Genuine Scooter

brand story

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. 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.[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.