dr. Carlo Doveri and his sons Marco and Nicolò Doveri. The engineering impetus of EDI was given by Dr. Carlo Doveri, who retired from Piaggio in 1984 as R&D director. Some of EDI past and present clients include: Betamotor, Bajaj Auto Ltd, BMW AG, ENEL (Electric Power Generation Company), Peugeot Motorcycles, Ferrari Auto, Lombardini Engines, Piaggio VE, Kymco, Dell’orto, Motoguzzi. www.cmsiinc.com www.ediprogetti.it  FlyScooters'
"Rugged
Rider" SebaFebruary 11, 2007 For those of you who
are mourning the demise of the Honda Big Ruckus scooter, Fly Scooters
is coming out with a 'sort of' clone that could be looked upon as a
"Mid Ruckus". a Big Ruckus styled scooter midway in size between the 49cc
Ruckus and the 250cc Big Ruckus. With an aircooled
150cc 4 stroke engine, it has a top speed of 50mph, or 60
with some
 modification.
There are fold out foot pegs
for the passenger, and the passenger seat can fold upright as a driver
back support, leaving a large flat surface between the passenger grab
bars where a cooler, basket, or other bulky items can be strapped
on. It weighs a hefty 304 lbs, and is equipped with dual disc
brakes. With a 28.5" seat height it can accomodate riders that
might have difficulty with taller scooters. Prerelease models can been
seen at several dealers around the country, with the production 2007
models expected by later this spring.FlyScooters.com Seba  What's With Argo and
Bajaj? February 9, 2007 Bajaj
Usa became Argo USA, and is now selling retro styled chinese built
scooters with 4 stroke Yamaha designed 8.5hp engines, hydraulic disk
brakes front and rear, high strength polymer body panels, and a top
speed of 55+ mph.
Bajaj
India is planning to move to DTSi dual spark technology for all its
scooters and motorcycles beginning in the 2nd quarter of 2008, and has
also announced plans to abandon the 100cc market because of its lower
profit margins. Juat where that leaves the newly introduced
Kristal,
and the announced Blade, is in doubt if Bajaj follows through.
Bajaj USA having become Argo USA, and selling chinese made
scooters, with more models to be introduced soon, raises the question
of whether they are repositioning themselves within the US market and
are moving away from Bajaj, or if there's still a possiblity that we
will eventually see the new Bajaj line in the USA. Motorcycle Safety Foundation vs.
Oregon February 9, 2007 On December 15, 2006 the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) announced that they had filed a lawsuit against Oregon State University (OSU) and Steve Garets, Director of the Team Oregon Motorcycle Safety Program (TOMS) of OSU. The MSF is claiming copyright infringement and violation of their rights under the Lanham Act. This action was not completely unexpected as the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has paid close attention to this issue for several years. The very afternoon of the announcement MRF Director of Motorcycle Safety, Jay Jackson, spoke with Steve Garets of Team Oregon as well as MSF President Tim Buche. Communication from the MRF was quickly established not only with Team Oregon and the MSF, but BikePAC Oregon, the National Association of State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSA), several state program coordinators and numerous motorcycle safety instructors as well. Most of the motorcycling community, especially those close to rider education, recognize that this situation carries potentially severe ramifications. At the least, it is a distraction that draws resources and focus from the primary function of rider education professionals, which is to provide life-saving training. At the worst, it is a divisive issue that may compromise the credibility, consistency, integrity and ultimately the future of rider education. Ron Shepard, Coordinator of the Idaho STAR program, suspects the MSF’s intent is not necessarily to win the lawsuit, but rather to seek an injunction that would halt all current activity. In doing so, states that are required to offer training may be forced to use an MSF product if their current program is suspended. Ken Kiphart, SMSA Chairman, surmises that this may be more of a case for the courts and feels it is likely that the SMSA will not be actively involved at this time. In as much as the SMSA’s purpose is to support state programs, it remains possible that this position may change. Steve Garets stands by the TOMS curriculum and encourages other programs to continue to evaluate the effectiveness of their rider training efforts at treating skills and strategies necessary for safe street riding. A number of different opinions have been shared with the MRF from instructors, state program coordinators and others. It appears that the MRF has friends, and constituents, on both sides of the argument. The
MRF exists to support the state motorcyclists’ rights organizations
(SMRO). As with any issue of interest to motorcyclists, the MRF will
continue to monitor and evaluate this situation and will attempt to
provide all resources appropriate when, and if, specifically requested
by an SMRO in need of assistance.
(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted.
Reproduction permitted with attribution. Buddy Goes More "Retro" with the Series Italia February 5, 2007  Genuine is introducing
the Buddy Series Italia for 2007, with many “period correct” touches,
reminiscent of 1950s Italian Scooters. These include wide whitewall
tires, dark green seat, eye-catching two-tone green paint scheme, and
even gray rubber hand grips. The Italia makes one dream of scootering
through Italy with Audrey Hepburn on the back. But the Series Italia
isn't all nostalgia. It has modern engineering with a twin piston disk
brake, a halogen headlamp and L.E.D. tail lamp for safe scootering on
the Parkway. It also has a handy cell phone charger for those who need
that connection to the modern world wherever they go.Eurospeed Factory to Assemble Chinese Scooters in Connecticut February 2, 2007 by Dennis DenHartog  At a press conference
on monday, Eugro, a Greek company dealing in
electronics, motorcycles and scooters, wireless and long distance phone
service, announced plans for a factory in Connecticut in cooperation
with Eurospeed USA. Michael Healey, an Ansonia, Connecticut Ford
dealer, and President of Eurospeed USA Inc., said he expected there
would be 1000 jobs brought into Connecticut as a result.Eurospeed Inc, of New York has been working on US distribution of chinese built scooter and motorcycles since at least early 2004. On May 19, 2006, Eurospeed USA, Inc. based in Ansonia Connecticut, was named exclusive distributor in North America and Israel, of motorcycles, scooters, and other vehicles bearing the EuroSpeed and EuroStrada names. According to Healey, they want to expand into the automobile market, importing affordable chinese cars a few years from now. Their plans are very ambitious, but the clock is ticking, as EuroSpeed Inc. signed an agreement with an exporter in the Peoples Republic of China in March of 2006 to import no fewer than 25,000 vehicles by October 17, 2007. Over 1,100 units at least, have been shipped so far, according to figures from a Nov. 2006 quarterly financial statement.  After
that, the current agreement is to import 30,000 vehicles the following
year, with amounts for each year after that, through 2011, to be
determined each year. So the plans apparently aren't to assemble
their own unique vehicles out of parts from various suppliers.
EuroSpeed USA seems to be following a similiar business model to TNG's
and Vento's, buying complete scooters and motorcycles needing final
assembly here. Pictures of their seven scooter models and four
motorcycle models announced so far bears this out. Although not
all models were instantly recognizable to me as another chinese look
alike, most of them were. I'm not familiar with nearly every
chinese
scooter and motorcycle model, so you may recognize more of them than I
did.According to the EuroSpeed website, the scooters and motorcycles are being built by QianJiang factories. There is also a separate agreement with Giantco Ltd of Hong Kong for Eugro to purchase 30,000 units a year bearing the Eurospeed name, and no fewer than 2,000 in a given month. This appears to be a separate or overlapping agreement that may be superceded by the agreement that runs through 2011. At any rate it was made some time ago, and appears that it is due to expire soon, without the terms having been met, and assurances that "minimum purchase requirements will not be enforced for past periods." I include that last bit of information only so you can see that this project has been a long time in the works, and that all plans have not come to fruition within anticipated time frames. French Police Go High Tech to catch Scooter Thieves! January 31, 2007 Scooters make up 75% of the 85000 motorcycle thefts each year in France. Only 8 per cent of the thefts are solved. If your motor scooter is stolen in France, there is little chance that you will see it again. But if you're a Sarkozy, the odds they will catch the thieves goes up exponentially. While Nicolas Sarkozy, the French Interior Minister, who is the top french law enforcement official, was in London on official business, french police pulled out all the stops to find his son's stolen Piaggio. Jean Sarkozy, 19, had his scooter stolen on January 7 after he left the unlocked scooter outside, in a wealthy Paris suburb. Later in the month, police found a scooter with a matching plate number, which, on investigation turned out to be Sarkozy's son's, and the crime lab was called in. The crime lab took took fingerprints and DNA samples from the helmet that was left with the scooter. They were traced to a couple 17-year-olds, who had a history of being in trouble with the police. The teenagers subsequently confessed to the crime. The resources used to solve the case drew angry protests from the french Federation of Angry Motorcyclists. Frédéric Brodziak, a spokesman for the Angry Motorcyclists said, “When we go to the police, they always tell us that we haven't the slightest chance of finding our two-wheeler. Sometimes we know the thief, but the police say it's impossible to go into estates like that to retrieve our property.” The Action-Police Union, an organization representing a number of french police officers, complained that Mr Sarkozy had used the force like his own private security force and demanded a parliamentary inquiry. A high ranking police official said the investigation, which also included door-to-door questioning, was the same as any other stolen vehicle investigation.  New
2007 CPI GTR 180 January 28, 2007 ....should
be available in April 2007 With Vespa Hotter Than Ever, Is Now the Time to Take Your Portfolio Global? January 26, 2007 Rumored new Vespa model could move Vespa into new markets! Read Article: minyanville.com
|
December
12, 2006
“The L-Series scooter
builds on CMSI’s tradition of being a leader in
designing, manufacturing and supporting affordable, high value
scooters. This will be the most powerful luxury scooter available
to authorized CMSI dealers around the world.” Says Piero Manzini,
Interim President, CMSI International.