Filed under: Car Buying, Motorsports, Trends, Etc.
Scooter sales hit the fast lane
Scooters have shot up in popularity alongside motorcycle sales as gas prices continue to hover around $3 a gallon. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales went from 12,000 in 1997 to 113,000 in 2005 as people discovered the scooter's fuel-sipping100 mpg and its ability to zip through traffic snarls. So-called 'blue-collar' buyers, who never before considered the scooter as a serious transportation alternative, are visiting scooter dealerships in greater numbers, especially after shelling out $100 to fill up their SUVs. And just like their motorcycle brethren, scooter riders are joining clubs, Internet forums, and organizing weekend rides.
Related:
Vespa: Making a Good Thing Better
Two motorcycles that joined the alternative power movement
[Source: Associate Press via Happy News.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Cervus 6:42PM (5/15/2006)
I bought a Honda Reflex last September. I'd ridden a scooter in high school, so it wasn't something new. It's 250cc and yesterday I got out on the freeway for the first time. That was quite an experience.
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WillDaThrill 6:54PM (5/15/2006)
As long as ther are cool motorcycles to ride, the scooter/fat chick slogan remains the same.
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Auto usate 7:55PM (5/15/2006)
No care about traffic, no queue, cheap fuel and more freedom..there is something better than a scooter?
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Nick 8:12PM (5/15/2006)
Just bought a Yamaha Majesty myself, to go along side my Chrysler Sebring Coupe. I absolutely love it, it does the freeway easily, and it isn't ugly. ;)
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UH2L 8:25PM (5/15/2006)
I'll wait until there are fewer SUVs and pick-ups on the road. I don't want to get hit by one of those on a scooter. Until then, I'll stick with my 27 mpg combined car.
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Robert Mezzio 8:37PM (5/15/2006)
Last month, I bought an 05' Honda Metropolitan I. We live on an island with streets having a top speed limit of 35 MPH. It gets over 100 MPG and cost about $4.00 to fill. It is great, makes going to the store, post office, and running around a lot of fun. It also doesn't require insurance, a cycle endorsement, or a helmet. It has 2,000 miles on it an I bought it for only $1,300.00. This is very cheap transportation.
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Ford Mustang 8:53PM (5/15/2006)
Robert, where do you live that scooters dont require insurance? Around here anything that is street legal requires insurance, and registration.
Sure sales may be up, but dont expect to see the local soccer moms trading in their hummers for a vespa.
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rip 8:56PM (5/15/2006)
I looked into a scooter a while back... they are pretty nice. But you still look like a goofball if your a guy riding one. Having said that, I'm tempted by the Piaggio bv250...
And I've noticed a lot more of them on the road lately.
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rjl 9:04PM (5/15/2006)
#2 WillDaThrill,
Pardon my ignorance, but I have no idea what you are talking about.
#5 UH2L,
I am not sure why you felt compelled to post. If you think it is too dangerous out there for a scooter, then you absolutely should not be riding one. Yes, you are obviously more vulneralbe on a scooter, but if you obey the rules of the road and stay attentive, you lessen the opportunity for having an accident exponentially.
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bhtooefr 9:16PM (5/15/2006)
#5 UH2L: I don't plan on buying a scoot for similar reasons. However, I'll stick with my roughly *50 MPG* highway diesel car. ;)
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Stoneman 9:49PM (5/15/2006)
Vespa's are pretty popular in Halifax. You see them everywhere. They arent' cheap: 4,000 - 8,000 dollars. But they last forever. Would I buy one? No. But they are a viable alternative to the SMART car.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
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UH2L 9:56PM (5/15/2006)
#7 I know that I can reduce the risks a lot by being careful, but there are a lot of people who drive dangerously and inattentively so I like to minimize my risk.
#8 My Saab does get 32+ mpg on the highway which is good enough for me, plus it's one of the safest cars on the road and it'll accelerate fast enough to fend off Detroit's high speed traffic. I would seriously consider a diesel car though, just none available in my price range from GM (where I used to work), or DaimlerChrysler (where I work now). I wish they would bring a C-Class diesel here, but only the E-Class is here.
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JW 10:48PM (5/15/2006)
Scooter people drive too slow.
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stan 11:21PM (5/15/2006)
Finaly people are realizing that mopeds are the superior form of mass transportation. More hard core than any biker gang, and more dedicated than any auto club, mopeds are the future.
SWARM AND DESTROY!!!
http://www.mopedarmy.com
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VW-Guy 11:33PM (5/15/2006)
Scooter/fat chick reference - Riding a scooter is like having sex with a fat chick, you wouldn't want your friends catching you riding either.
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bhtooefr 11:51PM (5/15/2006)
Well, you could always import a diesel drivetrain from Europe... what model of Saab do you have? There may be a TiD drivetrain for it...
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bhtooefr 11:52PM (5/15/2006)
#11 UH2L: Well, you could always import a diesel drivetrain from Europe... what model of Saab do you have? There may be a TiD drivetrain for it...
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Quickreach 12:09AM (5/16/2006)
I've been a fan of scooters for a while, having owned one (An Aprilia Scarabeo) while living in Auburn Hills and commuting to Detroit daily. The stigma of a scooter only puttering around at 35 mph is so far from accurate now a days. Even when purchasing a 50cc, you can mod them pretty easily to get up to 70-80cc's which should translate to at least 55 mph.
I'm a little older now but am yearning to own a Vespa, preferably the GT 250. If gas prices hit $3.50 a gallon, consider myself born again and I'll be commuting via Vespa until late into the fall.
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LosBurritos 1:00AM (5/16/2006)
I kno it's all economical and stuff but I would never take my girlfriend out on a moped. Unless ofcourse, I'm vactioning over in Hawaii where you can rent one for $50/day.
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WillDaThrill 1:53AM (5/16/2006)
#8 - rjl
You never heard the term:
"Scooters are like fat chicks;
They're fun to ride but don't let your friends see you on them!"
I hardly think you're ignorant for not knowing that joke.
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