Volume 3, Issue 15
July 19 - August 1, 2001

STYLE

KICKING ASS AND LEAKING GAS

Denver's scooter rally brings back the love

There is a pandemonium of scooter love hitting the streets of Denver. The front sidewalks of popular coffee houses, bars and restaurants often feature two or three scooters "hugging" in a row. More than ever, people of all ages and creed mount the backs of these 50cc steeds in a new phenomenon-- or is it?

The first scooter, arguably, was designed in 1894 by the German duo Hildebrand and Wolfmuller as a motorized bicycle. The design included many of the elements seen on modern-day scooters, such as a step through frame and a liquid cooling system. However, like many pioneers, it was a commercial failure.

"Scooters are different things to different people," said Adam Baker, owner of Sportique Scooters. "Each scooter has a different function, and there is a scooter to fit any lifestyle."

In 1938, Fiat designed a "motorized bicycle" but would ultimately decide not produce it commercially. It wouldn't be until 1946, after scooters had been used successfully in World War II, that Piaggio would market the "wasp" (vespa) to a struggling postwar community with a shortage of available petrol. Piaggio used a new and risky innovative marketing campaign, specifically designed to target peasants and youth to its product (not unlike a Bill Gates entrepreneurial maneuver).

"They have been here for decades," said Dustin Gabel at Colorado Vespa, "but until recently, [the United States] has been the land of big gas-guzzling Cadillacs. Now, like in Europe, the city is crowded as hell and there is no place to park. The seed has been under their noses the entire time, and now everyone is starting to get it."

Brands like Vespa and Lambretta became household names in Europe, with sales in the States being sluggish at best. In the late '50s and through the '60s, scooters became quintessential chic transportation in arts and mod communities, with even Harley Davidson producing the "Topper" in 1959 to a lackluster consumer response.

"There is no specific defined style of a Scooterist-- it is not as rigid as just a mod style-- it is wide open," Gabel said. "I think, like the design, the people who tend to ride scooters are sharp and smart."

The Who's Quadrophenia was released in 1979, a rock opera about the '60s gang battles in the United Kingdom between Rockers and Mods glamorizing scooter culture. Adam Ant and Grace Jones also rejuvenated scooter appeal by posing for Honda's 1982 introduction of the "Elite" line for alternative music lovers in a new wave rage. The mainstream trend would be short lived, but a sub-culture would slowly begin to arise.

Phil Lombardo, a veteran scooter enthusiast and one of the organizers of Mile High Mayhem-- a scooter rally to take place in Denver at the end of this month-- believes people began to appreciate the nostalgia of the vintage bikes and their culture. "It is a combination of an emulation of nostalgia, and that Denver is a strong urban community. Riding a scooter is more independent than being in a car, and besides, they're just friggin' cool."

Scooters have been slowly working their way back into the U. S. mainstream. Although Vespa had not sold scooters in the United States since 1985, many other companies continued to export scooters to this country with Vespa only recently reintroducing its scooters last year. The Vespa boutiques sell the new four-stroke engine scooters with matching helmets, leather bags, t-shirts, and jackets.

"Now that Vespa's back, awareness is high. Now scooters, and the culture, are available for every consumer on every corner," said Gabel at the sparkling new Vespa shop on LoDo's Larimer street. "It is really cool to see a kid go and buy a vintage bike for a couple hundred bucks then tear it apart in his garage. It's like collecting vintage cars, only in a smaller package. And the scooter kids, to their credit, have embraced the new consumers, and it has created a new and exciting enthusiasm."

Like the Jets and the Sharks in West Side Story, there is a rift between the old school and the newbies of scooter culture. Vintage Enthusiasts-- who manual shift, kick start and customize their bikes-- want to cultivate a historical link to the scooters vs. the modern enthusiast, who appreciates the trendy design, orders the color direct, and enjoys the ease of a twist-and-go mode of transportation.

"We are not selling a prepackaged lifestyle," said Baker from his three-year-old Sportique Scooter shop on Denver's West Side. "We provide a place to hang out, a variety of manufacturers and brands, and repair service by actual Scooterists. We are more like a '50s full-service station environment. And, with a vintage bike, the enthusiast is actually an accessory to the scooter."

Missi Walker, who bought her first scooter more than seven years ago, is in an all-girls scooter club called Secret Cervix, and holds classes for girls on essential tools, proper oil, and general maintenance of scooters. "We are a family here in Denver. Everybody tries to help everyone else out, regardless of how long you've been riding. It's all about a great attitude and getting out and riding." "It's not unlike skiers and snowboarders-- there may be a rift. But the bottom line is everyone is just enjoying being on the mountain," Lombardo added. "The same thing happened to motorcycle riders with Harley Davidson. We pride ourselves in Denver for being open and encourage everyone to partake in the fun. Ultimately we are just interested in riding our machines, keeping the nostalgia alive, and creating a new history."

There have been organized scooter rides here in Denver since 1993, according to Lombardo. At that time there were three main scooter clubs, and the rides would help bring the clubs together and establish a common ground with local enthusiasts. Eventually rallies were held in Colorado Springs and trips were organized to travel to out-of-state rallies.

"It was on the way back from a rally in St. Louis in 1997," Lombardo recounted. "We started talking about organizing our own scooter rally here in Denver. There was a ride already scheduled for Missi's birthday, so we scheduled it to coincide with that same week."

The first Mile High Mayhem was held the last week of July in 1998.

"Our intention has always been to have the Denver rallies be cheap and inviting," Lombardo said. "Everything is a la carte, meaning there are no registration fees and we offer up our homes as places to stay. That way they are really able to get a true sense of our community and experience the brilliance of Denver love."

The Sixth Annual Mile High Mayhem is now a four-day event. The festivities will include a 100-mile ride through the Rocky Mountains for the experienced riders, a shorter city ride for novices, a competitive gymkhana hosted by

Sportique (which sounds like Cirque du Soleil on scooter-back), a Shop and Ride guided by Missi (who said "I try to buy a new outfit for every rally"), and two chances to win your very own Vespa scooter.

"The biggest scooter rally I know of is in San Francisco with a 310 bike count," Lombardo said. "We are expecting our biggest Mayhem yet, with more than 200 scooters on hand. Hopefully we wont get hassled by 'The Man' this year, and just do what we love-- ride our machines."

--Kity Ironton

photos by sean hartgrove