Thinking of getting a Scooter..any reccomendations

dan79brooklyn · 05-06-2008, 08:39 AM

Public transport takes me about 40minutes or more to get to work, by car it is about 20 minutes, but parking is impossible. So the car is really only used on weekend trips. A scooter would be fun, and I think if I found one for cheap I could justify the cost versus $4 per day subway cost plus time saved...

I have never ridden a scooter before.

I want something simple and reliable.

Thinking of a Japanese 4 stroke. I like the Honda Elite. less than $1000 bucks.

Or should I forget it and stick to public transport and bicycling (35 minutes).

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

You'd ride a scooter on the streets of NYC?

I'd say you're nuts. Either get an honest-to-goodness motorcycle or pedal powered (bike).

With a motorcycle, you'll get all the benefits of good mpg, maneuverability, ability to park basically anywhere, dirt-cheap insurance, etc. AND you can run at least as quickly as traffic. I imagine on a scooter you have the penalty of being just as invisible (or more so) and a sitting duck (i.e. unable to accelerate out of a problem).

A scooter will get "squeezed" to the right-hand shoulder by drivers refusing to acknowledge you as a "real vehicle". This is probably the worst place to be when there are parked cars alongside the curb (as is usually the case on urban streets). All it takes is one idiot to fling their door open and you're going to get launched (a friend of mine had this happen on his road bicycle a while back and ended up losing his six front teeth in the resulting "rapid deceleration", along with a concussion and a busted bike). Either that or one inattentive fool pulling out of their spot without looking and you can quickly find yourself in a "tunnel" made of very solid metal vehicles that's now closed ahead of you. Not a good situation.

The ways around this are to get a motorcycle (since you can travel at or faster than traffic, you won't get "squeezed" onto the shoulder against the parked cars with vehicles in the R/H lane passing you (also a risk of clipping you with a side-view mirror, which I've had happen to me on a bicycle), or to get a bicycle and either ride on the sidewalk if possible (technically illegal, but in some places you can do it without incident if the walks are wide and not many pedestrians) or "hog the lane" and deal with the pissed off drivers.

Personally I find a bicycle preferable because you're more manuverable, but it also might or might not be an option for you at work (showers? distance involved? carrying capacity?)

Best of luck. The elites are cool scooters but for an urban setting (your sig says Brooklyn) I'd think they're suicide.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

I think you have to be in a "scooter area" for them to be viable. For instance I have friends who live in Pasadena and they ride them around town. I kinda wince when I see them though...all the vulnerability of a motorcycle without the necessary handling and power. Plus people rarely wear any gear other than a helmet on them because they're "just a scooter."

jyl · jyl's Garage

NYC surface street traffic is really congested. Not often above 30-40 mph, and is often much slower. A modern 125cc scooter does 0-30 mph in about 4 sec. Should be peppy enough to keep up, slim enough to squeeze between, cheap enough to park and not worry about it getting knocked down and beat up.

That said, riding any sort of two-wheeler around NYC seems fairly nervy to me. Would definitely be wearing all the protective gear in reflective and day-glo colors, with a safety course. And plan on spending the first month(s) riding in quieter areas before plunging into full traffic.

dan79brooklyn · 05-06-2008, 09:47 AM

Thanks for your comments.

I ride a Bicycle in NYC, so I understand the dangers. But I have never had any accidents. Traffic does generally move fairly slowly, except going over the bridges where speeds get above 40mph. This part of the commute seems the most dangerous.
There are plenty of people I see riding scooters around the city, just as many as motorcycles.

So any reccomendations on scooters?

Dueller · 05-06-2008, 10:00 AM

A newer-ish but used scooter of sufficient size (150-250cc) is gonna run you $1200-2500. More for a vespa. Given the rough road conditions I think you will find the small diameter tires a problem. A little older bike, perhaps a dual purpose 200-250cc like any KawaSuzHonYama, would be much more logical given the conditions you're talking about riding in. Gas mileage difference would be negl;igible and the price would be lower than a scooter. Once you start getting above 40 mph or so on a scooter with small diameter tires, it can get down right skittish and braking can be an "exciting" experience.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

http://www.apriliausa.com/modelli/scooter/modello.asp?id=113

badass

legion · 05-06-2008, 10:10 AM

I was considering the same thing for a while. I settled on a motorcycle because they are much more versatile.

stomachmonkey · 05-06-2008, 10:14 AM

Buell Blast is the like the scooter of Motorcycles.

70 MPG, cheap, good starter bike.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

That Aprilla actually does look badass. Damn. Great idea - but only in the right area (as has been said).

Flatbutt1 · 05-06-2008, 10:54 AM

The Burgmann is pretty good. The Aprilia is better.

MikeSid · 05-06-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostatic

Plus people rarely wear any gear other than a helmet on them because they're "just a scooter."

This drives me nuts. I constantly see women drive around town on scooters wearing heels and cropped pants, with a bag slung over their shoulder. I would venture to guess they have no idea the chance they are taking.

K. Roman · K. Roman's Garage

italianvespa.com

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Well, Sunday I was out for a ride with the g/f on the back (she was geared up). We stopped at the little league fields on the bluff in Malibu right off PCH to stretch our legs. Up rides a guy on a crotch rocket and on the back is his g/f wearing shorts and a bikini top (and helmet...gotta be protected).

With the scooters around town, I think I've only seen one person even wearing a proper jacket. Most are in street clothes or suits, and might have a windbreaker. While they're zipping through traffic at 40+ mph. Then I see some of the bigger scooters on the freeway. Egad...