The Vento Thunderstar is a machine from Vento, a brand whose name is Italian for wind and whose maker, Vento Motorcycles, Inc., was American. The company assembled motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and off-road vehicles in Texas and sold them across the Americas and in Russia.
Vento Thunderstar at a glance
| Model | Vento Thunderstar |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vento |
| Company | Vento Motorcycles, Inc., United States |
| Name meaning | “wind” in Italian |
| Range | motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and off-road vehicles |
| Assembly plant | Laredo, Texas, opened in 1998 |
| Headquarters by 2006 | San Diego, California |
| Support centre by 2006 | Melbourne, Florida |
| Dealers in the USA | over 175 in over 30 states |
| Distributors worldwide | more than 20, reported in 2006 |
| Model page | no dedicated Wikipedia article; facts from the brand page |
based on one source: there is no dedicated Wikipedia page for the Thunderstar, so the article draws on the Vento manufacturer article.
History of the Vento Thunderstar
A name with a double life
Vento sounds Italian and means wind, but the company that used it was American: Vento Motorcycles, Inc., with offices in California and a plant in Texas. The paradox was part of the brand’s identity, and the Thunderstar carried it along with the rest of the range.
Assembly and quality control in Texas
The Laredo plant, opened in 1998, took components made elsewhere, assembled them and checked the result. By 2006 the company had its headquarters in San Diego, assembly and quality control in Laredo, and a marketing, product development, dealer and distributor support centre in Melbourne, Florida.
A wide sales network
Vento sold through more than 175 dealers in more than 30 American states and more than 300 outlets worldwide. In 2006 Powersports Business reported that the company served dealers in over 30 states and had more than 20 distributors around the world. Its 2003 financial year brought 17,840 sales in the United States, while 77,600 Vento motorcycles went to Chile, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Russia together, counting motorcycles, scooters, utility vehicles and ATVs.
Design and features
- Italian-sounding name: vento is the Italian word for wind.
- American company: Vento Motorcycles, Inc. was based in the United States.
- Texas assembly: components came together at the Laredo plant.
- Broad distribution: more than 300 outlets and more than 20 distributors worldwide.
Vento Thunderstar versions
- Thunderstar: the model described here.
- Other models of the brand: see the links below for the scooter and off-road sides of the range.
Read about the Vento Avalanche and the Vento Phantom, or see all Vento machines in the Vento collection.
Video: Vento Thunderstar
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Vento (motorcycle manufacturer), English Wikipedia: company history, facilities, distribution
