Tri-Valley riders scoot around on two wheels

Livermore scooter store arranges ride for fast-growing group of enthusiasts

By Melissa Moy
CONTRA COSTA TIMES


LIVERMORE - Feeling the wind on your face is exhilarating at 45 mph when you're born to be mild.

With scooter sales revving up, more riders are happy to cruise.

On Sunday, 20 enthusiasts attended a Tri-Valley scooter ride, with one motorist coming all the way from Modesto for the event. The 65-mile trek wound through Livermore wine country, the Altamont foothills and the back roads of Blackhawk, San Ramon, Dublin, Sunol and Pleasanton.

Scooters are the fastest-growing segment of the motorcycle industry, according to Livermore-based California Speed-Sports owner Kregg Williams, who organized the ride.

About 21,000 scooters were sold nationally in 2001, double the 11,000 sold in 2000. They cost $2,500 to $6,000.

Some models reach 85 mph, but many enthusiasts are content riding at 45 mph.

Unlike motorcycles, which require riders to change gears, scooters also have automatic controls, a big plus for many riders.

Most enthusiasts buy scooters that are designed for the slower speed of city streets, but models with bigger engines can take to the freeway.

"They're perfect for someone who works and lives in the same town," said Terry Erdei, who manages California Speed-Sports. Scooters are fuel-efficient, and some get 90 to 130 miles per gallon.

Williams' business, which started in 1995, is one of a handful of Bay Area dealers that specializes in scooter sales. The most popular lines are from Europe, including Italian makers Aprilia and Malaguti. When Williams recently added the Aprilia scooter line , he also added the maker's motorcycles, but he still prefers to focus on scooter sales.

During the Sunday ride, some cyclists and motorists waved or flashed peace signs at the group, although one motorcycle rider shook his head as they passed.

Jon Scudder of Pleasanton was thrilled to join the ride at a moment's notice. He was filling up at a Livermore gas station when another rider told him about the Tri-Valley trip. "I'm a great fan," Scudder said of his 40-year love affair with scooters and motorcycles. He loves to restore older models. "It's an absolute passion."

On Sunday afternoon, the youngest enthusiast was 12-year-old Dave Monical, who rode with his father, Dave Sr. "It's fun. The wind hits your face," said Dave Jr., who can't wait to turn 16 and ride solo on his own scooter.

Dave Monical Sr. said he has been riding since December, when he went to Williams' shop to pick up a mug for his friend. "I walked in there and fell in love" with a sports scooter, he said. He convinced his wife the scooter would make a worthy Christmas gift.

Donna Smith of Castro Valley rides with Brando, a leather-sporting teddy bear who has gone across the country with her on her 250 cc Honda Helix, which has a cushy seat and a radio.

Smith enjoys going on group motorcycle or scooter rides twice a month, and is able to combine this passion with another. She is president of the San Leandro chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, which evangelizes on the road. "I ride for Jesus," she said.

Smith has taken long rides to visit friends as far away as eastern Texas, Washington state and Idaho. "I do have the travel bug. I love it," she said. "It's me, Brando and God."

 
You can reach Melissa Moy at 925-847-2122 or mmoy@cctimes.com.

Reprint of article from 4/22/2002 in the Contra Costa Times & bayarea.com