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Gas Prices Drive More To 2-Wheelers

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By TOM BRENNAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

BRANDON - Eddie James hates gassing up his SUV.

"It costs $70, and it doesn't last a week," the Brandon resident said.

James is among the hundreds in the Tampa Bay area who have traded four wheels for two or are thinking about it. He spent a recent afternoon eyeing motorcycles at Barney's of Brandon. He said the reason was simple.

"Gas is so expensive," he said.

He is not alone. Local motorcycle and scooter dealerships have been setting sales records as gasoline prices continue to spike.

"It is amazing how gas prices have affected people's lifestyles," said Charlie Roberts, Barney's sales manager. "A lot of our customers are telling us that if gas wasn't this high, they wouldn't be in this store."

The same holds true across Adamo Drive at Harley-Davidson/Buell of Brandon.

"I'm hearing more and more and more about gas prices," said Brandy Welter, the shop's sales manager. "I'm hearing more 'I need a motorcycle to commute to work rather than my gas-guzzling SUV.'"

Saving on fuel can be a persuasive argument. It was one David Perazzoli of Riverview used to persuade his wife, Alisa, to let him buy a Harley 1200 Custom Sportster. And to sway her to get a Harley Fat Bob a month later.

"He kept on saying we had to get more fuel-efficient wheels," she said with a laugh. "So now, we don't call them motorcycles, but 'our fuel-efficient wheels.'"

David Perazzoli is a former motorcycle rider who just wanted to get back on a bike. The fuel economy was an extra boon.

"The gas mileage is a nice bonus, but either way, I was going to ride again," he said.

Roberts and Welter said these days they see more former riders like Perazzoli - and newbies like his wife.

"We are seeing people who haven't had one in 20 to 30 years buying scooters and motorcycles," Roberts said. "We are also seeing a whole lot of new riders - a lot more college-age students and older, semiretired folks who are looking for a cheaper way to get around.

"Before the higher gas prices, you didn't see 55-year-old grandmothers riding motorcycles, and now it is common," he said.

The same holds true at the showroom at Xtreme Powersports, a Honda dealership on U.S. 301 in Tampa.

"We are seeing so many people who haven't ridden or rode since 20 to 30 years ago who gas prices are pushing back into bikes," said Hans Klockes, Xtreme Powersports owner. "Motorcycles used to be toys, but now you are seeing people buying out of necessity, not want."

With some trucks and SUVs barely making double digits in miles per gallon, it is understandable that two-wheelers that get more than 100 miles per gallon are so attractive.

Barney's sells Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, E-ton and Can-Am motorcycles and scooters.

Roberts said his collection ranges from a scooter with a 49-cubic-centimeter engine that gets 75 to 90 miles per gallon and is capable of reaching 42 mph and lists for $2,999 to a 1099-cubic-centimeter cruiser that gets 42 to 44 mpg with a sticker price of $17,900.
Welter said Harley's most fuel-efficient cycle is an 88-cubic-centimeter bike with an engine that gets between 45 and 60 mpg. He said larger bikes with 1,583-cubic-centimeter engines get 40 to 50 mpg. He said the prices range from $7,000 to $35,000.

Klockes said Honda's most basic scooter has a 50-cubic-centimeter engine, gets more than 100 mpg and lists for $1,899. He said bikes with 750-cubic-centimeter engines still get around 55 to 60 mpg and run about $7,000.

All their products are becoming more popular.

Roberts said his dealership sold two scooters in June 2007, compared with 14 in the first 11 days of June this year. He said it is the same for all the two-wheelers. In May 2007, the dealership sold 130. This year, the total was 151.

"We are up 20 percent from the last year," he said.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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