VESPANOMICS…what the heck is that? It’s about four very simple things, but four things that could also have a dramatic impact on your wallet, your environment, and your quality of life.

Saving Gas

Commuters rely heavily on their cars, trucks, and SUV’s, and this means tossing anywhere from 30 dollars to 70 dollars in the gas tank, sometimes two or three times a week. That can eat up a paycheck really quick, not too mention pushing the demand for oil ever upward. Compare those dollars to the cents it takes to fill up a scooter, and the scooter will go just as long in between fill-ups. Now that IS good sense. Imagine the savings for your pocket, not to mention for the planet!

Reducing Emissions

Emissions? What emissions? Virtually none, if your tooling around town and blasting down the highways on a scooter. Folks are finally acknowledging the real damage that is being done to the quality of our air and environment, and nod sympathetically to the newscaster on their radios while they blast down the freeway in an SUV equipped with only one passenger.

Reducing Traffic Congestion

That is, until that same SUV comes to a screeching halt in traffic packed with other single passenger drivers. Hey, we’re not knocking individualism here. So why not take up less room, let the wind rip through your hair, and enjoy the ride. A scooter can squeeze through tight traffic and the rider is the envy of the rest of the herd, frozen at a standstill. Imagine the difference it would make to the jam packed highways and city streets if just one in ten people opted to commute on a scooter in the US.

Saving Face

…And imagine the envious looks of passerbys, and not just because of Vespa scooters‘ ability to wind easily through traffic. They are the perfect fashion statement; their retro classic Italian styling says it all. Embrace the look and feel of high level Eurpoean style, and people will turn heads. The scooter’s look is timeless. Forget expensive repair bills needed to keep your regular car or truck running; it won’t turn heads like a Vespa or Piaggio classic Italian scooter!

Vespanomics, it makes sense!

Look who’s showing up at Open House on October 13th!

FirstGear will introduce their latest line of intuitive technical apparel, making Vespa Roseville and A&S BMW Motorcycles one of the first scooter and motorcycle dealers to offer their products to the public. Come and listen to Mark Kincart, FirstGear’s apparel specialist, give us the lowdown on riding gear, the latest technical advancements in riding apparel, and how to choose a style and fit that is right for you. His workshop will be offered three times throughout the day, and just for attending, a TPG jacket or pants is yours for 25% off the retail price if purchased the same day. Many stores will not be getting these products on their shelves until next year!

First Gear’s TPG line is a complete multi-season solution on and off the bike for extreme outdoor adventure. That’s right, one system manages multiple activities, all styles of riding, and is rugged enough to go anywhere for the long haul. Designed as a three layer system, the base gear pants and shirts are designed for warmth and moisture wicking protection. The men’s and women’s jackets include a wind and waterproof liner that can be worn independently of the jacket’s outer shell off the bike. The high tech TPG outer shell offers abrasion resistant fabric, high visibility reflective panels, and FirstGear’s exclusive venting system, designed to keep riders cool and comfortable, with or without the inner liner in place.

We all know what it’s like to need storage for sensitive items such as a wallet or cell phone, and FirstGear TPG jackets have incorporated plenty of extra pockets just for stowing away your valuables. Of course, whether you’re riding in traffic on a rainy day or pushing your scooter to the limits around hairpin turns, you have added reassurance with the inclusion of Knox CE approved armor in the shoulders and elbows of the TPG jackets, and at the hips and knees of the Men’s and Women’s TPG Escape Pants.

Don’t miss the chance to be the first to add the latest high tech gear to your riding and outdoor adventure wardrobe! You can check out the latest FirstGear video right here at Vespa Roseville’s parent site, A&S BMW Motorcycles. See you at Open House!

Fall ushers in a grand harvest of fun for two and three-wheeled motorists!

That’s right, there are two big activities coming up that you do not want to miss! The weather is still nice and what a great excuse to hop on your scooter and take a road trip to a popular Northern California scooter location at Vespa Roseville and A&S BMW Motorcycles!

October 13th: Fall Open House

Free food! Technical gear presentation by First Gear, Costumed Cutties, Raffle, HUGE gear discounts, Brand New Gear just in, Dress-up-your-Motorcycle-or-Scooter Contest, and much more!

Our open house only comes once a year, and it is the highlight of the season. Folks ride in from all over on every make of bike and scooter to join in the fun. There’s always something for everyone. For those of you that simply can’t make it; be sure to check out the Vespa Roseville website as it continues to be updated with new products and current news!

October 18th: GaragenPartei

Once a month gathering of folks at Vespa Roseville and A&S BMW Motorcycles meet for free food, guest speakers, social networking, and a great destination ride!

This Month’s Guest Speaker: Tim Mayhew, Founder and Developer of pashnit.com and Guide for Pashnit Motorcycle Tours

Topic: Tim will divulge the secrets of packing on a motorcycle and the fine art of touring on your bike.

There’s a new rage sweeping the nation that is eerily reminiscent of the 60’s when being”green” was in, and bright earthy colors defined the fashion arena. Today’s hottest retro fashion items are in the remake, and yes, “green” is back, but this time because high gas prizes are here to stay and the oil crunch is no longer a fairy tale enlisting picket lines full of university activists looking for a cause. The threat is real and the automotive and retail markets have responded right on target with green friendly merchandise, gas-saving low-emission vehicles, and a return of rainbow hued retro colors that could even enlist a smile from Ebeneser Scrooge for their nostalgia appeal.

This new green friendly era has also ushered Piaggio and Vespa scooters back into the US market with full force. Piaggio has been transforming the transportation industry for the past 120 years. Its introduction of the Vespa scooter into the market over 50 years ago quickly won the hearts of Europeans and Americans because of its good looks and two wheeled freedom that was far removed from other motorcycle stereotypes.

Today, many of their scooters sport retro styling appeal as well as a line of scooters with cutting edge technology and futuristic sporty features. In places such as California, where freeway laws are often more stringent, even the cute little 150cc Vespas and Piaggio’s 150cc Fly are freeway legal and can boost the speeds to keep up with traffic in the fast lane.

Of course, those riders wanting the simplicity of a scooter, but in a sporty looking, high performance machine, the new three wheeled (nope not a typo… yes… a three wheeled scooter!) the MP3 turns heads and snakes through the corners better than its two wheeled counter-types, and with added stability.

But when it comes to parking, gas consumption, emissions, and commuting in cattle heard packed traffic, the scooter is economic, green friendly and can

squeeze into tight spaces. For career women and mom’s looking for an outlet of self expression, metro guys, boomer generation motorcyclists, and university students, scooters have also provided affordable transportation, social opportunities, and fashion appeal. Of course, riding with the wind on one’s back, free from the confines of doors and a metal roof, scooters instantly transform their riders into independent free spirits, but with a much smaller learning curve than a traditional motorcycle.

Similar to the high end image held by BMW Motorcycles, Vespa and its parent company Piaggio are synonymous with true scooter quality and styling that often accompanies European bred motorized vehicles. In the US, public transportation as an economical and ecologically friendly solution has been unrealistic due to sheer geographic size and the individualist natures of its inhabitants, so its no wonder that Vespa dealerships are slowly invading US territories and quickly gaining the loyalty of customers of all ages, and from all walks of life. These creatures are here to stay, so even if you don’t ride a motorcycle, the need to be green, and that little free spirit within, may prompt you to take a second look the next time you see a candy red Italian scooter cruising down the street with its rider grinning from ear to ear, and a bag of groceries sitting on the back.