A little while ago, we published a review of a motorcycle Honda produces for the Indian market called the Unicorn Dazzler. Yes, that’s the actual name of a production motorcycle designed by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, a Honda subsidiary. In his review of the 150cc motorcycle, Rajeev Gaikwad said the Honda Unicorn Dazzler was “a handsome commuter with an enthusiastic and proven engine” though it was underwhelming in terms of performance and handling as the higher-priced successor to the regular Honda Unicorn also sold in India.

To western consumers however, the name “Unicorn Dazzler” may seem a bit odd for a motorcycle. But it’s not the only motorcycle with a peculiarly cutesy name. In honor of the Honda Unicorn Dazzler, we decided we should play a little game called “Actual Motorcycle or My Little Pony Character.”

Here’s how it works. We’ve cobbled together a list of five motorcycles and scooters and paired them up with characters from Hasbro‘s My Little Pony line of toys and cartoons. We’ll give you a pair of names and you guess which one is the motorcycle and which one is the pony. Continue Reading »

Troy Bayliss may have retired from World Superbike competition but he hasn’t completely freed himself from the racing bug. The three-time WSBK Champion is returning to the track to take part in a 24 hour endurance race – on scooters.

Bayliss will team up with the recently-retired Speedway racer Jason Crump to take part in the Le Minz 24 Hour Scooterthon, a charity event in Australia, on Dec. 8-9 at Gold Coast Parklands. They will be teaming up with an as-yet unnamed rider and Mark Brown, a multiple-time Scooterthon winner and Guinness record holder for completing 1189.685 km (739.236 miles) in a 24 hour period on a 50cc TGB Tapo scooter at last year’s event.

All of the gate money from the Le Minz 24 Hour Scooterthon will benefit Give Me 5 for Kids, a charity that provides medical equipment for sick children, and the RaceSafe Medical Team which provides medical support for various Australian racing series. Continue Reading »

Automobile maker Daimler announced a partnership agreement with Vectrix to produce an electric scooter under the company’s Smart brand. As previously reported, the Smart eScooter is scheduled to enter production for 2014.

The Smart eScooter was first unveiled in prototype form at the 2010 Paris Motor Show alongside a electric bicycle (the Smart eBike) and the electric version of the Smart ForTwo car. The eBike is already available in Europe and electric ForTwo has been introduced to the U.S., notably with Daimer’s Car2Go carsharing subsidiary deploying a fleet of the electric vehicles.

For the eScooter, Smart turned to the more experienced hands at Vectrix for help. Vectrix has been producing electric scooters for years, making it a logical partner for Daimler. Continue Reading »

Earlier this week, we revealed six all-new Honda models coming to America for 2013. The American Honda announcement was time to go along with Honda’s presentation at the 2012 EICMA Show in Milan, Italy, for the European market and Canada. But there was one model revealed at EICMA that wasn’t part of the U.S. announcement: a new 279cc maxi-scooter called the NSS300 Forza.

The Forza isn’t a new model designation for Honda. Previous models have bared the name before, and Americans may be more familiar with the previous incarnations under its “Reflex” moniker, last available here in 2007. Absent from the U.S. lineup since then, the NS250 Forza has been available in other markets as a smaller option to the 582cc Silver Wing.

For 2013, the Forza gets a liquid-cooled 279cc single-cylinder engine Honda claims gets 24 hp at 8250 rpm and 19 ft-lb. at 6000 rpm. Honda also claims fuel economy of 72.4 mpg which, with the 3.0 gallon fuel tank, works out to a range of about 220 miles. Continue Reading »

Piaggio surprised many at last year’s EICMA show with its Vespa Quarantasei concept, blending the company’s iconic styling with a futuristic new look. Judging by the feedback we’ve seen in our coverage of the Quarantasei – since renamed the Vespa 946 – scooter fans have been eagerly awaiting news of the final production version of the new Vespa.

Nearly a year later, the final production version of the Vespa 946 has been revealed, just days ahead of the 2012 EICMA show. The production version does not stray too far from the original concept. The mirrors and turn signals are new, of course, and Piaggio has slightly tweaked the exhaust heat shield while the seat mount looks like it’s been reinforced without changing the hanging cantilevered design.

Beyond these minor practical changes, the 946 keeps the concept’s styling (pictured below), which itself was inspired by the original 1946 Vespa MP6 prototype. As with the concept model, the production version uses an all-aluminum body, breaking away from Vespa’s traditional use of steel while helping make the scooter lighter and therefore more fuel efficient. Continue Reading »

Suzuki introduced an updated Burgman 650 scooter at the 2012 Intermot show, refining the maxi-scooter’s styling and giving a boost in fuel economy.

The 2013 Suzuki Burgman 650 is powered by a 638cc liquid-cooled parallel twin engine, the same powerplant used when the scooter first debuted in 2002. Though the engine is essentially the same, Suzuki claims the 2013 Burgman 650 uses 15% less fuel than the previous model due to a refined  transmission system and reduced losses from friction. A new Eco light on the display panel lights up to let the rider know when scooter is being used in a fuel-efficient manner.

The Suzuki Electronically-controlled Continuously Variable Transmission returns, allowing riders to choose between two fully-automatic modes and a manual mode. The SECVT has been updated for 2013, with Suzuki claiming a 35% reduction in drag from the clutch plates. Continue Reading »

Piaggio Group Americas announced its 2013 Vespa scooter lineup including a pair of new special edition models and the recently revised LX and S models.

Our European correspondent Tor Sagen already reviewed the 2013 Vespa LX and S scooters, reviewing the 125cc and 150cc versions. U.S. consumers will have the option of 50cc and 125cc engines for both the 2013 Vespa LX and Vespa S. Both models are powered by Piaggio‘s new three-valve engines which are designed for improved power and efficiency. Continue Reading »

Off-road capability isn’t the first thing people consider when shopping for a scooter but it is one of the more surprising traits of the Yamaha Zuma 125. In his review of the Zuma 125, Tom Roderick says the scooter “radiates a more adventurous attitude” than most scooters, with its knobby tires and hand guards making it capable for the odd excursion off the pavement.

But if you’re still not convinced, Yamaha‘s Taiwanese arm has released a video featuring the Zuma 125 (or BWS 125, as it is known internationally) getting rough and rugged in the dirt. The 3-minute video is the second in a series of videos produced by Yamaha Motor Taiwan to showcase the scooter.

The off-road video is embedded after the jump, but visit Yamaha Motor Taiwan to see the other segments. Continue Reading »

Kymco USA announced four new models for 2013, bumping its scooter lineup to 16 models. Joining Kymco‘s offerings are the Compagno in 50cc and 110cc iterations, the Movie 150 and the Xciting 500Ri ABS.

The Compagno 50i and 110i (pictured above) feature a traditional Italian-style scooter design. The 50i version is powered by an air-cooled 49.5cc three-valve fuel injected engine while the 110i comes with a 112cc four-valve fuel injected engine. Both versions feature underseat storage, LCD digital fuel gauge and clock, folding passenger pegs, magnetic key lock and 1.45 gallon fuel tanks. According to Kymco, the Compagno scooters weigh 189 pounds which, combined with the 29-inch seat height, should make it accessible for beginners and smaller riders.

The 2013 Kymco Compagno 50i is priced at $2,599 and will be offered in Black or White, both with silver accents. The larger Compagno 110i is available for $2,999 and will offered in Light Blue or Metallic Mocha. Continue Reading »

Piaggio has updated its 50cc Fly scooter, a global model that will be offered in markets around the world.

The 2013 Piaggio Fly 50 gets a styling update, most notably with a longer black “tie” on its front shield and sleeker lighting. The seat has also been redesigned and now sits at a height of 29.9 inches, an inch lower than the previous model.

The new seat hides a larger storage area which now has room for two open-faced helmets. The larger space was made by possible by moving the fuel tank from the tail to its new location under the footrest. Besides increasing the underseat storage capacity, the repositioned fuel tank lowers the Fly’s center of gravity. Continue Reading »