What's Going On With Vespa Lancaster?

Vespa Lancaster is now listed on Vespa's website. But if you've driven by Keim Pre-Owned this winter, you probably noticed a lack of progress or any evidence of a Vespa dealership. So I stopped in and asked about it.

I was told that they are waiting on their motorcycle dealer's license from the State, and that it should be here any day. Once that arrives, look for renovations to begin on the property that currently houses their service department. They said to expect signage, and "two Vespas up in the air". It sounds like they are going to do it up right, with a branded showroom.

Mid Atlantic Scooter Racing Commission

I don't know if this is new or not, but I just became aware of the Mid Atlantic Scooter Racing Commission. It looks like they are planning a season of races and rallies. Check out their website and forums. It looks like an exciting year for scooter enthusiasts.

And get this: one of the tracks is easily reachable by scooter. Sandyhook Speedway in Street, Maryland, is just across the border.

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I've ridden as far as Holtwood on my 50cc scooter, which is more than halfway there. And I've been to Havre de Grace on the 300. So I say this is doable... imagine how fun to ride your little scooter to a day of racing little scooters!

Mid Atlantic Spring Scooter Rally - 2010

The date for the Mid Atlantic Spring Scooter Rally has been set: May 21-23. As usually, rally headquarters will be at the the New Hollander Motel, New Holland, PA.
The tag line for this event is "Kommen Sie Essen und Fahren", which is PA Dutch for "Come Eat And Ride". Eating, riding and camaraderie is what this event is about. There aren't awards for restoration or gymkhana events. But there are door prizes.
This is a free rally, but registration is required. For more information, and to pre-register, go to http://www.midatlanticscoot.com/.

Matt and Tom's Night Prowl Through Our Aromatic County

Today we have a Reader Submission by Tom Becker

Under the harvest moon and through the evening air, we scooted. Four intrepid riders were on the bill, but two turned out to be posers. Questioning our friends' claims to family responsibilities, we set out from College Avenue to the hamlet of Mastersonville just to say we had been there.

Having achieved that lofty goal, we turned south toward Mt Joy for a warm-up and beer at Mick's (formerly known as Carlos 'n Charlies and mournfully deprived of great salsa). We then motored to Washington Boro and back home via Charlestown Road, the perfect strip of road for filming a slasher movie.

Our Night Prowl was not difficult or noteworthy, except for the wonderful smells of farmer's fields, sleepy streams and decaying leaves. It was the first of many tours, we're sure. Pictured is my Ruckus and Matt's C3 parked with a Ducati sport bike in Mt. Joy.

A Folly Named Trolley

There is a debate in Lancaster about whether to bring back streetcars to the downtown. It has become an issue in the the upcoming election. I am for alternative forms of transportation, but I don't think this makes sense. Do I wish they had never gotten rid of the streetcars we had? Sure. You can't buy the kind of authenticity a continuously operating line would have. But to tear up the streets now and put the tracks back would be a tremendous cost, both in money and disruption to traffic, both during construction and on-going.

I understand the reasons why some want streetcars. Lancaster is an old city. It is essentially built-out. The streets, which were established before automobiles existed, are narrow and crowded. Parking is scarce. Areas of shopping, eateries and entertainment are sometimes separated by blocks of houses or offices. It is difficult for individuals to avail themselves of all the attractions downtown on foot. People want transportation that is convenient. How are we to solve this problem? If only there were an example we could look to...

Hey, wait, don't European cities have these exact same problems? How do they deal?

photo by Sweetgrzly and nicked from Google Images

Touring Load Capacity

Looking to go big for touring? No need to look beyond scooters. A recent issue of Rider Magazine reviewed the big touring V-twin motorcycles. But a letter to the editor in the November issue points out that the Suzuki Burgman 650 has more carrying capacity than both the Kawasaki Voyager 1700 (379lbs.) and Star Venture (395lbs.). A quick search of the interwebs suggested that both Burgmans are rated for over 900lbs.. (Maybe one of our new Burgman-owning readers can post the real numbers in the comments section of this entry). This would mean that a Burgman, even a 400, is capable of towing any of the flagship touring cruisers, while the reverse is not true! That makes me giggle.

Before you Harley guys start thumping your chests, I just looked up the article in the September issue. The Harley FLHTCU (Ultra Classic Electra Glide) can carry 474 lbs..

Reader Submission

A reader, Jim from Elizabethtown, sent in this picture of his 1965 MOD Lambretta. He says that he has owned about a dozen vintage metal scooters over the course of his life. I guess this area has been into scooters for years!