Scooterlounge

California DMV Fees

2010-09-08T12:13:11Z

Scooterlounge is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and thus, we have a deep and abiding interest (some could call it a hatred) of the California DMV. Paying the registration fees on a fleet of scooters really adds up. So we are really keen to figure out ways to pay less, or at least, not pay any unnecessary fees to the Man.

We already gave you, gentle reader, the tools with which to fight any back registration fees on your classic vehicle. If you forgot, go here and read....

Now, we have become privy to a new online resource to find out in advance whether you'll need to pre-arm yourself for battle. We give you, the online registration calculator. You can use it to find out if your chosen vehicle owes back registration fees and penalties.

Thusly forewarned, you can go to the DMV with the correct law provisions at your fingertips with which to dazzle and delight the clerk opposite you in the window. You'll be in for a fight, that's for sure. However, with the law on your side, you should come out victorious.

From the Archives: Street Racers

2010-09-08T11:04:55Z

There is so much that is awesome about this photo, I can't even put it into words. Without doubt, one of my favorite vintage scooter photos of all time.

A Light in the Darkness

2010-09-02T11:34:56Z

By Masanori Sakamoto. Via: Bloguidon & New Cafe Racer Society

From the Archives: The Photographer

2010-09-01T11:02:00Z

Lots of good things going on in the photo...

Marketwatch: Clock Sticker Shock

2010-08-30T11:37:33Z

Although the Interwebz has put the world at our fingertips, and a resurgence in demand has allowed specialty companies to re-manufacture most parts we need to keep our scooters on the road - there are still some bits that are unobtainium. I give you now, the Lambretta LD clock. This part won't make your scooter run. It won't make your scooter obviously more beautiful. It probably won't even keep time very well. But what it most certainly will do is make the current owner of the clock much more wealthy as he packs it for shipping...

These clocks were an accessory which one could purchase to fit on the dashboard of pre-1957 Lambretta LD's. Not many people opted to purchase them. Most of the time, you just see a blanking plate on the LD's where this part would fit. They are a pretty neat, if understated accessory. They don't obviously put shine and sparkle on your scooter, like some cowl accessory or crash bar... but to those in the know, they show that you have the taste, style, and funds to sport one on your show scooter.

I've bought quite a bit of neat bits from the seller in this ebay auction. He seems to have an inexhaustible supply of rare and wonderful Lambretta parts and accessories. I hope he keeps it up. I can't wait to see what he'll sell next.

I've seen several of these for sale over the years, and mostly they have sold for what I would consider fairly high, but not obscene amounts of money. This one, however did not meet reserve on ebay for the hefty sum of $455 USD. That is a lot of bread for a basically useless item. I'm guessing the reserve was somewhere around $500. Ouch! Still, if you HAVE to have one of these, where else are you going to get one?!

]]>

Ice Cream Ape... too much fun!

2010-08-26T12:32:51Z

There sure have been a lot of Apes for sale recently... and this one has charm to spare. Just look at the original graphics on it! Let's face it, if you are driving an Ape, you are going to get a lot of looks - but if you are driving this Ape, you will get looks, and crowds of children choking on your two-stroke exhaust! I love it. If I owned this, I would bring it out to every scooter and vintage motorcycle event in San Francisco. FREE BULLET POPS FOR EVERYONE!!

Vespa Collectible - Playing Cards

2010-08-26T11:24:48Z

Here is something you don't see every day... a set of Vespa promotional playing cards. I can't say that I have ever seen another set of these, but I'm sure that the big-time collectors in Europe must have them. The cards themselves are normal, it is only the case which has a scooter graphic. Very cool, very 60's, and very much too expensive for me...

If you want to give it a shot, they are available on ebay.

Scooterlounge Hacked

2010-08-25T12:18:25Z

Sorry the posting has been pretty light for the last week or so. The main site was hacked. The crack Scooterlounge.com IT Team had to pull the site while they excised the offending code. Luckily, it appears that nothing bad happened. We are now resuming regularly scheduled posting!

Scooter Profile: Nicest Ape Ever?

2010-08-14T14:10:54Z

This is a fairly new Ape (could it be a Bajaj?). I don't know too much about Apes, so I can't give you much info on this one. However, it sure is very nice.

Marketwatch: Bandai Vespa GS

2010-08-11T11:25:13Z

Here is one that you just don't see very often - a Bandai Vespa toy, with the original box. This is for sale right now on ebay. I have seen quite a few of these toys show up on ebay, but I don't think I've ever seen one with the oringinal box. Time to step up, all you scooter memorabilia collectors! This one ain't cheap, that's for sure. The bidding starts at $400. It seems unboxed Bandai Vespas in good condition sell in the $60-90 range. I wonder if anyone will buy this one.

Scooter Profile: Motobi Catria 175

2010-08-06T11:23:45Z

Here is one that you just don't see very often, it is a Motobi scooter. Just like the scooter boom of today, back in the late 50's/early 60's it seems that every motorcycle manufacturer tried to dip their toe into the scooter waters. They saw the number of scooters that Vespa and Lambretta were selling, and wanted to get in on the action. However, virtually none of these motorcycle manufacturers were particularly successful (with the possible exception of the Moto Guzzi Galletto).

In the day, Motobi made some very fine motorcycles. Like many Italian manufacturers, they focused on small displacement lightweight bikes. It appears that they made two different models of scooters - the smaller "Picnic", which came in 75 and 125cc versions, and the Catria shown here. I assume this came with the same 175cc motor in Motobi's Catria motorcycle. I belive that the Catria motorcycle motor was four stroke. That would make this scooter quite fast as well as quiet, and give less vibration than at two stroke.

The scooter appears to have an earles fork set-up on the front, which would make braking quite a bit more stable than on a Vespa or Lambretta. I'm guessing that this scooter was aimed clearly at the Lambretta TV175 Series I. I'd sure be curios to ride this scooter to compare. With its motorcycle-derived motor, I'm sure it was smooth and powerful.

How You Find Them: 1963 Vespa 125

2010-08-04T12:45:26Z

There is a pretty neat Vesap 125 for sale right now on Ebay. I can't say that it is the most desireable scooter, I can't say that it is the most rare scooter, and I can't say that it is in very good condition... however, there is something about it that I really like. I guess if I had to describe it, I'd say that I really like the patina on it. It looks rough, but solid. This is the sort of thing that I would simply replace all the wiring and cables, rebuild the motor (perhaps with a 150 top end), and drive it just like it sits. Cool daddy-o!

How You Find Them: Vespa GS 150 VS4 Hacked

2010-08-04T11:27:53Z

Here we have a pretty rare scooter for the US, a Vespa GS VS4. It is for sale right now on Ebay. These are really neat scooters, but you just don't see them very often. Actually, you just don't see many GS 150's at all, but if you do, it is usually the VS5. That is why it is especially perplexing that someone decided to take a hacksaw to this one. It appears that someone thought it would be a good idea to put a P200 motor in this extremely rare frame, and in so doing, chopped it all up. That sure is a bummer.

Yes, I know that restoring a scooter like this is going to be expensive, and finding a motor for one is likely to be hard... but honestly, it is the sort of thing where if you don't have the resources to do right, you just sell the thing on to someone who can do it justice. This is the worst of both worlds. Someone hacked it up for a motor transplant, but couldn't finish the job. At this point, I'd be pretty cautious in approaching this scooter. This scooter is clearly sitting at Barber's Alfa shop in Sacramento, so I'm hoping that whoever cut it up, knew what they were doing... but then again, the scooter could have just landed there at some point down the line. Hopefully someone can rescue this dying beast.

Marketwatch: 1960 Lambretta Li 125 Series II

2010-08-04T11:11:31Z

There sure have been quite a few really nice Lambretta Series II's for sale recently. Not just any Series II's but there have been some really rare low-mile examples that have come up. A few a months ago, there was this one from Sportique in Colorado. Now there is this one up in Seattle. The Sportique scooter sold for a cool $6000. I wonder what the Seattle scooter will end up selling for...

You just don't find them like this much anymore. The paint on this one is just great. Essentially, this scooter belongs in a collection. It is just too nice and too clean to consider driving it very often. Plus, let's face it, a 125 Series II is just slow as a dog, it isn't something you'd actually want to drive every day. This is a really nice scooter. My guess is that it sells for around the $5000 reserve.

From the Archives: NSU Prima

2010-07-27T12:20:00Z