[jyl]

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.