'Every unit is sold': Mini motos a big trend amid surging gas prices
The price of gas is causing a small niche group to become more mainstream.
Mini motos – small motorcycles and scooters – are surging in demand as people grapple with the high prices of gas in Manitoba and across the country.
Andrew Lacarz said he finally bought a Honda Ruckus in June after trying to get one for several years.
"In previous years, I've been on waitlists for the last two summers and I never got my name in early enough to get one," said Lacarz.
He said he uses the scooter to commute to work and do errands and it costs under $10 to fill the gas tank. He says that was a major reason he bought it as he has other cars that cost much more to run.
"Some of them needing premium, it's about $150, closer to $200, to fill," said Lacarz about his other cars.
Some mini motos don't require motorcycle licenses to drive, and their price tag - $2,000 to $6,000 – has helped create a tight knit community of riders according to Sebastian Selver, who drives a Yamaha scooter.
"Many people specialize in them or just people want to go riding. You can find a big variety of people from, ages of 15, the youngest you can ride them, to people over 60-years-old who are riding scooters all the time," said Selver.
With the popularity of the vehicle growing, they are becoming hard to find according to WSL Sports and Leisure.
"As of right now every unit is sold. I think we have one Grom that's coming in that is available, but yeah, as of right now we're kind of waiting until either we get allocated August stock or even next year," said Taegan Linnell, a salesman at the store.
Both Lacarz and Selver said saving money on gas is nice, but these vehicles are also fun to drive.
"It's fun and it's definitely cheaper on gas than my other vehicles," said Lacarz.
"For the amount of fun you can have for the cost, it makes sense why people are buying them and you can't find them anymore," noted Selver.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.