[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Hey, I can bunny hop my Harley. At least it feels like I can after a few beers...

I would second (third? fourth?) the skip the scooter, get a small motorcycle advice. Scooters are about looking like some gay Italian; no more. The practicality and usefulness of a small displacement motorcycle has them beat in every respect. The power, acceleration, braking, handling, and safety derived from all of those traits is superior on the motorcycle.

Before I got married, my room mate bought one of the top of the line Honda scooters of the day (early '80's). He was adamant that he did not want a motorcycle. I rode that scooter quite a lot myself; I have never, before or since, been on such an evil little death trap. I finally convinced him to ride around on my little Kawasaki 250 dual sport that I was using as a trail bike at the time. He was simply astounded at the difference. He tried to sell his now only six month old scooter and found he could not, at least not for anywhere near what he paid for it. So he traded it back to the same Honda dealer for less than half of what he purchased it for, and rode off on a little 250 dual sport.

The salesman, after all was said and done, told him he sees it all the time. A few months on a scooter is all most folks need to convince themselves they need a motorcycle, even if it is a very small one. Just skip an unnecessary step and go straight to the motorcycle.

No argument here on the tossability of a small on/off road bike, but having ridden in "NYC", I still say a small scooter would be a very efficient way to get around and park anywhere with.