Recently had a two-week vacation in Japan. I expected a lot of motorcycles, but instead saw lots of scooters. I learned from another thread that there is a graduated licensing system for motorcycles in Japan, with some expense and time involved in getting licensed for anything other than a <50cc scooter (automaticallly comes w/standard driver license).
In addition to lots of <50cc scooters, I also a considerable number of big scooters. For non-motorcyclists, I offer this distinction:
-A “motorcycle” has the rider straddling the vehicle with a leg on either side, and employs a hand-operated clutch, a left-foot-operated manual transmission, and a right-foot-operated rear brake. (yes, there are variations on this, but the vast majority of motorcycles sold today are configured like this.)
-A “scooter” has the rider sitting in a seat with legs together in front, a fully automatic transmission, and hand-operated front and rear brakes.
So here’s the thing. I saw a considerable number of large scooters, but very very few motorcycles. Given the expense and hassle I can understand the popularity of <50cc scooters, but what’s the deal on the big ones? Why are they so much more popular than similarly sized motorcycles? Are the license requirements different in Japan for large scooters vs. large motorcycles?
Things have changed, I am sure, in the last 25 years (my personal experience predates that) but there was a license/tax difference. Given a motorcycle and motorscooter of the same cc rating (in my case it was 175cc) the bike was more per year in tax and registration and all that good stuff. Both had standard transmissions (Lambretta with 4 speeds and the clutch together on the handlebar).
My guess and strictly personal opinion though is that some is neatness. Bikes in dress clothes and you are going to get some degree of dirty; especially if you have to ride when its wet or you ride on unpaved surfaces. The tires kick dust and road grime and it gets on your legs. Scooters shield you from a lot of that just because of the design difference - that you sit “in” more than straddle. Yeah - I can ride my Harley in a tux and still stay presentable. But with a scooter you can do it in a wider range of conditions without even really thinking about it.
I own a range of motorcycles and for pure practicality, its hard to beat a scooter. The leg sheilds and floorboards keep most of the water/mud off of you. Greasy, dirty parts are mostly covered. They have convenient lockable storage, and in around town traffic, the automatic is great.
If I want to spend an entire Saturday out in the wind, I take the Harley.
For the short commute to work, the scooter is the best tool for the job.
Scooters work well in urban settings with heavy traffic and high population density. For all the reasons mentioned above, and the lower top speed and slower acceleration (mitigated by the automatic transmission) are not handicaps when traffic is the limiting factor. Scooters still work well when wearing even business attire, especially for women wearing dresses or skirts.
Motorcycles work better on the open road or in rough terrain. The layout allows for a stiffer, lighter frame, and better high speed handling due to having the engine and fuel weight forward. Larger fuel tanks permit 200 or so miles between fuel stops even at freeway speeds. Longer trips make it more worthwhile to don clothing that will shield against rain, bugs, and wind.
The lower shield on a scooter may create turbulence and stability issues at freeway speeds. The forward bodywork of scooters intended for high speeds (eg. Honda Pacific Coast) resembles typical motorcycles rather than typical small scooters (eg. Vespa)
ETA: Off road, it helps to be able to stand on the pegs and push the bike around with your knees. Not really possible with a floorboard style scooter. The Ruckus does OK for a scooter, but it is no match for a similar displacement motocross bike.