This Stella (one of only 150 made in an Atomic Fireball limited theme) was spotted in the East Village.

Is it a Vespa or isn’t it? We’ve talked quite a bit about the Genuine Scooter Company’s Stella but we haven’t fully covered its origin and its versatility as a practical everyday scoot for New York City, until now…

Indian motorcycle and scooter manufacturer LML (Lohia Machines Ltd.) entered a technical collaboration agreement with Piaggio in 1984 to develop a number of scooters for the Indian market beginning with the LML NV in 1986, a licensed copy of the Vespa PX 150e. Over the next few years additional refinements and takes on the PX design were launched including the incredibly successful LML Select.

By 1999 however LML’s relationship with Piaggio came to a close but LML continued to manufacturer a scooter based on the Vespa PX tooling – the LML Star.

In 2002, Philip McCaleb – founder of the Chicago-based vintage Vespa and Lambretta mail-order supplier Scooterworks USA – formed the Genuine Scooter Company to license the LML Star and import it into the US under the “Stella” name. By 2003 the first Stellas began entering the country and the Stella instantly became a cult favorite among US scooterists.. When labor strikes at the LML factory interrupted production of the LML Star/Stella in 2005, the Genuine Scooter Company began to expand it’s line up beyond its LML reliance, but soon returned to importing the Stella once the disputes were resolved in mid 2006.

In 2009 LML, after several years of internal development, unveiled a four-stroke version of the Star: completely revolutionizing the engine while maintaining the classic PX silhouette. Shortly thereafter Genuine announced that it would bring the new 4-stroke to the States in the form of an updated Stella for the 2010 season. The first of these bikes have slowly begun to appear Stateside at dealers across the country and energetic initial pre-orders have sold out the first US shipment in advance of its arrival. In the meantime, Genuine is continuing to sell the 2-stroke model “while stocks last.” Certainly LML are continuing to manufacture the original 2-stroke Star in India and are currently modifying it to meet the latest Euro emissions laws. Ultimately the success of the 4-stroke Stella Stateside will determine whether the 4-stroke model replaces the 2-stroke model outright.

So how does it ride? Given it’s one of only a few geared (manual shift) scooters currently in production and follows the classic lines and heritage of the Vespa PX, the Stella is a popular ride among scooterists.

After many many years of iterative mechanical and design improvements, the Vespa PX is considered the epitome of Piaggio engineering. The model is also popular because it remains true to one of the initial tenets of the scooter, to be easily maintainable by the owner, something that is becoming increasingly tougher since the advent of 4-stroke engines including LML’s own. Further, given the Stella is based on Piaggio’s best selling Vespa aftermarket parts and accessories remain abundant and are mostly interchangeable.

The Stella also includes a number of updates to the PX spec sheet including a better fuel economy due to it’s updated reed valve induction, and a little more pep due to a higher compression ratio, and 5 port cylinder.The Stella also betters the PX with adjustable load gas shock suspension.

Features

• 5-port 2-stroke engine.
• 4-speed manual transmission with “twist grip” shifting.
• Gabriel performance shocks.
• Front Grimeca hydraulic disc brake, rear drum brake.
• 60+ mph, 90 mpg.
• 1 year / 5000 mile warranty.

Options

• Black
• Red
• Light Blue
• Avocado
• Orange

Thankfully, a good amount of Stellas are seen on the streets of NYC (and available on CraigsList) thanks to the Genuine Scooter Company’s early partnership with Gowanus’ Brooklynbretta one of it’s first national dealers.

While Brooklynbretta has since closed, the Stella is still available locally through Brooklyn Scooter World, part of the Brooklyn Harley-Davidson dealership. The 2-stroke model sells for an MSRP of $3,599 and we are still waiting for word on when the Brooklyn dealership will receive the 4-stroke model.

For a side-by-side comparison of the subtle differences between a late production run Vespa PX and the Genuine Scooter Company’s Stella, click here.

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The Genuine Scooter Company's Blur 150 spotted in the East Village.

Chicago’s Genuine Scooter Company is known for more than their take on the Vespa PX, the Stella.

While the company’s signature scooter has gone from strength to strength, including the introduction of a 4-stroke model this year; things were not always so rosy.

Back in 2005 a combination of labor, management, and financial issues shut down production of the LML Star (the Stella’s original name) at the LML plant in Kanpur, India leaving Chicago’s smallest scooter company without a scooter to sell.

Genuine Scooters immediately dove into the process of replicating the success of their business model – to take a foreign born machine, make adjustments and improvements, and then re-badge it for the United States market – by partnering with another manufacturer.

One such partnership was with the Motive Power Industry Co, Ltd., of Taiwan AKA PGO which led to the introduction of the Genuine Buddy (originally called the PGO BuBu) which Genuine introduced to the US market in 2006. This was quickly followed by the Blur (PGO G-MAX) in the same year.

Unfortunately, while the Buddy went on the massive success for Genuine, the Blur failed to find a foothold in the US market, and Genuine withdrew the model from their line up the following year. That said, the Blur is a fantastic scoot that made fans within its niche audience. In particular, with both front and rear disc brakes the bike has been commended for some of the best stopping power in the business.

This year, Genuine has announced the reintroduction of the Blur in the form of the fuel-injected Blur SS 220i. The upgrade to 220cc also acknowledges the scoot’s solid positioning as a performance scooter with a reported top speed of 75 MPH whilst still delivering on 78 MPG.

The revised Blue will be launched in white and gray color options this month with an MSRP of $3899. Since the demise of Brooklynbretta, Brooklyn Harley-Davidson on Fort Hamilton Parkway serves as Genuine Scooter’s NYC dealer.

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First up is a 2007 Genuine Scooter Company Buddy 125, one of the most consistently highest rated scooters on the market today. This red edition looks like it’s been well kept and gently used. $2000, Brooklyn. Click here for the full listing.

Second is a 2005 Genuine Scooter Company Stella that we saw up for grabs towards the end of last year, and it would seem never found a buyer. It’s got black livery, a CBGB’s theme and some custom additions. 7000K on the clock, $2150, Red Hook. Click here for the full listing.

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The offer applies to the Buddys 50, 125, International and Blackjack; the Roughhouse, the Rattler and. of course, our favorite, the Stella.

Depending on the model that’s anywhere between $300 to $500 worth of free chrome bling for your new scoot but you may have to pay a dealer installation charge unless you’re prepared to fit the doodads yourself.

For the full offer details, click here to visit Genuine’s website or give NYC’s resident Genuine dealer (since the demise of Brooklynbretta) Brooklyn Harley Davidson a call.

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Last night after leaving friends at the Court Street movie theater in downtown Brooklyn just after midnight I was walking back to the subway along Bergen Street between Court St. and Smith St. and there in front of me was a sight that brought a tear to my eye.

A shiny new Vespa GTS and a Genuine Scooters Buddy lying on their sides on the sidewalk, mirrors smashed, with the sickly smell of gasoline.

Both bikes had their front wheels still chained to the lampposts they has been locked to. Both were within ten feet of each other. Both had clearly been “cow tipped” by some idiot walking home some point earlier. My heart goes out to the owners who now face at the very least about $100 in damages to replace wing mirrors.

If getting your parked scoot knocked over by parking traffic isn’t enough. We also have to deal with this.

Is there anything that can be done to avoid this? Well, neither bike was covered which might have further enticed the idiot who did this. You have to think this wouldn’t have been done to a motorcycle. I can just imagine what was going through their mind, “look at these dinky toys. I can have some fun here.” It’s certainly a fact that covering your bike leads to a less likelyhood of enticing a would be vandal.

Although… interestingly Robbie at Scooter Bottega recently had his scoot’s cover set on fire in Park Slope. Because it had been knocked over before, it was no doubt partially soaked in gas. Neighbors kindly called the NYFD but by the time they got there, all the plastic including the seat, throttle grips, speedo and so forth had been melted by the heat.

Stay safe out there folks. And do what you can to keep your bike covered and anonymous.

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While for our money – a little hair-raising on the means streets of Manhattan given its low profile – Honda Ruckus fans should be proud to hear that their scoot is currently sitting comfortably at the top of the heap of Motorcycle.com‘s 2009 highest user ratings.

Honda’s fantastic scoot sits atop an eye-opening top ten that really should be a go-to list for anyone considering their first (or next) set of wheels.

While the Ruckus neatly sits at #1, Chicago’s Genuine Scooters’ Buddy really is the force to be reckoned with here, occupying slots #2 and #3 in its stock and Black Jack forms and #5 in its International Italia form. A staggering 3 out of the top 10 2009 scooters.

Yamaha follows up with two contenders in the top ten. The Vino 125 at #6 and the Zuma 125 at #8.

250cc bikes are amply represented by Asian favorite scooters Sym RV250, Kymco Xciting 250 Ri occupying slots #4 and #10 respectively.

Finally Piaggio rounds out the bunch with its flagship scoot, the Vespa LX150 sitting at a respectable but lack-luster #7 and the GTS 250 at #9.

Motorcycle’s star and user-ratings are a little arcane – glance at the top ten shows a higher rating for the Buddy at #2 than the Ruckus at #1 for example – but we’ll put our trust in the MC staff and go along.

For the full-access list, click here.

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Everyone’s favorite US importer, Chicago’s Genuine Scooter Company has begun it’s answer to the government’s now ended “Cash for Clunkers” program.

As they put it themselves in their introductory madcap video, the government program ends, ours starts.

From the Genuine website:

Genuine Scooter Company, and it’s official safety director, Dr. Wilhelm Junkers, today announced a national “CASH FOR SMALL CLUNKERS” program. Dr. Junkers, together with participating GENUINE SCOOTER DEALERS, will offer a $300 CASH CREDIT towards any GENUINE SCOOTER PRODUCT in exchange for any “titled” 2 wheeler that can be rolled or driven in to it’s dealership. The video, shot by rank amatuers in Chicago, is a product of “BUSH LEAGUE PRODUCTIONS” here in the windy city. “This will be a limited offer with limited supplies”, said company president Philip McCaleb.

The entire Genuine range of scooters including the Rattler, Buddy and Stella all qualify.

Don’t forget that following the sad demise of beloved Brooklynbretta, Genuine Scooters now have a local dealership in the form of, of all places, Harley-Davidson Brooklyn.

New Jersey riders can pick up a new Genuine Scooter Co. ride at either Admiral Vespa in Mays Landing or Island Scooters in Long Branch.

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No photo from the owner, but in green we assume given the example link the owner gives.  More importantly, it’s only got 400 miles on the clock and has been covered during the winters. Here’s your chance to get one of the best scooters on the market right now for half the MSRP of a new model – 1500 beans.

For the listing, click here.

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Click through to the original posting for photos and more details.

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Bart Madson over at motorcycleusa.com has recently posted his review of the latest in Genuine Scooters line-up – the Buddy Black Jack, which with its distinct looks Bart claims is aimed squarely at the “urban hipster.” Here at NYC Scootering we’re not so sure about that. The Stella is clearly the choice for the Williamsburg hipster per our CraigsList posting earlier today.

Audience aside, Bart gives the scoot a balanced review sharing his delight with the scoot’s distinct looks, roomy storage and impressive (if less than posted) mileage; but fairly positions these highlights against some of the places where it misses a beat – cramped conditions for taller riders and a mushy rear brake.

Overall the chassis is adequate, but lacks the stability found on other scoots we’ve ridden, like the Vespa GTS lineup (we rode a GTS200 in tandem with the Black Jack, along with another Genuine, the 110cc 2-stroke Rattler). Rolling along downtown and on regular surface streets, however, the Black Jack works just fine. For a larf we even took it out on some of our favorite backroads and racked a couple smiles scooting through the corners.

We feel that the article’s comparison to a Vespa GTS is a little unfair. Perhaps the LX is a fairer comparison, but clearly the Black Jack took most situations in its stride.

For more information on the Genuine Scooter Buddy Black Jack, visit the official web page, or head on over and read Bart’s review in full.

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