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Motorcycles, Scooters Flying Off The Lots In Florida

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By WHITNEY RAY

Capitol News Service

Published: July 15, 2008

Business for Florida MotorSports owner Kent Johnson is booming.

"Our scooter sales and our small displacement motorcycle sales are up over 250 percent," Johnson said.

Motorcycle sales in Florida reached 100,000 last year. Halfway through 2008, 82,000 bikes have sold. The reason is obvious.

"I fill this thing up for about 8, 9 dollars and I get 70 miles a gallon," said Mike Goff, who has driven his scooter 600 miles since he bought it in May.

Some new scooters don't need a drop of gas to run. An electric cord stored in the seat of Vectrix scooters gives drivers all the juice they need to get around town. Constantine Dragut has been waiting months for the Vectrix to come on the market.

"No gas, no oil, no maintenance; it's all electric. Just plug it into any regular power outlet," Dragut said.

Although riding a motorcycle may help ease the pain at the pump, statistics show a trip to the hospital is more likely for bikers than other drivers.

Fatal motorcycle accidents have increased every year since 2000. Tina McElhenny lost her son in a bike wreck.

"He was obeying the law and a car veered over and ran him off the road," McElhenny said.

The Department of Motor Vehicles is more concerned about saving lives than gas money. The DMV launched a motorcycle safety campaign this week. The DMV is asking bikers to wear bright colors and add lights to their machines.

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