Vespa and Piaggio in Memphis

Midtowner Gary Holt, 69, has 12,000 miles on his Honda Metropolitan scooter, which he bought on his 65th birthday. It is his only mode of transportation, and he rides it winter and summer.

The bumper sticker slogan about motorcycle safety may need an update as more Memphis consumers are getting their two-wheeled kicks on Euro-inspired motorbikes.

An informal look on drives around Midtown and Downtown easily reveals the trend, helmeted riders atop compact scooters with either curvy, European lines or quick-angled Japanese designs.

Linda Casals, owner of Metro Moto on Poplar, says she has seen a steady increase in showroom traffic since her Vespa and Piaggio dealership opened last September.

But no matter what they ride, scooter riders are easily distinguished at least by their stance. They don’t straddle their machines like motorcycles, but sit upon them like barstools or kitchen chairs.

“I ride my scooter every place I go, summer and winter,” Holt said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. Getting there is half the fun.”

Three dollars a week fills Holt’s gallon-and-a-half gas tank, which yields about 100 miles, perfect for daily rides in Midtown and Downtown, he said.

Many contend gas prices were the beginning of the American scooter surge that began in 2005, the reason they popped again in 2008 and why they slumped last year.

U.S. scooter sales topped out at some 1.1 million in 2005, says industry watcher webbikeworld.com.

But sales toppled 59 percent from 2008 to 2009, from about 77,000 sold to roughly 31,000. The group’s data reported falling sales in every motorcycle category last year.

Metro Moto owner Linda Casals said scooter sales have revved up a bit this year and have gained ground in overall market share.

She said she has seen a steady increase in foot traffic in her Poplar dealership since it opened in September, and has had customers ranging from “high school students, to experienced doctors and lawyers, to retirees.”

“People are becoming more aware of scooters in general,” Casals said. “I think it’s also a little bit contagious. You see others on them and it just looks like a fun thing to do.”

Casals said Metro Moto is dedicated to Italian models Vespa and Piaggio, which begin at about $3,200 and $2,000, respectively.