Genuine Scooters
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorscooter |
| Founded | Chicago, Illinois (2002) |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
| Products | Stella, Buddy |
| Website | genuinescooters |
The Genuine Scooter Company is a Chicago-based distributor of motorscooters, notably the Stella and Buddy models. The company markets scooters and accessories through a network of over 240 dealers in the United States,[1] and in 2015 announced it would begin importing a 400cc air-cooled, single-cylinder motorcycle under a sister brand, Genuine Motorcycles in 2016.[2]
History
Founded in 2002 by Phil McCaleb and Jim Kolbe, the company was an outgrowth of the garage-based business, Scooterworks USA, which sold vintage Vespa and Lambretta scooters via a mail-order catalog featuring scooter parts and accessories. Scooterworks USA, continues and specializes in aftermarket parts and accessories for Genuine, Vespa, and other scooter brands and parts for Chinese scooters.[1]
Genuine Scooters' first model was the model year 2002 4-speed manual two-stroke "Stella" model, manufactured by LML in India. The Stella was successful, and in 2006 the company began a relationship with PGO Scooters, a Taiwanese manufacturer. Genuine developed the "Buddy", an automatic scooter with a CVT. The Buddy features several engine sizes and versions ranging from 49cc, licensed as a [moped] in many US states, to 170cc. Later introductions were the Rattler 110 (since discontinued) and Roughhouse 50, designed more aggressively than the previous classic designs, and the Blur 220i, a scooter with a higher-powered engine capable of maintaining expressway speeds.[1][3] In 2010, Genuine introduced a version of the Stella with a redesigned four-stroke engine compliant with California emissions standards, and a 170cc version of the Buddy with fuel injection instead of a carburetor. Following these introductions, it received additional capitalization through investment banker Livingstone Partners.[4] In 2014, the Stella 125 Automatic was introduced, the first Stella with an automatic (CVT) transmission and a newly redesigned high output 125cc engine.
From time to time, Genuine produces special limited-edition scooters. These include a "GB150" version of the Stella with British-themed trim, a Black Cat Fireworks scooter similar to the Roughhouse, a high-performance "Psycho" Buddy 125, A high performance Riot Buddy 50 and Buddy 125, and (in conjunction with neighboring Ferrara Pan Candy Company) the Atomic Fireball Stella and a Lemonhead Buddy 50. In late 2015 they introduced the special edition 10-Year Anniversary Buddy 50 & 125, celebrating ten years of Buddy.
Products
Genuine Scooter Company features the following scooters in its product line as of December 2015:
- Buddy 125 (125 cc, 4T)
- Buddy 50 (50 cc, 2T)
- Buddy 50 10-Year Anniversary Edition (50 cc, 2T, performance upgrades, front disc brake)
- Buddy International (150 cc, 4T)
- Buddy Li'l International (50 cc, 2T)
- Buddy 170i (170 cc, 4T, fuel-injected)
- Hooligan 170i (170cc, 4T fuel-injected)
- Roughhouse R50 (50 cc, 2T)
- Stella Automatic (125cc, 4T - CVT Auto transmission)
References
- ^ a b c http://www.genuinescooters.com
- ^ Nathaniel Salzman (November 6, 2015). "Exclusive: Genuine to Produce Small Motorcycle for 2016". Scooterfile.
- ^ Motorcycle.com overview
- ^ Livingstone Partners press release (May 10, 2011), Genuine Scooters Recapitalization Deal, Motorcycle USA, retrieved 2011-07-01