RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Triangle is a region with streets and highways that are packed full of high horsepower SUV’s and pickups. However, in recent months, more and more people are leaving their four wheeled rides at home.

 

 

For Durham resident Paul Friedman, his choice to buy a classic Vespa is not one necessarily rooted in economy.

 

“I spent some time in Italy and fell in love with the scooters there,” Paul Friedman said.

 

But over the last few months, he's been getting more and more inquiries from his fellow motorists at the gas pumps, not just about the 1960's styling of his “Roman Holliday” scooter, but about its modern day economy.

 

“I think it gets about 70 to 80 miles a gallon,” Friedman said.

 

For scooting around downtown Durham, it suits his needs perfectly.

 

And as gas prices creep up near four bucks a gallon, it seems lots of other people across the Triangle are looking to scoot around town on two wheels.

 

“They have really started flying out of here, well the last few months, but especially in the last month, down to the point where we're actually sold out of them right now,” Vespa of Raleigh Genera Manager Greg Murphy said.

 

He has one model left at his Atlantic Avenue store, and it’s already been sold.

 

He says his customers are coming in wanting to buy a little fun, and a lot of fuel economy.

 

“The small 50cc versions that Vespa makes, and some other manufacturers as well, typically can have fuel economy in the 100 mile per gallon range,” Murphy said.

 

According to the Associated Press, Vespa, Honda and Yamaha have seen a spike in sales nationwide by 24 percent this year alone. Fuel economy is likely the major motivator.

 

But for experienced riders, there will always be other reasons to scoot around town.

 

“It's a lot of fun, you can't deny that it's fun, so it's fun and you have to fill it with two gallons, a month,” Friedman said.