Going from A to B? Motor Scooter.

VeritasVR

This is a split thread from our older "Motorcycles" thread we had last month in H/A. The motorcycles on that thread were simply amazing, but unfortunately quite pricey for the college student or recent graduate. I brought up that factor for the motorcycles and mentioned that it was just a thing to get from A to B better than a bicycle.

Hence, a motor scooter. With the gas prices this high and the insane efficiency of a motor scooter, they are very economical indeed. However I am trying to determine how to purchase one on a (very) limited budget before the fall quarter begins. My current price cap is about $1500, but I am willing to get a used scooter. I would rather not have to settle for a 50cc engine, but it's not out of the question. I am definitely not hitting any highways ever, but the speed limit on the roads is 35 mph. I've heard that a 50cc engine CAN hit 35, but not much higher. Plus when you run 35 you're straining the engine to it's max. So I would highly prefer a 150cc.

So my question is, does anyone know any reliable places to go shopping for said vehicle? Either online or in a store would be okay. I'm in Columbus, Ohio if that helps at all. Ebay and Craigslist look good, but I've never used them before (gasp!) and I also know about the whole Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide which also applies to scooters. Also, any riding tips would be great as well. I'm just planning on going to places around the Ohio State University campus on this thing.

I did find an interesting site, Half Price Scooters, which looks way too good to be true. A new 150cc Italian scooter for $1100 would be so incredibly perfect, but I'm also wary of scams, hidden fees, or insane assembly requirements. What do you think about this site though?

So yeah, would appreciate any help on this subject. My co-workers have had scooters before and they say I should totally do this.

VeritasVR

Guess everyone uses overpriced, gas guzzling SUVs huh.

Fats

Yeah, I don't know much about scooters. Sorry. That halfpricescooters site is probably legit, it just looks like they're selling knockoffs. I think I'd stick with known brands, shit won't randomly fall off on you.

Some stuff copied from the SA AI scooter megathread:

I- Engine Sizes
Scooter engines generally run from 50cc to 500cc. Generally, the larger the engine, the faster the scooter. Here's a breakdown of the most common engine sizes and their approximate top speeds.

50cc - 30-40mph - Around the neighborhood, small errands on residential streets, not recommended for passengers

125cc - 45-60mph - Cross-town, casual weekend excursions, light passengers on flat terrain for short distances.

150cc - 55-65mph - OK for inter-town travel, good for weekend trips not involving extended high-speed periods, suitable for a passenger.

200cc - 70-80mph - Great for inter-town travel, and weekend trips, suitable for most freeways, does well with passenger on hills

400cc+ - 80-100mph - Long-distance touring, designed with passenger in mind.

Obviously, the performance will vary on the particular scooter and the weight of the rider. Some scooters are also sold restricted as well and will need to be derestricted in order to reach their maximum performance.


II- Scooter Makes and Models:

Honda- Everyone knows who Honda is. Their scooters are high-quality and parts are very easy to find. Popular models include the 50cc Metropolitan ($1800) and Ruckus ($2000), and the 250cc Helix ($5300)

Yamaha- Another very well-known scooter maker, their quality and prices are parallel to Honda's. Popular models include the 50cc Vino ($1850) and the 400cc Majesty ($5800)

Suzuki- I don't know much about these. Suzuki makes the Burgman series of scooters, which are generally very big and have large 400cc+ engines.

Piaggio/Vespa- Perhaps the most well-known scooter maker, Piaggio/Vespa scooters are generally regarded as being a little bit fancier and more expensive than the rest. Also note that Vespa is owned and operated by Piaggio, not the other way around (a common misconception).

Kymco- Kymco is a Taiwanese scooter/motorcycle company. Though the average consumer probably hasn't heard of them, they are generally well-regarded in the scooter community. All of their scooters include a two-year warranty, whereas Honda/Yamaha/Piaggio offer one-year warranties.

Genuine Scooter Co/PGO- Another Taiwanese company, their scooters seem to be held in high regard, especially the Buddy and now-deceased Stella series. Similar to Kymco, parts and service should be easy to obtain in most large American cities. [Thanks, s3r]

Hopefully that helps a bit, at least regarding brands.

Edit: If you can wait until after summer, prices will drop like a rock. Everyone wants a bike/scooter now.

VeritasVR

Thanks, the classifications help a lot.

I don't think the new scooter prices fluctuate with season though. I also wouldn't mind buying a knockoff brand from that site for several reasons.