Scooter season???

[velomoto]

Anyone else noticing a HUGE increase in the number of scooters buzzing down the bike lanes and roadways? I'm sure the fact that it's no longer winter has a lot to do with it, but I'm also thinkin' these high gas prices are getting people into other modes of transportation. I've even seen the larger so-called scooters on the interstate at 75++ mph. One other observation is that it there seem to be at least as many females driving the scooters as there are males. Perhaps this will create a new customer base or market segment for motorcycles.

 

Guess I'm just curious what's happening in your neighborhood!

 

Cheers,

Greg

[Green RT]

I've noticed the same thing. But then, I'm in your neighborhood.

[NoHeat]

Scooters are becoming common in college towns.

 

In our college town, the smaller twist-and-go scooters are popular with students who think of them as a substitute for a car -- one that they can actually park on campus. They are probably more common than bicycles now.

 

Bicycles would probably be safer. I almost never see a helmet worn on a scooter. Shorts and flipflops are common this time of year. In winter I saw a gloveless kid riding somehow with one hand in a pocket while keeping up with traffic. There is no MSF course taught here that is specific to scooters, and the BRC I took two years ago had no scooter riders.

[Bheckel169]

I have an Aprilia, Scarabeo 500 with about 460 cc's. Hard panniers and top case with a 5.3 gallon tank. Get about 63 mpg and top speed is 95+. It's more fun then it should be and I can do highways with the best of them with enough weight not to get blown over by big rigs. For commuting or in my case running errands from home and into town, this is a great method of traveling.

I've also seen a huge increase in scooters in the Northern Utah area.

Bruce

[JohnBeaven]

It is the same down here in sunny Perth. Regular 92RON petrol is now $1.30 per litre which makes scooters a viable option. Also, the road system is struggling to cope with ever increasing traffic density. Add in parking hassles and scooters make more and more sense.

 

A concern has been expressed by the emergency medicine people about the lack of protective clothing scooter riders wear. They claim to be seeing an increase in the number of people coming into emergency departments with gravel rash injuries and lower facial injuries.

 

It will be interesting to see if these scooter riders will move up to riding a "proper" motorcycle in the future.

[RonStewart]

I was noticing the same in Vancouver this weekend. More scooters than motorcycles on the city streets. A few maxiscooters, but mostly the little ones. There are half a dozen in the local high school parking lot - only one of which is in the staff lot.

[Lets_Play_Two]

"There is no MSF course taught here that is specific to scooters, and the BRC I took two years ago had no scooter riders."

 

The MSF people in Palm Beach County have been doing a scooter course for two years. The have a "fleet" of Vespas. I would be surprised if scooter riders move up to motorcycles. Some may but most are just scooter riders. I do have a friend, owns a biker bar (Wednesday night is scooter night) who went from a KRS to a Vespa. He does 500 mile days on the Vespa!!! Says he is saving money to retire to Costa Rica! Since these Vespas go for $6000 I can only see a BMW rider getting one as a back up.

[RonStewart]

Since these Vespas go for $6000 I can only see a BMW rider getting one as a back up.

Vespa and its corporate sisters are doing well in the current scooter boom. But I think you'll find the big growth is in Asian scooter manufacturers like Kymco in Taiwan and Hyosung in Korea. Their machines are much cheaper than the Italian bikes, and at least as reliable. Plus, and this is important for young people, they are different from the scooters their grandparents rode in the 60s.

 

Of course, Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda are making a few bucks with their traditional and maxiscooters too.

[Mr_Ed]

Here in NC my wife is part of the Scooter Movement. Just a few weeks ago she picked up a new 400CC Suzuki Burgman. It's a fun ride although for me it's a bit small when coming off of my GSA.