This story appeared in August's edition of Cedar Valley Business Monthly.

CEDAR FALLS -- Nobody expects the world to start traveling on two wheels. But, many commuters are discovering the advantage of owning a scooter.

The draw is high gas mileage in the era of $4-per-gallon fuel, according to scooter dealers in the Cedar Valley, who say sales of little motorized two-wheelers have more than doubled in the last year.

Scooter sales increased 23.6 percent, year-on-year, in the first quarter, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a trade association.

According to published reports, Vespa USA, the U.S. arm of perhaps the world's best-known scooter manufacturer, said its sales in May were 105 percent higher than the same point in 2007.

Honda and Suzuki, with their extensive distribution and dealer networks, also are major players in the scooter market, said Ty van Hooydonk, director of product communications for the Irvine, Calif.-based association.

Van Hooydonk said sales of all motorcycle-like vehicles have increased in 14 of the last 15 years, but he said that the increases weren't necessarily related exclusively to the leap in fuel prices.

"From what we're hearing, the aftermarket -- the companies that produce chains, sprockets, batteries, tires and all the things that make these things go -- is doing very well, and that's an indication that a lot of folks are interested in riding and using their motorcycles these days."

Whatever a scooter's brand or price, the common denominator is size. Scooters are distinguished from motorcycles by various design elements such as engine and tank placement, and smaller tires, typically 16 inches or smaller. Small scooters can travel about 40 miles per hour. The larger models can exceed 75 mph.

A scooter is not a moped, which cannot have an engine of more than 50 cubic centimeters and must have less than 2 horsepower. Scooter engines vary in size. Mopeds cannot exceed 30 mph.

Moped drivers don't need a motorcycle license; scooter drivers may, depending on size.

Iowa law pertaining to scooters varies according to vehicle type, said Dave Stutz, executive officer with the DOT Driver Services in Des Moines.

Teens between 14 and 16 years old can obtain a scooter license by taking an eight-hour moped education course and passing a written test.

"Generally, it's available at a community college," Stutz said.

Riders age 16 who hold an intermediate driver's licence don't need a permit, Stutz said.

But, if the vehicle qualifies as a motorcycle, riders under 18 have to take a basic motorcycle course.

"That's a combination of classroom and driving the cycle on the skills range," Stutz said. "Once you get that, you can come to the DOT and get a motorcycle endorsement. If you're an adult, you don't have to take the basic course; you just come to the DOT and take our knowledge test, pass our skills test and be endorsed for a motorcycle."

The lines of would-be scooter buyers are growing, dealers say.

"We can't get enough of them," said Rich King, owner of Kings Racing, a Waterloo retailer that sells Eton scooters. "We sell a real nice high-end scooter, and we're sold out."

King says his dealership typically keeps about a half-dozen units in stock. He was expecting another shipment in early July.

There is no typical scooter buyer, especially with the stratospheric price of fuel these days, King said.

"Actually, we've had everybody, from kids 14 years old to elderly retired people that just want to commute around town, to businesspeople," he said. "For instance, we just sold one to a real-estate guy who has multiple (properties) and uses it to check them around town. They're just a neat little unit."

King sells them for $1,899, but scooters can be had for less -- prices start as low as $800 and reach as high as $6,000.

Shannon Rousselow, co-owner of Leer's Cycle Center in Waterloo, has seen an uptick in the scooter market.

"We've seen a lot of customers, a lot of new customers, coming in and looking to save money," said Rousselow, whose dealership sells several models of Suzuki scooters with prices ranging from about $1,900 and $7,800. "What they're spending on the scooter they're saving on gas and can justify spending on other needs."

Chuck Ericson, owner of Ericson Automotive in Cedar Falls, said the China-made Qingqi scooters he sells are snapped up as soon as they're in stock.

"I usually have a waiting list," said Ericson, who began selling motorcycles and mopeds in 2000.

And some customers are making statements with their vehicles.

"A lot of them, I sold to students and faculty," he said. "It's becoming the big thing at the University of Iowa. I've sold some black ones there and some red ones at Iowa State. Now, I have some people at UNI that are trying to have me buy purple ones. I just end up painting them whatever color they want."

Contact Jim Offner at (319) 291-1598 or jim.offner@wcfcourier.com.