Scootering USA

September 13, 2008

2009 Kymco Sting Anyone?

Posted by Chris at 7:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 11, 2008

New SportCity Cube 250 Scooter from Aprilia

How would you like a new Aprilia? I am not talking about a full-sized moto, but about a new scooter of course. Aprila has this new elegant model in the picture above. They like to refer to it as the SportCity Cube 250. And boy does it look good!

The design is just great. A new mudguard and grille, 15 inch aluminum wheels, a wider seat are just a few elements you will come to enjoy. The glove compartment which can be locked at all time, has a convenient outlet for letting you charge up your cell phone and other gadgets.

The SportCity has a single-cylinder 244cc liquid cooled 4-stroke engine. It has a 4-valve head and overhead camshaft. You will get 22.5 HP at 8000 rpw which is significant for the commuter in that busy city. There's a 9 liter tank to go along with your gas-saving needs.

If you want one cool-looking SportCity Cube 250, better go to the bank and make sure you have the extra $4,699 available. The scooter comes in Planet Blue and Crows Silver. I'd want mine in Pink. While you're buying your Aprilia, make sure you have checked their accessories for this SportCity.You might end up buying even more stuff for your new scooter.

Posted by Chris at 9:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 10, 2008

SYM Fiddle II Could Be Your Next Scooter

 

Are you looking for a new scooter in your life? Maybe the SYM Fiddle II 125 is just the thing for you. Sang Yang Motors was a Honda partner so it should definitely know how to build a scooter, especially since they did in fact build quite a lot of units for the Taiwanese market.

The Fiddle II is similar to the Vespa LX 50 or the 150 series. It has a telescopic front forks for a better riding experience. There's a big saddle for you and your friends, and there's more space for carrying stuff if you need it.The curve floorboard up front will treat your legs quite nicely.

For its security, there's a spark arrestor switch under the seat which won't allow anyone but you to start the scooter.

The SYM Fiddle II will come at around $1,500 or even less. At 105.9 miles per gallon at 31 miles per hour it will beat any car if you want to save some money on gas.

Posted by Chris at 9:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 9, 2008

Pimp Your Scooter All the Way

So do you happen to love a pimped up scooter or motorcycle? Well why not get your mean machine transformed into a smartscooter It has GPS, a display, TV and WiFi, a keyboard and motherboards and lots of other gadgets which will keep you busy when not driving it. Make sure the display is turned off at all times while scootering away!

I wonder what happens when it rains? Or what about those weird times when an overzealous officer decides to pull you over? And how much gas does such a pimped up scooter consume?

Posted by Chris at 9:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 13, 2008

Scooters' popularity concern for some

With gas prices on the rise and no real hope of them coming down, consumers are looking for alternative modes of transportation to conserve fuel and money.

According to the Consumer Reports blog, the sale of scooters was up about 24 percent for the first few months of 2008. Yamaha scooter sales to date are up 65 percent over last year and Vespa set an all-time sales record in May, selling 2,758 scooters compared to 1,675 in June 2007.

Mike Lemmons, owner of Gas Buster Scooters on Poplar Street, said he has sold 130 scooters in the last six weeks. He has an inventory of 70 and 500 on order right now.

"(Gas) has put a crunch on all the families," he said. Buyers now pay for one gallon of gasoline, which reportedly, lasts between 100 and 125 miles depending on the size of the scooter, he said.

The scooters are categorized by the size of their engines. Scooters with an engine size of 50 cubic centimeters or less are designed for in-town use considering their speed limit is not to exceed 30 MPH.

Posted by Frank at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Police educate scooterists

A recent increase in gas prices has spurred a rise in the number of alternative vehicles on Minnesota's roadways.

International Falls Police Sgt. Willi Kostiuk said that officers are attempting to educate people about the laws regarding motorized bikes, also known as scooters, before they begin writing citations to violators of those laws.

Kostiuk said the laws are intended to help keep people safe.

"We want to work with everybody and education is the best way," he said.

The driving of scooters, which are less than 50 cubic centimeters or less, on roadways is governed by a number of state rules. Without compliance, operators can be issued citations, explained Kostiuk.

Posted by Frank at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters Easy To Steal, Lock Them Up

DENVER ― One woman is warning other scooter owners to lock up their vehicles because she learned it doesn't take much for thieves to steal the small bikes that have become more popular as gas prices rise. The theft was caught on video cameras set up by her husband after previous thefts.

Janet Colfelt said her husband discovered the scooter was gone Saturday morning.

The security video showed two men walking up to the scooter, picking it up as a truck pulls up. The men throw the scooter in the back and drive off.

Colfelt thought the cameras and lights out front of their home were enough of a deterrent. Now she knows to buy a lock.

Posted by Frank at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Polluters

As gas prices rise, so has the sale of scooters. Seattle sales of the trendy two-wheelers have risen almost 40 percent since last year. Scooters get great gas mileage and help reduce greenhouse gasses. But they may not be so good for the environment. KUOW's Joshua McNichols has more.

IF YOU WANT TO BUY A SCOOTER, YOU MIGHT GO SEE ALEX SARGEANT. HE OWNS THE SCOOTER GALLERY IN SEATTLE.

SARGEANT: "It's somewhat of a retro style, it comes with a nice color-matched trunk. It's a two-toned retro-design with lots of chrome, a chrome headlight surround."

McNICHOLS: "And it's pink. You gotta love a pink scooter."

SARGEANT: "It's actually raspberry in color. Raspberry and cream."

Posted by Frank at 8:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa scooter given added zest

Getting out of the driver's seat and on to a scooter is becoming more popular as drivers try to beat the jams and cut costs.

Vespa is at the forefront of classic looking scooters, and its new limited-edition Zafferano brings impossibly cool Italian urban chic to British streets.

It comes in exclusive hot orange paint, has plenty of retro detailing and the graphics are unique to this model.

The bike also features the signature rectangular headlight synonymous with the rest of the recently revised range. Two engine sizes are available - 50cc and 125cc. The former model comes with a sports seat, while the latter uses a more comfortable touring option.

Posted by Frank at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Revved up on scooters

PITTSTON TWP. -- Despite the stormy forecast Sunday, a group of members from the newly formed Scooter Club of NEPA took to the road for the club's fourth bi-monthly leisure run.

Scooter owner Robert Martin of Falls decided to form the club about three months ago when he started noticing how many scooters he shared the road with. "I see them everywhere," he said. "I thought it would be great if we could organize these people."

Martin said the club, which has about 25 members, mostly from Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, doesn't charge dues. Weather permitting, they usually meet every other Sunday at 1 p.m in the parking lot of the Pittston Plaza. "It's amazing to pull up in the parking lot and see all these people on scooters," he said.

Posted by Frank at 10:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 11, 2008

Scooter riders zoom into savings

Each weekday morning, Steve Conley leaves his home north of Wilmington, fires up his gas-powered scooter and takes off -- well, sort of takes off. His scooter only goes about 35 miles per hour.

Conley heads down Veale Road to Shipley Road, then onto Weldin. From there, he scoots to Talley Road, down Miller and turns onto Baynard Boulevard. Baynard turns into Washington Street, where he parks his scooter at a bike rack and heads into work at DuPont.

His commute is six miles each way.

His weekly gas bill? Less than $4.

Posted by Frank at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter crazy

Tom Mort is one person who is not busy checking his gas mileage this summer.

The reason? This longtime motorcycle rider doesn't have to with his Suzuki Burgman 650 scooter he owns.

"We take the scooter out when it's nice because of the mileage," he said. "It's very good if you ride (55 mph or less), you do very well. I just don't use that much to have to check it. It's not like a car."

Mort is one of many people riding a motorcycle or scooter and saving gas at a time when the rest of Michiana's motorists are thrilled to see gas prices finally drop below $3.80 after being more than $4 much of the summer.

Posted by Frank at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Rise With Gas Prices

With gas prices as high as they are, more people are ditching their SUVs and scooping up scooters.

Dave Galik bought his first Vespa this summer.

"I wanted something to save gas money, something to get good gas mileage with."

And he's done that, putting just $10 a week in the tank - blowing away the mileage on his jeep.

"I'm probably saving about 40 dollars a week in gasoline," Galik estimates.

He wasn't the only scooter owner happy to share stats at the Rockerbox Ride Saturday, where anything on two wheels was welcome. Riders took off from a Vespa dealership, where soaring gas prices have sales soaring.

Posted by Frank at 11:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Save on your daily commute - scoot!

The rise in gas prices has me looking elsewhere. I have decided it's time to think smart. Something fun, fast, and possibly two wheels? Yes, scooters!

Scooters have been a European staple for daily commuting and even weekend getaways. Men in suits, Moms in the daily hurry, and young adults zipping to and from the places that make life great.

So why not me? I am Girl vs. Wild, and it's time to save some dinaro and start having a daily commuting scooter adventure!

Atomic Brown Scooter Shop, Oklahoma City's family-owned scooter dealer located on North Western Avenue, is where my latest adventure has taken me, and better yet I didn't have to drive far to get there.

Steve and Pam Hudson, owners' of Atomic Brown Scooter Shop have been selling and educating Oklahoma City on the fun, fast, and fuel efficient advantages of riding scooters since June of 2004.

Posted by Frank at 11:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooping up scooters

CEDAR FALLS --- Nobody expects the world to start traveling on two wheels. But, many commuters are discovering the advantage of owning a scooter.

The draw is high gas mileage in the era of $4-per-gallon fuel, according to scooter dealers in the Cedar Valley, who say sales of little motorized two-wheelers have more than doubled in the last year.

Scooter sales increased 23.6 percent, year-on-year, in the first quarter, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a trade association.

According to published reports, Vespa USA, the U.S. arm of perhaps the world's best-known scooter manufacturer, said its sales in May were 105 percent higher than the same point in 2007.

Posted by Frank at 11:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Petition Calls for More Scooter Parking Spaces

From farming to driving, Arkansans are looking for ways to save on fuel costs and many are turning to gas saving scooters. But there could be a catch....parking

Scooter owners from across the country are complaining about the lack of parking spaces. Two-wheeled drivers are having to park farther away in parking spots intended for much larger cars.

Now, the Vespa Company, which makes a popular scooter, is demanding "parking for all".

The company's online petition challenges local governments to think small when it comes to parking.

"If we had more scooters in smaller places, more parking for everyone, and it encourages people to ride scooters and motorcycles," Vespa Scooter Dealer, Leonard Zechiedrich said.

Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 10, 2008

The Vespatition

The scooter craze is spreading throughout NWA. Fewer scooter parking spots has led to the Vespatition. It's a petition set up for users to sign up online. The company will then send a petition to the City Mayor's office in your area, asking for more Vespa-Scooter parking spots in the area. Supporters say their plan would convert a regular parking spot, into up to 6 spots for Vespas. Think of it as parking numerous scooters in the place of one car.

Owner of Vespa Ozarks, Leonard Zeichiedrich says, "People need to realize it actually gets on the Mayor's desk. They may look at it, or they may look at it, but if we have more asking for those situations, then it will be better."

Posted by Frank at 2:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 9, 2008

Which scooter?

This will depend on what you're planning to do with it, and what kind of licence you have or are hoping to get. Engine size is the first consideration: if you need something for a short urban commute, say five miles or less, then a 50cc scooter will cost less than a railway season ticket to buy and insure, then reward you with 100mpg or better and minimal annual servicing bills.

Its top speed will be restricted to 30mph so it's no good for faster A-roads; some people will prefer the extra power of a 125cc as a 50cc machine often can't keep up with traffic even in town, where you're consigned to the gutter like a cyclist, which can be intimidating.

Posted by Frank at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 8, 2008

Scooting right past the gas station

Baker County Library Clerk Lindy Cloyd started a trend five years ago -- long before the mere mention of gas prices elicited frustrated groans and heavy sighs.

With airlines starting to charge $7 for blankets and pillows in just the past week to offset fuel costs, Americans continue to search desperately for alternatives.

When Cloyd faced some car troubles nearly a decade ago, she decided to scrap the vehicle altogether and replace it with a 49 cc Yamaha Veno scooter from Oregon Trail Yamaha in Baker City.

When she realized she'd be riding the scooter often, Cloyd upgraded to a 125 cc model she bought in Salem.

Posted by Frank at 2:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 7, 2008

High gas prices have people turning to scooters

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 soaringgasoline 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."

Posted by Frank at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters zoom out of dealer showrooms

Scooters may be the runts of the road, but high-priced gas is making them kings of the showroom.

Dealers are periodically running short, and manufacturers say they're trying, sometimes in vain, to produce more scooters.

"There's no way we could have planned for almost doubling our sales," says Kevin Foley, spokesman for maker Yamaha.

While scooters made up about 15% of all street-licensable motorcycles in 2007, their U.S. sales zoomed 66% in the first half of the year, highest of any segment in the motorcycle market, the Motorcycle Industry Council says. Some scooter makers say sales boomed when gas hit $4 a gallon: Piaggio Group Americas, which makes Vespa, saw sales rise 174% in July compared with a year ago.

Posted by Frank at 10:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter purchases climb as buyers face high gas prices

John Mihaljevic is not concerned with $4-per-gallon gas. He's been saving money at the pump all summer.

Several months ago, Mihaljevic, 45, of Collinsville decided to leave his Jeep Wrangler in park, and he purchased a 2007 Yamaha Majesty, a 400cc motor scooter, from Collinsville Yamaha.

Mihaljevic used to own a Vespa, an Italian motor scooter, and as gas prices soared toward $4 this summer, he decided it was time to purchase a scooter.Mihaljevic rides his scooter every day to his job as manager at Collinsville's Imo's Pizza, and he also takes it on longer trips to De Soto, Mo., to visit his dad.

Posted by Frank at 10:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Differences between a motor scooter and motorcycle

In Illinois, scooters of 150cc or more have the same classification as motorcycles and require a Class M driver's license to operate. Scooters of 149cc or less can be operated with a Class L license.

Although scooters of 150cc or more are included in motorcycle registration and fatality statistics in Illinois, there are some distinct differences between scooters, including high-power scooters, and motorcycles.

1. The engine for a scooter is at the rear while engines in motorcycles are up front, between a rider's legs.

2. Motorcycle riders use foot pegs while scooter riders have a floor board.

3. Most scooters have automatic transmissions, while motorcycles usually have multiple gears.

4. Scooters typically weigh less than a standard motorcyle.

Source: http://www.vespaatlanta.com/faqs.html

Posted by Frank at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Pininfarina CEO dies in scooter accident

TURIN -- Andrea Pininfarina, CEO of Italian design and contract manufacturer Pininfarina, died Thursday morning in a road accident near Turin.

Pininfarina, 51, died after a car collided with the Vespa motorcycle scooter he was riding to the company's design and r&d center in Cambiano.

Pininfarina's death comes at a time when the family-controlled company is in the midst of a crucial restructuring. Andrea Pininfarina has been Pininfarina's CEO since June 2001. He was also appointed chairman in May 2006.

Posted by Frank at 10:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter fans head for the Piece Hall

VESPA and Lambretta fans revved their engines at the first Piece Hall Scooter Rally.
Organised in conjunction with the Yorkshire Scooter Alliance, the event attracted more than 35 scooter owners and bike fans.

Phoenix Radio provided sounds of the 60s for the event which Ruth Taylor, Piece Hall events officer, said they hoped would become a yearly fixture.

"We hope this will be an annual event for people to come and show off their bikes. It was a real Quadrophenia style atmosphere with the mods and so on," she said.

Posted by Frank at 8:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Trade Minister Kim Goes to Work on Scooter

A high-ranking Korean trade negotiator Tuesday went to work on a motor scooter in his efforts to join a nationwide energy conservation campaign.

Wearing casual white cotton pants, a blue T-shirt and a helmet, Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon drove his scooter to his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade downtown from his home in eastern Seoul in the morning.

"The scooter has brought me here just in 20 minutes, less than half the 45 minutes spent in my car every morning," Kim told reporters. "I feel very good as the air was fresh and it's even money-saving."

Posted by Frank at 5:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 6, 2008

Around the U.S. on a scooter

LAKEWOOD -- Alix Bryan left Lakewood Tuesday morning on the homestretch of tracing a 22,000 mile Peace sign on the continental United States.

Today marks day 94 of her journey that has taken 6 months of scooter riding over the past year. From Cleveland it's on to Pittsburgh and then to Washington, D.C.

When she arrives in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 8, 2008, Bryan will have created the largest Peace sign in history.

"We must know what the word means before we can acquire it," Bryan says, "and lasting peace must always come first from the individual."

Proving that women can safely travel alone and that little scooters can do big things, a Patriot's Exhibition Advancing Community and Environmentalism (P.E.A.C.E.) on a Scooter is focused on promoting peace rather than specifically opposing war.

Posted by Frank at 10:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Colorado zipping along in scooter sales

High gas prices are leading some Coloradans to change the way they get around town.

Our state ranks 9th in the nation in scooter sales and you are sure to see more of them as you drive around town in your car. Nationally, scooter sales are up 15% in the first quarter of 2008.

At $4 a gallon, gas prices were just too much so Krista Metzler and her husband bought scooters for their "drive" to work. "I figure we've already saved close to $400 in the 7 weeks we've had the scooters, " says Metzler.

The Metzlers bought their scooters at RPM Motorsports. The 2008 models are nearly gone and the company is getting plenty of deposit money for 2009 models. Jeff Hernandez of RPM Motorsports says the increase in scooter sales is huge. "We've had a 20-percent increase in scooter sales this year alone compared to last year."

Posted by Frank at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Move a scooter in Seattle, get a fine

SEATTLE - The Seattle City Council has voted to impose a $38 fine on anyone caught moving someone else's scooter on the street.

The measure passed unanimously Monday. It was proposed after scooter owners complained that motorists were moving the scooters from parking spots on Seattle streets to make room for cars, making the scooters vulnerable to damage and parking tickets.

Posted by Frank at 10:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 5, 2008

Scooter sales soaring

HACKENSACK, N.J. - Call it scooter mania.

Skyrocketing gas prices and warm weather have triggered a buying frenzy of highly fuel-efficient scooters that has emptied most dealers and increased sales of scooter insurance policies.

What's drawing customers to the two-wheel side is their high gas mileage: Small-engine scooters - those with 50 cubic centimeters - can get up to 100 miles per gallon; larger ones - 650cc - get 50 to 70 miles per gallon.

Paramus, N.J., resident Joe Tramontana, 48, drives his new Vespa to his job in Tenafly and uses it to take his 12-year-old daughter to her day camp, rather than his Nissan Armada. The Armada was costing him $120 a week to fill the tank; the Vespa, $7 every couple of weeks.

"They're a lot of fun to ride, and the gas prices are ridiculous," he said.

Posted by Frank at 2:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter use increases in Morgan County

For some, they are a statement about a way of life -- for some, they are about gas savings.

And gosh darn it, they're just plain fun. More and more scooters can be seen on the roads of Morgan County, and they're usually driven by people with big smiles on their faces.

Madisonian Ishmael Bowman bought his first scooter--a 1978 Vespa Piaggio 150--in 1982. At the time he was living in Westport, CT, a bedroom community of New York City.

"Westport was a sort of summer town, the crowds were heavy," remembers Bowman. "At night time, near the restaurants, there was no parking, but bicycles and Vespas were ideal."

After moving from New York, Bowman--a self-employed private investor--stored his Vespa for a while. But he has been riding it again recently, and he's part of a growing local trend.

Posted by Frank at 2:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High gas prices spur local scooter sales

No, Tarrant County hasn't been invaded by scooter-driving Europeans.

These are homegrown Texans discovering the joys of getting as much as 90 miles per gallon on their daily commutes like counterparts in Italian urban centers. And if it feels like reliving La Dolce Vita, all the better.

Vespa Fort Worth, which was cleaned out for two weeks at one point this summer, had just two models left in its showroom at 1111 University Drive late last week and deposits for 40 scooters on order.

"In 25 years in the business, I've never been sold out of every piece of equipment," said general manager Robert Brock, 47, who commutes 120 miles daily on a 500cc model from Aubrey in Denton County. "I average 63 miles to the gallon."

Posted by Frank at 1:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Southwest Floridians trading into two-wheelers

Four-wheel gas guzzler or two-wheel gas-sipper?

As some Southwest Floridians trade in their two-ton trucks for 200-pound scooters and small motorcycles to pay less at the pump, Naples shops are gearing up for fuel-frugal buyers.

While the number of registered cars and trucks has dropped a negligible 0.3 percent in Collier County since Jan. 1, registered motorcycles increased 4 percent to 9,787 by July 1, according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles statistics.

"We've had a whole year's business so far this year," said Motor Toys owner George Burt, who deals new and used gas scooters from his Naples store.

Posted by Frank at 1:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

More fuel-efficient scooters are hitting the road

Move over, Toyota Prius. There's a new mpg king in town.

As gas prices continue to weigh on people's minds and pocketbooks, many have found an alternative to their car or truck: the motor scooter.

Bigger than a moped and smaller than a motorcycle, motor scooters typically have step-through frames and full bodywork, and most get between 50 and 90 miles per gallon.

Nationally, fuel-conscious commuters have started to take notice, as sales of motor scooters, which include brands like Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Piaggio, rose 66 percent in the first half of 2008 compared with the same period last year.

Posted by Frank at 1:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Boom in sales of the frugal scooter

The weather is keeping most people in their cars, but this will be the summer of the scooter if inquiries are anything to go by, dealers here say.

"I think it will really take off just before Christmas. Although we are not selling many right now, we're getting four or five inquiries a day, says Derek Mead at Gisborne Honda."

"Gisborne is a 'five-minute town' -you can get anywhere in five minutes, and a scooter will do 60 to 70 kilometres a litre.

"One of our customers works next to us in Hammer Hardware, and lives by the hospital. She spends eight dollars a month on fuel - perhaps nine dollars with the price rises."

Over at CGM Motorcycles, Phil Summerfield is astonished they are selling scooters in winter.

Posted by Frank at 1:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Peugeot cuts UK scooter prices

PEUGEOT reckons it has the solution for thrifty city workers bitten by the credit crunch, a price drop by up to £1,100 on its range of scooters.

With escalating fuel prices only adding to the pinch, scooter sales in the UK rocketed by nearly 10 per cent last month.

Peugeot is hoping it can direct this influx of two-wheeled interest its way with a £1,100 price slash on its big-wheeled Geopolis 250 (£2,999); a £600 cut on the Satelis 500 maxi-scooter (£3,999); and a further £300 price drop on the Satelis 125 (£2,799).

Posted by Frank at 3:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 4, 2008

Eager commuters hop on scooters

For commuters sick of high gas prices, the phrase "140 miles a gallon" can be quite a come-on.

Salesman Danny Hoag repeated those words over and over Saturday morning to shoppers who stopped by Scooterz Inc. in Raleigh to run their fingers over the shiny two-wheelers that are becoming a sought-after alternative to cars.

The 140 mpg stat Hoag gave is an extreme. One new scooter owner reported fuel mileage closer to 95. But with gas prices just backing away from $4 a gallon, 100 mpg and 70 mpg -- Hoag's estimates for other makes -- sound almost as sweet.

Some local dealers say scooters are such a hot ride these days that they can't keep the two-wheelers in stock.

Posted by Frank at 9:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters an alternative to high gas prices

Lee's Summit Councilman Nick Swearngin wanted to do something about high gas prices, so he switched from driving a Hummer to something a little smaller - a scooter.

"It's a blast to drive," he said. "I have a lot of fun on it."

He said when he first started riding it, he felt a little silly.

"The first two weeks I had that scooter, I honestly would see people laugh and sneer," Swearngin said. "Now, people pull up next to me and roll down their windows and ask how much it cost and what the gas mileage is like."

Posted by Frank at 9:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Drivers 'scooting' ahead of gas prices

Rising gas prices aren't a pressing concern for Wilkes-Barre resident Joe Blizman. For years, he enjoyed the 30 miles per gallon his Dodge Neon achieved.

He also liked the convenience of guiding the small car into tight city parking spots.

Still, Blizman felt there might be something better; something that got better gas mileage and was even easier to park.

Blizman found the solution last year when he purchased a 50cc Piaggio scooter with a 1.9-gallon gas tank and 90 mpg fuel economy.

"I figured it would be great for getting me around town," he said.

More people are agreeing with Blizman, as high gas prices are forcing some to park their four-wheeled behemoths in favor of something smaller and more efficient.

Posted by Frank at 9:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Principal making house calls on a scooter

FEDERAL WAY - Damon Hunter climbed off his scooter and rang the doorbell of Dennis Good's house.

The seventh-grader answered and looked up at the 6-foot-4-inch tall principal of Saghalie Middle School in Federal Way.

"Wow, Mr. Hunter," the 12-year-old exclaimed. "Am I in trouble?"

No, no, Hunter said, as Dennis' mom came to the door. Dennis, whether joking or not, and his mom, Colene Good, had advance warning the principal was coming.

He'd sent an automated voice message to parents, telling him he was coming to visit the homes of his students at Saghalie.

Posted by Frank at 1:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 2, 2008

Vespa LX150 scooter

About a month ago we promised to get our hands on some scooters for evaluation. We've just added a couple of Vespas to our test fleet, a 50cc LX50 and a 150cc LX150. The LX50 model cost us $3,299, the LX150 $4,399. After some buzzing around ("Vespa" means wasp in Italian) in the immediate vicinity, it became clear that most of us prefer the 150. Though the 50cc model doesn't require a motorcycle license, it's limited to only 30 mph and feels sluggish. In order to ride legally and confidently on highways, you'd need a 250cc scooter.

The other day I ferried the LX150 home on a trailer so I could ride it in more urban and suburban settings than the rural roads around our test track. I immediately felt very trendy. Spurred on by record high gas prices, the Vespa has become a fashion statement in my neck of the woods in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Mind you, I'm not a two-wheeler novice: I used to own a Triumph motorcycle. It took a bit of a mindset adjustment to ride the Vespa, but I'm happy to announce that my ego remained intact. Luckily, everything else also remained intact despite a few nerve-racking moments in rush-hour traffic and a sudden booming thunderstorm. Riding in the rain is very stressful and fatiguing due to the reduced grip, impaired visibility, and the already oblivious motorists around you.

Posted by Frank at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Big ol' choppers...and lil' scooters

LEWISTON - This $4 plus a gallon gas has everyone searching for the cheapest way to travel.

And that means scooters and motorcycles are becoming increasingly hard to keep in stock. One Valley business that normally sells big bikes, says it's responding to customers. Lewiston's Harley Davidson General Manager Matt Thomasson says the need for a fuel efficient ride is overwhelming, so he brought in a new product.

"We are now a Vespa dealer, and we're going to be an Aprilla dealer too," said Thomasson. "We have Vespa scooters here now, and we have a bunch more on the way. So they're coming in."

Thomasson says he's seeing more two-wheel hungry customers than ever.

"We've definitely seen an increase in motorcycle sales, as the price of gas has gone up. It's good for us but bad for everybody else."

Posted by Frank at 11:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Britain's youngest Mod

DON'T blink or you may miss Billie Lynch whizzing through East London--just a flash of bright red zooming past.

This latter-day 'Billie Whiz' is probably Britain's youngest Mod, a 'born again' Quadrophenia fan just turned 16.

She passed her Driving Test last Wednesday (July 30) to ride a motor scooter, just a day after her 16th birthday... after a few hours getting to grips with her dad's bright red Vespa at East London's Cardrome training centre.

"I was really nervous, really shaking, and sick before the test," she admitted.

"But they were really nice and took me through it carefully and passed me."

Posted by Frank at 11:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa takes sting out of carbon

Canada's first-ever national carbon-neutral driving program is indeed creating a buzz across Canada.

Launched last month by Toronto-based Canadian Scooter Corp. (Vespa Canada), the company and its partners Environmental Defence (www.environmentaldefence.ca) and the Carbon Reduction Fund (carbonreductionfund.org) have introduced a new program to offset the estimated carbon emissions created by the production and distribution of all new Vespa scooters sold in Canada.

Included are three "green-themed" EnviroVespas in the colours Sun (yellow), Sky (blue) and Grass (green).

Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 1, 2008

Buying a scooter

The case for buying a scooter is becoming compelling for more and more people. We've covered many of the reasons before: commuting times are reduced substantially in many cases; scooters are less affected by traffic conditions; you're not constrained by public transport timetables; parking is usually free and far easier than with a car; and of course there are very low running costs compared with a car.

The recent massive hikes in fuel prices have brought that last reason into sharp focus, along with the expansion of city congestion charges: two-wheelers go free, saving you £8 a day in London before any other costs are taken into consideration. In addition, a scooter will give 70-120mpg in urban riding.

Posted by Frank at 3:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

US beckons Indian scooter makers?

Given the way scooters have taken off in the US, thanks to the burgeoning price of fuel and Yankees shunning large V8 guzzlers to drive down to the supermarkets, this is an opportunity that the Indian two-wheeler industry should think about exploiting. And soon!

The answer to the question is there an opportunity therefore for our homegrown scooter makers like Bajaj Auto and Kinetic Motor Company to think about a second foray into the US is an emphatic "Yes' . Kinetic used to sell its Luna mopeds and if one recollects it also sold a consignment of its Pride scooterette but at that point in time the performance loving Yankee soccer moms preferred the huge SUVs and pick-ups making these the wrong products at that time.

Posted by Frank at 10:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Club to host first meeting Aug. 9 in Kirksville

KIRKSVILLE -- The first meeting of a newly formed scooter club is scheduled for Aug. 9.

The Little Scooters Club will meet from 3-4 p.m. at Country Kitchen in Kirksville, according to club president Charles Cooper.

"We want to get these little scooters together, have some rides and have some fun," Cooper said.

He said all money raised from membership dues will be donated to a needy family at the end of the year.

Posted by Frank at 8:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Corona man to ride by scooter to Texas for cancer awareness

Paul Khosrowpour sped from his Corona home Wednesday evening on his motorized scooter for a grueling 24-hour ride to Texas that he hopes will raise awareness about cancer and the need for more research.

Khosrowpour's destination is Austin, Texas, where he will meet up with family members and attend a memorial service for his brother-in-law Don Catterson, who died of the disease. He is making the 1,336-mile journey on a 550-pound Suzuki scooter covered in decals promoting his message.

For Khosrowpour, 59, the 24-hour bike trip, "ScooteRun 4 Cancer" is a way to test his physical and emotional strength, giving him a taste of some of what his brother-in-law might have gone through while he was fighting cancer.

Posted by Frank at 3:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 31, 2008

Seattle may move to protect parked scooters

SEATTLE -- Moving a parked scooter in Seattle may soon be against the law.

The City Council Transportation Committee approved an ordinance Tuesday to outlaw moving a parked scooter or motorcycle from a parking space.

The full council is expected to vote Monday to impose a $38 fine for scooter-moving.

Some scooter owners have complained their vehicles have been moved from parking spots to make room for cars.

Police would have to witness the illegal scooter moving to write a ticket.

Posted by Frank at 9:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Consider the scooter

If you do a lot of city driving, buying a highly efficient scooter for warm-weather months makes a good deal of sense. Scooters can get upward of 90 mpg (sometimes well over 100), they're cheap to insure and are perfect for making short jaunts across town.

You can get your hands on a decent used model for around $1,500, and even the most expensive -- which are more like small motorcycles -- only cost around $6,000. Scooter sales are up 24% compared to this time last year, and the industry thinks that has to do mostly with high gas prices. This makes sense because sales of less fuel-efficient bikes, like those sold by Harley-Davidson, are down 23% this year after continuously hitting record sales year after year for two straight decades.

Posted by Frank at 9:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 8:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 8:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Older consumers buy 25% of Vespas

The wealthiest demographic group in the United States is frequently bypassed by advertisers, industry experts said.

There are 100 million U.S. consumers above age 50 and the group owns $8 trillion in assets, which amounts to 70 percent of the U.S. population's disposable money, the Kansas City Star reported Tuesday.

The group buys 25 percent of the Vespa scooters sold in the United States and those over 45 purchased 19 percent of the iPods, the newspaper reported. They also buy more than half of the U.S. cars sold, the Star reported.

Posted by Frank at 8:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mods march on Sheffield for scooter rally

TALKING about their generation...The mods were on the march again in Sheffield this weekend when more than 800 gathered for a scooter rally at the Davy sports ground on Prince Of Wales Road.

They came from Middlesbrough, Southport, Derby and as far away as Scotland for the rally called Hammered In Sheffield that featured a celebration of scooters and mod culture with three live bands, specialist stalls and karaoke.

The faces aren't as young as they were but many the followers of the 1960s cult - some of them originals - came on immaculate scooters in their parkas and formations that scattered holiday makers in Brighton, Skegness and Scarborough in 1964.

Posted by Frank at 8:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 8:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter therapy

In a famous scene from the 1950s romantic comedy "Roman Holiday," Gregory Peck, playing an American journalist, takes Audrey Hepburn, the runaway princess, on a tour of Rome on a motorscooter.

More than half a century later, scooters still hold their appeal - particularly now because gasoline prices are so high and they get great mileage.

It helps that they're fun to drive on the backroads of Nevada County.

Meanwhile, prices at the pump have slipped a bit for the first time since oil began its upward zoom, and the national average for a gallon of regular last week dropped to about $4 - the first time it's been that low in seven weeks.

Oil fell last week to about $123 a barrel for September deliveries of light, sweet crude, down from a high in early July of $147, the Associated Press reported.

Posted by Frank at 6:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It's easy riding for the Westenders

When a tight cluster of 40 scooters whir down California Avenue on a pleasant weekend morning these quaint two-wheelers of pink, powder blue, mustard yellow and rosy red look about as menacing as a parade of grinning Golden Retrievers and just as fun to observe.

They are the Westenders Scooter Club, a practical and whimsical troupe anchored in West Seattle that operate 70-100 mile-per-gallon toys. This international fleet of Italian-made Vespas, Indian-made Stellas, Chicago-based Buddy's, and Japanese Yamaha Vino's, run lean and clean.

"My Vespa is a two-stroke (engine) but it is important to point out it has a catalytic converter and runs very clean," said Westender president, Robert Brown. He named his bright red PX 150 "Luciana."

"Luciana Paluzzi was the Italian actress in the James Bond film 'Thunderball.' Like her namesake, my Luciana is exotic, sexy, and red," he said. The actress had red hair.

Posted by Frank at 4:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 3:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

SX1 Scooter gets a Facelift

Scooters are bucking the credit crunch as people look for economical transport and Sachs have given their SX1 a facelift for Summer 2008 to make it even more attractive.

By the end of June sales on scooters in the UK had risen by 1.3% compared to the previous year, while overall motorcycle sales dipped by 3.6%. Launched in the UK in January, the SX1 from Sachs proved an agile contemporary scooter that creates sporty urban transport for riders aged 16 and over at an affordable price.

Posted by Frank at 1:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scoot in style

Scooter sales are soaring - and no wonder. While automobiles guzzle gasoline, scooters sip it. Most can squeeze about 75 miles from a single gallon. That's a lot of trips to and from the office for a mere $4-and-change.

But scooting to work does present fashion challenges, especially for women. Skirts and scooters don't exactly go together - unless you're Audrey Hepburn, spinning around town on a Vespa in "Roman Holiday." For the scooter scenes in that classic romantic comedy, Hepburn wears a flyaway skirt, flimsy gladiator sandals - and no helmet.

Today, smart scooter-riders do wear helmets - which means they must deal with the horrors of helmet hair. And for safety reasons, they also wear goggles, gloves, biker jackets and sensible shoes. Picture all that accessorizing a business suit or dress. And let's not forget summer's sweat-inducing heat.

Posted by Frank at 1:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A new way to scoot

NEWPORT - A motor scooter could become a common sight in the neighborhoods served by Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative.

For the past few months, the cooperative's field service representatives have been trying out a scooter for meter reading in several residential areas, zooming from house to house with relative ease and doing so without guzzling as much gasoline.

The "meter" scooter is still in the test drive phase, but so far the field service representatives have found it has saved gas and increased efficiency.

"We're letting some of the other guys get a feel for it, see how they like it. So far it is looking positive," said CCEC Communications Director Lisa Taylor-Galizia.

Posted by Frank at 9:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 8:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Honda Elite 80 Scooter raffle tickets available

MARION - The Fraternal Order of Police Associates, Marion Lodge 49, is selling raffle tickets for a new Honda Elite 80 Scooter.
Advertisement

The Elite 80 has an automatic transmission, gets 80 miles per gallon and is capable of reaching speeds up to 55 miles per hour.

Tickets are $5 per ticket or five tickets for $20. The drawing will be held Dec. 20. Winner is responsible for sales tax, title and licensing requirements. In addition, the winner receives an option of $1,500 cash as an alternate prize.

For more information, please contact Charlie Daniels at 740-361-7795.

Posted by Frank at 9:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter craze hits Southern Utah

With gasoline selling for more than $4 a gallon, many people are looking for ways to save on transportation costs. One look at the streets of Southern Utah will show there is an apparent increase in the amount of scooters on the road.

"We got the scooter in July of last year," said St. George resident Mark Speener of his family's scooter. "We bought it to try and save money on gas. That was when gas was hitting $3 a gallon last summer. É The gas savings will pile up the more you ride it."

Now the fuel prices are even higher and the scooter has become a welcome addition to the Speener family fleet, which includes a sedan and a minivan.

Posted by Frank at 9:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices fuel scooter sales

RALEIGH - When Johnny Edwards opened his scooter store in Raleigh a year ago, gas prices were around $2.68 per gallon. At that time, he was selling 20 to 30 of the bikes a month.

"Right now we're selling 60 to 100 scooters per month," Edwards, owner of Scooterz Inc., said.

The craze is growing coast to coast, with sales up 66 percent nationwide, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

"This has already happened all over the world, except for here in the United States," Edwards said. "We've had our big vehicles, and now people are kind of reverting back."

He said although scooters range in gas mileage from 80 to 100 miles per gallon, his biggest sellers are the bikes that get more than 100 miles per gallon.

Posted by Frank at 9:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 27, 2008

Cute scoot boogie

It's bigger than a breadbox. But way smaller than a Hummer. It's as stylish as a Marc Jacobs bag. But, unlike said bag, it will get you to work and back. The fastest can go up to 100 miles per hour. But the most efficient can get up to 100 miles per gallon.

Here's a hint: It's not a Prius. Or a Fit. Or a smart fortwo.

It's a scooter. And these days, it's almost as hot as a hybrid. And frankly, I'd take a Vespa over a Prius any day.

After talking with a few eastern Maine scooter dealers, it's easy to understand why they can't seem to keep them in stock.

"For a lot of people, [this summer's $4-plus gas prices are] the last straw," said Lou Fraser, who manages Friend & Friend in Orono and teaches motorcycle education classes. "They've seen the light. ... Some people who are getting into it think it's a necessity, but at the same time, they're thinking, 'What the hell? This is fun.'"

Posted by Frank at 11:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Two wheels - better than four

With his black-and-red armored jacket and rally buttons across his chest, Bart Weitzman, 51, could be mistaken for a typical biker. He does own a vintage Honda motorcycle, but it's his white 1973 Vespa Sprint 150 that has stolen his heart.

"I get my ya-yas off going 30 to 60 miles per hour - Yee-haw!" Weitzman said by phone from his home in Rydal, Montgomery County .

Weitzman is a member of the Hostile City Scooter Club, a group of local scooter enthusiasts.

His Vespa gets 55 miles per gallon, he said. Compared to his Toyota Sienna, which takes $75 to fill up, it costs Weitzman only a few bucks to fill his scooter's 2.1-gallon gas tank, he said.

That fuel efficiency, scooter-sellers say, is bringing more people through the doors.

Larry Wang, 43, owner of Philadelphia Scooters in South Philly, said business has increased at least 150 percent this year. Wang is having trouble keeping the store's most popular brand, the Genuine Buddy, in stock, he said.

Posted by Frank at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

''Scooting'' to Save Gas

Bill Tracy lives in Chattanooga. And eight months ago, he bought a scooter.

With what he's saving on gas, he hasn't looked back.

"I guess my most expensive gas bill, the other day I paid $4.10 worth of gas," he says.

He says he gets nearly 119 miles a gallon on his scooter.

Jen Obal with Scenic City Scooters says the savings on gas, and the relatively cheap prices for scooters have lead more people to their doors.

"Since gas prices have gone up, people have gone from looking at the scooter as something fun to do as something that's more necessary to do to save some money on gas," she says.

Posted by Frank at 11:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Soar

Oil prices sank to their lowest point in seven weeks Friday and the price of gas has dropped a little bit too. But with gas still hovering around four dollars a gallon, scooter sales are sky high.

If you are one of the many people feeling the pain at the pump, you may want to check out a scooter or motorcycle. Worried about safety? Take a class. And load up on protective gear like jackets, helmets, gloves, and more.

Jeremy Ayo at Honda of Lafayette says, "Always wear them no matter what time of year it is and just be safe and be careful."

Be safe and be careful, if you can buy one. Dealers are having a hard time just keeping scooters in stock.

Bill Young at First Turn says, "In the last 2 months, business is booming. We're up about 25-30% above last year. Last year was our best year in business. We sold 88 machines last month which was a record for us for the month."

Posted by Frank at 11:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa Holland is riding the wave of scooter popularity

CASCADE TOWNSHIP -- A Lakeshore area scooter dealer is riding the wave of high gas prices right into the Grand Rapids market.

Vespa Holland, which opened a full-scale showroom last year inside Lincoln-Mercury-Suzuki of Holland, plans to open a second location next month at 5771 28th St. SE.

"There's a big demand for it," said Dan Stewart, who oversees the bike business at the dealership.

He also is actively searching for more locations to expand.

"We're looking at Kalamazoo, possibly Battle Creek, Muskegon, Lansing," Stewart said. "I get so many customers from all over. I had one lady that came all the way from Okemos."

The Italian scooters are being purchased by people young and old, professional or student -- anyone interested in saving money on fuel. Some scooter models can get up to 100 mpg.

The median age of a scooter buyer rose from 26 in 1990 to 46 in 2003, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Posted by Frank at 11:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Dirt cheap ticket to ride

Radio programmer Murry Pretscherer swapped one of his two cars for a trendy Vespa scooter three years ago.

And the married father-of-two from Auckland's Mt Albert hasn't looked back.

"We live close to the city and we decided two cars was a bit ridiculous with the cost," said the 31-year-old co-programme director at George FM, based in Ponsonby.

"We've saved stacks. It costs me about $14 to fill up, which lasts me 10 days to two weeks. Registration is about $60 a year and insurance is dirt cheap as well. In the past nine months to a year I've noticed a stack more scooters around."

Posted by Frank at 11:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Piaggio Accessories for Carnaby Scooter

Piaggio offers a range of accessories for the new-look Carnaby designed to enhance the carrying capacity of their big-wheel 125cc scooter.

Although the Carnaby is light and compact, space is intelligently distributed too, so that the rider and passenger benefit from a broad, comfortably shaped seat and flat platform that offers plenty of legroom. The under-seat bay is big enough to hold a jet helmet and also contains two side pockets for smaller objects and this can be supplemented by the innovative Easy Bag that attaches to the leg shield. This fully detachable bag is made from a waterproof and tear-proof synthetic fabric that blends in with the interior trim without reducing legroom, priced at £34.99.

Posted by Frank at 11:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Owners Reccommend the Gas Saving Vehicles

With gas prices hovering near 4 bucks a gallon, many people park four wheeled gas guzzlers and turn to two wheels. If you're considering switching to a scooter, we have advice from the experts. Riders in town for the country's largest scooter rally describe the vehicles' virtues.

They're fairly fast, fun, and fuel efficient.

Craig Huard, "It tops out at about 75 miles an hour."

Bryan Howard, "It's the most fun you can have on two wheels."

Brittanie Holland, "It's less that five bucks to fill up and I can ride for weeks."

It's no wonder more drivers settle on scooters now to beat the gas crunch.

Posted by Frank at 6:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 26, 2008

Gas prices drive Valley scooter craze

Walk into the Scooters of Boise showroom, and you'll find a selection of the increasingly popular fuel-efficient motor bikes. But you can't have them.

They've already been sold. Well, there was one available Thursday, but it probably won't be there on Friday.

"I can't keep up," said co-owner Kitty Smith. "We got 20 scooters on Monday and sold out Tuesday morning."

The supply of the little gas-sippers is dwindling at other Treasure Valley stores, too, because of a booming U.S. demand amid $4-plus gasoline and manufacturers' desire to satisfy their longtime customers in Europe and Asia, Smith said.

Posted by Frank at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 25, 2008

Viva la Vespa!

Gas is topping $4 per gallon. Parking, even in a cheap lot, can cost more then some people make in a day. And keeping a car in the city, between alternate-side parking, epic traffic jams and torn-up roads, is enough to make anyone long for the subway.

There are a growing number of Brooklynites who don't have to worry about such things anymore, though, since scooters -- especially the Mod-throwback Vespa bikes -- are taking the borough by storm.

"We're looking to have sold 75 to 80 bikes for the month," said Andrew Hadjiminas, owner of the borough's first dealership, Vespa Brooklyn, which opened in Clinton Hill last month. "We get a lot of people that come in, and -- right off the bat -- they're talking about gas prices, so that's one of the biggest selling points.

Posted by Frank at 10:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters Are In High Demand

It seems just about everyone is trying to figure out ways to save money on gas. More and more North Dakotans are discovering a mode of transportation that`s been popular in Europe and Asia for decades. Not a single car in America can achieve the kind of mileage of the average scooter. That`s why their scooting off of dealer lots quicker than you can say Vespa.

They come in all sorts of styles. Some are small and cute. Others are a bit brawnier. Either way, high gas prices are boosting the popularity of the motorcycle`s little brother, the scooter.

Jesse Auday of Open Road Honda notes, "Scooter inventory is nonexistent. Basically, at this point, we are pre-sold into our 2009 models already now. We`re still continuing to get lists, get them in as fast as we can, and get them back into the customers` hands."

At a cost of about $2,000-$8,000 depending on the model, scooters won`t break the bank, and many of discovering that the savings don`t end there.

Talk about economical, a 49 c.c. scooter like this one gets over 100 miles to the gallon. And with only a 1.2 gallon fuel tank, you can pay for your fill up with a five and still get change back. That little scooter is strictly for around town, and only requires a motorized bicycle permit. Beefier models require a motorcycle permit.

Posted by Frank at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Better for commuters - car or scooter?

As rising petrol prices take grip, what is quicker in the rush hour - a scooter or a car?

Central Scooters in Lye have noticed a change in clientele lately as more and more business people purchase scooters and mopeds.

As petrol prices continue to soar, it appears the nippy vehicles, which cost just £7 to fill up for 140 miles of scooting, are back in fashion.

Posted by Frank at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

As gas prices soar, so do scooter sales

Chris Crawford has a problem that any business owner would love to have.

As soaring gas prices drain drivers' wallets, Crawford can't keep up with demand for the electric bikes and scooters he sells at his St. Catharines Daymak dealership.

"We've been backlogged since March," he said Tuesday. "Customers are waiting six to eight weeks for delivery because they're selling like hot cakes."

Other shops in the area also say they're seeing a big spike in interest from customers.

Those customers are keen on letting their gas-guzzling cars sit in the driveway in favour of cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Posted by Frank at 10:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Commission gives early nod to allow scooter business

A store that will sell motorcycle-type scooters got a preliminary nod of approval Tuesday from Clinton's Planning and Zoning Commission.

Billy Lancaster of Edwards asked the panel for a conditional use permit to operate his new business in the storefront at 313 Clinton Blvd. formerly occupied by Tobacco Town. The building is owned by James Crawford.

Lancaster plans to sell small scooters with engines ranging from 50cc to 250cc and weights from about 160 pounds to up to 225 pounds. They're designed generally for a single rider, and will be priced ranging from $1,400 to $3,200, Lancaster said.

He hasn't decided yet on a vendor or vendors, but "most of them come from China," he told commissioners.

Posted by Frank at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Chattanooga: Scooter lovers from across nation gather here this week

Scooter popularity is soaring. But scooters are not kid stuff, local enthusiasts said.

With engines up to 800 cubic centimeters and top speeds greater than 100 mph, today's scooters are serious machines that demand real safety precautions.

"A lot of people make the mistake of thinking scooters are toys, but other than your seating position, they're no different than a motorcycle," said Noelle Omer, a 30-year-old magazine editor and member of the Hill City United Scooter Club.

This weekend, as many as 450 Vespa scooter riders from around the country will be attending the Amerivespa 2008 rally in Chattanooga. Events include a ride from Scenic City Scooters in Red Bank to Deals Gap on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, famous for more than 300 turns in 11 miles.

A scooter show from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday at First Tennessee Pavilion downtown is open to the public. Scooters and games can be viewed for free. Registration is required ($70 for today-Sunday, meals included) to try out demo scooters or to participate in games, Ms. Omer said.

Posted by Frank at 10:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 24, 2008

Amerivespa rolls into Chattanooga

More than 450 scooter riders from across the country and beyond will be taking to the streets this Thursday through Sunday for Vespa Club of America's Amerivespa 2008. Amerivespa is the country's largest scooter rally; it travels to a new city each year.

This year VCOA teamed with Hill City United Scooter Club to organize and host this event. After a year of planning and with support of local and national sponsors, organizers expect this to be an event that brings quite a bit of attention to Chattanooga.

"I have visited Chattanooga several times in the past few years, and through those trips I knew this was a city I wanted to bring Amerivespa to," said J.D. Merryweather, president of Vespa Club of America. "We have an amazing schedule planned, and I encourage anyone interested in riding a scooter, no matter what brand it is, to join us this weekend."

Posted by Frank at 2:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Happy 50th, Super Cub

While 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Ford's Model T, a machine that mobilized America, it also marks the 50th anniversary of the Honda Super Cub, the scooter that accomplished a similar task across Asia.

Introduced in 1958 as the C100, the Cub was Honda's attempt at an affordable means of urban transportation - and with a 4-hp, four-stroke 50cc one cylinder, often coupled to a semi-automatic gear box, it quickly developed a cult following.

Over the past fifty years, Honda has built over 60 million examples of the Super Cub and its derivatives (in contrast, Volkswagen manufactured only 21.5 million copies of the original Beetle across sixty-five years) and continues to sell the bike today.

Posted by Frank at 2:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 23, 2008

Scooter sales booming as gas prices skyrocket

With gas prices entrenched around the $4 mark, consumers are turning to two-wheeled transportation alternatives in greater numbers than ever. Retailers are seeing big boosts in scooter sales.

Sales figures for the first half of 2008 released Monday by the Motorcycle Industry Council show scooter sales nationwide are exploding.

"The percentage on scooters is up 56 percent compared to last year," said Mike Mount, director of communication for the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Perry Coon, a sales representative at Noblesville Honda said his store has seen big sales gains primarily from first-time buyers looking to trim their commuting costs.

"Scooter sales are up probably by about 35 percent this year," Coon said. "I would say that's probably a conservative number."

Some models like the popular Honda Elite have sold out completely.

"I believe the Elite right now is probably done for the year," he said. "I don't believe I'm going to have any additional stock on that unit period. I think it's just sold out nationwide."

The trend has carried over to smaller motorcycles as well, Coon added. The store has sold out of several models which he said is unusual.

Posted by Frank at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Soaring gas prices drive U.S. scooter sales

Record gasoline prices are fuelling a boom in sales of fuel-efficient scooters across the United States, as commuters ditch their gas-guzzlers and don helmets and goggles to beat high prices at the pump.

U.S. scooter sales have risen 65.7 percent in the first half of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, making the industry one of the biggest beneficiaries of a more than 30 percent spike in oil prices this year.

"They are just flying out of here," said Steve Travers, who manages a scooter and motorcycle dealership in midtown Manhattan. "Consumers want to escape gas prices, they can't afford to drive their cars and they want an inexpensive way to get around."

Posted by Frank at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 22, 2008

Scooters making sense as gas prices rise

PANAMA CITY -- People are scooting around more often these days.

One only needs to ride down Front Beach Road on a bright sunny day to see the small-scale motorcycles cruising up and down the strip. And as gas prices have shot up, sales of scooters have skyrocketed, too, according to a salesman at Yamaha Seedoo of Panama.

"I'm down to three from 30," said Chris Williams.

Gas mileage definitely is a factor in the scooter's appeal, he said.

"They can get over 100 miles per gallon," Williams said.

On its Web site, Yamaha has seven different 2008 models of scooters available. At the top end is the TMAX, a super sport line, which retails for around $8,000. For bargain hunters is the Vino Classic, a Euro-style scooter that goes for around $2,100.

Williams said the majority of buyers "live in town."

"People that don't have to get above 45 mph," he said.

Posted by Frank at 1:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Dealers Keep up with Scooter Demand

High gas prices are driving demand for a smaller set of wheels.

Hybrid cars and smaller vehicles are getting harder to come by, and now, you can add scooters to the list.

Cutting back on gas this summer has been tough and many people are trying to figure out ways to get the best bang for their buck.

That includes Dwayne Olson.

"My pickup gets about 15 miles a gallon and this here I get 100," he says of his scooter.

Olson says scooters are economical and are worth the investment.

Shops are trying to get their hands on as many scooters as they can to keep up with the demand.

"They seem to be a little short in supply but we try to get as many as we can but they never seem to have enough," says Owner of Northstar Powersports, Brian Berhow.

Posted by Frank at 1:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mopeds selling like hotcakes

Don't be surprised if you see more mopeds and scooters on the road. Amy Swanoski reports sales of these energy efficient rides are off the charts.

Kids, parents, even grandparents love them, and they get great gas mileage. Moped and scooter dealers say sales are definitely up this year. Sue Pisa is the owner of Full Throttle Sports in Rice Lake.

"People can buy a 50cc and get a hundred plus miles to the gallon versus taking their car or their truck to work so that's what a lot of people are opting to do."

Pisa says with such high gas prices scooter popularity is gaining momentum.

"Looking not only because of the gas they are looking at the entertainment part of it, people are forming scooter clubs in this area because it is an inexpensive thing for them to get together and do. They get together, their scooters get over a hundred miles to the gallon and they go riding."

Posted by Frank at 1:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices spark sales in 2-wheeled rides

Local retailers that can provide people with a more fuel-efficient way to get to work are poised to be the sales winners through the balance of this year.

As gas prices remain firmly fixed above $4 a gallon, buyers for new vehicles like the Penske Automotive Group Inc.'s Smart Car still face long waiting lists, retro-chic scooters such as the iconic Vespa have seen a renewed boost in sales, and that old standby, the bicycle, is selling briskly.

At Continental Bike Shop in Hazel Park, sales have doubled from this time last year, said Randy Martin, president.

The shop sold between 30 and 40 bikes in June, compared with 15 to 20 in the same month last year.

Posted by Frank at 12:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 21, 2008

Mopeds' uncharted ground

Nichole Burton's new $2,800 Piaggio Fly 50 moped - the economy version of a Vespa - is saving her hundreds on gasoline, exactly as advertised. But owning a moped comes with its share of problems - foremost being, where the heck are you supposed to park it?

At first Burton left it on the sidewalk, chained like a bicycle to a street sign. But her landlady warned her that it was illegal to park mopeds on the sidewalk in Somerville, and if she did it again, the police said they'd tow it away.

The street was the next likely option, but Somerville doesn't issue residential parking stickers to moped owners. Without a residential sticker, Burton figured she'd get ticketed.

"If I can't legally park it on the sidewalk and I can't park it on my street, what does that mean?" she asked. "It should be one or the other."

Posted by Frank at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Drivers hop on scooters to save on fuel costs

John Smith of Putnam is proud to say he burned nearly a full tank of gas on a recent trip from his hometown of Putnam to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield and back.

"It cost me less than $8," Smith boasted.

With his Vespa GTS 250, a scooter that gets between 60 and 70 miles per gallon, Smith is among a growing number of people who are finding the fun and practicality of riding a scooter.

Smith, 38, is a longtime scooter rider, motorcyclist and the founder of the Sun and Fun Scooter Club.

"Because of the gas crisis, people are turning to scooters," Smith said. "I see so many more out there now."

Posted by Frank at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters cheap on gas, but watch out for costly repairs

DAYTONA BEACH -- Like more than 100,000 other consumers across the country, Rick Kane bought a motor scooter last year to save on gas costs for short shopping trips and jaunts to the beach.

In fact, he bought three off-brand scooters about a year ago, he said.

But all three have mechanical problems.

"It took the salesman a long time to tell me they were Chinese because otherwise no one would buy them. China makes crap. I know that. I figured for the price, I could get rid of them later for Japanese ones," the appliance repairman said. "I did some research afterwards that I should have done first. If you are going to buy one, spend a little more for a brand name. You are better off in the long run."

Kane could serve as a dealer spokesman. They too stress that new scooter buyers should do their scooter research, buy brand names and work with a full-service dealer who can repair what they sell.

Posted by Frank at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

2 bucks take scooter-riding intern 100 miles

When Brent Hardie sidles up to the pump for a fill-up, there's no credit-card sweat.

A couple of singles do just fine.

"Actually, I think it was like $1.98; I got a full tank and I was on empty," said Hardie, a Sioux Falls native who is spending the summer as a public relations intern for Sanford Health System. "The tank doesn't even hold a gallon."

Hardie, a fifth-year senior at South Dakota State University, bought a scooter in June, specifically to ride it to and from work.

"I got it on eBay for $500 from a guy," he said of the scooter, which he thinks was manufactured in China.

Posted by Frank at 10:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices popularize scooters in Nevada County

In a famous scene from the 1950s romantic comedy "Roman Holiday," Gregory Peck, playing an American journalist, takes Audrey Hepburn, the runaway princess, on a tour of Rome on a scooter.

More than half a century later, scooters still hold their appeal-particularly now because they give great mileage and are fun to drive on the backroads of Nevada County.

Recently, a group of local scooter enthusiasts formed a club in Grass Valley called Sierra Scootz.

Members convene once a month at the First Baptist Church on Ridge Road for a club meeting and once a week at the parking lot of Sierra Motor Sports on Nevada City Highway for a group ride, said club member Bill Braden.

Posted by Frank at 9:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters, mopeds surge in popularity as gas prices rise

With soaring gas prices leading car dealers to roll out promotion after promotion, sellers of lighter vehicles, such as scooters and mopeds, are finding their businesses rolling along nicely.

Throughout Northern Nevada, scooter and moped dealerships are seeing a significant increase in customers and sometimes waiting lists to buy a bike.

"Our business has doubled in the last few months since gas went over $4," Mark Yuill, owner of Freedom Cycle in Reno.

Vespa scooters cost $3,800 to $7,500 at Freedom Cycle, Yuill said. Other Piaggio brand bikes are $2,600 to $10,000 for a three-wheel model.

What attracts customers is that the scooters average 65 to 80 miles a gallon, Yuill said.

Posted by Frank at 9:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters gain fans as gas remains high

Sisters Judith DiObilda, 57, and Patricia Lombel, 55, both of Pottsville, are decreasing their carbon footprints by riding a national trend -- scooters.

The sisters purchased their 150cc Diamo scooters about a month ago from Smith Motor Company Inc. on Route 61 in Orwigsburg.

"It really has to do with gas ... My sister started it. She was really committed to the environment and had been thinking about this, and that was kind of the incentive that helped me make the decision a little bit better," DiObilda said.

Tom Smith, owner of the Orwigburg dealership, said his Diamo Scooters are in high demand.

"I go to Europe a lot and I was in Rome in early 2006 and I saw the scooter craze there and gas prices were really high ... So I brought them back here," Smith said.

He said he's already sold 50 this year.

Posted by Frank at 9:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

I'm the one laughing on the scooter

Before you laugh at the tall, bearded, middle-age guy braving Houma's streets on a little red motor scooter, consider this. He's getting upward of 80 miles per gallon of regular gas.

And a week into his commuting experiment, weather has not yet been a problem.

Posted by Frank at 9:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 20, 2008

Scooters hit the road in record numbers

Tower School Headmaster Peter Philip started riding a scooter to work last month to cut down on gas costs, enjoy the outdoors and make a small contribution to the environment.

He used to live in Marblehead and would ride his bicycle to the West Shore Drive private school. That proved impractical for his 13-mile commute from his new home in Manchester.

"I'm certainly saving on gas mileage," he said. "It cost me a whopping $4.25 to fill up the other day."

With gas over $4 a gallon, scooters have become a more common sight on North Shore roads. Some models get 100 miles to the gallon.

Posted by Frank at 1:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter drivers need to keep it legal

In a society influenced by high gas prices many are turning to scooters as a new means of travel.

Scooters, like all other vehicles, come with a set of laws. But the St. Joseph Police Department says those laws aren't being recognized by scooter riders.

Along with national and state regulations, the city of St. Joseph has several sections of laws written specifically for scooters and mopeds.

Officer Wayne Byrom said there are three major laws that the department usually sees being broken.

"The driver has to have a valid driver's license, meaning be at least 16 years old. The scooter or moped can not travel more than 30 mph on flat ground and the scooter has to be under 50cc," Mr. Byrom said.

Posted by Frank at 1:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 1:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 19, 2008

Scooting around

The world is quickly changing. Whereas most of us grew up in families where two cars were the norm and every 15 year old dreamed of "wheels" for his next birthday, we've about priced ourselves out of our lifestyle.

Back in the day when a good Rambler could be bought for $600, insured for $50 a year and filled up for $6, my parents thought popping for me a set of wheels was a good idea. I actually only got my wheels when I was a senior in college, but I thought I deserved them ... and I wore them out.

The next generation may find out that "wheels" doesn't mean "four wheels" any more. Although I'm pretty sure that some of us will make our way to the nursing home in an electric vehicle the size of a trash dumpster, I think the next generation of teenagers will be riding motor scooters to high school. I can just see it now, a parking lot full of Vespas and 30-year-old Harleys.

Posted by Frank at 10:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Two-Wheel Savings

Kevin Montanaro's work day ends at 3:30 p.m. and it's time to head home.

He hits the road on two wheels-- a commuter on a scooter.

"It turns your commute into recreation," he says.

Montanaro saves money riding his scooter to and from work each day. That's because he get's 70 miles per gallon of gas-- compared to his car which gets about half that.

He fills up about once a month. Since his scooter is vintage-- a 1963 VESPA-- he mixes motor oil at the same... Not necessary with newer scooters.

Montanaro's not alone on the road. More people are parking their gas guzzlers in favor of fuel efficient scooters. Sales have skyrocketed. Membership in the Vermont Scooter Club has nearly tripled this year.

Posted by Frank at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 18, 2008

Scooters make the grade

Three-dollar gas made them look. Four-dollar gas made them buy.

Scooter dealers report a run on the cycles this summer as motorists move beyond grumbling about soaring fuel costs to buying vehicles that stretch a gallon of gas for 60 to 100 miles.

"Last year, we had a few buyers, but a lot more lookers," said Dan Albertsmeier, a salesman with Dave Mungenast Motorsports, a Honda dealership in south St. Louis County. "But when gas got up around $4, the scooters started disappearing. The Honda warehouses nationwide are empty. And we're taking deposits now on '09 models."

Posted by Frank at 5:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rising Gas Prices Drive Up Scooter Sales

More and more people are discovering these days that two wheels are better than four.

Motorists in the Wiregrass have been switching to scooters and motorcycles.

"I think I've filled up once and it was about $12 dollars and you know, when you're spending $60-$70 bucks to fill up your car, it makes a big difference," says Jessica Chavers-Hill.

She is one of many motorists in the Wiregrass switching to scooters and motorcycles as an alternative way of transportation, and she's not the only one benefiting from the switch.

Chris Horton said, "Sales are up without a doubt; they're doing well and I can't complain at all."

Horton is the owner of Cell Mart in Dothan and has been selling scooters for the past year. He says with the rising gas prices, filling up a scooter is not as painful.

Posted by Frank at 5:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 2:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales increase in Franklin County

As gas prices continue to climb, people are becoming more open-minded to gas-saving strategies -- from buying motorized scooters to being more mindful of driving habits, as well as believing myths and misconceptions.

Buying a new scooter may seem like an unusual option for saving gas money, but recently more customers have been choosing them for their high gas mileage, according to Amy Mahon, co-owner of Keystone Auto Sales, Chambersburg. Their 100-mile-per-gallon fuel economy has been moving the scooters off the lot faster than expected, she said. Since the beginning of June, Keystone has sold 26 scooters, with another shipment of a dozen due next week.

Mahon and her father, Gary, stumbled upon the idea of selling at the end of last summer and didn't have any trouble moving them off the lot. Their first shipment this year sold out in less than two weeks.

"They're everywhere," Gary Mahon said.

Posted by Frank at 2:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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

Moped, scooter sales on the rise

BEAUFORT, SC -- With gas prices are on the rise, many drivers are downsizing, buying mopeds, scooters and motorcycles to save on gas.

As gas prices keep soaring, sales at the Yamaha dealer in Beaufort are rising as well.

"Most of my smaller cc motorcycles are flying out the door basically," said salesman, Jack Goodridge. "I'm out of mopeds, we're completely sold out of our stock. We have two brands and we're out of both. I'm down to about two scooters left and I usually have 30 units in stock per season."

Over the past three weeks, sales on mopeds and scooters have nearly tripled and with such high demand, getting one these days isn't so easy.

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

Scooter Allure

BOSTON, Mass. -- You've probably seen them, heard them, or noticed them parked on sidewalks. I'm talking about motor scooters. There are a lot more of them on the roads these days.

High gas prices are the obvious reason sales have increased 25 percent nationwide, compared with a year ago.

But there are other reasons as well, as WBUR's Sacha Pfeiffer reports.

Posted by Frank at 2:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas-sipping scooters and mopeds eyed by Vt. commuters

They're not exactly flying out of showrooms in central Vermont, but scooters and mopeds are drawing more interest these days.

One Barre resident who ditched his pickup truck in favor of a scooter for the daily commute to Montpelier had no hesitation endorsing the radical change.

Doug Hull of Barre had been commuting from Barre to Montpelier, a round trip of 20 miles, in his 2007 GMC pickup, getting about 17 miles per gallon on average. About six weeks ago, he started looking into the possibility of getting a scooter to make the daily roundtrip and save some money. Hull already had a motorcycle endorsement on his Vermont driver's license, which is required for any motorized conveyance not pedal-powered, so all he had to do was buy and drive.

Posted by Frank at 2:30 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."

Posted by Frank at 2:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooting Your Way to Better Gas Mileage

Go ahead! Hop on, rev it up and get going... This green ride won't break the bank.

"It takes me from my apartment about 20 minutes to get here; it's maybe about 5 minutes longer than it took me in my car. And I just stick to city streets so it's a bit easier and a lot more fun!" Austin commuter Elizabeth Brammer said.

As the demand for oil surges, so does this two-wheeled trend that averages 60 to 80 miles per gallon, depending on the model you choose.

Vespa Manager Thovas Brown talked to us about his sales, "We started to see a major increase in Apri,l and May was just phenomenal, June it didn't stop."

Another Austinite that loves his moto is Bob Whitford, who fills up his commuter with a lawnmower gas can, verses his old gas guzzler....

Posted by Frank at 2:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 16, 2008

100 m.p.g. softens blow of gas prices

With a family and children involved in sports and other activities, Ken Watson just couldn't justify trading his SUV on a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle.

"But the rising gas cost really got me thinking there's got to be a way around these high prices," he said.

Last week he opened the doors of Jax City Scooters on Ocean Street between Bay and Forsyth streets. He has about a dozen scooters in stock and said the first time he opened the dealership and let customers in to see the Chinese-made motor scooters, his suspicion that a lot of people are looking for a way to save money on gas was confirmed.

Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rising fuel prices boost scooter sales

When Jeri Elder drove her 15 mile round-trip route to work in her 3/4-ton diesel engine pickup, she spent $60 per week on gas.

About a year ago Elder purchased a scooter, and her fuel costs plummeted to $6 per week. Her $1,400 investment was recouped in about six months.

Like Elder, other motorists are parking their gas-guzzling cars in favor of fuel-stingy motor scooters as oil prices continue to hit record highs.

Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 11:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Duo rides scooters for a cause

Nevada was just one stop on the Scootin for a Cure campaign, in which two women riding Vespa scooters across the country are raising money and awareness for breast cancer.

The 6,000-mile journey began on July 9 in Southern California with friends Linda Quinn and Karen Schneider and will conclude on July 24 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Money raised from the trip will go to the pair's team in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk later this year in San Diego to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust.

"The trip is completely self-funded," said Quinn. "All the money raised will go to our walking team. Teams need to raise money to participate. We raised money with donations from family, friends and businesses."

Posted by Frank at 11:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Motorists think small as gas prices climb

Margaret Keegan used to commute to work in an enormous Ford Excursion, getting just 16 miles per gallon.

But now the SUV sits in the driveway while Keegan zips around town in a metallic blue Vespa scooter. She figures the scooter, which gets up to 65 mpg, will save her $100 a month at the gas pump.

"I love it," Keegan said. "My only regret is that I didn't get it last year."

Keegan, who lives in Cinnaminson, is one of many county residents who are leaving their gas-guzzlers in the garage and turning to scooters for more economical transportation.

Posted by Frank at 11:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 15, 2008

Gas prices rise, so does scooter sales

FAIRBANKS -- Lew Wolf likes the convenience of his two-seat Honda scooter. That's why the Minnesota resident hitched it to his motor home before traveling to Fairbanks this summer, as he does on other family trips.

An added bonus, he said, is spending less on gas than if he had chosen to haul a car or truck.

"It's just a lot easier, more economical than dragging a car behind us," Wolf said Sunday.

With gasoline prices continuing to rise, scooters could become an increasingly popular option for people looking to substitute time with their gas-guzzlers with something more energy efficient.

Doug Chambers said interest in scooters has already spiked in Fairbanks. Chambers, a sales manager at the Farthest North Outpost, which sells Honda scooters, Harley-Davidson bikes and Polaris recreational vehicles, said customers have been buying scooters too fast for the store to keep up.

Posted by Frank at 12:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales up; safety a concern

Debbie Schick maneuvered a motorcycle through cones and around a circular course in the parking lot at 19th Street and Haskell Avenue on Sunday.

For the Olathe resident, safety comes first before hitting the open road.

"I think you're really doing other people a disservice if you don't take a class, regardless of what kind of vehicle you end up buying, a mo-ped or a motorcycle," said Schick, who was completing a motorcycle and scooter safety course from the NEET Motorcycle Institute, 1910 Haskell Ave.

A 66-year-old Lawrence man died Saturday afternoon after his scooter collided with a city T bus in the 1200 block of West Sixth Street. Lawrence Police released no new information Sunday, but are expected to today.

Posted by Frank at 12:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sales scooting right along

Motor scooter and motorcycle sales in York County and across the nation are booming as drivers look for ways to trim the cost of soaring gas prices.

But safety advocates worry that means a potentially dangerous rush of inexperienced riders is hitting the road.

Scooter sales jumped 24 percent nationwide in the year's first quarter, according to the trade group Motorcycle Industry Council.

Posted by Frank at 12:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters: Right on the money

Firefighting is a line of work synonymous with really big trucks - massive red engines with ladders that can scale buildings and pumpers that carry enough hose to stretch a city block.

But with the price of gas sky high, it turns out the profession's image has room for an electric blue scooter and small black motorbike as sleek as a Vespa.

The smaller vehicles are common sights at Ashland's firehouses, where Lt. Lyn Moraghan and firefighter Dave Retalic have given up their pickup trucks in favor of scooters to ease the cost of their commutes to work.

"You're going to take some ribbing from the guys. You're a firefighter and you're driving a scooter," Retalic said. "But the thing is great."

Retalic said he had considered buying a scooter for some time.

Posted by Frank at 12:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Skyrocketing

As gas prices soar higher many people in the panhandle are looking to alternative, gas saving options.

At the end of april scooter sales in amarillo were reaching a two year low.

"I dont think gas prices are high enough yet, but it'll reach a point where people will have to change," said Danny Phillips back on April 27th.

That change has happened.

"I think the magic line was going to be about four dollars a gallon and when i got close to four business started picking up," Phillips said today.

Sales have quadrupled since April.

And the show room that used to be packed with scooters is now looking barren.

Posted by Frank at 12:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Dealers having trouble keeping scooters in stock

Many Iowa City residents are opting for two wheels instead of four to get around town.

"I see them all over the place, especially where I live," said UI student Scott Stanford, 21, who recently purchased a blue Yamaha Zuma.

Motorcycle sales are steadily increasing while scooter (and moped) sales have grown tremendously, said Iowa City Motorsports owner Rod Holst.

That establishment, 155 Escort Lane, expects to sell around 300 scooters this year, which is a 30 percent increase from last year's sales, Holst said.

Mike Zeman, a sales manager for Don's Honda, 537 Highway 1 W., said the business saw an increase in its scooter and motorcycle sales as early as 2004. Last year, the business's scooter orders alone increased two- to threefold over previous years.

Posted by Frank at 12:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rising prices boost scooter sales

The image of the burly, tattooed biker cruising down the freeway on a motorcycle may become a thing of the past as Americans from all walks of life embrace two-wheeled transportation.

With constantly increasing gas prices, modern day drivers are being forced to think harder about where and what they're driving. Motorcycle and scooter sales are up across the board and it's apparent that consumers are thinking with their wallets, opting for smaller, more fuel-efficient choices.

In fact, it might not be too long before the next biker seen on the freeway is your neighbor, a co-worker or even you.

Bonnie Shows, a friendly, middle-aged woman from Lufkin, had never ridden a scooter before she and her and her husband bought two new ones a week ago, but she says that it was one of the best decisions they ever made.

Posted by Frank at 12:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 13, 2008

Prices fuel shift to non-guzzling vehicles

Travis Sheridan was fed up.

The director of member services at the Central Valley Business Incubator in Fresno drives eight miles each way to work. He got frustrated with the cost of fueling his Jeep, which gets 15 miles per gallon.

So three months ago he bought a used scooter, which gets 65 mpg. Sheridan, 34, spends $7.50 a week to fill up the tank, which holds less than 2 gallons. The $3,000 Vespa will pay for itself with gas savings in about a year, he said.

He still drives the Jeep when he needs to haul groceries or dry cleaning, but said he only allows himself one tank of gasoline -- about $90 worth -- in the Jeep per month.

Posted by Frank at 7:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gasoline drives many to take to the road on scooters

With gas prices nipping at $4 a gallon, some Baton Rougeans are joining a national trend by adding a scooter to their stable of cars -- or in some cases ridding themselves of four-wheeled vehicles entirely.

And while scooters and small bikes have their limitations -- some people aren't comfortable riding them on interstate highways or in rainy conditions -- the math is difficult to dispute.

Paul Dupré, a restaurant manager at Chimes East, bought a Piaggio Fly 150 from Vespa Baton Rouge last month after realizing he could get better mileage with his routine driving.

"I figure the bike will pay for itself in less than a year with the gas that I save," he said, noting the $3,000 bike gets 65 miles per gallon. "It was a fairly easy decision when you do the math on it."

Posted by Frank at 7:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Police Fear Scooter Accidents will Rise

As gas hovers around four bucks a gallon and scooter sales increase local police expect accidents to rise too which is why they're warning all drivers.

When it comes to two wheels right of way is a risky investment.

Choosing two wheels instead of four may save at the pump but it drives up danger on the road.

Brown County Sheriff's Department Captain Randy Schultz says, "You have to drive those from the mindset of who's going to do what in front of me next or eventually sooner or later your gonna get it."

Captain Randy Schultz fears accidents involving scooters are going to spike since more of them are on the streets.

That's why he's urging all drivers to rev up their awareness.

Keeping an eye on the road for moped driver is especially important most accidents happen when car or truck drivers make left turns or change lanes.

Schultz says, "How often do cars turn left in front of semi trucks? Doesn't happen because the subconscious goes whoa you don't want to do that you're going to get hurt."

Posted by Frank at 7:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Stay safe and save gas on your scooter

Scooter sales are soaring -- and no wonder. While automobiles guzzle gas, scooters sip it. Most can squeeze about 75 miles from a single gallon. That's a lot of trips to and from the office for a mere $4-and-change.

But scooting to work does present fashion challenges, especially for women. Skirts and scooters don't exactly go together -- unless you're Audrey Hepburn, spinning around town on a Vespa in "Roman Holiday." For the scooter scenes in that classic romantic comedy, Hepburn wears a flyaway skirt, flimsy gladiator sandals -- and no helmet.

Posted by Frank at 7:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa Sales Gain Speed In South Bay

With her blond hair blowing behind her helmet, Anna Teeples rolls the throttle on her Vespa and leans into the turn.

During short rides from her Palo Alto home to work on her two-wheeler, Teeples said she feels a little European.

The Italian bike has foreign allure and a zippy motor. But like a growing number of South Bay Vespa owners, Teeples was drawn to this scooter for its fuel efficiency.

"One of the most compelling reasons is gas prices," she said. "They keep going up and up and this made so much more sense to me."

Posted by Frank at 7:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Nationwide, scooter sales are up 24%

Gas prices are higher than ever still. The statewide average now is $4.15 a gallon. That's 81 cents more than we were paying at the same time last year. As gas prices continue to rise, more Mid-Michigan residents are parking their gas guzzlers and starting the engine to more fuel effient options, like motorized scooters, or mopeds.

"It's a lot easier to drive a scooter where I fill up once a week at a gallon and a half compared to a 20 gallon trail blazer tank," Derral Hecht of Frankenmuth says.

Hecht drives his scooter back and fourth to work. It operates at around 40 mph, gets about 90 miles a gallon and saves Hecht a lot of money at the pump.

Posted by Frank at 7:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 3:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 12, 2008

Scooters have taken on new roles

When gasoline prices began surging to about $4 a gallon, Robert Bonnaffons knew he had to rethink his daily commute.

"I have to buy gas for two vehicles - my car and my daughter's car - and it costs between $400 to $600 a month," he said.

On Wednesday, Bonnaffons joined a growing number of savings-minded motorists: He is keeping his cars, but adding a scooter.

Bonnaffons, an attorney who works at the firm of Adam and Reese, thinks his purchase of a new Piaggio BV250 scooter will make his commute from Metairie to downtown New Orleans more economical.

"My rationale is - if my calculations are right - this thing will save me between $200 to $300 a month. And to be honest, I don't think the gas prices are going down anytime soon," he said.

Across the city, scooter dealerships are reporting a sharp increase in sales as commuters convert to the two-wheeled motor vehicles, which can boast gas mileage ranging from 60 to 80 miles per gallon.

Mike Bowler of Big Easy Scooters in New Orleans said sales began soaring in March. Now, he hardly has enough scooters to sell on the showroom floor.

Posted by Frank at 2:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Hopping aboard scooters to beat gas prices

ASHLAND -- Firefighting is a line of work synonymous with really big trucks - massive red engines with ladders that can scale buildings and pumpers that carry enough hose to stretch a city block.

But with the price of gas, it turns out the profession's image has room for an electric blue scooter and small black motorbike as sleek as a Vespa.

Both vehicles are common sights at Ashland's firehouses, where both Lt. Lyn Moraghan and firefighter Dave Retalic have given up their pickup trucks in favor of scooters to ease the cost of their commutes to work.

"You're going to take some ribbing from the guys. You're a firefighter and you're driving a scooter,'' Retalic said. "But the thing is great.''

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

New riders need to consider scooter safety

Buying scooters three years ago, the Lowe family rode in at the forefront of a growing trend to reduce gas usage.

In spring 2005, a gallon of gas cost about $2.25. But Harry Lowe, a retiree living on Eau Claire's west side, said he could see prices creeping higher.

Family members said their mopeds can go more than 100 miles per gallon of gasoline.

All four adult members bought mopeds, allowing the Lowes to take leisurely rides as a family through Eau Claire. "They just seemed like a fun thing to have," Harry Lowe said.

"We sell them just about as fast as they come off the truck," said Joel Mikelson, owner of Joel's Water Street Auto. "We've had trouble keeping them in inventory."

Posted by Frank at 2:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 11, 2008

Some in Vail Valley switch to scooters

BEAVER CREEK, Colorado -- Robin Behrstock ticked off the reasons why she loves her scooter.

The fresh breeze. The cool helmet. The easy parking. And the low gas bill -- especially in these days of high gas prices.

"I think everybody should have a scooter," Behrstock said.

The Edwards resident rides her red-and-white Honda Metropolitan to her job in Beaver Creek about three or four times a week, from May through October. (The scooter stays in storage during the winter.)

She'll even take it out to bars in Edwards, riding tandem with a friend.

While motor scooters might seem most ideal for a warm-weather European city, they work well in the summer in the Vail Valley, Behrstock said, adding that she is seeing more and more here.

"I think they're kind of coming back," she said.

Posted by Frank at 2:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

More scooter commuters

Ric and Joanna Shewell of Kansas City own three vehicles, and the gas guzzler in the bunch is a Toyota Corolla that gets 31 miles per gallon.

She drives a hybrid car that gets 45 mpg, and he rides a Honda Metropolitan scooter that will go about 100 miles on a single gallon of gas.

"I have to fill up about every three weeks," Ric Shewell, 24, said this week as he strapped on his helmet for the ride back to the couple's Waldo home. "And it costs like ... $5."

Probably more like $6 now -- a 1½-gallon tank at $4 a gallon -- but Shewell gets a pass on the math. After all, he hasn't been to the gas station since June.

Posted by Frank at 2:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

People Clamor for Scooters

LAKELAND - The motorcycle has been a staple in transportation for some time, but its less powerful cousin, the motorized scooter, is becoming more popular by the day.

Some models of the scooter get up to 100 miles per gallon, and most are reasonably priced - ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 - and usually inexpensive to insure, making it easy to see why some would be willing to make the switch.

The demand is so high that Charlie Dyches Power Sports in Lakeland has sold out of many models, and manufactures are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. "Everyone wants these scooters," said Charlie Dyches, owner of the power sports shop.

Posted by Frank at 2:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales hit high gear

The rising popularity of scooters is providing fuel-conscious motorists with a stylish and economical way to get from Point A to Point B, area dealerships say.

From the lanes and boulevards of Paris and Rome to the streets and rural routes of Fredericton and Oromocto, an increasing number of people can be seen scooting around town.

"It's all about the gas," said Jennifer Connors, general manager of Phil's Auto and Recreation in Lincoln.

"I've been driving my 250 cc Vespa, which is fairly high-performance and does highway speeds, back and forth to work for the past two weeks and it has only cost me $12 in gas," she said.

"When gas costs more than your mortgage, there's a problem."

Posted by Frank at 2:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 10, 2008

Pain at the Pump? Not a Problem for Piaggio Adventurers

Native New Yorker Buddy Rosenbaum (71) and fellow adventurer Bob Chase (72) are proving that age, the price at the pump and America's thirst for adventure aren't mutually exclusive.

Four weeks ago the two seniors set out on scooters from San Francisco at the western end of America's first transcontinental road, the Lincoln Highway.

After more than 3400 miles, just $300 in gas, and a new appreciation for our nation's forgotten past, Buddy and Bob are ending their journey where the Lincoln Highway begins -- in Times Square.

Their message? Don't let age keep you from doing the things you love -- and don't let high fuel prices derail your adventures this summer.

Scores of scooter commuters, members of the New York Scooter Club and scooter enthusiasts from around the Tri-state area will be there to welcome them.

For complete details visit www.noagelimitpiaggio.us

When/Where:
Monday, July 14
9:00 a.m. Breakfast stop at Vespa Jersey City
10:00 a.m. Ride via Lincoln Tunnel to Times Square

10:30 to 10:45 a.m. Welcome at official end of Lincoln Highway, 42nd and Broadway

Why Scooters are Hot:

-- Fuel-efficient scooter sales are soaring -- up 146% for Vespa scooter manufacturer Piaggio during June alone (an all-time U.S. sales record)

-- Press scooters available for media interested in accompanying Buddy and Bob for the ride into Times Square (ride along or join as a passenger)

Source: Piaggio Group Americas

Posted by Frank at 5:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter cool factor on the up

They might not be quite as popular as they were in the 1960s, but booming membership at a vintage scooter club has shown the hobby still has mileage amongst Norwich motor enthusiasts.

The Splinters meet every Monday at the Duke of Norfolk pub in Sprowston to share tips on scooter maintenance, discuss rallies and go on rides.

Since it was set up just 18 months ago it has attracted 30 members since it was started just 18 months ago.

And the range of members shows the club has united people from all walks of life, as lorry drivers, solicitors, brick layers and policemen all gather to share their hobby.

John Frary, 42, is one of the fans of Lambretta and Vespa scooters, and helped to set up the club.

He said: "The atmosphere is very good, there's never a cross word between anyone, everyone is there to talk about the scooters.

Posted by Frank at 5:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices fueling interest in scooters

Out-of-control gas prices are causing increased numbers of local residents to decide that two wheels are better than four.

Interest in transportation alternatives such as scooters, motorcycles and bicycles has grown over the past couple of months as fuel costs have ballooned to the $4-per-gallon range, say officials of Mount Airy businesses.

"I started in 2001 and this is the best season that I've ever had as far as scooter sales," said Wesley Flippin, the owner of Papa's Scooters at the corner of Newsome Street and U.S. 52. "People are coming in that probably never considered a scooter before.

"I guess this is probably the most demand that we've had at one time," Flippin said.

Posted by Frank at 5:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices fuel scooter sales

While Bob and Linda Lyons initially bought scooters for fun, better gas mileage has prompted the couple to use them more.

"We just love them," said Linda Lyons, 61, of Mountain Home, who was getting ready to ride her scooter to the Van Matre Senior Center on Wednesday, if the weather stayed clear. "They're so easy to ride."

The scooters have a typical step-through frame and get about 60 miles to the gallon, they said. With a 400cc engine, the vehicles reach highway speeds, they said.

"We now use them almost exclusively in good weather," said Bob Lyons, 63.

Posted by Frank at 5:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas pushes scooter popularity

Fifteen years ago, Fred Ketcham had a motorcycle. His wife urged him to give it up because she was concerned about his safety. He did, but now Ketcham is hitting the road on two wheels again.

This time he's on a moped, a two-wheeler that most people would call a scooter.

Ketcham rode away Monday from Elite Sales and Off Road on a new SYM moped that he expects will take him about 200 miles on a gallon and a half of gas.

He said rising gasoline prices were his main reason for buying a moped.

"Last time I filled up my car (with gas), it cost me $96," he said.

Posted by Frank at 4:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Genuine Scooter's Buddy is a cute crowd-pleaser

The Buddy may be the best Vespa knockoff on the market. That's saying something because so many scooters these days are attempting to emulate the famed Italian marque and style.

The brand making the scooter: Genuine, which is funny for a bike that is so shamelessly trying to be something else. But genuine also describes the appreciation I have for this small company's "new vintage" model and the cult following its scooters have generated in the six years it's been in business.

Genuine Scooter Co., whose two-wheelers are made in Taiwan, is based in Chicago. The company was founded in 2002 by self-described scooter dork Philip McCaleb, who saw a market for old-looking bikes with modern technology, though what's happening right now his crystal ball could not possibly have foreseen.

Genuine's sales are up 122% this year, according to McCaleb, and that's on the heels of five successive years of 45% annual growth. With anticipated North American sales of 11,000 for 2008, Genuine will be selling more scooters in the U.S. than Ducati sells motorcycles.

Posted by Frank at 4:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices send scooter and motorcycle sales up

AUGUSTA, Ga.---Almost everyone is complaining about prices at the pump, so some people are downsizing in order to save.

Nikki Hodge has a new way to get around.

"I just needed something that got better gas mileage to get me to and from work," she said.

So instead of driving her SUV, she got a scooter.

"I was paying $300 a month in gas and this isn't even gonna cost me $36," she said.

High gas prices have some looking into different ways to get around. And with so many people looking to save, it's really fueling sales of motorcycles and scooters.

"My sales are up about 30 percent over last year," said Tom Clancy, who owns motorcycle store Augusta Triumph/Ducati.

Posted by Frank at 4:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 3:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

2-wheel mileage attracts riders

Record-high gasoline prices are sending an increasing number of New Yorkers off on two wheels, and Capital Region motorcycle and scooter businesses report boom times despite the stagnant economy.

Justin Edmonson, sales manager for Scooter Central on Central Avenue in Schenectady, said scooter sales are up 50 percent from a year ago.

"With the gas prices being what they are and these [scooters] getting 101 miles to the gallon, you can't beat it," Edmonson said.

Scooter Central sells scooters built by the Texas-based SunL Group. Scooters differ from motorcycles in that they have automatic transmissions and don't require a special driver's license unless they can reach top speeds of more than 30 mph.

Posted by Frank at 10:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 8, 2008

Two wheels better than four

AUSTRALIANS are turning to scooters to combat escalating petrol prices.

After a slump in the March quarter this year, demand for scooters bounced back to be up by more than 7 per cent in the first half of 2008, according to figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

The FCAI said total motorcycle sales also were running at record levels as more Australians turned to two wheels for transport and recreation.

The chamber said 64,186 motorcycles, scooters and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were sold to the end of June 2008, a 6.6 per cent increase on the same period in 2007.

"It's encouraging the motorcycle marke t continues to show resilience in the face of higher interest rates and general economic turbulence," said FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar.

"The increase of over 6 per cent for the first half of 2008 demonstrates that the demand for bikes, scooters and ATVs has remained quite strong."

Posted by Frank at 1:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales on the rise in New Brunswick

The popularity of motorized scooters is rising along with the price of gas, according to some New Brunswick retailers.

More than 15 scooters were sold at Cruisers Custom Cycle in Grand Bay-Westfield over the last three weeks, said co-owner Mark Anderson.

"The price of gas is bringing people to these," Anderson said. "On a tank full of gas you're getting 250 kilometres and it costs you about $6 to fill it up."

Jennifer Connors, general manager at Phil's Auto & Recreation in Lincoln, said Vespa sales have jumped at the shop over the last 18 months.

"This year we've noted about a quadruple number of sales," Connors said.

Scooters aren't just being used in big cities, Connors said. "In our area most are commuting for 15 minutes to half an hour."

Posted by Frank at 1:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices send scooter sales skyrocketing

OCALA - Howard Lawson was getting decent mileage with his Hyundai sport utility vehicle, about 28 miles per gallon of gas.

But soaring gas prices have prompted him to switch to two wheels instead of four. A new motor scooter gets him where he wants to go, and gives him about triple the gas mileage of the SUV.

"This thing has worked out perfect for me," he said.

Lawson, 70, isn't exactly born to be wild. The Schwinn scooter's 49.9-cc engine gives him enough power to move on down the highway at 35 mph.

Posted by Frank at 1:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters attract more female riders

GREENWICH - Angelina Capalbo gets a rush when she rides her new Yamaha Vino 125 scooter.

"It feels very empowering," said Capalbo, 28. "I feel like people have more respect when they see a woman on a bike."

In a roomy baby doll dress, flip-flops and helmet, Capalbo navigates her scooter along back roads in and around Greenwich at 30 mph to run errands. She also rides it to her job in Cos Cob. But setting a trend didn't influence her decision to turn in her Nissan Murano for a two-wheel motorscooter.

With gas at more than $4 per gallon, Capalbo has joined others in parking their automobiles to give their pockets a break. Capalbo, a personal assistant to investment manager and state Senate candidate Scott Frantz, said the $3,000 investment was worth it.

The Vino gets 110 miles to the gallon, and she goes seven to 10 days until its 2.5-gallon tank needs to be refilled. The Murano, a midsize sport utility vehicle, cost Capalbo more than $80 to fill.

"It's my only vehicle, and it's very cost-effective," Capalbo said. "Next year, I want to graduate to a sports bike."

Posted by Frank at 1:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters get mileage out of high fuel prices

Roz Regan enjoys her commute, and not just because it's fun.

On nice days, she sticks a key in the ignition of her Piaggio scooter and she's off, cruising down local roads and highways. It's about a 20-mile ride from her house in Piscataway to her job as sales coordinator at a pipe manufacturer in Whitehouse Station, and Regan loves every minute of it.

"I get on the highway, and it's wide open," said Regan, 47. "You can see all kinds of things. It's great to be out there by yourself -- and sometimes riding with friends, too. That's what makes it great to be on a scooter ... I can save money and gas and have fun doing it."

With gas at $4 a gallon and more, the money she's saving isn't pocket change. Regan said she hung onto $40 in a recent week, using the scooter to commute every day. The scooter gets much better gas mileage than her Volkswagen Jetta, she said -- about 65 miles to the gallon, compared with roughly 30. And her scooter can keep up with the other vehicles on the road -- traveling up to 75 mph. Some scooters can go even faster.

Posted by Frank at 1:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters' cool factor rising

When I pull up beside you on my scooter, you might think I'm cute, with my black and pink helmet and my tiny little motorcycle.

But when I peel away from you on the green light, you know one thing for certain -- I was born to scoot.

I came about my love affair with scooters honestly, and ahead of the trend.

I was looking for something cool and fuel-efficient, preferably in black and chrome. The Yamaha Vino fit the bill.

And I got more than I bargained for. This baby is loaded. With a 50 cc, four-stroke engine, she'll do zero to 60 kilometres an hour in less than a minute. And trust me, that's plenty fast enough on a bike that only weighs 17 pounds more than I do.

Posted by Frank at 1:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters racing out of local cycle shops

LEWISTON - At least someone is benefiting from the rising cost of gas - businesses that sell scooters.

Scooter sales are higher than ever and dealers are finding it difficult to keep them in their inventories.

Guy's Outdoor Equipment Owner Guy Johnson said they are flying out his door.

"This year they kind of went through the roof," said Johnson. "As soon as the warm weather hit, we sold out. We've ordered four different shipments and every shipment has sold within three days."

Johnson cites extreme heat and fuel costs for the surge, and said bike owners are likely the only motorists not sweating over the price of a gallon.

"Most of them get between 70 and 100 miles to the gallon," he said. "So, for four or five dollars, you can run for a week, or sometimes if you're close, two weeks."

Johnson's scooters run between $2,000 - $4,000. The price is easily made up when gas is factored in. And, Valley scooter owners can typically ride nine months out of the year.

Posted by Frank at 1:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 7, 2008

Gas is cheap on a Vespa

So I sold my Porsche and bought a Vespa.

I didn't think it was a big deal. All I was doing was replacing $2,000 brake jobs, $268-a-month insurance, fading leather seats and any shred of "cool" I thought I had with a 2008 Vespa 250 GTSie. Now I roll on a scooter that gets nearly 70 miles per gallon and can hit 85 miles per hour, all while sitting on a suede leather seat hand-stitched in Modena, Italy.

A lot of people are changing their lifestyle because of high gas prices. I didn't do it to go "green" or save some polar bear for Al Gore to videotape on a piece of ice. I've got a Jeep Rubicon Unlimited sitting in the garage, which, by the way, has a little button you can push to display the terrible mileage you're getting. Nope, I did it because I thought it would be fun. And fun it is.

Posted by Frank at 12:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

2 wheels to save

For three months, Eraldo Ferracci traded in his Mercedes for something a little less glamorous: a Vespa scooter.

So, instead of spending $85 a week to fill up his car, Ferracci put three gallons in the Vespa and drove 200 miles before the gas was gone.

Ferracci has long known about the fuel efficiency of the Italian scooter. And now, more Americans are catching on, as gas prices reach record highs on an almost daily basis.

"This is no more play," said Ferracci, owner of Fast by Ferracci Inc., a motorcycle dealership in Abington. "This will save a lot of money."

Sales of scooters have climbed steadily, from 12,000 in 1997 to 131,000 units last year, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a California-based nonprofit industry group. Total motorcycle sales, which include scooters, grew from 356,000 to more than 1.1 million during the same time.

Posted by Frank at 12:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Man On Scooter Provides Sober Ride

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- A Nashville man on a scooter wants your keys and your car. Zingo provides sober rides to those who may have had too much to drink.

Carlton Stewart is the President and Owner of ZINGO Nashville. He wants not only your keys, but also your car. Diblasi is the formal name for the portable, pop-up bike Stewart rides around on to get to his customers. Stewart says it's supposed to be called a folding motor bike. His revolutionary idea offers a sober ride that's just a phone call away.

When a customer calls, one of Stewart's six drivers will show up in about 15 to 20 minutes on a scooter. The driver will fold down the bike, put it in the customer's trunk, and then drive the intoxicated person home.

Posted by Frank at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 6, 2008

Bank CEO commutes on a scooter

Motor scooters are becoming more common around D.C. than black SUVs. But if you see a guy in a bespoke suit riding one down MacArthur Boulevard in the morning, chances are it's Barry Watkins, chief executive officer of Fidelity Trust & Bank.

Watkins commutes from his non-Metro accessible Potomac home to his office on Eye Street NW on the Vespa he bought three years ago. He says the commute takes him about half the time it does when he drives, and, at 75 miles per gallon, uses half the gas.

"It's fun to go to the pump and fill up on $8, compared to $85. The problem is municipalities haven't embraced the concept," says Watkins, referring to the lack of sanctioned scooter parking spots in D.C. He parks his on a sidewalk and chains it to a meter.

Scooters are no longer just the ride of choice for gamine students and hipsters. Overall scooter sales were up 24 percent across the nation in 2007, with the Washington area ranking ninth out of 1,000 markets, according to the Irvine, Calif.-based Motorcycle Industry Council. Sales are up 25 percent from last year at the Washington Vespa dealership at 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

Posted by Frank at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter shop on a roll

Epiphanies at the gas pump are few and far between these days. If you're not mumbling under your breath about oil prices or how bad the mileage is on that bulky SUV you can't sell, you probably just avert your eyes from that glaring total and do your best to deal with it.

For Chris Neely, his enlightenment came after he discovered he could fill up his tank for $6 dollars. That's because Neely drives a scooter with a tank that holds less than 2 gallons of fuel. The retired jeweler became a "scooter commuter" after returning from six months in Europe.

Neely and his wife spent some time in Nice, France, where he noticed scooters flourishing. The town's seaside climate was very similar to that of Santa Barbara's. "I thought, 'We can do that here,'" he said.

Thus, Ooty's Scooters was born. An Old Town gem, Ooty's is a bit hidden, nestled behind Spa Tropics since last January. Follow the driveway to the back parking lot, and you'll most likely find Chris or his son, Ryan, working on scooters lined up for service outside the store, keeping them busy between customers.

The store keeps about 25 bikes in their inventory, all within a price range of $1,749-$1,949 -- reasonable compared to the chic and trendy Vespa, which can cost up to $5,000. The store also has a full supply of parts, which are of concern for many savvy buyers.

Posted by Frank at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 8:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 5, 2008

Cross-country scooter trip makes stop in DeKalb

This trip is not about the distance. Bernie "Buddy" Rosenbaum, 71, of New York and Bob Chase, 72, of Fremont, Calif., have ridden motorcycles across the United States before. They've traveled through Europe.

But the trip they're on now - a cross-country journey along Lincoln Highway that started June 13 in San Francisco and is expected to wrap up July 14 in New York City - is about finding the roots of America, the men said.

The two men - who are riding Piaggio MP3 500 scooters for the trip and plan to blog online daily - stopped Thursday afternoon in DeKalb.

After learning that the 71- and 72-year-old bikers would be cruising down Lincoln Highway on Thursday, DeKalb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Coordinator Debbie Armstrong said she knew she had to get them to stop.

"It's very exciting to have somebody who's out on the free and open road," Armstrong said. "There's nothing better than a pair of older men riding through the country and having the time of their lives."

Local politicians greeted the two at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Best Western DeKalb Inn & Suites. The men received gifts of DeKalb Agriculture flying ear T-shirts, hats as well as Illinois road maps and copies of the Illinois Constitution.

Posted by Frank at 10:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 10:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Kevin Ash tries a Vespa scooter with added oomph

Vespa hasn't used the Super suffix lightly in its 62-year history, attaching the label only to its most sporting scooters, so the GTS 300 Super really needs to be special to maintain the tradition.

Cosmetically it's similar to the GTS 250ie, which we reported on and liked two and a half years ago. The chrome trim on the front panel is different and there are grilles in the side panels, implying a hotter engine. The seat has a fastback shape and the 250's luggage rack has been dropped to boost the sporty image; the wheels are two-tone black and silver. Not a lot of justification for that, but the clue was in the name, wasn't it?

In fact, the 300 is fitted with the biggest engine ever to power a Vespa, Piaggio's Quasar four-stroke single with bore and stroke increased to 278cc, against the 250's 244cc. A mere 34cc might not sound much, but it's a 14 per cent increase: the performance is appropriately boosted. The motor has been enhanced well, the extra cubes used to boost torque at low and medium revs rather than to give it a harder top-end kick, and if anything the hike feels stronger than the figures suggest. Off the line, the 300 is brisk and confident, while for nipping past cars and patrolling A-roads as well as in urban use it's rarely overwhelmed by the speed of other traffic. You could even venture out onto a motorway: it'll top out at just over 80mph and hold 70mph under most conditions.

Posted by Frank at 10:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Greenville couple scoots around the Carolinas

When Alison, 29, and Tim Lowry, 24, were discussing the idea of buying a Vespa, neither one of them foresaw what would soon develop from just a simple desire for some gas pump relief.

"Yeah, it'd be cool to get a scooter and do a road trip," recalls Tim of their thought process.

"Well, we could do a fund-raising road trip, and from there it spiraled to 'Oh, well we could help Hydromissions.' It started as a road trip and grew from there."

They learned about Hydromissions (see box) when they met founders Steve and Jennifer Lorch at a church service. "Ever since that meeting, which was about a year ago, they've just been on my heart," Alison says. "I couldn't get them out of my mind."

So now, the Lowrys have mapped out a 1,200-mile tour of the Carolinas that will take place over Aug. 1-6 days, covering about 250 miles a day.

Posted by Frank at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 3, 2008

Vespa Schenectady opens

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Brand new shiny Vespas are on sale now in the electric city. A new shop opened on Erie Boulevard and it's called "Vespa Schenectady."

Mayor Brian Stratton and Assemblyman James Tedisco were both on hand for the ribbon cutting. The owners of the shop are hoping the high price of gas will help boost their scooter business. They said Vespas are a great way to take the sting out of how much people are paying to drive around today.

"Vespas get 80 miles per gallon, and it's hard to beat 80 miles per gallon. They're fuel efficient, made in Italy a lot of passion goes behind these scooters here. And besides that, they're just beautiful machines. And they're fun to ride," said Peter Caschera, Vespa Schenectady.

Posted by Frank at 12:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 2, 2008

Economy Fueling Increase In Scooter Sales

MADISON, Wis. -- Cars sales may be down right now due to gas prices and a poor economy, but scooters are in big demand.

Engelhart Center in Madison said scooter sales are up 50 percent.

A typical gas-powered scooter retails for around $2,000 and can get 100 miles a gallon.

Store manager Robert Hintz said scooter buyers are also buying all of the accessories including rain gear, because they plan on using them as a main mode of transportation, WISC-TV reported.

"A few years ago it was just students buying them (scooters); now it's adults," Hintz. "We've got retired people buying them and using them to get back and forth to the grocery store."

Posted by Frank at 12:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High Gas Prices Boosting Scooter Sales

BOSTON -- Americans who are turning to other modes of transportation are creating a business boom for Vespa dealers.

Scooters are becoming a more familiar sight on the roads around Boston and the popular motor bikes are also catching on in the suburbs.

Bill Keith and his wife ride their scooter in Duxbury, Mass.

"It is about a 10-mile round-trip -- something where you don't want to have to use a big car," he said.

Posted by Frank at 12:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Lovin his scooter

A Mid-Michigan man has made an investment that could pay for itself in a year. He expects it to cut his fuel bills by up to 90 percent.

Marion Mumford says scooters are a great way to get around town and save on gas. "The looks and the styling. I just fell in love with it, so I decided to buy it."

It's street legal, requires a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license and gets great mileage.

"If I drive between 30 and 40, I'll get 120 mpg. If I drive between 40 and 50, I'll get 80-90 mpg."

Three months ago, Mumford went to Ohio and bought a Chinese-made Xingyue (shin-yee) scooter. It has a 150cc engine and a top speed of 50 miles an hour.

Posted by Frank at 12:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Store responds to demand for Italian scooters

Sanders Motor Sports owner John Sanders was having a hard time finding the Aprilia-brand Italian motor scooter last winter. So he decided to open his own dealership and sell them himself.

"Italian brands are the most durable, reliable and fuel efficient bikes available today," said Sanders, 49, a lifelong resident of Pensacola and an avid rider since childhood.

The recently opened 5,000-square-foot facility at 8945 Pensacola Blvd. sells and services the Vespa, Piaggio and Aprilia brands.

"My wife, Mikki, and the kids fell in love with the Vespa scooters the first time they saw them. She loves the fact that the Vespas are lightweight and easy for her to control," he said.

Posted by Frank at 10:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 1, 2008

Gas-savers love scooting to work

Jon Wilson can't help but grin as he zips up Independence Boulevard on his scooter.

Most days, car drivers flash him thumbs-up signals along his commute from Matthews into uptown Charlotte.

He says he laughs when he catches the surprised stares from folks who can't believe his green Genuine Buddy easily keeps up with traffic.

Savvy folks across southern Mecklenburg like Wilson are snapping up scooters to stretch their gas budgets.

Wilson, 35, bought the scooter last year for about $2,500. He says using it instead of one of his two Mini Cooper cars has reduced his weekly gas bill to just $8.

Posted by Frank at 7:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Metro commuters turn to scooters

Sales of scooters are on the rise this summer, and most likely not because people like to feel the wind in their hair as they cruise down the road.

Depending on engine size, scooters can squeeze out 50 to 100 miles per gallon. And with today's gas prices, every mile counts.

Scooter sales were up 24% in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a national trade group.

Vespa USA, the American branch of the best-known scooter maker, said its sales in May were 105% higher than in the same month last year.

"They've been really going out as fast as they are coming in," said LeAnn Shea, who works at TT Motorcycle Sales.

Posted by Frank at 7:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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).

Posted by Frank at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 29, 2008

Filling up is easy for Vespa owners

PHILADELPHIA -- When Bill Schwab stops at a traffic light on his Vespa, car drivers chuckle and motorcycle riders snicker.

"They just laugh at me," the Peco Energy Co. lineman said of his daily work commute. "I'm a big guy. ... When people see me on my little scooter, they smirk."

But Schwab, 46, has the last laugh. "I get 70 miles per gallon," Schwab said. "I tell them and they shut up real fast."

Schwab owns a Harley-Davidson, a Corvette and a pickup. But they've remained locked in his South Jersey garage since he bought his scooter.

Gas prices -- now above $4 -- have been very, very good to scooter manufacturers, with the Italian-made Vespa leading the pack.

Sales of Vespas more than doubled nationwide as the price of oil rose above $100 a barrel. Americans bought 1,300 in May 2007. Last month, sales topped 2,700.

Posted by Frank at 1:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 28, 2008

Gas-busting scooters offer alternative

SAINT JOHN - For her 70th birthday, Sharon O'Brien bought herself a present.

"I saw one and I fell in love with it," O'Brien says of her brand-new, fire-engine red Honda Jazz scooter. "It's like you see the red shoes, and you want them - I wanted the red Honda."

O'Brien picked up the $2,500 gas scooter in Fredericton a few weeks ago, after her bike became too difficult to take everywhere and her car became to too expensive to fill. She taught herself to ride by practising in a parking garage at 5:30 a.m., and takes it around the city when weather permits.

"It only holds five litres. I can go just as far on my five litres as I can in my car, and it costs me $42 to fill that," she said.

"And how many people can fill their cars for $5?"

Posted by Frank at 3:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scoot over, cars

As Adam Gross watched the news during the past year, it became clear to him what lay ahead. Gas prices were on the rise and would likely continue to climb well into the future.

To combat the prices, he spent just more than $3,000 on a scooter last year and rides it to his work at Crone's Gas & Goodies in Dover.

"Everyone laughed at me when I bought it," he said.

But now, people are beginning to see the benefits of the gas-saving ride.

Gross' commute from his West Manchester Township home to work is about two and half miles, which means he puts less than $4 of gas in the Yamaha Vino 125cc scooter every two weeks.

He admitted he's a little nervous about taking the bike out on the freeway, even though it can hit speeds of 65 mph, because of the added traffic and drivers not paying attention.

"If I'm getting the extra miles, I'll take the back roads instead," Gross said.

Scooters sales have "gone through the roof" lately, said Jim Tufarolo, owner of Market Motors in Springettsbury Township.

Posted by Frank at 3:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter shop opening in Avon

AVON -- Dan Kourafas, 50, has owned dozens of motorcycles in his lifetime.

But one by one, the Randolph man traded in his Harley, Ducati, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda sport and cruiser motorcycles for motorized scooters.

Kourafas said the world passes by at a slower, more comfortable pace at about 30 mph.

"When a bug hits you in the face, it doesn't go through your cheek," he said.

His girlfriend, Diane Park, said riding a scooter opens a panoramic world where she can smell everything and feel the climate change as she climbs a hill or descends into a valley.

"I always equate it to being like a dog with his head out the window," said Park, 48, of Randolph.

Posted by Frank at 3:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High Gas Prices Raise Scooter Popularity

As gas prices soar, consumers are looking to two wheels to get around.

That's exactly why so many people are suddenly looking at certain motor scooters and small motorcycles -- because of the unbelievable gas mileage they offer.

More people are zipping around on scooters for their commute, increasing their demand and causing classes covering motorcycle safety to fill up fast.

"I get 220 miles on $12 to $15 in gas," one scooter rider said.

"I understand I can get 70 to 80 miles to the gallon. That's what I need right now," another rider said.

Posted by Frank at 3:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales take off

With gas prices at more than $4 a gallon, motorized scooters are are no longer just for intellectuals and environmentalists.

Inland Valley motorized scooter dealerships have seen a significant uptick in sales over the past two months as gas prices hit record highs.

"We're not able to keep up with the demand," said Randy Jackson, sales manager for Excalibur Motor Cars in Chino, which formerly sold mostly all-terrain vehicles. Now scooters - two-wheeled vehicles with a floorboard the rider can stand on - are their most popular item.

"A scooter is more upright (than a motorcycle) and usually completely encased so you don't see the motor," said Brian Hoogeveen, owner of Power Toys in Chino.

Hoogeveen said there has been an increase in sales and also an increase in people asking questions about lightweight motorcycles and scooters. He also has noticed an increase in the number of women customers.

Posted by Frank at 3:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Makes Comeback

KENNEBUNK, Maine -- Scooters are making a comeback.

So much so, one southern Maine dealer can't keep them on his lot.

Sandy Boardman bought her Chinese-made "Roketa" scooter about two months ago after realizing she was wasting too much money on gas driving her Volvo station wagon.

"That's where you really burn the gas. The stop-and-start stuff. I would get that on the Volvo, just buzzing around looking for a place to park to do errands," said Boardman.

Boardman said her scooter is getting 80 to 100 miles a gallon rather than the 25 her Volvo gets.

Posted by Frank at 3:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 27, 2008

Touring Rome on a Vespa

ROME -- When it comes to looking classy on a Vespa in Rome, no one did it better than Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday." The classic film helped put Vespa on the map (for Americans) and gave the little scooters a romantic and stylish air, as well as permanent place in popular culture.

Sergio Caggia, founder of Nerone Tours came up with the idea of organizing Vespa tours of Rome after spending nearly a decade giving private walking tours of the city (called "Rome Made to Measure").

Mr. Caggia explained it was a conversation with a friend, who rented scooters to tourists that led him to the idea of incorporating classic Vespas and vintage cars into his own tour operations. A fan of classic cars and scooters himself, Mr. Caggia used his connections with local enthusiast clubs to find owners willing to use their vehicles to tote tourists throughout Rome.

Posted by Frank at 9:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa dealership opens in Schenectady

Peter Caschera's lifetime love of Vespa scooters was the family's impetus to open a dealership in Schenectady.

Vespa Schenectady sold eight of the Italian bikes since opening three weeks ago. The scooter store is Vespa's first in the region since 2005.

Prices for the scooters, which get 70-80 miles per gallon, run from $3,300 to $6,000.

One caveat catches potential buyers off-guard when they visit the shop at 1401 Erie Boulevard: The bikes require a motorcycle license.

"That's the little hump we need to get over," manager Caschera, 22, said of the family-owned business.

Posted by Frank at 8:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters Rise In Popularity As Gas Climbs

Gas is threatening on a daily basis to set records -- the national average has been more than $4 per gallon for more than an month.

For Bob Hedstrom, however, filling his tank for $6.50 seems like an inconvenience.

Hedstrom, who drives a Vespa -- the iconic Italian scooter -- is also the owner of Scooterville, the Minneapolis store that has been doing record business this year.

"It's been busy beyond what we've ever seen," said Hedstrom, who opened his shop in May 2002. "I think it's pretty clear that a lot of it is attributable to gas prices."

Posted by Frank at 8:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooting Around New York

I'VE always thought that driving in New York City is a bit like a game of touch football between the Jets and the Giants -- you're always seconds away from a painful collision, but for the most part you don't get clobbered. Getting through a traffic jam on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is a game of inches.

So even though I'm a fan of almost anything with a motor and two wheels, I was a bit skeptical about venturing onto city streets aboard a Vespa. After touring through Manhattan and Brooklyn on a group ride for journalists on a recent Saturday, though, I discovered that scooters are extremely useful for basic city transport.

The S, which is related to Vespa's LX, is powered by a 150 cc air-cooled four-stroke motor. Indeed, the two scooters share many of the same specs. The significant differences between the S and the LX are stylistic. The S is leaner, intended to recall 1960s models such as the Vespa Special and the Vespa Primavera.

Posted by Frank at 8:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 26, 2008

Scooter sales take off

With gas prices at more than $4 a gallon, motorized scooters are are no longer just for intellectuals and environmentalists.

Inland Valley motorized scooter dealerships have seen a significant uptick in sales over the past two months as gas prices hit record highs.

"We're not able to keep up with the demand," said Randy Jackson, sales manager for Excalibur Motor Cars in Chino, which formerly sold mostly all-terrain vehicles. Now scooters - two-wheeled vehicles with a floorboard the rider can stand on - are their most popular item.

"A scooter is more upright (than a motorcycle) and usually completely encased so you don't see the motor," said Brian Hoogeveen, owner of Power Toys in Chino.

Hoogeveen said there has been an increase in sales and also an increase in people asking questions about lightweight motorcycles and scooters. He also has noticed an increase in the number of women customers.

"For some reason, people who would not normally ride a motorcycle are not intimidated by scooters," Hoogeveen said.

Posted by Frank at 4:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter helps county officials save big at the pump

Gas prices have caused a Four State county assessor to park his four wheel drive truck at home and drive a scooter to work. Now he's laughing at those big trucks when he thinks of what he's saving at the pump.

Anyone driving these days is feeling the pinch at the pump, but some are turning to two wheels to save cash.

"I've got a four wheel drive pickup that gets terrible gas mileage in town, so there's no comparison, I just smile all the time I go buy filling stations with all those SUV's and pickups whatever filling up," says Jasper County Assessor Don Davis.

With high gas prices, Isaac Sowersby says scooters are all about saving cash.

"Just gas prices - it holds a gallon, you pay four bucks, get a gallon of gas can go like 80 miles on a gallon," Sowersby says.

Posted by Frank at 3:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High gas prices drive surge in scooter use

More Idahoans are turning to scooters to help ease the pinch of high fuel prices.

The Idaho Department of Transportation reports that sales of motorized scooters increased 24 percent during the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007.

With gas prices soaring above the $4 per gallon mark, scooter dealers say it's no surprise that more people are looking for cheaper alternatives to getting around town. Some of the models now being sold get between 75 and 100 miles per gallon.

With more scooters on the road, state transportation officials are stressing safety and education.

Posted by Frank at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 6:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rising fuel costs have some trading cars for scooters

Rising gas prices are forcing many drivers to trade in their wheels, but not for more fuel-efficient cars. Instead they're trading their cars for a motorcycle or scooter. Some motorcycles average 55 miles per gallon of gasoline, and scooters can average over 130 miles per. As fuel prices keep rising, some drivers are re-thinking their choice of vehicle.

Lawton Deputy Fire Chief Juan Rodriguez parks his truck as much as possible lately. "[With a] 32 mile round trip, it's costing me $4.50 just to go to work for one day." Now, he drives his scooter to work instead - all the way from Cache to the Central Fire Station in Lawton. "I can drive that scooter three times to work and back before I fill it up," he says. His scooter gets 68 miles per gallon.

Rodriguez was thinking ahead. He bought it when gas prices reached $3 per gallon. "People laughed at me because I'm kind of big to be riding a scooter," he says. But, he has had the last laugh now that gas prices have reached nearly $4 per gallon.

Posted by Frank at 5:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High fuel prices drive Kodiak scooter sales

KODIAK, Alaska -- Gas prices are nearing $5 a gallon, prompting Kodiak residents to look for relief at scooter sales lots.

Taylor Humphreys with Warner Tire and Yamaha says the dealership is selling more fuel-efficient scooters and motorcycles at a pace not previously been seen at the shop.

Humphreys orders scooters every two weeks and is typically sold out by the time the next shipment arrives.

Kodiak resident Doug Letch recently purchased a scooter, saying he can get 123 miles per gallon.

Letch says scooters are very practical for Kodiak because it's not very far between places.

The upsurge in scooter and motorcycle sales has not yet taken a bite out of the large vehicle market in Kodiak, though. Debbie Refior, the owner of Kodiak Motors, says the sales of trucks at her Ford dealership have not decreased.

Posted by Frank at 3:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Motor scooter sales up

"Gas is definitely the driving factor. It hasn't gotten to the point where they are selling their main vehicles, but many are replacing their second one [with a scooter]," said Warren Bolc, with the Vespa Shop on Third Street in Jacksonville Beach.

Bolc said sales are 100 percent better than this time last year. Beach people seem to be looking for ways to save gasoline. There are now four scooter shops in Jacksonville Beach. All are clustered within about a half-mile of each other. Three are on Third Street North. The fourth is just off Third on First Avenue North at Fourth Street.

One cannot just walk in and test ride a scooter. You must plan ahead. To legally ride one rated at 150 cc's or higher, you must have a "motorcycle endorsement" on your license. In the near future, an expensive motorcycle safety course may be required for nearly all scooters.

Two of the three shops have limited test rides on Saturdays. Recent visits to the four scooter shops left me surprised at the differences in available models and sales styles. Only one model with manual transmission is left. All the rest have automatic transmissions.

In 1965, I bought a used Vespa for $150 from a shop in Long Beach, Calif. During my yearlong working visit there, that ugly green machine and I had many adventures on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Posted by Frank at 2:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Piaggio's CEO sees "good" order book in June

PONTEDERA, Italy - Italy's Piaggio & C had a "good" book of orders for its scooters in June as higher oil prices push consumers towards lighter consumption vehicles, Chief Executive Roberto Colaninno said on Tuesday.

"Paradoxically the oil crisis is helping Piaggio," Colaninno said on the sidelines of a shareholders' meeting. "In June we are seeing a good order book."

Piaggio cut forecasts in its business plan in May blaming the slower economy for a weaker sales trend. The Vespa scooter maker posted a 21 percent drop in core profit in the first quarter.

"We hope that the second half of the year is in line with the recovery we witnessed in June," Colaninno added.

Posted by Frank at 1:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 24, 2008

The scooter: Once a toy, now a top seller

In May, Carol Somers bought herself a white and chrome Vespa Piaggio as a birthday present. She's zipped around Bend throughout the past two months, getting thumbs up from drivers and walkers alike. And since the price of gas has risen well past $4 a gallon, she's kept busy converting her friends to the way of the scooter.

On Friday, she took a friend to Bend Euro Moto to purchase a new scooter. Last week, another friend joined her to get a look at the small vehicles, which sometimes get as many as 100 miles to the gallon. Right now, scooter and motorcycle dealerships are seeing a jump in the number of vehicles they're selling. Scooters in particular, which can range in price from less than $1,000 to well over $5,000, are catching the eyes of gas price-weary Central Oregonians.

Posted by Frank at 1:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales soar with high gas prices

SAVANNAH, GA - Russ Moore would like to sell you a scooter. It's what he does. He just might not be able to, depending when you see him.

"Right now we have basically one scooter left in the shop,'' said Moore, who has rented and sold scooters in downtown Savannah for four year. "And that's pretty good, because last week we brought in seven scooters. Four of those were prepaid and we sold the other three over the weekend.''

And while that's a good problem to have for the owner of Coastal Scooters, struggling to meet the rising demand for scooters actually has become a problem as individuals and businesses turn to the two-wheelers as a way to fight today's gas prices.

"People are buying them in record numbers,'' says Moore, who sees a correspondence between the sales increase and the latest bump in gas prices.

Posted by Frank at 1:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High gas prices drive surge in scooter use

TWIN FALLS, Idaho - More Idahohans are turning to scooters to help ease the pinch of high fuel prices.

The Idaho Department of Transportation reports that sales of motorized scooters increased 24% during the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007.

With gas prices soaring above the $4 per gallon mark, scooter dealers say it's no surprise that more people are looking for cheaper alternatives to getting around town. Some of the models now being sold get between 75 and 100 miles per gallon.

Posted by Frank at 1:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Genuine Vespa Accessories For The GTS300

At 300cc, the sporty GTS 300 Super is the largest capacity Vespa ever, with performance and acceleration to match. Summer is just around the corner and the versatility of the GTS means that for commuting across town, making a scene at a scooter rally or eating up the miles on a cross continent grand tour, this stylish and powerful scooter will make every journey - however short - a riding pleasure.

For the Vespa rider wanting to make the most of the GTS 300 Super's touring capability or who just wants to personalise their Vespa, there is a range of genuine Vespa accessories to complement the GTS. As with the Vespa itself, Italian design and style blend seamlessly with practicality and quality, so the roomy 42-litre rear top case, harmonising with the unique shape of the GTS 300 Super, is ideal for carrying luggage, belongings or just everyday shopping. Available in matching Black or Montebianco White, the top case has an integral padded backrest, is supplied with a mounting kit and costs £219.99.

Posted by Frank at 1:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Suzuki Launch The Sixteen Scooter

Suzuki has launched an all-new big-wheeled scooter - the 125cc Sixteen.

Already renowned as the manufacturer behind the luxury 'Burgman' scooter range, the new Suzuki Sixteen is a first for the Japanese manufacturer, boasting true flat footboard step-thru practicalities with great manoeuvrability and ride quality thanks to its 16-inch wheels.

Talking about the new scooter, marketing manager George Cheeseman commented, "It's great to add the Sixteen to our already comprehensive learner legal range. Naturally the larger wheels aid stability, and of course help with ride quality on poorer road surfaces. The flat footboard area, automatic transmission and dual linked disc brakes make the Sixteen one of the best all-round and versatile scooters available on the market."

Available at authorised dealers now and with a recommended retail price of £2,499 on the road, the Sixteen offers great value for money too, and with the continuation of Free third party Insurance on any new 125cc Suzuki, it really does tick all of the boxes for many.

Posted by Frank at 1:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 5:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales are having a great ride

Lee Quandt says he has always been a scooter and motorcycle fanatic at heart. He received his motorcycle license in the early 1970s as a police officer in Hampton, but gave up his bike-riding ways when he had children.

"I was yearning to get back out on the open road," said Quandt, a state representative from Exeter.
Related Stories

Like so many scooter owners, Quandt loves the economic advantages of the smaller mode of transportation. He commented that most of them now are made in China, and that's what makes them inexpensive.

Quandt recently bought a new ride, and changed from the old-style scooter to one technically classified as a motorcycle.

"I stepped up to the motorcycle-looking one," said Quandt.

Quandt's motorcycle gets about 70 miles per gallon of gasoline and can travel up to speeds of 45 to 55 mph. His old scooter, though it could not travel at such high speeds, averaged anywhere from 85 to 110 miles per gallon, depending on how many hills it had to climb.

Posted by Frank at 4:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A good week for scooter sellers

It's no surprise, with gas prices near $4.59 a gallon in San Jose, that drivers are looking for more fuel-efficient alternatives. In Hindsight is happy enough with his bike and the VTA's convenient (if somewhat flawed) light-rail system.

But a new Vespa - at 70 to 80 mpg - would be a very stylish and economical way of getting around San Jose's compact (if somewhat flawed) urban core. Unfortunately, "we are just about sold out," Jeff "Bosco" Biafore of San Jose BMW and Vespa told a Merc reporter. In fact, Vespa USA says its May sales were up 105 percent from a year earlier.

Posted by Frank at 3:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

New scooter club caters to mature riders

If the thought of a pack of two-wheeled fanatics prowling along country back roads and scenic routes in the Chattanooga area worries you, you may want to look out for the Fossils gang on your next Sunday outing.

Don't fret, though; they're pretty easy to spot. Most of the riders are more than 50 years old, they putter along at a serene 40 mph and they're all riding scooters.

The Fossils Scooter Club, a group for motor-scooter riders 50 and older, was founded in March by Chattanoogans Bill Levy, 67, his wife, Maxine, 59, and Bill Tracy, 67.

Beginning in October of last year, these three lifelong motorcycle lovers began trading in their hogs for something a little quieter, a little more comfortable and way more gas-efficient.

Other soon followed suit.

Posted by Frank at 2:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

James McAvoy trades in motorbike for scooter

FILM star James McAvoy has traded in his motorbike for a scooter after an encounter with a road bully.

The 29-year-old Scot fell off his red Hyosung bike after a car driver revving his engine made him nervous.

The Last King of Scotland star said: "I was lost and stopped at traffic lights.

"There was this guy looking at my shiny, red bike and he kept thinking, 'I'm going to make him race.'

James added: "It was kind of scary, so I've gone back to just having a little scooter now. That's so much safer for me."

Posted by Frank at 1:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Top Gear opens Vespa dealership in Athens

Top Gear Motorsports, the 15-year-old Kawasaki motorcycle dealer in Athens, recently began serving as a Vespa and Piaggio scooter dealership.

The Athens Vespa dealership began at the end of May, and is operating at 4215 Atlanta Highway, out of the same building Top Gear moved into last fall, said Athens Vespa manager Dave Frederick.

The same company makes Vespa and Piaggio scooters, though Vespa scooters stick to more classic designs while Piaggio leans to trendier looks, Frederick said. Piaggio scooters usually are priced lower than Vespas of comparable size and mechanics. The prices for the scooters range from $1,849 for Piaggio's least expensive model to $9,000 for Piaggio's top-of-the-line scooter, Frederick said.

Posted by Frank at 12:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters help drivers stretch gas dollars

Most businesses have been slowed in recent months by an underperforming economy, but one business that keeps rolling is motorcycle and scooter shops.

Mark Sheffield, manager of Woods Cycle Country, is seeing his business post recent gains as customers seek alternative transportation with better gas mileage than the trucks and SUVs that many Texans favor.

"Usually businesses suffer during an economic downturn, but the equation has not been the same for us because of high gas prices," Sheffield said.

AF1 Racing's president Ed Cook says that sales have been off the charts at his New Braunfels store.

"As fast as we get them, they're out the door," Cook said in reference to his scooter sales. AF1's motorcycle sales also are doing well as shoppers scramble for alternative ways to run errands and drive to work.

Posted by Frank at 11:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter riders take gas price protest on the road

RAEFORD -- The sun broke through the clouds just in time for Charles Ragan and members of the Piglet Scooter Club to begin their protest of rising gas prices.

The men put on their "Caution Gas Price Protest in Progress" T-shirts before mounting their scooters in the parking lot of Universal Pawn Shop on Saturday morning. Nine men showed up for the round-trip ride from Raeford through west Fayetteville. Ragan had hoped for a larger crowd, but an early morning thunderstorm stopped some riders from coming out, he said.

The goal of Saturday's ride was to show how more people are turning to scooters and mopeds to offset the expense of fuel.

"There is an economic terrorist attack on our economy right now because of the high cost of fuel," Ragan said. "What we are doing is making a concession to try to cut down on the lost income. To buy gas right now is almost as bad as your light bill. We should have started raising Cain when they jacked the cost of oil up when there was a storm off the coast of Africa. It went up ten cents. Why? It's ridiculous. It's scary. It's really scary and I am scared of the future."

Posted by Frank at 11:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales up

Business is booming at Scooter Mania, the Coos Bay retailer on North Bayshore Drive.

Sales are up about 40 percent from this time last year, and owner Victor Pisani has a pretty good idea why.

"I've seen some people come here right after filling up at the Chevron," he said, referring to the gas station a block away. "They come here and buy a scooter."

Pisani figures there are other factors at play, such as the nice weather and favorable payment plans, but he surmises sales are up because scooters make between 75 and 141 miles to the gallon.

"We've seen highs and lows before, but not like this," he said.

Pisani considers a good day to be one where he sells two scooters. One day last week, he sold four. And even on days he doesn't sell a thing, he has lots of foot traffic.

Posted by Frank at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Mileage makes Vespa more stylish

PHILADELPHIA - When Bill Schwab comes to a stop at a traffic light on his Vespa, car drivers chuckle and motorcycle riders snicker.

"They just laugh at me," the Peco Energy Co. lineman said of his daily work commute. "I'm a big guy. I got a bunch of tattoos. When people see me on my little scooter, they smirk."

But Schwab, 46, always has the last laugh.

"I get 70 miles per gallon," Schwab said. "I tell them and they shut up real fast."

Schwab owns a Harley-Davidson, a Corvette and a pickup truck. But they've remained locked in his South Jersey garage since he bought his scooter. He rides it daily from Delran, up Route 130, over the Betsy Ross Bridge, to his job in Philadelphia.

Posted by Frank at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales At Record Numbers

Scooter sales have also peaked possibly as a result of high gas prices. As we approach the official start of summer people are doing anything they can to get better gas mileage. Local scooter dealers say they just "can't manage to keep them on the lot, they sell before they can even get them out of the box".

The average scooter gets anywhere from 50 to 70 miles to the gallon, and when the national average for a gallon of gas is $4 that's pretty appealing. Now buying a scooter doesn't require a motorcycle license, but some sort of trainnig is recommended so that you ride your scooter safely.

Posted by Frank at 11:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Soar Amid Rising Gas Prices

The record-high gas prices are pushing many Arkansans to find alternative forms of transportation--like scooters.

Sales have soared by nearly 25% across the country in 2008, and the trend is continuing right here in Arkansas.

When state representative Kathy Webb bought her Honda scooter two weeks ago, it was the first time she had ever been on any kind of motorbike.

(Rep. Kathy Webb, Little Rock) "When my friends got these scooters, I started looking at their scooters--and when they're 125 miles to the gallon, I thought. 'Wow, that would really make not only a green statement, but it would also have a huge economic impact on my personal budget.'"

In just two weeks she's gone 200 miles on her scooter. The price tag? Only $7.

Posted by Frank at 11:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Miles on the very cheap

As surely as gas prices rise, on-the-go Americans will find ways to stay mobile.

Hence, scooters. Ubiquitous in Europe for decades, the little motorbikes are selling madly stateside, with sales up 24 percent over last year. Prices range from $800 for no-name imports to $8,000 for the best-known brands, such as Vespa, but scooter fans say the machines pay for themselves before long.

''I filled it up with $5 yesterday,'' said Dawud Hason, 48, standing beside the used scooter he bought from a friend this week so he could travel from his south Allentown home to his center city barbershop without sucking the guts out of his household budget.

At Lehigh Valley dealerships, scooters -- capable of 60, 70 and even 100 miles per gallon -- are selling at about the same pace gas stations change their price boards.

Posted by Frank at 10:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 20, 2008

Looking for relief at the pump? Try a scooter

With gas prices at an all-time high, Dale Meadors expected to do very well this year.

The 69-year-old owner of Illini Scooters, 221 S. Locust St., said his store was so full of scooters at the beginning of the year he had to climb over the inventory to get to the back of his store. He doubled the inventory in his quaint store from about 30 to 60 scooters.

Now, Meadors is struggling to keep scooters in the store with only fourteen in stock Tuesday.

"Most of the industry I think geared up for double the sales," Meadors said. "Well, we're well above that. But that's the problem; I have no supply."

Many businesses are seeing hits to their bottom lines because of high fuel prices. But with many motorists turning to alternative modes of transportation to save money, the scooter industry is thriving.

Posted by Frank at 7:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Win a Free Kymco Xciting Scooter

Free stuff is exciting right? Well, how would you feel about a free 2008 Kymco Xciting scooter? That's right, MotorcycleUSA.com has a Kymco scooter we're just itching to give away. All you, dear reader, have to do is sign up for our newsletter by August 31, 2008.

Sounds easy don't it? That's because it is!

Kymco's largest-displacement scooter, the Xciting delivers easy-to-ride performance with its 500cc DOHC liquid-cooled engine. Our lucky winner will be able to hit the urban jungle as well as the open road, with the Xciting even capable of short-distance touring duties.

Even if you don't hit the Xciting jackpot, there's something in it for MotorcycleUSA readers - our newsletter. Of course, the best way to keep abreast of breaking motorcycle news and the latest motorcycle tests is to check in with us each and every day. But, just in case you miss out, our newsletter will keep you up to date on all the biggest stories you need to know.

Signing up is easy. Click here and enter your stats. Email will only be used to notify the winner and to receive our newsletter.

Posted by Frank at 7:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices help drive sales of scooters

He might draw a stare or shake of the head from someone passing him in a car or SUV during his daily commute from Pittsburgh to North Huntingdon, but each time he does, Mitch Kehn is thinking one thing: "Suckers."

Kehn claims it's been three months since he set foot in a car. If he's going somewhere that's not within walking distance, he hops on his 49cc scooter and pushes it full-tilt until he arrives.

His Aprilia SR50 is supposed to top out at 35 mph, but Kehn tricked out his model so that he can hit 45 mph on a straightaway. And he boasts, "I can hit 55 (mph) going downhill."

Kehn might not make the best time, but he's not looking to set any land-speed records. He's more interested in pinching pennies.

Posted by Frank at 7:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 19, 2008

Scooters selling like hotcakes

What averages 115 miles per gallon, costs $7 to fill up and can travel 35-40mph?

A 49cc scooter.

"We have pretty much seen a ten-fold sales increase from this time last year in scooter sales," said Greg Glennie, sales manager at Colorado Powersports in Boulder.

A 49cc scooter, the most popular size of scooter according to Glennie costs anywhere from $2,000 to $2,500.

Powersports has sold 10 scooters thisweek, which is, "a strong week for scooter sales," Glennie said, "If we use a travel rate type of equation that means we could sell 40 this monththis time last year we were selling 5 or 6 per month."

These numbers are comparable to the newly opened KIA dealership on 3200 28th St., as last month's car sales totaled 55, said Chris Good, sales manager.

In the 1950s, scooters were a simple mode of transport and virtually disappeared in the seventies and eighties, according to a Yamaha Motor Europe scooter product planner on www.yamaha-motor.hu. But, like most anything: things change and somewhere in the early 1990s, automatic transmission and stylish layouts helped to rebuild and revolutionize the scooter market.

Posted by Frank at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales revving up

When gas passed $3 a gallon, people started selling their Hummers and buying Priuses.

Now, with gas costing more than $4.50 a gallon, the 48-mpg Prius isn't enough for some people.

Enter the scooter - that lovable two-wheeler popular for decades in Europe that offers 60, 70 or 100 mpg, and is all the rage now in the United States.

Just ask April Whitney, the owner of three vintage Vespas and publisher of Scoot, a national magazine based in San Jose that's riding the scooter boom with increased readership and an expanding publication schedule.

These days, Whitney is sharing the roads of Silicon Valley with lots of new scooter owners, young and old.

"Definitely," she said. "There's a huge increase because people are just looking for an alternative to being held hostage by oil companies."

Scooter sales are booming, nearly doubling from 2002 to 2007, and up 24 percent in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. Of course, that's tiny compared with a total of 16 million cars and trucks sold in the United States last year.

Posted by Frank at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.
Advertisement

"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.

Posted by Frank at 6:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Video: Stupid Scooter Stunts

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

Posted by Frank at 6:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 16, 2008

Scooter shop sees more customers thanks to pricey gas

LONGMONT -- Tom Wilson needs to change the sign in his front window.

"When I started doing this, I made this ad: 'Kiss $3 gasoline goodbye,'" said Wilson, owner of Small Planet E-Vehicles, at 1811 Hover St. "Now I'm going to have to change that to $4, or even $5."

When Wilson opened the shop in February 2007, he sold only electric bicycles. Now the store sells a variety of electric- and gas-powered scooters and electric vehicles.

Thanks in large part to the high price of gasoline, Small Planet E-Vehicles is finally starting to turn a profit, Wilson said.

Posted by Frank at 9:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales soar as gas prices rise

When Aaron Spencer rolls up to a gas station in downtown Carlisle with a case of beer strapped to his black Vespa scooter, people point and stare at him.

"That's when people look at me like -- 'Holy crap!'" Spencer said.

In the new world of $4-a-gallon gasoline, Spencer, 29, is out to prove that two wheels are better than four, ignoring the chuckles and happily scooting around town on a weekly gas tank fillup price of $8.

Scooter sales have skyrocketed along with the price of gas.

Though scooter riders might not be pumping as much money into their tanks, they could be paying a higher price.

The number of accidents involving scooters increased 286 percent from 1999 to 2000, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

On Wednesday, a 40-year-old woman was seriously injured near Lancaster when she fell off her Kymco motor scooter.

Posted by Frank at 9:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Riding past the sky high price of gas

For more than half a century the motorized scooter has been a preferred mode of transportation for men and women from Beijing to Barcelona.

Though helmeted riders jockey with traffic on the streets of crowded European cities with regularity, scootering has yet to get rolling here the way it has abroad.

Now, whether it be for recreational, social or economic reasons, more and more Americans and more of your South Jersey neighbors are getting around on two wheels.

Take Dr. David Carrozzino for example.

The podiatrist said he regularly makes the trip from his Mantua home to his office in Woodbury on his Italian-made Vespa scooter and has done so for a decade.

"Ever since I was in Italy ten years ago, I knew I just had to have one," Carrozzino said.

Posted by Frank at 9:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Craze

As gas prices hover around the $4 mark, cash-strapped motorists are being driven toward cheaper forms of transportation.

With warm weather here to stay, and the pain at the pump not going away, many are getting into the scooter craze.

Making the decision to give up four wheels for two, takes some research.

From scooters, to mopeds, to motorcycles, high gas prices are steering motorists away from their four-wheeled gas guzzlers.

Kathy Baumfalk made the switch to a moped more than a year ago.

"I've put about 763 miles on it since I bought it," said Baumfalk.

Baumfalk's moped gets around 110 miles per gallon, and with gas prices topping $4, Baumfalk says her two-wheeled ride was a great purchase.

Posted by Frank at 9:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Taking their foot off the gas

Cindy Palmatier bought her Ford Ranger pickup two years ago when gas was about $2.15 a gallon and the commute cost to her job at a San Rafael retirement community was manageable.

Now it costs about $500 a month. "It's killing me," Palmatier said, gassing up the Ranger last week at a station charging $4.32 a gallon. "I can barely afford to go to work."

Unable to make ends meet, Palmatier gave up her apartment two weeks ago and moved in with a friend, splitting the rent.

"It's just outrageous that we have to live like this," Palmatier said. She's paying her bills now, but feels trapped in an unpleasant economic formula: "Everything goes up but your wages," Palmatier said.

As gasoline continues its meteoric rise -- up more than $1.15 a gallon in Santa Rosa since January and still rising -- families are making adjustments in the way they live, work and play.

Posted by Frank at 9:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales skyrocket

SENECA -- Rising gas costs is a big reason scooters are selling in a big way, Duncan Butler, general manager of Performance Power Sports of Seneca said Friday. The scooter industry had suffered a three-year period of slowing sales, but the past year has seen a resurgence in scooter purchases.

"Scooters had been down for three years," Butler said. "Now we can't keep them."

Fuel prices pushing $4 per gallon have led to a decrease in boat sales and a trend towards higher fuel efficiency. That consumer craving for more bang for the buck has helped revitalize the scooter market, Butler said.

Butler's store carries Piaggio, Vespa, Schwinn and Yahama line scooters that all boast gas mileage far beyond other vehicles.

"That's huge right now," Butler said. "People aren't saying 'Look at my cool scooter,' they're saying 'Hey man, my Zuma gets 123 miles to the gallon.'"

Posted by Frank at 9:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Motorized scooters growing in popularity

They are small, not particularly fast, but they sure don't guzzle gas.

With gas prices rising to about $4 in 2008, people all across the country are looking at ways to save money. And that could come from driving the approved motorized scooters. With the fuel consumption for most scooters at about 100 miles per gallon, they are an inexpensive alternative to driving cars.

Dale Vincent, sales manager at Cheap Cars in Mandan, said gas-powered scooters are becoming more popular than ever. "We doubled what we sold last year," he said. And he thinks the popularity should keep growing.

Glenn Jackson, director of motorized vehicles at the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said since 2005 there has been an increase in new registrations for motorized scooters. In 2006, there was a 71 percent increase over the number of registered scooters from 2005. Then in 2007, there was a 133 percent increase over 2006. And so far in 2008, there has been a 7 percent increase over the number of registered scooters at the same time in 2007, accord-ing to Jackson.

Posted by Frank at 9:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Soaring gas prices fueling scooter sales

Aaron Farris recently bought a scooter to offset the cost of filling up his Ford F-150.

"I'll use it to go from my house to school or to other people's houses around Lubbock," said the petroleum land management major at Texas Tech.

Last summer, Farris owned a motorcycle that averaged about 40 miles per gallon in town.

Now, he owns a scooter that will get about 80 mpg.

Farris said he still keeps the pickup parked at home and only uses it when he needs to drive friends around or go home to Houston.

Many people, according to experts, are turning to motorcycles or scooters to ease the strain fuel prices have put on their pocketbooks.

For college students like Farris, gas-efficient, two-wheeled vehicles have become affordable solutions.

Posted by Frank at 9:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 15, 2008

Scooter sales bask in glow of gas costs

MATTHEWS, N.C. -- With gas prices continuing to increase, many are starting to look for alternative ways of getting around. Some are turning to scooters, and 100 miles to the gallon.

Gas prices have "doubled in about two years," said driver Luke Maybry, who is looking for ways to save and considered a motorcycle or a moped. "I've got one baby and one on the way and every little bit helps."

Thinking like that has Matthews Fun Machines seeing a boast in business.

"We've seen another surge in people coming in and looking for scooters and other alternative types of transportation," said Tee Caldwell, sales manager of Matthews Fun Machines. The store's scooters cost between $1,600-6,000 and can get more than 100 miles to the gallon. They only take about two gallons to fill up.

Posted by Frank at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Downtown scooter rally gets City Hall's attention

Sunshine, scooters and politics mixed Saturday afternoon in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood.

Scooter enthusiasts and dealers filled a parking lot on Westlake Avenue for the city's first All City Scooter Community Day to swap stories, compare notes and extol the virtues of moving about on scooters, streamlined miniatures motorcycles that are growing in popularity as gasoline prices increase.

With an estimated 200 people and some 150 scooters gathered at mid-day, it was the biggest scooter party since last year's "Vespamerica" gathering, which attracted hundreds more when it was held in Seattle. Scooter clubs had tents, and several dealers displayed their wares.

"It shows there's a lot of riders in town," said organizer and scooter-rental business owner Susan Richardson, who said part of the strategy was to let City Hall know there's a scooter constituency out there.

In March about 100 showed up at an evening forum to complain about annoyances such as car drivers moving scooters out of ever-more-scarce parking spaces and the theft of the city's new parking stickers from their vehicles.

Posted by Frank at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Foreign scooter makers race to capture Vietnam's market

The scooter market in Vietnam is heating up as large manufacturers like Honda, Piaggio, Yamaha and Kymco are racing to launch new models and capture consumers' hearts, along with crucial shares in a burgeoning market.

Yamaha's brand of Nouvo scooters received an unexpected advertisement boost after two Hollywood celebrities Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were photographed riding around Ho Chi Minh City on a black Nouvo during their trip to Vietnam last year.

The image of the cool actor driving an automatic scooter changed consumers' perceptions that previously associated the model with female drivers.

Japanese renowned manufacturer Honda forayed into the market soon after, debuting a sporty-looking Air Blade model in April last year that domestic motorbike traders said was a breakthrough in design for automatic scooters.

Posted by Frank at 12:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Increase With High Gas Prices

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The high prices at the gas pump have some drivers deciding to give up their cars and sport utility vehicles.

Those who want to ease the pain at the pump are turning to two-wheeled vehicles instead of four.

It costs driver Ronnie Kizer only $12 to fill up his motorcycle, which gets between 45 and 50 miles per gallon.

But it's possible to save even more if a driver purchases a scooter.

"People are actually spending right now $7 to $8 to fill them up and going 150 miles one tank. That's awesome," said Brian Ward of A-1 Fun Cycles.

Some of the smaller scooters, like the 50cc models, get even better gas mileage, up to 100 mph. Sales at A-1 Fun Cycles have been brisk, said Ward.

New scooter owner Leo Haffey said inflated gas prices drove him to buy a new scooter.

"When I first got on it, it kind of scared me a little bit. But once I got used to it, it's fine," said Haffey.

Posted by Frank at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Jump As Gas Prices Soar

COCKEYSVILLE, Md. -- Motor scooters that can get nearly 80 miles to the gallon are becoming a popular item since gas prices have skyrocketed.

Gas prices around the region are currently more than $4 a gallon. Scooter specialists told WBAL TV 11 News reporter Lowell Melser on Friday that people are looking into the scooters for ways to save cash and energy.

Adrian Hessem of Mount Vernon said he is finally ready to give in. He went to Moto Strada in Cockeysville Friday to look for a cheaper way to commute two miles to work instead of driving his SUV. He said a scooter seemed to be the perfect fit.

"This feels more practical. I don't need to go 110 mph just around town. And here I am," he said.

Posted by Frank at 12:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'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.

Posted by Frank at 12:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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?

Posted by Frank at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 13, 2008

Retirees Set Off on Cross-Country Scooter Trip

NEW YORK - Is 70 the new 50? Does four-plus-dollar-a-gallon gas have to curtail your summer road trip? Are three wheels sometimes better than two or four?

The answers are yes, no and absolutely - and to prove it, two 70-year-old retirees are tackling all 3,400-miles of the historic Lincoln Highway onboard the world's most innovative scooter - the three-wheel Piaggio MP3 500.

This no-age-limits adventure starts June 13 at San Francisco's Lincoln Park, the western terminus of "America's Main Street" and concludes at the Lincoln Highway's eastern terminus in New York City's Times Square on July 14.

In addition to enjoying the thrill of a classic American road trip on the country's first coast-to-coast route, lifelong motorcycle adventurers Bob Chase and Bernard "Buddy" Rosenbaum want to challenge the notion that chronological age and the freedom and fun of riding are mutually exclusive - and that today's soaring fuel costs should confine senior travelers on a budget to a rocking chair. To prove their point, they've enlisted the unique talents of the Piaggio MP3 scooter, an automatic twist n' go 500cc machine that's as stable as a car, leans into the curves like a sports bike, has a top speed of 92 mph and sips fuel at the rate of 53 to 55 mpg.

"Getting older shouldn't keep you from doing the things you really love," says 71-year old Buddy Rosenbaum, the dynamo behind the Piaggio MP3 Lincoln Highway: No Age Limit adventure. Rosenbaum's philosophy about aging focuses on making adjustments to accommodate age and physical capabilities, not giving up a sport or activity because of age-related realities, such as loss of muscle mass or strength. "Bob and I have spent the past few decades on two wheels, exploring every corner of the globe, and we plan to spend the next few doing exactly that - but on three wheels," says Rosenbaum, who, along with Chase, became the first Americans allowed to explore Russia on a motorcycle.

The Riders and Their Ride: Matched for a Lifetime of Adventure

Rosenbaum and riding partner Chase met on a motorcycle trip in the late 1990s and have since tamed blistering deserts and the world's tallest mountains in 40 countries. Buddy, a retired clinical psychologist and academic and Bob, a semi-retired industrial business leader, don't just have passports that rival those of international diplomats, they have the energy and fitness factor required to log thousands of miles and challenging terrain annually. As they approached their 70s, however, their heavy sport touring bikes became a bit tougher to handle. Enter the innovative Piaggio MP3 500, the only three-wheeled machine on the market that gets a rider's adrenaline into high-rev mode while delivering utility, such as cargo space, and long-distance riding comfort.

In addition to the MP3 500's sporty character, Rosenbaum and Chase chose the maxi scooter for its unparalleled stability. The MP3's innovative parallelogram front suspension technology is unlike anything else available in the market - it provides category-leading stability and impeccable road holding, while large 240 mm triple steel disk brakes ensure fast stopping power. The MP3 requires 20% less braking distance than best-in-class two-wheel scooters. Best of all for sport bike enthusiasts like Buddy and Bob, the MP3's 40-degree wheel lean angle gives riders that same ear to ear grin that comes with carving a motorcycle through a turn.

"Growing old doesn't mean you have to abandon your passions - you just need to be creative and find smart new ways of enjoying your favorite recreation or sport," says Paolo Timoni, President and CEO, Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. "The MP3 is the ideal solution for anyone who wants the pulse-pounding thrill of riding a motorcycle, with all the ease-of-riding benefits of a scooter."

The Route: Geoblogs and Adventures from America's "Main Street"

Following the June 13th, 12:00 Noon PST send-off across San Francisco's Bay Bridge (real-time broadcast provided courtesy of Seero.com) the team will begin their journey through 14 states, 128 counties and 500 cities - a trek that literally all eyes around the world are invited to experience and track around the clock, thanks to the team's daily "geoblogs" posted to www.piaggiousa.com. Using the latest interactive Google® Map technology from Geotegic, a company founded by transcontinental driving record holder Alex Roy, real-time reports and images from the road are pinpointed within the route map and continually updated as the riders journey eastward. Check in often - the No Limits Ride content debuts at Noon PST, June 13.

In addition, fans are invited to meet the team in person at scheduled appearances along the route, including Vespa Provo, Orem, UT (June 17); Vespa Greenwood Village, Greenwood Village, CO (June 24); Vespa Chicago Motoworks, Chicago, IL (July 4); Vespa Pittsburgh East, North Huntingdon, PA (July 9) and Vespa Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (July 12). Buddy and Bob are scheduled to arrive at 42nd Street and Broadway, the highway's eastern terminus, on July 14.

Posted by Frank at 3:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Soaring gas prices inspire scooter rental store

Rising fuel costs pushed Sabrina Ammend to buy a scooter for her 25-minute commute from her home in Middleton to her job at Charter Communications on Madison's far east side.

That was three months ago, and her savings in gas costs have been considerable, said Sabrina, who gasses up her Roketa scooter once a week. It gets about 100 miles per gallon.

She uses it almost full-time, often taking back roads when she can. She can't take it on roads where the posted speed limit is more than 45 mph.

"As long as we are not buying furniture," she said.

Her newfound scooter use gave her husband, Josh Ammend, the idea for Campus Scooter Rental. The store is set to open Saturday in the space at 2730 Atwood Ave. vacated by Uptown Grillz, a short-lived business that made gem and gold-studded teeth known as "grills."

Posted by Frank at 12:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales leaving pricey gas in the dust

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Once thought of by many Americans as just a step above a kid's toy, scooters are now considered viable transportation even by baby boomers--all thanks to $4-a-gallon gas.

Ryan Fletcher is a 57-year-old music professor at the College of William and Mary. He purchased a scooter recently for his 8-mile trip back and forth from home to work.

"I am not using this scooter for joy riding, just to run errands and commute back and forth to school," he said. "I will keep one of my cars that probably runs on 25 miles per gallon in the garage. I am trying to avoid those tiny trips in my car that eat up all the gas."

Fletcher said he would probably save more than $40 a week after purchasing a scooter. It usually costs him $52 to fill up his car each week. He can fill up his scooter for about $8. The lighter, often-slower cousins to motorcycles can get 60 to 100 miles per gallon. And the word is spreading: Fletcher said he had a colleague about to purchase a scooter.

Posted by Frank at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Alternatives Ease Pain at the Pump

A couple of years ago, I came back from a trip to the United Kingdom motivated to change my driving habits. Outside of a few days in the remote regions of the Scottish highlands, I had relied entirely on trains, buses and the occasional taxi to get from city to city and around the various towns on my itinerary. I also walked a lot - something I haven't done since I was in college - and I felt great.

Once I realized that it would have been close to $200 to fill up my truck at UK gas prices, I decided to trade in my Triton V-8 powered Ford F-150 for a Nissan Sentra that gets more than double the gas mileage of my old truck. I also purchased a150cc scooter, which are extremely popular throughout Europe and Asia. Reaching speed of more than 65 miles per hour and at 60 miles per gallon, it's great for short trips and running errands around town.

You may be surprised to learn that as of 2005, Dealernews, a magazine for powersports retailers, ranked Denver sixth is scooter sales nationwide, despite our long winter months and shortened driving season. Drive into Boulder or Denver on a sunny, summer day though, and you are as likely to share the road with a new Vespa as you are a new Volkswagen.

Posted by Frank at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Rising Gas Prices Drive Up Scooters In Lubbock

As you continue to pay more to drive on four wheels, many are now choosing two wheels. Scooter dealers in the Hub City say sales are up and with the price of gas, nearly four dollars a gallon, dealers do not expect sales to slow any time soon.

The wheels are smaller. The doors are gone and cargo space is minimal. "You can put your helmet in there or a small grocery bag," Cycle Shack Owner Tony Schertz said.

However, the gas mileage is mighty. "This scooter is a Vespa. It is a top of the line scooter. It gets 60 to 70 miles to the gallon," Schertz said.

A potential huge pocket book savings has many in Lubbock spending between $2,000 and $6,000 on a scooter. Schertz saying once gas prices jumped scooter sales followed. "It's gone from one or two a day to five or six a day looking," Schertz added.

Posted by Frank at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Moped and scooter sales booming in East Texas

TYLER - With the price of gasoline rising - more mopeds and scooters are finding its way on East Texas roads.

It appears what once was uncool - is now the hottest item in town.

"we can't keep them in stock," Jeff Tarpley, with McKinnon Honda, said. "The fuel efficiency you get on these scooters has created a craze that we've never seen before."

McKinnon Honda reports customers are pouring in.

According to dealerships in some parts of Austin, Dallas and Houston - there are six-month backorders on scooters.

"What they save in gas...more than pays for the new scooter," Tarpley said.

Tarpley said most mopeds can get between 60 and 100 miles per gallon.

Speedwise - the fastest model made can get up to 115 miles per hour, said Tarpley.

Prices vary from about $1,700 to $7,000 bucks, depending on what you're looking for. McKinnon has six to seven different models to choose from.

Nationwide sales are up almost 25 percent.

Posted by Frank at 12:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cost-conscious Drivers Shift From Four Wheels to Two

ELLSWORTH -- As gasoline prices hurried toward $4 a gallon last month, Barbara Hadowanetz knew she could no longer feed her gas-guzzling pickup truck.

But what could she do?

"I bought a motorcycle, and I will get 80 miles to the gallon instead of 18, which my truck is getting now," Hadowanetz, 45, said. "That is how I am saving gas and the environment at the same time -- not to mention all the fun."

Her decision to pack in the pickup for better gas economy is echoed by many in Hancock County and beyond.

Hadowanetz lives in Franklin and works part time as a waitress in Ellsworth and full time on the production line at Maine Coast Sea Vegetables in Franklin.

She drives three miles to her job in Franklin, and two days a week, she drives about 20 miles to work in Ellsworth.

"One paycheck a month was going for gas in the truck," she said. "I couldn't afford to run it. It was costing $60 a week to fill it. Now, I'm spending $20 a month."

Though she had never driven a two-wheeled motorized vehicle, Hadowanetz headed to Friend & Friend in Ellsworth to buy a scooter.

Posted by Frank at 12:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A scooter summer

Despite their "less-than-cool" reputation among "bikers" of the world, scooter sales in Homer are surging ahead with the continued radical climb in fuel prices.
Claire Waxman at Homer Saw and Cycle was ready for the rush.

"After doing some research and getting a lot of customer feedback, we decided to carry the scooters," Waxman said. "We ordered two dozen in April."

After choosing from a variety of colors and models, Waxman waited for the shipment to be delivered.

"During the few weeks between the time we ordered scooters and they arrived, several people came in and put money down," she explained. "People started coming in droves. The first four days, these things were just jumping out of here."

Waxman said she sold more than half the initial order within the first 10 days.

Posted by Frank at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales see increase

Local retailers say interest in scooters has risen in response to escalating gas prices.

Ronnie Jones, general manager of High Desert Honda, said almost every customer who has come to purchase a scooter over the past eight months is not concerned with the price of the scooter, but inquires about gas mileage.

"All I know is eight months ago I had a dozen or better in stock, and as I'm talking to you today I have three," Jones said. "I usually sell about two scooters a year, and I have sold nine in the past four months."

Local scooter owners have varying lifestyles, but are all looking to save money on gas, according to Jones.

"A local doctor purchased a scooter, and when a doctor is riding a scooter you know something is wrong with the gas prices," Jones joked.

Posted by Frank at 12:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Should I buy a scooter or a motorcycle?

It sounds tempting -- Yamaha makes a scooter, the C3, that gets 115 miles per gallon and costs about $2,000. But its top speed is limited and such a vehicle really only makes sense for someone with a very short commute who lives in a dense urban environment like downtown Miami or South Beach.

Step up to some of the more powerful motorcycles and the fuel savings is not as great. That Harley-Davidson you've been eyeing probably averages about 40 mpg, a figure you can attain in a wide range of subcompact cars that don't give you a personal shower when it rains.

Still, scooter and motorcycles sales are rising, topping more than one million a year in 2007.

George Rosado bought his first scooter three years ago and rides from Hialeah to his job at Shorty's Bar-B-Q in Doral most days.

A tank of gas lasted roughly 10 days and cost a mere $3.50 to fill. He has since spent $1,200 on a scooter that gets even better gas mileage. ''I can carry groceries in between my legs,'' he said. ``It has little trunks, where I put coffee and sugar.''

Once a week, when he has the baby for the day, or when a serious grocery trip awaits, he goes to the garage, where he keeps a 1979 eight-cylinder Lincoln Continental. He feeds it only premium, at about $85 a tank.

Posted by Frank at 12:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 12, 2008

Scooter Sales Rise As Gas Prices Climb

Some drivers are so down and out about the price at the pump, scooter sales are up.

Americans have long had a love affair with their cars, but with spiking gas prices Glen Richardson says his attraction to four wheels is wearing off.

He has a new crush on something that can get more than 80 miles to the gallon.

"I bought it and fell in love with it," Richardson said of his scooter. "I took it to church and it was the talk of the church. People came out and asked how does it work, and is it like a motorcycle? I said no it's totally different bike."

Johnny Scheff, owner of Motoworks of Chicago, explains the difference between the two to customers looking to buy.

"On a cycle you have a clutch, 5 or 6 gears, significantly heavier, significantly more powerful. Scooters are light weight, very easy to ride," Scheff said.

He sold almost as many scooters in the month of May as he did all of last year.

Posted by Frank at 3:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter, motorcycle sales on the rise

Chris Maxon said sales of motor scooters at Total Power Sports, where he works as a manager, are about 40 percent above what they were last year.

"We ordered more than we ever have in past years and it still isn't enough." Maxon noted motorcycle sales at Total Power Sports are up by about 20 percent.

"People are looking at them for the gas savings," said Maxon, who has plans to buy one of the fuel-efficient Vespa scooters this summer to drive to and from work rather than his gas-guzzling diesel truck. "With the high price of gas, I think, in general, the thought process has to change regarding what we drive. Americans have always thought they needed big cars and trucks but often they can get by with a scooter or motorcycle."

Posted by Frank at 3:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Thefts On Rise

With gas prices as high as they are, many people are choosing scooters or mopeds to save money. Some only cost around $3,000. But a warning from police. The money you may be saving on gas could be going into a thief's pocket.

Richmond Police say there has been an increase in the number of scooter jackings over the past few months. Thieves are targeting the Diamond, the Fan, museum district, VCU and Jeff Davis Highway.

Police say since January, 42 scooters and mopeds have been swiped. That's compared to only 11 the same time last year. Police say some riders lose their scooters simply because their lazy. They use the wrong locks, instead of a cable lock with a built in lock to it.

Posted by Frank at 3:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

State advises most two-wheeled drivers need endorsement

These aren't your grandson's scooters.

Following a sales boom in recent years of children's stand-up scooters is a popularity surge in adult, sit-down scooters.

"With the gas prices the way they are and the attention these scooters have been getting, we decided to carry them in stock in our showroom," EV Parts operations chief Joanne Granum said.

EV Parts is a Carlsborg-based electric vehicle parts supplier for an international market. While primarily a supplier, EV Parts managers expanded operations to have a showroom and possibly a service department.

"People may have thought the electric car was dead. It isn't. We supply parts all over the world and throughout this country," Granum said, indicating the price of fuel isn't going down any time soon. "Electric cars, scooters and bicycles work. They are efficient and they are safe."

Propping up a yellow EVP electric scooter, Granum points at the speed gauge.

"This scooter doesn't really go above 30 miles per hour, so you don't need a motorcycle endorsement to ride," she said. "We should be getting a three-wheeled scooter very soon too, which is ideal for older riders."

Posted by Frank at 3:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High Gas Prices Causing Scooter Shortage

DENVER -- With gas prices around $4 per gallon lots of people are looking for cheaper ways to get around.

Some local scooter shop owners say their product is in such high demand, there is now a shortage.

"There is a national shortage. Several of our vendors are completely out of scooters," said Colin Shattuck with Sportique Scooters.

Shattuck says he's had record breaking sales in recent weekends, but as the scooters drive off the lot, there is not enough inventory to replace them.

"We're running out of a lot of our most popular models," Shattuck said. He is now taking deposits on future shipments and is asking customers to be patient. Some customers will have to wait a few weeks.

Posted by Frank at 3:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 9, 2008

The best way to scoot down the road

Viva motor scooters! No, that's not an advertising statement, just a heartfelt sentiment from a longtime scooter lover, and it refers to those agile transporters – well known almost everywhere except North America – quietly going about their business at 70 or more miles per gallon of gasoline.

There are several important caveats, of course, about riding motor scooters: They're no-go in snow or ice, they can legally carry only two people or an equivalent load (in the United States), and defensive driving is the name of the game.

What makes scooters such excellent "second cars" is fantastic fuel economy, great visibility from the driver's seat, adequate power and brakes, and they are just plain fun to drive.

My love affair with scooters started when my grandpa had a Cushman scooter with a sidecar for a few months shortly after World War II. My rides in that sidecar were a thrill to a small boy and carried over into later life.

Posted by Frank at 6:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Buying a scooter in California

Below are some tips to keep in mind when buying a scooter:

1. Buy from a licensed DMV dealer who will register the scooter for you. Beware of buying from a shop that says they can't register the scooter for you.

2. Beware of buying a scooter online. Scooters from out of state may not meet California's smog requirements.

3. You will need a motorcycle license to drive a scooter, and will have to pass a test at the DMV to get one.

4. The CHP offers a two-day motorcycle safety guidelines training course which costs about $200 to $300. Log on to www.dmv.ca.gov for more information.

5. You can usually insure your scooter on your car insurance as a recreational vehicle for an added charge.

6. You need a 150cc or higher scooter to legally ride on the freeways, and 500cc scooters can go as fast as 90 miles per hour.

Posted by Frank at 6:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters more popular now than ever

There are three basic types of scooters, defined in Missouri law as motorized bicycles.

If the scooter has more than 50 cubic centimeters engine displacement, it is defined by state law as a motorcycle. The rider must follow the rules for motorcycles, including a driver license motorcycle authorization.

To be street legal, a scooter with less than 50 cubic centimeters engine displacement must be equipped with automatic transmission, headlight, taillight, turn signals, brakes and brake lights. It does not have to be licensed, registered or insured. However, the rider must have a driver license, but is not required to have motorcycle authorization. Although state law does not require a helmet for scooter operators, the California City Ordinances require street legal scooter riders to wear helmets. Unless a scooter is built for two people with footrests and handholds (and it is unlikely any 50 cc or less scooter is so equipped) only one person should ride it.

All of the rules of the road must be obeyed and scooters are not to be driven on sidewalks or bike lanes.

If you can't legally drive a car, you can't drive a scooter or motorized bicycle on the road.

Posted by Frank at 6:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Consumers eye scooters as solution to rising fuel prices

J.W. Armstrong and Mickey Bonnette are two men on the extremes of a similar interest: Scooters.

Armstrong, 83, has ridden the compact, gas-efficient two-wheeler since 1946. His reason: "They were inexpensive."

Bonnette, 34, like many Americans, is in the market for a scooter to fray the rising cost of gas, which, currently, is a fact of life.

Statewide averages for regular hovered at $3.87 as of Friday with medium-grade going for $4.12, premium for $4.32 and diesel at $4.65, according to www.fuelgaugereport.com. All prices were down by at least 30 cents a month ago. And with the threat of $4 dollar a gallon for regular looming, Bonnette said he's looking to park his Ford F-150, which gets 11 miles per gallon, and begin put-put-putting 120 mpg on a scooter. He was checking out his options Thursday afternoon at Loewer Powersports, 5909 Coliseum Blvd.

Scott Courville, Loewer's general sales manager, said Bonnette's scooter interest is not unique.

"We've seen a tremendous increase in the first quarter," Courville said.

Posted by Frank at 6:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Retro isn’t what it used to be

I’ve just ridden the latest Vespa scooter, the GTS 250, whose name suggests a 1960s Ferrari, and it looks fabulous. Monroe-esque curves and Cadillac-style chrome are back in a big way, and you can have it painted in fantastically 1960s pop-art primary colours. It is another reminder that retro is all the rage, and in motoring folklore nobody does retro better than the Italians.

But then I actually rode it, and things went wrong right from the start. Kick-starting a scooter without scuffing the suede of your desert boots was once part of the national curriculum in Italian schools, but on the new Vespa that mechanical pleasure has gone, replaced by a button. Pressing it reveals that the eager little two-stroke engine has been swapped for a thudding great four-stroke with – I’d soon find out – too much power for the puny chassis, undersized wheels and limp suspension.

Posted by Frank at 12:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Car dealer branches out into motorcycle, scooter sales.

MISHAWAKA -- The Jordan Automotive Group has figured out a new way to provide transportation for more customers.

No, we're not talking about a rental car business or a new brand of cars and trucks. We're talking about a completely different method of transportation -- motorcycles and scooters.

"We listened to our customers," said Bob Hayden, vice president of Jordan Automotive and president of the newly created Jordan Powersports.

More and more people are having a difficult time dealing with gas prices that have approached $4 a gallon without a blush.

So why not just get more of the higher mile-per-gallon vehicles produced by one of the car brands -- Toyota, Scion, Ford and Volvo -- already sold by the dealership?

Posted by Frank at 12:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices goose scooter sales

With fast-rising gas prices, more commuters are looking for alternative modes of transportation, from gas-sipping scooters to pedal power.

But as consumers endure record-high prices at the pump, some businesses -- such as comfort shoe shops and motorcycle dealerships -- are enjoying increased sales.

"Instead of just enthusiasts, we have people coming in specifically because of gas prices," said Randy Felice, sales manager of Vespa Roseville. The dealership has sold four more scooters in April and May, compared to the same period last year.

Posted by Frank at 12:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A License To Scooter?

As gas prices rise, more people are deciding to scoot to work. Scooter sales are up nearly 25-percent nationally.

Dealers here in the Northwest confirm the trend. But what some new moped owners may not know is you need a motorcycle license to drive many of these two-wheelers.

Alex Mutnick of Olympia fires up his brand new moped. Mutnick says when gas hit the $4 a gallon mark he decided to park his Volvo and switch to two-wheels.

Alex Mutnick: “My wife’s vehicle gets 11 miles to the gallon, mine gets 18 to 20. 21 gallon gas tanks. We’re paying about $500 month in gas.”

Mutnick says he knew before he bought that he’d have to get a special motorcycle license called an endorsement.

Alex Mutnick: “I knew because I did a little research and any motor vehicle over 50 ccs require a motorcycle endorsement.”

Posted by Frank at 12:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales skyrocket with rising gas prices

BOULDER - With gas priced at almost $4 a gallon, and a looming recession, it's easy to take a dismal view on transportation.

Many people have the good intention of riding their bikes or taking the bus, but there is another option that is growing in popularity - the personal scooter.

Local scooter retailers are noticing the increase in interest - Small Planet "E" Vehicles in Longmont and Sportique in Boulder are getting busier.

"There has been a gradual sales increase over three years, but the last month there has been a significant increase," said Tom Wilson, owner of Small Planet. "Over the past month sales have increased 25 to 30 percent from last summer."

Wilson attributes the growth to the price of gas.

"When gasoline gets to certain plateaus, sales will go up. When it went up to $3, sales went up, and now that it's almost $4, sales are going up."

Posted by Frank at 12:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales surging in Spokane

SPOKANE -- As gas prices soar so are sales of scooters, which cost less to fill up and will certainly get farther on a single tank of gas than a car or truck.

Frank Cheyney, sales manager at Dollar Car Lot, is spending more time inside than out these days as he sells more Vespa scooters imported from Italy than cars out on the lot.

"It's gangbusters," he said. "Our traffic is four to one scooters over vehicles."

With the different scooter sizes come different levels of performance. For example, a 50 cc scooter gives you about 30 miles an hour, 80 miles a gallon and a $3,800 price tag. You need a special license to drive a scooter over 50 cc's.

A 150 cc scooter will travel up to 65 miles an hour, gets up to 75 miles to the gallon and will cost anywhere between $1,800 and $4,500 depending on the make and model.

Posted by Frank at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Honda launches new scooter in Indonesia

PT Astra Honda Motor, the Indonesian motorcycle unit of Japan's Honda Motor Co. Ltd., launched Friday a new, smaller version of Vario scooter to grab the market lead from bitter rival Yamaha.

The 110-cc engine Honda Beat, as its name, is expected to become the main weapon to beat Yamaha in the country's growing scooter market.

Until April this year, Honda's share in the scooter market was 26.3 percent, well below Yamaha, who grabbed over a half of the total scooter market.

With a price tag of 12 million rupiah (1,288 U.S. dollars), Honda Beat may help boost the share to at least 45 percent, Astra marketing director Johannes Loman told reporters here.

Posted by Frank at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tired of gas guzzlers? Try a scooter

Gas prices are not the only thing increasing in the metro-east -- scooter sales are also on the rise.

As gas prices hover around $4 a gallon, drivers are looking for alternative transportation, and scooters are one of the ways people are trying to save money.

Moto Italia in Edwardsville started seeing an increased customer interest in scooters when gas hit $3.50 a gallon, according to manager Judy Conner.

"We are probably 40 percent higher in sales than last year," Conner said. She wasn't able to provide any further details.

Posted by Frank at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 3:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 7, 2008

Gas prices spur increase in two-wheeled sales

With gas prices at record levels, drivers are considering alternatives to get around town. Chris Casal has traded in four wheels for two.

He says "it's made the commute a lot more fun...I am saving a ton of money on gas."

With gas prices hitting new highs almost daily, Casal parked his Honda Civic and now drives the 10 miles to and from work on his scooter. His Vespa gets up to 70 miles to the gallon and that's adding up to big savings at the pump.

"I used to put 25 to 30 dollars in my car when I filled up, now I just put 7," he says.

And he's not alone. Sales of these gas-sipping Vespas are up 40 percent so far this year and a hybrid Vespa, that promises to get 140-miles-per-gallon, is due next year.

Posted by Frank at 2:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Trading Four Wheels For Two

Record-high gas prices have drivers choosing 70-mpg scooters and gas-free bicycles over their vehicles.

According Wells Fargo Utah, in 2007 the average Utah family spent $300 a month on gas. In 2008, the average Utah family spends $471 a month in gas.

The number of drivers switching from 4-wheels to 2 wheels seems to be rising almost as fast as prices at the pump.

Chris Casal parked his Honda Civic and now drives 10 miles to work on his scooter.

“It’s made the commute a lot more fun and I am saving a ton of money on gas,” said Casal. “As gas prices go up, I almost don’t even notice.”

According to reports, sales of “Vespa” scooters are up 40 percent. Next year a hybrid Vespa is due. The new electric scooter promises to get 140 mpg.

Posted by Frank at 2:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa’s GTS 300 Super

Vespa’s new GTS 300 Super has been aptly named. It is indeed super - and surprisingly so.

After 62 years, 145 different models and production numbers that have more than doubled in the past four years, Vespa have released their largest displacement scooter to date.

And there’s no better place to test it than in the heart of Milan, at rush hour, with a steady stream of fellow riders all jostling for the same small gaps between the endless taxis and trams.

Slicing through the mayhem requires a confidence in your ability and in your vehicle.

To that end, the GTS 300 Super is ideal. Not only is it slim enough to filter unobtrusively, it’s also extremely agile, making U-turns and nigh-on impossible manoeuvres satisfyingly simply.

The handling prowess is attributed to the traditional steel frame. Vespa have used this design since the first model was introduced in 1946.

Posted by Frank at 2:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters looking better everyday

He started riding a scooter in 1955.

Then, Bill Scoggins was 13. Gas was cheap - 15 or 20 cents a gallon. The Atlanta native rode a Cushman scooter to school and to deliver The Atlanta Journal.

“Now gas is almost $4 a gallon, and I am still riding one,” said Scoggins, 66, who rides a scooter from his Lawrenceville home to his business, Scooter World. “I like them because you’re out in nature and you can smell the roses and enjoy the scenery.

“I am a 365-day rider.”

Scoggins has seen an uptick in customers at his shop off Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville. You know why. Gas prices. The shift from four wheels to two reflects a national trend. Some dealers have reported sales boosts as high as 30 percent when compared with this time last year.

And that’s what brought the Badie Tour to Scooter World. I wanted to talk to someone who knows scooters, maybe ride one.

Scoggins has sold motorcycles, scooters and mopeds since 1985. He recalls two other scooter surges. One was during the 1990 recession. The other was two years ago, when gas inched toward $3 a gallon. Neither period, though, compares to the current traffic flow in his service and sales shop.

Posted by Frank at 2:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters riding gas-price wave

How does Jaashawn Edwards get around high gas prices?

By parking her Park Avenue and scooting on her Jetstar.

The St. Paul woman bought her bright yellow scooter "for fun" three years ago but has turned it into her daily driver as fuel prices rise.

"This is my best friend," she said of her ride.

She said she can cruise from her Dayton's Bluff home into Uptown in Minneapolis and around the lakes then back again on less than a gallon of gas.

She's such a fan that she inspired her 50-year-old mother to get one, too.

Her family seems to be part of a growing trend in transportation.

While new car and motorcycle sales have decreased in recent years, new scooter sales have increased.

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, scooter sales were up 24 percent more in the first quarter of 2008 over the same period in 2007.

Posted by Frank at 2:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices driving scooter demand

SPOKANE -- If it seems like more and more people are driving scooters in the Spokane area, you're right. But getting your hands on one is near impossible.

Most local shops are sold out and won't get their new shipments for months. Of the five different dealerships that were surveyed Thursday only one - All Sports Polaris Honda - in Liberty Lake had any scooters left in their inventory.

For one Spokane Valley man, Tom Herbert, he bought his just in the nick of time.

"Just seeing how much I was spending every time I would go to the gas pumps, I was cringing," he said. "A guy at work bought this same and he told me what the gas mileage, I said that's the way to go to save a lot of money."

Posted by Frank at 12:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 6, 2008

Scooter clubs rolling through Seguin area

SEGUIN — Chuck Klein rode a Cushman scooter when he was a young man in the 1940s-50s.

“I’m like everybody here, I rode one on my newspaper route and it sticks with you,” Klein said Thursday as he and his wife, Dovie, prepared to ride with about 30 members of the Texas Cushman Club to Gruene for lunch, then up River Road to Canyon Lake.

Chuck Klein appreciates the fact that his baby blue 1963 Cushman Super Silver Eagle gets 60 miles per gallon at a time when fuel prices are skyrocketing.

The Kleins, from Mathis near Corpus Christi, rode into town for a statewide gathering of the Texas Cushman Club and the national meet of the Mustang Motorcycle Club of America.

About 150 scooter and mini-motorcycle enthusiasts gathered at the Seguin Guadalupe County Coliseum and its parking lot for the meeting, and they brought their machines with them.

Both clubs will be in the area until about noon Saturday, and locals can get a glimpse and even an opportunity to purchase a Cushman or a Mustang, both of which are no longer manufactured.

Posted by Frank at 2:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 5, 2008

Rising gas prices equals dwindling scooter supply

RACINE COUNTY — Rita Lewis thinks she knows why Racine Montessori School’s raffle at the Lakefront Artist Fair did so well this year.

Ticket sales rose by about 1,000 despite a raw, chilly day at the lakefront. “That usually is disastrous for our raffle ticket sales,” said school administrator Lewis.

She said there could be only one explanation: First prize was a Honda Metropolitan motor scooter. “People were nuts about it,” Lewis said.

The scooter’s donor was Scott Darville, owner of Racine Motor Sports, 2005 Lathrop Ave., and a Montessori parent. From his experience this year, Darville knew he was giving the school just a coveted item — but also one that’s increasingly scarce.

“As of today, I’m out of stock of the (Honda) Ruckus,” he said last week. “I’m trying to locate more.”

“Honda is out of all of their scooters for 2008, and that’s a first.”

And when Honda runs out, that eliminates a lot of options; Honda has been the dominant manufacturer in the small scooter market.

Posted by Frank at 12:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 4, 2008

Anne Hathaway Gams Up a Vespa

Promoting her upcoming new flick, Get Smart, Anne Hathaway appears in the latest issue of Parade Magazine modeling in front of a very chic Vespa scooter.

As we posted earlier, Vespa has a promotional tie-in with the new film and is the transportation of choice for the main character played by Steve Carell.

Links: A Princess Grows Up

Get Smart movie site

Subway Vespa Promotion

Posted by Frank at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

How to iPod your Vespa

This is one of the coolest mods we've seen in a while -- an intrepid Vespa owner figure out how to retrofit iPod speakers into his Vespa's front compartment, to provide muzak and avoid the sin of wearing speakers under his helmet.

Link: Vespa ET4 iPod Speaker System

Posted by Frank at 10:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Melton Scooter Club ride out

Some 300 enthusiasts joined Melton Scooter Club on a ride out to Rutland Water, nicknamed 'Abscond the the Pond', on Sunday.

They set off from The Welby pub in Nottingham Road and made quite a spectacle as they rode down Scalford Road and headed off towards Oakham. A meet was then held at Whitwell for music, food and a custom show.

Co-organiser Gavin Bates said: "A ride out on that scale is quite a sight and it's a real buzz for those taking part. We were delighted with how the day went given the indifferent weather."

Posted by Frank at 10:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Two wheels scoot up sales ranks

Motorists may be out of pocket but scooter and motorcycle dealers across the country are reaping the benefits of soaring petrol prices.

Michael Davies, the owner of Retroscooter on Auckland's Great North Rd, said the company's sales had accelerated over the past 18 months and he had no doubt this coincided with rising petrol costs.

Scooter sales are generally seasonal - cold, wet weather draws people to the warmth of their cars - but Davies said sales were looking to remain high this winter as the price of 91 octane flickers around $2 a litre.

"I think it's reached the point now where people are seriously looking at alternatives regardless of the weather and how cold it is."

Posted by Frank at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales skyrocketing

PORTSMOUTH — Despite the age-old stigma of "not being caught dead on a scooter," gas-guzzling commuters and locals across the state are buying the two-wheeled motor bikes at a record pace and laughing all the way to the gas pumps.

As warm weather begins to spread across the Granite State, and with gas prices teetering around the $4 a gallon mark, local scooter dealers are reporting record-setting sales, along with a growing demand they say they just can't keep up with.

For Bob Campbell, of Depot Honda-Kawasaki in Portsmouth, scooter sales couldn't be better.

"We're running out of them," he said.

Posted by Frank at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales zoom

LYNNWOOD -- When fuel prices get tough, the tough get scooting.

Woody Robinett has a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, which is useful for hauling everything from groceries to furniture. But the Tacoma gets about 22 miles per gallon, which hurts with gasoline prices well above $4 a gallon.

Last year, he bought a Honda scooter for his daily commute be­­­tween Lynnwood and Bothell, im­proving his average gas mileage to between 80 and 100 miles per gallon.

"It was kind of a mix between wanting to help the environment and wanting to help my wallet as well," said Robinett, an ultrasound technician for Philips Healthcare.

Posted by Frank at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter ridership zooms as gas prices rise

For reasons both environment- and wallet-related, motor scooter ridership is zooming (along with transit and bike ridership, natch). Between 1997 and 2007, annual sales of new scooters jumped from 12,000 to 131,000. Scooter sales in the first three months of 2008 were up 24 percent over the same time period last year, and sellers are having trouble keeping scooters in stock.

Posted by Frank at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Farewell to classic Vespa

ITALIAN scooter manufacturer Piaggio has added another mid-sized scooter to its Australian line-up, but is phasing out an old faithful.

The new X7 250 has large diameter wheels (14-inch front and 13-inch rear), and is powered by a Quasar 250cc liquid-cooled, four-valve EFI engine with 16.2kW of power and 20.2Nm of torque.

Accessories include a colour-matched 44-litre topbox and all-weather hotcover (lap rug). The X7 costs $6990 and comes in metallic grey, blue and black.

As the X7 joins the line-up, the classic Vespa PX, launched in 1977, is being phased out.

Posted by Frank at 10:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 3:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter commuters save big

When gasoline prices ran past $3 a gallon earlier this year, Dennis Carroll, 44, knew he had to do something drastic to cut the cost of his daily commute from his Westwood home to his Groesbeck job.

His solution? Park the gas-guzzling Ford 150 – a $75 fill-up – and get the motor running on a 150 of another sort.

Carroll rides a gas-sipping 150cc Vespa scooter most days, which costs about six bucks to gas up and gets 80 to 100 miles per gallon.

Now a stop at a gas station doesn’t bring a grimace.

“I’m smiling,” Carroll said earlier this week at Metro Scooter at Dana Avenue and Montgomery Road.

In this era of $4-a-gallon gasoline, with consumers desperate to save cash at the pump, a growing number of people are coping with the cost of a commute with a fuel-efficient scooter.

Posted by Frank at 3:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

You may soon pass more scooters on the road

Rising gas prices have more people choosing two wheels over four. That's driving buyers to dealerships in search of scooters and small motorcycles.

Sales of name-brand scooters like Honda, Suzuki and Vespa were up almost 24 percent in the first quarter of this year. But now you might have some trouble finding a one.

Some dealers are having difficulty keeping more than a couple of scooters in stock.

Posted by Frank at 3:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa scooter: classic town flier

Blend Seventies style and modern reliability as you beat the jams on one of Vespa’s new S scooters. They pay homage to the brand’s classic products, but are designed to withstand the rigours of modern motoring.

Uniquely in the scooter world, the Vespa’s sheet steel body acts as a structural frame, which is claimed to give exceptional rigidity. There’s a choice of 50cc or 125cc versions – drivers who switch from four wheels to the latter would need to complete a day’s Com­pulsory Basic Training first. But both comply with Euro III emissions rules, and feature dual-action hydraulic shocks. On the larger-capacity model, the rear sus­pension is adjust­able. Disc and drum brakes are fitted, while the 11-inch front wheel is said to provide impressive stability when manoeuvring.

Posted by Frank at 2:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales up as gas prices climb

With gas prices closing in on $4 a gallon, it costs Dean DeWitt about $90 every time he fills up the gas tank of his Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Commuting 18 miles to and from his home in Lititz to his job at Conestoga Log Cabins in Lebanon, DeWitt usually has to fill up twice a week.

“It’s killing me,” he said.

So on Wednesday, DeWitt and co-worker Scott Harnish were at 5th Avenue Auto Sales at 660 E. Lehman St. in Lebanon looking at a more fuel-efficient mode of transportation: scooters.

“The price of gas, getting to work, back and forth, is really expensive, so we’re just looking at alternative transportation,” DeWitt said. “It’s a good deal for the gas mileage you’re getting. It would definitely pay for itself shortly just in going back and forth to work.”

Posted by Frank at 12:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Piaggio trims forecasts, works on hybrid vehicle

MILAN - Italian scooter maker Piaggio & C SpA, whose brands include the Vespa, cut its forecasts in a revision of its business plan on Friday, blaming the slower economy for the weaker sales trend.

Despite the global downturn, Piaggio said it had kept working on the development of new models, such as a four-wheel vehicle with a hybrid engine.

Based on a three- and four-wheel light commercial vehicle made by Piaggio called the Ape -- Italian for "bee" -- it would be big enough for three people to drive around town.

"This could be the future ... for the Ape," Chief Executive Roberto Colaninno told analysts at a presentation.

Posted by Frank at 12:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Genuine Vespa Chrome Accessories for PX Scooters

Over a million Vespa PX scooters have been manufactured and sold over the past 30 years, but production of this model has finally ceased, making 2008 the last year that this icon of Italian style and design will be sold in UK showrooms.

Customers who snap up the last of the classic 4-speed Vespa scooters can customise their machines with a range of genuine accessories for the PX, which offer a dash of classic style and practical benefits too.Helping to protect the bodywork of this steel panelled machine are a chrome-plated front bumper matching rear fender rail, which retail for £64.99 and £94.99 respectively.

Posted by Frank at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 30, 2008

Honda Cub reaches 60 million in sales

TOKYO – Cumulative worldwide production of Honda Cub series motorcycles*1 reached the 60 million-unit milestone at the end of April 2008. Honda Super Cub C100, first introduced in Japan in 1958, has gained worldwide acceptance both as a business-use motorcycle and for daily transportation, and has been being enjoyed by customers in more than 160 countries around the world. This August will mark the 50th anniversary of launching of Honda Cub series.

When Super Cub was originally launched, the 2-stroke engine was the mainstream power plant for motorcycles. However, the first generation Honda Super Cub C100 was equipped with an innovative and high-performance 50cc 4-stroke engine which was highly economical and durable.

Super Cub C100 also achieved creative and unique designs including the low-floor backbone frame which enhanced the ease of getting on and off, a centrifugal clutch system which required no clutch operations, and the installation of a large plastic leg shield which reduced the amount of dirt splatter and wind experienced by the rider. Since the introduction of the first generation model, the basic design and concept have remained virtually unchanged, and the unique style has been passed on even to current models.

In regions outside of Japan, such as Asia, the Honda Cub series has evolved to accommodate the unique culture and diversifying customer needs in each country. In Japan, an electronically-controlled fuel injection system, Honda’s PGM-FI*2, was installed on Super Cub in 2007, enhancing the environmental performance of the model. Demonstrated by these examples, Honda Cub has been continuously advancing throughout the world.

Exports of Super Cub began in 1959 with the first destination being the U.S., and production in regions outside of Japan began in 1961 in Taiwan, with production based on component parts sets. Since that time, based on Honda’s long-standing commitment to “build products close to the customer,” local production began in many other countries. The Honda Cub series is currently being produced in 15 countries around the world.

Posted by Frank at 2:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Piaggio's strategy update expected to be cautious

MILAN -- After a weak start to the year, Italian scooter maker Piaggio & C SpA (PIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) is expected to be cautious at best when it gives an update of its three-year strategic plan on Friday.

Like most vehicle manufacturers, Piaggio, best known for its Vespa scooter, is facing a drop in sales as consumers postpone big-ticket purchases amid signs of a weakening economy.

The weather has not helped, either. In Italy, its home market, rain has washed out the spring season and dampened demand for scooters and motorcycles.

Posted by Frank at 2:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooting past the gas station

Harley-Davidson might be wishing it made a scooter. In fact, most motorcycle manufacturers without one in their lineups have to be feeling the pain. Motorcycle sales are down.

Scooters, on the other hand, are selling as fast as their little wheels can carry them from showroom floors. Sales have jumped 23.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007.

Why? A scooter gets between 40 and 120 miles per gallon, compared with 27.5 mpg for the average car and about 50 for a motorcycle.

Posted by Frank at 2:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas-efficient scooters gain following

TOLONO – When it is time for Tolono hairstylist Debbie Revell to make a house call to give a fellow resident a perm or a haircut, she puts her equipment in the back of red and black scooter and rides to her next appointment.

"Riding a scooter is a blast, and it saves me a lot of money on gasoline," Revell said.

Revell said her scooter gets up to 100 miles per gallon.

"I can go to the gas station, fill up my (one-gallon) tank with a $5 bill and still get change back," Revell said.

Revell said she uses her scooter for everything from grocery shopping to asparagus hunting.

Posted by Frank at 2:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Could you scoot along for four dollars a week in gas?

How would you like to spend about four dollars a week for gas? Chris vann says it's possible. He bought a scooter last September. "Mine goes about 35 miles per hour," he says. "I get about 60 miles to the gallon, I spend about 30 dollars a month in gas. I use it every day, it's my only transportation."

Pete Vanderberry from Coastal Sooters says more people are deciding that riding a scooter is appealing. "They come in here just tired of spending 60 or 70 bucks to fill up their car, he says. "Over the past few weeks, we've been selling about one day."

Vanderberry says scooters can sell from $2,000 to $4,000 and if you buy one that's less than 50 cc (cubic centimeters) you just need a helmet and you can ride it.

Posted by Frank at 2:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Increasing as Gas Prices Rise

The economy may be taking a dive, but one industry seems to be booming. And it's all related to the price of gas.

Local retailers say people are snatching up scooters as fast as they can. And with gas prices expected to continue rising, some say scooters will soon be as popular as the SUV was back in the 1990's.

Michael Dixson, who purchased a scooter six months ago for commuting, says, "Since gas has been up, I've paid only $1.83 to fill up. And that will probably last me about three to four weeks before I have to fill up again, which is really nice."

So nice in fact, that many more people are trading their four wheels for two.

Gary Vass, owner of the Super Scooter Shop in Springfield, says, "A lot of our customers just can not afford the gas. It's a matter of making some major changes or not having enough groceries on their table."

Posted by Frank at 2:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 28, 2008

Insane Scooter Jacking Update

Jonathan Lieber bought his scooter, an orange Buddy 125, just a week before he nearly lost it. Here’s his version of the events: Around 9 p.m. on Friday May 16, he was riding north on 13th Street NW and came to a stop at the light at Euclid. A group of teenagers started crossing the street toward him, but that didn’t seem odd, it being DC, on a Friday night.

Then one of the young men marched over and told Lieber to give up his scooter. Not comprehending his assailant’s determination, Lieber refused. To help him understand, a second teen lifted up his shirt, grabbed the pistol stuffed in his waistband, and used it to slapped Lieber in the face. That sort of backfired. Instead of dismounting, the panicking Lieber yanked his throttle and zoomed into the intersection, where he collided with a car and toppled over the hood and onto the ground.

The kids ran off, someone called 911 and John sat bleeding from his split lip. Another driver ran out of his car after the hoodlums. In return for this daring deed, his car rolled down the hill and crashed into another vehicle. Lieber, after giving a statement to police, took an ambulance to Howard University Hospital, where he got eight stitches.

Then he got another surprise: an officer showed up with a $50 ticket charging Lieber with causing the collision on Euclid. Lieber says the officer explained that he had to blame someone, for insurance purposes, but promised not to show up in court if Lieber contested the ticket.

Posted by Frank at 1:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter riders laughing all the way to the pump

Jim Klinge gets plenty of honks as he rides his blue scooter to and from work. But the 49-year-old Grand Rapids man doesn't think motorists are commending him for his fuel-conscious vehicle choice.

"Cars don't have any respect for you," Klinge said. "You can be doing the speed limit, and they still come and pass you."

Still, Klinge is willing to deal with a few horn-happy gas guzzlers. He's laughing all the way to the pump.

Klinge bought his 49cc Wildfire for $901 from Mill Creek Motors, 3867 West River Drive NE in Plainfield Township. He made the decision about three weeks ago as gasoline neared $4 per gallon.

He gets about 100 miles per gallon and rides it whenever possible, using bungee cords to strap groceries to the back.

"I had to do something," he said. "My pickup (truck) was getting like 10 miles or 11 miles per gallon, if that."

Posted by Frank at 1:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Two-wheeling is on the rise

Bruce Halliday's fuel bill last year was $110. He expects his bill this year may skyrocket, all the way to $130.

With the average gas price across Canada on Monday at $1.31 per litre (Nanaimo is just a shade under $1.35) people are looking at alternate transportation.

Halliday has been riding a scooter regularly for more than a decade.

He first bought a vintage Vespa as a teenager in Victoria in the 1970s.

"It's fun, kind of sexy," said Halliday of scootering.

Currently, the Gabriola Island resident gets to his job as general manager of the Port Theatre on a gas-powered Vespa ET2 scooter he bought three years ago.

Posted by Frank at 1:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices prompting changes

The Spokane Vespa dealership says these Italian scooters are now selling as fast as they come in.

"If you don't ride this, you get a motorcycle or bicycle. I just can't see spending, I have a diesel truck that got 12 miles to the gallon. I don't have it anymore," said Mark, the president of a local group of riders called the Minions Club.

Depending on the size, the Vespa can get more than 150 miles to the tank.

"It cost about $8 to fill up," Mark said. "We ride it every day. You can't beat that."

"People are definitely more interested in bikes," Sullivan said. "They are just tired of paying the money."

Posted by Frank at 1:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

'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.

Posted by Frank at 6:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa Product Placement

Vespa lands a role in a hot summer film while gas prices climb to records highs - another example of fantastic timing in the world of product placement.

Vespa, the world's most iconic scooter brand, is joining forces this summer with SUBWAY restaurants and secret agents Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 from the action comedy "Get Smart" to fight the forces of evil - traffic congestion, fuel consumption, global warming and boring transportation. Supporting a cameo appearance by a silver Vespa LX 150 scooter in the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures release will be a national promotional campaign and placement within a SUBWAY-branded promotional online Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes with a chance to win one of 10 Vespa scooters, as well as two exclusive offers to enjoy free food and gear. The multi-tiered promotion ties-in with the June 20 launch of "Get Smart," starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin.

Posted by Frank at 6:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.”

Posted by Frank at 6:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 23, 2008

Vespa: It’s no gas hog

Kelly Thompson remembers getting quizzical looks when he hummed around Grand Forks on his four-year-old Vespa scooter.

Not anymore.

With gas prices hovering near $4 a gallon, local scooter sales are surging as consumers search for an alternative mode of summer transportation.

“I used to turn heads when I drove by,” Thompson, 47, said. “People would point and look. But now it’s not such a novelty. I’ve seen a lot more people on scooters. They have really grown in popularity.”

Paul Callina, sales manager of Revolutions Power Sports in Grand Forks, estimated scooter sales this year have increased 70 percent from the first five months of last year.

Posted by Frank at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 22, 2008

Vespa Get's Smart with Subway Giveaway

NEW YORK -- Vespa, the world's most iconic scooter brand, is joining forces this summer with SUBWAY restaurants and secret agents Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 from the action comedy "Get Smart" to fight the forces of evil - traffic congestion, fuel consumption, global warming and boring transportation.

Supporting a cameo appearance by a silver Vespa LX 150 scooter in the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures release will be a national promotional campaign and placement within a SUBWAY-branded promotional online Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes with a chance to win one of 10 Vespa scooters, as well as two exclusive offers to enjoy free food and gear.

The multi-tiered promotion ties-in with the June 20 launch of "Get Smart," starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin.

While Maxwell Smart (Carell) and his savvy partner Agent 99 (Hathaway) pursue the evil forces of KAOS, consumers can ensure that they're not starting their own mission on an empty stomach or without the right protection. Secret agents in search of fresh fare and the ideal getaway ride can receive a free $5 SUBWAY(R) card with a test drive or product demonstration at all Vespa dealers.

Participants in SUBWAY(R) restaurant's Get Smart Eat Fresh Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes will receive a message to take advantage of a special offer to receive a free Vespa Soft-Touch helmet, a $300-value, with the purchase of a new Vespa scooter. The online, print and in-store promotions run June 2 through August 10, 2008 at all Vespa dealers and more than 21,500 SUBWAY(R) restaurants in the U.S.

"The Vespa brand is synonymous with smart, spirited transportation," says Paolo Timoni, President and CEO of Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. "Vespa riders already know that scooters are a fresh way to tackle today's fuel and congestion issues, and we're pleased that this promotion gives us the opportunity to help even more consumers uncover the facts about Vespanomics."

Shoe Phone Not Required
To achieve their mission and get away on a fuel-efficient, eco-friendly and fun Vespa, consumers don't need a bag of secret gadgets and tricks. In addition to potentially winning a Vespa GTS or LX 50 scooter via SUBWAY(R) restaurant's Get Smart, Eat Fresh Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes, amateur agents are also invited to follow the links to print out a coupon good for one of the latest Vespa Soft Touch or Piaggio Copter helmets, available free of charge with the purchase of a new Vespa scooter.

SUBWAY(R) restaurant's Instant Win Game and Sweepstakes details are a click away at www.subwayfreshbuzz.com, via a special movie-themed microsite. Even if you don't play the Instant Win Game, all consumers over the age of 18 are invited to visit a Vespa dealer to receive a free $5 SUBWAY(R) card, available with a Vespa test ride or product demonstration. Consumers can learn more about the free $5 SUBWAY(R) card offer at www.VespaUSA.com.

Both participating Vespa dealerships and SUBWAY(R) restaurants will promote the campaign with point of sale promotional materials. All offers are valid while supplies last. For complete terms and conditions, consumers should visit www.subwayfreshbuzz.com or www.VespaUSA.com.

Posted by Frank at 3:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices accelerating scooter sales

Last July, fed up with delays on Boston’s mass transit and unwilling to drive my car every day, I bought myself a Honda Metropolitan scooter and began using it to commute the four miles from my apartment to the Monitor’s offices in downtown Boston. It goes about 40 miles an hour and gets between 80 and 100 miles per gallon (depending on the outside temperature and whether I ride like a maniac).

And yes, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s dorky, but I’ve found that I’ve become much happier after I stopped trying to look cool.

My Met’s engine displacement is under 50 cubic centimeters, which means I don’t need a motorcycle license to ride it in Massachusetts, just a regular driver’s license. It also means that I can legally ride it in the bike lane, which is what I do when traffic is backed up, a great way to draw angry glares from drivers. Parking is never a problem; I can legally leave it on the sidewalk.

Posted by Frank at 2:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Born to Be Fuel-Efficient

Chris Casal, a Brooklyn, N.Y., elementary-school teacher, used to drive to work almost every day, mainly because it took 12 minutes compared with an hour by subway. But rising fuel and parking costs made the trip "kind of ridiculous," he says.

So last year he bought a Vespa GTS scooter that uses about $7 of fuel every two weeks instead of the $30 his Honda Civic consumed. He parks free in the schoolyard, and the two-wheeler impresses his students. The kids also like "the odd factor," he says. "I'm a six-foot-one-inch, 255-pound guy on a little Italian scooter."

You know drivers are feeling the pinch of pricey gas when big guys, even pickup-driving contractors, start trading four wheels for two.

Posted by Frank at 2:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Safety courses for scooter riders

Gas prices are fueling scooter sales, but a large part of scooters' appeal is their non-threatening profile and ease of use. You don't swing a leg over a scooter as you would on a motorcycle. You merely step through and sit down. Nor do you need to master a manual transmission. You just twist the grip and go.

Yet scooters are prone to many of the same safety issues as motorcycles. Their size makes them difficult for drivers to see, and on smaller-displacement models in particular, their low power makes mixing with fast-moving traffic more challenging.

If you want to ride a scooter and aren't already a regular rider of two wheels, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has a few recommendations.

First, start bicycling - "just to get used to balancing on two wheels and using the hand controls," said Ray Ochs, MSF's director of training systems. "Make sure you have the motor skills integrated. That's very, very important."

Posted by Frank at 2:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Motor Scooter Sales Skyrocketing With Price Of Gasoline

With gas prices closing in on $4 a gallon, people are looking for new ways to get around town. Maybe that's why motor scooter sales are skyrocketing, and all of a sudden what's old is new again.

Customers are pouring in to check out the scooter selection at Vespa of San Diego in Hillcrest. The attraction seems to be all about the price of gas. Jen Berry is looking to spend about $5,000 on a new Vespa.

"Travel to and from work, weekend trips traveling around. It will be easier to park at the beach, too," Jen said.

Over at Motorsport Scooters in North Park, sales are up too.

"Last time I filled up it cost $4.75," one scooter owner said.

Posted by Frank at 2:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooting around the gas crunch

Harley-Davidson might be wishing it made a scooter about now. In fact, most motorcycle manufacturers without one in their lineups have got to be feeling the pain. Motorcycle sales are down this year.

Scooters, on the other hand, are selling as fast as their little wheels can carry them from showroom floors. Sales have jumped 23.6% in the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, and they're likely to continue their quick and upward trajectory.

Daily headlines and the signs at your nearest Chevron already give the reason, but I'll spell it out: G-A-S. Depending on the displacement, a scooter gets between 40 and 120 miles per gallon, compared with 27.5 mpg for the average car and about 50 for a motorcycle.

Posted by Frank at 2:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High gas prices driving booming scooter sales

KNOXVILLE, Tennn. -- In a time of pinching pennies due to high gas prices, there is one business that really seems to really be booming.

Those that have short distances to travel are opting to leave their cars parked, and invest in a little less-traditional form of transportation.

"Just looking at scooters to see if it would be beneficial or not."

Wesley Crow is considering trading four wheels for two.

“I've got a truck so it uses a lot of gas. The more I keep it parked the better."

He’s hoping to park his gas-guzzling truck for a while, and buy a scooter for his daily commute to work.

"Probably about seven miles, so it would help out. It's back roads, so a scooter would work."

Crow isn’t alone. The riding season is early, and the sales department at Honda Yamaha of Knoxville is already selling out of some scooter models.

Posted by Frank at 2:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter Sales Soar As Gas Prices Rise

OMAHA, Neb. -- Gas prices averaged $3.77 for a gallon of regular in Omaha on Tuesday, according to AAA.

Some people are turning in the keys to their car for something smaller. Tiffany Smith already changed jobs to a position within walking distance of her home. Now, she's considering swapping her vehicle for a scooter.

"It's just too expensive to drive anywhere," Smith said.

Smith's research has showed her that some scooters get 100 miles to the gallon.

Ryan Burkle, at Powersports Pro, said his shop has seen an increase in scooter sales lately, and it's a completely different type of customer.

Posted by Frank at 2:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 20, 2008

Riding the Vespa S

I was a bit skeptical about venturing onto the city streets aboard the Vespa S. After touring through Manhattan and Brooklyn on a group ride for journalists, though, I found myself persuaded that scooters are extremely useful for basic city transport — at least when the weather’s cooperative.

The S, which is closely related to Vespa’s LX, is powered by a 150cc air-cooled four-stroke. Indeed, the two scoots share many of the same specs. (S specs here; LX specs here.) The most significant differences between the S and the LX are stylistic — the S is a bit leaner, intended to recall 1960s models such as the Vespa Special and the Vespa Primavera.

Posted by Frank at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The other Rome sees a scooter boom

The price of gas is $3.75 a gallon and rising. The convenience of pay at the pump, buckle up and go has left most dragging. The high cost of gasoline is stressful, but local scooter and motorcycle owners are trying to leave those gas guzzling ways behind them.

Jaime Maddox, 28, a medical assistant at Rome Family Dermatology and mother of two, is not your ordinary biker. She had never owned or ridden a two-wheel motorized vehicle before getting her scooter.

Her dad, Sgt. Ray Plymel, a firefighter at the Floyd County Fire Department, has given her extensive exposure to the dangerous realities of motorcycle and automobile collisions.

“I was a bit surprised that she was interested in it. It only takes a few seconds to get injured. It’s unforgiving,” said Plymel.

Road safety is a big concern for first-timer Jaime. However, saving money is a bigger concern for the Maddox family.

Posted by Frank at 12:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Riding a scooter saves more than gas

Corey Mood has no qualms about having his fiancee take a back seat in his life more often these days.

That's because he's driving a motorized scooter around the city, saving money in gas. And she's often literally behind him, arms wrapped around his waist.

The 30-year-old physician's assistant bought the Vespa last month for $1,500.

Now, the Logan Square resident leaves his Audi parked whenever he can. He still drives his car to and from his Morton Grove job.

"For pretty much everything else, I plan on using the scooter -- trips to the grocery store, around town, going to the beach on weekends. ..," he said.

Posted by Frank at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Baghdad's Vespa Market

BAGHDAD -- At the side of a bustling street in central Baghdad scores of Iraqi youngsters keen to buy their first motorbike wander amid the engine fumes searching for a bargain. Welcome to the Vespa Souk.

The weekly wheel-dealing is shrouded in a cloud of dust and smoke as buyers and sellers jostle among the goods, ranging from heavy, growling racing machines to ancient, spluttering scooters.

Musthafa Ahmed may be only 16-years-old but he already considers himself a seasoned biker.

Dwarfed by his Honda CM250 Custom bike, he proudly showed off his skills by tearing off down a one-way street -- the wrong way -- and weaving between oncoming traffic with heart-stopping dexterity.

Motorcycle broker Ahmed Hussain, 22, said demand for two-wheelers has been rising since the US-led occupation in March 2003, as bikes prove a safer and more practical way to negotiate Baghdad's treacherous streets.

Posted by Frank at 12:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 11:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Robber Uses A Scooter To Get Away

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Police have a unique search underway. They are looking for a man on a scooter that robbed the Rb2 Lounge on the west end of Huntington.

The robbery happened just after 9 Saturday morning. The video lottery establishment is located on Waverly Road. It's the same business someone robbed back in March. That suspect got away with 11,000 dollars.

The person who robbed the lounge today is described as a tall, slim man wearing a brown jacket. Witnesses tell police he was riding a scooter when he left the parking lot.

Posted by Frank at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Drivers Find Way To Scoot Around High Gas Prices

PLAINVILLE, Conn. -- Two months ago, Rick Whinnem decided to find a more cost-effective way to travel to work than driving his car. He parked the car and got a scooter to use for his 25-mile commute to work in Cromwell.

“I actually save $200 a month over my Jeep,” he said.

His scooter has one wheel in the back and two in the front for stability.

“Last weekend I took it down to the shore for a couple of days, all on back roads back and forth, and that's where I got 61 and a half miles to the gallon so, it's unbelievable,” Whinnem said.

Doug Day from Vespa Hartford said some bikes get 60 miles per gallon, while the smallest bikes will get more than 100 miles per gallon.

Posted by Frank at 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High Gas Prices Fuel Scooter Sales

ORLANDO, Fla. -- With rising gas across the country, more Floridians are turning in their gas-guzzling vehicles for two-wheeled scooters as a method of saving big bucks.

Lauren Rodriquez is a pet sitter, which is a job that takes her everywhere.

"The last month I had a car and I spent $300 just in one month on gas," Rodriguez said.

After trading in her car for a scooter, Rodriguez now maxes out at $70 per month. She believes there is no better way to save money than by paying $5 to fill up her tank and getting 75 miles to the gallon.

"I have almost 17,000 miles on my Vespa," Rodriquez said.

The same scenario pertains to Rev. Bryan Fulwider, who says he pays one-fourth of what he used to spend on gas.

"Over the last two weeks, I think we've spent about $14 or $15 on gas, compared to $65 or $70 every two weeks," Fulwider said.

Posted by Frank at 11:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

3,500 mile trip on a scooter

A COUNCILLOR is travelling round the coastline of Britain to raise cash for charity - on a scooter.

Coun Alan Neal is aiming to raise £100,000 for two causes close to his heart, with Peter and Michael Parsons of Whitworth Warriors Motorcycle Club.

The team will set off on September 6, hoping to cover 3,750 miles in a week, with a typical day involving 17 hours of riding.

David Dearden, MD of Robinsons of Rochdale, will sponsor the 125CC scooter and an environmental unit, donated from Casey's in Bury, will lead it and provide somewhere to eat, sleep and wash.

Coun Neal, who represents Whitworth, said: "We are raising money for Cancer UK and Leukaemia Research and we're going to split the money we raise equally between them.

Posted by Frank at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High gas prices bring new customers to local businesses

LOUISVILLE -- When it comes to getting around, many people aren't just examining how to save on travel plans. As WAVE 3's Lindsay English reports, some are also making some changes when it comes to the daily commute.

They seem to be popping up more and more.

"I'm seeing more bikes when I'm coming to work then I've seen over the past few years," says Steve Wood of Bardstown Road Bicycle Company.

Commuters of the two-wheeled kind, sharing the roads, and not spending a dime on gas. Employees say more customers are coming in with plans to leave their cars parked more often.

Posted by Frank at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas Prices Prompting More To Consider Scooters

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Triangle is a region with streets and highways that are packed full of high horsepower SUV’s and pickups. However, in recent months, more and more people are leaving their four wheeled rides at home.

For Durham resident Paul Friedman, his choice to buy a classic Vespa is not one necessarily rooted in economy.

“I spent some time in Italy and fell in love with the scooters there,” Paul Friedman said.

But over the last few months, he's been getting more and more inquiries from his fellow motorists at the gas pumps, not just about the 1960's styling of his “Roman Holliday” scooter, but about its modern day economy.

“I think it gets about 70 to 80 miles a gallon,” Friedman said.

Posted by Frank at 11:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices speed motor scooter sales

When he opened his Vespa of Toledo motor scooter dealership a year ago, Mike Kookoothe sold 35 of the two-wheeled vehicles during the summer and considered that a roaring success.

Last month, he sold more than 35 and so far this month he's getting 200 calls a day from people wanting to know about Vespas.

People want to know how much the scooter costs and what is its gas mileage, said Mr. Kookoothe's daughter, Amanda, a salesman at his Sylvania dealership.

Posted by Frank at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Brothers will open region’s only Vespa dealership

SCHENECTADY — Peter Caschera was 6 years old when he rode on his first Vespa scooter, zooming through the streets of Sora in central Italy. His aunt was driving.

That experience in the homeland of Caschera’s father began a love affair with the Italian-made scooters. A decade later, Caschera got his first Vespa: a red Sears Allstate model from 1959. Four other Vespas followed.

By Wednesday, the 21-year-old Caschera had an inventory of 23 Vespas, many of which were on display at Anca’s Foreign Auto Parts, the Erie Boulevard shop co-owned by his father, Rocco. From there, Peter Caschera and his brother, Guiseppe, next month will launch the Capital Region’s only Vespa dealership: Vespa Schenectady.

“They’re so much more than something to ride. They’re pieces of art. They’re beautiful to look at,” said Peter Caschera, a Rotterdam native who will graduate Saturday from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The international business student’s senior thesis project is titled, “A Survey of Vespas Past, Present and Future in the USA.”

Posted by Frank at 11:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 16, 2008

Record gas prices driving up sales

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS - Brett Campbell doesn't have to drive by a gas station to find out the latest prices at the pump.

Campbell's customers tell him all about it.

Campbell is a managing partner of Vespa Cleveland. He sells Vespa motor scooters, which can reach speeds of up to 95 miles per hour.

But it's the MPG's, miles per gallon, that has peaked customer interest.

"Based on the sales from the same time last year," Campbell said, "we're up over 50 percent."

Posted by Frank at 11:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High Gas Prices Fuel Scooters' Surging Popularity

WASHINGTON -- With no end in sight to rising gas prices, some people are trading four wheels for two.

The Vespa Scooter, which has been around for more than 60 years, is enjoying a resurgence, in part because of high gas prices.

"Instead of filling your tank once a week, which is what I do when I'm driving my car in bad weather, exclusively, I'm filling the tank once every four to five weeks," said Vespa Washington manager Jerry Helfgott.

Helfgott said he remembers a similar spike in sales linked to rising prices a year and a half ago.

Posted by Frank at 11:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooter sales up

With the average price of gas closing in on $4 per gallon and a prediction that oil may hit $200 a barrel within two years, many cash-strapped motorists are turning to fuel-stingy motor scooters and motorcycles.

Dealers across the nation report brisk sales this spring, particularly for misery scooters that can get from 75 to 120 miles per gallon.

“Scooter sales are really strong,” confirms Mike Mount, communications director of the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Sales of name-brand scooters in the first quarter of the year – not exactly a hot sales period because of cool weather in much of the nation – were up 24 percent from the same period in 2007, he says.

Posted by Frank at 9:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas Prices Fuel Scooter Sales

Imagine filling up your gas tank for five dollars instead of fifty. A scooter phenomenon is speeding into Northeast Wisconsin, and local bike shops are trying to catch up with the demand.

Customers walking into Cycle City in Green Bay keep saying the same thing: "They're sick of paying 50 to 60 dollars to fill up their car with gas," Cycle City GM Adam Rockman said.

Scooters can get anywhere from 60 to 100 miles to the gallon, depending on engine power.

"Demand's up this year. You know, everyone is coming in and they're talking about gas prices and wanting to save money on gas. We're obviously not able to keep up with that extra demand," Rockman said.

Rockman said his shop is seeing people from college kids to older adults switching their mode of transportation.

When sales started reaching 20 a week, they found it hard to keep up.

Posted by Frank at 9:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 9:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices send scooter sales shooting up

Sue Whitewater of La Crosse was bracing herself Tuesday for the next time she has to gas up her minivan.

“I’m a little scared,” she said, noting it cost nearly $60 the last time she filled up — and that was two gas hikes ago.
That’s what brought Whitewater to Two Brothers Powersports in La Crosse to check out their line of mopeds.

“I’ve got to cut corners somewhere,” she said.

Whitewater, who said she already carpools to work to save gas and the environment, thinks a moped would be a more affordable means to get to her job about a mile from her La Crosse home.

The closer gas prices get to $4 a gallon, the more people are walking into area scooter and moped dealers to see what they can save by traveling on two wheels, said Eric Williams, sales manager at Two Brothers Powersports in Onalaska.

Scooter and moped sales at the Onalaska store have tripled this year, said Williams.

“I’ve been doing this for five years, and I’ve never seen a demand for scooters and mopeds like there is this year,” he said.

Posted by Frank at 9:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Motor scooters save on gas

With the average price of gas closing in on $4 a gallon, many cash-strapped motorists are turning to fuel-stingy motor scooters and smaller motorcycles. Dealers across the nation report brisk sales this spring, particularly for those that get from 75-120 miles per gallon.

"Ninety-five percent of those who come in mention high gas prices," said Lonnie Trujillo, sales manager for Vespa of California at Sherman Oaks, Calif. "Even though we're in southern California and have year-round riding weather, April sales were phenomenal," he added.

Sales of name-brand scooters such as Honda, Yamaha, Vespa and Suzuki rose 24 percent in the first quarter of the year, said Mike Mount, spokesman for the Motorcycle Industry Council trade group — noting that it's not exactly a hot sales period because of cool weather in much of the nation.

Posted by Frank at 9:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

High fuel prices put gas-sipping scooters on a roll

DENVER - Matching the blue riding gloves with the blue paint on her new scooter was a priority, Patty Baechler acknowledged with a grin.

But so was matching the scooter's gas mileage to her modest household budget. She's a teacher; she can do the math: At 85 miles to the gallon, the gleaming machine she was about to drive off the busy lot at Sportique Scooters would sip less than five bucks in a week of 20-mile commuting days.

"I had been driving my SUV to school. It's a tiny SUV, and still it took $50 to fill my tank. I can only imagine what it costs to fill up those bigger ones," Baechler said.

"With this," she said, nodding at the scooter, "one and a half gallons and I'm done for the work week."

Posted by Frank at 9:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gas prices boost scooter sales

High gas prices around the Tri-States are encouraging more people to look at scooters and motorcycles as an alternative to using their gas guzzling vehicles.

We found some advantages and some disadvanteges that you should be aware of before you decide to buy one for this KHQA Fact Finder report.

One big advantage is that scooters and motorcycles can get about 100 miles to the gallon. Your gas will also go a lot farther in a scooter or motorcycle than in your car,truck or SUV.

One of the disadvantages to a riding on a scooter or motorcycle is that there is not as much protection in the event of an accident.

Posted by Frank at 9:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scooters Save Money At The Gas Pump

Gas prices hit record highs this week forcing many people to tighten their budget, and it's causing some people to change their driving habits.

That change includes driving less and car pooling, even switching to hybrids, or smaller cars with better gas mileage. But for some people, that change means getting rid of cars altogether.

"I live in Caledonia," said Gerry Klug, who was shopping for a scooter, "I work in Caledonia, I don't want to have to get in my van and drive the short distance to work everyday."

For Klug, the cost of transportation to and from work has prompted her to look for cheaper forms of transportation, and she's not alone. "Scooter business and small motorcycles to mid-sized motorcycles have really seen a big increase," said Jason Wucki, of Two Brothers Honda. Wucki says a scooter can get more than 100 miles to the gallon and with current gas prices it only costs about $4 to $5 to fill up. "It's just a cheaper way to transport," said Wucki.

Posted by Frank at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Interest in fuel-efficient Vespa is growing fast

Debbie Dunning hasn't even gotten her first shipment of motor scooters yet, and she's already getting calls from would-be buyers.

The owner of Renegade Classics motorcycle dealership in Cathedral City is getting about a dozen scooters this week delivered from a Chicago manufacturer. She expects them to sell quickly.

"There's a call for them -- they get (nearly) 100 miles per gallon, and gas is going through the roof," she said.

Even longtime motorcyclists have expressed interest in the scooters she has ordered from the Genuine Scooter Co. in Chicago, Dunning said, and she plans to get another 10 or 15 in June.

More than 130,000 Vespas, Hondas, Yamahas and other scooters were sold in the United States during the first quarter of 2008, according to preliminary figures gathered by the Irvine-based Motorcycle Industry Council. That is a 24 percent increase over the same period the previous year, and the figures do not include sales by some startup manufacturers in China and elsewhere.

Posted by Frank at 10:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 12, 2008

Scooterist all smiles at the pump

Unlike most Londoners who commute to work every day, Adam Gobbi usually has a smile on his face whenever he goes to the gas station.

"I filled the tank full of premium gasoline today for $4 and even if I ride every day, it'll be another week before I'm rummaging through the sofa looking for toonies," says Gobbi. "I can also park for free just about anywhere I want.

"But the best part of riding my scooter is the ridiculous amount of fun I have getting around the city."

Gobbi says when he bought his scooter three years ago, there were only a couple other scooter riders he'd see zipping around town, but he's already noticed about 20 new converts this spring.

Posted by Frank at 4:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 10, 2008

Making Cents of Vespanomics

The reality this summer is we're on the brink of shelling out $4 per gallon... so, what can we do?

One answer put forth by scooter manufacturer Vespa is a little thing called Vespanomics. For a more entertaining definition of the word check out www.vespanomics.com, but the overall gist is simple - save money and the environment by swapping out your gas-guzzling commuter car for a more fuel-efficient scooter.

The key at this stage of the game is conservation - the reason why congress raised CAFE standards in the automotive industry to 35 MPG. This is where the scooter comes into play. With many designs already claiming 70 MPG figures, scooters are some of the most fuel-efficient transportation options available.

Posted by Frank at 1:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 1:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Zipping round town on a 3-wheel scooter

Picturing myself tooling about perched on a classic Vespa, off to Gearhead Canada I went, distributor of all things Piaggio, the parent company of Vespa. However, instead of an iconic two-wheeler, I rode away on three, unable to resist Piaggio's top-of-the-line MP3 with the beefy new-for-2008 493-cc engine.

Of course, the weird thing about the MP3 is that is has two wheels up front, and one at the back. This makes it stand out, so you're subjected to curious stares, and lots of questions. "How does it handle?" folks wondered, and I'd always answer, "Great!"

It may look funny, but those two wheels are there for a reason, I soon discovered. Rising over one hill, I came down practically on top of a jagged, cavernous pothole in the street.

A lesser scooter might have been swallowed, but the MP3 sailed over it, and the paralellogram front suspension smoothed things out so that I barely felt a bump.

Wow, I thought.

Posted by Frank at 1:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Piaggio consolidates PR functions

NEW YORK -- Piaggio Group USA consolidated the PR functions for its four major brands to one agency by naming Brandware AOR for Vespa and Piaggio scooters and Aprilia and Moto Guzzi motorcycle brands.

Prior to the consolidation, Access Communications worked on the Piaggio and Vespa brands, and Brandware handled PR for Aprilia and Moto Guzzi.

Posted by Frank at 1:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Hertz offers scooters in London

Hertz if offering visitors to the British capital the opportunity to explore the city through rather non-traditional means, namely by riding a scooter.

The last time that scooters were hugely popular in Britain was during the 1960s, but Hertz has pledged to bring back a little of this legendary decade by renting scooters in the UK’s capital. This form of transport is seen as ideal for visitors, as scooters are easy to park, they save the client high fuel bills, and there is no need to pay the London congestion charge. As such, scooter renters can make their way through the city centre’s streets for no extra fee, and can also avoid buying Tube tickets or riding crowded buses.

Hertz’s scooter rentals are made possible thanks to the firm’s new partnership with another company, called Venture Hire. Clients can collect their scooter from a number of locations in Central London, including near Marble Arch, Fulham Palace Road and Russell Square.

Posted by Frank at 1:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa maker Piaggio profits drop, stock slides

MILAN -- Piaggio, the Italian maker of Vespa scooters, posted a 21 percent drop in its quarterly core profit on lower sales, citing weak demand in Europe and the euro's strength against the dollar and other currencies.

The result disappointed investors, sending its shares down as much as almost 5 percent before they recovered to stand at 1.55 euros, down 2.8 percent.

"Nearly all the numbers were below expectations," said one analyst on condition of anonymity.

Shares in IMMSI

Piaggio said it would focus on controlling its cash flow and expanding in Asia, a market whose growth has helped compensate for a stagnant Europe, although signs of problems are looming in some Asian markets too.

Posted by Frank at 1:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

$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.

Posted by Frank at 12:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 6, 2008

Ridin' the scooter sensation

Maury Chaplick is one of the few people lucky enough to experience a real epiphany. And it was one that led him to create Motoretta, a hugely successful and still growing motor scooter, motorcycle and casual fashion business. It also allowed him to be successful selling a product he not only believes in, but loves.

After 18 years in the video-game business, he found himself burnt out, so he sold his interest in the company he founded and took some time off. "I have two settings, on and off," he said. "For all of my career up until then, I was on, then I found myself completely off."

His self-imposed exile from business took him to Italy, where he saw something that switched him back on again.

What he saw there were motor scooters: millions of them – cheap, fuel efficient, free to park everywhere – and often quite beautiful. He saw efficiency, independence and sex appeal all in a simple two-wheeled package.

Posted by Frank at 1:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

It's cheaper being green

For University of Michigan architecture student Marc Maxey, commuting on his 1962 Vespa scooter year-round is less about making a statement than it is about economics.

Parking on North Campus costs $1 per hour, but motorcycles and scooters can park for free. The cost of parking is even more prohibitive than the cost of gas, Maxey said.

"It's funny, because I would be dependent on a car if I didn't have to pay for parking,'' he said. "I don't think I'm making a green statement or anything.''

Maxey, 25, had a Yamaha Razz moped when he was in high school. The Vespa came next, and he also rides a bicycle.

Posted by Frank at 12:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 4, 2008

Scooterists get their fill for $5

Even as gasoline prices soar, the car is still king and fuel-stingy scooters are not threatening to dethrone it.

And though the demand for scooters is growing, it remains a niche market, said Roy Gattinella, co-owner of Revolution Moto in Santa Rosa.

"If anything will tip them into the mainstream, it will be gas prices," Gattinella said.

The average price of gas is $3.90 in Sonoma County, with some stations hitting $4, according to the California State Automobile Association.

Those high prices are fueling a surge in scooter sales, Gattinella said.

Posted by Frank at 2:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 2:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 2:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 6:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Incubus Lead Singer Auctioning His Vespa On eBay

With gas prices soaring ever higher, might now be the time to consider an alternative form of transportation? Brandon Boyd — the lead singer of the rock group Incubus — is hoping so and is placing his beloved Vespa LX150 up on eBay along with an arranged meeting and photo-op.

One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction go to the non-profit organization “Make Yourself Foundation,” which was started by the band-members.

eBay link.

Posted by Frank at 6:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 9:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Piaggio MP3 isn't your mom's old scooter

Women roll down their windows and stare. Strange men get out of their cars at railroad crossings, walk over and ask, "What IS that?"

It's an MP3 from Piaggio, but it's unlike the Vespa or any other scooter the Italian company has rolled out before.

With two wheels in front and one in the rear, it's like a backward tricycle — but a fuel-injected tricycle that can go 75 to 100 mph, depending on how many cc's you order.

When Canell, 60, became the first person in the Triad to buy the MP3 last spring, she opted for the smallest model, a 250 cc, which she estimates gets 62 miles per gallon.

That's less powerful than the 800 cc Suzuki she normally rides, and Canell notes that when on the scooter, she doesn't get the customary fraternal wave from passing motorcyclists, who don't consider scooters legit.

But after Canell rode the MP3 on Tail of the Dragon, a curvy, 11-mile stretch of biker Nirvana on Tennessee's U.S. 129, she no longer cares who looks down their visors at her black-cherry Piaggio. How was it?

"Oh, wow," she said. "It's a lot more stable, you can turn on a dime, and on the wet pavement, you don't feel your bike squirming under you."

Posted by Frank at 8:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 8:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 4:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 12:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Your chance to win a scooter

A tiny tank of juice lasts for yonks and traffic jams are no obstacle for this economical mode of transport.

Scootering Pty Ltd opened its doors at Cremorne and North Manly in late-2006 and, in its first year, supplied more than 520 scooters to customers on the lower North Shore and the northern beaches.

The company operates a centralised high-class service and pre-delivery setup workshop from its North Manly premises and employees 16 people providing technical, sales and administrational support.

Scootering is now the largest retailer of its kind in Sydney and has more than 200 scooters including every model and colour of Peugeot, Sachs and TGB in stock at any one time, ready for immediate delivery.

The range is supplied by Stoney Creek Power Sports, one of the leading scooter importers in Australia, and has excellent backup in spares and support.

Scootering has now opened its third store at 477 Pittwater Rd, Brookvale, handy to Warringah Mall. It is managed by Daniel Costi and he has special launch offers on selected scooters.

Check out all the details at www.scootering.net.au

Manly Daily readers have a chance to win one of their new scooters. To be in the running, write on the back of an envelope where the newest store is located, add your name, address, daytime contact phone number, and send to Scooter giveaway, PO Box 6062, Parramatta Business Centre, NSW 2150. Entries close on Friday, May 9. The judge's decision is final. Winner will be contacted by phone.

Any personal information you provide will be used for this competition alone, will not be provided to any third party and will be destroyed following this competition. Full terms and conditions below.

Posted by Frank at 12:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 6:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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."

Posted by Frank at 7:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 7:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 16, 2008

Here's a couple of scooting gas misers

Meet the Brunsons. Bobby and Kathie.

If you don’t know them, chances are you’ve probably seen them cruising around town on their little red and white Metropolitan Honda motor scooters.

With gas at a record $3.35 a gallon now, the Brunsons’ gas-guzzling 1999 Ford F-150 quadcab truck and four-door Ford Focus are spending more time parked under the carport. When the husband and wife team head to work at the Eastern New Mexico University campus, where they are both employed, and even when they go to Wal-Mart, they put on their helmets and motorscoot across town.

The Brunsons estimate they are saving about $100 in gas a month.

“We bought these scooters in 2005, when gas got up to $2.75 a gallon,” said Bobby, the textbook manager at ENMU’s Barnes & Noble Bookstore. “My thought was ‘It’s highway robbery to put that much gas into my truck!’” He estimates that it cost about $100 just to fill up his truck one time.

Posted by Frank at 4:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Book Gives the Scoot on Modern Mods

SCOOTER Lifestyle, a new book by freelance journalist Ian ‘Iggy’ Grainger, aims to lift the lid on the life of the modern Mod.

Grainger, a self-confessed ‘scooterist’ has spent the past 25 years riding scooters and attending rallies and his book is an attempt to explain scooter lifestyle to the rest of car-driving Britain.

It’s published by Veloce at £19.99 and contains over 200 colour photos of scooters, rallies, people, places and custom scooters; it charts the history of the scooter scene over the past 25 years and focuses on the modern scene where up to 10,000 scooter riders converge on the Isle of Wight every August bank holiday.

Grainger says: “Most people wrongly assume that every scooter owner is a Mod and their scooter will be embellished with a myriad of lights and mirrors, its Parka-wearing owner will only listen to a combination of R&B and northern soul and he’ll be at war with any ‘Greasers’ he happens to come across.

Posted by Frank at 3:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 15, 2008

Gas prices fuel Indiana scooter store

VALPARAISO -- With the price of gas hovering around $3.40 a gallon, the time seemed right for Scott Heuring to offer drivers a cheaper option.

So on St. Patrick's Day, Heuring, who also owns a Ford dealership in Rensselaer, opened Get Scootin' on Lincolnway in downtown Valparaiso.

He sells Taiwan-made Genuine scooters. The Buddy model gets 100 miles per gallon; the starting price for a scooter is $1,899.

"It just seemed like a good opportunity," said Heuring, of Valparaiso, who runs the shop with his wife, Mindy, and employee Mike Urbans.

Heuring said gasoline costs and growing environmental concerns pushed his decision to open what he said is the only business in the region dedicated solely to the sale and service of scooters.

Posted by Frank at 5:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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

Posted by Frank at 1:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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.

Posted by Frank at 1:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 11, 2008

KYMCO Debuts Myroad 700i Touring Scooter at Tokyo Motor Show

KYMCO, the largest manufacturer of powered two-wheelers (PTWs) and all terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Taiwan, once again proved that it can ride at the head of the pack with the world`s best by premiering several new models at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 in Japan.

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007, one of the largest and most important trade fairs for wheeled vehicles in the world, was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City for 17 days from October 26 through November 11 in 2007.

Posted by Frank at 9:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Vespa brings new mode of transport to Toledo

TOLEDO -- If you're tired of all the pain at the pump these days, there's now another mode of transportation in our area. A new Vespa shop is now open in Toledo.

Imagine getting 60 to 90 miles to the gallon for your vehicle. Well, think no more. This new riding option might be riding the wave of the future.

The co-owner of the new Vespa shop describes her peppy product as a solid, sturdy ride. And if you want more than pep, how about this...great gas mileage. Three to five times the amount compared to your average car!

Posted by Frank at 9:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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 surp