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, and in 2015 announced it would begin importing a 400cc air-cooled, single-cylinder motorcycle under a sister brand, Genuine Motorcycles in 2016.
History
Founded in 2002 by Phil McCaleb 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.
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. 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. 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 (125Â cc, 4T)
- Buddy 50 (50Â cc, 2T)
- Buddy 50 10-Year Anniversary Edition (50Â cc, 2T, performance upgrades, front disc brake)
- Buddy International (150Â cc, 4T)
- Buddy Li'l International (50Â cc, 2T)
- Buddy 170i (170Â cc, 4T, fuel-injected)
- Hooligan 170i (170cc, 4T fuel-injected)
- Roughhouse R50 (50Â cc, 2T)
- Stella Automatic (125cc, 4T - CVT Auto transmission)
- Blur SS220i (220cc, 4T fuel-injected)
References
External links
- Official website
- feature about the Genuine Buddy "Blackjack" model on Jay Leno's Garage
