More bad news for Spain’s motorcycle industry and workers after Yamaha’s decision to transfer their production line from Palau-solit i Plegamans to France now Piaggio has also decided to transfer the production of the historic Derbi factory from Martorelles in Barcelona to Italy.

Derbi was a Catalan motorbike company founded in the early 1920s and was bought in 2001 by Piaggio and currently employs 230 workers and according to Piaggio the closure of the plant is “rationalising the Group production network in Europe, guaranteeing greater efficiency and productivity, the move will strengthen the competitiveness of Derbi vehicles to support the growth of the Spanish brand’s market share.”

The unions believe that it isn’t just the waning sales of Derbi scooters on the Spanish market, last year the company built 24,000 units and the forecast for 2011 is 20,000, but the decision is “a way of satisfying the Italian government, the trade unions and the workers” after the company transferred part of their production to Vietnam.

With unemployment at almost 21%, this new pullout will not only leave Derbi workers without jobs, but also the hundreds of supplying companies that revolve around the motorcycle industry and according to motorcycle website motorpasionmoto.com even the Suzuki plant in Gijón is at risk.

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The latest rumor coming out of Italy is that Piaggio is thinking of reviving the iconic Laverda marque in 2011, that they quickly phased out after buying the Aprilia group in 2004.

Laverda had a long and difficult history especially when they were bought out by the Noale based company who failed miserably in bringing back the brand back to it’s previous prestige.

Will 2011 finally see the re-birth of Laverda and what type of motorcycle could we expect? A modern café racer with a “Shiver”engine? This is only hypothesis, but it would be nice to see the Laverda brand on the market again.

More rumors as we get them.

Source | pianetariders.it

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If you’re a woman who loves to ride scooters and adores the the colour pink and likes to attract attention wherever you go, then Piaggio has something just for you in their new 2010 lineup.

Taking one their best selling scooters, the Liberty, Piaggio has dedicated it exclusively to their female clientele and have called it the Liberty Elle.

Painted in a new bright and vibrant pink with bold and special graphics, this attraction grabber comes with a luggage box in the same colour and to make even more glamorous it can be combined with a matching pink helmet with the same graphics as the scooter and the word Elle stitched on it.

Even the saddle has women riders in mind and has been lowered with respect to the standard version to make it easier to handle, the 50cc 4 stroke has been lowered to 765mm and the 125cc 4 stroke to 775mm making it even easier to handle.

Continue reading: Pretty in Pink with the Piaggio Liberty Elle

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The Fred Perry fashion brand is collaborating with Piaggio on a limited edition run of Vespa scooters bearing the famous laurel leaf logo and Fred Perry detailing. Piaggio will be producing only 100 of these special Vespa’s for Perry’s centennial anniversary and they’ll go on sale in the UK, France, Japan, and the US starting from August.

Source | vespalexington

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If you’re a proud owner of a classic and vintage Vespa, you’ll be more than happy when you read this press release from Piaggio.

Riders and restorers of classic Vespa scooters no longer need to play Russian roulette when buying spare parts and accessories, as Piaggio – manufacturer of the iconic machine – have updated its Vespa Vintage catalogue for 2009.

Every piece is manufactured in consultation with the Vespa Historical Register, the Vespa Club of Italy, the Vespa World Club and according to the drawings stored in the Piaggio Historical Archive. The Vespa Vintage catalogue is available to download free of charge from www.vespavintage.com.

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