Scooter 103

So, you have made the decision to get your hands on the most intelligent form of transportation on the road. This decision is HUGE!! Picking the right scoot can make or break how steezy or sleezy you really will be. In this class I will break down the major categories of scoots and all the major points you will need to invest in your future. There are certain aspects of each category that make the scooting experience unique. I hope that you find the information to be both educational and informative. I would also like to preface this information by informing you that I do have a bias opinion in the selection process due to aspirations of being endorsed by Yamaha Motors. However, I will do my best to control this and provide you with the unbiased information you need to find the scoot that will best suit your needs.

Scooters range from 2 wheel and 3 wheel vehicles.

The breakdown will be as follows:

Scooters (50-200cc engines)
Maxi Scooters (250cc-upwards)

Maxi Scooters
I will not spend any time on Maxi Scooters. I personally feel that they do not represent the scooter lifestyle and if this styling of scooter interests you, you might as well just go buy a motorcycle. They tend to look like spaceships, or are basically the same size or even bigger than most motorcycles. Posture on Maxi scooters does not follow standard protocol for proper scooting techniques. So, let’s move on from these waste of time, sorry excuse for a scooter contraption.

Scooters
Scooters come in tons of different shapes, sizes, and engine displacements. I will concentrate mostly on the major brands and in the 100cc plus range of engines. The reason why is smaller scooters, such as those in the 50cc range, which are really fun and totally acceptable, don’t really accommodate the daily scooterist in a commuting/ruling atmosphere.

Brands
Vespa (piaggio)
Lambretta
Bajaj
Yamaha
Honda
Kymco
Genuine (buddy)

These are the most widely accepted brands of scooters. There are many other brands out there, mainly Chinese clones, and I really wouldn’t recommend them due to quality issues. However, I have no experience with them so I couldn’t bring forth an educated reason for why they suck. In the end a scooter is a scooter and as long as you are rolling on 2 that’s all the matters.

Vintage vs. Modern
There is something to be said about vintage scooters. They are timeless machines that only get better looking with age. However, they might not be the most efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles on the road. Personally I don’t have a vintage scoot, mainly due to the cost of keeping them running as well as the negative environmental impact they have. I have chosen to go with the Yamaha Vino 125, which in my opinion, has stayed more with the classic styling of the scoot rather than most other brands out there. Modern scoots range from about 2,000-6,000 dollars. Insurance costs are significantly cheaper than that of automobiles and usually get anywhere from 70-100 mpg’s. Remember, you need to get a scoot that you are going to feel comfortable on.

Please submit comments, questions, or concerns in the comment section below and I will address them as we go along. Also, if there are any particular courses you would like me to expand on, or new class topics you would like to see, please let me know.

Cheers,

SL