Čezeta 506

The iconic Czechoslovak scooter Čezeta (known as “the pig” by the locals) is coming back as an electric scooter! The trio behind the revival has already applied for EU authorization and they are done with the prototype. They even have 20 or so preorders in line. We are eagerly waiting for more news about this interesting scooter!

Read this great story from Radio Praha for more information.

Also visit the main webpage for the brand new electric Čezeta.

The post The pig is back! first appeared on scootcats.

April 22, 2011, American Motorcycle Association, Press Release

As conservation takes center stage on Earth Day 2011, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) notes the environmental benefits of commuting and traveling on a motorcycle.

“Regardless of how you use your motorcycle or scooter — commuting to work, riding down the block, across town, traveling across the country — your choice to ride instead of drive has a positive impact on the environment and results in a more enjoyable, less-congested experience for you as well as your fellow road users,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “For motorcyclists, every day is Earth Day.”

In the wake of skyrocketing gas prices, motorcyclists have emerged relatively unscathed. A typical motorcycle can provide fuel mileage that exceeds that of most fuel-efficient automobiles. Many motorcycles return more than 50 miles per gallon, and many scooters can deliver nearly twice that. In addition to using less gasoline, motorcycles require less oil and other chemicals to operate. And the recent introduction of electric motorcycles provides an added benefit for the environment.

Motorcycles take up less space than cars and trucks both during operation, and when parked. They reduce traffic congestion and, in so doing, help increase the efficiency of traffic flow on the road.

Significantly fewer raw materials are utilized to produce motorcycles and scooters compared to cars and trucks. By some measures, it requires thousands of pounds less metal and plastic per vehicle to produce a motorcycle. The environmental benefits are realized both during production, as well as at the end of the vehicle’s useful life.

Because motorcycles and scooters are so much more compact and lighter than cars and trucks, they cause far less wear and tear on the highways, reducing the cost and environmental impact of infrastructure repairs. In addition, because of their size, many more motorcycles can be transported from factory to consumer using the same or less energy.

“When you add it all up, there is no question: If everyone rode motorcycles, the planet would be a greener place,” Dingman said. “And just as important, more of us would experience the thrill and freedom that motorcycles provide. Riding is not just easy on your bank account and the planet, riding is a fun, and often a social activity that simply makes life more enjoyable.”

Those interesting in coming along for the ride are encouraged to visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com for more information about the benefits of motorcycling.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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scooter driving out of the McCar

You no longer need to be a superhero to drive out with a scooter from the back of your running car. Now, imagine you are driving with your pals and you notice you forgot something at home and need to go back, the McCar allows you to do so without interrupting the trip. You can leave your pals continue driving towards the destination, while you take a ride back home using the integrated scoot.

Geely, a Chinese auto manufacturer, just introduced its new concept electric vehicle with an integrated scooter inside.The McCar is not named after your favorite burger, its name is derived from Magic Car or Motorcycle Car. Because parts of this car magically transform into a scooter.

To be more exact, the rear middle console directly transforms into the seat of the scooter and all other parts are hidden below the front arm console and the rear space. But this is not the whole story, the scooter can be brought into running mode before driving out from the car. And of course, it is all electric and the scoot is being charged while the car is running. It would be fun to see this scoot go into production. Watch the concept video below.

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Robin Maynard, the organizer of a breast cancer fundraiser ride called Scooters 4 Hooters, used Facebook to find her stolen scooter.

After her scooter was stolen from her driveway, she used the Scooters 4 Hooters Facebook page to ask her friends to look out for it. Luckily, one woman spotted the thief riding the stolen scooter in a neighborhood in Orlando, Florida. The scooter women spread out across the neighborhood and located the exact whereabouts of the stolen scooter and called the cops.

And mission accomplished; the thief was caught and the scooter was returned to the owner.

Watch the video for local Fox News coverage:

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diablo scooter tires

The rise in oil and rubber prices now to affect transportation costs. Due to the rise of these materials, Pirelli is going to increase the prices for its tires in all Europe-Middle East-Asia regions, which will also mean an increase for its motorcycle and scooter tire prices. The increase is expected to vary between 6% – 12% based on tire type.

Pirelli USA is currently offering 4 types of high performance scooter tires; diablo scooter, ST66,  GTS 23/ GTS 24,  EVO 21/ EVO 22.

We wouldn’t be surprised if the prices would go up in the U.S. soon, so better buy your tires now!

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The recent cooperation of Vespa USA with the award-winning Mint.com blog, Mint Life, is targeting to encourage consumers to rethink their transportation choices. Mint.com, is a free website that helps Americans manage their money. The site brings a user’s all financial accounts together, automatically categorizes the transactions and lets users set budgets and achieve goals. Mint Life, on the other hand, is the award-winning blog of the website, with more than 1 million daily visitors, it has tons of articles about personal finance advice, money management tips and financial planning advice.

With the recent partnership, Mint Life has added motor scooter ownership to its portfolio of cash-conservation tips, to encourage consumers to rethink their transportation and commuting choices. An infographic of how motor scooters can change the urban transportation landscape, along with examples of how major U.S. cities from New York to San Francisco have joined the cause with special incentives for riders, is available at Vespanomics 2020.

With fuel prices on the fast track to $4.00 per gallon, finite U.S. oil reserves and a national mandate, the need for reducing gas and oil consumption and ultimately foreign oil dependence is more important than ever. Vespanomics 2020 data points out, that from 1990 through 2000, there has been an average annual increase of 2,325,000 licensed drivers in the United States.  Looking forward to the year 2020, it is estimated that there will be nearly 237 million licensed drivers in the U.S., each averaging 14,274 miles annually. If just 10 percent of these licensed drivers shifted 33 percent of their miles to motor scooters, gasoline consumption would be reduced by 3.9 billion gallons per year.  That’s a reduction of 198 million barrels of oil from American ports, saving the U.S. $21.4 billion per year.  Motor scooters don’t just sip fuel; the new generation also runs super clean.  This occasional switch to two wheels would also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 77.3 billion pounds annually.

For more information on Vespanomics 2020, visit www.vespanomics.com.

Source: PR Newswire

The post Vespa and Mint Life Help Plan a Cleaner, Cheaper Transportation first appeared on scootcats.

BMW Motorrad’s upcoming scooter, Concept C, was  presented to the French public at various Paris locations last week. The scooter was seen at the world famous night club, VIP room and two BHV Homme menswear locations. See the video for VIP room below.

The last presentation at BHV Homme turned into a big show, as an ice sculptor used a 1300lbs block of ice to carve an exact replica of the Concept C. Later, the finished sculpture was placed at the touristic Centre Pompidou, where it attracted many tourists.

Watch the ice sculpture show video below.

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The French motorcycle and auto manufacturer Peugeot’s electric scooter e-vivacity is expected to hit stores in Europe this summer. Filling up the battery costs only $0.35. With a 100% electric charge, this scoot can make 37 miles at a speed of 28mph.

It is not the first time Peugeot is manufacturing electric scooters. In fact, the company was the first to mass produce electric scooters. The company launched the Scoot’Elec electric scooters in 1996,  which sold 3500 units until the production was stopped ten years later in 2006.

The Scoot’Elec was powered by a DC motor fed by three Saft nickel-cadmium batteries. The new e-vivacity is equipped with two Saft lithium-ion batteries, which take up less than half the space and weigh less than half as much as their predecessors. The new batteries enable accelerations from standstill equal to those of many 125cc models despite being a 50cc equivalent model.

To recharge the batteries, the cable lodged under the seat needs to be connected to a domestic plug or an urban charge port. A complete recharge requires between five and eight hours depending on whether the vehicle is equipped with one or two chargers; if with two, then 80% of the full charge can be obtained in just three hours. Partial charges do not affect the batteries’ useful life.

e-vivacity

The new e-vivacity comes with 35L storage space, which means it can accommodate one full face helmet under the seat and one half face helmet in the front storage compartment.

We have not heard of any news about plans for Peugeot hitting the US stores.

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After 2 years of research and tests, The Malaysian company Eclimo is ready to roll out its first generation electric scooters. The company unveiled its e-scooter on March 16, 2011.

The e-scooters feature electric drive technology, its lithium batteries are directly connected to the wheels ensuring minimum energy loss.

According to Eclimo, the differences between electric scooters and regular scooters are as follows:

Regular scooters:

Use ICE (internal combustion engine)
Use petrol as fuel to run engine
Use fuel tank to store fuel
Needs to change gear ratio to change speed
Emits smoke and CO2
Has noisy exhaust pipe
Engine to wheel link with gear and chain
Heavy maintenance on the engine
Frequent change of gear and chain
Change of brake pad according to usage

Electric scooters:

Use electric motor
Use electricity to run electric motor
Use battery to store electricity
Fully automatic
Zero emission
No exhaust pipe, almost silent
Electric motor to wheel direct drive, without any link
Maintenance-free electric motorNot available, therefore no cost involved
Less frequent change due to rear wheel’s regenerative braking system

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