New Rochelle — Matt "Mexican Matt" Gallegos concedes his 1980 Vespa motor scooter may be the ugliest machine on the scene. Yet he loves it nonetheless. How could he not? He sees it as a reflection of his personality. The scooter's black-and-white-checkered body pays homage to his punk-rock days, and he has plastered a sign that reads "Powered By Mexican" on the dashboard between the handle bars. "It's very me," said Gallegos, 26, a project engineer from Dobbs Ferry. "I didn't ever think about riding a motorcycle. Scooters are more fun. They fit my personality a little more. They're a bit goofy; I'm a bit goofy." About 100 other similarly enthusiastic "scooterists" met in New Rochelle yesterday to compare bikes and exchange expertise before taking a joy ride up the Bronx River Parkway into New Castle. Ana and Tim Giordano began hosting the event at their house five years ago. Ana Giordano said the ride had grown each year, with participants yesterday representing California, Virginia and Montreal. Throughout the United States, more and more people are hopping on scooters to get around. An estimated 86,000 scooters were sold last year, which is double the amount sold in 2000, according to figures from the Motorcycle Industry Council. While some credit the rise in popularity to the fact scooters get 50 to 80 miles per gallon, scooterists said yesterday that what they love is the ride and the history of the vehicles. "I think it's the bikes themselves that really got me hooked," said Ana Giordano, 37, a communications consultant who began riding when she was about 15 years old. "The styling, the lines, the history, the care that was put into it, the engineering ..." Many of yesterday's riders were connected, at least informally, by online forums dedicated to all things scooter. They credit the sites, www.scooterbbs.com and www.gothamrally.org, with introducing them to other riders and providing them with useful information for restoring and repairing older scooters. The Giordanos have restored some of the rarest scooters in the world. A 1956 Durkopp Diana scooter is one of only 150 remaining in the world, and a 1953 Bastert-Einspurauto is one of only 20 remaining, they said. In all, the Giordanos own more than 30 scooters. Geoff Borek and Melinda Cronfeld traveled from New Haven, Conn., yesterday with two 1965 Vespas. One was still in pieces only hours before the ride. "When it's something you built, and you get to ride it, the feeling is incredible," said Borek, 35, who buys photographic equipment for a living. "Life is good at 35 mph."