Scooter sales up 50% in U.S. in first quarter of 2011

USA Today reports that sales of gasoline-fueled scooters in the U.S. were up by nearly 50 percent in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same four-month period in 2010, according to information obtained from the Motorcycle Industry Council. Ty van Hooydonk, a spokesman for the council, told USA Today that "We see spikes when fuel prices rise." Hooydonk noted that many scooters average 60 to 80 miles per gallon, making them attractive to commuters looking to minimize fuel consumption and save some cash at the pump.

As Gas 2.0 points out, back in July of 2008, when the national average price of gas soared to $4.114 a gallon, two-wheeled commuting shot up by 15 percent, compared to 2007. With the national average price of gasoline officially hitting $4 a gallon last Sunday, will commuters once again turn to the trusty two-wheeler for transportation?

[Source: USA Today, Gas 2.0]