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.
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[Source: Associate Press via Happy News.com]