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Scooting around
Scooterist John Curnutt, organizer of the Napa Valley Scooter Club poses with his Vespa. With fuel prices on the rise many consumers are looking toward smaller, energy efficient transportation like scooters. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos
Scooter owners buzz around town, while local dealers see speedy sales
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CommentJohn Curnutt’s license plate frame says it all: “70 mpg, how about you?”
The frame can be found on the back of his black and white Vespa scooter. Curnutt said it costs him around $6 to fill up his tank, and a full tank takes him about 145 miles.
The frame can be found on the back of his black and white Vespa scooter. Curnutt said it costs him around $6 to fill up his tank, and a full tank takes him about 145 miles.
While Curnutt’s been a “scooterist” for 23 years now, he’s no longer alone as he zips around town.
“There’s definitely more scooterists out there,” said Curnutt. With the price of gas inching steadily towards $5 a gallon, more and more locals are reconsidering how they get about, and how much it costs to fill up a tank of gas.
“There’s definitely more scooterists out there,” said Curnutt. With the price of gas inching steadily towards $5 a gallon, more and more locals are reconsidering how they get about, and how much it costs to fill up a tank of gas.
“For me it’s more of a culture thing than a gas savings thing,” he said. Curnutt, who currently owns four scooters from various eras, also founded the Napa Valley Scooter Club in 2003.
According to Curnutt, there are two kinds of scooterists: those who own vintage scooters and those with modern scooters. “Our group has both in the mix. Usually new people who are getting into scooters get modern scooters.”
According to Curnutt, there are two kinds of scooterists: those who own vintage scooters and those with modern scooters. “Our group has both in the mix. Usually new people who are getting into scooters get modern scooters.”
“There seem to be a lot more ‘housewife’ scooterists coming out on the road, which is great,” said Curnutt. “The more people we got onto two wheels the better for everyone.”
Popularity has its drawbacks, though. “There’s a shortage of scooters right now,” said Curnutt. “Every Tom, Dick and Harry is saying ‘I need a scooter now’. And there’s only so many out there.”
Scootermania
No one knows this better than Yamaha of Napa, which sells scooters. Or used to. “We ran out,” said Troy Myers. “Yamaha is completely sold out for the state of California,” he said. “We are waiting for the 2009 models. Usually we could order from another dealer, but it’s just not the case this year,” he said.
Why the scootermania? “Definitely because of gas prices,” said Myers.
Heiko Lucker, sales manager at Yamaha of Napa, said he gets five to 10 calls a day asking about scooters. “After gas prices went up we pretty much sold out two months ago,” said Lucker. “Demand is phenomenal, it has skyrocketed,” said Lucker, who’s been selling scooters for 25 years.
The dealer usually carries five different models. Prices range from $2,000 to $5,800, he said, the most popular model running $2,600. “It goes 53 miles an hour, and gets 97 miles to the gallon.”
Just who is buying and riding these scooters?
“A lot of it (has) been mostly middle-aged to older people, from school teachers to a 68-year-old guy from the Vets Home,” said Lucker. “Mostly people just trying to get from point A to B in Napa.”
The Yamaha dealer would sell a used scooter, if they had one to sell.
“People that have scooters are keeping them,” he said.
Over at Big Kid Toys in Napa, owner E.J. Wessel said he’s “blowing through” inventory, selling around 15 scooters a month, four to five times what he sold this time last year.
“We’ve had so many people in lately its ridiculous,” said Wessel. “Not just looking, but buying.”
“With gas prices what they are, everyone’s looking for an alternative to driving their SUVs.”
The resale market is also been good at Big Kid Toys. “We’re seeing more used scooters come in,” he said. Riders are trading in and trading up, he said.
Wessel’s scooters are made all over the world, including the U.S. and South America. But the majority are Chinese or Taiwanese.
“I am careful about the Chinese brands we carry,” said Wessel.
“Most people who come in are starting to get educated,” said Wessel. Typical questions include speed, mileage and licensing requirements.
According to Wessel, most who scoot around town prefer a 50 cc scooter — which goes 30 mph to 40 mph — or a 150 cc scooter that can go up to 50 to 60 mph. “That is the hottest seller for us,” he said. Prices range from $1,500 to $3,500.
The news gets even better with gas mileage — 60 to 120 miles per gallon.
Wessel said “everyone” is buying a scooter. “I sold a moped the other day to a guy in his late seventies and I sold a scooter to someone in their mid to late forties. A lot of these people are just running around town in them. They’re looking to be able to drive local roads without going slower than traffic.”
Guy Parriott at Parriott Motors in St. Helena gets several calls a day about the two wheelers. On a recent afternoon, Parriott said he had three Honda scooters for sale, “But I’m sure they won’t be here very long.”
At one point, Colby Eierman, another local scooterist, had 10 scooters. These days he’s down to two, both Vespas, made in Italy.
What is it about scooters that make them so cool? The Italian scooter culture fits Napa Valley culture, he said. “And they’re fun to ride,” said Eierman. “They’re agile, they have the sound, the smell — it’s an iconic thing. Its fun to be a part of that.”
An Italian-made scooter has a certain cache, he said. “It’s a beautiful, timeless design.”
Pull into a parking lot or bar on a scooter you’re bound to strike up a conversation, said Eierman. “It’s a chance for people to say hello and see what’s going on.”
Curnutt said sometimes it’s what he’s carrying while riding his scooter that gets the most attention. “I do all my grocery shopping on my scooters. That probably gets the most attention — when I have bags of groceries hanging off my scooter.”
Sue D’Arblay of Napa is a member of the Napa Valley Scooter Club.
“I have felt totally embraced by the scooter community,” said D’Arblay, who is 56. “It has introduced me to people I wouldn’t know otherwise.”
The occupational therapist said she has three scooters, one of which she bought so friends could ride along with her.
Her newer Vespa always gets attention, with it’s striking blue and green two-tone design. “It’ll go 60 to 65 mph and its freeway legal,” she said.
“I bought it three years ago, now it has almost 6,000 miles on it. I get about 60 mpg and I can go almost 100 miles per tank.”
D’Arblay also notices more scooters on the roads these days.
“It used to be if you saw someone on a scooter, you knew them and you were headed to the same place to go riding together. Now I see so many people that I don’t even recognize.”
Scooter license requirements
While most people consider the Vespa a “scooter," they are “motor driven cycles,” according the DMV and require a Motorcycle Class M1 license . Mopeds and motor-driven bicycles also require a Motorcycle Class M1 license. Other sizes may require a M2 license endorsement.
Freeway requirements
According to the CHP, to ride a scooter or “motor driven cycle” on a freeway, the scooter must keep up with and not impede freeway traffic. Any scooter that can keep up with freeway traffic likely has a150 cc engine or larger.
Napa Valley Scooter Club
Meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month at Billco’s Billiard Parlor, 1234 3rd St. Napa at 6 p.m.
Contact: John Curnutt 477-0422 or info@nvsc.net, or visit www.nvsc.net.
Popularity has its drawbacks, though. “There’s a shortage of scooters right now,” said Curnutt. “Every Tom, Dick and Harry is saying ‘I need a scooter now’. And there’s only so many out there.”
Scootermania
No one knows this better than Yamaha of Napa, which sells scooters. Or used to. “We ran out,” said Troy Myers. “Yamaha is completely sold out for the state of California,” he said. “We are waiting for the 2009 models. Usually we could order from another dealer, but it’s just not the case this year,” he said.
Why the scootermania? “Definitely because of gas prices,” said Myers.
Heiko Lucker, sales manager at Yamaha of Napa, said he gets five to 10 calls a day asking about scooters. “After gas prices went up we pretty much sold out two months ago,” said Lucker. “Demand is phenomenal, it has skyrocketed,” said Lucker, who’s been selling scooters for 25 years.
The dealer usually carries five different models. Prices range from $2,000 to $5,800, he said, the most popular model running $2,600. “It goes 53 miles an hour, and gets 97 miles to the gallon.”
Just who is buying and riding these scooters?
“A lot of it (has) been mostly middle-aged to older people, from school teachers to a 68-year-old guy from the Vets Home,” said Lucker. “Mostly people just trying to get from point A to B in Napa.”
The Yamaha dealer would sell a used scooter, if they had one to sell.
“People that have scooters are keeping them,” he said.
Over at Big Kid Toys in Napa, owner E.J. Wessel said he’s “blowing through” inventory, selling around 15 scooters a month, four to five times what he sold this time last year.
“We’ve had so many people in lately its ridiculous,” said Wessel. “Not just looking, but buying.”
“With gas prices what they are, everyone’s looking for an alternative to driving their SUVs.”
The resale market is also been good at Big Kid Toys. “We’re seeing more used scooters come in,” he said. Riders are trading in and trading up, he said.
Wessel’s scooters are made all over the world, including the U.S. and South America. But the majority are Chinese or Taiwanese.
“I am careful about the Chinese brands we carry,” said Wessel.
“Most people who come in are starting to get educated,” said Wessel. Typical questions include speed, mileage and licensing requirements.
According to Wessel, most who scoot around town prefer a 50 cc scooter — which goes 30 mph to 40 mph — or a 150 cc scooter that can go up to 50 to 60 mph. “That is the hottest seller for us,” he said. Prices range from $1,500 to $3,500.
The news gets even better with gas mileage — 60 to 120 miles per gallon.
Wessel said “everyone” is buying a scooter. “I sold a moped the other day to a guy in his late seventies and I sold a scooter to someone in their mid to late forties. A lot of these people are just running around town in them. They’re looking to be able to drive local roads without going slower than traffic.”
Guy Parriott at Parriott Motors in St. Helena gets several calls a day about the two wheelers. On a recent afternoon, Parriott said he had three Honda scooters for sale, “But I’m sure they won’t be here very long.”
At one point, Colby Eierman, another local scooterist, had 10 scooters. These days he’s down to two, both Vespas, made in Italy.
What is it about scooters that make them so cool? The Italian scooter culture fits Napa Valley culture, he said. “And they’re fun to ride,” said Eierman. “They’re agile, they have the sound, the smell — it’s an iconic thing. Its fun to be a part of that.”
An Italian-made scooter has a certain cache, he said. “It’s a beautiful, timeless design.”
Pull into a parking lot or bar on a scooter you’re bound to strike up a conversation, said Eierman. “It’s a chance for people to say hello and see what’s going on.”
Curnutt said sometimes it’s what he’s carrying while riding his scooter that gets the most attention. “I do all my grocery shopping on my scooters. That probably gets the most attention — when I have bags of groceries hanging off my scooter.”
Sue D’Arblay of Napa is a member of the Napa Valley Scooter Club.
“I have felt totally embraced by the scooter community,” said D’Arblay, who is 56. “It has introduced me to people I wouldn’t know otherwise.”
The occupational therapist said she has three scooters, one of which she bought so friends could ride along with her.
Her newer Vespa always gets attention, with it’s striking blue and green two-tone design. “It’ll go 60 to 65 mph and its freeway legal,” she said.
“I bought it three years ago, now it has almost 6,000 miles on it. I get about 60 mpg and I can go almost 100 miles per tank.”
D’Arblay also notices more scooters on the roads these days.
“It used to be if you saw someone on a scooter, you knew them and you were headed to the same place to go riding together. Now I see so many people that I don’t even recognize.”
Scooter license requirements
While most people consider the Vespa a “scooter," they are “motor driven cycles,” according the DMV and require a Motorcycle Class M1 license . Mopeds and motor-driven bicycles also require a Motorcycle Class M1 license. Other sizes may require a M2 license endorsement.
Freeway requirements
According to the CHP, to ride a scooter or “motor driven cycle” on a freeway, the scooter must keep up with and not impede freeway traffic. Any scooter that can keep up with freeway traffic likely has a150 cc engine or larger.
Napa Valley Scooter Club
Meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month at Billco’s Billiard Parlor, 1234 3rd St. Napa at 6 p.m.
Contact: John Curnutt 477-0422 or info@nvsc.net, or visit www.nvsc.net.
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nwnapan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:29 AM:
4gnapan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:18 AM:
4gnapan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:32 AM:
If it has a motor, you need a license endorsement.
Class M2 will allow you to ride motorized bicycles, mopeds, and small scooters.
Class M1 is needed for anything above 150cc's.
Class C can be used for trikes or sidecar mounted Motorcycle.
go to dmvdotcadotgov for full info :) "
nvchell wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:36 AM:
steph wrote on Jul 3, 2008 12:51 PM:
db76 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:57 PM:
napacabdriver wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:23 PM:
justnana wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:21 PM:
elb wrote on Jul 4, 2008 8:08 AM:
I'm with you. When the page opened up, all I could do was admire how neat and tidy and organized that garage is. Impressive! This is a fellow who definitely seems to have his life in order. "