Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, March 23, 2012
(INDIANAPOLIS) - The price at the pump may be one reason scooter sales appear to be booming at Midwest Scooters and Cycle in Indianapolis.
General Manager Steve Schafer said employees have been working around the clock the past few weeks.
"Definitely, we've seen a decent increase over the last few weeks as conversation gets a little deeper on price by the barrel," Schafer said.
"We have a bunch of people trying to beat the rush to get in and get some product prior to what they're concerned with, bikes not being available at that point and not being able to afford (driving) back and forth to work," he said, referring to if gas prices continue to rise.
Marisela Burgos reports that last year, the price at the pump was in the lower end of $3. Thursday. it was close to $4. Dennis Ecker bought a bigger scooter three weeks ago. He said it has saved him money.
"That was the main reason I got a bigger one was I'm not paying $4.09 again. I gotta fight somehow. I am not paying that much for gas," Ecker said.
Ecker said he paid $3 to refill his tank, which was almost empty. He said his scooter gets 80 miles a gallon.
"They're just unbelievable. They're a great thing to have," Ecker said.
Schafer pointed out some scooters in his shop get anywhere between 65 to 75 miles a gallon.
"You got a 1.08 gallon tank on average $5-6 for a complete fill up," Schafer said.
Schafer also owns a suburban.
"Economically, right now, it doesn't make sense to drive an 18 per gallon vehicle when I (have) a store full of 95 a gallon vehicles," he said.
Ecker said he cannot imagine not owning a scooter.
"You can drive these back and forth to work," Ecker said.
A number of scooter and motorcycle shops around town have said gas prices were part of the reason people wanted to buy. The other reason was the warmer temperatures in March. According to AAA, they do not track scooter sales nor have they heard of any indication sales were up. According to AAA, gas prices are not at record levels yet.
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