Slow down.
The price of gas is $3.75 a gallon and rising. The convenience of pay at the pump, buckle up and go has left most dragging. The high cost of gasoline is stressful, but local scooter and motorcycle owners are trying to leave those gas guzzling ways behind them.
Jaime Maddox, 28, a medical assistant at Rome Family Dermatology and mother of two, is not your ordinary biker. She had never owned or ridden a two-wheel motorized vehicle before getting her scooter.
Her dad, Sgt. Ray Plymel, a firefighter at the Floyd County Fire Department, has given her extensive exposure to the dangerous realities of motorcycle and automobile collisions.
“I was a bit surprised that she was interested in it. It only takes a few seconds to get injured. It’s unforgiving,” said Plymel.
Road safety is a big concern for first-timer Jaime. However, saving money is a bigger concern for the Maddox family.
Her husband, Chad Maddox, makes an 80-mile round trip commute to Dalton, with a demanding schedule that varies. Chad puts in about 60-plus hours a week managing a Dalton grocery store. Jaime and her husband made an economical decision to downsize.
Jaime said she will take a motorcycle safety course in June, offered locally, which she found online at www.dds.ga.gov. She hopes to ride her scooter while learning.
“My goal is to drive to work and with my husband working in Dalton, he can learn to drive it as well,” she said.
She recently purchased a red Suzuki Burgman 400, with an electric starter and automatic transmission, which gets 70 mpg. She is able to fill her tank for about $14.
Her main vehicle is a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer, which takes $73 to fill up and usually is refilled once a week.
Rebecca Arendt, general manager of Honda and Suzuki Sales, estimates motorcycle and scooter sales will rise this year about 15 percent.
John Cummings, owner of Easy Living Yamaha, estimates a 7 percent increase in scooter sales since last year.
“If gas ever gets over $4, we might see more sales from a transportation standpoint, instead of just recreation use,” he said.
Harry Brock, a local real estate appraiser, rides a Yamaha Vino 125, which gets 65 mpg and reaches speeds around 60. Brock drops his children off at school in his car but drives the bike during the workday.
“I usually drive around a five-mile radius of Broad Street — running around, running to a meeting or grabbing lunch or taking a few pictures — it’s just quick and convenient and fuel efficient,” he said.
The Yamaha sits downstairs at his office. He has owned it three years, since about the time gas prices began to climb.
Jimmy Lemaster, owner of Kawasaki in Rome, said he has seen a drop in average motorcycle sales.
“Customers are coming in with an interest and entertaining the thoughts, but they aren’t buying. They are starting to think about it some,” he said.
Kay Eichenberger, 18, of Rome, will graduate from Rome High School next week and plans to drive her blue Yamaha Vino 125 scooter at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
“It seems appropriate,” said her father, Kurt Eichenberger, who purchased the scooter for his daughter. Currently, Kay Eichenberger uses her scooter to commute to school and work at the Longhorn restaurant in Rome.
Kurt Eichenberger, an employee of Southeastern Mills, also drives a Yamaha Vino 125 scooter for transportation to work.
“I got exactly what I wanted, and it was appropriate to our needs,” he said.
Eichenberger said he rides about 10 miles a day and can keep up with the speed of traffic.
“Instead of $60, I spend $4,” he added.
