TheScooterScoop » Scooter Reviews

Review – The 2010 Ultra Motor A2B Metro

Steve Guzman — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:06:25 +0000

Hey! Look at that! Another review for Motorcycle.com. I actually convinced them to let me review a BICYCLE! HAHA! Well, an electric bicycle… they actually created a new category for me. ;)

Anyway, I posted the video above and you can read the write up on their site HERE>.

STUPID CRAZY shout-outs go to my co-conspirators contributors:
Greg Griffin – Test Rider
Wiretree - Music 0:00 – 1:12 “Back In Town (instrumental)”
GeekBeats – Music 1:15 – 1:55 “The Stride”
General Fuzz – Music 3:25 – 5:31 “Summer”

ENJOY!

Fuelcell cargo scooter concept

Steve Guzman — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:30:00 +0000

(click to enlarge)
Designer Chengli Hung’s cargo bike concept is a two-wheeled attempt at “all things to all people”. It’s a cargo hauling scooter that can transform into a sort of sport bike by simply swapping or adding components. The bike is describe by the designer as:

…a small scooter but have a large integrated storage area and an optional storage compartment in the mid-section of the scooter. The flexible steering handlebar allows the scooter to transform into a more potent motorbike for higher speeds which improves the aerodynamics of this vehicle and brings more pleasure of riding.

Interesting idea! I’ve always liked the cargo scooter and in fact, this isn’t the first one to show up on Tuvie. I’m also a big fan of the cargo Microcar. I have to wonder if Aprilia ever sold any of their Cargobikes, which was really nothing more than a SportCity with a large storage compartment where the step-through once was. Not taking anything away from it! I’d like to see that kit available here in the USA! *writes email to Cargobike*

Oh, and… it’s really too bad we won’t ever see any Honda Cargo Gyro’s or new Bajaj Vans here. Well, not so much “too bad” as “it really pisses me off”. *climbs on soapbox* STOP the auto lobbyists from blocking the acceptance of micro work vehicles on American roads! *steps off soapbox* At least I think (hope) you can still get Peirspeed’s Pizza scooter.

Following Japanese Kustoms

Steve Guzman — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:13:00 +0000

Images of Austin, Texas come to mind when I think about the words “Hot Rods” and “Customs”. The 9th Annual “Lonestar Rod and Kustom Round Up” is a huge convergence of classic Americana parading up and down Congress Street… The only rules? No imports and nothing newer than 1963. I can’t say those rules apply to the Yokohama Hot Rod & Custom Show, but the show is still quite impressive. Here’s a couple of shots from our friend Kuroneko as shared from his Flickr account.

Can you believe they were mild mannered Honda Cubs at one time?

Need an excuse to go to Germany in August?

Steve Guzman — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:27:00 +0000

How about Scooter Weeked 2010? It’s probably the largest event of its kind and if you’ve got 10 minutes to watch the video above, you might start pricing plane tickets. Looks like a total blast, though I would also schedule an appointment with your doctor for when you you return. See if he/she has any suggestions for fixing black-lung due to 2-stroke smoke inhalation.

2010 Sachs MadAss 125 Reviewed

Steve Guzman — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we wrapped up another long awaited review. This is actually our first motorcycle review! The MadAss has always been of those hard-to-classify designs. It has elements of a trials bike, a BMX, a mountain bike, a moped, a scooter. I was expecting this one to come in as an automatic. It would be a bit easier to compare to other modern scooters that way, but the only thing scooter about this bike was the engine.

If you’d like to see what we thought after 200 miles of testing you can head over to Motorcycle.com or Motorcycle-USA to read the whole thing and watch a companion video edited to show what it looks like and sounds on the road.

The 2010 SH150i gets the once-over

Steve Guzman — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Adam Waheed got his hands on the new Honda SH150i and presents his findings on Motorcycle-USA.
It’s stirred up an impressive amount of feedback on their site. Why dontcha give it a read and let us know what YOU think… Though I bet I already know some of the comments. My guesses?
What took so long? Where’s the 300? And Why so much?

Here’s some responses:
“Who the heck knows”… “Who the heck knows”… and “Sure a but pricy, but only a hundred bucks more than the Vespa LX150″. Anyone see one in person in the USA yet?

***UPDATE 7/6/2009***
Our old friends at Motorcycle.com also gave her the “who’s yer daddy” just nine days ago. You can see Alfonse Palaima’s take by going to Motorcycle.com (ALSO with lots of frenzied feedback).

Scooter reviews in… Consumer Reports?

Steve Guzman — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:07:00 +0000

(Note the actual cover of the March 2009 edition, but you probably already knew that.)

For the first time in 27 years, Consumer Reports has put scooters (and small motorcycles) in the line up. It’s exciting to see that last year’s scooter fever seems to have inspired others in the mainstream media to take them more seriously.

In their report, CR tested eight small-displacement scooter models. There were three 50cc scooters, three mid sized (125cc – 150cc) scooters and two entry-level motorcycles. Why they insist on calling them “entry-level”, I have no idea. Is it that people start out with 250’s and as they “grow up” they move on to 1800cc bikes? Not me, anyway, among the scooters tested were the Vespa LX 50, the LX 150, the Kymco People 150, the Motorino Allegra (who?), the Yamaha Vino 125 and one more 50cc scooter, which one? I’m not sure.

Hopefully this will inspire some of their 7 million print and online subscribers to go do some test rides. I would have liked to see more than four brands represented, but I suppose I should be happy they looked at ANY scooters.

Look for the report to hit news stands or ConsumerReports.org in late Februrary, early March.

TheScooterReview – Best midsized scooter battle

Steve Guzman — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:33:00 +0000

Our Kiwi cousins over at TheScooterReview have put together a great little shootout between 7 different scoots in the 100cc – 180cc range. I was a box of budgies after watching it… OH! I love NZ slang!

Good on ya, mates! Can’t wait to to gawk more sweet-as vids! (wait, I think I’ve over done it on the slang… sorry)

Review: SYM RV 250 Maxi Scooter

Steve Guzman — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:49:00 +0000

This video is a bit different that what we’ve done before. There were so many bells and whistles on this machine I decided to just use the video to cover them. The link to the actual review will be post in the next couple of days.

***UPDATE 9/9/08***
We had an Anonymous comment wanting to see 10,000 or 20,000 miles on one of these. This image is from MattJo-tw’s photostream on flickr showing 19,715 km which is just over 12,000 miles. This shot was from back in 2007.

Sure, it needs an oil change, but it’s still runnin’! Hope that helps.

***UPDATE 9/12/08***

(Image Source: KHeresy Flickr)
MAN! I forgot to cover a bell, or is that a whistle? Anyway, the RV250 has water bottle storage under that little panel to the right of the handle bars. Did I forget anything else? We’ll see.

Review: 2008 Piaggio Vespa S

Steve Guzman — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:05:00 +0000

Another one of those little companion videos that go with the reviews I’ve been doing for our buddies from Motorcycle.com in the Great White North.

***UPDATE 9/7/08***
Reader feedback: Darren, on whether or not a full face helmet will fit under the seat of the Piaggio Vespa S scooter.