Never had one and I need advice. While searching the web, I’m getting all kinds of sites talking about everything from mopeds to ATVs to Rascals and such.
What I’m looking for is a 50cc to 150cc, 2-wheel, street-legal, Vespa-like scooter…but something much cheaper than a Vespa! From what I’ve read, I should avoid Chinese scooters. Is that true? How reliable are used scooters?
Here are my criteria:
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Dependability, low maintenance[/ul]
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Low cost[/ul]
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Looks do not matter at all[/ul]
I’m assuming they all get relatively good MPG and one is about as safe as another. Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
I’ve got an Aprilia Scarabeo 150. It’s a 2001 with about 14k miles and I got it for $900, which was a pretty good price. I loves me scooters. Scootergirl might chime in here - she’s got a Honda Metropolitan. It’s only 50cc and frankly that is not quite enough engine to get around comfortably. It tops out between 35 and 40 so you have to plan your route to avoid busy high speed arterials, and it would be suicidal to take it on a highway or the interstate. Hondas are really reliable and well made, though, as are all the Japanese and Italian makes. None of them are cheap. For cheap scooters, look to your Chinese bikes. They are cheap, and some are butt ugly, and they are often really poorly made, but the upside is there are lots of spare parts available. If you are going to ride a scooter (or motorcycle, for that matter) you should be the kind of person who is not shy about learning the mechanics of your ride and not afraid to do as much work on it as you possibly can. There are lots of scooter forums where you could probably learn more about it than you will on the SD.
PM me if you want more info.
If you want a cheaper Vespa, you should look at their Piaggio models.
They use the same engine, but are made of plastic at about half the price. The 125cc ones are probably a good choice if you need a bit more power and can drive them with your license.
Yes, everything that Arrendajo said is certainly accurate and true. Don’t give up hopes on a well made Italian scooter however. Sure they are more expensive, but you get what you pay for. And Vespa scooters hold their value. Search CL and your local newspaper often. That’s how I came across mine. I would visit some forums if you get a chance. Folks tend to be super friendly and love to give good advice. Also, when you do narrow down what type of scooter you want, get online and read the reviews. I test rode a Piaggio Fly 150 yesterday! I was flying! Scooters are so much fun. Riding frees me from my worries because when I’m on a ride I’m living in the moment. Good luck and safe riding. Don’t let yourself get distracted for a second. That’s when accidents happen. You can also PM me, if you like.
I had a Genuine Scooter Company Buddy 150cc. It was awesome. I loved it.
Low maintenance costs once I realized motorcycle shops will charge FAR less than scooter shop will for routine stuff like oil changes.
Scooter shop 80 for an oil change… Motorcycle shop 25.
Some motherless ****s stole it out of my supposedly secure parking are at my apartment building. Someday I’ll get a new one. ::sigh::
Ouch that just totally sucks, Push. I would kill anyone I caught trying to steal my scooter.
You are right about scooter shops being expensive, though. That’s why I advised Jasper to do as much as he can himself. If you are not mechanically inclined, find a good buddy who is, preferably one who owns a cycle or scooter. There are scooter clubs in any big city, and they are full of people who like to work on scooters and ride them and drink and dance and have fun.
Don’t buy a Chinese one. If you’re lucky enough to find a mechanic to work on them, IIRC, you’ll play hell getting the parts. I have one under my carport which I sold to my son for one dollar. (Can’t drive a car anymore, so why do I need a scooter?).
As far as I know, it just needs a battery right now, so it will still run well for him, but if I’d had half a brain when I bought that thing, I wouldn’t have bought that thing.
I have a Kymco Agility 125. Great scooter. The brand is a good value, and I highly recommend the model. No matter what you get though, I would stay away from 50cc models. There just isn’t enough power in my opinion.
Thanks to everybody for the good advice. I will do further research. Oh, and Quartz: I’d gladly donate my organs, but I doubt anyone would want them. Decades of drug abuse have rendered them pretty worthless. Come to think of it, if my body were dehydrated you could probably smoke it and get a good buzz. Any takers?
A genuine or vespa would be nice if you can get them cheap. I’ve owned a dozen or so Honda Elite 150’s and 250’s and I believe they are the best bang for the buck. Rock solid, dead reliable, easy easy to work on and great mileage.
I like the 250 for its speed but prefer the ch150d for the ride. It helps that I like the retro 80’s styling too:)
Yeah, and you’re much safer in a Sherman tank than in a car. The question is, how safe/risky is it to drive a scooter where the OP is intending on driving it? Does he really need a car for safety?
The thought of buying a scooter has crossed my mind, too: there’s a lot of stuff within 5 miles of my house, but it’s a mile and a half just to get out of my neighborhood, and there are enough hills between here and there to make it a pain in the neck to do routine errands by bicycle. Other than one arterial road, everything’s got a 30 mph speed limit, and the arterial has wide shoulders where I could ride instead of on the road proper.
I’ve felt perfectly safe riding a bicycle on all these roads, so I’d hardly feel unsafe on a scooter. Sure, I’d always be safer in a car, but if I’m hardly at risk to begin with, it’s not important.
I got something like 60 miles a gallon on my little Strada, and I sure do miss riding it to the grocery store, pharmacy or just for pleasure. I mainly rode it on warm days when I could wear shorts, but it was fun.
Some of the bikers (motorcyclists) thought it was hilarious when I’d do that “special” wave, letting go of the handlebar and holding my left hand down by my side?
That hand didn’t stay down there long, I guarantee ya’.
Also a safety tip: Sometimes cars can’t see you and make you take evasive action, such as the one I once had to do, running over one of those cement parking bumpers in the parking lot of the grocery store.
Nothing but a cracked helmet. The driver paid for me a new one, as you should never ride with one damaged that way.
I envy you, and I hope you have a lot of fun whichever model you buy!
My son fixes scooters and mopeds for people. A major problem is finding parts and service. Pick a model that’s been around for a while, made by a company likely to stay in business. Many of these things are not easily serviceable whether parts or available or not. They seem to be temporary posessions for people that have little residual value after a short period of usage. This obviously doesn’t apply to all of them, but it’s something to consider.
TriPolar is right, parts availability is key. The Chinese parts sometimes don’t even work from one bike to another. OTOH you can build a complete Vespa from parts today. Honda Elite parts are widely available due to the numbers of them and the fact that the GY6 engine was made for decades.
And I would KILL for a Burgman. Well, maybe not kill but trade 5K worth of Snap On tools for
The La-Z-Boy recliner of the scooter world.
Honda Elites – the styling is an acquired taste, but I have grown to appreciate them, especially because some of the hippestcoolestwildest people around endorse them.
