07/26/11
Scooter nation: Bike sales soar amid high gas prices

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- With prices at the pump still painfully high, drivers are swapping their gas-guzzling cars for Vespas and other more wallet-friendly two-wheelers.

Victoria Yribe's husband, Ernest, had been begging for a scooter for years. On his 60th birthday, the couple went to see the movie "Larry Crowne." During a scene that takes place at a gas station, the main character, Larry, is pumping gallon after gallon of gas into his SUV when a scooter pulls into the station and fills up with $3 of gas. Ernest saw this as his chance and elbowed Victoria, "Honey, honey, look at that! That's why I really need a scooter!"

It's hard to resist the math: Over the past year, Americans paid an average of $177 a month on gas -- an 18% jump from an average $150 a month spent during the previous year, according to data compiled by Mint.com. While Mint.com didn't calculate the average gas costs for scooter and motorcycle riders, the scooter converts CNNMoney interviewed pay under $20 and $40 a month, respectively.

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