Sunday brunch, complete with soy bacon and kickin' strong coffee, had just been consumed. The four 20-somethings arranged themselves loosely on couches and chairs in the house in Seminole Heights, watching TV and leafing through music magazines.

Should they cruise to a movie? Ride through the neighborhood? Or maybe work on the dent inflicted on one of their scooters at the previous night's Guavaween festivities?

They call themselves Tampa Two Stroke, "pretty much a group of guys -- and a few girls -- who ride scooters on the weekend," said Kieran Walsh, who, if they had official titles, would definitely be the president.

If at this point you're still thinking of a scooter as a self-propelled kid ride, stop and regroup. Think of the movie Quadrophenia, or Audrey Hepburn riding a Vespa in Roman Holiday.

The popularity of scooters has revved up considerably over the past five years with sales more than quadrupling nationwide, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, based in Irvine, Calif.

Scooter models vary, but they typically have a step-through design, automatic transmission and high gas mileage. They are an economical transportation workhorse in crowded European and Asian countries. But of late, they're becoming a trendy urban accessory.

Walsh said he and his pals used to be something of an oddity. Now, people are calling and asking whether they can go along on their rides.

"People think it's like cute, you know what I'm saying?" said Walsh, 29, a graphic artist. "A lot of people are coming out of the woodwork with their old Vespas. They're asking me to help them, and I'm no mechanical genius, but I know just enough sometimes to get them running."

Kurt Galatro, a salesman at Barney's, a Gandy-area motorcycle dealership, said scooter sales seem to defy a particular demographic niche. Customers include college students looking for a campus ride, older people who want to tool around their retirement communities and affluent career types who live in South Tampa and northeast St. Petersburg.

"Some of them jump on their scooters and go to a restaurant downtown," Galatro said.

Part of the attraction is price. New scooters generally range from $1,700 to $4,500, depending upon brand and horsepower. The less powerful scooters top out at 35 mph while some of the bigger scooters push 100 mph. Most require only a regular driver's license, but to drive the more powerful ones, you need a motorcycle endorsement.

Besides coming with an easy price tag, they're also a good time, said John Marley, owner of Cycle Scene Magazine, based in Tampa.

"It caught on a couple of years ago," Marley said. "It's fun to feel the wind in your face."

The Motorcycle Industry Council estimates 12,000 new scooters were sold in 1997, a number that grew to more than 50,000 in 2001. It's a trend retailers are trying to grab onto.

Vespa, probably the most recognizable brand in scooters, began selling scooters in the United States again in recent years after having pulled out of the market 20 years ago. Vespa boutiques are springing up around the country. When you walk into one, complete with marble floors, stylish wall hangings and pricey Italian leather handbags, it's clear that there is more for sale than basic transportation.

The lifestyle is definitely a commodity at the new Vespa dealership in Tampa, which opened in September.

It carries Vespas in a range of colors, including sea foam green and baby blue. Prices go from $1,900 to $4,400. The store also carries Vespa clothes and accessories, T-shirts for $32 and leather purses for $295.

Bruce Albertson, the dealership owner, talks about how Vespas are the "marquee brand" of scooters, how Vespa is a hip subculture unto itself populated by television personalities and members of successful pop bands.

"It's in all the videos," Albertson said. "It's cool. It's great. When you're on these things, you can't help but smile."

Jeremy Horn thinks they're a cool ride, too. He had borrowed his friend's scooter for a quick trip to a 7-Eleven in St. Petersburg on a recent Sunday. He laughed and said he had been finding himself borrowing it pretty often.

"Actually, I was thinking about selling my car and getting one myself," said Horn, 24, a chef at Bertoni, a downtown St. Petersburg restaurant. "They're fun, that's for sure."

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