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Can riding a scooter save money?
"Even if your 50-cc scooter will go 35 mph, that doesn't make it safe to ride on a road with a posted limit of 35 mph," Solace says, because car traffic is usually going 5 to 10 miles faster than the limit.
OK, so I needed at least 125 cc. But which one to buy?
Booming sales make used hard to find
I'm cheap, so I scouted out used models first.I learned not to confuse used with vintage. Classics such as a Lambretta or a Vespa more than 20 years old cost as much or more than some new scooters. They also tend to require more maintenance. I decided I didn't want to become a scooter mechanic, just a scooter commuter.
So I searched the Internet for newer used scooters. But they sold very quickly; I never even got to look at one. It's no surprise the Motorcycle Industry Council says sales are at a 20-year high. Sales of name-brand scooters such as Honda, Yamaha, Vespa and Suzuki were up 24% in the first quarter of the year, according to spokesman Mike Mount. It's definitely a seller's market. See if you have better luck at CycleTrader.
Finally, I decided to buy new. I wasn't alone: Between 1997 and 2007, U.S. sales of new scooters jumped from 12,000 to about 131,000. Still, with new scooters I had trouble finding decent research that compared models. Here are a few places to start poking around:
- ScooterWorld Magazine (no content on the Web site, but you can subscribe online).
- Scoot Magazine (blog and forums available online).
Prices range from $1,000 or so for a mail-order scooter from China to as much as $7,000 for a top-shelf model. Piaggio, of Italy, is the gold standard, and its Vespa is practically synonymous with scooter. Even former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has a Vespa -- the $5,000 LXV 150.
In the end, I decided I'm more frugal than hip.
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I chose based on test rides. (Some places won't allow test rides, but if they do, you probably will need a motorcycle license or at least a permit.) I have to admit I was nervous. What if I didn't remember how to ride? What if I crashed the pink scooter and was forced to buy it? I'm really not the pink-scooter type.
In the end it was like riding a bicycle, so to speak.
But if you've never ridden, a beginner motorcycle class will teach you all you need to know. It's worth the $200. And this Motorcycle Safety Foundation guide (.pdf) is a pretty good primer for some of the issues you'll face regarding safety and maintenance.
Scooter checklist
- Get your motorcycle permit; search online for your state and "motorcycle license." Your state may not require a motorcycle license, but getting one is still a good idea.
- Take a motorcycle safety class.
- Get your license.
- Buy insurance. I added scooter coverage to my auto policy for $185 annually. Virtually all states require liability insurance; scooters aren't exempt.
- Have a plan if you have a flat tire or mechanical problems. A scooter is not covered under your AAA membership. Carry the number of a local scooter shop and the number of a friend with a truck, just in case.
- Always wear a helmet. I like the face shield I bought for my helmet.
- Buy appropriate clothing -- long pants and long sleeves with gloves (exposed skin always loses to asphalt) and an over-the-ankle boot. Bright colors are best.
- Think about security. The key will lock the steering mechanism so it can be pushed only in circles. But a determined thief can find a way to steal a scooter that weighs approximately 250 pounds. A half-inch or bigger cable would be a good investment for locking your scooter to a bike rack.
- Scout out scooter accessories: front baskets, back racks, windshields, chrome trim, even a minitrunk.
- Plan your trips well. Minimal groceries will fit under the seat. Some scooters have a hook in the center console, convenient for hanging a sack of groceries.
I've had Bella only a month, but my decision to buy her has been reconfirmed as gas prices have passed $4 a gallon.
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Prediction: $200 oil, $5 gasEconomists say oil prices could continue to surge in the next two years, with prices as high as $5.60 a gallon at the gas pump possible.
When I told a friend how many miles per gallon I was getting, he said, "Yes, but that's just a fringe benefit. You really enjoy it, don't you?"
He's right. I love riding my scooter!
Published June 27, 2008
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