The 1971 Bruce Brown motorcycle-racing documentary On Any Sunday is credited by many as perhaps the best of its kind ever made. In this segment, disseminated via YouTube for a generation that might otherwise never see it, Steve McQueen and his buddy Malcolm Smith spend a muddy day at the Elsinore Grand Prix. The grass roots motorsport event reminds us of much about racing that we love, helped in large measure by McQueen’s typical enthusiasm for the down-home GP. Be sure to stick around for aerial shots of Smith and McQueen weaving through traffic on dirt tracks.

+ YouTube: Elsinore Grand Prix - "On Any Sunday"

Held every January in Las Vegas, NV, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will feature a Greener Gadgets Techzone section for 2009. The exhibits will be displayed in Central Hall, and highlight pioneering technologies that benefit the environment and sustainability of global economy.  

Amongst the crowd will be ELV motors, one of the first electric transportation companies to participate at CES. The company presents a whole range of "Fleet Certified" electric bicycles and electric and hybrid scooters. At its booth will be both the regular and police versions of the company’s  2009 A2B electric bicycle, equipped with a 500 watt, throttle driven motor.

Like rats, we have an affinity for shiny objects. We especially like
shiny objects that go "vroom." It follows, then, that we find these
custom Japanese scooters to be worth a peek. Pink Tentacle put
together a gallery of some of Japan's most photogenic scooters, ranging
from artistic to futuristic to unnecessary.

Click through the gallery above for some examples.

+ Pink Tentacle: Japanese custom scooters

Though it may fall mostly into the category of “things that are totally unnecessary,” this remotely controlled scooter project didn’t’ take long to warm our hearts. The video has a bit of an unfortunate soundtrack, so make sure to turn the volume down while you sit back and watch the purity of human invention unfold.

+ YouTube: Unmanned Motorcycle

Designer Maciej Puzon has envisioned what the world of skateboarding may look like in the not-so-distant future, with his Pumpboard concept that seeks to make the world’s most portable deck. The three-wheeled concept is inflatable with a removable rear axle, allowing the “board” to be rolled into a very compact unit when not in use. Pumpboard’s semi-ridged top and bottom give the needed superstructure when the deck has been filled with compressed air.

We’re still waiting on the hoverboards that were promised to us in Back to the Future 2, but Pumpboard might make and interesting intermediate step for board sports in the meantime. Have a closer look at the concept in our gallery above.

+ Maciej Puzon

Vespa; scooter enough for the manliest of British guardsman, perfect for the lady in your life, and even occasionally self-driving. These three vintage Vespa ads make a strong case for the iconic scooter, with a heavy helping of cheese on the side. Click on the video above and enjoy.
 
+ YouTube: go vespa go

Have you always thought that you might look pretty good sitting astride a super hip motor scooter, but haven’t had the time/opportunity to take one for a test ride? That’s the premise behind a new guerrilla marketing campaign from one Italian ad agency, which has taken to the streets with a sort of scooter visualization device.  A clever approach; have a look by clicking on the video above.

+ YouTube: Guerrilla Marketing - Lanzi Moto

Regaining a measure of popularity recently in its native Europe, the supremely funky Moto Graziella foldable scooter seems to offer equal parts fun and humiliation to the daring rider.

The tiny bike with the stretched seat post and handle bars—and looking an awful lot like a little, motorized gazelle—is powered by a heroic Sachs 502/1A engine, which displaces 47cc and produces 1.8 horsepower at 4500 rpm. Believe it or not, but the Italian company maintained that that motive force was enough to carry riders of up to 286 pounds, though we’d guess any one that beefy would have a hard time reaching the quoted top speed of 25 miles per hour.

Have a closer look at the distinctive Italian mini scooter in our gallery above.

+ Museo De Transporte

The Bicycle Design blog has opened up a competition, whose goal is to find bike designs that might convince more commuters to get out of their cars and on to a cycle as often as possible. Bike maker Cannondale has agreed to chip in one of its Bad Boy bikes (pictured above) as a prize for the winning design.

Contestants are asked to design a cycle that could, “persuade the average person, with no prior interest in cycling, to park the car and pedal to work.” No mean feat, to be sure, but one that we’d guess will provide a fertile starting place for ambitious concepts. Thinking outside of the current market will be a key to success here, though submissions are required to not “break the laws of physics, etc.” Fair enough.

Click through the link below for more contest details and submission requirements, and be sure to check back in to see the results after the contest is called on December 5th.

+ Bicycle Design

It seems as if the already rather geeky (and we mean that in the nicest possible way) cadre of Segway owners is taking a step towards the bizarre, by embracing the blooming trend of customization in the personal mobility market. Adorning their rides with acres of diamond plate and colored Lucite, these bold individuals aren’t afraid of standing out from the crowd—not as much as they fear walking a few blocks, at any rate.

Is a fully chromed and chopped Segway with matching tow-along trailer a true bid for individuality, or just another sign of the impending apocalypse? You can judge for yourself by sifting through our gallery above.

+ GeekAlerts