Scootering USA

August 12, 2008

Ultra Motor Introduces New Electric Bike to U.S. Market

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ultra Motor today announced the availability of its new A2BTM electric bike.

Developed and manufactured by an international team of expert designers and engineers, the A2B is a state-of-the-art electric bike built specifically for urban transport across the American city landscape.

Increasing challenges are making urban transportation more costly and time-consuming: the Texas Transportation Institute reports that gridlock costs the average peak period traveler almost 40 hours a year in travel delay and wastes an annual 2.9 billion gallons of gasoline, which has climbed to more than $4.00 a gallon.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that nearly half of all trips are less than three miles. The A2B is a clean, gasoline-free transportation alternative for the thousands of short trips Americans take every day.

"The A2B is unparalleled in performance, comfort and style," said Chris Deyo, CEO of Ultra Motor USA. "Whether it is a commuter who wants their journey to be fast and hassle-free, a college student looking to get across campus or an active senior looking to combine exercise with convenience, this is the ideal transportation method."

Unique Combination: Performance, Utility, Design

The A2B is built from the tires up for superior performance and comfort in a sleek design. It is powered by a proprietary motor that is highly efficient, producing more "torque" or force to enable riders to accelerate faster and climb hills more easily than other electric bikes. The lithium-ion batteries stored inside the frame provide more energy per pound than any other power source, and recharge just like a laptop computer. Ideal for city roads, the A2B has full suspension like a mountain bike, an upright, relaxed sitting position, and an oversized seat for extra comfort.

The A2B combines functions of an electric bicycle and a scooter - the construction is the design. The manufacturing material and surfaces, such as the welding and motor, enhance the A2B's industrial appeal in withstanding the demands of an urban commute. The colors and finishes underline the stylish appearance, while the brown leather seat and grips provide a touch of classical bike design.

Ready, Set, Ride!

No driver's license is necessary, just charge the A2B, unplug it, turn the throttle and enjoy the ride. The A2B can travel at speeds up to 20 miles per hour, without pedaling. Or, if riders feel like some exercise, they can use the pedals to increase their speed and distance. The A2B travels 20 miles on a single charge and riders can use a secondary battery to travel up to 40 miles without re-charging.

For commuters and "short trippers," the A2B is designed to carry the goods - computers, groceries, flowers or gear. Baskets and side bags are available separately for purchase.

Smart Transport in September

The A2B will be available nationwide through authorized dealers beginning in September. For more information on the A2B or other Ultra Motor Light Electric Vehicles, visit www.ultramotor.com/usa.

About Ultra Motor

Ultra Motor is a leading force in the innovation of personal mobility. With state-of-the-art technology manufactured in Taiwan and a design team in Germany, Ultra Motor is paving the way with emissions-free smart transport solutions for the global urban market. The company's global headquarters are in London, and its US operation is based in San Francisco, California.

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Solving Beijing's smog woes, one scooter at a time

Australian powersports company VMoto has recently announced that it will build hybrid and electric scoots in its Nanjing factory, and market them to the Chinese market later this year.

In the face of near-apocalyptic reports of smog and congestion in Beijing in the run-up to the Olympics, the world focus has shifted to the problem of transport in China. And with VMoto's success in Spain and the Middle East, the company is poised to make strides in an economy in dire need of a transport revolution.

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August 5, 2008

Toyota thinks small with Winglet scooter

Toyota is thinking small--really small.

The Japanese automaker has developed the Winglet, a two-wheeled scooter that rivals the Segway.

The Winglet, which Toyota calls a "personal transport assistance robot," comes in three sizes--small, medium and large. The maximum cruising speed is 3.6 mph.

Eagle-eyed visitors to the Tokyo motor show last October would have spotted a pair of Winglets tucked on the back of the Hi-CT concept car. At that time, Toyota executives weren't saying much about the Winglet.

Now, Toyota says the small version of the Winglet, which stands just 18 inches tall, is designed to be ridden hands free. The medium version stands nearly 27 inches tall, while the large version (which most closely resembles a Segway) stands 44.5 inches tall.

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August 4, 2008

Scooter drivers have rights

Sioux Falls is a great small city. We have the benefits and recreation of big city life but the charm and hospitality of country living. I believed in this wholeheartedly right up to the point when I bought a scooter. Yep, that's right, until I bought my awesome scooter.

Let me explain.

I want to do my part for the environment and save some money where I can. Plus, I enjoy the freedom of riding a scooter, so I bought one. I take myself back and fourth to work and drop my daughter off at day care in the mornings.

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August 3, 2008

Regulations Rattle Some Scooter Owners

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A record number of middle Tennessee residents are buying motorized scooters to save money, but some are confused by the state's scooter rules.

Some dealers are reporting back orders on scooters that will take months to fill, but should non-scooter drivers care?

Most new scooter owners are doing it to save money, but if they don't comply with the law, they could face financial ruin.

David McPeak said he loves his Vespa. He said it's a fun way to travel, plus it gets 110 miles per gallon.

"It's nice to just be able to jump on the scooter, run down to Wal-Mart, to the Kroger's, to the pharmacy or wherever you might need to go on pennies instead of dollars," he said.

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August 1, 2008

High gas prices lead to scooters in tough spot

With gas prices flirting close to $4 a gallon, many people are riding scooters that get up to 100 miles per gallon. But those who travel beyond town limits onto Route 1 in the Cape Region are finding they don't have a good place to ride.

With a top speed of about 35 mph, scooters are perfect for urban riding. When it comes to taking on Route 1, it's another story.

The busy Cape Region roadway has become a no-man's land for the popular mode of transportation. Scooters can be seen every day, zooming along in the restricted shared lane, but that's a problem: By law, scooters are prohibited from the lane.

The lane is for use by buses, bicycles and vehicles making right-hand turns only - not scooters. Yet, some dealers who sell them tell their customers to use the lane.

Scooter drivers are being told by police they must drive in the right traffic lane with vehicles. That's the current law, but that's also a problem: By law, scooters are not allowed to exceed 25 mph.

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City Mulls Scooter Parking

HARRISONBURG - An increasing number of motor scooter riders has spurred the city to look into how to meet their parking needs in downtown.

Jessica Chase, program manager for Downtown Parking Services, expects to present the findings of her study to the city's Parking Advisory Committee in a couple of months.

Chase said downtown officials have noticed a marked increase in scooter traffic around Court Square. Whether it's due to more motorists being concerned about the environment or high gas prices - or a combination of the two - isn't known. The bottom line, though, is that their growing numbers have made dedicated parking space for scooters a priority.

Scooter owners park their vehicles in different places, including on sidewalks, Chase said, which often blocks pedestrian traffic and hinders street cleaning.

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Toyota unveils scooter for shoppers

Car manufacturer Toyota has unveiled a motorised stand-up-and-ride scooter designed to help people flit around shopping malls and airports.

The Winglet, named for supposedly helping people move as though they had grown wings, is similar to a Segway, except it is slower, going up to 3.7 mph, about the same speed as pedestrians. Segways can reach 12.5 mph.

The machine is designed to respond almost intuitively, moving forward when the rider leans to the front, and turning when they sway to the right or left, similar to skiing. One of three models comes with a protruding handle that can be grabbed and used like a steering wheel.

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July 31, 2008

Hop on a scooter for fun alone

Hop on a scooter and you make a bold statement: You're stylish, you care for the planet, a rebel in our SUV-loving society. Until gas started closing in on the $4 a gallon mark, though, most Americans took little note. Now, the ultra-efficient two-wheelers are swiftly catching on.

Don and Heather Chiusa, 30-somethings living in Spring Hill, Tenn., have adopted an unexpected hobby in a time of soaring gasoline prices.

Eating up Tennessee asphalt, they've discovered, is far more fun when journeying on gas-sipping scooters.

"They get you to work, but they're not like cars," Don Chiusa says. "They're more like jet skis - you're investing in something fun."

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July 30, 2008

Miramar police trying out new set of wheels

MIRAMAR - Police in this city have added an unlikely tool to their arsenal: a three-wheeled electric scooter that evokes R2-D2, the Star Wars droid.

The $10,663 battery-powered chariot bears Miramar police decals, with flashing lights and sirens lending some heft and authority. Each weekday, an officer will use it to patrol the Town Center, monitoring the parking garage, new library and City Hall as a way to deter crime. But because it reaches only 25 mph, the scooter has yet to prove it's as agile as it is green.

"I doubt this thing will chase down escaping convicts," said Phil Rosenberg, the city's human resources director. "It doesn't substitute for the things a patrol car can do, but it provides a more direct link between citizens and law enforcement in garages and with outdoor gatherings."

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Motorcycle, Scooter Crashes Rise 38 Percent In Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM -- Despite recent declines in fuel prices, real relief at the pump seems anything but near. And those costs for some motorists to get around town have driven many to invest in scooters.

But scooter driving isn't for the faint of heart. While most scooters top out at a maximum speed of around 35 mph, that's hardly fast enough to keep impatient motorists from whizzing by.

One local scooter driver was killed in a crash over the weekend. Billy Ray Hester, 48, of Winston-Salem had just purchased his scooter the day before. He was driving on Jonestown road Sunday afternoon when he drove off the roadway and was thrown from the vehicle. He died on Monday, police said.

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July 29, 2008

Will Scooters Make Downtown Peoria Look Like Downtown Hanoi?

On your way to work, but you don't want to get chain grease all over your Armani trousers? Time to get the new ultimate urban accessory: a scooter.

A scooter hasn't received so much media attention since the Vice President's Chief of Staff was indicted, and it's easy to see why: plunk down $1,000 to $10,000 and you'll be rolling at close to 100 miles per gallon. Heck, get an electric scooter and you'll only be paying your electric bill. Depending on where you live, you might not even need to bring (or even have) your driver's license, as some scooters are considered motorized bicycles and aren't subject to the same rules as mopeds and scooters.

Once reserved for congested and car-unfriendly European and Asian cities, American scooter owners outside of Martha's Vineyard were looked at as wacky paparazzi wannabes. Now, they're getting a second look by a more mature audience, just like how scooter-riding Finch ended up with Stifler's mom.

Scooter sales are up more than 66% this year, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. Plus, new electric models might even be certified for highway use, as terrifying as that sounds outside of gridlocked rush hours.

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Segway Cop Nails DWI Arrest

It may still turn your head to see a Segway scooter rolling down the street... and it may turn you head even quicker to see one being driven at four o'clock in the morning on the streets of Jackson... and it may turn your head even more quickly to see a police officer driving a Segway at four o'clock in the morning on the streets of Jackson... but that's just what an 18-year old woman saw early this morning, before she was arrested.

Jackson Police tell News 10 that the first arrest made by one of their officers riding the Segway, a 2-wheeled, electronic, upright, motorized vehicle, took place in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Police say they caught a drunk driver who paused to notice the odd appearance of the Segway, and didn't notice that the driver of that Segway was a police officer. Officer Lewis Costley had seen the car traveling at a high rate of speed on East Biddle Street. When the car stopped at the intersection of Francis street, Officer Costley rode up on his unusual looking transport, and determined that the 18-year old girl had been drinking. The driver, who is not being identified until her arraignment, was arrested for operating while intoxicated.

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Setting the record straight about scooter regulations

Well, if you haven't bought one yet, you've certainly seen them. They're out there in force and the number is likely to increase.

I'm talking about the scooters and motorcycles that everyone seems to be buying in the battle against high gas prices. Police have seen an increase in the number and frequency of collisions involving these vehicles.

There is a corresponding increase in the number of people that don't seem to be aware of the laws in place regulating scooters. One mother called from Las Vegas and asked about the scooter laws for her child coming to Dixie State College. She "knew" that a scooter under 50ccs didn't need a motorcycle license and she asked about the number of crashes and the safety of these small vehicles. She was wrong about the need for a motorcycle license, by the way.

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Ultra Motors launches high range electric scooter

Kochi -- UK-based electric vehicle maker Ultra Motor Company today launched a high-range electric scooter, Marathon, priced at Rs 31,047 (ex-showroom Kochi) in India, which it claims would travel 100 km on a single charge.

"Marathon is primarily targeted at 24-plus year olds, riding a petrol scooter or a moped and who are looking at economy and utility," Ultra Motor India Director (Marketing) Deba Ghoshal told reporters.

The company had set sale target of 60,000 units during this fiscal. Last year, Ultra Motors, in partnership with Hero Exports, sold 22,000 ultra powered electric two-wheelers across the country, he said.

In fiscal 2007-08, the company had a technical collaboration cum-joint marketing agreement with Hero Exports to produce and jointly market electric two-wheelers in India.

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July 28, 2008

Scooter Caution Urged

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Many Columbus area residents have considered dealing with high gas prices by investing in a motor scooter.

The possible savings in fuel costs and the nimble little vehicles have caused a buying spurt at many retailers, including Zoot Scoots on Fifth Avenue.

But a recent serious scooter accident in Pennsylvania involving the daughter and son-in-law of Ohio State University President Gordon Gee has caused some to have second thoughts.

"We've had three people come in and cancel their orders based on Gordon's son in law," commented Rick Beam of Zoot Scoots to NBC 4's Matt Alvarez.

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July 27, 2008

Electric Scooter from Vectrix is Sleek, Slick

The future of motorcycles and scooters is electrifying or I should say electric. In April, I wrote about the Zero X, an electric dirt bike just hitting the market. Now there's the high performance Vectrix ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle), a high performance scooter which, according to the Boston Globe, has grown its dealer network from 5 to 50 dealers in the U.S. So far, 1,000 have been shipped by the Middletown, R.I.-based Vectrix Corp., according to the article.

With a 21 Kw DC brushless motor and a nickel hydride battery, the ZEV can go up to 62 MPH and has a range of 35-55 miles between charges. And it's goes from 0-50 in a respectable 6.8 seconds, according the tech specs on Vectrix web site. The on-board 1.5 Kw charger plugs into a standard 110 volt socket and charges the battery in 3-5 hours.

The electronics -- CANBUS networking, an insular bi-polar transistor (IGBT) and DSP to control the power to the motor and an LCD instrument cluster - can be diagnosed by Vectrix software loaded onto a laptop. Will it hold up? Time will tell, but the warranty is good for 24 months.

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Do you know your scooter law?

FORT COLLINS - Not a motorcycle, not a car, the scooter has its own set of road rules.

With the dizzying gas prices pushing more and more people onto scooters, police think it high time to let drivers know about the law that surrounds them.

First, a scooter is not a motorcycle. You don't need a motorcycle license - just a regular driver's license - to drive one as long as it's under 50ccs and you stay under 30 miles per hour.

Many scooters are able to go over 30 mph, but if you're caught above that limit and don't have a motorcycle endorsement, you can get a ticket.

Also, scooters must have an automatic transmission to be considered a scooter. If it has a clutch, it's a motorcycle.

Second, helmets are required for any person under 18 years of age. That includes passengers. Still, police recommend them for all drivers.

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July 26, 2008

Vancouver hopes scooter buyers consider electric

The City of Vancouver loves electric scooters and hopes more drivers will ditch their cars in favour of them. But they hope residents avoid gas-fuelled versions.

"While scooters are a really fuel-efficient means of transportation, their air pollution, what we call common air contaminants, [is] really quite bad, like 10 times worse than a car," said Sean Pander, the city's climate change program manager.

The city is working with developers to explore the cost and safety codes involved in electrifying parkades in new condominiums. They want to determine, for example, the cost of providing electricity to 15 per cent of the stalls.

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Investors say electric scooter a good investment

Four years ago, Mike Ehrler invested in -- of all things -- a company pioneering the technology of large electric scooters closer in overall size to a motorcycle.

"It wasn't much money, about $70,000. Back then, I did it on a lark," Ehrler said.

At the time, gas cost less than $2 per gallon, said the retired Ehrler's Dairy Inc. co-founder and Louisville-based investor.

Now, with gas at $4 per gallon, investing in Vectrix Corp. seems more like kismet.

"With the price of gas where it is, I think it's a very good investment," Ehrler said.

Rising fuel costs and concerns about the environment have made Vectrix a hot item, especially considering that it's a fairly expensive, first-generation electric scooter.

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Quite the sales plug

A New England company that makes electric scooters is getting a boost from the high price of gasoline. Vectrix Corp., which is based in Middletown, R.I., and has an engineering plant in New Bedford, said its dealership total nationwide has increased from 5 to 50 in the past 100 days.

Since last year, Vectrix has shipped just 1,000 of the scooters, but that number could soon rise dramatically, given consumers' increased interest in alternatives to gas-powered vehicles.

The company said it costs about 1 cent a mile to run the zero-emission Vectrix - and that it gets the equivalent of 357 miles per gallon. The scooter can accelerate from zero to 50 miles per hour in 6.8 seconds, has a top speed of 62 miles per hour, according to the company, and can travel 30 to 55 miles on a single battery charge. Recharging takes two to three hours if it's completely depleted.

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Electric Scooters Arrive In Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With gas prices more than $4 a gallon, scooter sales have jumped more than 100 percent in Nashville and some drivers are turning to electric ones.

The new Vectrix Maxi scooter has arrived and is on sale in middle Tennessee.

There are seven moving parts through the whole scooter. It doesn't use gas or oil, so it's pretty much maintenance free.

"A gentleman out in Green Hills has purchased one. He uses it everyday for his work commute," said Trevor Clay of Yamaha Suzuki of Cool Springs. "He drives from Green Hills to Cool Springs everyday and loves it. He says even his work is putting an outlet outside on a light fixture so he can plug it in when he gets to work."

At $8,700 the Vectrix is not cheap, but when you consider some drivers are paying $2,000 or more each year for gas, the scooter could pay for itself in just a few years.

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A shocking scooter development

This is so weird. I shouldn't be surprised by the Vectrix, but I am. I have read up on the groundbreaking electric scooter; I have watched video of the machine in action; I know, in short, what to expect. And yet, here I am, not quite understanding how I have suddenly been propelled forward by a bike that gave me no advance warning of its impending surge into traffic.

Tzahi Ziv of IFI Motors, which is importing the American-made scooter, has already briefed me on the vehicle's operation. He has explained that the brushless electric motor housed in the rear wheel spins in near silence, and that, unlike internal combustion engines, it makes its maximum output right away, so it doesn't need to reach high RPMs to pour on the power.

In other words, there's no "vroom, vroom" when you pull back on the throttle, but there's plenty of "zoom, zoom." And what a strange "zoom, zoom" it is! Upon turning the starter key (you can't really call it the ignition), I am greeted not with the usual throaty growl of a thumping engine, but with a chipper "Ready... GO!" on one of the bike's digital dials.

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July 25, 2008

Sydney offers free scooter parking

MOTORCYCLE and scooter riders will be able to park for free on streets controlled by the Sydney City Council in its proposal to encourage smaller, more environmentally-friendly modes of travel.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore today launched a draft of the City of Sydney Motorcycle and Scooter Strategy, which also proposes cheaper road tolls for those travelling on two wheels, and the installation of public charging points for electric motorcycles.

"The city is committed to sustainable transport options and supports the gradual shift away from large, polluting vehicles to smaller, more efficient vehicles to complement walking, cycling and public transport," Cr Moore said.

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July 24, 2008

Environmental, Cost Benefits Make Vectrix Scooter Tempting For New Riders

CHATHAM -- Despite headlines trumpeting a three-cent drop in gas prices in the last week, there are plenty of drivers tempted by the idea of cheap transportation. The Vectrix scooter, which plugs into a standard wall outlet, provides reliable transportation for just a few cents per "fill up" of electricity. But environmentally, the Vectrix is unmatched. Because it runs on batteries, there are no tailpipe emissions, no soot, carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases of any type. Of course, it still relies on electricity generated by local power suppliers, which means that some of the power probably originally came from fossil fuel-burning power plants.

Even so, according to a calculator on the Vectrix website, the electric scooter's impact on the environment is a fraction of the impact of gasoline-powered vehicles. That impact is expressed as a carbon footprint, or a measure of greenhouse gas emissions over a period of time, per kilometer of travel. The carbon footprint of the Vectrix scooter is 35.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilometer, compared to 277 kilograms for a Ford Taurus, and 436 kilograms for a Chevy Suburban.

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Scooter Riders Urged To Use Caution, Follow Laws

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. -- Hot weather and high gas prices are causing drivers to turn to more fuel-friendly modes of transportation, but police are warning motorists to be careful with their new rides.

Fairfax police said more drivers with different experience levels are traveling by moped, scooter and motorcycle, creating safety concerns as small vehicles share the road with larger cars.

The Fairfax Police Department released a new educational brochure for operators of small vehicles. Click here to view the brochure.

According to a law that went into effect July 1, a moped is considered a motorcycle if it is driven at speeds of more than 35 mph, meaning operators need to have additional driver's certifications and a motorcycle license.

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July 23, 2008

Piaggio sees big gains in U.S.

The US is demanding smaller cars and more scooters. High oil prices are driving up scooter sales, with the italian Vespa leading the way, just like it did in 'Roman holiday'.

Piaggio, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki on average increased their sales by 24% in May. Piaggio sold more than 2,600 Vespas, doubling sales figures in a single year. Overall sales of Piaggio scooters increased by 105% in May. A growth rate that should be confirmed in June as well, according to Piaggio CEO Roberto Colaninno.

In the US Piaggio has been growing for at least 3 years and in 2005 it had already sold 17,000 Vespas, 36% more than in 2004. But Piaggio believes that the real winner is going to be their hybrid engine that will be marketed as of next year, capable of covering 60 km with a single litre of fuel.

The new models will be able to work on electric power alone, adding normal power above a certain speed. Batteries can be recharged simply by plugging into a home electric socket for 3 hours. The new engine on the 3-wheel Mp3 scooter has already been marketed in the US in the 'thermal' version.

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July 22, 2008

Campus Police Go Electric

The University of Nebraska has found a way to conserve energy on its Lincoln campus and not just gas. UNL police officers will soon be patrolling on electric scooters.

Capt. Carl Oestmann says the department recently purchased four Segway scooters to save on fuel and to help make officers more accessible.

UNL officers will continue to patrol campus in cars and on bikes, but the scooters will reduce car use saving on fuel costs and reduce wear-and-tear on vehicles. And unlike cars, scooters can reach nearly every corner of campus.

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July 20, 2008

Scooter sellers get close

Two Raleigh entrepreneurs are making a change to capitalize on the rising popularity of scooters.

Rich Sathoff, owner of Electric Scooter City, is moving from the old Royal Bakery at 3801 Hillsborough St. to 2010 Hillsborough St., across from the bell tower.

His new shop is right next door to Scooterz Inc., another scooter shop specializing in gas-driven scooters, rather than electric ones.

"We want to create a kind of scooter mall," Sathoff said.

Scooterz Inc. is owned by Johnny Edwards.

The two business owners did not know each other before opening but over time began referring customers to each other.

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Scooter club stresses helmet rule

MARION -- The number one rule of the Big M Scooter Club of Marion is that you must ride with a helmet.

"That is a must," said Bob Saltzman, president and founder of the club. "Scooter and motorcycle riders have to be cautious on the road. The best driver is a defensive driver."

Helmet safety, Saltzman said, is a given by their members.

"We just tell them that's the way it is," he said. "We never talk about it too much. Our members know it's for their own good to wear one. The state law doesn't require a helmet except for the first year."

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July 18, 2008

Drive scooters, save gas

Walking, biking, taking public transit and driving less are all possible ways to save money on transportation. Now another option is on the rise -- scooters.

With their relatively low cost (less than half the price of a cheap new car) and great mileage (more than 60 mpg on average), they offer an excellent alternative to the car, at least on city streets in fair weather.

People have responded to $4 a gallon gas by purchasing scooters that cost a bit more than $4 to fill up. The Star recently reported that scooter sales were already up 25 percent for the year.

Scooters are helping to fill the demand for significantly more fuel-efficient vehicles that many automakers have neglected.

As more scooters hit the road, safety concerns will increase, too. Drivers of cars and trucks must be more aware of the smaller machines and safely share the road with them.

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July 17, 2008

Milton man commutes silently on a Vectrix

MILTON -- Concerned about the environment, Milton's Steve Shapiro bought an electric motorcycle for his 9-mile commute, hoping his new ride would spark a conversation about the environment.

But while Shapiro will certainly be seen as he zips to and from work in Canton, he won't be heard: His Vectrix "maxi-scooter" is completely silent.

"When you accelerate, it's 'whoooosh' and you're gone," he said. "That's one thing that blows people's minds."

Shapiro bought the nearly $9,000, completely electric-powered "built-up Vespa" three weeks ago, not as much because of high gas prices, but because of a desire to raise environmental and political awareness.

"I want people to see me on it," Shapiro, who owns an after-school tutoring center, said. "I want people to ask me about it."

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Getting out of the car and onto a scooter

During my morning commute, I don't listen to the radio or talk on the phone.

I mostly play a little game I call "Do you see me?"

Here's how it works: I see someone in a car or SUV waiting to turn left. Often they're talking to their passengers or on the phone. I make eye contact -- death-stare, stink-eye style -- until I'm sure they've seen me. Thusly satisfied, I smile. Sometimes, and this is the shocker, they even smile back.

You see, for the past month, I've been riding a scooter to work.

Like many people, I was looking for an alternative to rising gas prices. I've wanted a scooter for a couple of years, but before, I was considering it more as a toy. Now I'm looking at it as a more serious (if you can call it that without laughing) form of transportation.

Posted by Frank at 2:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Springfield scooter sales soar

As gas prices continue to soar, many Americans are doing whatever they can to save on gas, including finding other ways of getting around.

There's one mode of transportation that's flying out of stores this summer.

"They're smaller, they're quieter, they're not as loud," said Buck Douglas, sales manager at Elmwood Scooter and Cylce in Agawam

At a price of only four dollars to fill an entire tank of gas, scooters are selling so fast this summer that manufacturers can't handle the demand.

"As soon as gas prices spikes, sales on the scooters spiked," said Douglas, "to the point where every manufacturer that brings them to this country are sold out."

Richard Giusto, sales manager at Springfield Motorsports said, "due to the gas of course they've been very busy selling these things, they can't keep up with it."

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Downtown Columbus gets scooter parking

Mary Martineau's 1963 Vespa scooter gets about 60 miles to the gallon, and she loves to ride it from her Harrison West neighborhood home to her job at the North Market.

High gas prices have made the two-wheeler more popular. So much so, the City of Columbus is making room Downtown, in the Short North and Brewery District for new parking areas.

The first signs went up Wednesday morning along Gay Street between Third and High.

"You're going to fit about 10 scooters or six motorcycles in a space that was designated for one car," Martineau said.

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July 16, 2008

Police use two-wheeler to segue into the future

FITCHBURG-- A small crowd gathered outside the Johnsonia art gallery on Main Street yesterday afternoon for a demonstration of the Segway scooter, a device that could be the future of community policing.

The scooter will replace bicycles for officers on downtown patrol, allowing police to cover two to three times the area possible on a bike in an hour, said Police Chief Robert A. DeMoura. That is helpful after six officers were laid off July 1 because of budget constraints.

"It brings forward-thinking to the department of police technology," the chief said. "It will be used as a covert piece of equipment. Officers can come up around the corner to catch people involved in criminal activity."

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July 13, 2008

Cruising without the gas-guzzling

A weekly Thursday night event shows that scooters aren't just frugal, they're fun

From the back seat of a shiny orange scooter, I waved at cars waiting for red lights to turn green and a happy kid on a yellow bike in Brady Heights. Then there was the kindly pregnant lady and her beau strolling through their midtown neighborhood.

Actually, I waved to just about everyone as my scooter gang eased on by -- and the folks waved back.

That's really not my style, waving to strangers and all, but it was hard not to smile and wave as I tagged along with almost two dozen scooter lovers during their regular Thursday night ride through Tulsa.

Heck, you try not to grin like a finger-painting toddler as you cruise with a swarm of scooter riders, who greet passersby with chipper, bee-beeping horns. It's like frowning at a puppy dog.

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Protect your head in a moped crash

Almost a year ago, Blacksburg town attorney Larry Spencer wrecked his 1983 Yamaha motorcycle. He broke his leg in the accident, but it could have been worse. At least he did not break his face.

"I ended up being pitched into some gravel, and I landed with my head down," he described. "I was wearing a full-face helmet, and it took the full force of that. It was badly scratched up."

These days, his body has healed and the bike is almost completely repaired. He is still riding, though maybe not quite as much as he used to.

But his brush with brain splatter got him thinking about helmets. He noticed that many people around Blacksburg do not wear them when they ride mopeds and those who do often choose inadequate bicycle helmets.

So he asked the council to pass a law requiring moped riders to wear eye protection -- if they do not have a windshield -- and a real helmet. Violators would face up to a $50 fine.

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July 12, 2008

Two-Wheeled Gas Savers

Interest in scooters has been increasing as the pain at the pump has been intensifying, dealers report, as people looking to save on gas in turn cut down on the number of wheels under them!

And on The Early Show Saturday, Men's Health magazine's Matt Bean showcased several of the latest and coolest ones.

They're all ultra-fuel efficient. Two don't even use gas at all!

Vespa S:
The vehicle gets a maximum speed of 59 miles per hour and can get 72 miles per gallon. The tank holds 2.3 gallons, so this equals out to about 165 miles per tank. With gas currently at an average of $4.10 per gallon, you can fill up the gas tank for only $9.43.The Vespa S features a single-cylinder engine, front-disk brakes, and weighs 243 pounds. It comes in three colors: red, white, and black. The suggested retail price for the Vespa S is $4,199.

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July 11, 2008

Florida scooter laws

There are more and more scooters on the road today and the University of Florida Police Department says scooters are much like a motorcycle when it comes to the rules of the road.

UPD Lieutenant Robert Wagner says if the scooter can't get up to the speed limit, the same rules apply for passing a motor vehicle. Wagner says scooters must have lights, including taillights and headlights, and helmet laws are in place for some riders.

The Lieutenant says scooters have a right to a whole lane of traffic, much like a car, and they are not permitted to ride in the bike lane.

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July 10, 2008

Electric Scooter Offers Way To Beat The Gas Pump Blues

Vectrix scooters are entirely electric, powered by a high-tech bank of nickel metal hydride batteries that provide power to the brushless DC electric motor on the rear wheel hub. When the batteries get low, the rider simply pops open the compartment under the seat, unreels a short electrical cord, and plugs it into a standard 110-volt AC outlet.

A person riding a Vectrix scooter is a novelty. Motorcycle enthusiasts--and there are more out there than you might imagine--are the most curious. They're drawn to the scooter because of its unique design and because of the noise it makes, or lack thereof, when it zips by. And people always ask the same questions.

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Local scooter business speeds towards growth

Eco-friendly scooter and skateboard company X-Rides Ltd is ramping up its growth prospects, exploring opportunities to franchise the Wellington-region business and undertaking research and development to further improve its products.

X-Rides, which originally imported motorised scooters and skateboards from China to use as hire vehicles in New Zealand and Australia, have since upgraded the electrical components for their own designs, paying particular attention to motor efficiency and environmental impacts.

X-Rides' products are hired for events and it also runs adventure tourism activities using them, such as eco-tours through nature reserves.

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July 9, 2008

Green transit on campus

Simon Baek saves some green by going green -- when the weather permits it, at least.

The Seoul, South Korea, senior, rides his moped the four miles from his off-campus apartment to the University as often as possible because the scooter goes nearly 60 miles on one gallon of gasoline.

"It's good to take to campus because it's so much cheaper," Baek said. "When it's cold or bad weather, and I have to take my car, I end up going to get gas twice a week."

Baek's hesitance to drive to school every day isn't unusual. Popular alternative modes of transportation for students include bicycles and mopeds, while on-campus organizations are turning to electric cars and Segways.

With gas at $3.82 per gallon, a four mile commute costs about 25 cents on a scooter like Baek's. In a car that goes 20 miles per gallon of gas, the same commute costs about 75 cents per trip.

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July 8, 2008

Scooter numbers, risks on the rise

They're small. They're fun. And they seemingly travel forever on just a couple bucks worth of gas.

But there's one thing that scooters aren't, injury prevention nurse Kari Austin said.

They're not toys.

"People say, 'They only go 30 mph,'" said Austin, who works in the trauma center at Neenah's Theda Clark Medical Center. "But you can be significantly injured in a car at 30 mph. On a mo-ped, there's nothing surrounding you."

Scooter use on Wisconsin roads has grown significantly in recent years, and record-breaking gasoline prices continued that trend. While there's plenty of praise for scooter fuel economy, some, including Austin, are concerned that too many riders fail to give them the respect they deserve.

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Cycle, scooter sales going up along with fuel

Area consumers seek alternatives that offer more bang for the buck With fuel prices continuing to rise, an increasing number of people are turning to motorcycles and scooters as cheaper alternatives.

Dale Windsor, owner of Outdoors Inc. in Benton, said he has sold more motorcycles and scooters in the past six months than the business normally sells in a 12-month period.
"Our increase in sales has come from people needing transportation to work," Windsor said.

He has already sold out of scooters for the year, he said, and won't receive any more until the 2009 models come out in October.

The popularity, he said, is obvious: Motorcycles and scooters get many more miles per gallon than cars, trucks and SUVs.

"They get from about 50-80 miles per gallon," Windsor said of scooters.

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Drivers scoot away from $100 fill-ups

OCEANSIDE ---- Record-high gasoline prices have made motor scooters more hip than ever, and the newest riders are more likely to wear neckties than Che Guevara T-shirts, according to dealers, buyers and safety instructors.

Economists have blamed rising costs of gasoline and food for limiting consumer purchases and dragging the U.S. economy closer to recession, particularly in California and other states where expensive houses and rising mortgage obligations have already brought many people to the financial edge.

But scooter dealers along a one-mile stretch of Highway 101 in Oceanside said business has never been better.

While filling the tank of a large truck easily can suck away $100, more drivers see a new $4,000 scooter that costs $12 to fill as a smart investment, dealers said.

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July 7, 2008

Two-wheelers on the rise in Oregon

Portland-area residents aren't the only ones finding ways to beat the rising cost of travel.

A spot check of motorcycle dealers in rural areas and small cities indicates a boom in sales of motorcycles, motor scooters and mo-peds.

Scooter Wholesalers of Albany sold at least triple the number of scooters, mo-peds and small, 150 cubic centimeter engine motorcycles in the past two months than it sold during all of 2007, manager Abbie Stidham said.

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Women are safer drivers than men

Data released recently by the National Road Safety Authority have verified the claim that women are safer drivers than men.

According to the figures, men who drive cars or ride motorbikes or bicycles have a better chance of getting killed or injured in a road accident than female drivers.

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July 6, 2008

Scooters, motorcycles moving fast

On her lunch break from the salon, Cathelene Chavez and her co-worker took a drive to the motorcycle shop Wednesday and climbed onto a pair of motor scooters they'd researched on the Internet.

"Vroom vroom!" the 30-year-old hairstylist and mother of two said from atop a bright red Piaggio with a sticker price of $1,899 and a sign that read, "More than 72 MPG."

She'd already done the math: Driving 10 miles a day to work and back means Chavez would have to fill up only once every two months or so. That's a lot better than the small blue car she left parked outside -- or almost any car.

"Hybrids are nice and all, but they still use a lot more gas than these things," she said.

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Scooter riders: Stay alert and stay safe

As an avid scooter rider for years, and owning one of the largest 650cc scooters available, I am a huge fan of this mode of transportation.

However, what can save you enormously in gasoline costs can cost you thousands in lost wages and injuries when you aren't prepared for the issues that occur on local roads every day.

Just the other day, I witnessed four new 50cc scooter riders zoom excitedly past my home on their shiny new machines. It was so much fun to see them enjoying their new rides. However, not one of them had a helmet on or wore the appropriate hand or footwear for protection in the event of a mishap.

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July 5, 2008

Booming scooter sales call for driver education

The in basket: When Steve Stewart of the state Department of Licensing called me the other day to seek my help in letting the growing number of scooter and motorcycle owners know what they must do to be legal, I was reminded of an old inquiry to the Road Warrior from Jerry Maurer of North Kitsap.

"My wife acquired a 49cc scooter not too long ago," he wrote in July 2006. "Our understanding of the legality of this scooter is that it is considered a moped and no motorcycle license is required.

"(But) we are confused as to where she can drive on Viking Way heading north into Poulsbo. She was riding to the right of the fog line (white line on the right-hand side of the road). That area is designated a bicycle route. We understand that bicycle trails are off-limits to all motorized vehicles, including mopeds.

"But are bike routes the same as bike trails?"

"She has quit driving it altogether because she was stopped by the police and told to drive to the left of the white line, in traffic. The speed limit is 40 mph and her scooter only goes 25 on a good day, downhill, with a wind on her back."

The out basket: Steve at DOL said this is just one of the confusions that arise as people react to $4 gas by getting motorcycles or scooters for the first time.

"Scooter sales are off the charts" he said, "and people don't understand that some of them require motorcycle endorsements. Those that don't should know it's a risky endeavor in that it is the same as riding any other motorcycle."

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Virginia scooter law

With soaring gas prices, many are looking into new ways to get around including scooters which have been flying out of showrooms.

As of July 1st, scooter drivers have to follow the same laws as motorcycle drivers do depending on the size of the engine and how fast it goes.

According to Andy Postel with All Sports Cycles in Roanoke, "If you go above 49 cc or if it goes over 35 miles per hour you have to have a motorcycle license and it has to be tagged and registered as a motorcycle" you're also required to wear a helmet. Scooters range in size and cc's but all of them get similar gas mileage from 70 to 120 miles per gallon.

The rules for riding around in a smaller scooter are less stringent; you must be at least 16 years old, have a valid state I.D and wear a helmet depending on what city or county you live in.

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Climbing gasoline prices put zing in scooter sales

Scooter sales appear to be climbing faster than the price of gasoline. At least that's what Stephen Smith, owner of Scootersmith in the Heights, has noticed.

Smith said his business has grown 200 percent in the last few months. It's been so good that he's now collecting deposits on the gas-sippers until he can catch up with the backlog.

Chronicle reporter Rachael Gleason recently talked with Smith. What follows are excerpts of that conversation.

Q: How have high gas prices affected your sales?

A: It's gone off the charts -- there is a back order for several months. The demand is blown out of the water. It didn't surprise me that I'd sell a lot of scooters. We were surprised at how fast gas went from $3 to $4.

That caught all the dealerships off-guard.

They ordered for an average month or little better than average month, and they were caught off guard.

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There Are Perks To $4 Gas

While the price of gas costs at least $4 a gallon in most places, a recent article in Time Magazine shows that there are plenty of perks to such high prices.

The price of gas per gallon is $4. Of course the rising price of gas is excruciatingly painful for the most part. It is one of the two factors that cause the increase in food costs. I had a talk with a friend of mine about the price of gas. He had said that the price of gas is much higher in Europe. While he is right on that part, I had to explain to him, that more people use public transport.

In a nutshell, $4 for a gallon of gas sucks big time. This has really brought the talks of fighting alternative fuel sources. However, despite the severity of the situation, there are silver lines behind those dark clouds.

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Tips on buying and driving a motorcycle or scooter

Anxious to reduce your fuel costs and looking to a motorcycle or scooter? If you can accept the significant safety risks, but are not sure where to start, here are some tips to aid your purchase and use.

Do I need a license? Motorcyclists usually require a special license. Check with your local DMV to determine operator age or engine size restrictions. In some states, a scooter that displaces less than 50cc requires only a vehicle license to operate, not a motorcycle license. New York State for example, requires a special license when the top speed of the scooter or motorcycle goes above 30 mph. Below that, you don't need a special license, but there are limitations on where it can be operated. Vehicles that go below 30 mph need to stay in the right lane or shoulder. Other states require completion of a motorcycle training course. Check with your local DMV as the laws vary based on the state in which you live.

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July 2, 2008

Electric scooter users see red

A COURT ruling making electric scooters illegal to use has angered Hastings fans of the fuel-friendly E-bikes.

Nik Sandeman Allen, who owns Port Macquarie business Care and Mobility, has sold about 50 of the electric pedal-powered bikes in the past two-and-a-half years. But the bikes, which sold for about $1500, can no longer be legally ridden on the road.

The state's highest court upheld a magistrate's ruling that E-bikes were unregistered registrable vehicles because they were not push bikes with an auxiliary motor but motor bikes with auxilary pedal power.

The ruling, however, comes at a significant cost to those people who sell the bikes and to those who have bought them.

"With the stroke of a pen, they (E-bikes) were gone," Mr Sandeman Allen said.

"I really feel disenfranchised."

And he is not alone.

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Scooters pick up speed in the city

Many inner-city commuters are moving to scooters as a cost-effective alternative to big gas guzzlers. Andrea Mustain reports from New York City, where sales of scooters are up dramatically over the past year.

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June 30, 2008

Making A Turn To Motor Scooters

Doug Day is one of the few people in Connecticut not griping about escalating gas prices. Hey, even the station owners claim they're hurting.

Day is president and owner of Scooter Centrale in Plainville, where sales at his 6-year-old business have doubled in the last year. It seems that his customers are enamored of filling their one-gallon gas tanks and having the gas last for 60 to 100 miles. Insurance on the two-wheelers is about $125 a year, and many of them go up to 45 mph -- the bigger ones can hit over 50 mph.

Dr. Matthew Carley, 49, of Simsbury, was picking up his $2,000 Buddy 50cc model when I visited Day this week. Weather permitting, the doc says, he'll be making the daily 28-mile round-trip commute to his Hartford office on his new wheels.

Sean Gregor spent about $2,000 to buy his 125cc Kymco Agility a week ago. The 34-year-old plans to use it for the 13-mile round-trip trek from his Southington house to the Plymouth group home where he works as a residential program staff member.

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Get On That Scooter And Ride

BROOKSVILLE - Paul Weaver parked his motor scooter outside a local bar frequented by a clan of burly bikers.

They crowded around him seconds after he strolled through the door.

The Harley Davidson owners were not about to hassle him or taunt him for his choice of ride. They had questions - namely, "What kind of gas mileage do you get on that thing?"

"They'll inquire about my scooter," said Weaver. "I'd say that old stigma is gone."

Weaver is a manager at Adventure Cycle Center, which sells motorcycles, dirt bikes, scooters and other motorized hobby vehicles. Since mid-May the store's scooter sales have noticeably spiked.

That trend is being seen across the country.

People have been more creative lately in their efforts to avoid paying high gas prices. While they might not be going as far as selling a car and buying a scooter, they are willing to add a $2,000 high-powered two-wheeler in their garage. They think the more use they get out of it, the more money they will save in the long run.

As a result, some secondary cars are staying in the garage whenever the owner goes to work or the local store.

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Scooters become the new hot wheels

Deanna Zeek of Atlantic Beach has a short commute between her home and job as a personal trainer in Jacksonville Beach.

Even so, she is tired of paying $75 every time she fills her sport-utility vehicle at the gas pump.

Now she's shopping for a scooter so she can zip up and down the Beaches for far less money.

"I would spend about $8 every two weeks on gas," Zeek said one recent day when she stopped by Roadpower USA in Jacksonville Beach to test drive a sporty blue-and-white model.

"A lot of my friends and clients have them," she said. "They absolutely love them."

More and more people around the Beaches are driving scooters, two-wheeled automatic transition gasoline-powered vehicles that feature step-through frames and an engine below the rider.

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Scooter scarcity

HICKORY -- With fuel prices at an all-time high, savvy commuters are taking a look at some two-wheeled fuel-sipping alternatives - scooters.

Scooter prices start below $1,000 and with prices like that, it doesn't take some commuters too long to recoup their investment with the money they save on gas. According to the New York Times, scooter sales jumped 24 percent across the nation in the first three months of 2008.

"We had five of them in the showroom the other day and now we're down to two, so yeah - they're selling like crazy," said Derek Ramsey of Kawasaki Suzuki Yamaha of Hickory. He added that men and women of all ages are making their way to the showroom in search of a way to save money on their commutes.

Dave Stansell of Import Motor Sports agrees that scooter sales are robust and says a depleted inventory is his only impediment to sales. "If I had more scooters I'd be able to move more product," he said.

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Scooters moving fast

Consumers looking to shell out less cash for gas are hopping on motorcycles and scooters for the first time, keeping motorcycle training courses busy and scooter dealers waiting for new shipments.

"Scooter sales are just non-stop," said Keith Johnson, assistant sales manager at Nault's Honda Powerhouse in Manchester.

The dealership has a list of around 45 people who have pre-bought scooters weeks before they arrive from the factory.

"We're having a hard time keeping them in stock," Johnson said. "We could have easily sold in the hundreds."

With gas prices soaring, drivers are looking for ways to save on gas.

And,with mileage rates ranging from 60 miles per gallon to 90 miles per gallon and beyond, scooters are becoming an increasingly attractive option.

If you want to drive 100 miles, you can spend $4 on gas and ride a 2008 Honda Ruckus scooter ($2,049 manufacturer's suggested retail price) or nearly $24 and drive a 2008 Ford Explorer ($26,495 MSRP).

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Do scooter drivers catch break on insurance?

While it's true that drivers save gas money driving scooters and motorcycles, do they really save money in the end?

Besides the price of a scooter or motorcycle and the fuel costs that come with it, auto insurance is another thing that drivers should consider.

"By and large motorcycle rates are real competitive now," says Mike Flowers, the owner of a local Allstate agency.

Motorcycle insurance is the usual blanket term given to insurance covering those who ride motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Insurance companies consider a variety of factors when determining rates. Age, driving record, size of motorcycle or scooter, marital status and time with a motorcycle license are among variables considered by insurance companies.

Under Texas law, a driver is required to have liability insurance. The minimum liability that a driver of an automobile must carry is $25,000 in bodily injury for one person, $50,000 in bodily injury for all injuries in one accident and $25,000 for property damage liability. Both motorcycles and cars have the same liability requirements.

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Scooter's pleasures require proper attire

Whether it's a 50cc engine or not, an accident or mishap at any speed will leave riders scraped, battered, and bruised if they are fortunate. With less luck, the potential outcome is far worse.

I learned this through my own inexperience and with the "help" of a wet manhole cover. I hit the ground at roughly 15 miles per hour, and still managed to place a solid dent in the helmet and scrape my right arm. The minor arm injury was sobering, as I was wearing protective gloves and a riding jacket with a ballistic nylon outer layer and plastic armor inserts for joint and spine areas. Without that material, I'm not sure what my knuckles and arm would look like today.

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More People Buying Scooters, Mopeds

EL PASO, Texas -- Tracy Baeza never thought she would be buying a moped.

"It's economical. I have a Mustang which eats the gas, so we were thinking that having a little moped would help out with gas and everything."

Baeza bought her Ford Mustang just two years ago, but now she finds herself wanting a scooter to save on gas.

"Cruising around during the weekend and hopefully trying to go to work, using it for work, and for school purposes," said Baeza.

She's not alone. The employees at Mr. Motorcycle in East El Paso said they have seen a 300 percent increase in Honda scooter sales, 600 percent for the popular Vespa.

"In '06 when gas prices kind of spiked we had a run on scooters. And we actually ran out, and so this year we stocked up heavily," said Tracy McIntyre with Mr. Motorcycle.

The big selling point for the scooters is the miles per gallon.

"I think it's the triple threat, it's fun. It's fun and exciting. It's inexpensive. And they get to up to 110 miles per gallon of gasoline," said McIntyre.

As far as miles per gallon is concerned, that's 10 times better than a Ford F-150, four and a half times better than a Honda Accord, and nearly two and a half times better than a Toyota Prius hybrid.

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June 29, 2008

Fuel-efficient scooters growing more popular

If it seems like more motor scooters are zipping past you in traffic, it's true: Scooter sales have skyrocketed this year as consumers cope with ever-rising gas prices.

Inventory at some scooter dealerships is gone. "We're actually completely sold out," said Mark Kite, general manager of Sun Enterprises Inc., a Honda scooter dealer in Littleton.

Colorado ranked ninth in the nation for scooter sales in 2007, up from 10th in 2006, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), based in Irvine, Calif.

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Triad residents turn to scooters, motorcycles

It used to be that those looking for a small motor scooter at Mid Carolina Powersports didn't have a license, but needed a quick way to get around town.

Not anymore. Sales manager and part-owner Mark Christopher said these days, everyone is coming in, with one goal in mind -- saving gas.

"Today, you're seeing all walks of life," he said.

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Vespismo's mod-friendly scooter helmets

Petrol prices are on the up - which means more people are opting for two wheels to get around town. Which is good news for the scooter accessory companies, the latest of which is Vespismo.

Based in Holland (but shipping worldwide), the company offers mod-friendly scooter clothing and the helmets above. All are approved for safety, clad in weatherproof sky leather and made in Italy.

Link.

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June 26, 2008

Scooter sales fueled by pain at the pump

Tired of paying almost $60 to fill up the tank of his Ford Taurus, Kentuckian J.D. Riddle found a $12 alternative.

After returning to Shelbyville in February from China, where he noticed many more scooters on the roads, he bought one for himself.

Now that gasoline has crossed the $4-a-gallon mark, Riddle and others are part of a trend that is turning motorbikes, mopeds and scooters from a weekend amusement into a primary transportation choice.

Scooter dealers in the Louisville area said they've seen an increase in customers looking for something efficient to drive while they keep their car in the garage. And some aren't keeping their cars at all.

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Scooter Popularity Fuels Need For Safety

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Because of the increased demand for fuel-efficient scooters and motorcycles, the Central Florida Safety Council is offering more safety classes to new riders.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook," Safety Council representative Glenn Victor said.

The Safety Council has added a new location where students can practice.

"It's all about the gas prices. Everyone wants to save gas," Victor said.

The classes have become as important as ever because all two-wheelers can be hard to see.

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June 25, 2008

Scooter Buyers Don't Ignore Safety

As the costs of fuel continues to set new records more people are turning to two wheeled options to save a few pennies at the pump.

Scooter sales are up across the state as well as concerns about safety.

Adult riders in Idaho are not required to wear a helmet while on the road, but scooter dealers in east Idaho say that isn't slowing helmet sales.

Workers at Power Sports in pocatello says they sell a helmet with almost every new scooter that leaves their showroom.

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Utah motorcycle, scooter laws changing

Every nine hours in Utah, there's a motorcycle crash, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. That statistic is illustrated by a number of dangerous and deadly motorcycle crashes in the past few weeks.

While there are a number of motorcyclists on the road wearing the right gear and following the law, there seem to be more cases coming to light with riders putting themselves and others in serious danger.

Three-year-old Dylan Stroud is slowly getting settled back at home. His mom, Carrie, said, "I guarantee you he could have been killed. It was very dangerous, very scary."

Sunday night, two motorcycles were speeding down the family's Herriman street when they lost control, hitting Dylan and a crowd of people at a block party. Today, Dylan's dad spoke with investigators about the teenage drivers. He said, "They've told us they were intoxicated."

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Scooters everywhere!

Ok! It's definitely a new thing this summer. I'm seeing a 10 fold increase in the number of scooters rolling around PB. Let's be careful on our roads! Cagers (people in cars, as we call them) are not always on the lookout for these vehicles. Even though they more noticeable than a bicycle they are still not always ready to see them in the middle of traffic.

Thankfully, in PB, traffic is rather slow moving most of the time and gives the scooter rider ample time to avoid 'situations'. There's three obvious camps about scooters... love them, hate them, and the "Oh My God I Think I Might Kill Them" camp. For the later group, no worries... scooter riders (and all two-wheeled riders) are taught to pretend nobody else can see them when they are on the road and it is their own job to avoid YOU. So long as YOU follow the rules of the road (signal lane changes, stop at red lights ... etc.)

For the haters... get used to it - they are here to stay. Have you seen the size of that scooter store on Garnet and Gresham? Don't get mad when they zip by you between traffic when you are in gridlock. Don't get mad when there are 4 of them in front of you going the speed limit. -Get mad- when they fill up for the week costing a grand total of $5.

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Indian subsidies set to charge up electric scooter market

Manufacturers are hopeful that the 15 per cent subsidy announced recently on the base price of electric vehicles, along with the abolition of the 12.5 per cent value-added tax (VAT) in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, will boost sales by making their products cheaper.

This comes on the back of an excise duty cut to nil from 8.24 per cent announced in this year's Budget. Overall, the subsidy works out to a little over 20 per cent, which means a saving of Rs 4,000-7,890.

"In addition, we are working on how much more we can lower prices to woo the undecided customer," said Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric. "We sent representations to various state governments about 45 days ago. We hope to meet them soon and persuade them to offer similar subsidies."

Hero Electric's scooter model, Optima, which is priced Rs 28,000 (ex-showroom), will now cost Rs 22,000, while its Maxi model, priced at Rs 27,000 (ex-showroom), will cost Rs 20,000. Ultra Motors' Velociti model, priced Rs 34,000 (ex-showroom), will now cost about Rs 26,000, a discount of around Rs 8,000.

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June 24, 2008

Scooter sales rise on price of gas

Scooters appear to be riding the crest of a sales wave that's pushed by rising gas prices, which should surprise no one. But the rising popularity of the little vehicles became evident long before Canadians started paying $1.40 for a litre of gas.

As far back as 1999 - 2000, sales of scooters were on the rise, according to a Yamaha Canada document. From 1999 to 2006, scooter sales quadrupled, says Yamaha.

Recently, however, the surge in scooter popularity has strengthened, with sales increasing month by month and year over year.

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Rising gas cost sets creativity in motion

COLUMBUS -- Gas prices nudging up to $4 a gallon have driven some people to consider alternate means of transportation, such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and golf carts, to reduce fuel consumption.

Although some modes of transportation are street legal, such as mopeds and Vespa scooters, others such as those previously mentioned are permitted only under certain conditions according to local ordinances and state statutes. Fuel conservation is not a qualification.

Police Chief William Gumm said Columbus follows the laws and regulations established by state statute, which limits the use of ATVs on roadways but prohibits street use by vehicles such as minibikes, golf carts, go-carts, riding lawnmowers, garden tractors and snowmobiles.

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June 23, 2008

Ciao car, hello Vespa

It was an all-too-familiar situation: Ahead, a red light glared, and bumper-to-bumper traffic stretched as far as the eye could see.

Taxis honked. Drivers sighed. Nobody was happy - except the reporter on the white Vespa who slipped into the space between the lanes and nimbly passed among the cars. Pedestrians stopped to watch, and drivers' eyes gleamed with irritation and envy as the reporter made her way to the front of the line, turned right, and zipped off on her way.

She would giddily repeat the move all day. And people would notice, often wistfully.

"That's what I need, a Vespa," said one of them, Garry Rizzuto, as he watched from a sidewalk in the North End.

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Growing number of commuters on scooters

BLOOMINGTON -- State Farm Insurance Cos. worker Darren Fischer is part of a growing trend in this town: Scooter commuters.

As gas prices climb, some Central Illinois drivers turn to bicycles, city buses or carpools to adapt. Others, like the 38-year-old Bloomington man hop on the two-wheeled driving machines for getting around, saving money and living greener.

"Our scooter customers are getting some looks at the gas pump when their tank is full at $7.50, while next to them an SUV needs close to $80 to fill up," said Robin Juhler, a co-owner of Bloomington-based Sportland, a motorcycle dealership that carries Yamaha, Honda and Polaris scooters.

Fischer laughed a little as he talked of savings since buying his scooter in May. Like most scooter owners, he also has a car.

Gas savings also led Ryan Wilson, 21, of Bloomington to his purchase a few weeks ago. Now, Wilson said, friends and family are inquiring. "I get about 100 miles to a gallon on this. ... Now, some of them are thinking about buying one," said the Maguire's Pub worker.

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Utah laws changing for scooter riders

If you're a new college student looking to save gas money freshman year by trading in your car keys for a scooter, there are some changes in Utah law you may need to know.

Starting July 1, the state is implementing some minor changes to the rules for getting licenses to drive scooters, a mode of transportation whose popularity has soared in the past few years due to rising gas prices. The new rule, however, only applies to riders who are under 19.

Currently, all riders either need a motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license or a motorcycle-only license. But under the new law, anyone who is under 19 will have to get a two-month learner's permit before they can get the endorsement. Under state law, scooters qualify as motorcycles.

Nanette Rolfe, the director of the state driver's license division, said the new law will bring only minor changes and that the process for getting a motorcycle endorsement will not be much different than what it is today.

"[It's] similar to when a 16-year-old gets their license, they have that period to practice before they actually get the license," Rolfe said.

Rolfe said the state is abolishing its motorcycle-only licenses. Only 15 people in Utah currently have that type of driver's license, she said.

Another, more widespread change is that when people get motorcycle endorsements on the driver's licenses, they will be bound to the type of vehicle they test on at the DMV. For example, if someone takes their motorcycle test on a scooter with a 200 cc engine, they will not be able to use their motorcycle endorsement to ride a big Harley Davidson.

The engine categories will be for 90 cc or less, 249 cc or less, or 649 cc or less. Anyone who tests on a motorcycle with an engine bigger than 649 will not have any restrictions on the kind of bike they can ride.

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June 22, 2008

Couple Offers Chihuahuas For Scooter

Five tiny eight-week old chihuahuas are for sale in Cocoa Beach. The owner is willing to part ways with them to save on gas. Michelle Bandi says she can't afford to drive her car.

So in order to get better gas mileage she's willing to barter a pup or two for a new cheaper ride, a scooter! She put out an ad on Craigslist and hopes someone will swap. If you'd like to help Michelle, you can contact her by email. It's michellecat68@yahoo.com.

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What you need to know before buying a scooter

Wondering about buying a scooter?

If you're finding the thought of up to 100 miles per gallon too good to pass up, it's time to join the scooter ranks. Since scooters come in a great variety of sizes and styles from several manufacturers, it's a good idea to get educated before you shop.

Think about the roads you'll be taking to and from work, or for running errands. If you'll never go over 35 mph, then a 50cc scooter will suit you fine. If you may sometimes need to take it on main roads, you might look into a bigger engine. Eric Reeve of Rochester said his first scooter was a 50cc, but eventually he wanted to have more route options instead of always having to find slower side streets, so he upgraded to the 150cc Stella, which has a maximum speed of 60 mph.

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June 20, 2008

Brits get new electric scooter

How do you fancy zipping around town tax free, without paying congestion charges, using bus lanes like your own private motorway and coughing up just a quarter of a penny for each mile? No, we're not making it up - it's all possible with Firebox's ultra-cheap electric scooter.

Dubbed the Ego Street Scoota, it's around a third of the cost of other electric bikes, and will set you back just under £1,000.

Inside is a 1,400 watt motor, powering along at up to 30mph for up to 40 miles. The whole thing is charged from a regular plug socket, and costs just 8p to charge fully.

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June 19, 2008

Scooter and motorcycle sales up

Thousands of Utahns think they've found a way around high gas prices: get rid of the car. Scooter and motorcycle shops are reporting record sales, but they come with a catch.

It seems like everything has a catch when it comes to escaping the cost of fuel. Motorcycles and scooters get extremely high gas mileage compared to cars. But per bike, they can release more emissions.

Summer is off to a great start at Eco Moto in Salt Lake. "Sales have been phenomenal. I'm completely taken aback by how many scooters we've been turning," said Jon Schlee, owner of Eco Moto.

Customers are hoping that by spending a couple grand up front they'll save big in the long run. "Pretty much everyone who comes in is like, 'I can't handle gas,'" Schlee said.

When you can go more than 100 miles on a tank, a shiny new scooter is hard to resist. Since 2006, 15,000 people have registered motorcycles and scooters.

With increased numbers on the road, it's up to drivers to prevent an increase in accidents. "Our best suggestion is look twice at all intersections for motorcycles," said Derek Miller, with the Utah Department of Public Safety's Motorcycle Safety Program.

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Scooter snapshot

What is it: A scooter, as defined by the Motorcycle Industry Council, is "an on-highway motorcycle, generally with a small displacement engine, full bodywork and a step-through design."

Brands: Vespa, Piaggio, Yamaha, Honda, Genuine, Mitsubishi, Aprilia and many more.

Prices: A 50-cc model such as the Genuine Buddy sells for $1,999. The Yamaha Vino 125 retails for $2,699. The Vespa Granturismo 200 sells for $5,299. The three-wheel Piaggio MP3 500 is $8,899.

Fuel economy: Varies by model, but often 60 to 70 mpg or more.

Requirements: In California, scooters can be driven on most roads, but only ones with larger engines can travel on highways. Drivers must wear helmets and carry a motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license.

Scooterists: Hard numbers aren't available, but a 2003 survey by the Motorcycle Industry Council found that 52 percent of scooter drivers are married, 22 percent are students, 22 percent are retirees and 76 percent are men.

Sales: U.S. scooter sales have grown from 12,000 in 1997 to 83,000 in 2003 to about 131,000 in 2007.

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June 17, 2008

Gas prices pump up scooter shop

LONGMONT - A few months ago, Small Planet E-Vehicles in Longmont was selling two to three scooters a month. Now, two to three roll out each day.
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"The more gasoline prices go up, the more my business goes up," said Tom Wilson, owner of Small Planet E-Vehicles.

His store specializes in electric scooters and bicycles.

"You plug it into a regular 110 outlet and it's ready to go the next day," he said. "You put in no gasoline, no oil, there's no fossil fuels of any kind other than the manufacturing of the thing."

The scooters top out at around 45 mph.

That's fast enough for John James. He bought two electric scooters Monday, one for his wife and one for himself.

"It has to do with high gas prices more than anything," he said.

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Video: Stupid Scooter Stunts

This guy can eat ramen noodles while riding a scooter. Do not try this at home.

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Segways finally catching on with fed up gas consumers

With gasoline prices and global warming on their minds, more Americans are getting out of their cars and riding to work -- and riding on the job -- on the once-maligned Segway.

Scott Hervey of Yorba Linda, Calif., bought one of the electric scooters on June 7 and has put 150 miles on it commuting to his custodian's job at Disneyland, about 12 miles away. He had considered buying a Segway for four years, and gasoline prices finally drove him to do it. Now he "glides," as Segway enthusiasts say, to work. "I like passing gas stations," says the 54-year-old.

The two-wheeled Segway, a self-balancing vehicle that runs on a rechargeable battery, debuted amid massive hype in 2001.

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June 15, 2008

'Ludicrous' fine for my scooter

A father-of-four is willing to do battle in court to fight a parking fine he received because his environmentally friendly scooter was too small for an on-street parking bay.

Robin Swailes, who fell foul of wardens when he was ticketed for putting his Vespa scooter in a Beaumont Street parking bay on Thursday, June 5 - claims Oxfordshire County Council's rules on parking encourages people to drive gas-guzzlers rather than greener vehicles.

Despite paying for a two-hour parking ticket, the 42-year-old was hit with a ticket within an hour as he failed to read the small-print on the parking meter banning motorbikes without sidecars.

He now faces a fine of £70, reduced to £35 if he pays within 14 days. But the director of North Oxford Property Services feels he has been penalised for trying to lower his carbon footprint and believes the council's parking rules should be more clearly displayed.

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Are You Scooting Past the Gas Pumps?

You may have read about the growing number of people who are buying Vespa scooters (about 70 mpg) or motorcycles to fight the $4-a-gallon cost of gas. We're talking about people who use them for commuting, not just weekend joyriding.

Have you considered such a move? Think this would work in Chester County on heavily traveled roads like Route 202 or the Route 30 bypass, or on the curvy stretches of Route 100 in the northern part of the county? How about in winter?

Have a better idea? Buy a hybrid? Downsize to a more fuel-efficent and smaller car? Use public transportation more, if you can find a route that works for you?

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The joys of scooter travel

My favourite scooter was the one on Havelock Island, in the Andaman Sea. Some Japanese make I had never heard of, nor ever did again. 50cc? 70cc? What the hell is a cc anyway? My girlfriend had to get off the back whenever I went up a hill, otherwise thick black smoke would chug out of the exhaust pipe before we snarled to a halt.

There weren't many hills. Mainly we just glided between ancient forests, mangrove swamps and coconut groves. Hot air, slick with the scent of sea and jungle. No flies on us. The only traffic we ever saw was buffalo. There was a laconic, linen-clad guy in our campsite who came back one night bashed up and bleeding from the head. He'd managed to crash into the island's only bus. Remarkable.

In Pemba, we had something bigger. Do you know Pemba? Off the coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar's weird, wild twin. She was a beefy bastard Bajaj, modelled on the old Vespa. Gears and everything. A foot brake I kept forgetting to use, and a leftside handbrake that was actually a clutch. You don't slow down when you slam on the clutch. Not even a little. You probably knew that. Me, I had to learn.

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June 13, 2008

An electric scooter that goes 62mph?

WEST PALM BEACH, FL-- "Going back and forth to work, I didn't need to have an SUV or pick-up truck or big car, so I purchased a Vectrix."

Jonathan Ortiz never has to stop at a gas station.

"I just have this internal satisfaction that my scooter is not costing me any money in gas."

Ortiz not only owns a Vectrix, but he sells the scooters at Foreign Affairs Auto in West Palm Beach.

They are 100 percent electric, have no emissions and can save you hundreds of dollars in gas money.

"On average costs about 1 to 2 pennies per mile, is what the operating costs would be," said Ortiz.

The Vectrix is virtually silent as it makes its way down the road.

You can travel between 40 and 60 miles per charge, and then all you have to do is plug it in.

"Open the compartment; you'll have your on board charging cord, goes into 110 volt outlets in any standard outlet in your wall."

And the Vectrix doesn't just 'scoot' around town. It's actually pretty fast, reaching a top speed of 62 miles per hour.

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June 8, 2008

General Motors Exec Buys Vectrix Scooter

General Motors electric car champion Bob Lutz has upped his personal commitment to battery-powered transportation with the purchase of an electric scooter.

The GM vice chairman has bought a Vectrix scooter that uses a nickel metal hydride battery pack to give it a range of 45-60 miles and a top speed of about 60 mph. Watch the video of Lutz taking delivery of the scooter.

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Scooter paves the way for humane society fundraiser

DENVER - The scooters have descended on the Mile High City. This weekend, about 80 scooter enthusiasts have gathered to take part in the 2nd annual Colorado Chaos Scooter Rally.

The rally started Friday and will end Sunday evening. Deb Watts is participating in this weekend's event and says that while scooter riding is fun, there is an additional benefit.

"It costs a lot less to ride a scooter than it does to drive a vehicle, said Watts. "Most scooters get anywhere from 80 miles per gallon all the way up to 120 miles per gallon. So with the gas prices right now, it's a great way to get out and hang out with your friends but at the same time save some money."

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June 5, 2008

Jackie Chan Hopes to Stop Segway Tech Theft

HONG KONG — Actor Jackie Chan says his Segway dealership here is doing well, though costs are high because the manufacturer won't let him assemble the battery-powered scooters in China for fear of piracy.

"They're afraid of people stealing the technology," the 54-year-old action star said Wednesday at a security fair in Hong Kong.

China is a leading source of knockoffs ranging from movies and music to sporting goods and medication. Beijing has toughened penalties and cracked down repeatedly, but manufacturers say violations are more prevalent than enforcement.

Chan said he was confident Segway executives would change their minds as Chinese sales grow.

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June 2, 2008

Providence's new electric scooters go on patrol

Eco-friendly and yet mildly macho, the maxi-scooter yesterday zipped into a temporary space in the Police Department’s parking lot.

Mayor David N. Cicilline and Police Chief Dean M. Esserman announced that the department has four Vectrix electric battery-powered scooters as free loaner vehicles for a three-month tryout on the steamy summer streets of Rhode Island’s capital city.

“They are cool,” Esserman gushed. And they are said to be the first all-electric two-wheel motorbikes certified by the government as street-legal.

Esserman said he is seriously considering buying some of the scooters, which he sees as a speedier alternative to foot and bicycle patrols. Because the scooters take off with only a whirring sound, a scooter-mounted officer can be almost as stealthy as one on foot or bicycle.

With gasoline at $4 per gallon, Cicilline and Esserman nevertheless emphasized the environmental advantages of the electric scooter compared to a cruiser or a motorcycle. Cicilline said the scooter is virtually emissions-free while a motorcycle emits two tons of carbon pollution annually.

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May 30, 2008

Wireless Headsets Enable Bike-to-Bike Communications

Cardo Systems, Inc., the world’s market leader in the field of wireless Bluetooth communications for motorcycle helmet headsets, has announced the launch of its new SCALA RIDER® MultiSet.

The MultiSet retail box includes two ready-to-use SCALA RIDER Q2 wireless headsets for hands-free and safe bike-to-bike communication at distances of up to 540 yards as well as for use with mobile phones.

“With the SCALA RIDER MultiSet we continue to empower bikers with the best communication technology available, without compromising safety. To offer a smooth out-of-the-box experience the two headsets come factory paired, so that users can instantly start enjoying the product. As the fifth scion in our SCALA RIDER line of products we keep pushing the envelope for our customers by offering optimal solutions for every need”, said Abraham Glezerman, CEO of Cardo Systems, Inc.

The two Q2 headsets in the MultiSet retail box offer Multiple Device Connection (MDC) technology, with added features that allow bikers to connect wirelessly by Bluetooth to several audio sources including the following: voice instructions from a GPS, mobile phone conversations with third parties, intercom conversations with passengers and with other bikers, and high-quality FM radio transmissions from the embedded FM module. Whether you are riding your motorcycle with a friend on another motorcycle or riding with a passenger, the SCALA RIDER MultiSet is a great and instant way to stay in touch.

The MultiSet are also fully backward-compatible with the entire line of earlier SCALA RIDER models (solo, Combo, FM and TeamSet). In addition to MDC technology and Bike-to-Bike intercom, the two Q2 headsets offers the same high-quality performance as in previous SCALA RIDER models, including wind impact reduction, voice controlled receipt and rejection of incoming mobile calls, automatic volume adjustment according to driving speed and ambient noise, full rain and snow protection and more.

The new SCALA RIDER MultiSet is now available through select distributors, retail outlets, specialty motorcycle shops, and directly from the Cardo Systems web site at www.scalarider.com with a suggested retail price of $395.95.

About Cardo Systems, Inc.

Cardo Systems, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, specializes in the design, development, manufacturing, and sale of innovative wireless Bluetooth® consumer electronic devices. Cardo’s award-winning products integrate state of the art technology and features, with the latest innovative audio design. The company's SCALA RIDER line of products for motorcycle helmets are sold in over 50 countries and are leading the market in the segment.

Max. range of 540 yards is attainable only in wide open spaces and with no obstacles between the bikers. The typical effective range is approximately 800 ft. / 250 m depending on line of sight, terrain and traffic.

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May 28, 2008

Scoot over, SUVs

WEST GOSHEN -- Dominic Caporale puts his money where his mouth is.

A salesman at Vespa of West Chester, he also drives a Vespa 150 to and from work.

Caporale is like many a new motor scooter owner. Concerned about sky-high gasoline prices, which now flirt with the $4 per gallon mark, Caporale drives his car (a Saab) only when wet weather interrupts his Vespa habit.

Motor scooter sales are up about 15 percent from this time last year at the Vespa dealership, which is owned by Mike Homaijani. (He also owns the adjacent Import Cars of West Chester. Both businesses are in the 700 block of East Market Street.)

Sales are also 10 percent better so far this year than last at the Planet Honda dealership in Chadds Ford, Delaware County, according to saleswoman Jillian Soden.

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May 27, 2008

Sales of scooters expected to skyrocket

The high cost of gasoline fuels a trend toward more economical scooters and motorcycles.

Grady Maples was fed up with high gas prices.

Maples, 54, of Tulsa, took matters into his own hands and exchanged his car for a motor scooter.

The Owasso native is just one of many Oklahomans opting to use motorcycles or motor scooters as a primary method of transportation instead of an automobile in an effort to save money on gas.

"I save hundreds of dollars each month by using a scooter," Maples said.

Dealers across the Tulsa area have seen a recent spike in the sales of motorcycles and motor scooters over the last few months. Many employees attribute the shift to the cost of gas, which has been on a steady rise.

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Scooter Safety

A combination of high gas prices and spring weather means we are seeing a lot more motorcycles and scooters out on the roadways in the Wabash Valley.

Indiana State Police troopers say when sharing the road with motorcycles, make sure to use extra caution.

Troopers say the smaller vehicles can be hard to see, so motorists should be sure to take an extra look for them.

Police say scooter and motorcycle drivers should anticipate drivers' moves and always wear protective clothing.

Troopers say they see a spike in motorcycle accidents in the early spring.

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Hop on a scooter

You've seen their bright colors speckling the streets, gliding in and out of traffic, and though they aren't quite as formidable as a Harley-Davidson, you've probably daydreamed about how cool you'd look cruising on a scooter.

That's okay. With gas prices rising with the summer heat, it may be time to swap that SUV for something a little less taxing on your wallet. Brian Ducharme, managing editor of Virtual Strategy magazine, and creator of Scoot Free or Die, an online New Hampshire scooter club, had a few tips for those ready to hop on two wheels.

"One of the nice things about riding a (50cc) scooter is that you don't need a motorcycle license. They're good to start on. Registering it comes out to about $12," he said.

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The scooter solution to high gas prices

Out of the large windows that line the front of Metzger's Cycles & Accessories, Jason Metzger can watch the price of gas at the gas station across 10th Avenue South.

Every time gas goes up 4 cents, he figures he'll sell an extra scooter that week.

With the price of gas climbing and the possibility of $4-per-gallon gas looming, consumers are looking for ways to fill up their tanks less often and looking for smaller gas tanks.

The price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline climbed to $3.77 in Great Falls last week. That's compared to $3.48 a month ago and $3.21 at this time last year, according to AAA.

Metzger opened his business, which sells Vespa and Piaggio scooters, as well as motorcycle accessories, late last fall. Business has steadily been picking up since.

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'Scooting' by high gas prices

MARION — Julie Daiber is making a statement. Her answer to the rising gas prices was to purchase a Buddy 125 Scooter about a month ago.

Daiber said she had ridden a motorcycle for about 8 years but knew the scooter would get better gas mileage.

“It (scooter) looked like a lot of fun,” she said. “Gas prices are going through the roof. I drive a Corolla and it gets really good gas mileage so I shouldn’t complain compared to what some of my co-workers and friends who drive SUV’s are getting.”

The scooter, which reaches a top speed of 70 miles per hour and gets about 100 miles per gallon, draws a lot of comments from people when she rides into a gas station for a fill-up.

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Gas prices benefit some businesses

As gas prices climb higher, jumping nearly 20 cents in one day this week and inching closer to the dreaded $4 per gallon, some local businesses are actually reaping the benefits.

Bicycle, scooter and even motorcycle sales are skyrocketing as consumers seek alternative modes of transportation.

At Trimble’s Cycle Center in Austin, not only are they sold out of their coveted Honda scooters — the company is too.

“We haven’t got any left,” Dick Trimble said Thursday.

Trimble said they are trying to get other brands in stock but are having difficulty due to the high demand.

The dealer, which began carrying scooters about 10 years ago, typically orders them in the fall and begins stocking them for the season in February and March. Many customers are parents buying them for their high school children, Trimble said. The legal age to drive a scooter is 15.

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Scooterists to converge at rally

More than 100 scooterists will converge on Waxahachie from June 13-15 for the North Texas Lakes Rally, sponsored by the Cabana Boys Scooter Group of North Texas.

Scooters of all sizes, makes, ages and speeds can be seen, including Vespas, Cushmans, Lambrettas – even the old Sears and Roebuck Allstate scooters will be on hand.

“There will be all kinds of vendors, including a new scooter shop out of Colleyville that will have new scooters on display,” said Daniel Smith, club leader and Waxahachie resident. “We’re also going to raffle off a 1980 Honda Elite 50 scooter. It’s a little rough, but it’s registered and has a clear Texas title.”

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May 24, 2008

Scooter Sales Rise With Gas Prices

Record high gas prices have more drivers downsizing from four wheels to two. Scooter sales at Vespa of Des Moines have been "amazing" says Paula James. The reason? Drivers want to save money at the pumps. "They only hold 2.3 gallons, so you figure you can spend $8 or $9 at the pump and go almost 200 miles," says James.

At Garvis Honda, scooters are going so fast the dealer is having a hard time keeping them in stock. Only four are for sale today. "We've sold 40 or 50 in the last month or so," says Kevin McKinney.

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Gas Goes Up, Scooter Sales Follow

“It’s up about 25%.” Super Scooter Shop owner Gary Vass is talking about business.

It took a turn for the worse when the weather did the same in February, but bounced back in March and is now on the rise, much like the prices at the pump.

“I think they have 90% to do with the increase in business,” Vass continues.

Gary's selling about a bike a day, and every one of them gets between 80 and 150 miles per gallon. Mopeds, bicycle-style vehicles that run on chains instead of belts, are the most fuel-efficient. And possibly for that reason, you're seeing more mopeds, scooters and motorcycles.

Springfield police say that accident statistics may support the theory there are more motorcyclists on the road.

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May 18, 2008

Scooter rider pleads with 'intolerant' motorists

DARWIN scooter rider Aleja Perkins has called for motorists to be more mindful of sharing the roads.
The 23-year-old cafe manager, from Bayview, is angry at the way she is treated on the roads and is now scared to use her only form of transport.

"People sticking their fingers up, being impatient, overtaking on merging lanes so I have had to brake and telling me I have to ride on the shoulder is what I deal with,'' she said. "It makes me feel angry and scared.''

Ms Perkins said riding her yellow Jive Bug nicknamed "Bumblebee'' is not only more economical than driving a car but is her way of contributing to the environment.

"I ride for economical and environmental reasons,'' she said.

"Just this week three people have given me the finger -- I don't want to start off my day like that.

"To motorists, give us a chance -- I am doing everything legally."

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Ups and downs of riding a scooter

SEATTLE -- Step aside, youngsters. There's a new breed of scooter riders in town.

With gas prices on the rise, scooter sales are booming and more than half of the buyers are between 40 and 60 years old.

"Dense city, high price of gas - a scooter makes sense," said Steve Calvo, dealer with Vespa Seattle. "We're up 225 percent over last year."

The gas mileage explains the hype. You can fill up a 50cc scooter for around $4 and travel 75 miles before filling up again.

Patti West, who commutes by scooter year-round, says she saves money and time with her choice of wheels.

"I show up at events sooner than my friends because I can find parking right away," she said.

But parking takes precedence over power. On a flat street, a scooter with a 50cc engine can reach up to 45 mph, but on a hill, you're lucky if you can hit 20 mph.

And there are safety worries, including wipe outs, lack of scooter driving experience and car drivers who fail to see scooters coming.

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May 16, 2008

Scooter -- the new second car

You've heard about people going from big cars to smaller ones? Well, some are going even further.

Scooter sales are way up.

Why? The reason is pretty simple. Scooters average about 85 miles a gallon, and usually cost between $2,000 and $5,000.

Then, there's that feeling you get when you drive by gas stations!

"It's actually a huge relief," one scooter owner told me, "because, before, you just got sort of a sick feeling, like, 'I'm going to have to go there again. I'm enslaved to gasoline.' But now, you fill (a scooter) up, and you go forever."

Scooter shop owner Pedro Calderon says, "The scooter has become like a second car for the American family lately. They've been selling cars to buy scooters. And of course, the reason is obvious: They want to save some money."

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Oklahoma Cops says scooterists need license

EDMOND — Mopeds and scooters are becoming more popular as the price of gasoline continues to skyrocket.

Edmond police want to remind drivers of two-wheel motorized vehicles they must pass a motorcycle driving test and have the "M” endorsement on their driver's license, Edmond police officer Randy Payne said.

Scooters also must be street legal with a vehicle identification number, license plate and turn signals, he said.

A motorcycle driver's license costs $14 at the Public Safety Department. There are written and driving tests that must be passed.

A free book to help with the tests is available at any Public Safety Department office. In Edmond, the Public Safety Department is in the Downtown Community Center, 28 E Main St.

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May 13, 2008

South Africa may see a scooter boom

South Africa is not the only place where rising fuel prices are changing the way people think about how they get from A to B.

Figures released by the UK Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) show registrations of new motorcycles in April 2008 were up 10.2 percent across all categories compared to the same month in 2007 – with scooter sales up a staggering 42.3 percent.

Are we going to see a similar scooter boom here? Could be.

MCIA spokesman Craig Carey-Clinch said: "This shows a healthy market despite economic gloom and poor riding weather.

Motorcycle use is becoming more diverse with the biggest gains in commuter and practical, everyday bikes, which suggests more new, younger riders and people looking for alternatives to traffic jams or crowded public transport.

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May 12, 2008

Gas prices drive local scooter sales

Registrations of new hybrid vehicles increased by 38 percent in last year to a little over 350,000 nationally, according to records.

The Associated Press reported this data recently after it was released by Southfield, Mich. automotive marketing and research company R. L. Polk and Co. The sale of hybrid vehicles accounted for only 2.2 percent of the U.S. market share last year. Purchases grew steadily however, even as overall automotive sales slipped by three percent.

Rising gasoline prices accounted for only a portion of last year’s increase. But locally, it seems the current spike in gas prices is having a direct effect on other alternative means of transportation — specifically scooters.

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May 10, 2008

Gas prices push drivers to look at 2-wheel alternatives

SARASOTA, Fla. - Helmet hair is never in style, but it could mean some Suncoast drivers are saving big bucks at the pump.

It's a 2-seater in which its 2 gallons of gas can last more than 200 miles. They're called Vespas, and with the price of gas so high, the line of scooters are tough to keep in stock.

It's been a busy month for Sarasota Vespa, and general manager Darren Miles says gas prices are to thank; As they continue to climb, his showroom continues to empty out. "Since mid-April, we've doubled our sales."

The main selling point: gas mileage. Even the scooters with a little more muscle get at least 55 miles a gallon.

There are other practical uses; Every scooter seats 2, there is storage space, and Miles says the higher end models are safe for highway commutes. "People are looking at scooters as an alternative means to their car. Some are selling them, some are putting them away in the garage and hoping later on that the gas will come down."

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Electric Zapino Scooter in Stock for Immediate Delivery

SANTA ROSA, CA -- With Presidential hopefuls talking up a Gas Tax Holiday to help consumers with rising gas prices this summer, electric vehicle pioneer ZAP is proposing a permanent holiday from gas taxes by using electric vehicles.

ZAP electric vehicles use no gasoline so no tax need apply. To provide an additional incentive, the Northern California Company is offering a $100 rebate to customers who purchase its newest electric scooter, the Zapino. Now in stock and available for immediate delivery, the Zapino is a good way to beat record gas prices this summer, whether there is a Gas Tax Holiday or not. To receive the rebate, order online at http://www.zapworld.com through May 31st.

Perhaps ZAP can provide some electric vehicles to the Presidential hopefuls? Republican presidential candidate John McCain first proposed the idea for a Gas Tax Holiday earlier this year in which the federal gas tax would be suspended for three months to give consumers a break. Then Hillary Clinton took up the issue, which has been opposed by her political rival Barack Obama. With gas prices rising well over $3 per gallon in most parts of the country, the Gas Tax Holiday has become an important political issue for voters.

ZAP points out that its electric vehicles refuel by plugging into normal household electrical outlets. The cost of recharging the vehicle can range from one to three cents per mile depending on your electrical rates, meaning a full charge could cost anywhere from 25 to 75 cents. Meanwhile, electric vehicles produce almost no pollution, reducing automotive emissions by more than 90 percent over gasoline, even including power plant emissions to generate the electricity, according to the California Air Resources Board.

Both McCain and Clinton thought a Gas Tax Holiday would be a good idea because it would give average Americans a break from rising gas prices. Meanwhile, critics say the savings is not worth the effort. Recently 150 economists signed a statement from the Brookings Institution to oppose the Gas Tax Holiday. Their study showed that, assuming the average driver travels 4,000 miles this summer with a car that gets 20 MPG, the Gas Tax Holiday would save $18 per driver. They also said waiving the tax would encourage people to use more gasoline, generate more profits for oil companies, and threaten the record budget deficit forecasted this year.

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Motor Scooters Gain Popularity

In Europe, where gas has always been more expensive, hopping on a Vespa is way of life . Now with prices closing in on $4 a gallon, people in Western Mass understand why.

Zakaria Fakahir bought his first scooter in Northampton at EZ Rider Motorsports. He used to have a Harley but two weeks ago, took a spin on the scooter and never looked back.

"I go to Springfield, Holyoke, Easthampton, and all over," said Fakahir.

Fakahir like so many others turning to two wheels instead of four, are doing it in part, to save money on gas-guzzling cars.

"I bought this bike to save a lot of money because I used to put $75 to $80 a week into my car because I travel a lot. And then when I got this bike, in the last 2 weeks I've spent only $9,: adds Fakahir.

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May 7, 2008

Scooter business fit for recession

It's a rough time to be a business owner. Everywhere you turn, there's news about the weakened economy and cash-strapped consumers. If you haven't felt the squeeze of soaring gas prices yet, you're lucky -- but not immune.

According to a January Nielsen report, 49% of U.S. consumers have already reduced their spending to compensate for high gas prices, and that number could increase if gas hits the $4 a gallon national average that's predicted for this summer.

So what's a small-business owner to do? First, don't stick your head in the sand hoping the crisis will pass you by. And second, don't be discouraged. Plenty of businesses are not only surviving the soaring gas prices, but prospering as well.

Scooter dealers across the country pull in significant sales each time the gas prices spike. "Scooter sales were up 64.5% over the previous quarter a year ago," says Mike Mount, of the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Scooters get 50 to 100 miles per gallon.

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Scootermania

Movie stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio

They were immortalized in glamorous European films by Italian maestros Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni, and in the pop culture classics “American Graffiti” and “American Pie.”

When Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn saddled up a Vespa motor scooter in “Roman Holiday” and the scene was preserved on the film poster, the machine instantly became a global aesthetic icon.

Now Elaine Ficcardi, an accountant, is getting into the mystique.

For the last month, Ms. Ficcardi, 47, has donned her motorcycle boots and white leather jacket, hopped on her black 2008 Vespa S 150 and commuted five miles to her volunteer job at an animal shelter.

She said she has never felt more cool, or saved more money on gas in a time of shockingly high fuel prices, than when she has rolled to her job, picked up groceries or stopped at the bank on her $4,000 scooter.

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$4 gas is scooter time

For under $2,000, you can buy a brand-new vehicle that will get 100 mpg, and can be parked almost anywhere. With gas at $4 and heading up, perhaps it's time we took another look at the world's answer to cheap transportation, the scooter.

I'm not suggesting the old-style two-stroke, high polluting pieces of crap, but modern, high-quality machines from manufacturers such as Honda.

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May 6, 2008

More drivers trade 4 wheels for 2

As gas prices have jumped dramatically since 2000, so has the number of people riding motorcycles and scooters.

Between 2000 and 2007 ICBC has recorded a 78 per cent increase in the numbers of people insuring themselves to ride two-wheeled vehicles.

In 2000 gas cost about 60 cents a litre, but with gas prices now heading to $1.30 a litre, more commuters are parking their cars and wheeling out scooters. And the most popular vehicle is the 49-cc scooter, which can be ridden by anyone with a B.C. driver's licence without having to qualify for a Class 6 motorcycle licence.

"We must have sold 400 in the last year," Carter Honda assistant sales manager Andy Pitts said of the company's Jazz scooter. "Five years ago we'd have sold about half of those.

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May 4, 2008

Scooter Sales Soaring as Alternative Transportation

As gas prices keep rising, many are looking for alternative transportation. Scooters are now a popular replacement for those fuel-hogging four-wheelers.

At Blue Cat Motors in St. Paul, scooter sales are rising fast. Scooters run at around $2,000, and have at least 100 miles to the gallon.

Said salesperson Ryan Scott, "This year I’ve sold twice what I’ve sold all of last year." And that trend is nation-wide. Across the country, scooter sales in the first quarter of the year are up 24 percent. Minnesota ranks 15th in the country in sales.

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Increase in Scooter Sales

MOUNT VERNON -- Mt. Vernon resident Jere Shaw can often be seen riding around town on his moped.

Shaw says he has had a motorcycle his whole life, but now with a bad hip, the moped is his two wheeler of choice.

Shaw says he bought the moped to use with his grandson, but now he's mainly the one who uses it.

"I would imagine it gets 75 MPG," he said. "I didn't buy it for that purpose...I bought it to play around with, but it comes in handy when I go to the grocery store."

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May 2, 2008

Scooters Help Relieve Pain At The Pump

ARVADA, Colo. ― A growing number of Denver drivers are parking their cars in favor of fuel efficient scooters in these times of record setting gas prices.

"I would say 80 percent of my driving is going to be the Vespa" Jamie Jaeger said.

Just last weekend, she paid about $6,500 for a new 250cc scooter that gets close to 60 miles per gallon.

Jaeger, the owner of a Denver yoga studio, said she likes tripling her gas mileage and "going green" at the same time.

"We're doing great things for the environment if we're not driving our cars to work." she told CBS4's Paul Day.

At Erico Motorsports in Denver, owner Tai Beldock said her scooter sales are up more than 20 percent this year over last, primarily due to rising gas prices.

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Gas prices fuel motorcycle resurgence

MILLVILLE -- For many motorcycle riders, the feel of the open road isn't the only advantage to their two-wheeled transportation. Thanks to rising gas costs, motorcycles have become an increasingly economical way of getting from here to there.

"It definitely beats the 12 miles per gallon I get in my car, that's for sure," said Debbie Mavilla, a business manager and insurance producer for Harley-Davidson of Millville.

According to Mavilla, more and more customers are citing gas costs as one of the main reasons for a switch to increased motorcycle use.

Motorcycles and Vespa scooters receive much better gas mileage than a typical automobile, depending on the model, she said.

"Some get up to 50, maybe 55 miles per gallon," Mavilla said. "Some Vespas get up to 80 miles per gallon."

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Gas Prices Spur Motor Scooter Sales

The price of gasoline is putting the squeeze on Vermonters' pocketbooks, and that has led to a boom in motor scooter sales.

Anne Stoloff tried out a new scooter she and her husband are buying from Land Air in Essex Junction. "The only other option we had looked at was possibly a golf cart," she said, "but that's really hard to trailer."

With gasoline headed toward four dollars a gallon, more people are looking at high-efficiency scooters as the best alternative to the gas guzzler. A new one costs as low as the low-2000 dollar range. The Honda Ruckus gets a hundred miles a gallon.

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High Gas Prices Driving Up Scooter Sales In Texas

FORT WORTH ― The high cost of gasoline has some people looking for other modes of transportation. Some North Texans are checking out the two-wheel kind and we're not talking about bicycles - we're talking about scooters.

Getting from point A to point B is an increasing burden. "It's costing me more to run my business so it takes profit out my pocket," said driver Gary Capp.

To find relief from the rising numbers at the gas pump William Trent bought a scooter. "It cost me about $5 or $6 to fill my tank right now, which is good for about a week, versus the $40 to $45 it would cost me to fill my car," he said.

Apparently Trent is not alone. In the last few weeks sales at one Fort Worth Vespa store have boomed. General Manager Robert Brock says right now sales are up 20-percent from last year. "The cost of fuel, the cost of operation, that's really what intrigues a lot of scooter buyers today," he said.

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April 29, 2008

Dawn of the scooter age

How about $4 a gallon by July?

Normally a perfect storm calls for a good roof over your head. But not for this weather-ready commuter. I’m parking my V-8 pickup truck, hopefully for most of the rest of the summer. I plan to pay about $8 a week for gas — not far off from what I paid to fill up back in high school — riding a motor scooter.

Actually, this summer will mark my third full year of riding a scooter to work. And when I say three full years, I mean full, since I ride as often as I can for about nine months out of the year on a 150-cubic-centimeter bike that does 60 mph on a good day.

I know I look like a goof: big alien-head helmet and a too-short two-wheeled ride that sounds like a pair of hedge clippers. But more and more, I’m not alone.

Faced with the prospect of $60 to fill up at the pump and forecasters at AAA predicting even higher, Richmonders increasingly are parking their cars in favor of pedaling their bikes — or revving up motorized two-wheel mopeds, scooters and motorcycles.

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April 27, 2008

Charlotte scooter sales skyrocket with rising gas prices

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tired of outrageous fill ups? It seems more drivers are trading in four wheels for two.

Sales at Vespa of Charlotte in South End are up a whopping 365 percent over last year. Owner Steve Speers says something popular in Europe for years is finally catching on here.

“The rest of the world relies on scootering as their first choice of transportation because of the gas savings,” Speers says.

Riding a scooter to work is now businessman Dean Prevette’s first choice. His other vehicle sits at home most of the time. And here is why.

“My Lincoln Navigator gets about 12 miles to the gallon. It costs me $80 to fill up,” says Prevette.

But with his Vespa, he pays about $10 to fill up and that lasts as long as a week and a half.

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Gas prices drive N. Carolina scooter sales

ASHEVILLE – Area scooter dealers are seeing dramatic sales increases as more commuters look for relief from the pain of $3.50 per gallon gas prices.

Scooters and mopeds that can wring 80 to 100 miles out of each gallon are rolling out the door at Swannanoa Scooter Sales. “Europeans and Asians have been doing this for years, because they’ve always had the higher gas prices,” said the store’s Jody Williams. “It’s just now catching on in America.”

Scott Loeffler, owner of Asheville E Scooters on Patton Avenue, has seen interest in mopeds and scooters skyrocketing, starting around Christmas. “The first question is, ‘How many miles to the gallon do they get?’” he said.

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Mississippi Scooter Sales Up Dramatically

A Jackson motor scooter dealer says his sales are up over 240% for this year over last year, as people try to beat the high cost of gasoline.

Jerry Farris of Capitol Sports Center says people really like getting 100 miles per gallon on a scooter that will run 65 miles per hour.

Leland Speed at North Jackson Honda says his sales are up too, but not double.

His Honda scooters can be driven on the interstate highways and will run over 70 miles per hour, but the ones that will go anywhere get about 60 miles per gallon and sell for just over $5,000.

The smaller scooters can sell for as little as $2,400.

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April 24, 2008

Scooter Sales Soar Along With Gas Prices

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- These aren't your father's motor scooters.

For drivers looking for relief from gas prices at $3.50 per gallon, today's scooters offer high miles per gallon and highway speeds. As a result, scooter sales are at an all-time high -- having tripled in the past year.

Most scooters get between 65 and 90 miles per gallon, which trumps even the most fuel-efficient hybrid cars.

"They're thinking these hybrid cars were great, getting up to 30 miles to the gallon," said Josh Alleman, who sells scooters for Scooter Vita of the Triad.

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Gas prices spur spike in scooter, bike sales

Soaring gas prices have more people finding alternate means of commuting, such as biking.

The national average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.51. In Richmond, the price isn't much lower at $3.49.

In the last couple weeks, one Carytown bike shop has seen a spike in sales. A nearby scooter dealer says the demand is so high that there's a scooter shortage.

Whether it's two wheels - or just one - those who chose them over a car say you can't beat the savings. More people are steering toward cheaper transportation.

Agee's bike shop manager David Oakley says sales have spiked at the Carytown store because of prices at the pump.

"If they can spend $200 to $300 on a bicycle and get fit, and save a couple hundred dollars a year by commuting one or two days a week, and get the benefits of fitness - it's kind of a win-win situation," Oakley said.

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Scooters roar in popularity

Scooters are in high demand as consumers look for ways to reduce the pain of rising gas prices, local retailers say.

As the price at the pump reached $1.20 a litre this week, scooters such as Vespa, Piaggio and PGO are in high demand across the city.

One scooter owner told Ottawa Good Time Centre general manager Jason Thoms she was almost embarrassed to fill up her gas tank since it only cost her $3.50 while other drivers fuelling their vehicles were shelling out $50 or more.

"More and more families have one family vehicle, like a minivan, and a scooter so the husband or whoever can get to work," Thoms said.

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Travelers Go Small To Save Big At Gas Pump

SAN DIEGO -- For many drivers, filling up the gas tank and looking at the number staring back at them makes them want to scream.

With many people spending as much as $100 for gas every week, some have found a way to spend $5 a week on gas.

"Just commuting back and forth from work I went from about $50 a week to about $6 a week," said Jessica Pyle.

Pyle recently purchased her first Vespa, a gas-powered scooter originally from Italy.

Michael Kosakowski of Vespa of San Diego said, "I looked at it and said, 'It looks like a wasp.' And that's Vespa in Italian."

These days, experts said there are more Vespas, Smart cars, electric vehicles and hybrids on the road.

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April 23, 2008

Aussie parking costs boost scooter appeal

SCOOTERS remain the choice of the economically and environmentally conscious, even though sales have slowed across the nation.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries motorcycle manager Ray Newland said scooter sales were down 3.4 per cent in the first quarter compared with last year's record numbers while Queensland was down 1.3 per cent.

He said the FCAI's new method of reporting sales could explain the drop and that there may have been little or no real decline.

Industry sources said sales also may have been affected by an increase in second-hand scooters on the market.

Major Brisbane scooter retailer Joe D'Ercole said scooter sales had soared for several years as petrol prices, environmental issues, traffic congestion and parking costs escalated.

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Don't pollute, scoot!

When you think "electric" and "scooter" together, you think of something shrink-wrapped, made in China and bought at a toy store. Well, the Vectrix is none of that. It goes 62 mph, has a claimed range of 68 miles and accelerates faster than most of the cars around you at the stoplight. That it is clean is only a bonus.

Plus, you get all the benefits of scooterdom: squirt-and-shoot traffic snaking, park-it-anywhere convenience and a price fit for a college senior majoring in philosophy. The Vectrix is powered by a low-mounted, 3.7-kW, 125-volt NiMH battery pack that re-charges to 80 or 90 percent of capacity in two hours. Three hours is usually enough for a full charge, four if you start from flat empty. When you twist the throttle forward to brake, the regen slows the bike--you almost never need the brakes. The batteries make it pretty heavy for a scooter, so slow-speed maneuvers require some care, but there's a reverse gear (if you twist the throttle forward at a stop, it backs up) to help you park it.

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As gas prices soar, so do scooter sales

GREENSBORO -- As gas prices continue to soar, more and more North Carolinians are putting their gas guzzling cars and SUVs in park and hopping on a gas sipping scooter.

Scott Morgan, general manager of Scooter Vita in Greensboro, has seen his sales triple over the last year and knows exactly why. The scooters he sells have tiny gas tanks but get 60 to 80 miles to the gallon.

And while they may not look too intimidating, some can top out at speeds at over 100 miles-per-hour.

That’s hardly a speed that Morgan needs to reach on his commute to work everyday to and from Summerfield, but the switch is certainly helping his budget.

“It's cost me $10 a week versus driving my truck, which has been costing $90 to $100 to fill up," said Morgan.

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April 22, 2008

A scooter is NOT a motorcycle

Maybe this is a case of over-analyzing a situation, or judging a situation to be worse than it actually is, but see if this strikes you as being potentially dangerous for riders and non-riders alike:

Soon, by the end of May at the very latest, Basic Rider Courses (BRC) offered by the state Department of Transportation at various sites across Connecticut will begin teaching motor scooter operation in tandem with the time-tested motorcycle-riding lessons.

Students will have the option of learning to ride either a motorcycle or a scooter. As in the past, anyone who passes the BRC will be exempt from having to take the road test administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles that adds an "M" endorsement to a driver license.

It's the "M" that permits the license holder to legally operate a motorcycle or scooter and is currently only obtainable two ways — by passing a BRC class, which currently requires mastering clutch and shift levers as well as brake operation on a motorcycle, or by going to the DMV and successfully demonstrating proficiency as a rider.

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April 21, 2008

Scooter Sales Up Due To Rising Gas Prices

Here in the Tar Heel state, more and more people appear to be turning to scooters to get around.

The Associated Press said scooter sales are up 46 percent over the past five years. Some of the newer scooter models can get as much as 72 miles per gallon.

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April 20, 2008

Cycles go green at the Boston Marathon

Winning the Boston Marathon, not only did you have to run faster than ten thousand other people, for two hours you had to put up with the noise and exhaust of the motorcycles carrying race officials and cameramen.

For the first time Monday, the eight cycles leading the race this year will be pollution free and electric powered. Made by Vectrix Corp., a Rhode Island company whose main operations are in New Bedford.

Peter Hughes, Chief Technology Officer of Vectrix: "It's a good opportunity to show people why this vehicle is important and why it can be an in-the-city commuter solution. Which is no polluting, no emissions coming out of this vehicle. I think that's very important for the runners."

Technically, this isn't a motorcycle, but a maxi scooter. It's no Vespa. It can do 62 miles an hour top speed. After you plug it in and charge it up for three hours, it can go 55 miles. Work on the Vectrix began in 1997. Among many patents on the Vectrix is how applying the brakes re-charge the battery

The debut of the Vectrix cycles on Monday at the Marathon comes as the company, which so far has sold mainly in Germany and Italy, sends out the first 500 cycles to dealers on the East Coast and California. The retail price? $11,000.

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Scooter fans set to slay dragon

VINTAGE-SCOOTER enthusiasts across Nuneaton and north Warwickshire will be taking part in their annual ride this weekend to raise money for two good causes.

Members of the Treakle Town Scooter Club will be going on their St George's Day Slaying the Dragon Ride Out on Sunday.

They are expecting at least 150 riders - members and people from other scooter clubs - to set off from The Boot pub in Ansley - on their classic Lambrettas and Vespas.

This year, the third annual event, will see members raising funds for the George Eliot Hospital's special care baby unit and the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary in Oaston Road.

Gordon Tovey, one of the club's founder members, said: "Last year we had 150 scoot-ers. We're expecting more this year.

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Fuel prices drive scooter sales

Businessman Jeff Gregory doesn't drive his fuel-efficient Honda Civic anymore; he's found transportation that's easier on his wallet.

The marketing specialist bought his second motorized scooter in eight months Thursday, upgrading to a more powerful Vespa model that still gets 72 mpg. He lives in Charlotte but often drives a scooter to the Triangle, where most of his marketing clients are, he said.

"Do the math. I filled up (my old scooter) the other day and it was $4.58," he said.

As gas prices reach record highs in Charlotte and people look for ways to save, motorized scooters are all the rage.

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April 19, 2008

First time electric scooter rider

My first scooter ride began disastrously.

I timidly pulled back on the throttle. The scooter rocketed into a left turn and a split second later I hit the curb. The driver in the car behind me eyed me cautiously as I repositioned myself atop the scooter.

I took a deep breath, comfortably placing my feet back on the scooter and sitting with my back straight. My posture was good; if I closed my eyes I could imagine sitting this way at a formal banquet.

Thankfully, I didn’t close my eyes. If I had, I might have crashed again. Instead, I kept my eyes wide open as I gently pulled back on the throttle again and focused on steering the $3,000 Zapino scooter along Fremont’s busy streets.

Further down the road was John Stueve, scooter enthusiast and co-owner of Sound Speed Scooters. Stueve rode an EVT 168, a scooter with a classic retro look.

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Gas prices boost scooter sales

There's nothing like near record gasoline prices to get people thinking about alternatives.

Gasoline prices came within a penny of the all time record high for the Twin Cities on Thursday, with some now paying $3.45 per gallon. Click here for the lowest gas prices in Twin Cities

And the people who run Scooterville Minnesota are seeing the result: more customers. Lots of them.

Owner Bob Hedstrom says business normally speeds up this time of year. But in February, it jumped three hundred percent for scooters that get anywhere from 50 to 115 miles per gallon.

"More and more people are coming in and they're asking .. about what kind fuel economy .. do each of the different models get," he said.

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Dutch to ease Segway ban

AMSTERDAM -- The Netherlands is to relax its ban on the Segway motorised scooter, a two-wheeled, gyroscopically-balanced machine of which U.S. President George W. Bush is a fan.

"The general use of the Segway will be allowed on bicycle paths and roads under the condition that a maximum speed of 25 km per hour will be kept to," the Dutch government said in a statement.

The electric scooter is currently banned on public streets in the Netherlands and many other European countries have placed restrictions on the use of the machine because of safety fears.

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April 18, 2008

70-90 miles per gallon? 'Nuff said

You may have spotted them in your review mirror or in front of Starbucks.

With prices for crude oil increasing — it was recently well over $100 per barrel — some people in Tampa are opting for a cheaper means of transportation: the scooter.

Charlie Urbizu, 57, owner of Charlie's Scooter Depot, says he has seen about a 50 percent increase in customers in the past six months.

"I get really happy when I see the price of the pump go up," he said, laughing.

Urbizu, who drives a Triton Vento scooter from his home in Carrollwood to his shop on N Florida Avenue, opened the store two years ago after a trip to Europe.

"That's where I got the idea," he said. "Italy is all full of scooters."

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Tired Of High Gas Prices? Scoot It!

MINNEAPOLIS -- Gas prices at nearly all metro area gas stations are over $3.30 a gallon. Most of vehicles now cost $50 for a fill-up, another mode of transportation costs about $3.

While most individuals and businesses are having a hard time coping with these prices one business is boasting sales up by 250 percent over the last year.

Bob Hedstrom's Minneapolis store Scooterville is struggling to keep up with demand as customers brag to their friends about their gas mileage. The scooters, whose prices start at $1,800, get 100 miles to the gallon.

The cheapest scooter to operate is the one with the smallest engine. It only goes 30 miles per hour and it uses a moped plate. That means riders don't need a motorcycle license to operate it, just a regular drivers license will do.

Scooters with moped plates can also park at bike racks, thereby saving on parking.

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Segway tries social networking

Segway is hoping to take a page out of Nike's playbook with a new social networking site designed to help product users of its self-balancing electric scooter interact and build a Segway experience.

Called Segway Social, the new community site allows Segway PT owners to create groups, arrange meetings, and share photos and news. While it is geared to owners, Segway hopes to use the site to attract potential buyers by having current users of its devices show off their finer points.

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April 16, 2008

Cop glides the paths on a Segway

HIGHLAND — Say this about the Segway stand-up scooter: It kind of sneaks up on you.

Its appeal was immediate when Officer Anthony Kalimeras had a chance to ride one for three hours in Washington, D.C., last year, and he brought his enthusiasm for the Segway back to work with him. A couple of months ago, Lloyd became the first police agency in Ulster County to buy what the brochures call a "self-balancing electric transportation device."

"It really helps you get around town," he recalled, after wheeling up at the Hudson Valley Rail Trail yesterday.

If its earliest predictions and fans had been correct back in 2001, you wouldn't need a description of a Segway. You'd have one in your garage. But its over-hyped launch never got off the ground, making the Segway an object of curiosity and surprise.

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April 12, 2008

Bikesure Woos Scooter Clubs

Bikesure is targeting scooter clubs with its new Clubrider scheme - especially clubs whose members ride modified Vespas and Lambrettas. Clubrider aims to offer rider clubs a wide range of services, products and discounts usually only available to the larger owners' clubs, such as discounts for members, dedicated phone lines and marketing support.

"Clubrider can be an especially important benefit for clubs with members who modify their scooters," says Paul Hammond of Bikesure. "Many riders who have modified scooters have problems getting them covered. Insurers either don't want to know, or they put them on a classic policy but won't include cover for the modifications. Bikesure is happy to cover modified scooters, even on a like-for-like basis. So if you make a claim, the modifications are fully covered.

"Club members will be able to insure their modified scooters through Clubrider, and get a discount into the bargain."

Clubrider means that riders' clubs of whatever size will be able to enjoy many 'big club' benefits, even if they only have a dozen members. It also offers clubs an extra source of income, since Bikesure is willing to pay introducer fees to them for every policy taken out by their members, subject to terms and conditions.

Clubrider Benefits
Scooter clubs signing up to Clubrider can negotiate discounts of up to 15% for their members' scooter insurance. On top of that, Bikesure can offer members scooter-related benefits including agreed values, unlimited mileage for classics, free legal cover, a low-cost policy for helmet & leathers cover and up to 365-day European cover.

As part of the Adrian Flux Insurance Group, Bikesure is also able to give members a discount on a whole range of other insurance products including car, caravan and home insurance.

Clubs can join Clubrider for free. To find out more about Clubrider contact Paul Hammond on 01553 845516 or by email paul.hammond@bikesure.co.uk

Bikesure has a huge range of specialist policies for the motorcycle enthusiast, including cheap bike insurance schemes for performance and custom bikes, scooters, trikes, quads and bug riders. For details freephone the Bikesure quote line on 0800 089 2000, email the company at bikesure@adrianflux.co.uk or visit www.bikesure.co.uk

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Norwich Is The ‘New Rome’

Norwich, the city famous for Delia Smith and Colman’s mustard has been dubbed the UK’s answer to Rome after being named Britain’s ‘Scooter Capital’ by Bennetts, the nation’s favourite bike insurer. With almost one in 20 Norwich residents owning or riding a scooter, it’s still some way behind the Italian capital where one in six take to a moped, although it seems Norfolk’s scooter commuters are hot on the Italian’s designer heels and are predicted to overtake them by the year 2020.

Based on actual policyholder data from Bennetts, Norwich raced past the competition, with twice as many scooters as nearest rivals Portsmouth and Leicester and four times more than Bristol and Newcastle. Surprisingly London didn’t even make the top ten, with Liverpool, Cardiff, Sheffield, Birmingham and Glasgow bringing up the rear. Jersey has the least scooters nationally, with policyholders on the island in single figures.

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April 11, 2008

Drunk mum arrested on mobility scooter

A YOUNG mum faces a lengthy ban after being caught drink driving — on an electric disability scooter.

Police were stunned when they spotted the Greenock woman driving the four-wheel motability vehicle through the town centre at midnight.

When they stopped Patricia McHugh, who has committed two previous drink driving offences, they found carrier bags full of lager cans draped over the handlebars.

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April 9, 2008

Vectrix Maxi electric scooter

So with petrol sitting pretty at over £5 a gallon, what does it cost to ride green?

Obviously electricity isn’t free (unless you plug in to one of the free charge points across London) but charging a Vectrix is surprisingly cheap, in fact, it will cost you less than the price of boiling a kettle for a cup of tea. I’d certainly need more than a cup of tea if I was going to cycle 60 miles, which is about how far you’ll get on a full charge.

In theory you’ve got a range of nearly 70 miles but in practice this figure is fairly negotiable. Wring the throttle and your range plummets on the clever computerised LCD screen. Alternatively, spare the disc brakes and twist the throttle backwards as you slow down and the regenerative braking system actually charges the battery on the move.

The Vectrix plugs into any standard three-point socket so access to a power source is never difficult. Even if you live on the 15th floor of a block of flats there are currently over 120 free charge points across London, and every NCP car park now boasts a charge point.

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April 8, 2008

Locals find alternatives to soaring gas prices

Over the weekend, the national average gas price per gallon once again reached a record high.

So an increasing number of Austinites are finding ways to avoid the pumps altogether.

One business seeing increases is Alien Scooters in South Austin.

"It's a very conscious choice for almost all these people," Alien Scooters owner Ann McSpadden said.

Her business has seen a 30 percent spike in sales over the last year.

"The winds of change talk pretty loud in this industry," McSpadden said. "We've seen a major increase of people wanting something that doesn't burn gas."

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A Segway Sidewalk Tour

As our four-man squad of Segways glided through Guilford on a recent sunny day, kids stared from car windows, and people walking on the green turned to watch.

We streamed along the sidewalks, passing gardens colored with the first blooms of spring, ducking beneath low tree branches and sidling past a man with a wheelbarrow. We snaked over the green, splitting off and racing over the web of paths.

The ride was courtesy of Shoreline Segway, a division of R.E.A.D. Amusements — which is Rich Petrillo; his wife, Eileen; and their sons, Adam and Devlin. Their shop on River Street in Guilford sells and rents costumes, inflatable rides, games and other party gear. They started Shoreline Segway last year and now have a fleet of eight machines for tours of the historic town. Rich Petrillo says he has been talking to representatives of Riverfront Recapture and may offer tours along the Connecticut River in Hartford this summer.

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April 7, 2008

Armadillo Scooter Wear – New Spring Summer Collection

Armadillo Scooter Wear is designed by scooter riders for scooter riders. Fed up with the dominance of courier chic, the founders set about creating a range of modish scooter wear that combines urban style with cutting edge fabrics to keep riders dry, warm and impact protected.

With a choice of classic 60’s styled parkas to the technical hoody it is easy to shake off that pizza boy image. And to ensure that scooter riders have clothing to match the changing seasons, Armadillo Scooter Wear is extending its collection with the launch of the Spring/Summer range.

The new Spring/Summer 08 collection boasts the men’s Soft Shell Hoody and Classic Macintosh alongside the women’s Funnel Neck Jacket and Scarlett Macintosh. Not only does Armadillo bring the much-loved classic mac into the 21st century, but by reflecting mainstream fashion trends, riders can ensure they look good both on and off their scooter.

The women’s Funnel Neck Fitted Jacket is 100% waterproof and breathable. Its lightweight quality makes it the ideal companion for the unpredictable spring weather. The wonderfully bright scarlet material ensures high visibility as well as fitting easily with this year’s colourful spring/summer collections. And for men who don’t like to think too much about what to put on, the Soft Shell Hoody is sure to be this seasons key wardrobe staple. Windproof, waterproof and fully breathable, this summer’s throwover will quickly become any riders ‘old favourite’.

Exclusive to the UK scooter market, the Armadillo jackets, trousers and gloves contain ‘Intelligent’ CE approved d3o™ protection, incorporated as removable d3o™ components in high impact areas including the elbows, shoulders, and knees. d3o™ is a material containing intelligent molecules, which flow freely under normal conditions, making the material soft and flexible for maximum freedom and comfort, but which lock together on shock, providing great protection on impact.

Armadillo. Scooter wear without compromise.

About Armadillo Scooter Wear
Armadillo Scooter Wear was launched in June 2007 and is headed up by Rupert Findlay and Tim Hebden.
Armadillo Scooter Wear was born out of a passion for riding scooters, wanting to wear protective clothing, but not wanting to look like a courier or a biker. Their mission is to provide contemporary clothing for scooter riders; using cutting edge fabrics and innovative detailing we aim to bring the scooter clothing market into the 21st century.

Complete Range 08
• Men’s Soft Shell Hoody
• Women’s funnel neck Jacket
• Men’s Classic Macintosh
• Women’s Scarlett Macintosh
• Mens Parka
• Ladies Parka
• Unisex CAMOVISION jacket
• Mens Waterproof trousers
• Ladies Waterproof trousers
• Winter Gloves
• All weather Gloves

Fabric specifications
• d3o™ – ‘Intelligent’ CE approved impact protection
• Windproof
• Waterproof to 10,000mm
• Thinsulate 6000mm 3M warmth without bulk
• Breathable Tech 3 fabric – patented

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TVS launches electric scooter

Bangalore -- TVS Motor Company launched its first electric scooter, Scooty Teenz Electric, here today.

Run on the Valve-Regulated-Lead-Acid (VRLA) battery, the vehicle is powered by a 800 watt motor and can carry up to 130 kg of load.

It can deliver an average range of 40 km per nine hours of battery charge. The maximum speed the vehicle can clock is 40 kmph.

Addressing a press conference, TVS general manager (marketing) S Srinivas said the electric vehicle's target segment is teenage girls who use vehicles to travel short distances ranging between 15-25 km per day.

The vehicle has been released in three colours -- red, black and lilac -- and has motif-based graphics that appeal to feminine tastes.

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Enjoying spring on a scooter

There I was, riding my small 125 cc scooter on a lonely back road along the Virgin River in southern Nevada. A guy in leather riding what I assumed was a Harley-Davidson "hog" came into view.

I felt - and probably looked - like one of the characters in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" on the silver scooter, zooming at a maximum speed of about 60 mph. I couldn't resist waving at the real motorcyclist as if we were somehow cohorts in our back-roads adventures.

Much to my pleasure and surprise, he waved back, making me feel, for a moment, part of the motorcycling fraternity that takes long tours across the United States.

Until that day, the thought of taking a motorcycle tour never held much appeal. Being whipped by wind, having my body exposed to the whims of truck drivers on the interstate and enduring the inevitable rain or even snowstorm did not seem appealing.

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Scooter Riders Ask City for Help

We spend a lot of time at the Seattlest newsroom talking about the problems bicycle riders in this city have and how the city should make it easier for us since we reduce congestion and emissions at the same time. Now we realize we’ve been ignoring the good our our two-wheeled motorized brethren (and sistern) on scooters.

According to the PI, Vince Rowley and Eric Pravitz are regular scooter riders who want the City Council to Seattle more scooter friendly:

Tuesday evening, they're likely to ask officials at a City Council committee session to crack down and make it easier to get around on smaller vehicles such as the ones they drive.

Apparently, Rowley and Pravitz think the law that says each two-wheeled vehicle in a metered stall has to have a parking sticker is unfairly punitive. Back in the day when coin-op meters ruled the streets, they say, as long as the stall was paid for, every scooter was covered. They also plan to ask the city to crack down on car drivers who move their light-weight rides and then take the parking spot (not to mention the parking sticker). The two men say that scooters’ lower emissions make the changes worthwhile.

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Scooters Catch a Break on NYC Congestion Pricing

Under the proposed congestion pricing plan for vehicles entering Manhattan, motorcycles and scooters would only pay $4 to pass through Manhattan below 60th Street, versus the $8 suggested for cars.

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April 2, 2008

Gas prices fueling demand for scooters

Danielle Sherman didn't hesitate when asked why she was shopping for a motor scooter.

"Gas prices!" exclaimed the University of Utah Medical Center employee, whose husband Todd is a student at the U.

The climbing price of fuel has more Wasatch Front residents seeking alternatives to car travel. Motor scooters, first invented in Germany in the late 1800s and a staple form of transportation in Europe since after World War II, are getting a closer look.

While Salt Lake City's streets certainly don't resemble Rome, London or Paris where scooters are as common as cars, more of them can be seen these days.

Jonathan Schlee, owner of Eco Moto in Salt Lake City, said the growth in his business has more than doubled. His store went from selling fewer than 200 scooters in 2006 to 500 in 2007. He expects to sell 800 this year.

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Training is crucial for scooter safety

Scooter accident rates are not reported separately, but are included in statistics compiled for motorcycles. Keri Gibson, a safety specialist for the Utah Highway Safety Office, said the number of motorcycle accidents is increasing along with the number of motorcycles on the road.

In 2005, the latest year for which Utah numbers are available, the rate of total motorcycle crashes hit an all-time high at 3.9 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. That translated into 969 crashes, 23 of which were fatal. Nationally, in 2006, motorcycle riders were involved in more than one out of nine of all U.S. road fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Training and experience are the keys to safety. While Utah requires scooter drivers to get a motorcycle license endorsement, they are relatively easy to get.

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Retro-chic scooters help solve gas crunch

Scooters have the reputation as being trendy in cosmopolitan cities or on college campuses. They're popular modes of transportation for tourists on Caribbean islands, and they carry a sense of European romance thanks to films such as "Roman Holiday" and "Under the Tuscan Sun."

But for scooter owners these days, the vehicles can be less about being retro chic and more about being economical.

With average gas prices on pace to surpass $4 per gallon this year, drivers are turning to other alternatives that save money at the pump and still allow for convenience.

Diane Eafrati, of Brigantine, is among those scooter owners. Weather permitting, she straps on a red helmet, hops on her red 2002 Vespa and commutes one mile to her job at Brigantine City Hall.

It's weeks before the tank gets filled up, and the grand total has been about $3.75.

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Memphis Police use new electric scooters to keep peace

Memphis police officers have a new tool in their effort at community policing, one that can bring lawbreakers to justice as quickly as it can make passersby chuckle.

An officer aboard a T3 Series Personal Mobility Vehicle -- in essence, a three-wheeled scooter tricked out with police accoutrements -- can zip along streets and even sidewalks at speeds up to 20 mph, although that may be pushing the safety envelope, officers say.

Ten of the electric vehicles have been on Memphis streets for about three weeks, said Col. Johnny Currin, 55, precinct commander at Downtown's South Main Station. They're being used Downtown, in the Wolfchase area and the Poplar corridor around Oak Court Mall.

The scooters link police and the public by taking away the barrier created by a squad car, Currin said. "You feel closer to the citizens, and the citizens feel closer to you," he said.

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March 25, 2008

T3 Motion Teams Up With the Largest U.S. Supplier of Police and Emergency Vehicles

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- T3 Motion, Inc. today announced it has signed an agreement with America's largest police and emergency vehicles upfitter, MHQ Municipal Vehicles, to distribute the revolutionary T3 Series vehicle in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

Established in 1979, MHQ Municipal Vehicles is the largest supplier of police and emergency vehicles in the United States of America. MHQ has equipped more than 43,000 special purpose vehicles over the past 28 years.

Fifty percent of these vehicles are specifically equipped for law enforcement purposes. In addition, MHQ equips and services vehicles for Federal Government, Fire, and EMS agencies nationwide.

Citing significant increases in the demand for the T3 Series vehicle, Neil Brooker, President of T3 Motion, Inc. stated, "We are tremendously enthused to team with MHQ in the distribution of the T3 Series." He added, "We went through a thorough audit of the potential avenues for distributing the T3 Series in the Northeast. Without doubt, MHQ provides the professionalism, service commitment, image and one-stop shop experience we want for our customers."

About the T3 Series:

Reaching speeds up to 25 m.p.h. and designed with the input of law enforcement and security industry professionals, the T3 Series feature a zero-degree turning radius and compact design-perfect for maneuvering through crowds and tight spaces. Also unique to the T3 Series is the most user-friendly intuitive operation of its kind, giving the rider a sense of superior stability.

The quiet environmentally-friendly zero gas emission vehicles include an integrated LED lighting system and an incomparable low cost of operation -- running for less than 10 cents per day and never requiring any down time due to the T3's two re-chargeable, lightweight batteries that can be easily swapped out while in-use for continual deployment and an unlimited range.

T3 Series Features:
-- High-performance vehicle with a zero-degree turning radius for
improved maneuverability in crowds and tight spaces
-- Two rechargeable and interchangeable lightweight power modules for
constant use without down time
-- Capable of reaching speeds up to 25 m.p.h. for the quickest response
possible without officer or personnel fatigue
-- An instinctive vehicle with easy-to-operate controls and responsive
steering that allows officers and security personnel to focus on
response to the situation
-- A 9-inch raised platform providing a superior vantage point but still
allowing for interaction with the community
-- Robust cargo capacity of 450 pounds (rider + equipment) includes the
ability to tow personnel and equipment/cargo trailers

Additional T3 Series Features Specific to Law Enforcement and Security:
-- Integrated LED lighting system
-- Fully-compliant headlights, brake lights and running lights
-- Audible siren and yelp horn
-- Lockable glove box for storage
-- Optional GPS-enabled tracking system
-- Optional on-board video camera system

Source: T3 Motion, Inc.

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Switching to Gas Powered Scooters to Save on Gas

KENNEWICK, Wash. - As gas prices break record highs, some people are turning to new transportation to beat prices at the pump.

26-year-old Matt Russell of Kennewick is parking his Jeep Wrangler SUV and switching to another way to get around.

"It's about 70 miles per the half gallon and it's amazing, my jeep gets, I'd say, 16 miles per gallon," said Matt Russell who recently purchased a scooter.

In other words, the light weight moped uses far less gas and is saving him money. But Russell isn't the only one catching on to this idea.

The Motorcycle Industry Council says sales on motor scooters have doubled in recent years. 42 thousand scooters were sold in the year 2000, 86 thousand in 2004, and they saw a 20% increase in sales 2006.

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March 24, 2008

I’ll save the scooter for the sun!

MY civil partner Michael bought me a 50cc scooter for my birthday, for use at our home in Tangier, Morocco.

I celebrated with a lot of riding about in the mountains. Scooters are great in North Africa where it’s nice and warm but you’d never catch me on one in the UK, I’ll stick to my X5, thanks.

It did bring back memories, however, of my first ever mode of transport – a burnt orange colour Suzuki F250 scooter, my cheap and cheerful wheels bought with £45, which was two weeks’ wages from the pickle factory where I worked when I was 17.

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"Scooter Commuter Day" in Atlanta

People in Altanta are taking to two wheels to save gas money and help the environment.

Atlanta held its first "Scooter Commuter Day" today.

Even the director of the Governor's Highway Safety program has been using a scooter for about a week and loves it.

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Riding a scooter can save a lot of money

Greg Woods rides a Yamaha Majesty scooter from his Cherokee County, Ala., home to work in Rome. He gets about 60 miles per gallon.

The former military man is a longtime motorcyclist — he has ridden since age 14 (he’s now 45). After Hurricane Katrina, gas spiked to $3, and Woods said he faced a financial challenge.

“I had to do something to keep the most potential money in my pocket at the end of the week and as little to the gas man as possible,” said Woods, who has worked at Easy Living Yamaha in Armuchee for the past 18 years. “So I did several things.”

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Scooter rules not fair to other drivers

To The Editor: Re: "Scooter accident sends man to hospital."

Given that most scooter users tend to be unlicensed and their scooters, classified as Mopeds under N.C. General Statute 105-164.3(22), are unregistered, uninspected and uninsured, who pays for the damage to Mr. Lindsey's truck?

Going by the article, it is easy to see who is at fault.

Yet this person will most likely end up not having to pay for damages, pay increased insurance rates or any of the other difficulties in which Mr. Lindsey now finds himself.

Why are scooters even allowed on the road requiring only the operator be 16 years or older, wear a helmet, be less than 50 cc and not able to exceed 30 mph without some kind of liability?

Let's face it, they're a nuisance and need to be taken off the roads!

Mitchell Musselwhite
Hendersonville

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March 23, 2008

UK Scooter sales surge

Sales of cheap new scooters have increased dramatically during the first two months of 2008 and look set to rise further as fuel prices and car tax escalate following the Budget.

Statistics released by the Motor Cycle Industry Association show that the budget-priced Peugeot V-Clic is the best selling 50cc scooter this year and 30% of the Top Ten motorcycles registered in 2008 are sub-£1,000 50cc scooters. Last year the figure was 20%.

With petrol currently selling at nearly £1.10 per litre and motorists facing tax increases of around five pence per litre in just six months time, a scooter like the Peugeot V-Clic that is capable of returning 80mpg makes financial sense.

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Scooter Helps Beat The High Cost Of Gas

AVON PARK — As gas prices go up, the type of vehicle driven by Dana Anthony, of Avon Park, shrunk. With the price of unleaded gasoline at more than $3 per gallon, Anthony keeps his Lincoln Continental parked, in favor of his 250 cc Honda Helix scooter.

The scooter gets 55 miles to a gallon of high test, while the Lincoln burns a gallon of gas for every 18 miles driven.

The 72-year-old's scooter was purchased used five years ago for $1,000. Similar new scooters sell for about $7,000.

The Honda differs from a typical motorcycle because of the balance needed, while the speed is less and a scooter is much quieter, said Anthony.

The former Harley-Davidson biker can motor his scooter at 55 mph, and said it is perfect for most trips around town, usually less than 15 miles each way.

The retired international airline first mate said he is unable to afford to buy gas on a senior's fixed income.

"Life used to be a gas, now it's all about gas," said Anthony. "Let's face it, the quality of life has diminished because of high fuel and food prices and everything in general, and it's continuing to diminish.

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March 19, 2008

Rise in petrol price fuels rush for cheaper transport

AS RISING interest rates and fuel prices really bite into consumer pockets, a new wave of scooter commuters is emerging in East London.

Over the past two months, one new business venture has put about 100 scooters onto the city’s roads, while another motorcycle shop yesterday reported rising sales interest.

Environmental consultant Leon Liebenberg, who bought a scooter three weeks ago, said his purchase made economic sense.

“The whole cost of repayment on my scooter is less than half of my car’s monthly petrol amount,” he said, adding that his purchase was a result of the rising petrol prices.

While his Ford Ikon 1.6 is gathering dust, Liebenberg is using the scooter to travel to work in Vincent and to gym. He even made a long distance trip along Buffalo Pass.

“So far I have done 350 kilometres with the scooter and I’ve only put in R50 petrol,” he said.

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March 18, 2008

South African scooter sales soar as fuel price rises bite

Recent fuel price rises have negatively affected business and consumers but the motorcycle industry has seen sales soar by close to 30 percent.

Vuka Scuta marketing and corporate manager Kevin Ferreira said sales had been "phenomenal" for the past two to three months.

"Two years ago we sold about 20 units a month." he said. "Now we expect to sell about 1000 units nationally by the end of March."

Ferreira attributed this to tougher economic conditions such as higher interest rates and fuel costs.

"More people are leaving their cars at home and commuting by scooter, some saving R2000 a month on fuel alone," he said.

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City gears up for scooter madness

GLASGOW city centre will be taken over by scooters and smart suits for the annual Mod weekender.

The event, which is taking place from June 26-29, will feature some of the UK's top Mod DJs, live music, dancing, record and clothing fairs and competitions.

The Twisted Wheel on Queen Street will play host to live sounds from top Glasgow ska band Rico's Torpedos on June 26.

Other highlights include a scooter competition and ride out through the city centre on June 29. Entry is free.

The weekender will be rounded off with a night of free music in the basement of the Twisted Wheel.

For more details on the event, e-mail glasgow modweekender@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.myspace.com/fridaystreet

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March 4, 2008

With Electric Scooter, MIT Hopes To Rev Up Practical Transport

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — It’s a humble home for what might be the future of urban transportation. Locked in an office here at MIT’s Media Lab is the latest prototype of the RoboScooter, delivered just one month ago from Taiwan. Outside this room, the Media Lab is almost too eccentric for words: an open space lined with offices, teeming with art and an explosion of plant life.

It’s the exact opposite of this austere little space, where the scooter’s detached seat is sitting on the floor and wires snake from the cavity where the removable battery pack should be. The rear wheel is clamped in place, and under the fluorescent lights, in these cramped quarters, the RoboScooter looks like a hospital patient. Its immediate prognosis is still up in the air, but here’s the good news: Whatever it eventually looks like, and whatever it actually does, this vehicle is going to make it.

And then, there’s the inevitable bad news: The first-gen RoboScooter will not be very robotic. The original concept developed by the Media Lab’s Smart Cities research group called for wheels that were essentially self-contained robots, with dedicated processors that could optimize braking and suspension. In a four-wheel configuration, these wheeled bots would also control steering. The group’s City Car design, for example, allows each wheel to turn independently. For a scooter, computer-controlled steering isn’t necessarily more efficient than old-fashioned handlebars. But for now, the point is moot, because the first RoboScooters to hit the streets won’t have wheels any more intelligent than a Vespa’s.

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Full speed ahead for clean electric bicycles

While the B.C. Liberals’ 2008 “carbon crackdown” budget, which came out last week, didn’t make everyone happy, fans of battery-propelled transport will like it. Among other things, it proposes that electric-powered tricycles and bicycles be exempt from the seven-percent provincial sales tax, and buyers of electric-powered scooters and motorcycles will be able to claim up to 50 percent off the PST—for at least the next three years.

“We’ve been lobbying for this,” says Steve Miloshev, president of Greenwit Technologies. “It means at least, what, $150 off the price of a new scooter.…That can only make it easier for people to buy one.”

Miloshev is convinced that clean, emissions-free transportation is the wave of the future, and he has the improved sales numbers to prove it. From near bankruptcy several years ago, his Vancouver-based company has gone on to sell almost 1,000 units in Canada, with dealers in B.C. and Ontario selling Motorino products out of his E-Ride franchises. His company is now the largest distributor of electric bicycles and scooters in Canada.

“It costs approximately eight cents per 100 kilometres to operate one of our scooters,” he says, “and the quality of the bikes is now better than it was just a couple of years ago. They’re more reliable and more powerful.” About 60 percent of his customers are female, and increasing numbers of people are perceiving electric scooters not as recreational transport but as legitimate commuter vehicles, Miloshev says.

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February 27, 2008

Entrepreneur Makes Right Connections to Launch Scooter Business

Trick question: What’s battery powered, runs on three wheels and can lean into hairpin turns at 15 mph without losing traction or tipping over the passenger’s water bottle?

Don’t worry, no one is supposed to know the answer just yet, says entrepreneur Tom Boyd, president of San Diego-based ZuumCraft Inc.

“It’s the craziest thing out there,” said Boyd, comparing it to the two-wheeled Segway. “You know what a Segway is? This is going to kick its tail.”

His prototype, “Zuumer,” resembles a three-wheeled scooter with bicycle handlebars. It runs on rechargeable lithium batteries that supply power up to 30 miles per charge.

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February 21, 2008

Glasgow cops to use eco-friendly scooter

Police have launched a bid to reduce their carbon footprint with the introduction of an electric scooter to their fleet.

The Vectrix scooter just needs to be plugged in to charge and will be used by officers to control traffic around Glasgow Airport.

Strathclyde Police are the first in the UK to purchase such a scooter.

The machine has no carbon emissions, making it environmentally-friendly, and reaches speeds of up to 62mph.

Inspector Colin Pearson, chief of Glasgow Airport Police Unit, said: "The Vectrix electric scooter has no emissions whatsoever and works by plugging into a 13amp plug. We have two other motor scooters just now which are both petrol driven but they are coming to end of their life. We felt that to go for the green option would be the proper thing to do."

Sergeant Kenny Brown is one of a team of officers who have been trained to ride the Vectrix, which only needs an hour to charge up to full power.

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Vectrix Test Drive

Today’s the day, my first proper test-ride for londonbikers.com. Yet I can’t seem to get too excited. Maybe that is because I’m to test the UK’s first serious electric scooter, the Vectrix.

Marketed as the first true zero emissions scooter combined with the performance to match, if not shame its traditional petrol competition. Every electric scooter I've seen seems to look like a child's bike and crawls about five miles at a similar speed with cyclist whizzing past. I have even seen one with push bike forks and v-brakes... nice.

The time has come, the van is here, and my excitement holds no bound. The Vectrix has arrived. I struggle to contain my excitement as the man from Vectrix unloads the van. I look in disbelief as the scooter that is being pulled out is vast...not a toy then, but a serious attempt. I give the Vectrix a quick walk around, it’s big, on par with any maxi scooter around, picture a T-Max or X8 and the weights are similar.

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Sgt. Brown glides on with Vectrix

SERGEANT Kenny Brown is in the driving seat of a new bid by Strathclyde Police to reduce its carbon footprint.

The force is the first in the UK to add a Vectrix electric scooter to its fleet. And Sergeant Brown is part of a team of officers trained to ride the scooter, which only needs an hour to charge up to full power.

The Vectrix will be used by officers to control traffic around Glasgow Airport. It has no carbon emissions, but can still reach speeds of up to 62mph.

Sergeant Brown said: "It's very smooth, accelerates quickly and is quite manoeuvrable and stable.

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February 20, 2008

New electric bike gets Aussie approval

Perth scooter fans could be firmly putting the pedal on their carbon footprint with the arrival of an electric bike on Australian shores.

The Vectrix electric maxi scooter was on show for the first time in Perth this morning.

It was quickly given the stamp of approval from the State’s Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan, who was impressed with the bulky-looking scooter.

The bike, which weighs 200kg and can reach speeds of 105kmh, runs on a battery that charges by plugging it into the mains power switch.

The battery can last up to 10 hours and the bikes have a daily running cost of about 53 cents.

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February 19, 2008

TVS Motor kicks off electric scooter

TVS Motor Company launched its first electric scooter Scooty Teenz Electric, reports Economic Times.

Scooty Teenz Electric will save about 15-20% of customers` money in comparison to a petrol-run scooter. The vehicle generates an average range of 40 km per nine hours of charge. This can increase by 50% if the rider opts for lower speed of 20-25 km.

The electric scooter has 800 watts of power driving. Its other benefits are low running costs, no pollution, no noise and high durability. The company`s target customers are young women who need mobility and whose daily travel is limited to around 15-25 km per day. The ex-showroom price of the vehicle will be Rs 32,500.

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February 18, 2008

Kick 'N Go Scooter Makes High Tech Comeback

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. -- Bravo Sports, one of the world leaders in the production of wheeled toys and action sports products, announced today the release of its long awaited Pulse Kick 'N Go, a reengineered version of the original Kick 'N Go scooter of the 1970s.

This modern incarnation of a classic racing machine offers a markedly faster and smoother ride; new high-tech gearing; and contemporary design features including a high performance Chromoly steel frame, band braking system and state of the art high speed polyurethane wheels. The Pulse Kick 'N Go is currently available for presale at http://www.Toysrus.com.

The new two wheeled Pulse Kick 'N Go ain't your daddy's scooter of yesteryear! Unlike traditional scooters that require constant pushing off the ground, the Pulse Kick 'N Go uses a unique chain driven kick lever propulsion system that allows even the most novice of riders to accelerate and maintain speed without ever touching foot-to-ground.

The ease of use is extraordinary allowing first time riders to jump on and go while easily executing tight turns and maintaining a balanced stance on the deck. Strong enough for dad to take his nostalgic laps around the neighborhood, the Pulse Kick 'N Go represents the next generation of wheeled products to offer transportation and perennial fun in a physical outdoor activity for kids of all ages.

"One of the most vivid memories from my youth is my Kick 'N Go," said Bravo Sports President and CEO Tony Armand. "It was my all time favorite toy, and it has been in the back of my mind for years to start a project here at Bravo to re-create the Kick 'N Go, utilizing our world renowned polyurethane wheel technology.

What a deja vu thrill it was for me to climb on that first prototype and rip around the warehouse. This product is so unique, and everyone who rides it has a blast right from the very first kick. Needless to say, we are as excited about the Kick 'N Go's potential as we are about riding it."

The Pulse Kick 'N Go, to be available in stores in March, retails for $99.99msrp and has two color options: one with black wheels and decals, the other in red. Visit http://www.pulsekickngo.com for additional information about the Pulse Kick 'N Go and its unique drive-train.

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Razor E300 Electric Scooter

Why walk when you can zip around on the rather cool looking Razor E300 electric scooter.

This E300 electric scooter is a real eye catcher and as it can travel up to 15mph, it really would be quite hard to catch.

This environmentally friendly electric scooter comes with a powerful 300 watt chain driven motor that’s neatly hidden away under the footplate, which means it’s unbelievably quiet but can deliver the necessary power when needed.

Charge it up for 8 hours and you get 45 minutes of highly addictive scooter riding.

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My Accident: What I did right and what I did wrong

It happened without warning, as accidents do.

I was tooling around downtown Great Falls, Montana, when suddenly I knew I was going to get hit. My first thought was “That was stupid,” realising my mistake, and the next was “Cool! Just like in the movies!” as I rolled up on the hood of the car. Later I learned that I broke its windshield.

I ride a Honda Reflex, a scooter, but the rules of the road are the same as for motorcycles. In fact, because the Reflex has a 250cc engine, I had to get my motorcycle license.

I took a safety course alongside men with dreams of Harleys, but the basics, other than I didn’t need to shift, pertained to me as much as to them. I am just as vulnerable as any other biker going the same speed in the same traffic, so I need to be just as alert and as focused on my riding.

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Target Purchases a Fleet of Segways for Security Patrols

MINNEAPOLIS -- Segway Inc. today announced that Target has purchased a fleet of Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) making Target one of Segway's largest customers.

The units will be used for security patrols at more than 150 Target and SuperTarget stores throughout the U.S. Minneapolis-based B2B Segway, a Segway Authorized Dealer specializing in commercial applications, secured the Target contract and executed the deployment of the units to the Target stores.

Tripp Welborne, director of operations, Assets Protection, Target, said, "The Segway PT is an innovative addition to our multi-layered mobile security strategy that employs technology to ensure the safeness of our guests and team members."

"We are honored to have Target as our customer," said Jim Norrod, CEO of Segway Inc. "Target has achieved success by focusing on great guest service and this purchase of a large Segway PT fleet is an extension of that."

Target Assets Protection team members will use the Segway PTs to patrol the parking lots and surrounding environments of Target stores in markets such as Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle. In preparation for the launch of the program, Target developed a comprehensive Segway PT training program that security personnel completed before the units were deployed at their stores.

Worldwide more than 600 police and security organizations use Segway PTs to patrol urban business centers, airports, university and corporate campuses, parks and shopping malls. The Segway PT has several operating characteristics that make it ideally suited to these tasks:

-- Officers stand eight inches taller on a Segway PT making it easier for
them to see and be seen over crowds and parked cars.
-- Segway PTs are self-balancing even when standing still, and can turn in
place. This enables officers to easily move among parked cars and
shoppers.
-- The units are battery powered, use no gasoline and give off no
emissions during operation. Thus, they can be used both indoors and
out.

Segway Inc. develops intelligent motion control technology known as Segway(R) Smart Motion(TM) that is embedded in the light electric transportation devices it manufactures, such as the Segway(R) Personal Transporter (PT). The company has a worldwide distribution network of more than 350 retail points in 80 countries.

Source: Segway Inc.

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February 15, 2008

TVS launches electric scooter in Gujarat

CHENNAI: TVS Motor Company, on Wednesday, launched its first electric scooter, Scooty Teenz Electric in Gujarat.

Aimed at teenage girls, Scooty Teenz Electric is easy to use and maneuver. ``It is an ideal choice for young women, who need mobility and whose daily travel is limited to around 15-25 km per day,'' says a release from the company.

Scooty Teenz Electric, the release says, can generate an average range of 40 km per nine hours of charge. This can increase by fifty per cent if the rider opts for lower speeds by using a unique feature of this electric bike, the range selector. The range selector allows the rider to select a preferred range, either high or low.

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February 14, 2008

Electric two-wheelers in Kerala

Kochi: With the entry of high power electric scooters, Kerala is hopeful of reducing the air pollution-causing emissions by automobiles. Hero Ultra, a venture between Hero Exports Private Limited and UK-based Ultra Motor Company announced its foray into Kerala.

Hero Cycles Limited had earlier in October 2006, signed a Technical Collaboration-cum-Joint Marketing Agreement with Ultra Motor Company, to produce and jointly market the range of “Hero Electric-Ultra Powered” electric two-wheelers in India. Both Hero Cycles Limited and Ultra Motor Company wanted to understand the strength of the market and hence the technical collaboration was the first step towards entering the Indian market.

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February 11, 2008

RoboScooter moves toward production

At last week's Systems, Cities, and Sustainable Mobility summit in Pasadena, Calif., Raul-David Poblano of MIT announced that the RoboScooter is moving toward commercial production.

The RoboScooter, developed by the MIT Media Laboratory, Sanyang Motors, and Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute, is an electric scooter designed for cities.

The goal of the program is to provide clean transportation for congested urban areas.

Posted by Frank at 5:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 10, 2008

Piaggio to begin electric car sales in Israel

Scooter maker Piaggio will be the first company to market an electric car in Israel. Sales are set to begin in about a month, three years before the expected launch of Shai Agassi's electric car initiative. Figaro's Porter model is a small multipurpose van (MPV) that runs on an electric 12 or 14 horsepower engine that can reach a maximum speed of 58 km/h.

These qualities, along with the vehicle's short length of 3.37 meters, make it suitable only for urban use. The car is able to run for 250 kilometers on a full battery charge that takes just two hours. The battery can be charged with normal home outlets.

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Vectrix Electric Scooters Taking Off [Silently]

It could be the Toyota Prius of the two-wheeled world - transport with green credentials that lets you show off how much you are doing to save the planet.

The Vectrix electric scooter is probably about the quietest thing on display at this year's London Motorcycle Show and it could also be the greenest.

For commuters anxious to minimize their carbon footprint, the Vectrix could be just what they are looking for.

The bulky-looking scooter will take two people and their shopping for a distance of 50 miles before it needs to be plugged into the mains for a charge-up. That takes two hours and will cost 20 pence (40 cents), the company says.

"They are beginning to take off now," says Vectrix's Annette Harris. "It was a slow start."

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Joyriders behind UK scoot thefts

POLICE are on the trail of joyriding youths thought to be behind a recent spate of motorbike and scooter thefts in Millom.

The force is also urging residents in the town to lock vehicles with wheel chains to prevent further incidents.

It follows a sharp rise in motorbike and scooter thefts so far this year.

A grey blue Ford Galaxy worth £5,900 was stolen on Lord Street between January 17 and 18, but it is not known whether police are linking the incident with the bike thefts.

Several of the vehicles have been stolen from Wellington Street, Holborn Hill, Nelson Street and Devonshire Industrial Estate in the past few weeks.

Police say the bikes are often recovered near to where they were taken, but often only after they have been damaged.

The bikes have been taken, not only when left unattended at the road side for short times, but also when secured in garages.

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January 22, 2008

Sailers vie to win a Vectrix

Yesterday literally in the shadows of the Telstra Dome stadium and the skyscrapers of the newest downtown borough of Melbourne, the Docklands, twenty teams of sailors put it all on the line for their chance at a brand new electric scooter (yes, that's right) in the 'Vectrix King of the Docklands Regatta.'

Very puffy 12-20 knot winds whipped through the buildings and across old shipping yards onto the stadium-like racecourse scattering five new Laser SB3 class sportboats around at breakneck speed.

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January 17, 2008

Scooter sales boom, bring safety and legal issues

As scooter sales rise throughout the country, some riders are taking their scooters to UA sidewalks and Fayetteville highways, causing increased safety and legal concerns, students and police said in interviews.

At the end of last semester, the number of registered scooters and motorcycles on campus had increased to 68 since the 2005-06 school year, said Andy Gilbride, program adviser for the UA Transit and Parking Department. Of those 68 vehicles, 29 were registered in the last six months of 2007, he said.

However, discrepancy regarding campus scooter laws has been evident, said Lt. Gary Crain, public information officer for the UA Police Department.

"On campus, scooters are prohibited from sidewalks," he said. "There are about three different policies that prohibit scooters from the sidewalk."

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Scooter rider sues city for $150,000 after being hit by squad car

RACINE - A woman is filing a claim of almost $150,000 against the city after an on-duty Racine police officer hit her while she was on her electric scooter in mid-August.

The city attorney’s office has denied the city’s liability and the City Council will be ruling on the claim Tuesday.

According to the accident report, Clara Bridgeman and officer Joseph Spaulding were both at the corner of Packard Avenue and 16th Street at the same time.

Spaulding signaled to turn right onto 16th Street, accelerated slightly and hit Bridgeman, knocking over her scooter.

Officer Jon Principe, who was riding in the passenger seat, said Bridgeman and Spaulding each came to a complete stop, and Bridgeman yielded her right of way by initially waiting on the curb.

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Scooter riders need to show responsibility

The scooter was invented in 1946 in Europe as an economical alternative to the car. The popularity of the Vespa has soared with the number of registered scooters and motorcycles at the UA increasing to 68 vehicles since the 2005-06 school year, according to an article in today's issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

But as this new toy makes its way back into the popular scene, it has also made its way through our sidewalks.

According to an Arkansas ordinance, it is illegal to ride scooters on the sidewalks, and yet the scooters remain.

In today's article in the Traveler, students and officials alike said the scooters on sidewalks have become a real problem. And we on the editorial board agree.

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Singing the scooter refresher course blues

I've been riding my Vespa for five years - and yet I am still required by law to attend a one-day refresher course every two years to check that I haven't gone blind or forgotten how to make it go in a straight line.

The authorities consider my scooter too little and girlish to require a proper licence, and yet a bit too dangerous to let any unqualified loon charge about the streets on it.

Posted by Frank at 6:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 14, 2008

Saturn Partners With Segway for FlexTransit

DETROIT -- Today at the North American International Auto Show Segway and General Motors are showcasing a comprehensive solution for eco-friendly mobility - the Saturn Flextreme concept car with integrated Segway Personal Transporters.

The Flextreme is built on GM's global E-Flex electric drive architecture that was first debuted by the Opel brand at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show last October. The Flextreme design is the first functional automotive concept that integrates an onboard storage and charging system for two Segway PTs.

"Segway is committed to developing safe, clean, innovative products that are redefining transportation for consumers and businesses," said Jim Norrod, Segway's chief executive officer. "The Flextreme concept with integrated Segway PTs is a great example of the evolution of transportation."

The two Segway PTs housed in the concept's FlexLoad(R) cargo space operate on the same balancing technology used in the well-known personal transporters available today. Using Segway Smart Motion(TM) -- a unique combination of sensors, propulsion and intelligence -- the Segway PT balances in place and moves in response to the way the rider moves his or her body forward, backward, left or right.

Special adjustments have been made to the Segway PT prototypes for easy loading and unloading into the Flex-Load cargo space. The tire diameter and track width were optimized to fit inside the vehicle and the prototypes have a unique exterior design to match the look and feel of the Flextreme, making them a cohesive part of this integrated transportation solution. Most notably, these Segway PT units have retractable handlebars that allow for more compact storage. Built into the Flex-Load cargo area are ramps used to load and unload the Segway PTs. The Segway PT units attach to a docking station inside the cargo space where they recharge while the Flextreme batteries charge.

"Saturn has a legacy of environmental responsibility, so products like this Flextreme concept with its integrated Segway PTs showcase our continued pursuit of consumer-focused, green technologies," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn's General Manager.

"The Segway and GM teams worked closely to integrate the Segway PT into the Flextreme's functionality and innovative design," said Doug Field, Segway's chief technology officer. "It was a collaboration that resulted in one package with both short and long-distance transportation solutions."

Like the Flextreme, the Segway PT is electrically powered and does not produce emissions during operation. Powered by two lithium-ion batteries, the Segway PT typically takes eight to ten hours to charge at a 110/220 volt outlet and consumes about one kilowatt hour of energy while recharging(1).

Considering a rider can travel up to 24 miles on one battery charge the Segway PT consumes .0.052 kilowatt hours per mile on average. The production of 52 watt-hours of electricity creates 0.081 lbs. of carbon dioxide - that is 70 to 80 percent less than the emissions created by other individual transportation devices such as gas-powered scooters or motorcycles, respectively(2). Moreover, the Segway PT is four to five times more energy efficient than a motorcycle or scooter.

The Saturn Flextreme concept with Segway PT prototypes will be on display at the NAIAS Jan. 14 - 27, 2008 at the Cobo Hall Convention Center in Detroit.

Source: Segway Inc., via Car Buyer's Notebook

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January 10, 2008

Leo Motors Electric Scooters Approved for Korean Government Offices

LAS VEGAS -- Leo Motors, Inc was selected by the Korean Ministry of Environment as an electric scooter supplier to central government offices.

The electric scooter model “Leo 1000” has passed all requirements of the performance standards test used by the Ministry of Environment of Korea. The Leo 1000 is equipped with a lithium polymer battery that can run 100km (a little over 62 miles) on a home plug-in charge.

The public procurement service plans to continue the purchase of electric scooters from Leo Motors as substitutes for existing gas scooters in their efforts to support an emission free and lower noise environment. The gas scooters widely used for deliveries throughout the country were criticized by the public for their noise in the night and contribution to Korea’s serious air pollution issues. The Leo Motors electric scooters are priced at about $3,200 each - including $1,000 of government subsidy.

The government offices have already purchased over 500 electric scooters so far in their transportation reform. They are continually brought into service as replacements for gas scooters. It is estimated that this effort will help reduce carbon monoxide (CO) by 8% and hydrocarbon (HC) by 7.4% of total vehicle pollution sources.

Dr. John Lee, CEO of Leo Motors Inc., stated, “We expect Leo Motors electric scooters to have price competitiveness without government subsidy for the commercial market at large when the scooter manufacturing facility in China initiates mass production this year. We believe that considerable demand will come as buyers evaluate the maintenance and operation cost, which is 1/10th of gas scooters, and the environmental benefit of electric scooters.”

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Scooter is a ladies thing, too

New Delhi -- The scooter segment in India is hotting up, literally. While 2007 saw the launch of Kinetic’s Flyte, Bajaj Kristal and Suzuki Access, 2008 is likely to be all the more exciting, with Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) unveiling Blade and Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India (HMSI) coming up with a premium scooter Aviator, taking the total number of launches in the segment to five in less than a year.

The New Year will see Companies vying to woo women buyers. While, Blade (125cc) will cater to males, Flyte and Access (both 125cc) will be for females.

“With the society opening up and more women taking up jobs, they have more money to shell out to own their personal vehicle,” says NK Rattan of HMSI. The company, on Wednesday launched Aviator (102cc).

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Scooters Move the Crowd at Vegas Trade Show

LAS VEGAS -- Around this time each year, Sin City becomes Geekville. It's the Consumer Electronics Show -- the mecca for everything techie. This year an exiting, innovative and useful toy caught Gadget Grrl's eye: the all-electric maxi scooter. It does lots of nifty little tricks, but costs a pretty penny. Next, a veteran device gets a fresh look: adapters. These new ones are made for the Apple (AAPL - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating) iPhone, iPod touch, Blackberry Pearl and 8800.

I've been covering CES since 1996 and there is nothing better than finding a new product or technology that is as innovative and/or useful as the Vectrix, an all-electric maxi scooter.

I took a test ride on the back of the V3 model and can report that it's not only a smooth and quiet ride but you don't have to deal with the smell or the heat of a gas-powered vehicle.

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January 7, 2008

Want to beat the gas crunch?

Someday, say Danny and Geri Cordova, there could be a Scooter Roo store on the West Side, maybe even in Rio Rancho.

Their products have already beaten them here.

Scooter Roo — not to be confused with Scooby-Do — is the Cordovas’ store in Northeast Albuquerque, where you can beat the gas crunch by riding on two wheels.

And that’s what Geri Cordova does on a daily basis, content to get 80 miles to the gallon on the nifty Velux she rides.

“It’s an eye-catcher,” she says. The two-wheeler has a roof that’s easily removed, an AM/FM/CD player, which she said “makes it kind of fun,” and the scooter can get 70-75 mpg with its 150 cubic-centimeter motor, attracting stares of amazement at the eye-catcher. She spends about $3 a week for gas, she said.

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January 2, 2008

Vectrix Electric Scooter

The Vectrix electric scooter offers all the benefits of a gasoline-powered scooter with reduced carbon dioxide and smog-forming pollutants.

It can reach a speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) and accelerates rapidly, reaching a speed of 50 mph (96 km/h) within 6.8 seconds. The Vectrix is also quieter than gasoline-powered scooters and has lower maintenance costs. The battery-powered, non-polluting scooter can be quickly charged using any standard electrical outlet.

In comparison to other electric scooters, the Vectrix has a longer range (between 2-3 times longer, which translates into 35-55 miles/55-90 km per charge, depending on the driving speed), twice the acceleration speed, and a double top speed. In addition, its center of gravity is lower and it has a longer wheel base, making it safer to drive and easier to handle.

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December 31, 2007

Corazzo Design Leads in Scooter Specific Riding Apparel

By every measure all indicators point to scooters being the fastest growing two-wheeled alternative transportation market.

Whether in response to rising fuel costs, experiencing the fun and freedom of a scooter ride, or simply needing an easier parking solution, the scooter market is growing by leaps and bounds.

While this market grows so does the need to protect all these riders so they are safe while they scoot.

“It’s truly amazing to see this growth” said Corazzo President, Bradford Duval. “Especially in these times when the motorcycle market seems to be stagnating somewhat, it’s great to see scooters picking up and changing the face of urban riding.”

Corazzo Design, a Portland, Oregon based company specializing in the design and manufacture of riding apparel for scooterists, saw this need early on. Four years ahead of the curve, and being riders themselves, Corazzo has been consistently producing the highest quality scooter jackets, apparel and accessories. Using their trademark combination of classic style paired with modern technical materials, Corazzo has established the unrivaled leadership role in protecting scooter riders while preserving the classic scooter style.

Corazzo jackets are retro-fashionable, have a great fit, integrate protective armor, and use abrasion resistant materials in innovative creative ways. Corazzo continues to set the standard for what it means to ride safe, with style.

As the scooter market continues to rapidly grow, Corazzo is the brand to know. Trusted worldwide for their integrity, Corazzo Design makes jackets for riders, by riders, and is proud to design and manufacture their apparel and accessories in North America (California, Oregon and Canada), sourcing their raw materials from companies that manufacture in the US, whenever and wherever possible.

Corazzo brings their riding apparel to market through an extensive international dealer network. In addition to the individual dealers throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, Corazzo also has centralized distribution in the key scooter markets of Australia and the United Kingdom. This worldwide presence allows scooterists to be protected in style no matter in what corner of the globe they ride.

For more information and any questions regarding the entire line of Corazzo jackets for women and men, feel free to contact Corazzo at: (503) 493-9422, www.corazzo.net, or email – sales@corazzo.net -

Corazzo: Designed for Riders, By Riders.

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NY Cops to test Vectrix Scooters

Police working to keep the city safer will be trying to keep it greener too -- by testing an electric, ultra-quiet scooter.

Four plug-in Vectrix scooters will be road tested starting early next month as the New York Police Department tries to become more environmentally friendly and reduce gasoline use in its massive motor fleet.

The nation's largest police department already uses a handful of hybrid cars and so-called flex-fuel vehicles, which can run on both gasoline and ethanol.

"Police effectiveness comes first, but where we can combine environmentally friendly vehicles without compromising the mission, we do," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

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December 27, 2007

Aussie Scooter Sales Triple

LYGON Street might be home to Melbourne's "Little Italy", but residents across the city, faced with high petrol prices and parking fees, have embraced one of Rome's enduring features — the scooter.

Scooter sales in Victoria reached 1881 last year — up 400% in three years. Australia-wide, about 15,000 scooters were sold, up more than 300% on 2003 figures.

For Frank Tonon, owner of Collingwood's Vespa House, sales have jumped from about two a month five years ago to an average of 15 a month.

"We're centralising ourselves in the city, like overseas," he said. "You can't park anywhere, it costs too much to park, and petrol is expensive."

At Armadale Motors, Sandy Richards said that sales of his Bolwell scooters had grown from eight a month four years ago, to up to 20 a month this year.

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December 22, 2007

Mickey Rourke, Framed?

HOLLYWOOD BAD boy Mickey Rourke may get away with suspected drink-riding after Miami Beach police officials confirmed the breathalyser test the actor failed a month ago was incorrect.

Rourke was pulled over by police after they claimed to have spotted him weaving all over the road while riding a scooter.

It turns out the first breathalyzer was overturned because it was reportedly broken, the second test showed the actor was under the legal limit of intoxication.

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December 21, 2007

Santa Claus comes to town on a scooter!

This was the extraordinary scene when hundreds of Easy Riders roared up to a Lancashire hospital in aid of sick children.

Members of scooter and bike clubs from across the county stopped off at the Royal Preston Hospital on Sunday as part of an annual gift drive for poorly youngsters who will spend their Christmas on hospital wards.

The event, organised by Preston Wildcats Scooter Club, saw at least 150 bikers pile into the hospital car park and hand out chocolate selection boxes and toys – one of the biggest responses in the appeal's history.

Michelle Melling, modern matron for child health, said: "It's a great way to kick off the festive season and will give them something to look forward to."

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December 20, 2007

Did UK Cops Scoot Around Scooter Law?

It was billed as the scooter of the future and now Sutton police may have overstepped the mark by making the Segway personal transporter a scooter of the present.

Officers have been accused of acting above the law by test driving the self-balancing vehicle in Manor Park and Sutton High Street earlier this month.

The police wanted to gauge public reaction to the Segway, which rolls up to 12.5mph and raises the user 8in off the ground.

But they appear to have been unaware the two-wheeled vehicle - used by agencies in America, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal - can only be used on private property in this country.

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Why Should You Care About Scooters?

At the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Ford envisioned two cars in every garage in America. I wonder, as the 21st century starts, if we shouldn’t also make room in our garages for a scooter.

Not the smelly, smoky little pests, with their inefficient two-stroke engines, that create traffic nightmares all over Europe (particularly Italy) and elsewhere in the world. Modern models with emissions-compliant, incredibly fuel-efficient four-stroke engines could really make a difference right now in America’s energy consumption. Especially if people used them for what they are at best at: things like short commutes, light errands and student transportation.

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December 14, 2007

Armadillo Scooter Wear: What you wear on your scooter is our business

We’ve ridden scooters for years, and if there’s one thing we’ve discovered it’s that looking good and getting the right protection don’t always come hand in hand.

That’s why Armadillo Scooter wear exists. We need protective clothing that keeps us dry, warm and gives us impact protection too. But we don’t want to look like the pizza delivery boy.

Armadillo Scooter Wear is a combination of style and protection without compromising either. In Armadillo, you get all the benefits of technical outdoor performance fabrics and the knowledge that our d3o armour will protect you if you and tarmac come together. Best of all, you’ll look good. Classic styles from the 60’s parka to the iconic funnel-hood - you’ll look like a scooter rider, not a courier.

Check out our products page for our latest range. Now, there’s a choice.

Armadillo Scooter Wear.

Stylish protection for the urban scooter rider.

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December 9, 2007

Wintry weather doesn't stop scooter drivers

A gust of winter weather has not deterred one group of downtown motorists from braving the streets during and after the snow, sleet and general slushiness that covered Madison this week. These drivers, however, were not manning the city's snowplows.

It was moped drivers on the UW-Madison campus and the surrounding areas who took to the roads sporting parkas and face masks during and after Saturday's storm and Tuesday's snow.

According to University of Wisconsin Police officer Kristin Radtke, Madison has the highest concentration of mopeds in the country. Approximately 1,500 mopeds were registered to the University of Wisconsin Transportation Services as of Oct. 22, which according to Radtke probably accounts for around 85 percent of scooters on campus.

After seeing how this week's weather affected moped activity, however, Madison may also be able to boast claim to the country's most dedicated riders.

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Electric Glide: Passing Pumps on a Scooter

Los Angeles -- I was riding a Vectrix, a slick Futurama-spec scooter powered by a 20-kilowatt (26.8 horsepower) direct-current motor. Instead of gasoline, ethanol, hydrogen or plutonium, it was motivated by squeaky-clean electrons racing between the poles of its 3.7-kilowatt-hour nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.

The Vectrix scooter is similar in design to gasoline-powered maxi scooters by Honda, Suzuki, Piaggio and others — practical, economical, motorcycle-size transpo-pods that are far more popular in Europe and Asia than in S.U.V.-besotted America. But instead of a conventional maxi’s 250 cc-to-400 cc gas engine, the Vectrix’s brushless electric motor gets the job done using stockpiled household current.

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December 7, 2007

Cruising the SF scooter scene

Senior James Vossoughi, an entrepreneur and marketing business major, was always late to class last year and got parking tickets that he, like most college students, could not afford. His solution - a Yamaha Vino 125 scooter, and hasn't had parking problems since.

"There's parking everywhere," he said. "There's special parking in the front of campus just for scooters and motorcycles, but you can also park between cars—it's pretty tight."

Scooters are a popular alternative way of transportation in the United States, including San Francisco. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, the number of scooter sales per year in the United States zoomed 555 percent from 1997 to 2006.

"Scooters really became popular in San Francisco as an economical way to get around where younger people couldn't afford cars or motorcycles and so scooters have always been a clear choice," said Barry Gwin, owner of the San Francisco Scooter Centre.

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Foldable Electric Scooter Made for Sharing

Dense cities are notorious for traffic congestion and pollution. But now, an energy-efficient, compact scooter could offer a mass transit option almost as convenient as a car.

The electrically powered scooter folds to half its size, which could make it easier to park, store or carry onto subways or buses. City transportation authorities could make thousands of the scooters available to commuters at conveniently located, one-way rental racks -- similar to bicycle-share programs that have recently popped up in Lyon and Paris, France and other European cites.

"This vehicle provides a clean, green solution that has potentially very high utilization rates. If it's used a lot, it could reduce the need for private vehicles on the road," said Ryan Chin, design leader and Ph.D. candidate in media, arts and sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab.

Chin is part of the Media Lab's Smart Cities Group, and the scooter is an off-shoot of the group's City Car, a sharable, stackable electric concept car.

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Eco-friendly scooters launched in Bangalore

BANGALORE: The world is waking up to the problem of carbon footprints and burning of fossil fuels, and people are looking for greener alternatives. Bangalore already has an electric car locally manufactured and now there is Yeoman Bike, an electric scooter for young people.

Launching the scooters that run on an electric motor and battery here on Tuesday, the Managing Partner of Yeoman Bike, K.M. Gopi, said the chief objective of launching these two-wheelers was to create a cheaper alternative to travel around the city.

Two models were launched. The first, Cedar 250, is a single-seater scooter priced at Rs. 29,100. It can travel 100 km after the battery is charged for four. The cost for a kilometre works out to around 6 paise. It can take a load of 90 kg, he said.

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December 4, 2007

Scooters may have place on UA campus

With gas prices keeping steady at more than $3 a gallon in November, students' finances may also continue to feel increased pressure.

George Latham, however, said he may have something to help.

Latham, owner of the newly founded T-Town Motorsports, said scooters and electric motor-powered bicycles are good alternatives to cars for college students.

"They're a good, safe, reliable mode of transportation," he said. "They're inexpensive to operate, and they pretty much pay for themselves."

Latham said every scooter in his shop gets between 60 and 100 miles-per-gallon of gas. Also, Latham said, everything he sells has an automatic transmission.

T-Town Motorsports opened Nov. 12, the Monday before Thanksgiving. It's on the corner of Hackberry Lane and 15th Street in the Parkview Shopping Center.

Jonathan Lanctot, a sophomore majoring in engineering, said he owns a Honda Metropolitan scooter and uses it around Tuscaloosa. Lanctot said he is from Illinios and doesn't go home that often, so the scooter works for getting around campus and around town, he said.

Lanctot said his scooter gets over 100 miles-per-gallon, and he has spent less than $10 on gas since he bought it over the summer.

"I use my scooter to get around campus really quickly," Lanctot said. "I never have to worry about gas prices or mileage. Not to mention, it's just fun to ride."

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November 30, 2007

Scooters in Toronto's HOV lanes

Motorcyclists and scooter riders should be allowed to use the city's high-occupancy vehicle lanes, the city's works committee recommended yesterday.

The lanes on city roads are now reserved for buses, bikes, taxis and cars with three occupants,. Councillor Case Ootes has been pushing the city to allow motorcycles and scooters with just one occupant as well, to help with traffic congestion and pollution.

City staff had concluded that many motorcycles were not much more fuel efficient than cars, although that was disputed yesterday by the heads of various motorcycling and scooter organizations who addressed the committee.

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November 28, 2007

MIT scooter defined by electricity, portability

It's energy efficient, it's clean, compact and simple, and, above all, it's very cool.

All of these factors could be significant in getting people to adopt a lightweight, electrically powered scooter designed by William J. Mitchell, the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences, and several of his students in MIT's Smart Cities Group, in collaboration with SYM, a major scooter manufacturer in Taiwan, and ITRI, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute.

A prototype of the new design was a hit at the Milan Auto Show, where it was unveiled earlier this month.

Motor scooters are a very popular form of transportation in Asian and European cities, Mitchell said, because they provide convenient, inexpensive transportation. But conventional scooters, using inefficient two-stroke gas engines, are also a source of local air pollution. The new design "was all about providing a clean, green, silent electric scooter that would provide, even better, the same kind of urban mobility," he said.

As an added bonus, the simplicity of the electric design, which eliminates the powertrain by putting motors directly inside each of the two wheels, made it possible to design the scooter so that it could be folded up to about half its size, making it even easier to store in crowded urban environments.

"In very dense urban areas where scooter parking is a big issue, the small size is a big advantage. It makes it possible to park it in narrow streets and alleys," Mitchell said. When folded, it can also be easily wheeled along like a trolley suitcase, and is no larger, making it easy to take along on trains or even indoors.

The simplified design could bring down production costs significantly, he said. "A typical gas scooter has about 1,000 parts, but ours only has 150."

Mitchell and his team envision the scooters being provided in racks at convenience stores, train stations and other convenient city locations as one-way rentals. Users would swipe a credit card to remove a scooter from the rack (in which its batteries would be kept fully charged up), unfold it for the trip and then fold it up again to deposit at another rack at the destination.

The viability of the one-way-rental business model has been demonstrated in Paris, Mitchell said, where a company has recently begun a similar service with 1,000 bicycles.

The design of the scooter is also important in getting the new concept adopted. "People want to look cool," Mitchell said, and the folding scooter was highly praised at the Milan show, where vehicle design is especially prized.

The team now plans to further develop the prototype to come up with two different production models. One will be a refinement of the folding scooter introduced in Milan, and the other will be an even simpler model, without the folding capability, to be produced for regions where low cost is most important and space restrictions are not as crucial.

The whole design project was accomplished in eight months, "from a blank sheet to a built concept," Mitchell said. The multigenerational, cross-disciplinary team included a core group of four graduate students along with several others who made contributions, and a group of MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program students. One key to their ability to accomplish the innovative design, he said, was that "they don't know what's 'impossible,' so they just go out and do it."

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Senior scooter riders finish island tour

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A group of elderly scooter riders have been praised for their determination and perseverance after they finished a round-the-island tour at the last leg of the trip in Fengyuan City in central Taiwan's Taichung County.

Taichung County Magistrate Huang Chung-sheng greeted the senior adventure seekers at a welcoming ceremony Sunday, expressing admiration for their determination to join the 13-day tour and their perseverance in finishing the tour.

"The senior citizens' spirit of taking on challenges was worth learning by young people," Huang said.

Tour participants, including several people in their 80s, started their journey from neighboring Taichung City Nov. 13. They returned to Taichung City Sunday afternoon after the trip.

The 20 elderly riders were chosen by the Hondao Welfare Foundation for the Elderly, from a pool of more than 100 applicants, through physical ability tests. Among those selected, 14 are aged over 80 and six are between the ages of 70-79. The eldest member Chu Miao-kuei is 89 years old.

Participants received a two-month training course in Taichung City before departure to help them prepare for obstacles and difficulties they were likely to encounter on the way.

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Scooting in to scooters

With oil nudging $100 a barrel this week, I did a set of test rides of vehicles that are so cheap to run you can travel 100km for as little as 40c.

These vehicles -- electric scooters or bikes -- potentially solve two problems that characterise motorised travel in Johannesburg: rising energy costs and increasing gridlock.

The three bikes I rode are made in China, which has undergone a revolution in personal transport since 1998, when most major cities in China began banning the use of petrol-powered motorbikes to clean up pollution.

The result has been the emergence of the ubiquitous electric scooter and bike. More than nine million electric bikes and scooters were sold in China last year, according to Business Week, citing Goldman Sachs, at a cost of $1,5-billion.

Piet Jooste, an entrepreneur based in Albertskroon near Northcliff in Johannesburg, has imported a container of Chinese-made bikes and scooters to test the local market. The idea is spanking new and is yet to be registered as a company, but will probably trade as Pick a Bike.

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