Cute scooter defined by electricity, portability

It's energy efficient, it's clean, compact and simple, and, above all, it's very cool. All of these factors could be significant in getting people to adopt a lightweight, electrically powered scooter designed by William J. Mitchell, the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences, and several of his students in MIT's Smart Cities Group, in collaboration with SYM, a major scooter manufacturer in Taiwan, and ITRI, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute. A prototype of the new design was a hit at the Milan Auto Show, where it was unveiled earlier this month.

The viability of the one-way-rental business model has been demonstrated in Paris, Mitchell said, where a company has recently begun a similar service with 1,000 bicycles. The design of the scooter is also important in getting the new concept adopted. "People want to look cool," Mitchell said, and the folding scooter was highly praised at the Milan show, where vehicle design is especially prized.
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International Motorcycle and Scooter show preview

Hot on the heels of the Paris motorcycle show, the Birmingham NEC hosts in two weeks time the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show in association with The Sun newspaper. The show will feature the exclusive world launches of several new models:

BMW Motorrad UK will showcase the world premier of a new model that will be on sale in 2006, of which details are still under wraps. Yamaha will unveil their new YZF-R6R, 'bristling with MOTOGP technology' and YZF-R1SP- a high spec limited edition. The firm's FJR1300AS will be the first production semi-automatic motorcycle. British manufacturer CCM will launch its brand new FT35S model at the show, a street version of its American-style 'flat tracker' based on a new chassis that has a much reduced seat height compared to any previous CCM model. Triumph will launch its three new models in the UK at the NEC. The Rocket III Classic, the twin-cylinder Scrambler and the middle-weight triple-cylinder Daytona 675 Triple. Kawasaki will unveil to a UK audience for the first time the ER-6f, ZZR1400, VN900 Classic and KX450F.
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International Scooter Rally

Widely recognised as the largest scooter event in the world, the August Bank Holiday weekend welcomed thousands of fellow scooter enthusiasts to Ryde for a fun-filled line-up of ride-outs, rally events and parties. Blue skies and bright sunshine greeted the scooterists, mod fans and of course their faithful two-wheelers as they descended upon the IOW for the greatest rally of the scootering calendar. As always, the highlight of the weekend was the mass ride-out around the Island on Sunday, which, regardless of your personal preference and opinions on scooters, was without any shadow of a doubt, a truly awesome sight to behold.

With such recognition and a series of prestigious trophies up for grabs, it was easy to understand why owners of some of the hottest scooters around took the trouble to transport their prize processions across the Solent. Multiple classes were set aside for a multitude of extraordinary tastes and innovative ideas spanning decades of scootering lifestyles. For anyone with a previously limited knowledge and appreciation of scooters, the Custom Show, together with the weekend's varying activities, emerged triumphant in turning heads and transforming attitudes.
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Scooters: The New Menace On Australian Roads?

As the new motorcycle market heads for a record year here in Australia, buoyed by increased demand for scooters, a recent survey conducted by insurance company AAMI asserts that "one-third (33 per cent) of drivers nationally said that scooters were the new menace on Australia's capital city roads." Now major motoring authorities such as the FCAI - the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries - have come out and rubbished AAMI's claims, essentially calling the company's surveyors a pack a liars.

"The fact is that motorcycles and scooters have become so popular amongst urban Australian commuters over the past four to five years that they now form a major component of our traffic and play a valuable role in reducing vehicle densities and lowering overall fuel consumption. "According to our research, 97 per cent of those who ride motorcycles and scooters also have a car, so they are well aware of the risks. They clearly have a two-way perspective. In contrast, car drivers who have never ridden rarely appreciate the riders' perspective," opined Mr Behr. "Perhaps if 97 per cent of motorists also rode a bike, this understanding may be different and there would be a lot fewer collisions!"
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Scooter sales soar as petrol prices bite

Australians are turning to scooters to combat escalating petrol prices. After a slump in the March quarter this year, demand for scooters bounced back to be up by more than seven per cent in the first half of 2008, according to figures released Tuesday by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). The FCAI said total motorcycle sales also were running at record levels as more Australians turned to two wheels for transport and recreation. "It's encouraging the motorcycle market continues to show resilience in the face of higher interest rates and general economic turbulence," said FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar.

The increase of over six per cent for the first half of 2008 demonstrates that the demand for bikes, scooters and ATVs has remained quite strong." After falling 3.4 per cent in the first quarter this year, scooter sales stormed back to rise by 7.6 per cent over the first half with 7,613 retailed across the country. The recent spike in pump prices has no doubt played a part in the turnaround in scooter sales since the March quarter." In scooters, SYM led the way with 14.6 per cent of the market ahead of Piaggio on 13.2 per cent, Yamaha 11.9 per cent, Vespa 10.2 per cent and Honda 7.5 per cent.