Some lucky bastard is scootin' to work in Bondi Beach every day.

One of the benefits of having an Australian wife is that visiting the in-laws for the holidays means a trip down under to the flip side of the world where an NYC Winter quickly becomes a Melbourne Summer.

This year I had my scooter-eyes on to bring back a brief report on – and a few snaps of – the scootering scenes in Sydney and Melbourne.

First off, let me give a serious hats-off to anyone riding a scooter in either of these cities. Take it from someone who rides in Gotham traffic everyday, you guys, and gals, have some serious brass balls. Car drivers in Melbourne, and especially in Sydney, have a way of flipping around bends at terrifying speeds that put NYC cabbies to shame. Add to that the twists, turns, and hair-pins of Sydney’s rolling hills of traffic and it’s enough to shake the nerves of even the most seasoned rider.

Melbourne doubles-down on the danger with the presence of the city’s ubiquitous trams, slippery tram tracks and local traffic nonsense, the infamous “Hook Turn” that I swear was designed for the single intent of testing the mettle of foreign tourists.

Let’s just say that, while the balmy weather is appealing, I’m not sure I’d want to be out there in either city on a scooter in everyday commuter traffic.

Dedicated powered-two-wheeler parking in Sydney downtown (AKA The Central Business District.)

Scootin’ in Sydney
Our first stop was a few days in Sydney for New Years Eve 2011/2012.

If you’re a foreign scooterist visiting Australia, one of the first things you might notice on local Aussie scoots are the ubiquitous “L” and “P” plates and we saw plenty of both in the city.

An "L-Plater" in Watson's Bay, Sydney.

“L” (or “Learner”) plates are worn by scooters ridden by scooterists in their first few weeks on two-wheels following the passing an initial online test at the local licensing center. Riding as an “L” means the requirement to be accompanied by another rider with appropriate licensing, either riding two-up or accompanying on another scooter or motorcycle. The system works much like the provisional licensing in New York but with visible notification to other drivers (and the cops) that you haven’t quite got your scooter “Sea Legs” yet.

Once you’ve gotten some miles behind you, you can apply for a “P” plate, which includes some restrictions including not being able to carry a passenger before easing into your full license. A system similar to the one I grew up with in England, and something I would love to see introduced in the States for all drivers. I’m convinced it leads to safer streets (my comment about corner-whipping down under aside.)

Attached to these plates my wife and I saw a good range of the usual scooter suspects naturally including a healthy dose of modern Vespas, Yamahas, Kymcos, and Hondas.

It might not have been in production for long, but at least one "La Vita" made it to Sydney.

In addition, much like last year’s trip to Paris, I was also pleased to see a decent amount of modern Peugeot scooters, another company with a historic pedigree, that currently offers a terrific portfolio of bikes that are disappointingly not sold in the US.

From a vintage perspective, if you find yourself in Sydney, do yourself a favor and swing by to check out and support S.S. Scooter Engineering who have been representing the vintage love in Sydney since 2006. They’re a much warmer friendly bunch of folks than their name suggests. The S.S. recently moved to a new workshop in the Alexandria neighborhood and are the local go-to guys for vintage repair, restorations and under-the frame performance pimping.

Finally, if local ride outs are your thing, if you have a couple of days in Sydney you’ll want to reach out to the local scooter clubs before planning your trip. In Sydney, your first stop for trip planning should be the website for the Sydney City Scooter Club that houses an active forum including the usual chatter, smack-talking, wrenching, and silliness that comprises all great scooter forums.

A Peroni billboard in Melbourne tips the hat to other Italian icons.

Movin’ in Melbourne

After a quick domestic flight, a few days in my wife’s hometown of Melbourne provided a great opportunity to swing by local legend, The Vespa House in the Collingwood neighborhood.

While Melbourne has a healthy number of scooter shops these guys deservedly wear the nostalgia crown.

The Vespa House has ruled Melbourne in the very-same location since 1956, founded like all great scooter shops by a guy called Tony from Italy. In addition to being a Piaggio, Vespa, and Gilera dealership, the jewel in the crown of the Vespa House is the fantastic workshop that drips with history and continues to actively take care of the vintage and four-stroke bikes of this very busy city.

The shop, now in its third generation of the same family, includes Giovanni (Johnny) Scriba who has put in an incredible 40-plus years as the in-house Vespa mechanic.

Outside The Vespa House in 2012.

The same location back in the day. Spot the Lammy. Photo courtesy The Vespa House.

If you’re into vintage bikes of another pedigree, don’t hold-your-breath for a sight of a Lambretta however. While the workshop does service Innocentis, its website claims that the business has seen four times as many Vespas than Lammys, particularly back in the rivalry heydays.

For a sense of the history of the place, check out the gallery over at the Vespa House website which includes some fantastic images from the past 50 plus years.

Customer bikes inside The Vespa House.

If you’re looking to soak up some more Italian nostalgia in Melbourne, the city is home to some terrific Italian coffee houses that put American coffee to shame, including – but by no means exclusive to – the “Little Italy” neighborhood stretch on Lygon Street where you’ll occasionally spot a vintage scoot or two, even if it is sitting there for display purposes propping up a couple of Cappuccinos., or better yet, some of the best Gelati on the planet. Personally, operational or not, I’m always happy to see a scooter in any shape or form. Seeing an old bike as décor always brings a smile to my face.

Like Sydney, Melbourne is also home to a number of active scooter clubs including the Vespa Club of Melbourne, Melbourne Crusaders and the Vintage Vespa and European Motor Scooter Club and if you ask nicely through their forums, they’ll no doubt set you up with an experience in the city.

If you find yourself joining one of the local clubs for a ride out, you may also want to check out Melbourne Vespa Tour who offer modern Vespas to rent for city traversal.

All said and done, we had a terrific trip and I can’t wait to head back to the Southern hemisphere to check out more on the active scooter scenes of these two terrific cities. If you’re also fortunate enough to make the trip, not only will you have an amazing time you’ll also get to experience modern scooter culture at its best. A warm “G’Day” and “How yer goin’” to all our Aussie NYCS readers.

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Ah, the Kymco People. This poor CraigsList seller doesn’t seem to be able to attract a buyer in a sea of Vespa love. And that’s a shame, because the People is a well regarded, reliable, and well reviewed scooter.

Go ahead and put this Borough Park seller out of their misery and pick up a very nice commuter in the process at a bargain price: just $1300. At an MSRP of $2,799 that’s a heck of a saving on a bike with only 1200 miles on the clock.

Tis’ the season for scooter bargains as owners decide to sell rather than store for the Winter. Check out the poster’s CraigsList page here to get in touch or check out the LA Time’s take on why the People is a great scooter here.

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You can't have enough light.

As many of you know, my 1975 Serveta Jet 200 spent much of the last half of the Summer and the first half of the Fall on the bench.

The insane ride it took down to Wildwood, NJ as part of this year’s first East Coast Classic scooter rally, put the final nail in the proverbial coffin. I got there and back safely but within a week or so of the ride, the bike was belching smoke and fouling plugs left, right, and center. These symptoms immediately pointed to a blown oil seal, the seal that among other things – and I’m over-simplifying here – keeps the oil in the crank case away from the combustion chamber.

Thankfully, we still have experts like Gene at Scooters Originali in Orange, NJ to come to the rescue when faced with repairs beyond the roadside. Gene did a fantastic job addressing the oil seal, and giving the entire bike a once over. Given I didn’t know the provenance of the engine, I was keen to know what he was going to find under the hood. As perhaps expected, he found a thirty-five-year-old engine under the hood, and the oil seal was not the only issue that needed addressing.

Given I was now looking at the costs associated with “splitting the cases” to get inside the engine, I realized that this was the ideal opportunity to invest in a popular Lambretta upgrade, the famous 12 volt conversion. The Jet still had it’s original 6 volt wiring, and even with a rare 6 volt halogen bulb in the headlamp, I could barely spit out more light than a 1990′s cellphone.

The 12 volt conversion can be performed on all battery and non-battery Lambrettas and is done by using a new regulator to upgrade the output of the flywheel an additional 6 volts. Typically this is done using a – ssshhh so you’re Lammy friends don’t hear – a Vespa PX or P200 regulator.

I’m no electrician, though it is true that I am the son of an electrician, so I can’t begin to explain the details of how this works. If you have the know-how and you’re interested in learning more, the Lambretta Club of Great Britain have a concise article on how to perform the conversion yourself.

What I can attest to however is what a difference it makes. I can’t tell you how much I was beaming (no pun intended) from ear-to-ear last night as I pulled up behind an SUV to see my headlamp reflecting back at me from their rear. The old 6V bulb barely lit past the end of the front fender.

Additionally, of course, the entire electrical system has been upgraded so that means that the squashed duck that is the Lambretta horn has put on a few pounds and squeals a little more loudly, and perhaps more important even that the headlamp, the tail and brake lights now shine out in the dark for fellow motorists to see me when I pulled over in the dark waiting to make a left-hand turn.

All-in-all, I can’t recommend the conversion enough. Unless you’re a purist looking to keep your Lambretta absolutely stock, the conversion is the way to go. I’m a daily rider and I feel sooooo much safer knowing that in a world where drivers say time and time again that they just don’t see two-wheelers, that I’m a touch more visible.

Oh. And not belching smoke is nice to. Thanks Gene.

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The scooter photographed earlier this year at the 2011 NY Scooter Club Block Party. Photograph Courtesy, Vespa Brooklyn.

As the year begins to draw to a close, if you’re considering your first scooter in 2012, history shows us that now is the time to scour the web for used scooter deals.

As we enter the Winter many owners decide not to invest in another year of riding and price to sell. Come Springtime as the market for used bikes hots up, so do prices, so if you plan ahead, there are deals to be had now.

Today on CraigsList, past contributor to NYC Scootering, Melissa, is selling her beloved 2009 Vespa S150. The bike has a unique red and black two-tone color scheme, and comes ready to ride with a complete matching riders kit – a medium red copter helmet, gloves, raincoat and scooter cover. The scooter and her owner were recently featured in a CNN Money editorial on scooterists.

Melissa’s asking the Blue Book value, $3100, or best offer and can be seen in Park Slope. Head on over to her CraigsList post to get in touch.

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This guy could be heading straight for your scooter. Photograph Courtesy Of: Cedarposts.Blogspot.com

I took a ride this morning. The weather is be-yoot-iful. But some say it can’t last. Some say, the milder the Fall, the worse the Winter. Who knows? I prefer to think more optimistically. Given the engine on my Jet 200 had been on the surgeon’s table at Scooters Originali for most of the last couple of months (thanks Gene, she’s running like a dream,) I’m hoping for a continued riding season to squeeze as much out of this year as possible.

However, one thing is for sure – Eventually the weather is going to turn nasty, and even if it’s not full-fledged snow, it could be ice that will prevent you riding. It’s therefore time to start planning a winter strategy for your scoot.

Many scooterists choose to store their scooter out on the street during the Winter months. And with some basic prep-work to winterize your bike, especially if it’s a two-stroker, this is certainly a viable option. But it can quickly become a bad call if the snow comes in and you wake up one morning to find your bike under a pile of snow, or worse yet, your bike scrapped away unknowingly by a NYC Sanitation Department snow plow (yes, it happens.)

And that’s why most of the area’s local scooter stores and mechanics offer off-road Winter storage solutions. With limited space available, it’s better to call around now before the weather turns and competition for space rises.

Northvale, New Jersey’s Metro Scooter has been offering a storage service for several years now with a pick-up and drop-off service for Manhattan bikers. Owner Alan Townsley recently pointed out to us that saving a buck by leaving your scooter on the street over the Winter can sometimes mean “Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish.”

Alan got several distress calls this past Spring: scooters damaged by snow removal activity, customers issued tickets for parking issues related to being immobilized and many more that had mechanical issues needing serious money spent to get the owner riding again: “Winter 2010 was a blood bath. Many customers unfortunately had to spend much more to get their scooters sorted in Spring than they would have spent in storing them.”

Metro Scooter charges $349 for storage over Winter until April 30th and offers pick up and delivery in NYC at no additional charge. They also go a step further than simply putting a roof over your head and provide an oil and filter change plus a full safety inspection of all bikes before they roll out on the road for another year of riding.

So your call. Many seasoned scooterists pretty much ride all Winter long. As with all things, it’s about having the right apparel. But even the toughest scooterist can’t commute in the snow. Others who are more familiar with the ins-and-outs of their bike might opt to store their bike on the street. Again, viable as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into.

For those looking to store their bike outside, some local dealers have in the past hosted Winterization seminars so it’s worth keeping an eye on your favorite dealers’ websites for upcoming events. If you’re a Stella rider looking for tips, we have some great videos courtesy of Scooterville Minnesota, a state where you can be sure they know snow when they see it.

But if you don’t intend to ride through the harsh weather, or you’d like that shiny paint job to remain just the way it is, then worry-free storage is the way to go. If you’re interested in storage options call around your local friendly scooter dealers. Metro Scooter can be reached at 201-564-7003 or emailed at metroscooter@optonline.net.

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With Halloween behind us, it’s time to start turning our collective attention to the holiday season, and the season means presents.

Looking for a present for the scooter lover in your life? (Yes, it’s okay if that’s you.) Scottish artist Christine Berrie started drawing vintage scooters when she first moved to London and became enamored with the various Lambrettas and Vespas she saw tearing around.

After a period of time, with twenty five drawings under her belt she decided to put together a beautiful print that collects the bikes together. The limited edition signed prints are available in two sizes starting at $50 for a 14″ x 11″ edition and 20″ x 16″ for $200. Both sizes are available framed or unframed and are printed on 100% cotton rag paper using archival inks.

Head on over to Christine’s page at 20×200.com to learn more and part with your credit card details.

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Photograph courtesy Orin O'Neill, Scootin' Old Skool.

Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a grease monkey when it comes to your modern Vespa, it’s useful to get comfortable with some basic maintenance tasks like prepping your scooter for the Winter.

You won’t need to swap your battery very often but when it happens, you’ll be glad you read Orin O’Neill’s article over at Scootin’ Old Skool. In the case of the GTS the battery is located in the footwell rather than under the seat in the case of the LX and S but it’s easily removed with just a Phillips screwdriver.

Head on over to Scootin’ Old Skool for the full article.

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The LX150 remains the Vespa marque's most popular scooter this year.

Back in 2008 Piaggio North America had one of its best years ever as skyrocketing gas prices provoked commuters to think twice about their chosen form of transportation. The scooter business was booming and everyone set to profit from the growth was smiling from ear to ear.

Then gas prices fell, and so did scooter sales. Established dealers were left with models on the floor that nobody wanted, and many new dealerships that had sprung up in response to scooter fever found themselves closing as quickly as they had opened.

Now, a couple of years later, US scooter sales are once again on the rise as gas prices (and the economy in general) prove challenging.

The LA Times business desk released a story yesterday highlighting scooter sales for all the major manufacturers are now up close to 30% over equivalent quarter sales from 2010. Importantly, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, this rise in sales is above and beyond any other category of powered two wheeler.

A quick glance at Piaggio’s Vespa USA site certainly confirms that the brand is going after cash-strapped commuters in a big way with the brand continuing to push the daily savings provided by, “Vespanomics.”

Also of interest is that Piaggio in particular are seeing a rise in larger-capacity sales with scooters in the 150cc-300cc seeing significant growth as, one assumes, consumers look to bikes that can get them off the back-streets and out on the highway without making the transition to a higher capacity motorcycle.

The Times also leverages the article to introduce its coverage of the scooter exhibit currently on show at the Petersen Automotive Review. You can see photographs and read our review of the exhibition here, or click on through to the LA Times photo gallery of the show for more.

For the full LA Times article, click here.

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Stone Roses front-man Ian Brown during his scootering days. Credit: Unknown.

The music news continues this week with the news that scooter culture favorites, The Stone Roses have done what many (including the band) said would never happen – they’ve reformed as the original line-up.

Front-man Ian Brown (pictured above during his scooterist days) and guitarist John Squire famously came to blows following band mismanagement, dissatisfaction, and drug abuse (… so the usual band story) and vowed they’d never work together again. Reports suggest that the two met six months ago face-to-face at fellow band-mate Mani’s mother’s funeral and used the opportunity to bury the hatchet having not been in the same room together for over ten years. Mani of course has had a successful career in the meantime as a band member in Bobby Gillespie’s Primal Scream.

Initially, the band will play for the first time live in seventeen shows by way of two shows at 75,000-capacity Heaton Park, in Manchester, on Friday June 29 and Saturday June 30, 2012 which is no doubt a show that will sell out in seconds. Following the gig, providing the band doesn’t self-implode, they’ll be following up with additional dates. Ian claims that they’re, “ready to shake up the world” and are planning a world tour so let’s cross our fingers and hope they make it here to New York City.

For those of you prepared to make the trip to the UK for their debut re-appearance, tickets go on sale at the UK Ticketmaster site this Friday, October 21, at 9.30am GMT (Yes, that’s 4.30am East Coast time.)

What next, The Smiths reunited?

You can watch a short section of the band’s press conference here:

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