Vespa

They'll offer smartphone integration and lots of customization.

Electric model gets 62 miles of range, the hybrid doubles that.

Are connected motorcycle technologies a boon for safety or nothing more than a distraction?

Silent style.

There's something very welcoming about the curvaceous, Italian shape of Vespa motor scooters. Practically everyone who looks up when they hear the distinctive put-put sound greets it with a smile and a wave. That charm definitively isn't lost on Peter Maas and his 1962 Vespa GS160 that still wears its original paint. In a recent video, Petrolicious takes a look at Maas' passion and

We're not yet ready to call it a trend, but rumors have been flying that a couple more major automakers have set their sights on motorcycle manufacturers to add to their portfolios. If they do, they'll be following in the footsteps of the Volkswagen Group, which gobbled up Ducati and put it under the Audi brand in its ever-growing stable of

We wouldn't be surprised to see Chinese knockoffs of well-known car and motorcycle brands - in China. But a handful of Chinese scooter exhibitors at last week's 71st International Motorcycle Exhibition (EICMA) had their goods seized by the Italian financial police, according to a Piaggio Group press release, because they had brought imitation Vespa scooters to the show.

Vespa, Italy's legendary scooter manufacturer, might just be the boot-shaped country's most significant, transport-focused cultural export. With respect to Ferrari, it's the diminutive and funky scooter manufacturer that put Italy back on wheels after World War II, with its line of user-friendly miniature motorcycles. Even today, Rome, Milan, and Turin are filled with Vespas, while the tiny scooters

From the adorable Vespa 946 to the brawny Moto Guzzi California 1400 and the go-anywhere Aprilia Caponord 1200, the Piaggio Group came to the 2012 EICMA International Motorcycle Show armed with an array of hardware. When it comes to that plucky Vespa 946, engineers approached the bike with an

Pop quiz: Say you split your driving evenly between a 21 mpg SUV and a 75 mpg Vespa scooter. What would your average miles per gallon be? If you answered 48 mpg you're not alone, as that's what Vespa came up with in their infographic we posted last week (reposted above). The only problem is that that answer is wrong. The real average is 32.8 mpg.The reason for the large difference is that in or

Jet-Powered Scooter vs. Lamborghini Gallardo – Click above to watch video after the jump

If even electric cars aren't the answer, then how should people best get around? Scooters are a feasible alternative for some, and the city of Boston just gave two-wheel drivers a boost with a new motor scooter parking program. There are 40 spaces in the Back Bay area that cost just 25 cents an hour instead of $1 an hour. Another benefit for scooter drivers is that the meters don't have a tim

"Hello, would you like cake with your Vespa?"- Click above to watch the video after the jump

Vespa versus the tablecloth – Click above to watch the video after the break

Could it be true? The rumormill is running overtime with reports of a potential merger between a pair of our favorite two-wheeled giants: Ducati and Piaggio.

A stretch-limo Vespa may still garner a fist to the face, but this attention-grabbing idea is better than the last flash of brilliance Vespa South Africa Managing Director Andy Reid put into action. That plan involved fake parking tickets being placed guerrilla-style on large vehicles to drive the point about Vespa's fuel efficient image.

Want to ride a scooter but just can't seem to fit one into your lifestyle? Is that because you can't fit your lifestyle onto your scooter? If so, perhaps you should consider a new four-person Vespa like the one seen above. It will easily accept one rider and three extra passengers, and, being based on the Italian scooter company's GT platform, it should have no problem reaching highway speeds. City maneuverability? Well, that's another question.