Buying Guide for Your New Scooter

If skyrocketing fuel prices have you weighing the pros and cons of mass transportation, don’t purchase that bus pass just yet. Scooters are quickly becoming a common site on city streets as a smart alternative to gas guzzling SUVs. A scooter is stylish, gets 70 - 100 miles to the gallon and is eco-friendly to boot, but where do you start? Most people can’t afford to throw away $2000- $3000 so research as you would if you were purchasing a car. Unlike buying a car, you probably won’t have limitless first hand experiences from friends and family to learn from, but if you do your homework buying a scooter can be economically and environmentally rewarding and just plain fun.

Getting started.

Where will you be driving your scooter? Will you be mostly on side roads that don’t exceed 40 mph? Or will you be using your scooter to get you to and from work and might need a little extra oomph to keep up with traffic. Don’t let the requirement for a motorcycle license keep you from going bigger if you think you need it. In fact, the Motorcycle Safety Course is a good idea for all scooter riders.

Will you want to carry a passenger? What is the anticipated maximum driver and passenger weight? Not all scooters are passenger capable. Keep in mind that a 50cc may very well be able to carry more than a 125cc so read the specifications for the scooters you’re considering very carefully.

How much cargo will you need to carry? If the trunk under the seat typical on most scooters isn’t enough, a cargo rack becomes a necessary addition. Make sure the scooter you’re researching can accommodate an add-on rack or top box.

Narrowing it down.