On Saturday I saw a huge group of scooters--- maybe close to 100 or so-- on Alemany near the Farmer's Market in San Francisco. It looked like it was mostly Vespas, but since we were busy merging onto 280 from 101, I didn't get a good look. My kids were really impressed. Now they think scooters are as cool as motorcycles. Does anyone know what kind of event that was?
Scooters and pocket bikes have become very popular down at the south end of the state. I would offer your kids two cautions: 1. Potholes. My first trip to a motorcycle dealer was at the age of 16. Salesman tried to sell me a Ducati, and much of what he had to say didn't register, but for a kid who figured that a scooter was the next logical step up from a bicycle, the idea that your front wheel would fit nicely in the average Queens county pothole did register. 2. Service. My current dealer sells scooters as well as motorcycles of all descriptions. As my main use is in tooling around the county, I don't really need a 3/4 liter engine to haul me, even if I way a bit more than I did when I was 16. While I was thinking about the $300 unbranded scooters that can be had here, Kevin (Svc Mgr) told me that even the Yamaha scooters they sold were pretty much use-em-up-and-throw-em-away devices. For someone who hasn't quite accepted the concept of disposable razors, this argument worked for me. Rich, Urban Biker
THat's been the entire Japanese motorcycle industry (not to mention just about everything else they produced) for the last half century. nb
Kings Classic Scooter Rally was in SF this last weekend. Most of the interest is centered around the classic Vespa's and Lambretta's. http://kingsclassic.com/ Local shops involved: http://sfscootercentre.com/ http://firstkick.com/ -Chris
