Scooters

SPEEDIER AND FUEL EFFICIENT, SCOOTER SALES TAKE OFF July 11, 2008

ON A SWELTERING Santa Monica street, the glare of chrome and steel glints off the shades of action-film actor Gunner Wright. It’s almost lunchtime, and he’s idling at a light, surrounded by hulking Hummers and polished Priuses — all futilely flashing their turn signals. Luckily for this former motocross racer, he’s not driving a car; he’s sporting a scooter, a smallish, automatic-transmission motorbike that can weave through rows of SUVs like a mouse in a maze. Sure enough, as the light turns green, he razors through the gridlock and whizzes onto Olympic Boulevard, out of sight.

Americans are scooting in numbers not seen in more than two decades. Gone are the two-stroke putt-putt engines of old (think power mowers and chain saws); these days some scooter engines are powerful enough to approach those of small Harleys. And consumers have noticed: Annual sales have jumped past 130,000. While that may be the average number of SUVs sold in any given month, it’s triple the number of scooter sales in 2000.

Of course, scooters have long been a quiet presence on U.S. back roads and in urban areas, but unlike in Europe, where owning one is a rite of passage, they’ve never broken the fad barrier here. To hear industry experts say it, though, the scooter revolution may be moving into high gear. San Francisco has carved wide swaths of parking for motorcyclists, while Florida’s amended helmet law allows for enthusiasts to hop on their 50cc scooters helmet free. Some cities also give scooters preference in their anticongestion plans. And with gas prices skidding ever upward, a mode of transport that sips fuel at 70 miles per gallon is an appealing alternative. “The stars are aligning,” says the Motorcycle Industry Council’s Ty van Hooydonk, who predicts that scooters will be increasingly popular among “cost-conscious motorists.”

It all sounds good on paper, but are scooters a viable option for everyday puttering? We decided to hit the road on some of the latest models to feel them out. Joining us is Gunner Wright, who appears in the upcoming G.I. Joe movie as a Secret Service agent. Our mission for him may not involve any stunts, but as one who has to shuttle quickly between movie lots and around town to lunch dates, he knows the value of a scooter in a traffic-crippled town like Los Angeles. And since Wright has been racing motocross since the age of 15, he knows his way around two wheels.

We’re assembled in the parking lot of a hotel not too far from Santa Monica Beach. It’s high noon, and the traffic is as heavy as the humidity. Perfect.

We start with the company that started it all: Vespa. Ever since 1953, when Audrey Hepburn rode sidesaddle on one behind Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday, the company’s name has been synonymous with scooters — and with European chic. Wright immediately recognizes the GTV 250 ($6,899) as a direct nod to original designs: “It’s like a classic song that’s been reproduced.” But fluid curves and retro headlamp aside, the design’s too docile, he says. He likes the intuitive controls but thinks the footrest area is “cramped.” A Vespa spokesperson says that’s common with smaller scooters. When Wright puts the key in, the scooter starts with an eager purr, and he bursts off. He’s surprised by its power “off the bat” and has no complaints with the handling. “The brand definitely backs up the performance.” But he thinks the look might appeal more to women.

In contrast you wouldn’t be surprised to see Luke Skywalker scooting by on Yamaha’s Morphous ($5,299). Wright is blown away by the low, bullet-like design and sharp angles. (So are the hotel’s valets, it seems, who keep stealing eager glances.) Easing into the seat, which he commends for its spaciousness, our expert starts the bike with a quick touch of the electric starter button. After snaking onto the road and back, he notes how natural it feels making turns and carving through traffic, attributing that to the Morphous’s large wheels. And for its relatively small 250cc engine, “it’s pretty powerful.” In fact, Wright’s only real complaint concerns the low windshield. (A Yamaha representative says the short screen complements the scooter’s design.) Eventually, he admits to the Morphous being his personal favorite on the basis of style alone: “It’s like the iPhone of scooters.”

Wright eyes the Genuine Scooter Company’s Buddy Italia ($2,699) suspiciously. He’s never heard of it. We tell him a local dealer claims it’s one of the bestselling scooters in the area. Wright ventures that’s because of its design, which he calls a “decent Vespa knockoff.” After some initial trouble figuring out how to start the engine (the switch flips in a different direction than usual), he gets on and is annoyed by the passenger footrest, which digs into his heels. After zooming up the strip and back, he doesn’t find much in the performance to redeem the Buddy, though it proved a decent ride. Despite the scooter’s disc brakes, he says, the stopping power doesn’t seem as strong as with the other machines. On the plus side it’s small enough to park anywhere: “It’s a grocery-store friend.”

Wright eyes the Piaggio MP3 400 ($8,699) warily too — it’s the only scooter with two wheels at the front end. He jumps on and has no problem getting it started but has some difficulty maintaining balance: “Ugh, feels heavy right off the bat.” The MP3 400 is designed to keep the scooter upright without need of a kickstand; at first Wright is undecided about the feature (and he looks mightily uncomfortable astride the three-legged beast), but after taking it for a spin, he’s a convert. He likes the bike’s responsiveness and stability at high speed; he also “digs” the nifty ignition-keypad buttons. But he says the front end still feels “foreign” with that extra wheel. “It takes some getting used to,” he says, adding he wouldn’t feel comfortable making emergency maneuvers. A Piaggio spokesperson says that once riders do get used to it, they like it.

When we get to the Honda Silver Wing ($8,099), Wright is unimpressed with the visuals. With its ho-hum black-and-gray wash and sport-bike sculpture, it looks “five years dated.” But there’s nothing outdated about the feel. The sound, when he revs up the 582cc engine, is unlike any of the others’. Same goes for the performance. Everything, from the brakes to the grips and handling, is “superior,” he gushes. And the windshield extends noticeably higher than any of the others’, which he finds a big help on the windy highway. Throwing out words like “fast” and “lightning,” he proclaims the Silver Wing to be “more like an automatic sport bike” than a scooter. Even the seating is on a different level — literally. Wright slides up onto the passenger seat, which sits a few inches higher than the driver’s. Perched there behind a volunteer, he’s a full head higher, fixing the road with an unhindered gaze. Wright raves, “The Silver Wing is a do-it-all on two wheels.” We have a winner.

After a day of hard riding, the scooters are being loaded up, and assistants jump into sundry cars. But Wright forgoes the four-wheel option and mounts a scooter instead. Donning his helmet, he sweeps out of the parking lot and disappears.

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