Future Scooters

FUTURE SCOOTERS

ROUNDUP

HERE IN AMERICA, WHERE bigger is better and biggest is better yet, there isn’t much demand for scooters. Pity. Because hiding in the shadows of the recent Milan Show were some small-wheeled wonders that rivaled Bimota’s road-going, two-stroke BB500 and Yamaha YZF1000-powered YB11 for highest-tech honors. Actually, the Italian specialty manufacturer had scooters on display, too, but its 50cc Ergon and Akros models are Bimotabadged, Taiwanese-built TGBs that paled in comparison to the real stars of the show.

Most impressive was the Dragster from Italjet, the Italian company best known for its mini-motocrossers. Sort of a scaled-down, step-through Ducati Monster, the Dragster boasts a trellis frame with a traditional double-sided swingarm in the rear, a singlesided swingarm up front and center-hub steering. Shocks— one each, front and rear-are Paiolis, with the front unit occupying the space between the rider’s feet and both units’ remote reservoirs located just above, where they can be reached from the saddle.

Powered by the four-stroke Twin from Italjet’s Formula 125, the Dragster is slated for production this year at a cost of more than $5600.

Even more high-tech is the Aspire from SYM (for San Yang Industry). Powered by an electric motor, this 21st Century concept scooter features such high-tech touches as hydraulic drive, center-hub steering, active front and rear swingarm suspensions with a common pivot point, cardactivated ignition and an on-board CD player. But wait, that’s not all: The Aspire also features electronic hand controls, a rearview camera with liquidcrystal display in lieu of mirrors, satellite navigation system and a collision-avoidance electronic-distance sensor. It’s unlikely to be produced any time soon. And if it were, few buyers could afford it.

More realistic is the SYM RS-21, a 125cc four-stroke Single featuring a twin-spar aluminum chassis, rim brakes and dual projector headlamps contained within elliptical covers shaped like the headlights on a Ducati 916. It could go into production next year.

Another advanced scooter that could soon be mass-produced is the Stratos 2000 from Italian company Malaguti. Resembling an escapee from the set of 2001, the Stratos is unusual in that the rider straddles it like a conventional motorcycle. It also features electronic hand controls, digital instrumentation and active suspension that varies ride height to suit load and conditions.

In addition to the future scooters, there were two underlying themes at Milan: off-road and retro-scooters, more and more of which are being fitted with large-diameter (14to 16inch), spoked wheels. Beta’s Nemo 50, KTM’s SXR 50 and Siam’s Scross 50 are street’crossers for the step-through set, while Aprilia’s Gulliver 50 LC, Siam’s Capri 50 and Italjet’s Torpedo recall the classic Lambrettas and Vespas ridden by the Mods in the ’60s.

But the most heralded new/old scooter was Cagiva’s Cucciolo, whose name-meaning “little pup” in Italian-is borrowed from the first-ever Ducati motorcycle, a 50cc fourstroke from the 1940s. Production of the new 50cc two-stroke— which could be joined by a 125cc four-stroke in the near future-begins in May.

The European scooter scene is a microcosm of mainstream motorcycling, with, quite literally, something for everyone. Unfortunately, not a single one of them will be imported here. America is poorer for their absence.

Brian Catterson