By Ethan Forman
Staff writer
July 18, 2008 10:18 pm Tower School Headmaster Peter Philip started riding a scooter to work last month to cut down on gas costs, enjoy the outdoors and make a small contribution to the environment. He used to live in Marblehead and would ride his bicycle to the West Shore Drive private school. That proved impractical for his 13-mile commute from his new home in Manchester. "I'm certainly saving on gas mileage," he said. "It cost me a whopping $4.25 to fill up the other day." With gas over $4 a gallon, scooters have become a more common sight on North Shore roads. Some models get 100 miles to the gallon. The hassle of getting them on the road is much less than a motorcycle. You don't need a motorcycle license or insurance, just a registration decal on the fender. The state Registry of Motor Vehicles is seeing an increase in registrations of so-called motorized bicycles, or mopeds, from 3,603 applications all last year to 4,226 so far this year. That's a 17 percent increase so far. In June, Philip, who had been thinking about buying a scooter for a couple of years, bought a Taiwanese-made Kymco Agility scooter from Cycles! 128 on Brimbal Avenue in Beverly. It retails for $1,999, according to the cycle shop's Web site. So far, Philip has logged about 382 miles. He calculated it will take him three to four years to recoup its cost in gas savings. "It's fun, and it's certainly environmentally sensitive," Philip said. Small bike, big business The general sales manager of the cycle shop agrees. "Whenever I do any errand in Beverly, I jump on a 50cc scooter," says John Rice of Cycles! 128. "It's fun, it's easy and it's convenient." Scooter sales at the shop are up 66 percent this year over last year. Last year, the shop placed an order for 150 Yamaha scooters, but this year, Rice is ordering 500. Rice said the major makers of scooters, such as Yamaha, Honda, Kymco and Piaggio, which makes Vespa scooters, cannot ramp up production fast enough to meet the surge in demand. "I think the big story here is the gas prices. Everyone is concerned about this," said Beverly's Kyle Rennick, who saw high gas prices as a business opportunity. Rennick, who started a luxury auto detailing business after his freshman year in college, has since expanded his business to include scooters. In May, the 23-year-old Beverly High graduate began selling Wildfire brand scooters from his Park Street business, Executive Auto Detail, after the company sent him a flier that said gas was selling at $3.39 and would soon go to $4. "What sold me is what sells most people," Rennick said. "The gas mileage. These things get 100 miles to the gallon." Since May, he has sold 10 scooters, and the models he sells, which are made in China and sold by a company in Ohio, range in price from $995 to $1,495. Rennick said customers can make back what they spent on a scooter over a season of riding it regularly. It's not a motorcycle People are buying scooters to save gas on errands and short commutes, but also because they are easier to put on the road than a motorcycle. Under state law, a scooter or a moped with a cylinder capacity of no more than 50 cubic centimeters, about 11/2 horsepower, does not require a motorcycle license, plates or insurance, Rice said. It does need a registration sticker on the fender, which costs $40 every two years. A driver needs to be at least 16, have a valid driver's license or learner's permit, and wear a helmet. The speed limit for scooters is 25 mph. Some scooters can reach speeds of 120 mph, and Rice said those should be registered as motorcycles. "We understand the need to conserve fuel," said Beverly traffic safety officer Sgt. Joseph Shairs, who said buyers must be aware of the law and register their scooters accordingly. "My concern is we are seeing more of these on the streets." Shairs said scooters should not be treated like bicycles, which can be ridden by anyone without a license, registration or insurance. If the scooter can reach speeds above 30 mph, it should be considered a motorcycle. Scooters must be properly registered, and drivers must obey the same traffic and drunken-driving laws as they do with a car. "We are going to run into situations where we are going to remove them or the vehicle from operation," Shairs said.
Rules of the road for scooters Local police and cycle shop owners recommend you treat your scooter like a moped and at least get a registration decal. The cost is $40 for a two-year registration. State law defines motorized bicycles (mopeds) as having: r A cylinder capacity of no more than 50 cubic centimeters r An automatic transmission r A top speed of no more than 30 mph To ride, you need to: r Wear a helmet r Be at least 16 years old and carry a driver's license or learner's permit r Go no faster than 25 mph r Stay off state highways that prohibit bicycles r Affix the registration sticker to the rear bumper Source: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Web site
—
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
Tower School Headmaster Peter Philip recently bought a scooter to save on gas money. Staff photo