The
2008 Melbourne Motorcycle Expo will again get all the scooter
enthusiasts salivating at another vast array of models and brands.
This year’s show features most of the big brands represented in Australia and they have a lot to show off as they fight it out for your business at this red carpet event. You will find Honda, Piaggio, Vespa, Gillera, Hyosung, Suzuki, Yamaha, Aprilia, Derbi, and electric maestro, the Vectrix.
Along
with the great range of scooters on display, there are also some great
accessories and useful products that will make your scootering life
even more comfortable and convenient. The long-awaited helmets by Momo are also there for the viewing.
Let me take you on a virtual tour of the event:
Honda is in the first stand (front, left) that you will find as you enter the exhibition hall. They have their whole range on display from the Today 50 through to the Silverwing maxi. The highlight of the stand would have to be the new SH300i that has just been introduced to the Australian market. Our European cousins have been enjoying this scooter for a while and now we are lucky to have the chance to enjoy it too. The [around] 300cc market is heating up rapidly and this would have to be one of the front runners in the category.
Next stop was the combined Piaggio/Vespa/Gillera stands. Noticeable
highlights include a stripped-down MP3 showing how the skeleton and
technology work on this technologically advanced scooter. A 
custom, FOX branded paint scheme really pimped up the looks of a standard white Vespa. How
could one pass up a close look of the newly released Vespa GTS 300
Super with its traditional full analogue dash, minimalist look and
piped trim seating? You’ll see what all the fuss is about.
Suzuki
and Yamaha have their current scooter catalogue on display giving you
the opportunity to check out scooters that some retailers might not
carry in stock. We were hoping that Yamaha might have been launching the new BWS at the show, but it was not to bee.
Moving
along to the Aprilia stand, I was presented with their entire range of
scooters (albeit not every model, as some share the same chassis). My favourite and what I think will be a front runner in the hotly contested 125cc market, is the Sportcity One. The quality, fit 
and finish are just top notch, having that same feeling that you get with the Sportcity 125 and 250. The
other addition to the Aprilia line-up is the revised Mojito sporting
the Californian blue colour scheme, has more bling than today’s rap
artist and is finished off with a snake/crocodile themed seat covering. If you like classic and fat retro’s, this would have to be your new ride.
Continuing on in a clockwise direction is the Derbi stand. Derbi has elevated itself to the top spot of sports scooters in Australia. Yes there are bigger cc and faster scooters, but it isn’t all about straight line speed. The
Derbi holds its own against these bigger scooters and even a lot of
sports bikes through the twisty stuff, which means you can have your
scooter and the carrying capacity as well as real performance to boot. Derbi have the Rumbla, GP1 250 and the 
limited edition GP1 50 Racing on display. The
GP1 50 Racing blows all the conventional scooter design rules out of
the water, with its chain drive to rear wheel and sports bike inspired
rear swing arm, it sure is a scooter for the 50cc enthusiasts. Derbi has a special on for the show - if you put down a $1000 deposit on your new Derbi at the Melbourne show, you’ll receive $1000 off the recommended retail price of that model. It’s
too good to believe, so if you are in the market or have been
considering picking up a new Derbi, then this is the time to buy. The special will only last while the show is on in Melbourne and is only available on the stand at the show.
Opposite the Derbi stand, you’ll find the Momo stand with their new range of helmets that are due for release on the 
Australian market. There are quite a few in the scooter community that have deposits on these helmets but are actually yet to see one in the flesh. This is your chance to be one of the lucky few to see them before they appear in stores across the country.
Rounding out the show is the ever impressive Vectrix. This scooter is light years beyond any other scooter on the market as it is a highway capable electric scooter. It
is one scooter that a lot of councils across the country are choosing
to purchase for their law enforcement officers due to their low 
environmental impact and low maintenance requirements. If you choose green energy, it can be 100% carbon neutral in the re-fuelling stakes. I believe this will be the future of scooting. You can have a preview or buy and own one to be part of a new scooting revolution.
The show truly is a brilliant work of art with manufacturers laying out the canvases of their new pieces of work. The Melbourne Motorcycle Expo never disappoints.
New Yamaha TMax stands out in Yellow
Stripped down MP3 from Piaggio on Display
see more pics 
published 31/10/2008