Calgary's scooter owners ride with pride

By Robert Remington, Calgary Herald

June 16, 2009

CALGARY - They may have a threatening name, but the Hells Angels they are not.

Calgary's Apocalypse Scooter Club is a less-than-scary gang of small motorbike enthusiasts that couldn't intimidate a flea. Their "clubhouse" is a coffee shop off 17th Avenue S. W., where they gather Tuesday nights to sip lattes before heading out on a group ride. Puttering around town on their Vespas and mopeds, they draw smiles and waves--and the occasional quip about being the epitome of nerdiness.

"Sometimes people laugh," says club president Kory Haggert. The sight of a couple dozen people on a group scooter ride is hardly the stuff of Marlon Brando in The Wild One.

Scooters, though, are nerdy no more. Marketed as sexy, urban and hip, and touted as affordable and environmentally responsible, fuel-stingy scooters have soared in popularity since last year's spike in gasoline prices. In Canada, scooter sales rose 19.5 per cent in 2008 and are up 50 per cent since 2004, according to the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council. Sales increases in Alberta were not as dramatic, up 5.8 per cent last year, likely because of lower fuel prices, smaller urban populations and more highway travelling in this province, says Bob Ramsay, the council's president.

Yet practicality, convenience and fuel economy are not the main reason why people buy scooters. According to a council ownership survey, buyers say they chose a scooter for the fun factor.

"They are very stable in low-speed traffic and are just a whole lot of fun to ride," says Apocalypse member Gary Fisher.

A consultant and investment banker, Fisher says the step-through design of scooters makes them ideal for commuting in a suit. The front shield and raised floorboards on most models offer protection from the elements, and with their low-mounted engines, Fisher says they offer ample storage under the seat.

Name-brand scooters cost $2,000 to $3,000, with top-of-the-line models selling for about $5,000. Some larger engine and three-wheel models can top $10,000.

Melanie Schmitke of Calgary recently spent $5,000 on a new red Vespa as a 40th birthday present to herself.

"I didn't want a motorcycle. I just wanted something fun to scoot around on," says Schmitke, who wears a white helmet with red polka dots. "It's my ladybug helmet," she said before heading out on a recent Apocalypse group ride.

The club was formed in 2005 by a group of Calgary scooter enthusiasts who shared rental expenses on a truck and trailer to haul their scooters to Victoria for the oldest organized scooter rally in Canada. The group held midnight rides in Calgary that summer and took its name from a comment overheard at the Victoria rally, that "A scooter club in Calgary must be a sign of the coming Apocalypse."

The 40 Apocalypse members are a diverse lot, says member Phil Wyles. "We've got people from all walks of life--from plumbers to financial consultants."

Since 2006, the club has held a rally on the August long weekend featuring a midnight ride, a scavenger hunt and a scenic out-of-town trip. The first rally attracted enthusiasts from Portland and Winnipeg and continues to grow, says Haggert.

Apocalypse members have gone to rallies in Seattle, Las Vegas and England, but that's not the focus of the club, Haggert said.

"Our mandate is to foster a scootering community in Calgary that is not exclusive, but open to everyone," Haggert says. "We are not loyal to a brand, or a particular style. We hold a very general understanding of what a scooter is."

Apocalypse members say a 150cc scooter is good for all-around city driving, capable of handling speeds on most roadways except the Deerfoot. For busier roads or highways, members recommended a scooter of 250cc or higher.

Wyles has a 500cc scooter, one of the biggest in the club. On U. S. interstates, he says he can easily do 135 km/h and get 65 miles to the gallon (3.6 L/100 km). Small, 50 cc scooters are capable of using as little as 1.4 L/100 km. That compares to an average 8.6 L/100 km for new vehicles in Canada as of 2007.

According to a study by the International Communications Research firm commissioned by the Piaggio group, the parent company of Vespa, Americans could reduce fuel consumption by 53 million litres a day if they drove a scooter for 35 per cent of their weekly driving and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 147.2 million kilograms a day. Translated to the Canadian population, the savings would be more than five million litres in fuel savings and a reduction of CO2 emissions by almost 15 million kilograms.

"The environment is a big concern for a lot of scooter owners," says Meagann Hunter of Blackfoot Motorsports. "I have a lot of customers with big SUVs that cost $200 to fill and they are looking for something more convenient and less costly."

Fisher, who has ridden motorcycles for 43 years, says he's hooked on his nimble scooter, which he has been riding for four years.

"I don't think I could ever go back to a motorcycle," he said. Adds Haggert: "I get on a motorcycle, and I feel like I'm driving a Mack truck."

rremington@theherald.canwest.com