I'll take a uni-cycle but make it a double!

I'm on vacation this week and staying in town, so I thought I'd write a brief note related to something I consider each summer around this time - how great it would be to ride the open roads on a chromed-up, customized cruiser with Harley Davidson decals on the sides. However, this isn't about motorcycles as we tend to think of them.

Last week I read that you can now buy scooters (commonly associated with the 'Vespa' brand)with displacement ratings upwards of 600cc's from some manufacturers. Twenty years ago that was considered big even for a motorcycle but I guess, with the 1800cc beasts that run the roads these days, it should not be surprising to find such power in the often mocked (at least in North America) ranks of scooters.

Europeans seem to have had a love affair with these rather unmacho machines in much the same way that they enjoy their Smart cars or Minis of the past. Heck, Piaggio became the 4th largest motorcycle maker in the world through the recent acquisition Aprilia, which seems to me somewhat like having the Super 8 Motel chain take over the Four Seasons. Maybe that's not really fair to Piaggio and I know Aprilia makes scooters too but I think of them as making some of the world's top superbikes.

I have to admit that, as I slowly creep into my thirties, the idea of a simple two wheeler with decent power is becoming more and more acceptable as my dreams of owning a new 'Dyna Wide Glide' become fainter with each new spring.

Maybe these larger scooters (see the Honda Silverwing) will find a niche in the minds of North Americans who like their cars big and their SUV's even bigger. The latest touring scooters seem to meet the needs of the modern urban cowboy and probably pack some fun into their often unusual looking packages.

As for myself, I'd still prefer a Harley for cruising or a Ducati for sportiness, but the scooter idea is suddenly tempting...