2009's Cycle World International Motorcycle Show happened this last weekend. While it is clear that the ongoing recession has had it's effect, there were still some items of interest to scooterists.
One of the first things you notice at the 2009 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show is not so much who has shown up, but who is conspicuous by their absence. Scooter manufacturers Honda and Yamaha were in usual attendance, and Kymco as well (with a nice display area set up and staffed by an enthusiastic crew from Scooter Barn), but this year Vespa/Piaggio was a very conspicuous 'no-show'. There can be any number of reasons for this. It may well be that Piaggio USA/Vespa Seattle took a good hard look at what it costs in terms of fees paid to be an exhibitor and the staffing required for the display, and decided that it didn't pencil out in terms of any sales 'bump' realized after the show. It is also quite possible that many local dealers are concluding that locally organized 'scooter-centric' events like Scoot About's "All City Scooter Day" are much more effective at reaching their potential market.
While the pickings were slim at the Qwest Field Exhibition hall this year, there still were some interesting things to be seen:
Honda: Honda was out in force with it's venerable Metropolitan on display, as well as the 50cc Ruckus, and the Silverwing maxiscooter. For newer offerings, they had on display their 'new' big wheel scooter, the SH150i (new to the US market, but a well-proven design in European and Asian markets), as well as an updated re-issue of that 1980s scooter mainstay, the Honda Elite. With their legendary reputation for quality and reliability, as well as a well established network of service centers, these machines should prove to be popular indeed.
Yamaha: Yamaha had on display it's entry in the maxiscoot category , the Majesty, and an updated version of the popular Zuma. Long a popular scoot, the Zuma was a little limited in hilly cities like Seattle by it's 50cc motor. Now available with a bulletproof 125cc powerplant and trademark fat tires, the tough little Zuma is ready to take on Seattle's hills and it's notoriously rough streets!
Kymco: Well known for combining high quality with some really attractive pricing, Kymco had several of it's offerings on display, including the very successful People 150 big wheel scooter and the well-priced Grandvista 250 maxi. Unfortunately, they did not have the retro-styled Like 50 on display, but from the pictures at the display, it sure looks good.
The real surprise at this year's show was the appearance of a new manufacturer out of California, with a new bike that's guaranteed to turn heads! The California Scooter Company came to town with a trio of it's new machines, the "Classic", "Greaser", and the "Babydoll". When I mentioned to TK, the California Scooter's rep, that these bikes reminded me a lot of the old Cushman Eagle, he smiled and explained that they were actually a faithful reproduction of the Mustang Scooter Company 'Mustang'! They have taken this sixty year old design and updated it with a quality Taiwan-made 150cc motor, disc brakes front and rear, and quality components throughout! These scooters are assembled at their plant in Pamona, California. These scooters are all metal, even the fenders! I've always been a little puzzled why these are called scooters, because while they have relatively low-displacement motors and small wheels, they are not 'step-through' like a scooter. This does appear to be a really solid, quality-made bike with a 1-year warranty, and a very high fun factor!
Regardless, it is really exciting to see a truly unique product on today's market. The California Scooter Company is interested in lining up a Seattle dealer for their product line, so they're definitely worth checking out!
