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Will Gas Prices Spark a Scooter Revival?

I'm probably going a different route, with a decent gravel bicycle for me, and an e-bike converted MTB for the other rider in the house. I still have a CRF450L for long distance errands, so I can keep my truck parked.
If a bicycle or E bike works for you then that's great. I'd use a bicycle but it's not practical where I live. A 150cc scooter on the other hand is just about perfect. My KLX250 is just as cheap to operate as my scooter but it simply is not convenient as a commuter. My scooter gives me a place to stash my helmet and riding gear. I can haul a bunch of groceries. I have even hauled a couple of 50 pound bags of sand home from Home Depot.
 
Had the scooter out for a run to the post office this AM. It took a bit of work to get all the packages secure.

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I saw a Sur-Ron owner leaving the grocery store yesterday with his backpack full of groceries, he turned the throttle, and he was gone, bzzzz, that fishing reel sound they make, it looked like a blast.

Not a scooter, but this looks like a laugh.
 
Gas prices have a better chance of improving the take rate on BEV's than any sort of two wheel vehicle and that only if someone was planning on getting something new fairly soon anyway. People don't buy a bike or scooter to replace their car for commuting. There is also the added cost of the appropriate gear for the weather. I have 3 different jackets, gloves and pants for different temperatures and that is for my main bike that gets 41mpg. You can easily do better in a hybrid car.

I just bought a Honda Monkey a month ago and while good gas mileage was a plus I bought it to just run quick errands and tool around on. Occasionally do a fire road/trail/go fishing. It's too slow to commute with and the top speed "limit" on my route is 55mph. I am modifying it so I may be able to occasionally commute with it even then it won't be more than once or twice a week. There is just no replacement for the thrill 4lbs per HP gives you.
 
I saw a Sur-Ron owner leaving the grocery store yesterday with his backpack full of groceries, he turned the throttle, and he was gone, bzzzz, that fishing reel sound they make, it looked like a blast.

Not a scooter, but this looks like a laugh.

Yes it does look like a blast but I'd rather ride something with a bit more power like a Grom, Z125, TnT135 or other 125-150cc mini moto.
 
Yes it does look like a blast but I'd rather ride something with a bit more power like a Grom, Z125, TnT135 or other 125-150cc mini moto.
I was thinking the sure variety of places that could be ridden would be fun, streets, sidewalks, stairs, bike paths then off to the m/b trails while staying below the radar.
 
Gas went up another 25¢ per gallon since Friday. Amazing how every gas station in town got their shipment of gas at the same time. And the beat goes on.
 
Gas went up another 25¢ per gallon since Friday. Amazing how every gas station in town got their shipment of gas at the same time. And the beat goes on.

Regular nearing $5/g here in central FL. With no one taking responsibility the peak is not near. In my rural community I have noticed a significant reduction in traffic.
 
There are no scooters or mini motos here in Houston. I briefly saw a couple of 2023 GROMs but they were gone over the weekend. I think gas prices are making the small bikes/ scooters scarce. There is an opportunity for manufacturers to bring in more models...
 
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No nice backroads?
Some states out west have 65 MPH speed limits on some of their back roads and there are no alternate routes.

I live in a city in Alabama. When I go anywhere from my house I have to get on a 50MPH two lane or 55MPH four lane. This is inside the city limits. So I need at least a 125 just to get around town. Back roads are also often 55MPH.

One of my favorite riding areas is the mountains of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Many of the back roads there are 55MPH and also have steep grades. I have ridden my 150cc scooters there but I still have to watch my routes. A 50 would be a total slug going up hills. Even my 150 can be frustrating up some of the steeper hills although it will climb them.

Some cities have a lot of roads with 25 MPH speed limits although many drivers will exceed those speeds. A 50 would probably work in those cities.

I have lived in 10 different states on all four coasts. I don't think a 50 would be practical in any of the places I have lived. I lived in a small city in Maine where a 50 would have gotten me around town but most of my rides took me out of town.

Some people will ride 50s all over and just ride on the shoulder when there is traffic. That's not something I would be willing to do. On top of that, most back roads around here don't have a shoulder so I would be a rolling road block on a 50.
 
Around here, 50cc scooters are being replaced by street-legal Golf Carts (Low Speed Vehicle is allowed on any road with a speed limit of 35 mph or under). I think there are 4 golf cart dealers in my area and only one dedicated scooter dealer. There are two MC dealers with a couple of scooters on the floor, but with fees/surcharges that put them in the same price point as a golf cart. We stopped by a fairly new grocery store not long ago and they had more golf cart parking spaces than disabled spaces.

One passenger v. four passengers, no helmets, a roof for shade and protection from rain and music. A little slower, but much more visible to distracted drivers.
 
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Golf carts are a real thing in our area - they seem to be a cross between a golf cart and a UTV. The beach rental places on South Padre Island all have golf cart rentals, some holding as many as 10 passengers. People come to this beach destination area, park their car and rent a "golf cart" so they can drive up and down the main drag with a half dozen kids not strapped in. Even though the laws state that the driver of one of these has to have a valid drivers license, parents seem to think their 10 year old should get to take a turn at the wheel.
 
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