Rush Hour Rambling

Weather: -8°F (-22°C)
Road Conditions: Dry and salty.

My Ride-to-Work coverage of the 2007 International Cycle World show is going to be split into three parts, so that it is readily digestable to the typical blog reader. These will appear in the following order: Scooters, Commuters, and Objects of Lust.

Piaggio were showing off their new Vespa GT60, an instant retro classic.

Every year, the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show blows into town during the bleakest depths of Winter. This weekend is no exception. A cold front has come oozing down from Canada to bury us in sub-zero temperatures and possible snow flurries. But that’s not going to stop hearty Minnesota riders from attending the Main Event which fires their enthusiasm for the season ahead.

This year, rather than going while the show was in full-swing, I took a different approach. Using my press credentials to their best advantage, I arrived four hours before the doors opened to the public on the first day of the show. This way I could take all the photos I wanted, without all the jostling and random body parts showing up in the shots. Also, I was able to talk to a few industry folks without the constant interruptions we have to endure once the thundering herd stampedes out onto the floor.

I want to thank Meghan Lee from Spin Communications for meeting me at the gate and showing me around. Her efforts helped ensure that I didn’t miss anything of interest to my readers.

So, without further ado, let’s go to the show…

I’m starting with scooters because I am still in awe of the profound effect these little motorbikes have had on my life in the past year and a half. For the urban commuter, the scooter is the perfect vehicle for the mission of riding to work in traffic, along the sidestreets and parkways of the city. Fuel mileage exceeds that of full-size motorcycles, and you have an even smaller footprint when it comes time to squeeze through traffic or park in congested spaces.

The more I ride these these things, the more I want to ride them. My daughter Emily accompanies me on all manner of errands, and now that her mom Amy also rides, we have found two-wheeled bliss for the entire family. All of this from what I once regarded as a mere “pit bike”?

Live and learn, I guess…

The Vespa featured at the top of the page also qualifies as an Object of Lust. The GT60 is a limited edition, with a 250 GTS drivetrain and the distinctive features which graced some of the first Vespas ever produced. The fender-mounted headlamp, two-piece Italian leather saddle, motorcycle-styled handlebars and the vintage “Grey 725″ paint color all pay homage to Corradino D’Ascanio’s earliest designs. It truly is a thing of beauty.

At the other end of the scooter spectrum, we have the Yamaha C3.

In the true “pit bike” class, the winner has to be Yamaha’s new “C3″, which is intended to accentuate the design concept of “cubic space”. This impressive little scoot qualifies legally as a moped in most states, which means that it doesn’t require a motorcycle endorsement to operate. This isn’t important to most of my readers, but it can be a big selling point to the general public.

The C3 intrigues me because of it’s astounding economy and practicality. The $1,999 MSRP puts it right in there with some of the Chinese offerings, yet it is backed by one of the most well-established manufacturers in the business. The fuel-injected, 49cc four-stroke engine only calls for adjustment of it’s three tiny valves every 28,000 miles. For those of us who like to do our own maintenance, that is a big, bold checkmark in the Plus column.

What I find frustrating, however, is that I can’t seem to locate a reliable estimate of fuel economy from this 187-lb lightweight. Not even the official Yamaha site will give out a claim for average mpg for the 1.2 gallon tank. I’m sure it is quite impressive, but I want to know how impressive, if I have to put up with not being able to pass anything on the road but a gas station.

Come to think of it, I couldn’t find any estimate of top speed either. I suppose both of these factors depend greatly on the weight and aerodynamic coefficient of the rider.

A small portion of Honda’s scooter lineup, fronted by the venerable Helix.

Although I have built and ridden several fine Honda motorcycles over the years, I have never ridden a Honda scooter. That is an oversight which must be corrected in the near future. Not pictured here are their line of “maxi-scooters”, which are highly regarded by our local Minn-Max scooter club. I couldn’t find an aesthetically pleasing angle from which to photograph them while they were setting up the display.

The Helix in this photo has always affected me with a strange blend of fascination and loathing. Fascination because the Devo-esque wedge styling is firmly entrenched in the early 1980s, yet they continue to sell well today. Loathing because I couldn’t imagine being seen riding one by anyone who knew me in my cafe racer days. Ah, vanity…

Alright Honda, it’s time for me to face this demon. Just give me that petunia-planter helmet and send me on my way. I must whip it, whip it good!

Zach, from Motoprimo, sits astride the MP3 from Piaggio.

Finally we come to the bike which has been badgering my imagination for the past six months or so, when I first became aware of it.

Piaggio’s MP3 is a unique creature. Despite my puritanical two-wheel bias, I am very curious about this machine. I sat on it, pushed the button which unlocks the front suspension, leaned it this way and that. Wow… no resistance. It felt like leaning a normal motorbike over at a stop.

I don’t like sidehacks, because they are just so wrong from an engineering standpoint. But this MP3 creature is a well thought-out and superbly engineered vehicle.

Lying on the floor of the convention center, I tried to discern the secret of that brilliant front-end. The two wheels are independently suspended, yet they tilt in parallel with the chassis in a turn, or even when it is leaned over at rest. This is going to require further investigation…

Rick Panettieri of Piaggio spoke with me briefly about this unique “scooter”, and I quickly began to realize that this could be the answer to my Winter Scooter Commuter dreams! That’s all I can tell you at the moment, but stay tuned for further developments. (…and wish me luck!)

My apologies to Bob from Scooterville, in Minneapolis, for not covering his substantial display in this piece. He was still busy setting everything up while I was wrapping up my coverage. My aversion to driving my pickup truck in rush hour traffic demanded that I get out of town before the hoards of cage commuters began to descend on the freeway and clog every route home.

I will make a special trip out to Scooterville in a future RHR entry, to show you this wonderful facility and the very cool scooters they have to offer.

Commuters are next, maybe Tuesday night.