On July 20th of last year I posted a story (actually a request) about a local motor scooter enthusiast who was looking for a space to open a shop in the city. The quest has been a long one in which the perfect showroom space was unfortunately not discovered. There is a silver lining to the story though. After searching high and low, the shop's owner, Percy, decided he better make due with a space that he currently used as a work space located at 10 East Oakwood just off Main Street. After clearing out the garage, Percy began to install shelving and added a new paint job to the interior. The location actually turned out to be better than expected and Buffalo 66 motor scooter shop recently opened its doors to the public.
Percy (photo left) has been working on scooters for ten years now. In that time he has mastered the art of two-wheel-retro-ride-reconstruction. Chances are that if you see a restored motor scooter zipping around Buffalo these days Percy has had a hand in its restoration. As a matter of fact, Percy has been busy working on rides for customers in Rochester and Toronto as well. He travels all over the country looking at Vespas, Lambrettas and everything in-between. He can look at a bike and tell you what is great about it and what to look out for. Percy has even been approached by a vintage European vehicle museum in Montreal to restore some of their prized possessions. It's pretty cool knowing that there is someone out there that is considered an expert in the motor scooter field... and it's even cooler knowing that the person is located in Buffalo.
Percy has a number of scooters for sale at Buffalo 66. Some are ready to drive out the door, while others await Percy's master touch. Nothing leaves Buffalo 66 without Percy's seal of approval. He works on these bikes all day long and prides himself on each scooteris unique performance and style. Currently, there is an original '72 vintage Lambretta for sale at $2899 and a newer 2002 Bajaj ready to go (he just sold the other two) for $1799. Next week he will most likely have another one ready... that's the way it works... you really never know what will be 'on display' when you walk into the Buffalo 66 workspace/showroom.
Percy speaks of the motor scooter community like most people would speak about their family. He travels throughout the summer visiting cities that host scooter rallies. Many of the people that he has met at the shows do the same... they travel in search of others that share a similar passion for these two-wheelers. The vintage scooter community is the tightest because they must rely on each other not only for information, but for parts as well. It's a labor of loveOe that is for sure. If you are interested in learning more about the scooter culture be sure to stop on over to Buffalo 66 Sk,termacht. Before you know it you might be knocking on Percy's door asking him to customize a gas tank or retrofit a set of handlebars. For those not interested in a vintage bike, Percy can land just about any newer model scooter as well. You want speed, he'll get you speed. You want a certain color? He can get you that as well. Most importantly, when you buy a scooter you know that Percy is right around the corner to take care of your bike. There are not a lot of places that have a neighborhood scooter mechanic to stop in to see at a whim when something goes wrong. It's nice to know that Buffalo 66 is in town to take care of the local (and not so local) scooter community.
Buffalo 66 Sk,termacht is located at 10 East Oakwood Place in Buffalo. (Near Greater Buffalo Savings Bank on Main Street) 716.316.3275
Top Photo: Percy (left) and Ethan (right) checking out a couple of the shop's bikes. Photo Bottom: Percy shows off a custom set of bars.
