It would be easy to assume that Vespa is simply cashing in on their iconic name, or that by making the 946 in small numbers, they’re counting on the same market of people who off-handedly buy Maseratis and $1,000 hand bags. Maybe they are, but I’d wager that the truth is much closer to purity of the 946 design. Keep in mind that the Vespa 946 is already a unicorn. It’s a bonkers motor show concept vehicle that’s actually being put into production.

I think that’s the key phrase in this discussion: production. Taking any physical product to market is a decidedly difficult and costly task. The purity of any industrial design must usually be tempered (or put another way, watered down) with the realities of production methods and costs. You have to design a component in a certain way when you’re going to make 100,000 of them in a row in a cost-effective manner. OEMs also have to compromise on materials and complexity. If every car on the road were made of carbon fiber, they’d be more fuel efficient, and they’d also cost an order of magnitude more to produce. Material and production costs are one of the reasons Vespas already cost more than their Taiwanese and Japanese counterparts.

In the case of the Vespa 946, production is not only limited, it’s going to be largely done by hand. That’s what Vespa is demonstrating in the video above, as well as a whole section on their website. Pieces are hand fit. Details are hand sewn and hand set. This will be a bike not simply assembled, but crafted.

Beyond the hand made aspects of production, the Vespa 946 utilizes a handful of key aluminum components. Working with this material over steel or plastic is more labor intensive and has higher material costs. Yet the weight savings and premium feel over what would otherwise be plastic parts is going to help make the case for the 946′s price tag.

In the end, it’s going to be up to the individual buyer whether or not all this hand-crafted workmanship is worth the substantial price premium. In seeing the details, I think that this is a perfect case study of the true market cost of a premium product. When you don’t cut corners on labor or materials, and when you commit to delivering an uncompromising design vision, things get expensive. I’ve long wondered if there was a Ferrari-like place in the scooter market. Is there a place for something hand made, using premium materials, oozing with sexy design details, and asking a premium price? Looks like Vespa is about to find out.

What about you? What’s your definition of value when you go scooter shopping. Is cheaper better? Do you always get what you pay for in a more expensive bike? Sound off in the comments below.

Source: Vespa

Photo credit: Flickr via Creative Commons

Source: Rome Reports

“Vespa has been triumphant in meeting the aspirational needs of the fashion, style and brand conscious individuals, further establishing its strong brand identity. In a year’s time, this timeless brand has been successful in winning hearts and turning heads. We are proud of the fact that the original Vespa has set industry benchmarks, and created an all new luxury scooter segment in India. It is a highly gratifying feeling and has been a wonderful journey until now.”

With that first year under its belt, Vespa has its eyes on Eastern India, now opening a dealership in the city of Kolkata. This full-service dealership will offer bikes, spares, repair and other services. The eyes of the industry remain on Vespa, interested to see if this self-described luxury scooter market will hold in this every growing part of the world.

Source: The Times of India

Well now visitors to Vespa.com are greeted with an all-new experience. Not only is this a whole new website, Vespa.com has followed the ever-growing trend of “responsive” websites that transform themselves to suit whatever size device you happen to be visiting them on — be it your laptop, your iPad or your smartphone. It lets you have one website for all your visitors (ScooterFile is actually responsive as well).

So far, none of the national Vespa sites such as VespaUSA.com have been updated to match. Neither has Piaggio.com for that matter. The change seems strongly driven by all the positive attention Vespa has received over its upcoming 946. You can even pre-order the special-edition Vespa right from this new site.

What do you think? A step in the right direction, or all flash style and no substance? Let us know in the comments.

The event was simple, but well represented and a heck of a good time. A cloudy morning gave way to sunny skies as our group of several dozen scooters wound our way from Scooterworks Chicago, up Sheridan Rd, and then back to Fireside Grill for a lunch buffet sure to clog all our favorite arteries. While technically a Genuine event, scooters of all makes/models were welcome. Yet overall, it was a great mix of Stellas, Buddies and Blurs.

For me, the highlight was definitely the people involved. The local Meetup group, the Scoot Jockeys, showed up in good numbers. It was great to finally meet Ron Arnold in person, and to have ScooterFile’s Senior Editor and Modern Buddy foudner, Eric Almendral, in town for the ride. Eric even got to ride the pre-production Stella 4T prototype. For anyone wondering what the new Stella would be like with its original, larger bore Mikuni carburetor in place, I have one word for you: wheelies.

Once lunch wound down, the scooters began to scatter. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and in such lovely weather, there was no need to rush home. So my Elite 250 and I just meandered up Ravenswood toward home.

While any scooter gathering is typically fun, this one was particularly interesting just because of its purpose. Like all the Genuine “Family Reunion” rides, this event was a way for Genuine to say thank you to all its customers — to all those people who’ve let this plucky little scooter company exist and thrive in a tough industry. Even though it wasn’t all Genuine bikes that showed up, I can’t help but think that this kind of simple, gracious, community-oriented event has got to be some of the best advertising a scooter company can do. Just show up, go riding and say thanks. Simple, but effective.

Thank you, Philip and Genuine, for having us along and for adding so much to the landscape of scooters in America.

The latest in Honda’s quest to reclaim its identity is the Grom, a 125cc minibike that’s part classic Trail 70, part modern Honda machine. While not really a scooter, it definitely falls into that gray area, just like the classic bikes that obviously inspired its design.

Making 9 hp, it’s not going to break any records at Bonneville, but at such a small size, it’s going to be a blast to ride around town due to its reportedly torquey little underslung single. That fun factor would only multiply given its fully modern suspension (did you notice the upside-down front forks?) and fuel injection. Be mindful though, this isn’t your dad’s Super Cub. The Grom features a 4-speed manual with a good, old-fashioned clutch.

Look for the Grom to hit US shores in August and retail for a very reasonable $2,999.

I look at this thing and have two questions.
1. What is a Grom?
2. Will it fit in the back of my wife’s CR-V?

Sources: RideApart and Dealer News

Honda’s latest addition to its US offering is the Forza, a midsize, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled machine aimed at tackling everything from light touring to serious commuting duty. Honda describes the package as something “That all adds up to a ride that’s big enough for extended rides for two, but versatile, practical and economical enough to keep transportation costs way down.”

Speaking of cost, the Forza will run you $5,599 for the standard version and $6,099 for an ABS variant. Expect this new machine in July of this year.

As for style, the Forza definitely has the family resemblance — looking very much the big brother to Honda’s popular PCX 150. Also, you can get the Forza in any color you like, so long as that color is Pearl Red. That, according to Dealer News.

We’re thrilled that Honda is continuing to bring over great machines already available in Asian and European markets, but the lack of color choices is pretty inexcusable. Especially in a market where scooters are, for most, a secondary transportation or pleasure purchase. C’mon Honda, variety is the spice of life. A quick search online will find the Forza looking very handsome in silver, black and white. Hopefully we’ll see those options appear State-side as well.

Via: Dealer News

The real story behind this rather posh custom Ruckus comes to us from Honda Tuning Magazine:

James Wong has held a close friendship with the guys at Rucksters ever since High School. Always involved in the import movement, he mingles in circles that feature legends like Dr. Charles and Pit Crew. With the help of the good Doctor, Wong began modding his scooter back in ’07, and even had a GY6 swap done by Killer Scooter early on; well before the Ruckus phenomenon ever got under way. After a few years of tinkering, he’d grown somewhat bored with his project and decided to call it quits. That is, until he attended Super Sunday and took note of all the high-end builds on display.

With the fire once again stoked, Wong decided to have another go at building a show stopper, and he headed to the Rucksters compound to get started. With the help of Aldo Villagran of BTX, the two team’s brain storming resulted in a complete Louis Vuitton color theme based around the LV seat wrap that had adorned the scooter prior to its tear down. Already armed with the industry standard 150cc GY6 swap, every inch of the LV Project build was customized using rPRO and BTX hard parts from front to back. To accentuate the fashionable seat is a fresh coat of Du Pont Champagne paint with a number of brown anodized supporting components.

To add some attitude to the pretty face, a big foot-sized 10×7 six-spoke golf cart rear wheel wrapped in a 225 tire was fitted to the rear end. Hai adds “this is the first time Rucksters and BTX has collaborated on a complete build, and I think the end result is remarkable.” We couldn’t agree more as the brown anodizing and monster rear wheel and tire combo strike an intriguing mix that sets the LV Project apart from the crowd.

As with most custom projects, the devil is really in the details. Every inch of this bike has been carefully detailed while it’s not all the same choices I’d make in my own Ruckus project, the result is nothing short of remarkable. Keep an eye on the Ruckus scene folks. While hardly new, I have a feeling it’s about to hit critical mass.

Source: Honda Tuning Magazine
Via: BikeEXIF

Despite all the common sense reasons to wear protective clothing such as armored jackets and helmets while riding, some people just don’t wear them all the time. I can’t help but think that for many it’s just a mental disconnect between wearing the gear and the consequences of not. Sadly, it’s not something that’s all that forgiving in terms of a trial-and-error approach to learning those lessons.

The Colorado DOT has set out to bridge that understanding gap. In the video above, they take a motorcycle rider (but the same concept applies to scooters) and put him in the makeup chair of a world-class special effects artist. Working together with a trauma surgeon, they simulate the types of injuries a rider is likely to sustain in even a slow-speed crash without safety gear on his or her body. The effect is dramatic. If we imagine our own faces in that mirror, ravaged by the unforgiving combo of physics and concrete, it puts the minor hassle of wearing protective gear in sharp perspective.

How about you? Are you an ATGATT rider? If not, do these sorts of things influence your decision making? Let us hear from you in the comments.

Source: Ride Apart

Personally, I think hard-tailing any bike is the quickest way to ruin it, but otherwise, the aesthetic choices on this custom Cub are just great. What do you guys think? Is the Cub on a comeback? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Chalopy