Tuesday,
August 01, 2006
"Vespa"
Benefits from Two-Wheel Obsession Inspired by Gas Price and Fun
Freedom
of the Road and from High Gas Prices and Low Mileage are resulting in a
surge of sales in ALL age groups!!!
Vespa (High End) and Aprilia (Budget
Priced), ItalJet, and Moto Guzzi are Scooter brands under Italian Corporate Parent, Piaggio.
Ducati founded in 1926, in
Malaguti,
also of
TWO-WHEEL
OBSESSION
Domestic
sales of these gas-saving two-wheelers have surged as budget- and
environment-minded consumers look for relief from high pump prices and as
more-appealing models come on the market. Demand isn't expected to stall
anytime soon, industry observers say.
U.S.
sales for just the leading manufacturers Honda, Yamaha and Aprilia
of scooters with engine sizes of 150cc or less (generally considered midsize
to small and not usually reaching sustainable highway speeds) totaled about
16,000 in 1999. Sales from this group had jumped some 200%, to 48,000, by
2004, and they continue to rise, according to
industry stats from Robert Pandya, spokesman for the
Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows.
These
figures include only those models endorsed by the Motorcycle Industry Council
as being up to current industry standards and EPA regulations. Toss in older
bikes and those imported from smaller, mostly Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean
makers not typically manufactured to meet
Higher-end
Vespa has seen a rebirth in
Energy
efficiency, relatively low entry costs -- some new midsize scooters start near
$1,000 -- and parking flexibility are frequent motivators behind purchases of
new scooters and of the growing crop of used machines being refurbished from
fix-it shops and flea markets. But for many buyers, the cache that comes with
buzzing around the neighborhood astride a sleek mass of plastic and chrome is
just as enticing.
"People
realize you don't need a three-ton vehicle to run down to the corner store.
So, yes, it's about practicality. But really, it's about fun," Pandya said.
Suburban
"I
rarely drive a car; my son has taken over that. My entire family lives within
blocks of each other and my kids' schools and sporting events are all close.
You can't beat the convenience of the Vespa,
particularly for errands," he said. "I can put the groceries under
the seat and in the bubble on back."
From
cult appeal to mainstream
Ridership for some goes beyond runs for milk and
bread. The number of social clubs among scooter owners, including Vespa Club
National
organization Moped Army, a group that promotes finding and restoring mostly
1970s and 1980s mopeds and updating them to current environmental code, has
been ahead of the latest scooter craze. The organization was created in the
late 1990s to promote more environmentally friendly and fun commuting, says
Annie Tsui, co-founder of
Scooter
club membership isn't exclusive to twenty- and thirty-something urbanites.
Suburban boomers and seniors are joining the group rides and fund-raisers as
well, swapping scooter stories and out-of-stock parts for their vintage bikes.
Pandya sees the biggest scope for industry growth in
more-sophisticated scooter models offering larger engines. Already, there's a
shift underway; small 50cc engines made up 74% of the scooter market in 2003,
but that share had slipped to 66% just two years later. Bikes with engines of
250cc and above were just 5% of the market in 2003 and by 2005 had edged up to
6.75%.
80
miles to the gallon
Many
Europeans and Asians may rely on their scooters as a primary mode of transport,
but in the
And
yet some American cars are gathering more dust these days as commuters are
opting for two-wheel travel, enticed by a $6 tank fill-up, he said. Depending
on the type, average scooters can get up to 80 miles to the gallon, but the
technologically advanced models, one by Italian maker Aprilia,
get 120 mpg.
Some
cities have or are adding incentives to encourage drivers to leave their cars
at home.
The
switch from a car is still a hard sell for many, particularly in parts of the
country that don't enjoy year-round mild weather, Moody said.
"While
growing in popularity, scooters are only marginally embraced in the
A
survey conducted for Piaggio found that 33% of
Americans would be likely to use a scooter to reduce emissions and 35% would
be likely to use a scooter to save $25 a week on gasoline.
Priced
to move
The
median price for a new scooter is about $2,000. Some new models, so-called
throw-away bikes, can be as low as $500. At the high end, those scooters
closest to their motorcycle brethren, can be upwards of $10,000.
Count
on about $150 to register a scooter at purchase, although that varies by
state. Pandya said $50 to $100 will buy a
better-quality helmet. Helmet laws, as with motorcycles, differ by state.
Here's
a sample price list of some new models currently on the market, most are 2007
model year:
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