Spotted yesterday in Manhattan. One of the first batches of the four-stroke iteration of the successful Genuine Scooter Company Stella.

How can you tell? The grill on the right-hand cowl shown under the crash-bars distinguishes the 4T from it’s 2-stroke ancestor providing better air flow to the updated power-plant hidden beneath. The bike itself looks well ridden and is already showing some of the daily wear-and-tear of life on the mean streets of New York City.

If you’re the lucky owner, we’d love to hear how she rides. All the modern goodness of four-stroke efficiency behind the fun of a kick-startin’ shifty.

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Riders filling up for less than $5 during this year's NY Scooter Club BlockParty Rally.

For a while there – back in 2008 during the gasoline price hikes – it seemed like every local news station was sending out their cub reporters to report on the tidal wave of scooter adoption by frustrated car owners looking for a cheaper form of transportation.

Of course, the last couple of years of the financial crisis haven’t been so kind to the scooter world and this has led to the closure of several beloved nationwide dealerships, and the near death of several scooter marques in the US. This was further advanced when, as soon as gas prices fell, so did scooter sales as drivers rekindled their love for their gas guzzlers.

Well it seems like two-wheeled love as a sensible alternative to prices at the pump is back (for a while at least) as CNN Money reports on the refreshed interest in scooters.

CNN’s piece includes a profile on seven recent scooter adopters including New York Scooter Club rider (and NYCS contributer) Melissa Lucas.

The report also includes a short interview with Vespa SOHO (and Williamsburg’s Carbon Negative) owner Zach Schieffelin. Vespa SOHO is Piaggio’s flagship store in the USA and is typically responsible for the largest annual sales of the brand’s iconic scoots in this country.

Click here to watch the interview over at CNN Money.

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Moto Preserve Garage

Welcome to Moto Preserve!

After a year of wrenching and parking on the curb outside my building, and being buried under snow, I finally had to break down and admit that a garage space would be better, safer and ultimately, more fun.  A real estate agent friend of mine found a garage space that seemed like it could be a good candidate for a bike garage.  It had everything I needed and more.  Great location, mechanical garage door, huge skylight, brand new bathroom, and plenty of space to park and wrench on scooters and motorcycles. On top of that, it’s nestled into a community of artists (some are even motorcycle riders), who all chip in towards making the buildings a cooler place to hang out and work.

I imagined there must be more people out there with similar interests, who would appreciate some indoor space for storing and working on their bikes, so I put the word out through a few forums and email lists, and  got a bunch of great response.  The problem was, it was hard to get a “collective” all on the same page.  So I took the plunge, hoping that eventually people would get on board, and went ahead and set up a garage space, for myself and any other scooter or motorcycle lovers out there, who need a place to work on and park their scoots.  So far, we have a great group of riders at Moto Preserve, and we are hoping to add some more of you to that crew.

Located in the heart of Williamsburg, just 1 block from the Lorimer/Metropolitan L and G train station, it’s just minutes from Manhattan, and easily accessible from most parts of Brooklyn.  The facility is equipped with motorized access door, monitored security system, full bathroom, individual storage spaces, common work benches, and outlets for battery tenders.  For the DIY mechanics among us, tools are available such as: bike lift, sand blaster, air compressor, parts cleaner, specialty tune-up gear, bench grinder/buffer,  etc.

Come have a look at the space, and see how a comfortable, spacious home for your bike can make owning a motorcycle or scooter in this city, so much more less stressful.

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OK, so the middle one is more silver than White, but the parking job seemed to make it look like they were shooting for the good, old Red White and Blue vibe.  Gearing up for the holiday weekend, let’s hope that the weather stays nice, and everyone gets out there for some safe, fun rides.

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The latest victim. Spotted this morning near Union Square.

Like me, the New York Motorcycle and Scooter Task Force have had enough. They’re declaring war on lousy parking by others with the mantra, “No More Knockovers.”

As NYMSTF puts it:

Most of us have been here before. You’re walking back to your bike after work. About half a block away, you can already tell something doesn’t look right. When you arrive, it’s on its side leaking fuel, or worse. Your brake lever is snapped off, and your plastics are scratched. There’s no note. There’s never a note.

It’s enough to make you want to kick someone. Or, enough to make you want to park on the sidewalk next time!

We’ve discussed the issue of “knockovers” on several occasions given it’s a unfortunate part of scootering life in NYC: “Parking On The Street“, “12 Months of Parking Abuse,” and “When Is Nice Too Nice?” all come to mind.

Thankfully, the NYMSFT has some nice tips to help minimize the chances of your next knockover. My favorite piece of their advice: If you find a spot large enough for a car, don’t be kind and park in that spot but close to the bumper of an adjacent car. Declare the space yours. Park right in the middle. Saving room for a car is just an invitation for someone to squeeze in and squeeze you over.

For a full list of tips to avoid being tipped and what to do to make sure you can file an insurance claim if the damage is severe, click on through to the dedicated “Knockovers” page at NYMSTF.org.

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Ogre surveys the scene. Photograph courtesy of Erik Paulsen.

It would appear that among the riders of this past weekend’s NY Scooter Club sixth annual BlockParty was New York Times reporter Nick Kurczewski.

Nick joined rally-goers on Saturday night for the annual night-time ride through Times Square and reported his impressions as part of yesterday’s “Wheels” blog for The Gray Lady covering the smiles that the scooterists caused among midtown tourists.

Regional scooterists familiar with the rally scene will no doubt appreciate that Nick got to interview Rhode Island custom Lambretta rider Richard “Ogre” McKay, a familiar (and charismatic) face at local scooter events.

Click on through for Nick’s full report.

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Once again the event saw a wide array of scooters from souped up Ruckuses (Ruckusi?) through vintage Lambrettas and all makes and models in between.

Check out some of our photos from the Friday evening and Saturday daytime activities below, and then head on over to the NYCS Flickr Page for the complete set.

Chris (Left) and "Ogre" (Right) join the pack on Friday night from CT and RI.

Andy's Vespa.

What a great color!

A Sachs Madass (Left) and a Honda Ruckus.

Brendan hands out T-shirts at The Brass Monkey on Saturday morning.

Taking a break on the ride through the Pallisades Interstate Park on Saturday.

Out on the NJ ride.

A little Jersey attitude at Metro Scooter.

Gathering at Metro Scooter.

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Gathering of the tribes

Friday night was the kick off for the 2011 NY Scooter Club BlockParty.  I rode just a few blocks from my house up to Carbon Negative, where the “Meet and Greet” was to take place.  When I arrived, there were already about 40 scooters parked around the back, near the service entrance.  People were mingling, and I quickly made my way inside to the free coffee and donuts.  That gave me the opportunity to wander through the work shop, and the display room, both making me green with envy.  So many tools, so many beautiful scoots.

Two of the organizers, Alan and Chris.

The plan was to hang out for an hour or so, and then commence the first ride of the three-day BlockParty.  Not long after my arrival, there were about 100 scooters parked up and down the street.  The variety was amazing, everything from vintage Vespas and Lambrettas, to the newest large format Hondas.  These bikes and their riders were raring to go, and the organizers were not going to disappoint.  Brendan, the ride leader, made a brief announcement, with the tribe gathered ’round, explaining to newbies and veterans alike, the rules and tips for riding in a large pack.

Group rides have their own set of challenges, but ultimately, they often provide a sense of security because you are not all alone out there.  The mapped event was to take us throughout Brooklyn and some of Queens, eventually ending up at Gantry State Park in Long Island City.  From there, after a brief rest, the ride would finish at St. Vitus bar in Greenpoint, owned and operated by some fellow scooter enthusiasts. Despite the prediction for sour weather, the sun peeked through just before we left, which seemed to make the mood even better for this first event of the seasonal BlockParty.

The ride started off well, with the pack seeming to really get the hang of moving together.  Then the red lights kicked in, and the group was divided into smaller segments.  Typical for NYC scooting, but the leaders had planned ahead for such eventualities, and riders were left behind on corners to direct the next bunch toward the route.  This way the entire pack was at least headed in the right direction.

After a few stops by the lead group to wait, the rest caught up, and we would take off again, continuing into the belly of Queens.  At a certain point, I realized I had lost track of our direction, but gave into the adventure, and we continued on….

About 3/4 of the way into the ride, it was my turn to stay behind to direct the stragglers in the right direction.  Once I saw the last rider pass me, I joined the group again, realizing at that point, we had gotten a little turned around.  So, after a brief stop, we got back on track and off we went towards Gantry State Park.  The cars and passersby beeping and hollering, cheering us on, was a welcome change of pace to the typical ornery New Yorker sneer.  This is one of the benefits of riding in such a large pack.  The spectacle makes people smile.

Once we got to the park, we all pulled up onto the sidewalk, and parked for a short while.  Another chance to meet and greet, and talk shop with some of the other scooter owners.  It was impossible not to be impressed with the view of Manhattan from here.  But the night wasn’t over for most, so after about 1/2 hour, we all saddled up and back on the road, just a short distance over the Pulaski Bridge back into Greenpoint for the finale at the bar.  After unsuccessfully trying to park for about 5 minutes, I decided to call it a night, having finally become cold as the night chill set in.

A great kick off to another very promising BlockParty.

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Folks, here’s the one scooter event you’ve got no excuse to miss. It’s free, open to all ages and rides, and right on your doorstep.

The NY Scooter Club‘s 6th Annual “BlockParty” is taking place this weekend with the festivities kicking off on Friday evening. The fine folks behind the rally have firmed up the itinerary over the past couple of weeks and have finally nailed the bad boy down. Unlike past years the Coney Island ride is now taking place on Sunday, but that sets up nicely for a scavenger hunt at the sea.

For photos from last year, click here. Now, here is the itinerary in full. See you there!

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, MAY 13TH:

***BROOKLYN/QUEENS BACKSTREETS RIDE TO GANTRY STATE PARK/ST VITUS ***

5:30 PM: ***MEET & GREET/SIGN IN AT CARBON NEGATIVE*** (formerly “McCarren Motors”)
42 Dobbin Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (between Nassau Avenue and Norman Avenue in Greenpoint/Williamsburg)

7:15 PM: Ride leaves for Gantry State Park. We’ll take the roundabout way to the park, hitting some little known and fascinating parts of Brooklyn and Queens, before heading to one of New York’s most scenic locations. Be sure to bring a camera for this one!
RIDE LEAD: BRENDAN (Hendon)
RIDE EXPERIENCE: Moderate

7:30 PM: ***KICKOFF PARTY AT ST. VITUS***
1120 MANHATTAN AVENUE, BROOKLYN NY 11222
The ride will end here in Greenpoint, and anyone who just wants to hang out can head straight here to get the Block Party started. It’s only about a mile from Carbon Negative. Great music, food, and drink (Arty & his wife are both local scooterists & there is a cocktail called the “Vespa).
http://www.saintvitusbar.com/

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY, MAY 14TH:

9:00 AM: MEETUP & RIDE FROM THE BRASS MONKEY (55 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014) For those from out of town or otherwise unfamiliar with the world west of the Hudson, there will be a ride at 9:30 to help get people over to the Royal Cliffs Diner. We’ll basically be heading up the West Side to the George Washington Bridge, then going briefly up the Palisades to the Diner.

9:30 AM: ***MEET & GREET/SIGN IN AT ROYAL CLIFFS DINER***, 717 East Palisade Avenue Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632-3045 Pick up a BlockParty logo t-shirt, patch, rally swag, and raffle tickets (available all weekend, while supplies last).

11:15 AM: ***HUDSON RIVER RIDE TO METRO SCOOTERS***–Head out from Vespa Jersey City along the banks of Hudson, featuring some great views, and great roads through the Palisades to Piermont, Nyack and the surrounding hills, and end up at Metro Scooters. Should be a beautiful ride.

RIDE LEADS: ALAN (Pornhair) & PATRICK (Polaris23)
RIDE EXPERIENCE: Moderate (no highway riding, but there will be some stretches of open road at speed, some steep hills and winding roads)

2:30 PM – ***FOOD, MUSIC & FUN AT METRO SCOOTER***, 281 Livingston Street, Northvale, NJ 07647 (just south of the state line) -Enjoy food, drink, and live music, as well as the slow race competition and other events, and get to see some old and new friends. (duration ~3 hours).

6:00 P.M. – ***RETURN TO MANHATTAN***, Grab some dinner if you’re still hungry (it’s New York, we trust you to find a place), and maybe wander the High Line

9:00 PM: ***TIMES SQUARE NIGHT RIDE*** – Big night ride leaving from the Brass Monkey (55 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014) up the West Side and to and through Times Square and possibly by Washington Square as well. This is a New York tradition, so don’t miss it.

RIDE LEADS: HENDON (duration ~1.5 hour)
RIDE EXPERIENCE: Moderate

10:30 PM – ***HIT THE TOWN*** – If you still have the energy, we’ll be heading to GREENWICH TREEHOUSE, 46 Greenwich Avenue, b/w Charles Street & W. 10th Street, owned by longtime local scooterist Stian Nilsen. If you’re drinkin’ leave the scoot and take the subway. (duration ??? hours).

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, MAY 15th:

9:00 AM: MEETUP & SHORT RIDE FROM THE BRASS MONKEY (55 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014) For those from out of town or otherwise unfamiliar with the world east of the… well, the East River, there will be a ride at 9:00 to help get people over to Vespa Brooklyn.

9:30 AM: ***MEETUP AT VESPA BROOKLYN*** (215 Park Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205) (corner of Vanderbilt, next to the BQE) Pick up a BlockParty logo t-shirt, patch, rally swag, and raffle tickets (available all weekend, while supplies last). Enjoy coffee and donuts, reminisce about Friday and Saturday’s fun, and get ready to ride.

11:30 AM: RIDE DEPARTS FOR CONEY ISLAND–We’ll head to one of NYC’s most famous locations, ride the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel, stroll the boardwalk, and eat at the original Nathan’s, then head back and make a stop in Red Hook on the way to the BBQ at Scooter Bottega.
RIDE LEAD: NYSC Block Party Planners
RIDE EXPERIENCE: Moderate

OR

12:00 NOON: ***SCAVENGER HUNT!***
Get your cameras ready and team up! A super-special prize (and bragging rights) are at stake for the winners. Get photos of you and your scooter at select unique NYC locations (extra point awarded for degree of difficulty). It’s a great way to see the town by scooter, hang out with (or meet new) friends, and have fun!

Organizers: NYSC Block Party Planners
Ride Experience: It’s up to you.

4:00 PM: ***WRAP-UP PARTY & BBQ AT SCOOTER BOTTEGA*** 65 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 (between Van Brunt & Columbia)-Get ready for some more live music, DJs, food, and, of course, the all-important RAFFLE!!!!! We’ve got some great prizes lined up, so buy early and buy often (tickets $1 each). Must be present to win. Bands scheduled include GeTSeT and Shattered NYC. (duration ~4 hours).

??? PM: BLOCKPARTY ENDS… SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!

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The warmer weather means we’re well into Rally season, with this coming weekend’s 6th Annual New York Scooter Club “Blockparty” kicking things off proper, and the East Coast Vintage Classic coming up over the first weekend in June.

But the NY Scooter Club isn’t the only club in town pulling off another rally this year. If you’ve got the energy left after those two events, it’s time to head off to the Delaware River Water Gap for a weekend of camping, drinking, jackassery, and of course riding thanks to the Usual Suspects Scooter Club.

The USSC’s third annual rally at the Cedar Ridge Campgrounds in New Jersey, “Still Riding With A Jackass,” is taking place over the weekend of June 24th to June 26th and pre-registration has begun. Prices range from $35 to $55 depending on the length of your stay over the weekend, with all fees guaranteeing a T-shirt and rally swag. Vintage and modern riders are equally welcome.

I attended last year’s “Sloppy Seconds” and can attest to a fantastic experience: Camping, food, movies, food, music, food, a gymkhana, food, the annual fire, beer, and (did I mention) more food than you can possibly eat. Between the meals expect some fantastic ride-outs away from the pollution of the big-city if not the pollution of two-strokes passing some beautiful scenery from the saddle of your scoot.

For photos from last year’s event, click here. To sign up for this year’s event, visit the USSC’s registration page. To follow the event’s details as they emerge, head on over to the forum for the event.

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