Welcome To Scooter Press!

Update February 28, 2006:
- New '07 KYMCO scooters, available 2006 (FEATURE)
- Updates from Gilera and New Zealand in the NEWS
- More usefull and fun stuff in the STYLE section

So here it finally is, the new issue of Scooter Press. We know it took us a while, and many of you were really concerned we had just taken the back door out. No, we have not - Scooter Press is alive and well. We decided although to change the format a little bit. For 2006, Scooter Press will have four issues according to the seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. We will be updating each issue while it is online and new developments happen. But don't worry, you do not need to go hunting for updates that are hidden somewhere in Scooter Press: whenever we add new content to an issue, we will post it right here. Now that we have got our own stuff off the table, lets see what has happened recently in the scene and industry.

A lot of buzz - the negative kind - has been caused by recent developments at Bajaj Auto, the manufacturers of the Chetak scooter. They obviously decided to halt production on this model after model year 2006. Sales for Bajaj are up , and automotive insiders in India see a chance for the company to get their strategies right, although see them on the other hand unprepared for growth. Good news for Bajaj is that their January 2006 sales are up all over the board with a plus of 28 percent. While the corporate level at Bajaj still leaves many things uncertain, things over here in the U.S. seem pretty clear: Bajaj USA have changed their name to Argo USA, and while continuing to sell and support Bajaj two and three wheelers, look for alternative products as replacement in their lineup. We wish Argo USA all the best in this tricky situation.

Also a lot of change - this time the positive kind - has been going on at our friends over at Evader: They finalized several key contracts worldwide, and received approvals for use of their scooters in Europe and Asia. Evader and their electric scooters are definitely in the fast lane.

Piaggio has introduced two new scooters to celebrate their 60th anniversary: The LX-60 and the GT-60. Although those two models are still in the show bike stage, we take a closer look at the classic inspired duo. Aprilia have made some changes to their flagship, the Scarabeo 500, and we took the opportunity to bring you the details on this half-liter big scooter. We hope the Style sections gives you some ideas what is missing in your closet, and, as usual, the News are packed with the latest from the industry. And don't forget to check back often. We will be adding new stuff as we get our hands on it.

Brace yourselves, for most of us riding season is just around the corner. Check out our events section for ideas!

Your team at Scooter Press and

Carsten Berg, Scooter Press