The 2013 scootering season marks the fifteenth anniversary of Sportique Scooters. In the beginning all we offered was vintage Vespas and Lambrettas and the services and parts associated with them. It was not until our second summer that we began offering new models for sale.

Sportique’s evolution from a “scooter shop” to a dealership began in 1999 with the introduction of the Italjet Velocifero 50 which was being imported from Italy and distributed by an outfit in New York. It was the first modern scooter available in the USA that wasn’t Japanese and didn’t look like a rolling pile of Tupperwear. Despite its shocking price tag the Velocifero sold well and proved to the world that the American scooter market had real potential.

The Velocifero was quickly followed by a range of other Italjet models which were then followed by Italian machines from Malaguti and Aprilia, Spanish made scooters from Derbi, Taiwanese Kymcos and, ultimately, the return of Vespa to the USA in 2001. Soon thereafter even the Japanese were scrambling to make their scooters appealing to Americans. Modern scooter availability in Colorado went from zilch to overwhelming almost over night.

Here are some of the machines that helped us build a business.

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(photo Dana Wilson)

Each Spring the Sportique crew joins a tight group of old friends to scoot a couple of Utah’s beautiful national parks.

This year Pete and JP from the Boulder store, along with Colin from the Englewood location and their families attended the get-together. About 40 scooterists reserved a large group campground outside of the town of Moab. There was an organized Saturday afternoon ride into Arches National Park as well as several smaller group outings including a dash to Deadhorse Point, just outside of Canyonlands, where the Green and Colorado Rivers converge to form one of the planet’s most spectacular vistas.

We recommend using scooters to see America’s National Parks. Scooters are low-impact, easy to maneuver and can be pulled to the side of the roadway without a pullout. They also mount easily to the back of your vehicle with a hitch-mounted carrier.

When it comes to finding fast, friendly service for your scooter look no further than Sportique Scooters.

We offer basic services in two hours or less until 4pm Tuesday through Saturday at both of our Metro Denver locations. This includes tune ups, oil changes, tires, brake service and most of the basics required for keeping operational machines in tip-top shape. Pop in. Hang out. Ride away.

Same day service does not include repairs on scooters that cannot be ridden in. As a rule we try to examine every scooter than comes in for repair within two days so that we can make sure we have the necessary parts in stock to complete the task. If parts must be ordered they most often arrive within two weeks, depending on availability.

Scooters requiring repairs for which the necessary parts are already in stock are most often back on the road within two weeks.

Major engine work can take up to two months; this includes Vespa engine rebuilds, crankshaft and cylinder replacements, etc.

Sportique is happy to service “toy grade” Chinese scooters, however we require a $150 deposit and we are not able to provide any type of warranty on work performed on these vehicles.

We love servicing scooters at Sportique and we look forward to earning your business.

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