High Gas Prices Push Up the Sale of Vespas and Other Scooters

Motor sales may have been negatively affected by high gas prices and the sluggish economy, but the sale of scooters has been climbing steadily in the United States, up 29 percent in the first half of this year.

Scooters typically make up a small percentage of vehicle sales in the United States. But with the current state of the economy and high oil prices, it is not surprising that Americans are substituting their cars with the cheaper alternative – scooters.

Motor sales may have been negatively affected by high gas prices and the sluggish economy, but the sale of scooters has been climbing steadily in the United States, up 29 percent in the first half of this year.

Scooters typically make up a small percentage of vehicle sales in the United States. But with the current state of the economy and high oil prices, it is not surprising that Americans are substituting their cars with the cheaper alternative – scooters.

In the first half of this year, the major brands -– including Vespa, Piaggio, Honda and Yamaha -– sold 18,198 scooters, up 28.9% from the same period last year. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, the increase was greater than any other category of motorcycle.

Melissa R. MacCaull, vice president of Vespa and Piaggio owner Piaggio Group Americas, thinks there is a lot more room for growth.

Vespa is seeing increasing sales of its larger-displacement scooters, models that offer 150 cc to 300 cc engines that allow the bikes to travel at highway speeds. MacCaull says that’s a sign that more people are starting to use the vehicles for their daily commute.

[quote]People in America are starting to see scooters as a way to save money and get places faster, MacCaull said.[/quote]

Similarly, motorcycle sales in Australia also grew significantly in the third quarter of 2011, according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

In the nine months to the end of September, 77,129 motorcycles were delivered to Australian customers, representing an increase of 3319 motorcycles (or 4.5 per cent) over the same period in 2010. A total of 26,750 motorcycles were delivered in the third quarter alone (between July and September).

“Growth in motorcycle sales – particularly in the ATV and scooter segments – continues to significantly outpace other automotive sectors in Australia,” said Griffiths.

Griffiths said sales of scooters also continued to expand, with the segment growing 12.1 per cent year-to-date when compared with 2010.

“Strong growth of scooter sales and the resilience of overall road bike sales suggest commuters are finding motorcycles to be a practical solution to high fuel prices and inner city traffic congestion. Despite road-bike sales falling 1.5 per cent year-to-date, the segment is still the largest in the market, accounting for 36.9 per cent of all motorcycles sold,” he said.

Unlike in the United States, in Europe, where gas is expensive and the traffic-dense cities are conducive to scooters and motorcycles, scooters are often favored as an efficient alternative mode of transport.