Filling the gas tank still can be an expensive proposition, even with gas prices having fallen from record highs earlier in the summer.

For Bob Hedstrom, however, filling his tank for $6.50 seems like an inconvenience.

Hedstrom, who drives a Vespa -- the iconic Italian scooter -- is also the owner of Scooterville, the Minneapolis store that has been doing record business this year.

"It's been busy beyond what we've ever seen," said Hedstrom, who opened his shop in May 2002. "I think it's pretty clear that a lot of it is attributable to gas prices."

Hedstrom said he has also seen a viral attraction to scooters thanks to seeing scooters placed in commercials -- even if they aren't the focus of the commercial.

"There is more talk around the water cooler," Hedstrom said, "And gas prices are what people are talking about."

The talk is resulting in higher sales.

Kevin Foley of Yamaha's scooter division said that sales are up 65 percent over last year, while Vespa's sales shop up a record-setting 106 percent. The scooter industry as a whole climbed 25 percent in the last quarter. Honda scooters sales are up 30 percent over last year -- which were already up 20 percent from 2006.

Bill Savino, from Honda motorcycle press, said that dealers can't keep their 2008 models in stock, but that the 2009 models would be arriving soon.

Despite companies releasing their 2009 models, there is almost no change from year to year.

"Our 50cc scooters are unchanged, but for a some new colors," Savino said of the Metropolitan and Ruckus scooters. "All manufacturers are caught wondering what to do (to keep up with demand)."

Honda doesn't release fuel economy on its scooters, but Savino said both the Metropolitan and the Ruckus get almost 100 mpg.

Yamaha has released one new scooter for 2009. The Tmax has a 4 gallon tank that gets about 47 mpg. The nearly 500cc engine makes it the biggest scooter Yamaha makes.

If there is anything new from Honda due out for 2009, Savino isn't saying; if Honda releases a new 2009 scooter, it won't be released until September or October of 2008.

Hedstrom said that smaller brands than Honda or Yamaha will release 2009 scooters in 2009, but are starting to trend towards releasing them earlier.

"It doesn't matter," Hedstrom said. "Scooters just don't change much. Certain style things change and there has been significant engine design improvements, but there isn't much change unless it's a whole new model."