What should i know about motor scooters before i buy one?

Question

ok, i really know absolutely NOTHING about these things. i'm thinking i want a 150cc one, they seem to be a little more in my price range than faster ones.

thoughts? suggestions? tips?

i'm really excited so bear with me! :P

Answer 1

There are MANY scooters out there that have no service manuals, nor support. You cannot get parts, nor can anybody fix them. Most of those are imported. Many do not even have a brand name! Make sure that you get a name brand that you recognize. Visit the service department. Ask about parts availability. Ask to see the dealers shop manual...just to see if there is one printed for the bike. If there is a shop manual, then you should be pretty good. Small wheels are more maneuverable, large wheels are better for the road and potholes. Vespa is the best, but is the most expensive...and worth the extra money too! Are you aware that you need a motorcycle license for that size bike? Have you thought about where you will park it, and where you will keep it during the winter? (You need a plug for a battery charger in the winter).



A GY6 engine is a good engine. I believe it is what is in my TOMOS Scooter! If necessary, you can buy a whole GY6 engine for about $350! You will not need to remove the battery to charge it if you ride the bike, but if you don't ride every week or two, you can remove the battery easily, and leave it on a trickle charger in your room all winter...or just put it on the trickle charger a few days before you start up for the season. (be sure you store the scoot correctly if you do let it sit all winter. You must remove the gasoline...or use a fuel preservative. Anyone who says Vespa isn't the best, probably hasn't ridden one, but you probably won't find a very good one for $1000. But there are plenty of very good bikes out there. Also, a SHOP manual tells you how to disassemble and reassemble components of the bike. It is different from an OWNERS Manual, which would come with the bike, and tell you how to operate it... or a PARTS manual which would only list parts of the bike.

Answer 2

If I could go out and buy a new scooter, or a nice used one, I'd get a Yamaha Vino 125. I ride a Honda C70 Passport. It's a lot of fun until you go uphill and/or into the wind. It would be hard to give up the 100 mpg, but the Vino comes awful close. I like the Italian styling of it and the small size. The gas gauge is another nice feature. Stay away from Chinese scooters. As you probably know, almost everything made in China is junk. Getting your scooter serviced would be difficult or impossible, and some of them aren't even DOT approved. Real Italian scooters are bad news, too. My sister has a Piaggio, which I guess is the company that makes Vespas. She's had electrical troubles with it. Honda has some 100-150 cc scooters that seem like they'd be nice. Even an old 250 cc Elite or Helix would be cheap fun. Helixes are butt-ugly, though.

Answer 3

I agree: stay away from anything made in China or sold by an internet dealer. For a ton of useful information, go to: www.justgottascoot.com. Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic course. Even if you buy a 50cc and don't get a license, it will save your life.

Answer 4

get a 50cc for around campus, u don't have to license it or anything, i made the wrong decision to get a 150cc and i have to get a motorcycle license and everything



and the battery is so small, its like 2lbs



and vespa is not the best, just look for the engine and if its a gy6, its the most dependable engine on the market. very cheap to repair