Customized Segway Takes First Place in Annual Cow Palace Exhibit – Electric Vehicle 'Fancy Pants' One of Only a Handful… for Now
Segway of Oakland’s uniquely customized electric machines are not only attracting the attention of Bay Area pedestrians, but also judges, as they took home a first-place prize in the sixth annual San Francisco Rod, Custom, and Motorcycle Show at the Cow Palace Jan. 13-15.
(PRWEB) February 9, 2006 -- Segway of Oakland’s uniquely customized electric machines are not only attracting the attention of Bay Area pedestrians, but also judges, as they took home a first-place prize in the sixth annual San Francisco Rod, Custom, and Motorcycle Show at the Cow Palace Jan. 13-15.
“There were 2,000 vehicles on display, and we were right in there next to the cool custom cars and choppers,” said Segway of Oakland partner, Steve Steinberg. “For my entry, ‘Fancy Pants,’ I took an original i67 (one of the first Segway models) and customized it with all-terrain tires and rims, polished-aluminum fenders, bent-tubing crash guards, and a diamond-plated trailer with alloy rims. You could see the vehicles parked behind us in the polish of the fenders. It really sparkled.”
Judges awarded Steinberg and his creation a first-place plaque in the specialty class, while noting the stir it caused for its striking, one-of-a-kind look. The self-balancing Segway is already one of the most famous personal electric vehicles in the world, and gaining ground as a viable alternative to internal-combustion engines for shorter commutes.
“All the judges made comments about Fancy Pants, and we gave out about 500 business cards and 1,000 brochures,” Steinberg noted, adding a contract was in the works with a large electronics company to provide five custom units for an upcoming nationwide tour of Canadian Cirque du Soleil’s traveling group. The contracting company’s logo adorns these units, backlit in aluminum and pink, and they are set up to accommodate 32-inch television sets while maintaining perfect balance.
“A lot of things at the show have been there for years and years, the same cars and trucks…Bigfoot,” he added. “This was the first of what will probably become a trend in customized electric vehicles, but right now everything is still the old gas-powered stuff.”
Steinberg brought in the customized package to show off his ability to remake any model into a one-of-a-kind work of art through three custom kits manufactured with exclusive, bolt-together pieces. Much the way Lego blocks fit together, Segway of Oakland kits – created in conjunction with Andre Enterprises – allow the user to make and remake many custom configurations.
“We got our Segways in front of thousands of people who are really into customized machines already,” said Segway of Oakland partner Darren Romar. “We feel like this is where we should show them off, at this type of event.”
Steinberg’s next big event is a mid-February international Segway Polo match. Several countries will send contingents to New Zealand for the first-of-its-kind competition, and media networks (CNN and ESPN) are reportedly planning coverage.
More information on custom Segways is located online at www.segwayofoakland.com and www.segwayjunkyard.com , as well as www.andreenterprises.com. Segway of Oakland, at 212 International Blvd. near Lake Merritt, offers new-and-used sales, rentals, and scenic lessons/tours around the lake. The telephone number is (510) 832-2429.
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