Scooter 101
October 21, 2012 8:46 AM Subscribe
I am buying a 50cc motor scooter. I have never owned or ridden a scooter. What do I need to know?
I live five miles (all surface streets) from the train station I take to my work. It is too far to walk and parking is too expensive. A bicycle is out of the question because I sweat like crazy when I exercise.
Instead, I am planning on buying a motor scooter because they are inexpensive and in my state (Maryland) motor scooters 50ccs and under can park in bike racks, which the station has plenty of.
However, I know nothing about owning or operating a scooter. I don't think I have ever even touched one. I have also never driven a motorcycle.
I am planning on buying a cheap, new 50cc motor scooter ($750-$1000) next weekend. And have many questions:
1. Can most scooters fit two people in a pinch?
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
Thank you all so much.
I live five miles (all surface streets) from the train station I take to my work. It is too far to walk and parking is too expensive. A bicycle is out of the question because I sweat like crazy when I exercise.
Instead, I am planning on buying a motor scooter because they are inexpensive and in my state (Maryland) motor scooters 50ccs and under can park in bike racks, which the station has plenty of.
However, I know nothing about owning or operating a scooter. I don't think I have ever even touched one. I have also never driven a motorcycle.
I am planning on buying a cheap, new 50cc motor scooter ($750-$1000) next weekend. And have many questions:
1. Can most scooters fit two people in a pinch?
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
Thank you all so much.
See if there's an MSF scooter course offered near you. Take it.
posted by holgate at 9:03 AM on October 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by holgate at 9:03 AM on October 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
1. Can most scooters fit two people in a pinch?
Some yes, some no. Definitely not comfortably, and sometimes not safely.
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
Helmet and gloves. Full-face helmet is way, way smarter, because a strikingly high percentage of head impacts in crashes hit the face/chin area that a smaller helmet won't cover. And gloves are mandatory because if you fall over you will put out your hands to catch yourself every time, and even at low speed your hands will get chewed up.
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
Jacket, pants, boots that cover your ankles, rain gear, serious lock to make sure your scooter is still there at the end of the day.
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
Don't buy a no-name brand. Buy a real scooter from a reputable company, like Honda, Piaggio, Kymco, etc. If they have been around for a while and have a dealer network, it should be fine; the extra cost will come back in longevity and resale value. Used is tricky -- prices are up because of high gas prices, and a lot have been abused and neglected (a lot of people buy a scooter, use it hard for a while, and then park it out back for a few years and let it rust before selling it). Shop carefully and bring a friend who knows bikes if you are looking at used ones.
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
Take a scooter or motorcycle safety class (usually offered by MSF, but there are others). It's cheap and easy, and will add a lot of safety.
Assume cars not only can't see you, but are actively trying to run you over. In particular, cars turning across traffic will never, ever see you, and that's normal. They aren't bad people, they just don't think to look for scooters, bicycles, or motorcycles.
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
Get insurance, because scooters get stolen all the time. Factor in the cost of maintenance and repairs, and notice that this will eat up all of your gas savings and more. A bicycle will be cheaper every time, and over short distances just as fast. Riding in the rain is a new level of misery. Car drivers suck ass.
posted by Forktine at 9:03 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Some yes, some no. Definitely not comfortably, and sometimes not safely.
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
Helmet and gloves. Full-face helmet is way, way smarter, because a strikingly high percentage of head impacts in crashes hit the face/chin area that a smaller helmet won't cover. And gloves are mandatory because if you fall over you will put out your hands to catch yourself every time, and even at low speed your hands will get chewed up.
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
Jacket, pants, boots that cover your ankles, rain gear, serious lock to make sure your scooter is still there at the end of the day.
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
Don't buy a no-name brand. Buy a real scooter from a reputable company, like Honda, Piaggio, Kymco, etc. If they have been around for a while and have a dealer network, it should be fine; the extra cost will come back in longevity and resale value. Used is tricky -- prices are up because of high gas prices, and a lot have been abused and neglected (a lot of people buy a scooter, use it hard for a while, and then park it out back for a few years and let it rust before selling it). Shop carefully and bring a friend who knows bikes if you are looking at used ones.
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
Take a scooter or motorcycle safety class (usually offered by MSF, but there are others). It's cheap and easy, and will add a lot of safety.
Assume cars not only can't see you, but are actively trying to run you over. In particular, cars turning across traffic will never, ever see you, and that's normal. They aren't bad people, they just don't think to look for scooters, bicycles, or motorcycles.
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
Get insurance, because scooters get stolen all the time. Factor in the cost of maintenance and repairs, and notice that this will eat up all of your gas savings and more. A bicycle will be cheaper every time, and over short distances just as fast. Riding in the rain is a new level of misery. Car drivers suck ass.
posted by Forktine at 9:03 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Vespa LX50 driver, here.
1.A 50 cc scoooter will fit two people, but the engine won't like it. It's too much weight to handle.
2. A helmet with a face shield, and a lock. this is a good one.
3. A Buff as a helmet liner, and neck gaiter in one.
Also, a bag of some sort for the back rack. Here's mine. Oh, and a back rack!
4. Scooters need premium gas, because of their high compression.
Make sure the dealership has shopfolk who are trained to work on your particular model; not just scooters in general. Also: stay away from cheap Chinese scooter-shaped objects. They are virtually unrepairable, and are considered by the scooter cognoscenti to be disposable.
5. Go easy your first 600 miles! Let everything settle in down there.
If it's a 50 cc, you'll most likely only need a registration sticker, but that depends on what state you live in. Also, scooters are attractive thief-magnets, so get that lock, and use it!
Additional info:
1. Every day is a windy day.
2. Until it's about 73° outside, every day is a chilly day.
3. If your helmet doesn't have a face shield, the rain will sting you like needles.
posted by BostonTerrier at 9:17 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
1.A 50 cc scoooter will fit two people, but the engine won't like it. It's too much weight to handle.
2. A helmet with a face shield, and a lock. this is a good one.
3. A Buff as a helmet liner, and neck gaiter in one.
Also, a bag of some sort for the back rack. Here's mine. Oh, and a back rack!
4. Scooters need premium gas, because of their high compression.
Make sure the dealership has shopfolk who are trained to work on your particular model; not just scooters in general. Also: stay away from cheap Chinese scooter-shaped objects. They are virtually unrepairable, and are considered by the scooter cognoscenti to be disposable.
5. Go easy your first 600 miles! Let everything settle in down there.
If it's a 50 cc, you'll most likely only need a registration sticker, but that depends on what state you live in. Also, scooters are attractive thief-magnets, so get that lock, and use it!
Additional info:
1. Every day is a windy day.
2. Until it's about 73° outside, every day is a chilly day.
3. If your helmet doesn't have a face shield, the rain will sting you like needles.
posted by BostonTerrier at 9:17 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've ridden motorcycles and scooters for a few years now. Anytime someone tells me they're thinking of getting a scooter, my standard response is this: Would you ride a motorcycle? If the answer is no, then stay the holy fuck away from scooters.
I got t-boned on my scooter a few years ago, just about a block away from where a scooter buddy was killed in an accident the month before. I was lucky enough to walk away without a scratch, she was not.
I generally hold to the belief that, in the city, scooters are as dangerous as motorcycles, if not more. You're not visible. You're not loud. You can't handle obstacles like potholes on 10 inch wheels. And, on a 50cc, you're under-powered to evade danger. If you get a scooter from a company that's not Honda, Genuine, Suzuki, Kymco, etc; then you're adding poor quality to that list of dangers.
On preview, BostonTerrier makes another point. I went down a couple of times in the rain. As in for no reason, my wheels just slipped out from under me and I went down.
That said, I love my motorcycle, and I think about adding a scooter to my menagerie of motors all the time. It's a lot of fun. Just make sure you've thought it through.
posted by piedmont at 9:27 AM on October 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
I got t-boned on my scooter a few years ago, just about a block away from where a scooter buddy was killed in an accident the month before. I was lucky enough to walk away without a scratch, she was not.
I generally hold to the belief that, in the city, scooters are as dangerous as motorcycles, if not more. You're not visible. You're not loud. You can't handle obstacles like potholes on 10 inch wheels. And, on a 50cc, you're under-powered to evade danger. If you get a scooter from a company that's not Honda, Genuine, Suzuki, Kymco, etc; then you're adding poor quality to that list of dangers.
On preview, BostonTerrier makes another point. I went down a couple of times in the rain. As in for no reason, my wheels just slipped out from under me and I went down.
That said, I love my motorcycle, and I think about adding a scooter to my menagerie of motors all the time. It's a lot of fun. Just make sure you've thought it through.
posted by piedmont at 9:27 AM on October 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
Do not buy an open faced helmet. I learnt this lesson the hard way when I hit the side of a car with my face. Ugh. Also, learn to ride with hyper awareness. Most accidents are caused by car drivers simply not seeing you and changing lanes into you. Stuff like that. Be much more careful than you think you should be.
posted by aychedee at 9:35 AM on October 21, 2012
posted by aychedee at 9:35 AM on October 21, 2012
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
Scooters pollute more than a car due to a lack of a catalytic convertor.
As a person who has to bike next to scooters every day and has to breath in the nasty smoke when they pass by, please try to get a modern one that does not pollute the air like crazy. See ScooterUnderground.ca for more info
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:42 AM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Scooters pollute more than a car due to a lack of a catalytic convertor.
As a person who has to bike next to scooters every day and has to breath in the nasty smoke when they pass by, please try to get a modern one that does not pollute the air like crazy. See ScooterUnderground.ca for more info
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:42 AM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
I forget which one is more powerful -- the 4-stroke or the 2-stroke. (I think it's 2-stroke, oddly enough.) Get that one. You'll take a test drive and might be a little intimidated by the power of that one over the other one, but that power will actually give you more control in the long run, and you'll learn to control it quickly.
Get a scooter with the fattest wheels you can find. Again, better control with more contact to the ground.
Riding with two people: not only will it complicate the way your scooter feels and handles, it is possibly illegal in your area. Don't do it, even if you have a "second seat" on the back.
The road markings (lane lines, crosswalks, etc.) can be surprisingly slick in bad weather.
And yes, the biggest danger to you will always be other people. I live in a university town where people are fairly accustomed to scooters, and there are still crazy things all the time. I personally had a severe elbow injury when a bicyclist decided to make a left turn from the right lane, cutting me off at a place where no left turn should exist.
NEVER ride without a helmet. I cracked mine in my accident, and I was going maybe 15 miles an hour and clonked over on my side. It would have been pretty bad.
I rode a Yamaha Zuma, which I don't think they make anymore. But even after my accident, and even now (six years after I sold it), I flirt with the idea of getting something similar again. It was pretty dang handy.
posted by Madamina at 9:48 AM on October 21, 2012
Get a scooter with the fattest wheels you can find. Again, better control with more contact to the ground.
Riding with two people: not only will it complicate the way your scooter feels and handles, it is possibly illegal in your area. Don't do it, even if you have a "second seat" on the back.
The road markings (lane lines, crosswalks, etc.) can be surprisingly slick in bad weather.
And yes, the biggest danger to you will always be other people. I live in a university town where people are fairly accustomed to scooters, and there are still crazy things all the time. I personally had a severe elbow injury when a bicyclist decided to make a left turn from the right lane, cutting me off at a place where no left turn should exist.
NEVER ride without a helmet. I cracked mine in my accident, and I was going maybe 15 miles an hour and clonked over on my side. It would have been pretty bad.
I rode a Yamaha Zuma, which I don't think they make anymore. But even after my accident, and even now (six years after I sold it), I flirt with the idea of getting something similar again. It was pretty dang handy.
posted by Madamina at 9:48 AM on October 21, 2012
It's miserable in the rain. A visor is mandatory for that alone. Not a tinted visor because then it's more difficult to see in the dark. Cars will drive through puddles and drench you from head to toe. Rain ponchos will not keep you dry. Wear reflective gear/patches.
Ask around for reliable mechanics before you buy a particular model. Make sure there is someone nearby qualified to repair it.
Riding with another person on the back changes the balance and the motorbike will be much harder to keep steady, especially at the slower speed you will be going because the motor is underpowered.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:52 AM on October 21, 2012
Ask around for reliable mechanics before you buy a particular model. Make sure there is someone nearby qualified to repair it.
Riding with another person on the back changes the balance and the motorbike will be much harder to keep steady, especially at the slower speed you will be going because the motor is underpowered.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:52 AM on October 21, 2012
Scooter owner here, Honda SH150. It seats two comfortably and is not underpowered for that. A 50cc would be underpowered for all but slow jaunts. But a 50cc isn't going to go much faster than 30mph anyway. So a 50cc is an in-town vehicle only.
Treat it, and your safety, as if it were a motorcycle in your area. Wear a helmet with a face shield. Wear boots that cover your ankles. Wear heavy jeans. Wear a jacket with body armour. Wear cycling gloves. No shit.
I'm sorry, it's not a lark, those carefree pictures of cute Vespa riders in Milano with flowing hair and a basket full of fruit are people one wipe-out away from serious injury or death. Wear the gear; you may be annoyed, that is up until the time you hit a patch of gravel on a turn or a recently rained-on pavement mark (slippery as HELL) and find yourself on your ass.
I love my scooter, but I would never ride without full protection.
And I honestly think that a 50cc scooter is more dangerous than a 150cc or 250cc scooter, because there is no way you can accelerate out of trouble with a tiny little motor like that. Much of accident avoidance on a bike is "get away" rather than "stop".
Also buy a Honda or a Yamaha or a Suzuki; preferrably a Honda. If you must have a 50cc scooter, check the Honda dealerships for leftover models from earlier years. You will certainly find one for under $2k with a full warranty.
Also -- take the motorcycle training course, and treat the bike as if it were a full motorcycle even if the law does not. Your safety (and that of your passengers) entirely depends on your skill, far more than in a 4-wheeled safety cage.
Have fun!
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:56 AM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Treat it, and your safety, as if it were a motorcycle in your area. Wear a helmet with a face shield. Wear boots that cover your ankles. Wear heavy jeans. Wear a jacket with body armour. Wear cycling gloves. No shit.
I'm sorry, it's not a lark, those carefree pictures of cute Vespa riders in Milano with flowing hair and a basket full of fruit are people one wipe-out away from serious injury or death. Wear the gear; you may be annoyed, that is up until the time you hit a patch of gravel on a turn or a recently rained-on pavement mark (slippery as HELL) and find yourself on your ass.
I love my scooter, but I would never ride without full protection.
And I honestly think that a 50cc scooter is more dangerous than a 150cc or 250cc scooter, because there is no way you can accelerate out of trouble with a tiny little motor like that. Much of accident avoidance on a bike is "get away" rather than "stop".
Also buy a Honda or a Yamaha or a Suzuki; preferrably a Honda. If you must have a 50cc scooter, check the Honda dealerships for leftover models from earlier years. You will certainly find one for under $2k with a full warranty.
Also -- take the motorcycle training course, and treat the bike as if it were a full motorcycle even if the law does not. Your safety (and that of your passengers) entirely depends on your skill, far more than in a 4-wheeled safety cage.
Have fun!
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:56 AM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Scooters pollute more than a car due to a lack of a catalytic convertor.
This is true for older 2 stroke bikes, but not for modern scooters; EPA regulations and California state regulations require this on all new scooters, and have for quite some time.
I've ridden motorcycles and scooters for a few years now. Anytime someone tells me they're thinking of getting a scooter, my standard response is this: Would you ride a motorcycle? If the answer is no, then stay the holy fuck away from scooters.
This is the best advice on the thread.
Please note that you can find cheap, durable, street legal small displacement enduro-style motorcycles for far cheaper than a scooter. Scooters (of any quality at all) are oftentimes more expensive than used motorcycles of similar size. If economy is of any concern, get a motorcycle, not a scooter.
posted by furnace.heart at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is true for older 2 stroke bikes, but not for modern scooters; EPA regulations and California state regulations require this on all new scooters, and have for quite some time.
I've ridden motorcycles and scooters for a few years now. Anytime someone tells me they're thinking of getting a scooter, my standard response is this: Would you ride a motorcycle? If the answer is no, then stay the holy fuck away from scooters.
This is the best advice on the thread.
Please note that you can find cheap, durable, street legal small displacement enduro-style motorcycles for far cheaper than a scooter. Scooters (of any quality at all) are oftentimes more expensive than used motorcycles of similar size. If economy is of any concern, get a motorcycle, not a scooter.
posted by furnace.heart at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also there's the issue of road domination with a little scooter. These days there are a lot of eBikes out there that look like 50cc scooters in size, except that they are not licensed. Drivers are getting really accustomed to those sluggish eBikes being on the roads and pass them all the time (because they can barely go 20mph). If you look like an eBike but are taking up the whole road, you might find drivers being more dickish than usual. I see this a little bit with my bike because I have a top case and an upright seating position (all of the eBikes do as well), though my bike has the size of a regular motorcycle.
So just be aware that the eBikes are setting precedent for how drivers treat small scooters, and it's not good for scooter drivers.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2012
So just be aware that the eBikes are setting precedent for how drivers treat small scooters, and it's not good for scooter drivers.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:01 AM on October 21, 2012
So by now you have been told to avoid Chinese sccoters. Good advice. No one has mentioned Tomos which are a good brand, and less expensive than Honda, Piaggio and Yamaha. They also seem to have a good dealership program. 2-stroke these days usually have a separate oil reservoir and the oil is injected. Be sure you know the difference between Pre-mix or injected if buying used. A lock and chain like the Fuggedaboudit is the way to go. Most bikes have a clip for the helmet, but don't be surprised to find them inadequate. A full face helmet can be locked to the bike by putting the chain through the chin guard. 10 inch wheels and potholes don't mix. If you can find a bike with 16 in wheels like the Piaggio LT50 (discontinued) or the Tomos Twister 50 you at least stand a chance of not doing an endo or breaking a wheel in a pothole.
Remember Detroit and Tokyo make cars with glass that prevents drivers from seeing anything on two wheels. stay alert and anticipate.
posted by Gungho at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2012
Remember Detroit and Tokyo make cars with glass that prevents drivers from seeing anything on two wheels. stay alert and anticipate.
posted by Gungho at 10:10 AM on October 21, 2012
1. Can most scooters fit two people in a pinch?
No. You can drive around, but your breaks won't be powerful to stop the weights of two people in an emergency. You'll crash into the car in front of you, you'll crash fast, and you'll crash hard.
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
A full face helmet and crash gloves are really not negotiable. Any less protection than that and you'll risk a life-long injury even for the most common routine crash.
Don't let people ride with you unless they are wearing as much or more protection than you are. That's the Boat Captain Rule, you are the one driving, you should be the one taking the most risk.
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
To be taken seriously by people who ride motorcycles with their head, you need a crash jacket, crash pants, and crash boots. I'm also a big proponent of wearing a crash back brace in traffic, even if they are usually thought of as racing gear. Go to your local friendly motorcycle gear shop and they will teach you what you need. The commuter crash pants (that you can take off with a zipper) might be a little bit harder to find. Call around. Since you are commuting, you'll need rain gear and a bottle of Rain-X for your visor.
Budget for $1000-$2000 for your riding gear. If you don't have the money for the gear, you don't have the money for the bike.
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
In addition to the makes mentioned so far, Yamaha also builds excellent scooters.
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
Learn ATGATT (All the gear, all the time,) ride like you are invisible, read the Wikipedia article on motorcycle safety, take the motorcycle safety foundation's safe driving course, and keep learning from there.
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
2-strokes motorcycle pollute vastly more than 4-strokes because they burn their lubricant as a matter of design of the engine. A 4-stroke motorcycle pollutes vastly more than a car unless you get one of the few motorcycles that have a catalytic converter. A few motorcycles nowadays ship with anti-lock breaks. They are quite a bit safer.
If you live in a cold climate you'll have to prepare an alternative mean of commute during to freezing months, and you'll have to learn how to prepare your motorcycle so that it survives the storage.
posted by gmarceau at 11:16 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
No. You can drive around, but your breaks won't be powerful to stop the weights of two people in an emergency. You'll crash into the car in front of you, you'll crash fast, and you'll crash hard.
2. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a must?
A full face helmet and crash gloves are really not negotiable. Any less protection than that and you'll risk a life-long injury even for the most common routine crash.
Don't let people ride with you unless they are wearing as much or more protection than you are. That's the Boat Captain Rule, you are the one driving, you should be the one taking the most risk.
3. What accessories (helmet etc...) are a good to have?
To be taken seriously by people who ride motorcycles with their head, you need a crash jacket, crash pants, and crash boots. I'm also a big proponent of wearing a crash back brace in traffic, even if they are usually thought of as racing gear. Go to your local friendly motorcycle gear shop and they will teach you what you need. The commuter crash pants (that you can take off with a zipper) might be a little bit harder to find. Call around. Since you are commuting, you'll need rain gear and a bottle of Rain-X for your visor.
Budget for $1000-$2000 for your riding gear. If you don't have the money for the gear, you don't have the money for the bike.
4. What do I need to know about buying a scooter?
In addition to the makes mentioned so far, Yamaha also builds excellent scooters.
5. What do I need to know about driving a scooter?
Learn ATGATT (All the gear, all the time,) ride like you are invisible, read the Wikipedia article on motorcycle safety, take the motorcycle safety foundation's safe driving course, and keep learning from there.
6. What do I need to know about owning a scooter?
2-strokes motorcycle pollute vastly more than 4-strokes because they burn their lubricant as a matter of design of the engine. A 4-stroke motorcycle pollutes vastly more than a car unless you get one of the few motorcycles that have a catalytic converter. A few motorcycles nowadays ship with anti-lock breaks. They are quite a bit safer.
If you live in a cold climate you'll have to prepare an alternative mean of commute during to freezing months, and you'll have to learn how to prepare your motorcycle so that it survives the storage.
posted by gmarceau at 11:16 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
A few motorcycles nowadays ship with anti-lock breaks. They are quite a bit safer.
Not necessarily. Especially on what the OP is probably talking about!
posted by piedmont at 12:11 PM on October 21, 2012
Not necessarily. Especially on what the OP is probably talking about!
posted by piedmont at 12:11 PM on October 21, 2012
For a flat 5-mile commute I would seriously consider an electric bike over a scooter. Even if you don't pedal at all, the round-trip is well within typical battery range. It might add about 10 minutes to your commute, but it's cheaper, quieter, and safer.
If you do end up getting a scooter, I would Nth a helmet -- full-face, with visor and chinbar, and make sure it fits snugly (this video might be helpful). Other protective gear is also highly desirable (boots, gloves, protective jacket and sturdy leg coverings at minimum) but I think most riders would agree that a good helmet is the absolute #1 priority. Note that the price of a decent set of protective gear will probably be around the price of a cheap scooter.
posted by pont at 12:44 PM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
If you do end up getting a scooter, I would Nth a helmet -- full-face, with visor and chinbar, and make sure it fits snugly (this video might be helpful). Other protective gear is also highly desirable (boots, gloves, protective jacket and sturdy leg coverings at minimum) but I think most riders would agree that a good helmet is the absolute #1 priority. Note that the price of a decent set of protective gear will probably be around the price of a cheap scooter.
posted by pont at 12:44 PM on October 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Some states require you to have a motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license before you can have a passenger, even on a scooter that would not otherwise require an endorsement, FYI.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:35 PM on October 21, 2012
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:35 PM on October 21, 2012
I think I've spent half my life on a scooter, but in India and now in Mexico, so my experiences may not quite match your needs.
I agree with the others above about helmets, but also add that try to be very visible, get a bright coloured scooter, wear bright jackets, and always telegraph your intentions to other motorists i.e. indicators etc, and also always ride with the lights on.
As a scooter owner, make a mental map of possible locations where they will fix it if things need fixing, especially with respect to a flat tire.
Take the bike for a test drive,and check it out thoroughly especially with respect to the weight of the bike.
Preferably buy a scooter that has a large compartment under the seat to store things.
Always ride defensively, you may be in the right, but don't count on this too much. Better to be safe than right.
posted by dhruva at 6:29 PM on October 21, 2012
I agree with the others above about helmets, but also add that try to be very visible, get a bright coloured scooter, wear bright jackets, and always telegraph your intentions to other motorists i.e. indicators etc, and also always ride with the lights on.
As a scooter owner, make a mental map of possible locations where they will fix it if things need fixing, especially with respect to a flat tire.
Take the bike for a test drive,and check it out thoroughly especially with respect to the weight of the bike.
Preferably buy a scooter that has a large compartment under the seat to store things.
Always ride defensively, you may be in the right, but don't count on this too much. Better to be safe than right.
posted by dhruva at 6:29 PM on October 21, 2012
Find your local scooter club. Most have websites and Facebook pages. They usually have a regular monthly meeting. Go to one and ask them what you need to know. Scooter folks are incredibly open, friendly, and helpful. They will be happy to answer all your questions, and their community will be an ongoing source of information, which will be invaluable to you.
posted by raisingsand at 6:40 PM on October 21, 2012
posted by raisingsand at 6:40 PM on October 21, 2012
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- I tried public transportation but it is spotty at best, particularly when I come home late. I usually end up walking for taking a $15 cab ride. I am hoping the scooter makes this unnecessary.
- The route I will take to and from the train station is all flat city streets. I think the maximum speed limit is 35-40mph.
posted by Spurious at 8:52 AM on October 21, 2012