{image1} With gas prices in Milwaukee hovering over $2 per gallon this summer, there are still a few ways you can cut the money you spend at the pump. Of course, you could drive less, take the bus or even bike to work. But if you need your own wheels, think about trading four for two: this summer, consider a retro-style scooter that looks great while netting an incredible 100 miles to the gallon.

If your vision of a scooter conjures up Devo riding around on angular red Hondas mopeds, then it could use some refreshing. From Vespas on the high-end to cheap Chinese imports on the low-end, your work commute can take a stylish twist for less than you might think.

The retro-style scooter craze is nothing new in Europe and in some of the bigger cities in the United States, where urban traffic and rising fuel costs have made it increasingly impractical to sit at red lights, bumper-to-bumper, in that gas guzzling SUV.

Enter scooters. With automatic transmission, a new 50cc model that tops out around 45 miles per hour starts at around $800 for a Chinese Vespa knockoff. A real Italian Vespa, the Rolls Royce of scooters, costs between $3,000 and $4,000, depending on the engine. In the middle of the road, price wise, are Italian models like Aprilia, and Japanese Hondas and Yahamas, costing between $1,500 and $2,500 new.

You'll pay a premium for the Vespa, and at Milwaukee's only dealer, Reina International Italian Sports Car Center (12730 W. Capitol Drive in Brookfield), it's a seller's market. Don't expect to haggle at this dealership, which also sells Ferraris and Lamborghinis. The base model, the ET2, lists for about $3,000, but with tax, title, registration, freight, etc., Reina sells it for about $3,700.

On the other end of the spectrum are cheap Chinese knockoffs, brands like QingQi and Geely, which look just like old Vespas, but cost a fraction of the price. You can find them online for about $800, delivery included. You'll have to pick them up in a crate at the airport, however, and do some basic assembly. Locally, a few dealers sell them, but for a little more, like Cudahy Motor Scooters (4868 S. Packard Ave.) Milwaukee Scooters (4213 S. Howell Ave.) Even the Harley dealership Suburan Motors in Theinsille (139 N. Main St.) has a few in stock.

But as they say, you get what you pay for. A little online research will uncover horror stories about these imports, including difficulty in finding support. On the other hand, at just $800, how much of a gamble are you really taking?

Mid-range, highly reliable retro scooters like the Honda Metropolitan and Yamaha Vino are plentiful in Milwaukee, and several motorcycle shops sell them, including Sportland 2 (7221 S. 13th St.), Southeast Sales (6930 N. 76th St.) and Kiefer's (7610 W. Rawson Ave). Expect to pay around $2,000 "out the door" for both 50cc models. Smaller than most other scooters, they make a good option for one rider, but absolutely cannot hold two people.

If you want a reliable, European brand that can hold two adults, check out Aprilia, an Italian company that makes racing motorcycles and also produces several scooters. Their 50cc models include the Mojito and the slightly larger Scarabeo. Out the door, they'll range from about $2,300 to $2,800, depending on the deal you can strike. The closest dealer, however, is Corse Superbikes (700 E. Milan Drive) in Saukville (which, if you need service, makes for very long ride from Milwaukee).

All of these scooters are technically sold as mopeds, which means they have been "restricted" to max out around 30 mph. Why? Because you don't need a motorcycle license to drive one. Most owners, however, have their scooters "derestricted" which usually involves removing a screw or two and remapping the bike's internal computer. If you're handy, you can do most of the work yourself. Otherwise, many of the dealers provide the service.

Derestricted, these little scooters can drive up to 50 mph or faster, and it's just better to have a little more power than you need. Still, don't buy a scooter for its speed. You'll need to get a motorcycle license to drive a derestricted bike (though there's no way, without taking the scooter apart, to tell the difference), and they cannot be taken on the highway.

You can buy scooters with larger engines, 150cc's or more, but at that point, you're not getting the benefit of the amazing mileage, and you should probably just buy a motorcycle.

Finally, if you think it's too much of a lark, consider the resale value of a retro-style scooter. A quick look on eBay reveals that Vespas actually tend to appreciate in value, and the other late-model scooters barely lose any value, either.

In terms of maintenance, most are simple, two-stroke engines (the bike automatically mixes its gas and oil), and even the four-stroke engines are incredibly un-complex. Considering they weigh less than 200 pounds, you can easily load them into an SUV (a larger Aprilia fits into a Honda Element with room to spare).

And there are good deals to be had online. While you'll pay for style, to a certain extent, some of the '80s style mopeds (like the Honda Devo commercials) go for just a few hundred bucks and work just fine. Considering how much money you'll save on gas alone this summer, you really can't go wrong.