Scooters sales up in U.S.

Not too surprising, given the increase in gasoline prices! Here are some sales numbers for scooters, from the May 30, 2008, issue of Business Week magazine (video):

• 2000: 42,000
• 2004: 96,000
• 2007: 131,000

In the first quarter of 2008, sales increased almost 25 percent over the same period last year.

Motorbikes and economics in Laos

Cheap Chinese motorbikes ($400 each) change life in rural Laos.



Story (The New York Times): In Laos, Chinese Motorcycles Change Lives

The Honda Wave is the prototype for these cheap models -- it's a great, reliable 125cc bike, easy to handle. If I could buy one new in the U.S., I would!

Documentary video: The classic scooter scene

Did you know there is a DVD about scooter fanatics? It's called Scooterist, a Way of Life, it's 89 minutes long, and the filmmaker is Christian Bauer.

Scootering magazine called it "the best scooter-related film in years." (Hmm, should that be "the ONLY scooter-related film in years"?)

You can buy a PAL-format DVD for £14.99 plus S&H, or an NTSC-formatted DVD for $28.35 plus S&H.

I haven't seen it. Any reviewers out there?

Vespa music video

So Vespa had a user-generated video contest, and this guy named Rex Hermogino won:



I think he deserves it! His prize was a Vespa GTS 250!