Scooters more popular in parts of NH as gas prices soar
PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—As gas prices rise and warm weather arrives, some New Hampshire residents are putting aside their cars and buying scooters.
"We're running out of them," said Bob Campbell of Depot Honda-Kawasaki in Portsmouth.
Campbell reports selling nearly six to seven scooters daily and he's run out of some models. He said scooter sales are up 24 percent companywide.
On average, scooters come equipped with a 1.3-gallon tank, which Campbell said will yield in excess of 100 miles per tank. One recent buyer reported getting almost 124 miles per tank.
Scooter prices range upward of $2,000, but that doesn't include accessories such as luggage racks, windshields, interchangeable color schemes and storage baskets.
Sue Rhodes of Rye recently bought her first scooter, and said after paying $70 to fill up her car, she simply was fed up. "I'm doing this on a total whim," she said.
Salesmen said people who come in are citing high gas prices and the need to just pop down the road for errands as reasons for making the purchase.
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Information from: Foster's Daily Democrat, http://www.fosters.com
