With all due respect, it doesn't have anything to do with gas prices.
It has everything to do with the disdainful attitude toward scooters (which should be referred to as "automatic motorcycles") and the perception of them being sub-par, cheap, slow, wanna-be vehicles.
On my way home from the dealer with my brand new Xciting 400i, a guy in a Corvette was stopped next to me at the light. Rolled down his window, and asked what kind of motorcycle it was. He had no idea what it was.
